Welcome to GTOGG’s May 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.
Decarnation
Decarnation’s storyline focuses on Gloria, a dancer in the early 90s facing numerous obstacles in her life – until, that is, she is given a “too good to be true” kind of offer from a seemingly well-intentioned benefactor. Mixing survival horror elements with tense narrative beats, cryptic puzzles and disturbingly nightmarish sequences, this game was undoubtedly one of the most memorable titles I tried during last October’s Steam Next Fest, so it should probably come as no surprise that we’re including it on our list.
Darkest Dungeon 2
A sequel to 2016’s hugely popular roguelike RPG, Darkest Dungeon 2 will invite you back into its hopelessly desolate world so you can once again take command of a group of four heroes in order to save what’s left of a dying realm. Featuring a refined and improved version of the original’s turn-based combat system, the game will have you brave countless dangers as you journey across five distinct regions – but keep in mind that sometimes, defeating the horrific abominations is just as important as managing the stress and sanity levels of your heroes.
Ravenlok
Ravenlok stars Kira, a young girl who one day stumbles through a mysterious mirror that transports her into a magical realm, where she must take on the name the titular Ravenlok and save the land from the rule of a tyrannical queen. Brought to life with a 3D pixel art aesthetic and giving off a bit of an Alice in Wonderland vibe, Ravenlok invites players on a magical, whimsical adventure with quirky characters, massive, memorable boss fights… and oodles of childlike charm.
Bat Boy
Inspired by the platformer classics of the 8-bit era and backed by a snazzy chiptune soundtrack, Bat Boy invites you on a baseball-themed adventure starring Ryosuke, a high-schooler who must defeat the evil interdimensional mage, Lord Vicious, in order to save the world. But before he can do that, he must first battle his own brainwashed teammates and free them from Vicious’ clutches – as you defeat each mind-controlled ally, you absorb their powers and make them your own, further bolstering your strength and thus preparing yourself for the ultimate showdown against Vicious himself.
Firmament
Explorable in both VR and standard mode, this latest project from the creators of Myst will whisk players away to three distant realms, each with their own secrets and puzzles to uncover – needless to say, with only a strange apparition to accompany you and numerous giant, abandoned structures and machines all around you, there will be plenty to take in and even more to discover.
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 June 2023!
