The first few months of January have been jam-packed for gamers, with AAA titles coming to our screen monitors in a flurry. As if we hadn't had enough good news, Microsoft went and announced they are buying Activision for the sum of over $67 billion, which pretty much sews up 2023 for Game Pass, don't you think?
So, the big news is, the indie game development scene is still as vibrant as ever, and there are also plenty of small and solo studios hard at work on their titles. better yet, the industry as a whole should get a boost from Valve's Steam Deck when it comes out in February. Having the freedom of Windows or Linux OS on the Steam Deck opens the door to indie games in a big way, making the process of playing them on a handheld PC fairly simple. We can expect Valve to offer support for the majority of games in the Steam marketplace, but - more importantly - most of those games will be made up of indie PC releases that were previously only played on PC and laptop.
If you haven't kept your finger on the pulse recently, this list of interesting indie games coming in early 2022 (Q1 and January to be precise) should get you up to date. We're hoping to cover these in more depth in the coming weeks, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
Scheduled For Q1 2022
- ANNO: Mutationem
- Aztech: Forgotten Gods
- Choo-Choo Charles
- Fata Deum
- Imp of the Sun
- Kitsune Tails
- KungFu Kickball
- Read Only Memories: Neurodiver
- Skabma: Snowfall
- STONKS-9800: Stock Market Simulator
- The Last Cube
- The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
- Trifox
Q1 Highlights
ANNO: Mutationem
ANNO: Mutationem is (another) neon-covered cyberpunk RPG game, but has an interesting concept at its heart. A demo is available, and from the screenshots and video trailer, we think it looks like it can hold its own, despite being somewhat marred by the saturation of this aesthetic. This game manages to set itself apart by blending 2D and 3D pixel art, and by twisting up the plot just enough to keep you interested.
" In this Action-Adventure game with RPG elements, you become Ann: a highly-skilled combat-trained lone wolf on a personal mission in a giant Metropolis, full of sinister mega-corporations, mysterious fringe groups and creatures more bizarre than words can express.***"
Skabma - Snowfall
You play the game as Áilu, a young Sámi herder who is searching for a runaway reindeer doe. There's a mystery to unwind in this beautiful adventure, which will find you exploring Nordic beauty, whilst solving environmental puzzles. The genre is narrative 3D puzzle adventure, but it is hard to put this game in a box and say it fits. Developers, Red Stage Entertainment, have tried to do something different here, and it shows. By combining platformer and traditional puzzle with rich storytelling, the game manages to move between genres with ease, as well as moving from physical to spiritual seamlessly.
"The mystery of the growing disorder starts to unravel when Áilu finds an old enchanted drum, Goavddis. Time is running out for the infected, but the long lost knowledge of Sámi healers, Noaidis, is still beating within the drum."
The Last Cube
I first heard about the development of this game on YouTube, where I found that the game had already won a slew of awards. You might think a rolling cube game would be boring, but somehow this game elevates beyond the premise and completely takes you by surprise.
"Venture into the desolate cube world where you’ll discover 3D puzzles in diverse, colourful environments. As the Last Cube, you must prove your worth and save your dying home."
Scheduled For January 2022
Gravity Chase - January 21st 2022
A futuristic anti-gravity arcade racer with a twist. Gravity Chase racing takes place on tunnel tracks for super-fast 360 degree Zero G racing. Is anyone else getting F-Zero vibes?
Mortal Online 2 - January 25th 2022
MMORPG players have been waiting for a new release in this genre that they could get excited about, and this comes in the form of Star Vault's follow up to their ever-popular first person sandbox game. Expect a massive open-world sandbox where you can choose your own destiny, looting, crafting and battling your way through this superbly crafted fantasy online world.
- Complex crafting system with millions of combinations.
- Intense skill based first person melee, mounted, ranged and magic combat with full loot.
- Deep character customization with
- Open skill system with over 600 skills and no character levels.
- Massive sandbox world for you to explore and fight over
S.W.A.N.: Chernobyl Unexplored is a science fiction first-person shooter slash puzzle horror game, taking place a few months after the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant disaster. "Experience a tale about an unexplored area within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone - The S.W.A.N. Institute". This game is coming out for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One January 27th, but PC gamers will need to wait until April 26th to play it.
