Indie

Dunebound Tactics enters an increasingly crowded field of party-based tactical roguelites in 2026 and somehow manages not to feel like all the others we’ve played this year. Combat feels relatively straightforward and doesn’t rely on much flash, but there’s enough underneath that it still has depth. Multiple classes and their variations begin creating some fun combinations between party members, while the front and rear lines allow backup caravan members to rotate in between fights or replace those who don’t survive the journey. During fights the backline can lend their special abilities to those on the battlefield. ...

Folk Emerging sets itself a difficult task: build a 4X game entirely around the Stone Age and somehow find enough depth to make that limited slice of history interesting. ...

Low-Budget Repairs wasn’t originally on the schedule, but after two disappointing games earlier in the day, one more job was needed. Fortunately, this one delivered. ...

Security 51 takes the Papers, Please formula underground, putting you behind a security checkpoint at Area 51 where documents, clearances, and a variety of odd employees need to be carefully inspected. It is a great premise, and there were several ideas here worth appreciating. Unfortunately, the experience never quite clicked. Early time limits added pressure before the procedures became comfortable, but the bigger issue was how new rules and requirements were explained from one day to the next. Too often the wording created more confusion than the actual task, and the constant changes in what you do from day to day kept you from building up that muscle memory. ...

Warhounds presents itself as a tactical game inspired by XCOM and Jagged Alliance, replacing their sometimes frustrating RNG with a more realistic ballistic system. In theory, that sounds great. In practice, realism becomes questionable when bullets travel through walls, or even up through solid ground. ...

The Comeback King is a small, inexpensive indie boxing management game that quickly delivers something far more important than size: the desire to play just one more match. ...

Impartial is a short narrative game built around making moral decisions, but some of its best pieces come from everything surrounding those choices. The premise of being the middle-man between heroes and police seemed a very interesting and is what brought the game onto the stream. The hand-drawn artwork gives the game plenty of personality, while the office hides entertaining distractions. Writing with the pen sitting on the desk, working on a crossword, or making questionable phone calls all add some welcome lightheartedness to the otherwise serious job. ...

IRON NEST: Heavy Turret Simulator builds an entire game around a wonderfully specific idea: operating an enormous mobile artillery and figuring out how to put very large shells onto very distant targets. It is a concept carried by an impressive amount of personality. Both the writing and visual presentation are filled with small details that give the world character, while the targeting mechanics turn each mission into something more than simply pointing a cannon at an enemy and pulling the trigger. ...

Prospice: Anomalous Logistics makes an intriguing first impression by answering a question no game has once asked: what if SnowRunner wandered into a horror story? ...

Imperial Ambitions arrives as an indie 4X strategy game that proves appearances can be deceiving. Its pixel-inspired presentation suggests a relatively modest experience, but beneath that visual style lies a surprisingly deep and ambitious strategy game with several ideas that feel refreshingly original within the genre. The opening hours are not without their struggles. Certain mechanics lack the clarity needed for first-time players, and there were several moments where the game could have done a better job explaining how its systems work. And work together. Learning often came through experimentation rather than guidance. ...