As we close out 2022, I think it’s fair to say that this year has been pretty special for indie games. Many titles from smaller, independent teams and boutique publishers are being talk about for GOTY consideration. 2022 isn’t over yet though as we have a whole month of indie games to play our way through.
Psychological horrors, charming 3D platformers, quirky strategy games and mind bending puzzle games all feature in this list of indie games. There’s even guitar based mech combat and a bloodthirst train.
Let’s get on with it: Here’s 16 Indie Games To Get Excited About In December 2022
Bots Are Stupid by Leander Edler-Golla – Dec 15th, 2022
The Ultra-precise 2D platforming indie games that already exist are challenging – now imagine you’re not in direct control of the character. In Bots Are Studio, the whole genre is twisted on its head to form a kind of platforming puzzle. In the game, you must write lines of code which direct your bot’s actions. Move right. Wait 1.3 second. Jump. Wait 2 seconds. Hook right. Using an intuitive library of commands and a bit of trial and error, the aim is to get your bot through each platforming level. You can even build your own levels and share your challenge with the world. Wishlist Bots Are Stupid on Steam now ahead of its release on December 15th, 2022.
Swordship by Digital Kingdom – Dec 5th, 2022
Imagine the Terminator 2 truck chase scene, only the motorbike is a zippy little space ship and the truck is a horde of enemies determined on its destruction. That’s Swordship, the latest title from Swish studio Digital Kingdom. This game takes the tenets of the arcade shooter and applies them in an interesting way; you don’t have any offensive abilities in the Swordship. Instead you’ve got to use your foes own firepower against them by dodging and out manoeuvring them so they destroy one another. This is all brought to life in a clean yet very appealing art style. Swordship launches on PC via Steam and all the consoles on December 5th, 2022.
Togges by Regular Studio – Dec 7th 2022
I’ll be honest, the first time I saw a trailer for Togges, the debut game from a pair of Brazilian brothers called Regular Studio, I thought it was a game about a malfunctioning Roomba that spits out blocks. A “Stackforming” Collect-A-Thon adventure, Togges has you play as a small cylindrical hero that’s out to save the galaxy from the threads of the void. To do so, you’ll be producing blocks to rise your position instead of jumping. There’s some clear ingenuity here, to create a game inspired by the classic open world platformers of yore without any actual platforming. It’ll be interesting to see how Togges shapes up when it launches on PC via Steam and all the consoles when it launches on December 7th.
Zombie Cure Lab by Thera Bytes Games – Dec 7th, 2022
Zombies are ten-a-penny in indie games but it’s rare that we’re doing anything but trying to kill them. As the name might suggest, Zombie Cure Lab, a sandbox lab builder and tycoon game, has a different outcome for them. Managing a group of scientist as the eye-in-the-sky, in this game you research a cure for zombie-ism, capture the infected, cure them and use your freshly rescued humans to expand your facility. The more humans you rescue, the further your facility grows, the more you have to focus on efficiencies. This sounds like a very moreish game play cycle that I’m very much looking forward to experiencing on December 7th when Zombie Cure Lab hits Steam Early Access.
Chained Echoes by Matthias Linda – Dec 8th, 2022
While Chained Echoes is certainly channeling the visual style of JRPG classics, its game play seems to be much more modernisws. Promising fast-paced turn based combat, your party execute orders immediately, rather than waiting for their turn. There’s mechs too. MECHS! Chained Echoes also features a branching narrative; your decisions throughout the game will impact the fate of Valandis, the land the game is set in. A result of a successful Kickstarter, Chained Echoes looks incredibly promising and is launching on PC via Steam and all consoles on December 8th, 2022.
Afterglitch by Hangonit – Dec 9th, 2022
Of all the indie games on this list, Afterglitch has me the most intrigued. Described by solo developer Vladimir Kudelka as “an experimental third-person exploration sci-fi video game”, the game has you play as an astronaut on a multidimensional voyage of discovery. By the looks of the trailer, this might be quite a trippy journey that channels the vibe of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar. Check this game out when it launches on PC via Steam on December 9th, 2022.
Choo-Choo Charles by Two Star Games – Dec 9th, 2022
The likelihood is that if you’ve dipped your toe into ‘Indie Gaming Twitter’ recently, you’ll be aware of Choo-Choo Charles. It seems like a gif or video of this game goes viral every other week. If not, allow me to introduce you to the latest horror game that’ll likely dominate Steam sales and YouTube videos for a few months. The titular train Choo-Choo Charles is a bloodthirsty, evil train that’s out to get you. It’s your job to traverse this open world island while fending it (him?) off long enough to complete missions to upgrade your own train. The aim is to create your own steam powered killing machine to finally finish Charles off in a battle to the death. Book your ticket aboard this terrible train on December 9th when it arrives on Steam (such corporate-synery!).
Wavetale by Thunderful/Zoink – Dec 12th, 2022
As time goes on, we’re likely going to see a number of those indie games that were Stadia exclusives find new homes on other platforms. Wavetale from Zoink/Thunderful Games is one such title that found its home on Google’s streaming service in 2021, and is now surfing onto PC via Steam and consoles on December 12th, 2022. In my opinion, Zoink Games have never missed – whether it was Stick It to The Man, Zombie Vikings, Fe or Lost In Random, they’ve always made unique, interesting games. Wavetale looks like it’ll continue that trend. A story-driven action-adventure game, you explore the the decaying archipelago of Strandville as a young girl that can glide on the surface of the water. Reviews of the Stadia version were positive, so we’re excited to try Wavetale when it gets a second bite of the cherry.
Infinite Guitars by Nikko Nikko – Dec 13th, 2022
Infinite Guitars is a truly heady blend of genres and themes that looks incredibly appealing. The general game play looks to be inspired by the classic RPG’s of the SNES era. Get into combat however and that RPG element is replaced with a rhythm game featuring an electrifying guitar soundtrack. The art style channels a real anime-esque vibe. There’s mechs and friends and puzzles to solve. As I list out all the core elements of Infinite Guitars, I can’t help but think “Just give it to me now”. It’s like the developers went down a checklist of cool aspects to include in a game and ticked them off, one by one. Infinite Guitars launches on PC via Steam on December 13th, 2022.
Burnhouse Lane by Harvester Games – Dec 2nd, 2022
Rem Michalski, the developer behind Harvester Games, has been making quirky horror-esque indie games for more than a decade. With the titles The Cat Lady, Lorelei and Downfall, the developer built themselves a niche complete with a signature art style. Their latest game, Burnhouse Lane, is set to continue that trend. In this game, you play as Angie Weather, a “one foot in the grave agency nurse attempting to complete five impossible tasks in order to win her life back”. By combining elements of point-and-click adventure games, choose-your-own-adventure branching narratives and survival horror shooting mechanics, Burnhouse Lane looks like it’s shaping into something quite unique. If this sounds like it’s your type of game, check it out when it launches on PC via Steam on December 2nd, 2022.
IXION by Bulwark Studios – Dec 7th, 2022
We’re overdue a really good space-based city builder. By the looks of IXION, it has all the facets required to fit that gap. In this game you are put in control of the Tiqqun space station. You’re in charge of station infrastructure, population management, power distribution, hull integrity, exploration and survival tactics as you venture out in to space looking for a new home for humanity. This is all at the behest of the DOLOS faction, one of the few corporations to escape Earth’s fate. IXION appears to have some real depth to it that we’re looking forward to experiencing on December 7th, 2022 when the game launches on PC via Steam.
Sword of the Vagrant by Rainy Frog – Dec 1st, 2022
Originally released back in 2018 under the name “The Vagrant”, Sword of the Vagrant sees the console release of a 2D action favourite. In this game you play as Vivian, a traveling sellsword, who follows her lost father’s research in an effort to reunite with her family. The hand painted 2D world of Mythrilia looks fantastic here, channeling the likes of Dragon’s Crown and Odin Sphere, and the action is certainly on par with more modern entries like Ender Lilies. Sword of the Vagrant is launching on PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One on December 1st, 2022. You can wishlist on these platforms now.
Hubris by Cyborn B.V. – Dec 7th, 2022
It’s not often that I get to include a VR game when writing up these lists of indie games. Hubris looks too good not to include however. This is a fully immersive VR experience that’ll allow you to move, climb, swim and jump freely around its sci-fi world. The opening chapter of a planned sci-fi epic, Hubris puts you in the shoes of a recruit in training to become an agent of the mighty and feared Order of Objectivity, also known as the Triple-O. You’ve been sent to track down the mysterious agent Cyanha, but you’ll have to survive the harsh conditions of alien planet you find yourself on too. Cyborn’s debut is launching on PC via Steam on December 7th, 2022.
The Forest Quartet by Mads & Friends – “Coming Soon”
While my final thoughts about The Forest Quartet are embargoed until [redacted], I’m sure the developers Mads & Friends wouldn’t mind me giving you this little teaser: this game is beautiful. A heartfelt puzzle platforming game, The Forest Quartet has you play as the recently deceased lead singer of a 4-piece jazz band that lives deep in a thick forest. Ahead of a farewell concert, you visit the other 3 band members and attempt to free them from “the corruption plaguing their souls”. If you like your games to be quirky, charismatic and, more than anything else, personal, you’ll really enjoy The Forest Quartet. Make sure to give it a look when it launches on PC via Steam and consoles.
The Block by HyperParadise – Dec 16th, 2022
Solo developer Paul Schnepf AKA HyperParadise is making a real name for himself for making really original, bite sized indie games. The latest – The Block – is the world’s smallest citybuilder where, rather than crafting a sprawling metropolis, you get to form a single city block. You get to choose the sizem colour and environment type for you block and then you get creative, placing parks, towers, houses, plazas and more. As you do so, you’ll watch this little piece of the world come to life. With some publishing assistance from Future Friends Games (Omno, Exo One), The Block is launching on PC via Steam on December 16th, 2022.
Blacktail – A Witch’s Fate by The Parasight – Dec 15th, 2022
It feels like it’s a bit of a cheat to include Blacktail on a list of indie games, given the fact that it’s being published by Focus Entertainment. That said, developers The Parasight are a small studio and this is there debut game, so I’m including it by virtue of that. Described as a “one-of-a-kind blend of intense archery combat and dark storytelling set in a vibrant fairy tale world”, Blacktail has you play out the Slavic legend of Baba Yaga. This game looks really great and is landing on PC via Steam and on consoles on December 15th, 2022.
There you have it – 16 indie games to keep an eye on during December 2022. Have we missed a game you’re excited for? Hit the comment section and sound off.
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