Pictured above: ELEX
I'm back with another batch of recent indie and AA releases that may have slipped under your radar. As always, I'm not here to personally recommend any of these games- I'm just highlighting some new releases that stood out from the crowd. Make sure you read user reviews and search YouTube to find more information on each game.
Crate Entertainment
$17.99
One new release I actually can recommend is the Ashes of Malmouth expansion for Grim Dawn. This massive expansion adds a ton of new content to an already excellent action RPG, including two new classes, 14 new Constellations, an increased level cap, and two story chapters set in the fallen city of Malmouth. Ashes of Malmouth also includes a wide variety of quality of life improvements, such as an Illusionist that can change your gear appearance, an expanded item stash, and several ways to respec your character. Grim Dawn and its expansion are available on GOG and the Humble Store too, but the base game is currently 66% off on Steam until November 1st.
Realmforge Studios
$39.99
The Dungeons series returns for its third installment, and its apparently a fairly major improvement. The Dungeon series takes the dungeon building and management aspects of Dungeon Keeper, but gives you more control over your units like in an RTS. Build an elaborate dungeon to attract all manner of evil creatures before launching raids on the overworld, bringing corruption and ruin to the peaceful kingdoms of the surface-dwellers. One of the biggest new additions to Dungeons 3 is the inclusion of randomly generated level layouts to ensure that each session is unique. You can also find Dungeons 3 on GOG, the Humble Store, PS4, and Xbox One.
Piranha Bytes
$49.99
The developers of the cult classic Gothic series are taking their first steps into a new science fantasy universe with ELEX. In the post-apocalyptic world of Magalan, a war is being waged over a new resource that gives people immense magical abilities, but slowly drains them of their emotions. Explore a massive open world completely devoid of loading screens, with a jetpack that can be used to reach the game's many vertical locations. ELEX promises to deliver deep, interconnected quests and difficult choices as you either cling to your humanity, or allow your new powers to consume you. You can also find ELEX on GOG, the Humble Store, PS4, and Xbox One.
Mandragora
$9.99
Team up with three friends and explore a procedurally generated factory full of deranged mutants in the action roguelite Freaky Awesome. Consume mutagens to regain health and mutate yourself into various freaky creatures with unique special abilities and attacks. Luckily, the co-op in Freaky Awesome is both local and online, giving it an edge over many similar indie titles.
Blue Mountain Games
Free-to-Play
The highly anticipated Smash Bros.-style multiplayer brawler, Brawlhalla, has left early access. Choose from over 30 unique fighters and battle up to eight players online or locally in this platform fighter that emphasizes slamming your opposition off the map. Levels are dotted with various items and gadgets that can be used to turn the tide of battle in your favor. The game has been in beta for a long time now, and already has a fully featured ranking system and leaderboards based on player feedback. Brawlhalla's business model is free-to-play with a weekly rotation of six characters. You earn in-game currency that can be used to buy new characters, or you can spend $19.99 on the All Legends Pack to gain immediate access to every character, both current and future. Brawlhalla is currently only available on PC, but it's supposed to make its way over to PS4 eventually as well.
Wolfire Games
$29.99
After nearly a decade in development, the anthropomorphic animal fighter Overgrowth has finally hit version 1.0. This open sandbox game seeks to replicate stylized martial arts brawls through the use of free-flowing combat and a physics system that sits somewhere between "hilarious" and "wonky." People seem a bit divided over just how well the final product turned out, with many recent user reviews saying that Overgrowth still feels very unpolished and has a mediocre story. The game is also available on the Humble Store.
Holy Potatoes! What the Hell?!
Daylight Studios
$7.99
The Holy Potatoes series of quirky management games is back for a third installment. In What the Hell?!, you participate in a bizarre cooking show in Hell as you try to absolve yourself of sin and ascend to Heaven. Create your kitchen staff from a collection of fellow sinners and build delicious dishes to appease the Gods. Compete against rival teams in cook-offs to prove that you are the best chef in all of Hell. In a refreshing change of pace, What the Hell?! actually has a demo, so why not give it a try?
Runner Duck
$14.99
Finally we come to Bomber Crew, a strategy sim that can best be described as "FTL with WWII bombers." Recruit your crew and engage in daring bombing missions over German airspace. Swap your crew between stations and desperately try to keep your bomber in the air as you encounter enemy resistance from fighters and AA installations. Bomber Crew has mostly positive reviews thus far, but the one frequent complaint I keep seeing is the lack of a tactical pause feature, which makes the game a bit too hectic for some people's tastes.
Which of these new games caught your attention?
