The summer of 2023 is going to be huge with all the new video games coming from big-name companies, but there are amazing indie games by smaller developers which would be a shame to have overshadowed. So many large and highly anticipated titles are coming throughout the late spring and summer months, and it is understandable that many will be drawn toward these great titles. Between Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Street Fighter 6, Diablo 4, and Final Fantasy 16, it might be worth checking out some indie game developers’ works, as there are some equally impressive finds there.
The big companies seem to have games releasing for every genre in May and during the summer of 2023. Indie game developers have also been hard at work, however, with some very high-quality titles that players will want to experience. Whether someone is looking for a dark and gritty Soulslike in the world of Pinocchio or a cinematic narrative-driven rhythm game about high school, there are many indie games of all styles coming soon. The examples below barely begin to cover the number of titles coming out, but these are some that shouldn’t be missed.
10 Paper Trail
Paper Trail is a puzzle adventure game set artistically in a world with foldable paper environments. Its innovative game mechanics challenge players to look at the world a little differently as they guide Paige through these interactive puzzles. Developer Newfangled Games has not yet given a specific release date, but Paper Trail is expected to launch in August 2023 for Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PS5.
9 Goodbye Volcano High
Goodbye Volcano High is a fully voice-acted and hand-drawn narrative game that incorporates the mechanics of a rhythm game into its gameplay. Players control Fang as they face their final year of high school and all that goes with it. Choices matter in this game as Fang grapples with whether to admit their feelings to their crush, how to write the best song for the band, and if it’s possible to fix their family dynamic all while facing an incoming apocalypse. Goodbye Volcano High will be released on June 15, 2023, for PS4, PS5, and Steam.
8 REPLACED
The action-thriller platformer, REPLACED, is set in a sci-fi alternate world of the 1980s where players experience what it’s like to be an AI trapped in a human body. Society has turned dark and dystopian as humans are led by greed with plenty of combat and mystery for players to encounter. This indie title by Sad Cat Studios is expected to be on Xbox Game Pass on day one, as well as coming to PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S during Summer 2023.
7 Bomb Rush Cyberfunk
Cult classic Jet Set Radio is getting a spiritual sequel in Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, which is nearly available. This sequel will include new music by the same composer who crafted Jet Set Radio‘s soundtrack and allows players to battle against other graffiti writers for control of the streets while uncovering a mystery and avoiding the police. The main character, Red, had his head cut off and replaced by a robot head and is on a mission to discover who beheaded him and how he is linked to this graffiti painting, BMX skateboarding world. Indie developer Team Reptile plans to release Bomb Rush Cyberfunk on August 18, 2023
6 Lies Of P
The Soulslike genre will have fierce competition with Round8 Studio’s new Lies of P. A dark, twisted story of Pinocchio, Lies of P has many Soulslike gameplay similarities to Bloodborne intermixed with its mysterious story. Players control Pinocchio as he fights to become human, with many possible outcomes as to how the story will end. Innovative systems for how well Pinocchio can tell a lie are a strong predictor of outcomes, and with Pinocchio’s doll-like qualities, players can exchange parts of his body for new skills and battle techniques. This very mature-themed indie game will be released on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation in August 2023.
5 Tiny Thor
Tiny Thor is a beautifully crafted 16-bit platformer that tells the story of Thor from Norse mythology in a bright and clever way. Combat in the game focuses heavily on the use of Thor’s special hammer, Mjölnir, which can be carefully aimed to make fun trick shots. Though the game has a retro feel in its artwork, there are new abilities and fun story features in its 30 levels to make it stand out from the crowd. Developed by Asylum Square, Tiny Thor will be released during the Summer of 2023.
4 Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals
Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals is a sequel that takes place five years after the events of Oxenfree. In this narrative adventure, players control Riley Poverly, who is researching strange electromagnetic waves when she unlocks the ability to communicate with supernatural beings. Cultists are also there trying to open rifts to allow these supernatural monsters to enter the world. The game offers a lot of narrative choices and platforming with some puzzles and mystery surrounding it all. Oxenfree 2 is the newest indie title from Night School Studio and will be released on July 12, 2023, for PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5.
3 Sea Of Stars
Indie game developer Sabotage Studio used Kickstarter to fund this retro turn-based RPG that is a prequel to The Messenger. The beautiful game, Sea of Stars, has been a passion project for the studio and has been delayed multiple times to ensure that not only was the game of the highest quality possible but that the developers were able to continue having a healthy life-work balance. The soundtrack for the game is composed by Yasunori Mitsuda, of Chrono Trigger fame, who approached Sabotage Studio and asked if he could write the music, according to the game’s Kickstarter page. Sea of Stars is coming to Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on August 29, 2023.
2 My Time At Sandrock
My Time At Sandrock is a post-apocalyptic life sim from the same indie game developer who made My Time At Portia, and has been in early access on Steam for several months now. As the game’s official release inches closer, this summer 2023 it is making the leap to consoles for players to experience more than 60 hours of adventure and questing in this futuristic old west village. A cozy life sim, My Time At Sandrock‘s continuous updates allow players to romance and marry NPCs, build and decorate a home with crops and livestock, uncover the mysteries in an addicting series of quests, and more.
1 Mineko’s Night Market
Though slightly late to be considered an official summer release, Mineko’s Night Market is a game that players should be looking forward to. Scheduled to be released on September 26, 2023, Mineko’s Night Market is filled with Japanese culture as players get to solve puzzles, craft items, explore, and pet lots and lots of cats. This adorable game includes many minigames to enjoy and a clever story to restore a struggling town and discover the secret of the Sun Cat who has been sighted.
All the big titles coming from companies such as Square Enix, Blizzard, and Nintendo in 2023 can easily overshadow the indie games, blocking them from getting some of the attention and hype they deserve. Many of the games releasing from smaller developers such as the ones above have the potential to become favorites for many players. These indie games and more are all releasing in the summer of 2023 and may be fantastic, and often cheaper, alternatives from the big-name games to keep on the radar.
Source: Sea of Stars/Kickstarter
