Independent video games allow for risk and innovation in a way that triple-A titles don't always provide. It's hard to imagine big-name publishers spending buckets of time, money, and effort on funding a game that's about a bear running a bed and breakfast or dinosaurs playing their hearts out in a rock band. But thanks to hard-working and dedicated indie developers, we actually get to see these premises come to life.
2022 brings with it not only a new year but a whole host of phenomenal indie games we can't wait to get our hands on. Did you think we were lying when we talked about a game that revolves around a bear and his bed-and-breakfast establishment? Because...
Bear And Breakfast
By Trevor Ford
The math is easy here. People need breakfast, and people love bears. I don’t need an overpriced calculator to add up that the result is one perfectly off-beat combination for a hotel management game. In my short time with the demo earlier this year, I fell in love with Hank, our titular head of operations, who can never find a hat quite big enough to fit over those ears. Though the demo was short, I got to build a full-scale hotel, designing kitchens, rooms, latrines, and a relaxation area that has received only one complaint of “too comfortable” from John who is no longer welcome at this establishment. The full game promises to deliver the development of a full resort, and I for one, can bearly wait to build out my vacation destination with Hank.
Slime Rancher 2
By Amanda Hurych
There is nothing more therapeutic than sucking up Slimes in a Vacpack and then bringing them back to your ranch so you can harvest the little Plorts they poop out. Do you think I'm joking? I never joke about Slime Rancher. That is the exact premise of the game.
The first Slime Rancher was a surprising delight. Unexpected relaxation was the name of the game as I explored the furthest reaches of the Far, Far Range, collecting exotic and adorable Slimes for my Ranch. I discovered new ones to add to my growing home, participated in a questionable Plort economy, and harvested a variety of foods to feed my ever-growing collection of Slimes.
Never in a million years did I think this indie gem would get a sequel. I mean, for one thing, the first game is practically perfect. Perfection doesn't always need a sequel. And in addition to that, it's rare that indie games get the sequel they deserve. The announcement of Slime Rancher 2 caused my heart-warmed expectations to soar higher than inflated prices on the Plort market. However, unlike Plort prices on the market, I doubt they will plummet. Slime Rancher 2 looks to be exactly the game fans want it to be, and I can't wait to play it.
Darkest Dungeon 2
By Damien Lykins
I've been banging this drum for a while now, but having a taste of it in Early Access certainly hasn't convinced me to change my tune. Red Hook really seems to be delivering on fashioning an experience that's entirely distinct from its predecessor without losing the core appeals — everything lost from the original has an exciting analog in its place. I've already said that the new affinity system was among the most enticing new features, and it definitely hasn't let me down.
I was a bit apprehensive upon realizing that they'd be replacing the Virtuous/Afflicted dynamic with it wholesale, but seeing my Hellion and Runaway fall in love while my Highwayman and Plague Doctor fling catty, stress-inducing insults at one another over the course of a run won me over. To think that we've only got a slice of it so far has me entirely enthused for its upcoming release.
Little Devil Inside
By George Foster
Ever since its big trailer at the PlayStation 5 unveiling, Little Devil Inside has had me hooked. The combination of charming, doll-like characters mixed with beautiful environments brings to mind something made by Laika.
Although we don’t know too much about the gameplay just yet, it looks to combine survival exploration elements and dynamic combat that looks to be a ton of fun. Little Devil Inside might be a mystery at the moment, but it’s one I’m looking forward to unraveling.
Broken Roads
By James Troughton
Somewhere in the 2000s, RPGs evolved from dialogue-focused, methodical experiences to action-packed, open-worlds. The genre grew from its roots like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, but damn if I miss the caterpillar. Most notably, we saw it with Fallout. The series changed hands to Bethesda who turned it into an Elder Scrolls clone with Black Isle DNA, but a lot of the magic was lost. Karma didn't transition too well, the satirical commentary's edge dulled, and the turn-based strategy was abandoned.
I miss the older approach, even if the new one does have a place - it got me into the series and opened the world to so many people. I don't want it to go back nor should it. But I am ecstatic the classics are being continued spiritually with the likes of Broken Roads, an upcoming Fallout-inspired RPG from Drop Bear Bytes. The preview alone held a torch to the original Fallouts, reminding me a lot of the vast deserts of the second game, filled with bizarre characters with equally as bizarre dialogue. Interacting with anyone and everyone is a treat, and your input has a profound effect. Yet the world moved around you at its own pace. It's a perfect callback to the '90s while modernizing it in the same breath, and I cannot wait to play the full thing.
Goodbye Volcano High
By Stacey Henley
Goodbye Volcano High has you playing as a non-binary dinosaur in a rock band, and if that’s not an instant sell then I’m afraid the game just isn’t for you. A hand-drawn narrative adventure, Goodbye Volcano High explores the terrifying, exciting precipice between childhood and adulthood we all careen off as we leave school. And it does all this, again, through the lens of a non-binary dinosaur in a rock band.
It perfectly encapsulates what a great indie game can be. It’s a fresh idea you’d never see on the triple-A scene without drowning its narrative in its own originality, and feels made with a lot of heart. After its 2021 release window was delayed into 2022, Goodbye Volcano High is set to be one of next year’s most interesting games.
Stray
By Meg Pelliccio
A cat, robots, and a neon-lit cyberpunk city. If this combination hasn’t got you sold on Stray already, perhaps a little more detail will. This game has you stepping into the furry paws of a lost cat that has been separated from its family and finds itself in a strange world filled with robots.
You have to explore the city, navigate various puzzles and obstacles, defend yourself from mysterious threats, and all while trying to find your way back to your family. You'll be able to unleash your inner wild side and interact with the robotic inhabitants in different ways as you navigate your surroundings. During your travels, you’ll befriend a little drone called B12 who will be able to assist you in escaping this mysterious city. What's not to love about this game?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge
By George Foster
I’ve been a big Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan for as long as I can remember and have managed to play pretty much every single game ever made for the bodacious teens. Beyond a few notable mentions, they’re not that great - and that’s part of the fun. Imagine my surprise when Shredder’s Revenge showed up and looked fantastic, easily matching games like Turtles in Time. My excitement has grown to Technodrome levels since seeing the gameplay and realizing it’s basically Scott Pilgrim but Ninja Turtles. What an exciting prospect.
Two Point Campus
By Ryan Bamsey
Two Point Studios had a fantastic debut with Two Point Hospital, a hospital simulator with a keen sense of humor and genuinely compelling gameplay. As a lifelong fan of Theme Hospital and simulation games in general I was enthralled by the game from its announcement, and I feel no different now that we're awaiting a collegiate equivalent in Two Point Campus.
From what we've seen so far, the game will have that classic air of zany comedy and even have some new features more typically seen in city builders such as landscaping. I feel totally confident in the team's ability to deliver another absolute banger and I can't wait to throw open the doors of my own institutions. Oh, and please let there be more of Sir Nigel Bickleworth. Please.