Hotline Miami meets football, the power of video editing and other new indie games worth checking out

Source: Engadget

Indie Game Round‑up

Welcome to our latest roundup of what’s happening in the indie game scene. As always, we’ve got a handful of neat titles to share. I’ll try to tear myself away from playing Chappell Roan in Fortnite or Jetpack Cat in Overwatch long enough to check out a few more.

🎮 Featured Game: You Have Billions Invested In Generative AI

• Developer: Woe Industries
• Genre: Text‑based horror / satire
• Premise: You play a venture capitalist who has poured billions into generative‑AI technology—only to start questioning the wisdom of that investment. Other characters warn you about the dangers of the tech, and real‑life headlines about AI hallucinations pop up throughout the experience.

Why it’s worth playing

• Satirical yet eerily relevant commentary on the AI boom.
• Hilarious moments (including the chance to yell at Noam Chomsky).
• Completely free to play.

Play it now: Itch.io – You Have Billions Invested In Generative AI

📚 Sources & Further Reading

• Aftermath – The site that introduced me to this game: aftermath.site
• Overwatch news: Jetpack Cat’s arrival – Engadget article
• Noam Chomsky reference: The Guardian – Epstein files & Noam Chomsky

Enjoy the games, and happy (and perhaps slightly terrified) gaming!

New Releases

Tackle for Loss

A football‑themed, top‑down action game in the vein of Hotline Miami. Developed by Indifferent Penguin, it draws inspiration from the Taken film series. You play as a CTE‑afflicted former football player on a mission to rescue his kidnapped daughter.

• Gameplay: Clear every floor of a multistory building by eliminating all enemies. You have only four offensive actions per turn (mirroring football’s four‑down system).
• Challenge: Both you and the enemies die in a single hit, so careful planning is essential.
• Availability: Out now on Steam. Regular price $11, 15 % off until February 12.

Trust Me, I Nailed It

A turn‑based strategy title from Team Afternoon and Jungle Game Lab. A “useless warrior” hires you as a video editor to make them look like a true hero.

• Mechanic: Enemy attacks and actions appear as pre‑recorded footage on an edit timeline. You must plot the warrior’s movements around these clips.
• Tools: Use post‑processing visual‑effects tricks (e.g., teleportation, converting low‑power strikes into critical hits).
• Theme: A playful reminder not to take videos at face value.
• Availability: Free‑to‑play on Steam.

Tomb of the Bloodletter

A fresh spin on the roguelike deck‑builder genre that incorporates typing mechanics. Created by Ethan’s Secretions and indie.io, the game debuted during the Steam Typing Fest.

• Deck: Consists of magical powers (“Magicks”) attached to letters of the alphabet.
• Core Loop: Spell words using these Magicks; repeated letters and specific letter positions (e.g., ending a word) trigger powerful combos.
• Audience: Ideal for fans of word‑puzzle games like Wordle.
• Availability: Typically $8, 20 % off until February 19.

Enjoy exploring these new titles!

Upcoming

Shadowstone

• Turn‑based tactical co‑op roguelike for up to four players from Secret Door and Dreamhaven (Mike Morhaime’s company).
• Shares a universe with Secret Door’s Sunderfolk.
• Hexagonal board with randomized rooms and enemies; positioning and character‑synergy are key.
• Release: Early Access on Steam ($15) later this year, also on the Epic Games Store.

Sunderfolk

• Major update live March 10.
  • New tank‑style character
  • Two fresh mission sets
  • Online multiplayer for PC
  • Mouse‑and‑keyboard controls (no phone required)

Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf

• Sequel to Planet of Lana.
• Release date: March 5 on Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch; day‑one on Game Pass.
• Demo: February 11 on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation (Switch demo to follow).

Sticker/Ball

• Indie title by solo developer Bilge, published by Future Friends Games.
• Shoot balls at dice to earn points, unlock stickers that interact (e.g., spiders spin webs that catch flies attracted to “poop” stickers). Over 100 sticker types and dozens of enemies.
• Demo: Available now.
• Full release: Coming to Steam soon.

Skate Style

• “Next‑gen” skateboarding game from Daniel Zeller (Zellah Games).
• Features high‑end graphics, an animation editor for custom tricks, an advanced character‑creation tool, and mod support.
• Demo: Available on Steam now.
• Full game: Planned for PC later this year.

Crimson Capes

• 2D Souls‑like action RPG from Poor Locke.
• Four playable characters, elemental magic, 25+ bosses, swordplay, co‑op, optional hunts, randomized dungeons, player invasions.
• Pixel‑art rotoscoped animation (modern‑retro look).
• Includes PDF instruction manual, game guide, and printable world map.
• Release: February 12 on Steam for $15 (10 % off during the first nine days). Console versions are in development.

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