Serum: A 2D Souls-like Title
Serum is a free-to-play 2D Souls-like title that has recently released a new game plus mode with an exclusive boss and more. Although I’m not usually a fan of first person survival games, Serum caught my attention. Set in an irradiated world, the game revolves around a mysterious luminescent liquid known as Serum, which can be harvested for various resources. The mutant enemies and mysterious setting look intriguing.
Yomi 2: A Card Battler
Yomi 2 is a card battler that is not a collectible card game. The characters are creations of David Sullen and Silent Games, Last Scene, Fantasy Strike, and the physical board game/card game Yumi. This looks to be an interesting announcement.
Abyss: A Roguelite First Person Shooter
Abyss is a roguelite first person shooter with customizable weapons. The roguelite nature may turn some people off, but it has an interesting underwater brine punk theme. Keep an eye on this one.
Toxic Crusaders: A Pixel Art Beat ‘Em Up
Toxic Crusaders is a pixel art beat ’em up title that looks a lot like the most recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles beat ’em up game, only with different mutants. This could be fun with friends.
30xx
We got another look at 30xx, the roguelite Mega Man like that has been in Early Access since 2021. They recently updated their build your own maker mode and confirmed the Switch as a platform, but stopped short of mentioning its 1.0 release date.
Terror Memorial
Terror Memorial was also announced as a self-styled, cozy exploration game. The Steam Store page talks about crafting, building and repairing things in the world, solving puzzles, and writing a regional guide of the area. It’s a weird one, but a curiosity for sure.
Pizza Possum
Pizza Possum looks like the second coming, or at least an attempt, of Untitled Goose Game where you play as a mischievous possum scaring around to steal food while avoiding the guard dogs. It looks wacky and fun.
Light Odyssey
Light Odyssey is new to me. It looks like a green-dark top-down Souls-like Boss Rush title, which can be tricky to pull off, but if games like Fury exist, I’m sure there’s a way to get this right.
A Tiny Sticker Tail
A Tiny Sticker Tail looks like a wonderfully cozy Adventure game where you play as a donkey, exploring the world and using stickers to solve various puzzles, helping others and changing the world. It looks like a delight.
Quasi Morph
The gorgeous pixel art of Quasi Morph also caught my eye. It’s a classic turn-based roguelike in a Sci-Fi setting and should be a good modern, throwback entry.
Ever Home
A little bit more of a niche entry is Ever Home, being a farming and homesteading title but having action elements as well. The isometric pixel art is nice.
Kingdom 80s: A Wild Swing at a Medieval Fantasy Strategy Game
Whoever thought of mashing together the medieval fantasy strategy game Kingdom with Stranger Things to create Kingdom 80s is certainly taking a wild swing at it. In concept, this appears to be fairly similar to its strategy roots, but with a different skin on where you play as kids on bicycles instead of a medieval Lord on a griffin.
Skepticism of Shameless Clone or Cash Grab
With the name and style of this game, I’m a little skeptical since Sengoku Dynasty seems to be the same concept as Medieval Dynasty, but in a different setting with the developer of that being the publisher of this game. It seems like a little bit of a shameless clone or cash grab, but I suppose there’s room for improvement with a different setting to appeal to different people.
Weird Live Action Trailer
The Wario-like Anton Blast got a very weird live action trailer, but let’s look at gameplay. We used to travel to the end of the level, hit the button to destroy, try it and run back to the start to not get caught up in the explosion.
Recent Popularity of Pizza Tower
Where people are hammering for this type of game, as seen by the recent popularity of Pizza Tower, be sure to keep an eye on this jump.
Light Odyssey: Colonism Management
Light Odyssey is one of two games in development from the people that meet up Melo, where this is a colonism game where you’re managing a spaceship. It did have a gorgeous anime style trailer. Kingdom 80s will be releasing in Early Access later this month.
Little Guardsman
Little Guardsman is an upcoming game that has been described as a katuni paper. In the game, players take on the role of a 12 year old who is suddenly put in charge of the God house at the castle and must decide who gets to enter. The game features beautiful black and white pixel art, which is believed to be the work of a solo developer who made the art in MS Paint, inspired by the work of Junji Ito.
World of Horror
I have always been very impressed with World of Horror, even prior to its Early Access release in 2020. Despite not being a horror person, the black and white pixel art here is beautifully done. The game is a roguelite RPG and is set to be released in spooky month 2023.
Remnant 2
Remnant 2 made an appearance at the Gorilla Collective showcase, but it is believed to be more in the double a space and would have been at Jeff Kelleys thing since they first showed up at the game awards. This is a third person Souls like with ranged weapons which impressed in its first entry, so it is hoped that the sequel will be much improved.
Arc C
Arc C is a beautiful pixel art Mac strategy game. The game features deck building or cards aspect which may be an issue for some players.
Wrestle Quest
Since I last covered Wrestle Quest, it has been discovered that the game licensed the wrestler lookalikes, such as Andre.
The Giant and Macho Man Randy Savage
The Giant and Macho Man Randy Savage is looking to be a neat wrestling theme 10 days RPG and looks fun with a release date. Confirmation of the Bayou is another game that is featured as a 10 days tactics title with deck building and base building elements.
Link
Link is a first person, cyberpunk Rook light first position shooter, where you’re playing as clones attempting to cause as much damage as possible to the mega corporations and has impressed so far in Early Access, also getting a 1.0 release date for next month.
Forager Fans
If you are a fan of games like Forager, Nova Lands will be of interest being a crafting sandbox with automation and action elements and could be massive.
Avoid Hope
The next title from the developers of Elwas Awakening is named Avoid Hope, one that has a double meaning in the title being a puzzle platformer that looks interesting.
Demon School
Demon School is another pixel art title of interest being a tactical RPG that combines 3D and 3D assets. Having a little bit of Persona Vibes and should be good.
Slime 3K
Slime 3K is from the developers of Despots Game and Despotism. 3K spotting their signature, pixel, art and color scheme, where this is a vampire survivors style bullet Heaven equivalent by the way more effort has been put into this as compared to a bunch of other drones.
The Wonderful Sticky Business
The Wonderful Sticky Business has you running a business where you’re making and selling stickers looking so cozy and wonderful.
Black Skylands
Black Skylands is an open world survival crafting action adventure game that has been impressing gamers in Early Access. After two years of development, the game is set to release in 1.0 in August.
Blood West
Another Early Access title, Blood West, has released an almost two minute animated trailer. This immersive sim, with boomer shooter graphics, looks to be a promising game. It is published by Shuki, and is set to release in Early Access later this month.
Outpost
Outpost is a long in development sci fi farm simulation RPG. It has undergone a visual transformation, going from pure 2D pixel art to one with 3D elements. Players will have the ability to go organic or robotically enhance their crops and animals.
Olive Frog Toad Skater
What if Tony Hawk was a frog? Olive Frog Toad Skater is a beautifully done skateboarding title where you can pull off sick tricks. This game is sure to be a hit with fans of the genre.
Iron Meat
Iron Meat is a beautiful pixel art run and gun title that looks like Contra. It has just received a release date of October.
Quest Master
Quest Master is another attempt at the build your own Zelda maker. It is a gorgeous hand-drawn 2D cinematic action platformer with stealth elements.
Sacrifier and Crashlands 2
Nintendo has yet to make a game like Sacrifier, the pixel art JRPG from Polish developer Pixelated Milk. The game was reviewed and looks promising with its platforming and exploration, a different take on the usual top down or 3D perspectives of the genre. Fans are also looking forward to Crashlands 2, the follow up to an excellent action crafting game, with updated visuals and the same compelling gameplay loop.
Dark Deity 2 and Hammer Watch 2
Dark Deity 2 is the direct sequel to the first game, set 25 years after the events of the original. This Fire Emblem-like tactics title has political intrigue as its backdrop, and the developers have listened to feedback from the first entry to tweak and improve the sequel. Hammer Watch 2 is the follow up to a beloved dungeon crawler, combining the best parts of Diablo and Gunmet, with the latest iteration looking excellent.
Europa
Europa is one of the most beautiful games in development, first shown off at a Wholesome Direct related event. It is on many people’s wish lists, and looks to be a stunning game.
The Legends DLC for Symphony of War
The Legends DLC for Symphony of War is a gorgeous open world exploration title that sure gives off Studio Ghibli vibes. Unlike Zelda, this is a non-violent entry which has both pros and cons. If you love getting lost and immersing yourself in a video game, this looks like the perfect candidate.
Novellas: A First Person Live Stream Title
The developer of the cyberpunk flying career simulator Cloud Punk released a first person mode which was well received. For their next trick, they decided to lean into that with Novellas, a first person live stream title where you’re living in and exploring the titular cyberpunk city. Looking absolutely gorgeous, this is a must play.
Crypt Custodian: A Mix of Genres
The next game from the developer of the underrated Icelands has been revealed. Crypt Custodian is an interesting mixture of genres, since it looks like a top down Zelda-style game, but somehow also has platforming and is metroidvania inspired with ability Keating. Whatever genre this falls into, Crypt Custodian should be great and you can find more awesome.
