I have to admit, I’m stunned by the increase in the number of independent games. How am I supposed to find a dozen of them when there are a total of 11,950 games released on Steam in 2021 alone, the vast majority of which are independent productions? We’ve come up with a list somehow, though, and we think these are productions worth following, taking the time to make. Then here’s to our unordered list:
In 2022, you can see all the lists we publish in the What We Expect file in bulkhere.
Hollow Knight Silksong
Perhaps hollow knight: Silksong, one of the most anticipated independent plays in history, has yet to be given an exit range, my friends. That’s why it’s not supposed to be on the list, but I’m putting it on the list by making up a quota called “Editor’s Favor.” He’s coming out this time, I’m 🙂 The game we know from the first game, hornet;
Sifu
Sifu, which we saw at last year’s PlayStation conference, is a beat;em-up game inspired by kung-fu movies. Sifu promises a very detailed melee gameplay; I leave a gameplay video for those who want to have a better idea of the game that will be with us in about a month.
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Planet of Lana
Planet of Lana, the first game from Sweden’s Wishfully Studios, founded in 2018, is a 2D adventure genre. Puzzle elements will also be featured in the production, where we will fight with unexpected creatures and machines along with a young girl and her friend who never leaves her side. The other highlight of Planet of Lana is that it has a very heartwarming visuality, where blue and green tones are frequently used.
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Torn Away
Another 2D adventure production, Torn Away, has a darker tone and story, unlike Planet of Lana. Set during World War II, we will focus on the other side of the war through the eyes of 10-year-old Asia and remember over and over again that there was never a winner. Torn Away aims to be out in the early months of 2022.
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Weird West
Devolver Digital’s most anticipated production in 2022 is Weird West, Dishonored and Prey; it’s actually a simulation game developed by Wolf Eye Studios, founded by Prey’s producer. Contrary to the definition of simulation in our heads, it has the kind of simulation that we can see the results of our results in this Strange West. As a result, we have a more detailed article about the production, in which the RPG leg will also be strong.
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Sea of Stars
Sabotage Studios, the maker of The Messenger, one of the best metroidvanias of 2018, is coming up with a turn-based RPG, this time in a very different direction: Sea of Stars. Set in the same universe as The Messenger, the production aims to offer us a more modern version, inspired by classics such as Chrono Trigger. Let’s also remember that he managed to raise 1.6 million Canadian dollars from the Kickstarter campaign.
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Little Devil Inside
Little Devil Inside, which deserves the word “I’ve had it for as long as I can remember,” is a 3D action/adventure genre. In the play Billy, the swordsman who makes a living killing Witcher-like monsters, the producers also want us to look at a different perspective by designing a realistic world and story.
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TUNIC
TUNIC, another “I’m probably going to play with my kids/grandchildren”, has finally reached its release date. The game, in which we control a sweet fox, is reminiscent of the Zeldas, whether it’s the way the game is going or the dungeons (why not say Zelda-like). The production, which we can say has its own visual design, also showed itself at the Steam Demo Fair in 2021.
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Chinatown Detective Agency
Point & Click’s Chinatown Detective Agency is an instant Wish List for genre lovers with both pixel art visuals and retro structure. As the name suggests, the production, which we are trying to uncover a worldwide conspiracy theory, managed to raise $82,000 from Kickstarter in 2020.
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Replaced
Replaced, a 2.5D action production that we put on our radar as soon as we saw it at the E3 2021 Xbox presentation, has a retro-futuristic theme set in 1980s America. The game, which we will play as AI R.E.A.C.H trapped in a human body, makes a big difference, especially with its art design. The fact that it has a closer angle to the ground than the 2D camera angles we normally see and the lighting is used very well allows us to feel the dystopian world that Replaced has.
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Trek to Yomi
Like Replaced, Trek to Yomi, which we met at E3, has an enormous visual design. In the production in which we play a young samurai Hiroki, Hiroki is willing to give his life to protect his city, as per his promise to his master (for reasons that also fit too well with the samurai origins). The production uses only black and white to experience where the obstacles against it will take him. It also managed to capture an INSIDE-like illusion thanks to its layered environmental design, although it is 2D.
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Somerville
In Somerville, who wants to stand out with his story, we will witness the story of a family trying to survive in a disaster-plagued world and better understand what “being a family” means. The game, which we know will also have a sci-fi structure, has a team that includes Dino Patti, one of the founders of Playdead, the maker of Limbove INSIDE;
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