This week’s indie releases feature something for everyone, from survival management and sci-fi thrillers, to puzzle games and bullet hell boss battles.
Here are TheGamer’s picks for the indie games that you should check out this week (April 19 - April 25).
The Shattering (April 21 - PC)
The Shattering - from developer Super Sexy Software - is a story-driven psychological thriller that looks vaguely reminiscent of 2019’s Superliminal, with one major difference: the black and white aesthetic of the dynamic environments.
Players are dropped into the traumatic mind of John, tasked with exploring the twisted and unsettling world to discover the truth (and lies) behind what happened to him… as well as remembering her name….
Obey Me (April 21 - PC, PS4, XB1)
Take on both Heaven and Hell - and the terrors each brings with it - in Obey Me, from developer Error 404 Game Studios. Players will take on the role of a Soul Huntress - accompanied by her Hellhound companion - in this 3D brawler, fighting against demons, mutants, and angelic machines.
The immersive story allows for both single-player and co-op experiences, while weapons, special abilities, and upgrades add to the combat strategies throughout the game.
Help Will Come Tomorrow (April 21 - PC, PS4, XB1, Switch)
Along the same vein as 60 Seconds! and other survival management games, Help Will Come Tomorrow - from developer Arclight Creations - will force players to take on the harsh elements of a 1917 war-torn Siberian wilderness following a train crash.
Survival will be the primary focus for players - such as resource gathering, crafting, and exploring to expand the camp - but players will also have to balance the morale and rising tensions of the nine surviving characters, which is easier said than done thanks to the variety of character backgrounds and economic social standings.
ITTA (April 22 - PC, Switch)
Developed by Glass Revolver, ITTA will not be a game for the impatient or faint of heart. This pixelated bullet hell, boss-rush style adventure takes players on a journey through a world full of monstrous bosses. Itta awakes to her family having been massacred, causing her - and a feline-shaped spirit - to seek out answers and take on 18 massive foes who will put her combat skills to the ultimate test.
ITTA is inspired by themes of a real-life personal struggle, which will be fully visualized within the game’s crumbling world and major battles. The game will also feature accessibility options including damage multipliers and invincibility mode, allowing players to move the story forward without getting frustrated or stuck in one spot.
Cloudpunk (April 23 - PC)
If you’re feeling down that last week marked the original planned release date of Cyberpunk 2077, ION LANDS’ Cloudpunk just might be the remedy for your cyberpunk-themed desires.
Set in a rain-soaked, neon-noir metropolis, Cloudpunk features a massive vertical world in which players must use their hovercraft to make deliveries - which skirt the line of legality - while meeting a diverse cast of characters that will unravel a story of corporate conspiracies and other dark secrets. Each in-game decision will impact the story and inhabitants of the neon world, which will hopefully speak to the game’s replayability factor.
Filament (April 23 - PC)
In our preview of Filament - from developer Beard Envy - we were optimistic of the game’s challenging puzzles and intriguing narrative. Filament tells the story of a spaceman on a rescue mission to save another trapped pilot named, Juniper, from a seemingly abandoned research ship. “To do this, players have to solve puzzles by winding a glowing cord around pillars to unlock more of the ship’s systems.”
The preview showed promise with its engaging story and gimmick-free puzzles that were non-repetitive and challenging. As long as those trends continue into the full release, Filament should be on the radar for any fan of the narrative puzzle genre.