As we breach the second half of the year — A.K.A. the best time for video game sales — it’s time to take another look at your wishlist. What indie games will you be spending your hard-earned paychecks on? Which picks will pave the road for indie games in the coming future?
We’ve compiled 16 soon-to-be indie darlings ranging from cozy management sims to horror survival games, each one guaranteed to release between now and December.
1. Bear and Breakfast (28 July 2022)
Bear and Breakfast is the cozy game you didn’t know you needed, but you sure as heck deserve. In this laid-back management adventure game, you play as a well-intentioned bear trying to run a B&B in the woods. Build and manage your establishment, explore the surrounding forest, and complete quests to unlock more perks. You won’t be able to keep your paws away!
Wishlist it on Steam.
2. I Was a Teenage Exocolonist (26 Aug 2022)
You and your family are refugees from Earth, flung into a new world of wonder and danger. You have your whole life ahead of you, and every decision matters — whether to study, play an instrument, or explore the jungle. The choices you make and the skills you master over the next ten years will determine the course of your life and the survival of your colony. Are you up to the challenge?
Wishlist it on Steam.
3. We Are OFK (Summer 2022)
We Are OFK is the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. of the music industry. This interactive narrative series follows the lives of four friends in their 20s as they attempt to break out as an indie band, fall in and out of love, and figure out how to pay rent and make art in Los Angeles. It’s also got a boba shop, so how could you say no?
Wishlist it on Steam.
4. Afterlove EP (Summer 2022)
From the late-creator of Coffee Talk and What Comes Next, comes his final work of art. Afterlove EP follows the story of Rama, a young musician whose girlfriend Cinta has recently passed away. The game is a mix between narrative adventure, dating sim, and rhythm game, featuring multiple endings and a beautiful original soundtrack from indie band, L’alphalpha.
Wishlist it on Steam.
5. Wayward Strand (15 Sept 2022)
Wayward Strand is a heartfelt story told in a curious way. Step into the shoes of Casey Beaumaris as she explores the airborne hospital where her mother works, meeting eclectic characters and piecing together mysteries for her school newspaper. Time passes with or without you in the game, making each playthrough completely unique.
Wishlist it on Steam.
6. Serial Cleaners (22 Sept 2022)
Imagine PowerWash Simulator… but bloody. Serial Cleaners is a top-down stealth-action game where you play as four murder scene cleaners working for the mob in 1990s New York. Alternate between all four characters, each with a unique skillset, and carve your own playstyle. There’s only one rule you need to follow: Don’t. Get. Caught.
Wishlist it on Steam.
7. Sons Of The Forest (Oct 2022)
The creators of The Forest are back with a terrifying new open-world survival horror simulator. Sons Of The Forest sends you to find a missing billionaire on a remote island, only to find yourself stuck in a cannibal-infested hellscape. Craft, build, and struggle to survive alone or with friends in this brand new living nightmare.
Wishlist it on Steam.
8. A Space For The Unbound (2022)
Set in late 90s rural Indonesia, A Space For The Unbound is an emotional story-driven experience about overcoming anxiety, depression, and the relationship between a boy and a girl with supernatural powers. Not only does the game feature a beautiful pixel art style, there’s also a spin-off WEBTOON that you can read now.
Play the Prologue or wishlist it on Steam.
9. Mineko’s Night Market (2022)
If you’re obsessed with Stray (like the rest of the world), here’s another cat-themed indie game to put on your radar. Mineko’s Night Market is a cozy adventure game slash farming simulator where you help restore a struggling town to its former glory. Every aspect of the game celebrates Japanese culture from the Night Market games to the curious townsfolk. And there are cats. So many cats.
Wishlist it on Steam or view their website.
10. Open Roads (2022)
Fullbright and Annapurna Interactive are a match made in heaven… or at least on the open road. From the creator of Gone Home and the publisher of What Remains of Edith Finch, comes a classic road trip story about uncovering family secrets and the bonds made along the way. The game also boasts a star-studded voice cast including Kaitlyn Dever (Uncharted 4) as Tess Devine and Keri Russell (The Americans) as Opal.
Wishlist it on Steam.
11. OXENFREE II: Lost Signals (2022)
Five years after the events of OXENFREE, we’re following a brand new cast into the ghostly mountains of Camena to investigate mysterious radio signals. The game can be played as a standalone or as a sequel, with an all-new walkie talkie conversation system allowing players to start conversations anywhere — but not without consequence.
Wishlist it on Steam.
12. Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle (2022)
Prequel to the critically acclaimed Daymare: 1998 and heavily inspired by the Resident Evil franchise, Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle is a third-person horror survival game about zombies in an advanced experimental research center. Surprise, surprise. Players will step into the shoes of Agent Dalila Reyes to execute the top secret “Sandcastle” mission, and reconstruct the past of Daymare: 1998’s most beloved characters.
Wishlist it on Steam.
13. Planet of Lana (2022)
Planet of Lana is a cinematic puzzle-platformer framed by an epic sci-fi saga that stretches across centuries and galaxies. In it, a young girl and her loyal friend embark on a rescue mission through a beautifully hand-painted world full of challenging puzzles, unfamiliar creatures, and the friends you make along the way.
Wishlist it on Steam.
14. The Garden Path (2022)
The Garden Path is a slice-of-life sim that explores the quiet moments of a life well lived. Designed to be played as and when you wish, the game boasts a unique real-time system that grows your garden even when you’re away. Its world features a wealth of stories, activities, and distractions to be played out of order, on top of a beautiful hand-drawn aesthetic and soothing soundtrack.
Wishlist it on Steam.
15. The Last Worker (2022)
What happens when you’re one of the last human workers in the world? Well, Kurt is about to find out. The Last Worker is a first-person narrative drama centered around our struggle in an increasingly automated world. Work in a shipping warehouse, contemplate robot sentience, and laugh about going to the loo in this thought-provoking and comedic adventure.
Wishlist it on Steam.
16. Flat Eye (2022)
Play as the manager of a Flat Eye, a leading automobile fill-up station (gas station) and technological access point (convenience store), where you can get everything from smart bathrooms to organs on-the-go. Upgrade your store in response to global events, accurately serve the desires of your loyal customers, and unlock a variety of branching narratives. Overall, a fun and wholesome time!
Wishlist it on Steam.
Comment below which game you’ll be adding to your coveted wishlist. As an Annapurna Interactive fan, my personal pick is definitely going to be Open Roads!
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