Welcome to GTOGG’s June 2023 edition of Promising Indie Game Releases, where we highlight indie and non-mainstream titles that we believe deserve your attention – in other words, “look at all this potentially cool stuff you might’ve missed otherwise”. That would’ve been too long for a title, though.
In any case, let’s get right down to it.
Amnesia: The Bunker
Set during World War 1 and taking place inside a labyrinthine military bunker, Amnesia: The Bunker will change things up a bit compared to its predecessors – mostly by giving its protagonist a gun and thus a means to protect himself from the deadly creature that’s out to get him. That said, the focus is still going to be on extreme survival and psychological horror, so don’t go into this expecting a full-blown action game. Additionally, the game will include various unscripted, randomized elements as well, meaning that certain items, resources and threats will change with each playthrough, and even the titular bunker will be a semi-open location – a contrast to the mostly linear progression seen in previous Amnesia titles.
Tiny Thor
Visually paying homage to the 16-bit era with its pixel-rich graphics, Tiny Thor stars the titular god of thunder on an adventure across – you guessed it – the realm of Asgard as he wields his trusty hammer, the mini-Mjölnir, and tackles a variety of challenges ranging from environmental puzzles to unique boss fights. The game comes to life with gorgeous pixel art created by Henk Nieborg of Shantae and Contra 4 fame, and is backed by an original soundtrack from Chris Hülsbeck, the famed composer who worked on the legendary Turrican series – in other words, we’re in good hands.
Dordogne
Dordogne is a relaxing narrative adventure game that’s going to whisk you away to the titular Dordogne region of southern France. In the role of a young woman called Mimi, players will explore scenic landscapes brought to life with wonderful watercolor visuals as they revisit their childhood memories, explore the stunning vistas of the past and unlock family secrets.
Nocturnal
In this promising action-adventure game from developer Sunnyside Games, players take on the role of a lone warrior named Ardeshir as he returns to his home island of Nahran, only to find that it’s been enveloped by a strange mist – and so, he must venture deep into the island to uncover the root cause of this curse… and put an end to it once and for all. In Nocturnal, fire will be your primary weapon against the mist: by defeating your enemies and collecting precious ashes that can be offered to the Phoenix statues found across the island, you’ll gain new powers and abilities to help you in your quest.
Oblivion Override
Oblivion Override is set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world where humanity is extinct, the game will have players take control of two deadly combat machines – each with unique abilities – in order to traverse the desolate halls of the so-called Dulce Base. Taking inspiration from both the roguelike and metroidvania genres, the game will have you explore the very depths of the futuristic base while defeating a variety of robotic enemies and collecting an inheritable currency that, in true roguelike fashion, can be used to unlock permanent rewards. In any case, the game promises fast-paced action in an atmospheric sci-fi world, with 23+ melee weapons to wield and master, so if your curiosity has been piqued, do give the project a look.
And that’s our list for now! Did you discover a new indie game to look forward to? Well, we hope you did. In any case, don’t forget to check back in about a month for our next episode, where we’ll be taking a look at the indie games of July 2023!
