Pictured above: Guns, Gore, and Cannoli 2
After a bit of a hiatus due to technical issues, I’m back with another batch of new indie releases. As always, I’m not here to personally recommend any of these games; I’m just highlighting some recent releases that you may have missed. Remember to check out reviews and videos to find more information on each game.
Shiro Games
$29.99
First on the list this week is Northgard, a real-time, Norse-inspired 4X that gained a sizable following last year when it hit Early Access. In addition to the randomized maps that the game originally launched with, this final version features an 11 chapter campaign mode that will help you master the playstyle of all six of the game’s clans. While the game is technically an RTS, Northgard’s pace is closer to what you’d expect from Civilization, with most of the game’s emphasis placed on expanding your settlement, exploring a mysterious new land, and gradually working your way towards one of four potential victory conditions. Northgard is also available on the Humble Store.
Crazy Monkey Studios
$12.99
Guns, Gore, and Cannoli 2 is, unsurprisingly, the sequel to Guns, Gore, and Cannoli, a comedic 2D shooter that released back in 2015. While the original was about shooting zombies and rival Italian gangsters in Prohibition era America, the sequel brings protagonist Vinnie Cannoli to the battlefields of war-torn Europe to kick some Nazi ass. Besides the setting change, Guns, Gore, and Cannoli 2 features a significant overhaul of the core gameplay, including new dodging and melee mechanics. Play by yourself or bring along up to three friends in online and local co-op. Both titles are also on the PS4 and Xbox One.
Brain Seal
$7.99
Another recent sequel to a modestly successful indie game from 2015 is Dark Quest 2. As with the original, Dark Quest 2 is a turn-based dungeon crawler heavily inspired by the classic Games Workshop adventure board game, HeroQuest. Besides the graphical upgrade, Dark Quest 2‘s main improvements are new character classes and the addition of online co-op.
Amanita Design
$9.99
CHUCHEL is the latest adorable adventure game from the creators of Machinarium, Samorost, and Botanicula. Guide the titular Chuchel through a variety of puzzles on his race to beat his rival, Kekel. As with all of Amanita’s games, the plot is an excuse to explore a whimsical world full of charming music and comedic visual gags. You can also find CHUCHEL on GOG and the Humble Store.
Household Games Inc.
$14.99
In addition to being a puntastic name, Way of the Passive Fist also describes this 2D arcade brawler’s gameplay. Instead of trying to overpower your enemies with a barrage of punches, kicks, and throws like in most brawlers, Way of the Passive Fist is about tiring your opponents and dispatching them once they run out of steam. Parry, block, deflect, and dodge enemy attacks to drain their stamina and outlast them before launching a well-timed counterattack. Way of the Passive Fist is also on the Humble Store, PS4, and Xbox One.
Eat Create Sleep
$9.99
Crest is an “indirect god game” set in a low-poly world inspired by prehistoric Africa. This sandbox-style god sim allows you to build your own religion as a primordial god by issuing pictographic commandments to your followers. The indirect part of the game’s pitch comes from the fact that there is no set way that your followers will interpret your will, and each commandment might lead to unexpected consequences. Unlock new pictures as your tribe progresses, allowing you to issue increasingly complex commandments.
GameChanger Studio
$14.99
Finally we come to My Lovely Daughter, a rather twisted and disturbing mix of visual novel and alchemist simulator. You play as a grieving father that begins exploring alchemy to find a way to resurrect his recently deceased daughter. Use forbidden texts to create and raise a small army of homunculi to help you with your experiments. As your relationship with your homunculi servants grows and they become better at their daily tasks, you’ll have to decide which ones to ritualistically sacrifice so you can harvest their souls to fuel your efforts to bring your daughter back from the void.
Which of these games caught your attention?