AAA games are undeniably fantastic and offer us hours of engaging gameplay. The video game business, however, is not only about blockbuster titles and huge companies; independent games have been a big part of our gaming life for quite some time, providing us amazing gaming experiences on PCs, home consoles, and even mobile devices, with both casual and deeper gameplay.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and all the lockdowns and social distancing measures imposed all over the world in 2020 and 2021, many studios and developers – particularly indie studios, which typically work with limited budgets and small teams – were forced to shut down physical operations, resulting in the postponement of several awaited games. As a result, 2022 is projected to be a year full of releases and amazing games hitting the stores, and thus far, the year has lived up to the hype.
The last few months have been fantastic for gamers, with several highly anticipated titles, such as Pokémon Legends Arceus and Elden Ring, being released. However, outside of the AAA circuit, there are several amazing new games that we anticipate will be hidden treasures among all of this year’s releases. In this post, we highlight some of the greatest indie games that will be launched in the coming months and will undoubtedly surprise players searching for something new to play.
Bear and Breakfast
Developed by Gummy Cat and published by Armor Games Studio, Bear and Breakfast is a management adventure game in which players take control of a bear trying to run a bed and breakfast in the woods. The game is set to be released later this year for Microsoft Windows and Nintendo Switch.
You’ll take on the role of Hank, a bear who is inspired to create his own B&B after discovering a run-down inn in the woods. It’s your responsibility to restore the old establishment into the best house of hospitality you can with your own two paws by customizing your inn with dozens of guest rooms, baths, parlors, and even entertainment.
She Dreams Elsewhere
She Dreams Elsewhere is a surreal turn-based role-playing game created and published by Studio Zevere that will be available later this year for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox platforms.
Players take control of a young woman called Thalia as she travels through her dreams while she is comatose, exploring issues such as mental health and self-identity. Featuring unique graphics and art style, players take on turn-based battles against terrifying enemies in Thalia’s dreams, The game offers turn-based combat against terrible adversaries in Thalia’s dreams, as well as a connection system to form relationships with characters that have their own tales. The soundtrack is composed by American singer-songwriter Mimi Page.
Blooming Business: Casino
Blooming Business: Casino is a business simulation game set for release later this year for Windows – it is currently in its early access stage. The game is based on the 1950s emergence of Las Vegas, and players must create and operate their own casinos, design operations, and even handle human resources and public relations affairs.
With a strong emphasis on the storyline, each action affects the business operation, and players must keep track of the requirements of employees, customers, and VIP visitors in order to keep the revenue coming. With so many facets and subtleties, maintaining a simulation casino may be exhausting, so if players want to take a break from it, they can enjoy the same classic games in real-time on one of the various online platforms available today, whether on a computer or mobile device.
Dordogne
Dordogne is a narrative adventure game developed by French independent studio Un Je Ne Sais Quoi and animation studio Umanimation and published by Focus Home Interactive. The game is expected to be released in the coming months for Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Nintendo Switch.
You take on the role of Mimi, a 32-year-old woman visiting her recently departed grandmother’s home. Dordogne is set in both the present (when Mimi explores the rooms in her grandmother’s house) and the past (when you’ll assist a 10-year-old Mimi in exploring Dordogne and completing her quests, impacting the present). The game has a beautiful watercolour design, simple gameplay, and an overall appealing experience.
