Summer’s here! June is here! E3’s here! It’s time for some of the game industry’s top players to reveal some of their biggest games, which is all fine and good… but around these parts, we have a special love for indie darlings, and as such, we felt the need to take a look at some of most fascinating, interesting and promising indie titles at this year’s E3.
Are you ready to be overwhelmed? If so, let’s jump head-first into a sea of indie goodness – here are our favorite indie games from E3 2021:
Replaced
I’m gonna list a few things and you let me know if it sounds good. Alternative 1980s. Gorgeous 2.5D graphics with amazing pixel art. Flowing animations, cool platforming, jaw-dropping action. If all of that sounded good, then you’ll absolutely, 100% want to take a look at Replaced, a game starring an AI trapped inside a human body. Yup.
Akatori
And while we’re on the topic of stunning pixel art, have a look at Akatori as well – a fast-paced Metroidvania-esque action game starring a young girl called Mako who travels across parallel dimensions to save her world from destruction. Sounds good to us! And it looks good, too.
Aragami 2
2016’s Aragami was a very pleasant surprise – with its tight, stealth-based gameplay and lovely cooperative mode, it became a title we still fondly think about. The second installment seems to continue things exactly where the first one left off, with even more silent kills, supernatural powers and plenty of opportunities for strategic stealth. We’ll be keeping an eye on it for sure.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits
Sporting a charming art style reminiscent of a 3D animated Disney film, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a third-person action-adventure game through and through, with lush, vivid locales to explore, environmental puzzles to solve and countless secrets to discover. It looks extremely polished as well, so definitely give its trailer a quick look.
Behind the Frame
Combining the joy of painting with the charm of Ghilbi movies, Behind the Frame is a narrative adventure game starring an artist hoping to one day become a professional. It features 360-degree panoramic scenes, plenty of puzzles to solve, and even a grumpy neighbor to potentially bond with. It’s also extremely pleasant to look at, with genuinely heartwarming visuals, so do check out that trailer we embedded somewhere around here.
The Gecko Gods
Gecko god, gecko god, does whatever a gecko god does… which is apparently crawling on walls, solving puzzles and discovering ancient ruins. You’re one tiny lizard on a big, mysterious island – but hey, that won’t stop you from exploring it.
SkateBIRD
If you’re disappointed that Tony Hawk isn’t literally a hawk that knows how to skateboard, we’ve got just the game for you. SkateBIRD, as its title very much implies, is about skateboarding birds. That’s it. What more do you want?!
Trek to Yomi
Its cinematic presentation and moody, black-and-white visuals made Trek to Yomi one of the more memorable titles of the E3 season – if you’ve ever wanted an interactive version of a Kurosawa movie, this just might be what you’re looking for.
Firegirl
Uh-oh, there’s fires all across the city! Thankfully, you’ve been trained for this. As a rookie rescue officer, it’s your job to save as many civilians as possible – hack through walls with your fire axe, traverse through danger and douse nasty flame-monsters with your fire hose across various procedurally generated levels, but remember: the clock is ticking.
Recolit
A pixel art mystery adventure game with an intriguing twist, Recolit has you explore a town wrapped in perpetual darkness. There are still traces of light, though, and this is where you come in – track down items illuminated by light and help out the curious residents in hopes of finding some much-needed answers.
Snacko
A self-described “farming cat-venture”, Snacko is about a cat on a mission to save an island from a curse. And also raise some cows while she’s at it. Tired of her monotonous 9-to-5 job, she travels to said island with her best friend to fish, farm and live the good life – and soon you’ll be able to join them, too.
Hunt the Night
I can’t say no to some good ol’ dark fantasy, and as such, I can’t say no to Hunt the Night, either, which looks like it will provide me with just that – and much more. In the game, you take on the noble role of Vesper, a fierce warrior and a member of the so-called Stalkers (no, not those ones) who must venture through lands rife with unspeakable dangers and save the world before it is completely consumed by darkness.
