Indie Game Roundup: Steam Next Fest Highlights and New Releases

The indie game scene is buzzing with activity, particularly with Steam Next Fest on the horizon (February 23 – March 2). Several demos are already available, including one for the highly anticipated Denshattack!. This week also saw a series of indie game showcases offering glimpses into upcoming titles.

Denshattack!: Skateboarding… with a Train?

Denshattack! is drawing attention for its unique premise: performing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater-style tricks, but with a high-speed Japanese train as the player character. A demo is currently available on Steam.

Black History Month Showcase Highlights

The Black History Month edition of the Black Voices in Gaming Showcase featured both released and upcoming games. Highlights included Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator, Aerial_Knight’s DropShot, and Relooted. Erasedfrom, an open-world fighting game with cyberpunk aesthetics, dance battles, and parkour, also made an appearance.

Convergence Showcase Reveals

The Convergence Showcase unveiled new looks at several projects. Mouse: P.I. For Hire showcased one of its bosses, and a release date was announced for Gecko Gods, slated for April 16 on Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PC. Wax Heads, a record shop simulator, is set to launch on May 5 for PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and Nintendo Switch, with a demo available now.

Indie Fan Fest and Beyond

The Indie Fan Fest showcased Raccoin, a roguelike deckbuilder in the form of a coin pusher, releasing March 31. GridBeat, a rhythm-based dungeon crawler, is coming to Nintendo Switch and Steam on March 26. InKonbini: One Store. Many Stories, a Japanese convenience store simulator, is planned for release in April on Steam, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox.

Quebec Games Celebration Showcase

The first Quebec Games Celebration Showcase highlighted games developed in the region. Surfpunka, a co-op action RPG reminiscent of Hades with surfing elements, features procedurally generated islands and is expected later this year. Croaka, a precision platformer inspired by Celeste, also garnered attention. Tears of Metal and Silent Planet were also featured, with demos available.

New Releases

Several indie titles have recently launched. Under The Island, an action RPG, has received strong early reviews and is available on multiple platforms. Demon Tides, a 3D open-world platformer with shapeshifting mechanics, is also now available. Skate Bums, a 2D skateboarding game, offers quick pick-up-and-play sessions. Love Eternal, a psychological horror platformer, is available on various platforms.

Upcoming Projects

Woe Industries is hosting the Adventure Game Aptitude Test (AGAT) on February 28, a standardized gaming test for an ‘80s adventure game. People of Note, a musical narrative adventure, is launching April 7 with options to disable challenging elements. Titanium Court, a surrealist roguelike strategy game, is coming to Steam “imminently.” Finally, Develop into, a unique third-person adventure where players control a sperm, is slated for release later this year.