Welcome to Way Too Many Indies Wednesdays where we highlight four recently released or upcoming indie games that have caught our eye. In a market where so many games can get lost in the shuffle, some true gems can sneak right past us without us knowing. These are the four games this week that we want to keep our eye on, and we think you should as well!

This week is brought to you by our author Oliver Shellding. If there’s one thing Oliver enjoys, it’s being in on the ground floor of gaming, and there’s nothing quite like knowing about a game before it sets fire across the world. These games are still very much in the oven, but there’s something about them – from concept to aesthetic to the mere promise of greatness – that has Oliver being first in line for what might come. As a result, information for these games is sparse, but incredibly promising!

Shibuya Sushi Master

Developer: TOONLEAGUE, アサリ
Publisher: TOONLEAGUE
Genre: Interactive Fiction, Adventure, Simulation
Platforms: PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA
X
Steam

“Set in a cyberpunk vision of Shibuya, players take a role of Namida a young sushi chef who runs a small, houseboat-style sushi shop left behind by her parents, floating above the now-flooded Scramble Crossing. Combine sushi toppings, preparation styles (nigiri, gunkan, maki), and the amount of wasabi to create a wide range of unique  sushi for your customers.” So you’re telling me that we’re taking Coffee Talk, combining it with a less stressful version of Dave the Diver, and painting the whole thing in cyberpunk Tokyo ideals? And it’s a female owned business in Japan in literally any reality? Inject that straight into my veins, I cannot wait.

Ripple Park

Developer: Phase Wanderer
Publisher: Phase Wanderer
Genre: Pixel Art, Horror, Metriodvania
Platforms: PC (Steam)
Release Date: To Be Announced
Steam
Bilibili
Douyin
Weibo
X
YouTube
Discord

“You are lost in a vast and eerie labyrinth filled with pools and puzzles. Gather items to activate various mechanisms as you explore further. Face various unknown entities that lurk within. Unravel the mysteries of the labyrinth and your own identity to find your way out. ” When it comes to horror games, I tend to like my things off kilter, and this one scratches a particular itch. Beautifully designing to create some real liminal space unrest, it’s got a combination of hyperpop madness with a bit of dark itchniess to keep you on your toes.  Plus, anyone who has ever been to an abandoned amusement park wants to see how this goes. Just me? Fair enough.

BlueLine

Developer: The BlueLine Team
Publisher: The BlueLine Team, Going Places Studio
Genre: Visual Novel, Interactive Fiction
Platforms: PC
Release Date: To Be Announced
Website
Steam
X
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube

“A visual interactive story about Blue, who is expected to be successful at work, be a good boyfriend, and at the same time… be happy. Dive into a rich and introspective story, experiencing many heartbreaking scenarios, elevated by charming hand-drawn characters, beautiful scenery, and an award-winning original score.” While the description is potentially upsetting, the artwork and general concept is deeply appealing to me. Intermingling elements of magical reality with simply trying to survive and thrive in the modern world, there’s a romantic thread that seems to constantly be tangling itself in despair and challenge. This might be really heavy, but I am here for it and cannot wait to see what this Thai based team brings to the table.

City of None

Developer: Noel and Liam Berry
Publisher: Noel and Liam Berry
Genre: Action, Adventure, Metroidvania
Platforms: PC (Steam, itch.io)
Release Date: Unannounced
Website
Liam Bluesky / Noel Bluesky
Liam X / Noel X
Mastodon
Twitch
Github
Instagram

“A metropolis crumbles into ruin as powerful Barons satisfy their greed upon souls lost in time. You are but one spirit, with a wooden body left to rot in the wild… Explore a forgotten city through a vast metro system, encountering strange creatures, friends, and foes.” This is the ultimate in unknown futures. Noel Berry was one of the programmers and artists behind Celeste, and he wanted to create something with his brother. It’s got elements of Ghost Trick and Geist with a highly emotional backsplash. And it’s so weird how little information there is about it, it’s got me salivating..

And that’ll do it for this iteration of Way Too Many Indies Wednesday! Go ahead and wishlist those that caught your eye; that kind of metric really matters for developers and publishers. Also, show support for these games in your own way: follow the devs if you can and spread the word so that these dreams can come rushing forward even faster. There’s always something for someone, so don’t forget to always be searching for the next big game that really speaks to you. If you think there’s a game that should be considered for our roundup, be sure to let us know! Have fun, and keep the indie parade going!

If you missed last weeks picks, here is a quick link to go check them out!