Double Fine's first post-Xbox title, first-person Soulslikes and other new indie games worth checking out
Plus, lots of horror, a colorful platformer and a wolf-battling shepherd dog.
Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. As ever, we've got a whole bunch of new games you can jump into this weekend, along with some highlights from recent digital showcases.
Showcase Highlights
The Cozy After Dark Showcase featured more than 50 games that are eerie, dark, mysterious or otherwise unsettling while maintaining a cozy atmosphere.
Among the highlights was the murder-mystery farming sim Grave Seasons. Developer Perfect Garbage detailed the seasonal farming cycle and replayability, noting that the story lasts an in-game year and can be restarted with a new killer while retaining farming progress.
Other standouts included DeadRoot, where players control a sword-wielding, suplexing snail, Usual June, and FallBearers, a co-op game focused on transporting bodies to their final resting places. Demos for the latter two titles are available via Steam.
The Galaxies showcase also highlighted over 50 titles, including pinball top-down shooter Appulse, first-person Western Soulslike Guns of Eschaton, and the parkour action title Spine.
Additional events like The Mix Fall Showcase featured titles such as the cartoon-inspired Metroidvania Zozo and the Lost Dreams and puzzle platformer Nonolith.
New indie game releases
Thank You Bus Driver
Developer: Double Fine Productions. Platforms: Steam, Epic Games Store, Itch.io, GOG, Humble Store, Game Jolt. Price: $5.
Just months after departing Xbox, Double Fine released a new game. Thank You Bus Driver is the inaugural project from Double Fine Action Labs, a label dedicated to smaller, experimental games.
In this chaotic riff on Crazy Taxi, players control a bus driver managing unruly passengers while enforcing employer rules before time runs out. Passengers can be kept in line using slaps or by being ejected from the vehicle.
This release offers a glimpse into what the newly independent studio is developing.
Valor Mortis
Developer: One More Level. Platforms: Steam, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5. Price: $40, with availability on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
Valor Mortis is a first-person Soulslike where players assume the role of a British soldier who fought for Napoleon. Awakened by a corrupted version of Napoleon voiced by Vincent Cassel, the protagonist navigates a plague-ridden world using supernatural powers, firearms, and melee weapons.
The game incorporates standard Soulslike mechanics, including collecting catalysts from defeated enemies for upgrades at checkpoints, alongside Metroidvania-inspired exploration mechanics.
A 1.5-hour trial is available on PS Plus Premium for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation Portal owners.
Ratatan
Developers: TVT Co. Ltd., Ratata Arts. Platforms: Steam, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2. Price: $35.
Ratatan serves as a spiritual successor to Patapon from series creator Hiroyuki Kotani, combining rhythm-action gameplay with roguelite elements.
During each run, players command a group of minions using rhythm-based inputs to execute attacks, reposition forces, and defend against incoming damage.
The action requires waiting for music loops to execute commands while managing character positioning and enemy attacks.
The title features distinctive visual art design.
Colorbound
Developer: Panpipe Studio. Platforms: Steam, Epic Games Store, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Switch 2. Price: $15.
Colorbound is a platformer that incorporates color mechanics to reshape environments and solve puzzles, where different color shades alter platform behaviors.
Panpipe Studio drew inspiration from Chilean culture, following a boy named Anku as he reunites his late grandfather's band.
Featured Updates and Simulators
Enshrouded
Developer: Keen Games. Platforms: Steam, PS5, with an Xbox Series X/S release planned for spring 2027. Price: $40.
Enshrouded exited early access on Steam alongside its PS5 debut, introducing a major update that opens the full map, adds a new biome, raises level caps, and includes 14 new enemy types and nine spell variations.
The update also introduces Sparkworks, a logic system allowing players to build and share custom dungeons and adventures.
Pixel Washer
Developer: Valadria. Platform: Steam early access, with a Switch 2 release planned for 2027. Price: $13.
Published by Acclaim, Pixel Washer features a powerwashing simulator where players clean environments while mounted on a pig.
Players remove grime to restore environments and upgrade equipment over the course of the game.
The launch trailer features narration by Tim Kitzrow, known as the voice of NBA Jam.
Penguin Colony
Developer: Origame Digital. Platforms: Steam, GOG, Humble Store, with Switch and PS5 versions arriving in 2027. Price: $15.
Following Umurangi Generation, Origame Digital developed Penguin Colony, inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness viewed from the perspective of penguins.
Set in Antarctica in the 1930s, the game involves penguins navigating interactions with humans searching for an ancient entity.
Tenebris Somnia
Developers: Andrés Borghi, Saibot Studios. Platforms: Steam, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Switch. Price: $25.
Tenebris Somnia is a retro-inspired pixel-art survival horror game featuring live-action cutscenes directed by Andrés Borghi.
The live-action cutscenes contain key narrative secrets central to the game's progression.
Hubert
Developer: Brocap Studio. Platforms: Steam demo, with a PS5 release scheduled for October. Price: $20.
Hubert is a shepherding adventure where players control a dog herding sheep through harsh weather while defending the flock from wolves.
The game is designed for short play sessions lasting three to four hours and is optimized for Valve's Steam Deck.
