We review the independent video games that will be published throughout this year, fresh, original, and innovative works that will offer alternative experiences throughout 2022.
Every time a new year begins, it is good to stop and think about the works that will set the trends for the next twelve months. In this article we wanted to collect some of the most interesting indies that will be released in 2022, distinguishing between those that have an estimated release date and those that have not yet made it public. We already know that video game development is not at all predictable and many of these projects may end up being delayed, but even so, this exhibition makes it clear that the independent creation scene is still alive and eager to offer new, original, fresh, creative experiences and innovative.
With a confirmed release date
Nobody Saves the World
- Studio: DrinkBox Studios
- Publisher: DrinkBox Studios
- Platforms: Xbox One, PC, and Switch
- Release date: January 18
Nobody Saves the World is the new from DrinkBox Studios, creators of Guacamelee! , who have changed the Metroidvania format for an ingenious two-dimensional dungeon action game that introduces role-playing elements thanks to a mechanic that allows us to change form and class. It will be available on Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One, and PC through Xbox Game Pass, a catalog to which it is confirmed that it will join from the same launch day.
Windjammers 2
- Studio: Dotemu
- Editor: Dotemu
- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch
- Release Date: Jan 20, 2022
Dotemu returns with a new look at a classic video game franchise: if the French studio was already convinced last year with Streets of Rage 4, now it will try to repeat the play with Windjammers 2, an expected arcade sports title that updates that iconic formula of exaggerated flying disc matches. Improved gameplay, new and impressive graphics, characters created for the occasion, classic athletes who return ... In short, a return in style to one of the most fun competitive games we have been able to play.
Paparazzi
- Studio: Sundae Month
- Publisher: Kitfox Games
- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch
- Release Date: Jan 20, 2022
As its name suggests, Pupperazzi is a video game in which we will put ourselves in the shoes of a paparazzi of dog puppies (' puppy ' in English). It is a first-person photography adventure in which we can explore an environment full of dogs doing peculiar activities, and in addition to interacting with them (obviously, we can pet them), we will also have to take photos of them that will allow us to unlock new tools to take better snapshots. It is a nice proposal that will also be available at launch on Xbox Game Pass.
Hidden Deep
- Studio: Cogwheel Software
- Publisher: Daedalic Entertainment
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: Jan 24, 2022
Hidden Deep takes place in a facility located more than a kilometer and a half below the ocean floor. Researchers traveled there trying to find out what is behind some strange anomalies of an unknown nature, although shortly after arriving they lost contact with the outside world. Our role is that of an expedition group that comes to the rescue of these scientists, although what we will find there will not make it easy for us. At the playable level, we are talking about a survival and action thriller in two dimensions that collect inspirations from works such as Alien or Half-Life. Its early access begins this month with the intention of releasing the final version in six to eight months.
Storyteller
- Studio: Daniel Benmergui
- Editor: Annapurna Interactive
- Platforms: PC and Switch
- Release Date: February 1, 2022
In Storyteller, we put ourselves in the shoes of the narrator of unfinished stories. We explore the pages of a storybook in the form of puzzles that we will have to solve by moving characters, objects and vignettes until we find the key to what we want to tell. The interesting thing is that the way in which we tell the story is not strict at all, so if they ask us for a loved one we can order the pieces so that instead of a romance between prince and princess, it ends up being one between the prince and a monster. At the very least, it is an original premise that also comes with a cute artistic style where both the drawings and animations stand out.
OlliOlli World
- Studio: Roll7
- Editor: Private Division
- Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X / S, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch
- Release date: February 8, 2022
After two installments of the OlliOlli series proving they know how to make a two-dimensional skate game as challenging as it is satisfying, independent studio Roll7 will make the leap this year to a formula much more related to adventure, taking the format of previous games to a world divided into semi-open levels. OlliOlli World combines the marked technique of the control system from previous installments with a larger, deeper and narrative structure. If we add to that a magnificent art style full of color and a very original character design, we have one of the most interesting indies of the year.
Sifu
- Studio: Sloclap
- Editor: Sloclap
- Platforms: PS5, PS4 and PC
- Release date: February 8, 2022
You may acquit the previous work of Sloclap not arrive to convince the community that awaited him so hard, but this team wants to take advantage of the superb technique of combat martial arts in a new game that takes full advantage: talk of Sifu, a title much more focused on the story as above, without neglecting the fighting, and has a peculiar system that will age your character each time you defeat us.
Tunic
- Studio: Andrew Shouldice
- Editor: Finji
- Platforms: Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One, and PC
- Release date: March 16, 2022
We have been waiting for the launch of Tunic for several years, but now we can finally assume that it will arrive in 2022. Specifically, it will be launched on March 16, so we will not have to wait long to try this cute isometric action game at Zelda style; fighting, exploration, puzzles, colorful world ... It has everything to be one of those titles that you have to try yes or yes.
Weird west
- Studio: WolfEye Studios
- Editor: Devolver Digital
- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One and PC
- Release Date: March 31, 2022
Weird West is a project that straddles indie and triple-A, not only because set in the Wild West but because comes from the hand of Raphael Colantonio, cofounder of Arkane Studios and responsible for the saga Dishonored and reboot of Prey. His new label, WolfEye Studios, has teamed up with Devolver Digital to publish a quirky work in March that combines isometric role-playing, strategy, and immersive simulation, all in a dark fantasy-style reimagining of the American West.
Sons of the Forest
- Studio: Endnight Games
- Publisher: Endnight Games
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: May 20, 2022
The Forest is one of the most peculiar horror video games of recent years, not only because it combines the genre with survival and crafting, but because the design of its enemies and the plot in which the gameplay is framed combine very peculiar elements not so seen in a video game. After several years, Endnight Games will finally launch Sons of the Forest, a continuation of the previous game that aims to maintain the essence of the first but betting on expanding the formula.
No confirmed release date
Neon White
- Studio: Ben Esposito
- Editor: Annapurna Interactive
- Platforms: PC and Switch
- Release date: early 2022
Neon White combines two genres that a priori do not have much to do with: on the one hand, it is a first-person action game loaded with frenzy, while on the other it is a card game whose cards allow us to perform special attacks or unique movements in case that we decide to discard them. With this original proposal and a powerful graphic style, Ben Esposito (creator of Donut County ) will tell a story about the extermination of demons in heaven putting us in the shoes of White, a killer from hell who must compete with other demon killers for the chance to live forever in heaven.
Serial Cleaners
- Studio: Draw Distance
- Publisher: 505 Games
- Platforms: PC and Switch
- Release date: early 2022
Serial Cleaners is the continuation of Serial Cleaner, a video game that put us in the shoes of the typical mafia corpse-cleaner that we saw in the 80s and 90s movies. This time the idea of the game remains the same, starting with a simple but fun stealth system, but it acquires more layers of depth thanks to more three-dimensional scenarios and, above all, the presence of four agents instead of one, each with their unique way of playing: technological skills, tricks to the old way… Everyone can resolve the situation as it suits them best, and that will unlock new narrative avenues.
Trek to Yomi
- Studio: Leonard Menchiari / Flying Wild Hog
- Editor: Devolver Digital
- Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X / S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC
- Release Date: Spring 2022
Devolver Digital will release some very interesting indies this year, but without a doubt one of the most anticipated is Trek to Yomi; It has everything for it: a game of samurai in black and white, with physical combat, a clear commitment to the cinematographic language related to this genre of films and above all in two dimensions. Only with its trailers has it earned a place in the hearts of lovers of Japanese cinema, so we hope to try it soon to see how it feels at the controls; If all goes well, we'll have it around here in the spring.
Afterlove EP
- Studio: Pikselnesia
- Editor: Fellow Traveler
- Platforms: PC and Switch
- Release Date: Summer 2022
Afterlove EP, the new game from the creator of Coffee Talk, is an emotional proposal that combines a dating simulator, rhythm game, and narrative adventure. We put ourselves in the shoes of Rama, a young musician whose girlfriend has just passed away; the plot takes us through a duel that is impossible for him to overcome, especially since the voice of his partner has lived in his head and will accompany him in conversations and walks around the city. The decisions we make will allow us to discover a branching story, as well as unlock various alternative endings.
Midnight fight express
- Studio: Jacob Dzwinel
- Publisher: Humble Games
- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch
- Release Date: Summer 2022
If before we talked about Sifu as one of the most anticipated indies games of the year, now we return with another that also has physical violence as a flag: it is Midnight Fight Express , a street fighting title with the focus on how cool it is. there are the bare-knuckled fights from movies like John Wick . There are several combat systems, different scenarios and enemies, and a slow-motion reaction system that adds even more excitement to the whole thing.
Somerville
- Studio: Jumpship
- Editor: Jumpship
- Platforms: Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One and PC
- Release date: 2022
While Playdead, creators of Limbo and Inside, continue to work on their next mysterious video game, one of the studio's founders, Dino Patti, has taken a new course with an independent team that is publishing his first project this year. We are talking about Somerville, a mystery game that maintains the lateral perspective of the works mentioned above to narrate a crude science fiction adventure set in a rural environment.
Card Shark
- Studio: Nerial
- Editor: Devolver Digital
- Platforms: PC and Switch
- Release date: 2022
After exploring all the possibilities of the Reigns formula, Nerial is going to seek new horizons in a new project that maintains a common axis with the previous games of the study: the cards. In Card Shark, we will travel to 18th century France to become a rogue who will use his tricky skills to reach the top of the social elite. We can mark cards, shuffle at will, change decks, fix the deals ... If we do it well we will get more and more money to move up in the category, although the difficulty will also increase.
Dordogne
- Studio: Un Je Ne Sais Quoi, Umanimation
- Editor: Focus Home Interactive
- Platforms: PC
- Release date: 2022
Dordogne is a beautiful video game drawn in watercolor. It is the work of the French studio Un Je Ne Sais Quoi in collaboration with Umanimation and edited by Focus Home Interactive. In it we will travel to the Dordogne of the 80s, a region of southern France where we will accompany Mimi on a trip to her past while we travel the beautiful places of her grandmother's town solving small puzzles and collecting photos, sounds, and words to recompose our diary, which will end up being unique at the end of each game.
Salt and Sacrifice
- Studio: Ska Studio / Devoured Studio
- Editor: Ska Studio / Devoured Studio
- Platforms: PS5, PS4 and PC
- Release date: 2022
Salt and Sacrifice is the sequel to Salt and Sanctuary, a small independent video game very inspired by Dark Souls but with the difference that it is in two dimensions. Otherwise, everything is practically identical, from the bonfires to the weight of the character, passing through enemies, currencies that are lost if you die, an enigmatic interconnected world, final bosses ... It is an adaptation so well achieved that it is easy to forget how much you It looks like the work of FromSoftware, and it seems that in this new installment it is going to look for its own more marked path.
We Are OFK
- Studio: Team OFK
- Publisher: Kowloon Nights
- Platforms: PS5, PS4 and PC
- Release date: 2022
We Are OFK is a curious narrative adventure that will tell the creation of an indie-pop band that gives the game its name. It is a kind of combination between an interactive animation series, playable video clips, and dialogue sections in which the adventure of four friends in their twenties who want to enter the music industry are narrated. With its peculiar artistic style, this game will touch on themes such as love, passion, friendship, and passion, but always with youthful humor as a contextual tone.
Mineko's Night Market
- Studio: Meowza Games
- Publisher: Humble Games
- Platforms: PC and Switch
- Release date: 2022
According to its own creators, Mineko's Night Market is a game that "celebrates Japanese culture while telling a warm story about friendship, tradition and many, many cats." For playable purposes, we could define it as a two-dimensional social simulator, with an adorable drawing style, which focuses more on the story than other video games of the genre. It has puzzles, minigames, crafting, cat races ... But also a free exploration of a small town full of secrets and mysteries that we can discover at our own pace.
Lil gator game
- Studio: Megawobble
- Publisher: Humble Games
- Platforms: PC
- Release date: 2022
Although they do not come from the same author, we could say that Lil Gator Game is basically a three-dimensional version of A Short Hike due to the many similarities it has with that cute free exploration game; here instead of a bird, we will control a small crocodile (hence the name of the game) that will run around adorable scenarios in which we can climb, jump and even glide with a parasail in the style of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, In fact, we even have a sword-shaped stick and a shield that add a touch of action to the proposal.
Planet of Lana
- Studio: Wishfully
- Publisher: Thunderful Games
- Platforms: Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One, and PC
- Release date: 2022
Planet of Lana is one of those projects that enter through the eyes as soon as you see it: colorful two-dimensional settings, green fields, blue sky, a child running around with his pet ... As we delve a little deeper into its premise, we discover that this peaceful atmosphere You will be disturbed by the invasion of a dark faceless enemy army, but this game is not about war but about that boy and his mission to try to protect a beautiful and alive planet.
Stray
- Studio: BlueTwelve Studio
- Editor: Annapurna Interactive
- Platforms: PS5, PS4 and PC
- Release date: 2022
If the futuristic cities that cyberpunk draws are already hostile to humans, what will they be like for the little animals that live in the streets? From that point of view starts Stray , an expected title that puts us in the shoes of a stray cat that faces a thousand and one dangers while walking through alleys and rooftops of this dangerous city. Luckily he has a robotic colleague capable of shooting, something that perhaps thrives on his narrative strength but gives the game a touch of interest for those who enjoy the action.
Little devil inside
- Studio: Neostream
- Editor: Neostream
- Platforms: PS5, PS4 and PC
- Release date: 2022
We have been hearing about Little Devil Inside for so long that we find it strange to expect it for this year, but the truth is that its creators have already confirmed that it will arrive in 2022, and several dates it to the end year. It is a peculiar adventure game with a wonderful graphic section that is molded to tell the adventures of an investigator on multiple trips that will take him from jungles to frozen tundras, all while we decide the path that he is going to end up choosing in a ramified narrative experience.
Laika: Aged Through Blood
- Studio: Brainwash Gang
- Publisher: Thunderful Games
- Platforms: PC and consoles (unspecified)
- Release date: 2022
The Spanish studio Brainwash Gang does not stop creating interesting works and for 2022 they are preparing Laika: Aged Through Blood, a project that they define as " motorvania " because it combines action and exploration in two dimensions with a biker protagonist who takes advantage of the sinuous scenarios to Shoot down your enemies while performing stunts. All this with a charismatic graphic section and an emotional soundtrack.
Tchia
- Studio: Awaceb
- Editor: Awaceb
- Platforms: PS5, PS4 and PC
- Release date: 2022
Tchia is part of that wholesome trend of the independent video game: we control a girl on an island paradise where we can run, play, swim, jump, fly, dive, play the ukulele ... and everything we can think of, basically, including use the special ability of the protagonist to possess any animal or object that we come across. This playable base is used to tell a story inspired by the traditions of New Caledonia, a French territory that includes dozens of islands in the South Pacific.
Shady knight
- Studio: Alexey 'cptnsigh'
- Editor: Alexey 'cptnsigh'
- Platforms: PC
- Release date: 2022
Imagine a first-person action video game with a fantastic-medieval aesthetic, but instead of betting on a slow and heavy pace, it focuses on frenzied games with acrobatic movements . That is Shady Knight , an indie game that we will hopefully see on PC this year and that will challenge us to climb towers while we finish against enemies using everything we have around us, from the sword and the bow to any object we manage to take to throw them. Everything is a weapon, everything is a platform ; in our hands is the decision of how to use the stage to reach the top.
River City Girls 2
- Studio: Wayforward
- Editor: Arc System Works
- Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X / S, PS4, Xbox One and PC
- Release date: 2022
Publisher Arc System Works and development studio WayForward, responsible for the Shantae series , are back in 2020 with a delivery of their popular two-dimensional beat'em up . River City Girls 2 is an extension of the first game: it will feature new moves, new enemies, new recruits, and new settings, while digging into the plot with the same exaggerated sense of humor and even the return of old enemies.
Endling
- Studio: Herobeat Studios
- Publisher: Handy Games
- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC and Switch
- Release date: 2022
Endling is a Spanish video game developed by Hero beat Studios that, if everything goes according to plan, we can test this year on PS4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch. In it we will put ourselves in the shoes of a fox that flees with her young through the desolate places of an Earth destroyed by human hands. It's a crude side-scrolling survival adventure that aims to make us think and get excited in equal measure.
Sea of stars
- Studio: Sabotage Studio
- Editor: Sabotage Studio
- Platforms: PC and Switch
- Release date: 2022
Sabotage Studio, creators of The Messenger, is preparing a title set in the same universe, although with so many years of separation that we will hardly see explicit relationships between one game and another. In fact, the genre itself has nothing to do with it: Sea of Stars, which will arrive this year on PC and Switch, is a classic turn-based RPG that will invite players to embody the Children of the Solstice, who can combine their powers of the sun and the moon to perform the Magic Eclipse. A magical adventure that takes place in beautiful settings drawn in modern pixel art but reminiscent of the old school.
Replaced
- Studio: Sad Cat Studios
- Editor: Coatsink
- Platforms: Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One and PC
- Release date: 2022
In Replaced we become an artificial intelligence that has been trapped in the body of a human against the will of this person. The plot will lead us to find a solution in a cyberpunk post-apocalyptic world represented in an impressive pixel art that plays very well with lighting. Its creators define it as "a single-player experience that mixes platforming, cinematics, pixel art and the most fluid combat ".
Venba
- Studio: Visai Games
- Publisher: Visai Games
- Platforms: PC
- Release date: 2022
Cooking video games are usually more focused on the challenge and skillful challenge than on the pleasure of cooking itself; Venba bets a little more on that facet, turning the preparation of traditional Indian dishes into the central axis of a story set in the 80s that talks about the emotions of a family that has just migrated to Canada. The family cookbook has been damaged during the move and we will have to prepare the dishes until we find the key ingredients, and between meals, we chat with others.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Studio: Team Cherry
Editor: Team Cherry
Platforms: PC and Switch
Release date: Not determined
There's actually no reason to think that 2022 is going to be the year we'll finally see the release of Hollow Knight: Silk song , but it wouldn't be a most anticipated indies list if it weren't for Team Cherry's new game. The truth is that there is the occasional leak that sets a date for February, so the desire to see it on PC and Switch is accentuated more and more. Whether or not this year comes out, the Hollow Knight sequel looks great, keeping the essence of the first game while adding more agility to the formula.
Afterimage
- Studio: Aurogon Shanghai
- Editor: Aurogon Shanghai
- Platforms: PC
- Release date: 2022
If Hollow Knight: Silksong does not come out this year, we hope that at least Afterimage does , a new fantastic-cut Metroidvania that can quench the thirst of lovers of the genre. It has all the keys that are needed to succeed among fans of this type of game, such as a wide variety of scenarios and enemies, a system that allows us to modify our combat style and an artistic design in the traditional style that gives it a touch evocative of experience.
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