Playdate Season Two, Spray Paint Simulator and other new indie games worth checking out
One of the many beautiful things about the indie gaming scene is that there's always something to check out. So if you don't fancy playing Elden Ring: Nightreign this weekend, there are plenty of other new options. To help you keep up with what's going on in the space, here's our weekly indie game roundup.
As a heads up, we won't be publishing an edition of this roundup next week. Not because there won't be enough games to highlight. Quite the opposite: Summer Game Fest kicks off on Friday June 6. There will be literally hundreds of game announcements and updates. There's also the small matter of the Nintendo Switch 2's arrival in a matter of days.
You can check out what to expect from SGF and find out how to watch the various showcases in our preview. We'll be bringing you news on titles of all shapes and sizes from Summer Game Fest Live, Xbox Games Showcase and other events. We'll also be on the ground in Los Angeles to go hands on with many of the newly announced games. Keep up with our coverage here on Engadget throughout SGF.
In the meantime, there are a host of new games to savor, as well as peeks at what's coming your way in the coming weeks and months. Let's get to it. 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.
This showcase from Thinky Games was jam packed with captivating puzzle and mystery games. Two in particular caught my eye. The first is a very intriguing first-person archery puzzler. In He Who Watches , you'll walk on walls, rotate rooms and use a bow and arrow to solve puzzles. It reminds me of the shrines in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom . A demo is out now on Steam and the full game should arrive this fall. 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.
The other game that really stood out to me was Echo Weaver , a so-called "Metroidbraina." Unlike in many Metroidvanias, where you need to find power ups or new abilities to progress, here you'll move forward by acquiring knowledge, including figuring out your character's special abilities.
There aren't any procedurally generated elements here. As with the likes of Outer Wilds , each run is time-based. You can find ways to extend the limit or sacrifice some time to pass through a barrier. Echo Weaver is coming to Steam and Xbox (including Game Pass).
There was lots of other interesting stuff in the first-ever Thinky Direct. I really enjoy the chill train puzzler Railbound and it was neat to find out that there's a level editor available in beta. Kiko's Apple Adventure is an adorable-looking block-pushing game in which the aim is to nudge apples onto rafts. It just arrived 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.
The Button Effect features a museum with a lot of buttons, each with a purpose for you to find out. It seems like a certain Taskmaster task taken to new extremes. The first public demo just hit 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.
Nonolith is another compelling game that was featured in the showcase. In this puzzle platformer, you can copy and paste blocks to create openings, bridges and staircases. At first glance, it reminds me a little of Animal Well . Monolith is coming to Steam in 2026.
One thing definitely worth getting excited about this week if you own a particular yellow console with a crank owner is the start of Playdate Season Two. Every Thursday throughout the six-week season (which costs $39), two new games arrive on Panic's diminutive device.
The first batch includes the charming-looking Dig! Dig! Dino! and Fulcrum Defender . The latter of those is from FTL: Faster Than Light and Into the Breach studio Subset Games, whose co-founder Jay Ma went through hell to make Fulcrum Defender . 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.
One of the titles included in the season, Blippo+ , is a full-motion video game. It will have weekly episodic updates for 12 weeks, extending far beyond the rest of the Season Two window. The first episode is out now. 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.
Trails is a lovely puzzle game that just landed on Steam. You'll guide sandships to their destination by drawing a path for them. You can't take a ship through the same square twice, and you'll need to make sure they don't crash into each other. There are obstacles, of course, and you'll sometimes have to collect and deliver cargo.
I've enjoyed my time with Trails so far. Developer PurpleSloth gradually teaches you how to play through trial and error, and it adds new hazards and mechanics at a nice pace, though the puzzles do become quite tricky. 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.
You may have spent many pleasant hours cleaning grime off of various objects and iconic landmarks in PowerWash Simulator (which is set to get a sequel later this year). It's time to flip the script a bit in Spray Paint Simulator, from North Star Video Games and publisher Whitethorn Games.
The concept is pretty similar, in that you'll complete jobs for clients by painting certain items or environments. There are no time limits here and a feature that lets you mask an area to ensure you get clean lines is a nice touch. If marking your territory on public or private property with sick, definitely-not-ugly tags is more your thing, there's a free spray mode that you can play alone or with a friend in co-op.
Spray Paint Simulator is out now on Steam, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. It's on Game Pass too. The game is also coming to Nintendo Switch on June 19. 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.
Eternal Evil debuted on Steam back in 2022, and two and a half years later, the survival horror game has made the jump to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. It has mostly positive reviews on Steam and seems very much in the vein of the Resident Evil series (it even has a dual narrative with two characters to play). You'll take on vampires that get stronger as they feed in this game from solo developer Honor Games. 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.
How could I not include a game with a name like Trash Goblin ? This is a cozy shopkeeping title from Spilt Milk Studios that just came out of early access on Steam. You'll unearth, restore and upcycle trinkets to sell to customers so you can upgrade your shop. It seems one you might chill out with.
Elsewhere, To a T, a game we mentioned last week, is out now on Xbox Series X/S, Game Pass, PS5, Steam and the Epic Games Store. Cowboy-themed life sim Cowboy Country just landed on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch as well. 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've had my eye on Kingmakers for a while. It's a completely bananas-looking blend of third-person shooting and strategy game from Redemption Road in which you travel back in time to a medieval war, bringing modern weapons and vehicles with you. Publisher tinyBuild revealed during a showcase this week that Kingmakers will debut in early access on Steam on October 8. Really looking forward to that one. 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.
Beyond the Board is a moody-looking adventure that takes a rook... well, beyond a chess board. It takes inspiration from puzzle games like Limbo and Monument Valley , so it shouldn't be too much of a surprise that the story is told through visual storytelling and soundscapes rather than dialogue. This game from Fragile Shapes Studio doesn't yet have a release window, but you can check out a demo on Steam now. 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.
An extended demo for a fast-paced, melee-focused dungeon runner called Bloodthief dropped this week. It looks like a lo-fi, medieval spin on Ghostrunner (a series I enjoy but am quite bad at) but with vampires. So yes, I will be digging into this when I have a chance. The original demo is said to have 20 or so hours of gameplay and there's even more in the extended version, which will be featured in Steam Next Fest. Bloodthief , from developer Blargis, is slated to arrive later this year.
I'm going to close this edition out with a game you'll probably never be able to play. Developer Kenney says that, a few years back, they helped a young Star Wars fan make a game based on The Mandalorian after a Make-a-Wish connected the pair. It's a heartwarming story, and the game looks quite charming based on the clip that Kenney shared on BlueSky. However, for legal reasons, it'll likely stay under lock and key, sadly. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Engadget
10 hours ago
- Engadget
Look Outside just got a big update bringing a bunch of new creepy experiences
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 didn't really need an excuse to begin another playthrough of Look Outside , but the developer just dropped an update that provides plenty of reasons to dip back into the survival horror RPG if you were looking for any. Update 1.5 brings new crafting recipes, new interactions with people in the apartment building — some familiar, some not — and big changes to the flooded basement area, along with a slew of other tweaks and bug fixes. You can take a look through the update notes to see everything that's been added, or just jump right in and let yourself be surprised. Look Outside is a survival horror game with turn-based combat that was released on Steam in March. The game sees the player character Sam trapped in an apartment building for two weeks to ride out some strange, apocalyptic event happening outside. The weirdness, of course, makes its way inside too, and you'll find yourself up against all sorts of body horror monstrosities and trying to figure out who you can trust. Between the art, the music and the story, it's an all-around masterpiece that I haven't been able to stop yapping about since playing it for the first time back in April. It's really cool to see the developer is continuing to add to it because this is one of those games that's just made to be played over and over. If you haven't picked it up yet, there's no time like the present.
Engadget
11 hours ago
- Engadget
How to buy the Nintendo Switch 2: Latest stock updates at Target, Best Buy, Walmart and more
The Nintendo Switch 2 has been available in the US for more than two weeks — but good luck finding one. While millions of people have been able to snag the $450 console since it officially went up for sale on June 5, online inventory dried up fairly quickly at most stores soon after launch and remains difficult to find today. Target and Best Buy restocked shortly after launch, but those didn't last long, and the latter required in-store pickup. You may also be able to grab a bundle at Costco if you're a member there. Otherwise, it's been slim pickings. As of today, we're not seeing any availability — though you may have different luck in your locality when checking inventory, online or in person. To that latter point, people had a bit more luck on launch week by venturing to a physical retail store. We can't guarantee you'll still be able to snag a Switch 2 the old-fashioned way, but it's worth checking if a local Target, Best Buy, Walmart or GameStop — the four official retailers Nintendo lists on its store page — still has consoles in stock. For now, you can skip Amazon, though: For whatever reason, the biggest online retailer doesn't even have a product page for the Switch 2 (but it does seem to be selling games and accessories). All that said, if you're still on the hunt, we've rounded up all of the latest information we could find on how to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 and where you can pick one up. Walmart began online purchases at midnight ET on June 5. Currently, both the Mario Kart World bundle and the standalone console are "available" via third-party retailers, but listed for much higher than their standard $500 and $450 price tags — with limited quantities available. We wouldn't recommend buying these; instead, wait for the console to be listed at its regular MSRP. Naturally, the world's largest retailer is also selling the console at its brick-and-mortar locations, though the company has noted that quantities are limited and inventory will vary by location. Best Buy started selling the Switch 2 at its retail locations on June 5. It previously said it wouldn't sell the handheld at its online store during launch week, but it made additional consoles available on June 11 around 12PM ET. That restock lasted for the better part of an hour and required in-store pickup, but the device is now sold out again. Target had the Switch 2 in stores on June 5 and restocked its online inventory for at least a couple of hours starting around 3:30AM ET on June 6. It then had another restock on June 12 around 2:30PM ET, but that appears to have died out in less than an hour. It still looks to be fully sold out as we write this, but you should see if there's any stock at the stores closest to you just to be safe. GameStop has advertised in-store availability, though exactly how much stock your local store may have will vary by location. Online, the device has been unavailable for the past week, with the listings for the base console and Mario Kart bundle now pointing to a "Find a Store" page. We saw a $625 bundle that includes Mario Kart World , a microSD Express card and a few other accessories pop up a bit more frequently than the standard SKUs, but it's no longer listed (and it was kind of a raw deal anyway). You may still have some luck at certain membership-based retailers. A Mario Kart World bundle at Costco that includes a 12-month Switch Online subscription has gone in and out of stock since launch day. Sam's Club has had a bundle without the Switch Online sub as well, though it's out of stock now. We also saw the console at BJ's early on June 5, but it's no longer live there. Verizon briefly had the Switch 2 available on launch day, but that's dried up, and only those with Verizon service were able to order. Amazon hasn't had any form of Switch 2 listing on its website, nor has it listed Mario Kart World . The company didn't take pre-orders for the Switch 2 either, so it's unclear if and when it will sell the device. You can, however, find some Switch 2 games. Newegg has listed the Switch 2 on its site for several weeks, but it's given no indication as to when it'll begin sales. It previous showed a couple listings from a third-party seller, but at massively inflated prices. With all of these stores, we've seen the Mario Kart World bundle available in greater quantities online than the base console, which costs $50 less. But given that Mario Kart is the Switch 2's biggest launch game and retails for $80 on its own, that may not be the worst thing. Nintendo, meanwhile, is only offering the Switch 2 via an invite system. This requires you to have been a Switch Online member for at least 12 months and logged at least 50 hours of Switch 1 playtime as of April 2. It can't hurt to sign up if you meet the criteria, but don't expect it to bear fruit immediately — it's taken weeks for many people who registered in April to receive their invite. You can find a list of every Switch 2 retail listing we could find below. Just be aware that this is meant to be a reference, not a rundown of everywhere the device is available right this second. Where to buy Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle: Where to buy Switch 2: Nintendo is selling a number of Switch 2 accessories alongside the console, from its (pricey) Pro Controller to cases to cameras for the new GameChat feature. Most of these became available on June 5. The same goes for games like Mario Kart World and the Switch 2 version of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom . Another big Switch 2 release, Donkey Kong Bananza , won't be available until mid-July but is still up for pre-order now. As of this publication, just about all Switch 2 games are broadly available. Stock for the accessories remains a little spottier, but most devices are still available at multiple retailers. Nintendo's official Switch 2 carrying cases have been the main exceptions, so you may need to look to third-party alternatives if you want some protection for your console right away. Mario Kart World ($80) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Donkey Kong Bananza ($70) Nintendo Amazon Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Costco (membership required) Additional Switch 2 games Nintendo Amazon Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Samsung microSD Express Card (256GB) for Nintendo Switch 2 ($60) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Amazon Joy-Con 2 bundle ($95) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Switch 2 Pro Controller ($85) Switch 2 Camera ($55) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Hori Nintendo Switch 2 Piranha Plant Camera ($60) Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip ($40) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Joy-Con 2 Wheels (set of 2) ($25) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Switch 2 All-in-One Carrying Case ($85) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Switch 2 Carrying Case and Screen Protector ($40) Nintendo (invite required) Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Nintendo Switch 2 Dock Set ($120) Nintendo GameCube Controller for Switch 2 ($65) Nintendo (Switch Online required)
Tom's Guide
21 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
I've played 8 Nintendo Switch 2 launch games — here's the best one you (probably) skipped but really should buy now
The Nintendo Switch 2 has been in the wild for more than two weeks, and after sampling more than half a dozen of the system's launch games, I'm having a blast with the new hybrid console (and said as much in my very positive Nintendo Switch 2 review). A VGC report this week suggests that third-party Switch 2 game sales are pretty slow off the bat, and while I'm a little disappointed at this news, I'm not entirely surprised. It's little wonder that Nintendo published software like Mario Kart World and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition are dominating the play time of early adopters. Cyberpunk 2077 is reportedly the exception that is bucking the trend and seeing strong sales. However, much as I love Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2 (I named it one of the launch games you need to play first), there's another third-party title that is quickly becoming one of my go-to Switch 2 games at this very early stage of the console's lifecycle: Hitman World of Assassination. I've seen it knock around the bottom of the best-selling charts on the Nintendo eShop, but otherwise, it's not a launch title that many Switch 2 players appear to be talking about. This could be because the majority of Switch 2 owners have already played it on other systems where it's been available for several years, but I think the Signature Edition on Switch 2 makes a compelling case for double-dipping. Here's why you shouldn't skip Hitman WoA on Nintendo Switch 2 (assuming you have access to a solid Wi-Fi connection). Hitman World of Assassination Signature Edition brings the complete IO Interactive trilogy to Nintendo Switch 2. In this action-stealth game, you play the world's most lethal killer, Agent 47, as they travel the globe eliminating high-value targets in a multitude of creative ways. Each mission is highly replayable, and this Signature Edition also comes with a wealth of extra content. The Hitman World of Assassination trilogy (which packages the three Hitman games developed by IO Interactive between 2016 and 2021) is a known quantity at this point, so I won't harp on about the basics of what the game actually is. There are plenty of reviews covering all three games in the series already, many of which successfully highlight why they represent not only a new high watermark for the long-running franchise, but also why Hitman in this current guise might just be the most polished stealth game ever. Instead, let's specifically talk about the Nintendo Switch 2 port, officially known as the Signature Edition. The first thing to note is you're getting a ridiculous amount of content here. For starters, you get the full campaign of 2016's Hitman, 2018's Hitman 2 and 2021's Hitman 3, alongside the two extra chapters released as DLC for Hitman 2. That's enough to last you dozens of hours, as it's 21 total locations (Hitman's name for individual open levels), and each is purposefully designed to be replayed several times over. Plus, they're all stitched together into a single seamless campaign that can be enjoyed from start to finish with no hitches. Alongside that, you get plenty of additional game modes like user-created Contracts, a rougelike offering called Freelancer and a fiendishly challenging Arcade mode. That's not all; you can also dive into side campaigns like Seven Deadly Sins and Patient Zero. There's also The Sarajevo Six, though this latter one does unfortunately require an additional purchase. These separate modes remix content from the base games in surprisingly inventive ways, changing levels you might have played dozens of times already in often substantial ways. There's also limited-time Elusive Targets, which right now include a tie-in event with James Bond, which features Mads Mikkelsen reprising his role as Le Chiffre from 2006's 'Casino Royale.' Plus, I haven't even touched on the Sniper Assassin mode, which is a totally different spin on Hitman. Here you find Agent 47 perched in a watch tower, and eliminating targets from afar using, you've guessed it, a powerful sniper rifle. None of this content is exclusive to the Signature Edition; it can also be found in Hitman World of Assassination on PlayStation, Xbox and PC, but I've found the Switch 2 platform ideally suited for the Hitman experience because of its portability. Hitman is a great game for shorter sessions. Because each level is highly replayable and designed to be mastered through repeat play, once you've got some knowledge of a location, you can hop in and complete a few challenges within just a matter of minutes. It's the perfect game for playing in shorter bursts, and that approach suits the Switch 2 hardware. The downside is that on a technical level, Hitman World of Assassination on Nintendo Switch 2 isn't up to the same graphical or performance standards as you'll get playing on beefier hardware like the PS5 Pro or a powerful gaming PC. But that's really to be expected with a Switch 2 port. Ultimately, this isn't a highly compromised port. The visual downgrades are well within my tolerance levels, and I suspect most players will feel the same. The unlocked frame rate does dip a little more than I'd like, but it's far from a major issue, and when played in handheld mode, Hitman: WoA showcases the increased graphical power of the Switch 2 pretty well. Like many Switch players, I'm okay making some visual sacrifices in the name of portability. Unfortunately, there is one major issue with Hitman World of Assassination on Switch 2, and it's severe enough that it could serve as a dealbreaker for a significant number of prospective players. The game is ostensibly an always-online title. Now, it's not technically always online, because you're not fully locked out of the game without an internet connection. However, the 'offline mode' places several major restrictions and prevents you from accessing certain modes, making it a highly undesirable way to play. When playing offline, you can't make proper progress as none of your unlocks carry across, and you don't even get a mission score upon completing a level (which is a fundamental part of the Hitman WoA experience). You also can't work through the location Challenges, which is another key pillar of the experience. You're limited to playing each campaign level in its most basic form. That's still pretty fun, but you're basically getting half the game. Making matters worse is that you can't even hop between offline and online, and just tolerate the restrictions. You cannot access online save data when offline, and any progress made won't transfer across. Offline mode is a completely separated and seriously less-than-ideal way to play. Basically, if you don't have a reliable connection, do not buy Hitman on Nintendo Switch 2. Considering that being able to play Hitman on the go is the biggest selling point of the Switch 2 edition, it is a pretty major flaw. And it means that as much as I enjoy Hitman World of Assassination on Nintendo's new platform, it won't be a game I turn to on flights or trains. However, I'm still glad the phenomenal sandbox stealth experience has been ported over to Nintendo Switch 2. And if IO Interactive could tweak the way offline play works, then it would be a game I recommend without any caveats. Sadly, that looks unlikely, so my recommendation comes with an asterisk.
