Puzzle platformers, desktop aquariums and other new indie games worth checking out
In case you missed it, the Steam Summer Sale is upon us, which means there are bargains galore on the storefront (we've rounded up some of the tastier deals). If you're anything like me, you'll end up buying a bunch of games that you'll never end up playing but hope to get to some day. In any case, good luck with your deal hunting!
I read an interesting story on Game Developer this week about Peak , a co-op climbing game from Aggro Crab ( Another Crab's Treasure , which I absolutely loved) and Landfall ( Content Warning ). A team of seven developers made the bulk of the game during a month-long retreat earlier this year. The two studios relied largely on their community managers — who'd done a fantastic job drumming up interest for their previous games — to hype up Peak . To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so.
A combination of factors such as smart marketing (that title is peak), the game's ability to deliver funny moments that could go viral and a low price helped Peak to sell more than 2 million copies in 9 days. This is a cool success story for a game that cost about $200,000 to make. Here's hoping more small studios find ways to collaborate like this. As a comparison, Remedy says FBC: Firebreak hit 1 million players after eight days, and that game is on PlayStation and Xbox subscription services.
Meanwhile, Microsoft has rubber-stamped a free, fan-made Halo-themed game in the vein of Vampire Survivors . Spartan Survivors, from JuanGGZ, is out on Itch.io and it's coming to Steam and Xbox later this year. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so.
After debuting on PC last year and making its way to iOS in February, I Am Your Beast landed on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S this week. From the remarkably prolific Strange Scaffold ( Clickolding , TMNT: Tactical Takedown and El Paso, Elsewhere ), this stylish, stealthy first-person shooter has been widely acclaimed and now console players can check out what the fuss is all about. In addition, the studio this week updated the iOS version of I Am Your Beast with all of the game's DLC. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so.
Ruffy and the Riverside is a 3D puzzle platformer with charming, hand-drawn art from Zockrates Laboratories and publisher Phiphen Games. The perspective switches to 2D in some sections, in a similar fashion to Super Mario Odyssey .
What might help this game stand out is that it has a feature called SWAP, which enables you to copy the texture from one item and paste it onto another. So you might turn a waterfall into foliage so you can climb it or convert ice into lava. Ruffy and the Riverside is out now on Steam, Epic Games Store, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so.
Quantum Witch is an adventure platformer in which the plot is shaped by your decisions. Even the side quests have multiple endings, so it seems like there's a lot going on here. Solo developer NikkiJay has described this as a "queer emancipation story" in which main character Ren takes back agency over her life.
I'm interested in checking this one out, not least because the pretty pixel art and droll humor remind me of the Monkey Island games I loved so much as a kid. Quantum Witch is out now on Steam . To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so.
Antro looks like it's cut from a similar cloth as Playdead's Limbo and Inside . However, this rhythm-based puzzle platformer (from Gatera Studio and publishers Selecta Play and Astrolabe Games) is set to the beats of hip-hop, drill, R&B and electronic music.
Here, you play as a courier in a city that emerges below the ruins of Barcelona following a global catastrophe. Music and freedom (among other things) are banned here, but a rebellion is rising against the tech-dominated dictatorship that's in charge. Antro is out now on Steam , Xbox Series X/S and PS5. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so.
Idle games that sit on your screen all day long are having a real moment. For instance, Bongo Cat is near the top of the Steam most-played charts with concurrent player numbers in the hundreds of thousands. Tiny Aquarium: Social Fishkeeping , from Lunheim Studios and publisher Future Friends Games, is one of the newest games in the genre.
This is billed as a cozy game in which you can hatch and sell fish, decorate your aquarium and (of course) go fishing. You can visit your friends' aquariums (and those of other players) too. It all seems cute and charming enough, and I don't think having it in the corner of my screen would distract me too much while I'm crafting the hottest of takes . To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so.
There are a lot of things I love about Flock Off! already. The name, the fact it's set in my homeland of Scotland and that it's an alternate history take on the story of Dolly the Sheep — the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell.
In this first-person action title from Bunkhouse Games, you and up to three allies will have to use whatever's at your disposal to fend off zombie sheep. Just about anything can be used as a weapon, including a baguette, leek, traffic cone, your friends and a lawnmower that you wield in the fashion of Dead Alive . Flock Off! is coming to Steam later this year, but it's already alive in my heart. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so.
Several years ago, we interviewed musician Sam Battle (aka Look Mum No Computer) about his wild DIY synth projects. Battle has since teamed up with developer The Bitfather and publisher Headup to make a twin-stick shooter in which you can make your own music.
In this game, also called Look Mum No Computer , you'll craft and upgrade synth modules. These also function as your weapons that you'll use to battle rogue components to fix electronics. It's such a cool concept and it now has a release date. Look Mum No Computer is bound for Steam, Epic Games Store and GOG on July 24. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so.
I have to admit, though I've been aware of Firefighting Simulator: Ignite for a while, it wasn't really grabbing my attention. But the release date trailer included a very important piece of information. Those who pre-order this game — from Construction Simulator studio weltenbauer. Software Entwicklung GmbH and publisher astragon Entertainment GmbH — will get a pack that includes a cool vintage helmet and an absolutely adorable Dalmatian called Simi for their firehouse.
Firefighting Simulator: Ignite is a co-op firefighting game with more than 35 missions. It's coming to PC , PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on September 9.
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Engadget
10 hours ago
- Engadget
A brilliant puzzle-platformer, Enter the Gungeon on mobile and other new indie games worth checking out
Welcome to our latest recap of what's going on in the indie game space. Quite a few intriguing games dropped this week and some high-profile ones have been ported to more platforms. Before we get to those, though, I'd like to tell you about one of my favorite games of the year so far. I struggle to fully engage with many RPGs. By and large, I'm not interested in spending lots of time optimizing my character, speccing out a skill tree or scouring for the very best equipment to match my playstyle. I find it far more interesting when a game offers a limited toolset and a huge variety of ways to use those mechanics, typically by providing a small number of abilities and powerups as well as really clever level design. Such is the case with Öoo , which arrived on Steam last week and is the latest game from Elechead developer Nama Takahashi. This is a puzzle-platformer that you can complete in one sitting and it's utterly captivating. You play as a caterpillar that uses a bomb — and later a second one — to blow stuff up and move around. If you want to reach a higher platform, you'll need to detonate a bomb you're sitting on. The controls are simple too, as you only need to move, and drop and blow up bombs. The design of this game, though, is anything but simple. There's almost no text here, even in the menus. You learn by experimenting and figuring out how to navigate what's in front of you. You'll have to backtrack a bit to solve certain puzzles. It's so mechanically tight that a 15-second trailer is all you need to understand what Öoo is about: I smiled the entire way through this one — even when I got momentarily stumped — and I let out a satisfied chuckle or two when I figured out solutions to problems. It helps that the visuals (by artist Hachinos) and audio are charming as hell. The title of the game is absolutely terrific, too. The umlaut is important because it makes the lettering look like your character with a pair of bombs trailing behind it. This is emblematic of the level of thought, care and detail that Takahashi and co. have put into Öoo . That extends to the end credits, which lists several games that inspired this one. Such a beautiful touch. Öoo reminds me a bit of Animal Well . It doesn't have nearly the same level of depth as one of our favorites of 2024, but it doesn't need to. It's perfect the way it is. It also brings to mind another perfect game, Poinpy , with even composer Tsuyomi's work reminding me of that game's fantastic music. I'm still sad that it's impossible for me to play Poinpy right now, as it vanished from Netflix's catalog a while back. But Öoo did a bang up job of filling that hole in my heart. I can't recommend it highly enough. Elsewhere, there's a lovely little indie you can pick up for free on the Epic Games Store right now for PC, Android and (in the EU) iOS. Hidden Folks is a relaxing hidden object game by Adriaan de Jongh that features hand-drawn environments and funny, voice-generated sound effects. I'm only a little ways into this but I'm enjoying it so far. This week's other Epic Games freebie on PC is ragdoll physics sim Totally Reliable Delivery Service . Also, as a quick reminder, there will be a ton of video game news dropping over the next week as the world's biggest gaming event, Gamescom, is taking place. Check out our Gamescom preview for details on what to expect and how to watch the various showcases and streams, and maybe keep your fingers crossed for a Hollow Knight: Silksong release date, if you're so inclined. Join us on Tuesday as we liveblog our way through Opening Night Live. We'll be bringing you the tastiest news from the event throughout the week too. New releases A bonafide indie classic hit mobile devices this week. Bullet hell dungeon crawler Enter the Gungeon (iOS, Android) and its sequel, former Apple Arcade exclusive Exit the Gungeon (iOS, Android), are both free to try and you can keep playing them after making an in-app purchase. These versions include touch controls, with publisher Devolver Digital pointing out that you can "swipe, tap and poke your screen to conquer the depths of the Gungeon." The developers have, at long last, added online co-op so you can play with your friends without having to be in the same room. There's also a crossover here, as the Lamb from Cult of the Lamb becomes the latest playable character. The games' arrival on mobile could also give veteran Gungeon players a decent reason to revisit Dodge Roll's series. The iOS and Android ports could also help them pass the time until Enter the Gungeon 2 arrives on Steam next year. Another popular indie expanded to more platforms this week as Dorfromantik (previously only available on PC and Nintendo Switch) arrived on PlayStation and Xbox, thanks to the help of Headup. This strategy puzzle game from Toukana Interactive is all about building out a world using hex tiles, which makes my Takenoko -loving self happy. It's a chill, beautiful game that'll still get your cognitive gears turning a bit. A mobile version is also in development, but it won't be a straight port of the PC and console game. Instead, Toukana is working with ClockStone on a reimagining of Dorfromantik that's built from the ground up for touchscreen devices. TMNT went turn-based for the first time in series history with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown , which debuted on PC back in May. Strange Scaffold has now brought the game to Nintendo Switch (only in North America for now) and Xbox Series X/S. It's coming to Switch in European regions at a later date. PC players might have a reason to return to the game, as Strange Scaffold has updated it with a Remix Mode. This adds many more enemy types with new moves and attack patterns, as well as tougher challenges. Ra Ra Boom is a co-op, side-scrolling beat-'em-up from Gylee Games that landed on PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), Xbox Series X/S and PS5 this week. I love the premise, which sees ninja cheerleaders from outer space descending to Earth to free the planet from a climate change-battling AI that perhaps did its job too well by ridding it of humans. Each of the four characters has their own abilities, including a ranged weapon. I've played Ra Ra Boom for about 30 minutes and, unfortunately, it hasn't clicked for me so far. I might give it another shot, but there are just too many other games out there waiting to be played. I do appreciate games that are about more than giving players something fun to do. There have been quite a few over the years that aim to help people learn a language. Another arrived on Steam this week in the form of Wagotabi: A Japanese Journey , which debuted on mobile last year. In this slice-of-life RPG from Wagotabi Limited, you'll explore Japan and its culture. It's designed to help players start learning Japanese and it was made with beginners in mind. It features mini games, tests and is fully voiced in Japanese. The developers say that more than 300 teachers spanning more than 60 countries have been reviewing the game, presumably to make sure its lessons are accurate. The Dark Queen of Mortholme has been available on for some time, and it landed on Steam this week with new features, including support for controllers and Steam Cloud, achievements and more. In this short experience from Mosu and publisher Monster Theater, you play as the final boss of a video game who has to keep fending off a pesky hero. There are multiple endings and the one that you see is determined by your dialogue choices. The Dark Queen of Mortholme seems pretty interesting, and I'm looking forward to checking it out. Upcoming CrisisX is an ambitious-sounding survival crafting project from Hero Games. It features an 1,200 km² open-world map with 12 terrains and biomes, including snowy mountains and hidden labs. You can forge teams, groups and communes to help you fend off dangers such as infected and other players. What's really wild is that CrisisX will seemingly be able to support up to 5,000 players on a single server. It's coming to PC, iOS and Android in the second quarter of 2026. Those who are attending Gamescom next week will be able to play it at the show, while a beta test is scheduled for later this year. I'm intrigued, not least because CrisisX might be the closest we ever get to The Last of Us Online . I feel like I first heard about Henry Halfhead forever ago, so I'm glad that this sandbox adventure finally has a release date. It's coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and PC on September 16. Henry is, surprisingly enough, a character that is half of a head. They're able to turn into any nearby object, and you can play as more than 250 different items. There's local co-op support too. It seems cute! Henry Halfhead is coming your way courtesy of Lululu Entertainment and co-publisher Popagenda. If not for Öoo , The Way of the Tray might have been my favorite game in a hot minute. You'll play as a waiter in a Japanese spirit world, where you'll serve orders to various spirits after catching and balancing them on your tray. Seems like one for fans of the restaurant side of Dave the Diver . The Way of the Tray , which is from Who is Terry and publisher Targem Games, hits Steam on August 25. CloverPit is a grungy, slot machine-based horror game that looks right up my alley. After all, it's billed as a "demonic lovechild of Balatro and Buckshot Roulette ." Sold. You have to accumulate a certain amount of cash each round to help pay off your debt, or it's off to the pit with you. It's not about gambling so much as it is finding ways to break the rules of a slot machine to help you reach your objectives. There's quite a bit of buzz behind this one from Panik Arcade and publisher Future Friends Games. It's had more than 700,000 demo downloads and is among the top wishlisted games on Steam. CloverPit is coming to said platform on September 3. Let's wrap things up for this week with a game that has a very cool aesthetic. Zoe Begone! is a bullet hell shooter with hand-drawn visuals. The idea here is that the action plays out on a film strip, with a devilish animator drawing and painting more enemies for our heroine, Zoe, to overcome. As you might imagine, solo developer Retchy took inspiration from drawn-on-film animation from the 1930s, particularly the work of Norman McLaren. As an admirer of Stan Brakhage's work, this speaks to me. Zoe Begone! is coming to PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch on September 17. A demo is available on Steam now. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
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Travel + Leisure
a day ago
- Travel + Leisure
This New App Lets You Take Private Audio Tours From Top Guides in Iconic European Destinations—and It's Free
A new app is giving travelers a private experience, allowing them to immerse themselves in new cities without breaking the bank. The app, called Le Walk, is a location-based experience using artificial intelligence to create riveting storytelling, all curated by local guides. The app, developed by a couple of former TikTok employees, is free to download on iOS and aimed at helping guides to scale their services. 'Le Walk is all about elevating travel," Aaron Sekhri, a co-founder of Le Walk, said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure. "Our goal is to make the world's best guides accessible to every single traveler, regardless of cost, timing or language." The goal was to get travelers "looking up," instead of aimlessly scrolling on their phones, an ambition brought on by the founders' time at the social media company. Using the Le Walk app at the Musee d'Orsay in Paris. Le Walk When users log in, they will find on-demand audio walks where a professional tour guide will narrate directly into their headphones—without the hassle of having to be in a big group or struggling to hear the tour guide. Enjoy a guided visit to the Louvre's couture exhibition with the "Haute & Historical" tour, for example, or hang out with "Emily in Paris" on a walk through the popular show's iconic filming locations. And WWII buffs will find the "Is Paris Burning?" tour fascinating, which "reveals the still-present scars of Nazi occupation along with gripping stories of resistance, betrayal and survival." Overall, tours are available in a variety of subjects from art tours to architecture, history, culinary-focused jaunts (think: viral TikTok butter), and more. The app is currently available to use for tours in Paris, Rome, and Florence, according to the company, with plans to expand to more than two dozen more cities by summer 2026. Tours are offered in 22 different languages. Tours typically last just under an hour and customers seem to be happy: Le Walk said 63 percent of travelers who have tried it participate in multiple tours. So far, the company said it has seen more than 75,000 downloads. Of course—as the saying goes—Paris is never a bad idea, and a trip to the city isn't complete without indulging in good French cheese, hunting for vintage goods at an antique market, and people-watching at one of the outdoor cafes. And the same goes for Le Walk's other Italian cities where you can sample gelato, wrap yourself in history, and eat your weight in pasta.
Business Wire
a day ago
- Business Wire
Your Poker Crew Just Got Bigger: Zynga Poker Launches on Steam
SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Zynga Inc., a wholly-owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO) and a global leader in interactive entertainment, today announced that Zynga Poker, one of the largest and longest-running, free-to-play poker games, is now available to play on Steam with full crossplay functionality. Launched in 2007 as Zynga's first-ever game, the legendary title is raising the stakes as the label's first game to launch on Steam. With one account, players can now move freely between mobile (iOS and Android), web browsers at and now PC via Steam. For almost 18 years, Zynga Poker has been the go-to destination for millions of poker fans around the world, no matter the platform – from Facebook to mobile and now to Steam. Zynga Poker lets anyone jump in and play, delivering action-packed gameplay that brings an authentic experience straight to your screen. On Steam, the game showcases the same high-stakes energy and fresh features players know and love, including rotating poker modes and Multi-Table Tournaments. Existing players can pick up right where they left off, with collections, events, and friends carrying over for seamless cross-platform support. Watch Launch Trailer Here. 'Since day one, Zynga's mission has been to connect the world through games, and with Zynga Poker, it's always been about delivering the best Texas Hold'Em experience possible to players, whenever and wherever they're playing,' said Yaron Leyvand, Executive Vice President, Mobile Games, Zynga. 'Bringing Zynga Poker to Steam gives our audience a chance to play, compete, and connect on the largest PC platform. This milestone reflects our awesome community that's kept the virtual tables full for nearly two decades.' First-time players logging in via Steam will be rewarded up to 26,000,000 in-game chips, giving poker fans a solid stack to try their hand on the new platform. Challenge your Steam friends, keep your poker action all in one place, and experience the same trusted gameplay. Join in on the action and download Zynga Poker on Steam now! To find supporting assets, click here. Zynga is a wholly-owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. About Zynga, Inc. Zynga is a global leader in interactive entertainment with a mission to connect the world through games and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO). With massive global reach in more than 175 countries and regions, the combined diverse portfolio of popular game franchises has been downloaded more than 10 billion times on mobile, including CSR Racing™, Dragon City, Empires & Puzzles™, FarmVille™, Game of Thrones: Legends, Golf Rival™, Hair Challenge™, Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells™, High Heels!™, Match Factory, Merge Dragons!™, Merge Magic!™, Monster Legends, Screw Jam, Seat Away, Toon Blast™, Top Eleven, Toy Blast™, Two Dot s, Words With Friends™, and Zynga Poker™. Founded in 2007, Zynga is headquartered in California with locations in North America, Europe, and Asia. For more information, visit or follow Zynga on X, Instagram, Facebook, or the Zynga blog About Take-Two Interactive Software Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading developer, publisher, and marketer of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe. We develop and publish products principally through Rockstar Games, 2K, and Zynga. Our strategy is to create hit entertainment experiences, delivered on every platform relevant to our audience through a variety of sound business models. Our pillars - creativity, innovation, and efficiency - guide us as we strive to create the highest quality, most captivating experiences for our consumers. The Company's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The statements contained herein, which are not historical facts, including statements relating to Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.'s ("Take-Two," the "Company," "we," "us," or similar pronouns) outlook, are considered forward-looking statements under federal securities laws and may be identified by words such as "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "potential," "predicts," "projects," "seeks," "should," "will," or words of similar meaning and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the outlook for our future business and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to them, which are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may vary materially from these forward-looking statements based on a variety of risks and uncertainties including risks relating to the timely release and significant market acceptance of our games; the risks of conducting business internationally, including as a result of unforeseen geopolitical events; the impact of changes in interest rates by the Federal Reserve and other central banks, including on our short-term investment portfolio; the impact of inflation; volatility in foreign currency exchange rates; our dependence on key management and product development personnel; our dependence on our NBA 2K and Grand Theft Auto products and our ability to develop other hit titles; our ability to leverage opportunities on PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S; factors affecting our mobile business, such as player acquisition costs; and the ability to maintain acceptable pricing levels on our games. Other important factors and information are contained in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the risks summarized in the section entitled "Risk Factors," the Company's most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the Company's other periodic filings with the SEC, which can be accessed at All forward-looking statements are qualified by these cautionary statements and apply only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
