We’ve got the first big batch of new indie releases this week. From Metroidvania over puzzle games to 3D platformer. Unfortunately I didn’t catch any of these yet due to health issues this week, but you will see them in the shoutout section and maybe some of you might give them a try (please let me know your opinion if you do!). For now, I am still catching up on 2025 releases.
Rhythm Doctor || 07/12/25
2025 was a great year for rhythm games. In Rhythm Doctor you are engaging with the promising theory of music therapy. You will need to synchronize your beat to the heartbeat of the patient. One patient has an erratic heartbeat, since he can’t stop consuming coffee because it helps him create music. Another patient has troubles with irregular heartbeat, thanks to a special person in his life. The style fuses pixel charm with the funky vibe of Friday Night Funkin‘. Each level brings in something new, so you will never get bored. I was surprised how much it played with the visual representation over time.
10S FOREVER || 18/06/25
An arcade sports game with a story and bullet hell passages? Sounds crazy but my dear friend Derpy (much love to you!) wrapped it up so well while pitching the game to me. The game shows, that a solid foundation is all you need, to make a game entertaining. The presentation is very reminiscing of arcade games, and the flow of the levels suggests the same. However, you get a slight narrative outline in the background, that is short enough to not get in the way of gameplay, yet gets you intrigued. I loved and hated the bullet hell moments at the same time. It makes the game quite challenging, if you usually don’t engage in arcade games. You use a ping pong paddle even though you are playing tennis, there are boss fights with extremely cool patterns and the game expects you to learn the mechanics by trial and error. It’s so much more than I expected, and it got the perfect bite sized length.
CorgiSpace || 10/12/25
This is a retro styled mini-game collection, that fans of UFO 50 will like. It’s a compilation of games, that were made for a fantasy console, called the Pico-8. The catch of this console is, that the cartridge space is lower compared to the GBA while the sound chip is weaker than the NES one; but in return it has a way stronger CPU than these consoles. That results in various games with a basic look, yet complex mechanics, which are easy to pick up, but hard to master. The games vary from wizard-like RPG, over puzzle games to a minesweeper rogue-like? Fascinating game, which is perfect for short gaming sessions.
Quick Shoutout (not played yet)
MIO: Memories in Orbit || 20/01/25
A metroidvania where you explore an old spaceship. Machines gone rogue, thus causing chaos in the internal area. You play as an android and in true metroidvania fashion, you explore gigantic spaces, earn new skills and build your own move set. The demo showed me a beautiful world and satisfying movement. Fans of the genre will surely enjoy it.
Cassette Boy || 14/01/25
Cassette Boy is a cross-over of old school 2D Zelda and FEZ. It mixes the exploration and childlike wonder amazingly well with the puzzle mechanic of literally shifting your perspective. Very cute game, that trusts the player to figure things out, instead of giving you markers and tutorials everywhere you go.
TR-49 || 21/01/25
Inkle is a well established company, that creates interactive adventures of different genres. Their last game Expelled! was a short detective game, while TR-49 is a dramatic investigation game, that focuses heavily on puzzles and story. You are investigating a complex archive, which carries the World War 2 history. Your task is simple, destroy the book at its core. As usual, what starts of simple turns into a complex mess, that will make your brain tingle.
Super Chipflake Ü: Quest for the Uncooked Schnitzel || 19/01/25
Huge Nintendo 64 vibes and mainly reminiscent of Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie. Your task though isn’t to rescue a princess. You’ve got something way more important to do: get a Schnitzel. It’s goofy, charming and also extremely well-made on a technical level. Very fluid gameplay and everything runs at 60 FPS on a Steam Deck or Switch. In fact, that was the main ambition of the creator, and it’s fascinating to see this turn into a full-fledged game.
