What’s new, pussycat?
WE ROUND UP THE BEST NEW INDIE TITLES FOR GAMERS TO GET THEIR HANDS ON
JUNE has whipped past at a fair old pace, and we’re staring down the start of July.
While recent weeks have brought us some glorious weather, it’s been a struggle to find much else to smile about.
Inflation is creeping ever upwards, petrol prices are creeping steadily towards £2 a litre, and interest rates have gone up again. It all adds up to making life feel ever harder.
It also means expensive hobbies can be tougher to justify, and gaming can be a fairly pricey pastime.
But there is a more pocketfriendly alternative to those expensive big titles – indie games.
Indie studios are producing some incredible work, games that are often just as good – if not better – than the AAA offerings.
With that in mind, here are five indie games to check out this month.
Stray
(PEGI 12) PS4, PS5, PC Price: £23.99
Stray looks to be the purr-fect game for cat lovers. This third-person cat adventure game follows the journey of a cat, which has become separated from its family.
Armed with just a glowing backpack that allows the cat to interact with the world, it must untangle an ancient mystery to escape a longforgotten cybercity that’s home to nothing but droids and dangerous creatures.
A cat simulator may not have been at the top of your wish list this year, but this could easily become the game you never knew you needed.
The teaser trailer shows a neon-soaked, Blade Runner-esque type world to make your way through, using all the cunning wiles – and divilment – that a cat possesses.
Due out on July 19, look out for pre-order deals on this. I found it on cdkeys.com for £17.99 on Steam.
MADISON
(PEGI 16) PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, Switch, PC Price: £34.99
This first-person psychological horror poses the question, what would you do if you woke up locked in a dark room, with your hands covered in blood?
That appears to be exactly what’s happened to Luca, who has been taken over by a demon which is forcing him to complete a ritual it started decades before.
Feedback from early previews suggests this game is unnervingly creepy, with things moving in the shadows until you fear what’s awaiting you around the next corner.
Due out on July 8, this is one of the pricier indie games of the month, but worth it if your budget will stretch that far.
Endling – Extinction is Forever (PEGI 16) PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Price: £24.99
There’s nothing like a game that pulls on the old heart strings, and this looks set to do just that.
Endling – Extinction is Forever sees you play as the last mother fox on Earth, trying to protect her defenceless cubs and help them grow to become adults.
It’s a beautiful-looking game, the soundtrack and visuals combining to leave you misty eyed just from watching the trailer.
Billed as an eco-conscious adventure, it allows you to experience life through the eyes of an animal fighting for survival in a world ravaged by mankind.
Seek shelter for your cubs, hunt for food at night and above all else be stealthy, or it could be the last move you make.
Due out July 19, look for pre-order offers. Currently on Steam for £22.49.
Time on Frog Island (PEGI 3)
PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX X/S, Switch, PC
Price: £25.99
This gentle family fun adventure finds the heroes stranded on an island populated by frogs.
In a bid to get the items you need to repair your ship and set sail for home, you have to complete various tasks for the island’s amphibian residents.
The friendly frogs will teach you new skills, helping you to move faster around the map, and learn how to use various items to your advantage.
Full of pleasant whimsy, it’s all too easy to get sucked into island living. Due out on July 12.
Koumajou Remilia: Scarlet Symphony (PEGI TBC) Switch, PC Price: TBC
A remaster of the 2009 original, this game forms part of the popular Touhou Project series.
Heavily influenced by Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, the player must help Reimu Hakurei navigate the Scarlet Devil Mansion, killing baddies and bosses as she goes.
Metroidvanias can be tricky to navigate, so it’s good to see that this comes with an ‘extra easy’ mode to make it more accessible to everyone.
Due out on July 28, this supports HD remastered graphics and boasts a variety of bonus features.