#2 | Video Games - Indie Game Fest

Today is June 9th, 2026 which means the passed weekend was Summer Game Fest. For those like me who keep an eye on video games announcements and releases, that means more showcases than one person could reasonably keep up with. Even though a lot of the shine of big game announcements has worn away by trailer sameness (is that word?), its still very exciting to see what devs in the indie scene are cooking. To that end, here are 18 games that piqued my interest. I assembled this list from the showcases I watched but a large chunk of them are from me scrolling the #PitchYaGame tag on Bluesky. These are not in any particular order.

"A peaceful nature-builder where you dig riverbeds to guide water through tiny desert valleys. Grow a variety of plants and discover all the animals drawn to the new habitats. Complete quests and unlock new contraptions to transform the dry landscape into a lush oasis!"

"Bel's Fanfare is an RPG with rich deep exploration and expressive combat. You play as Bel, the new aura cleaner of the once-luxurious vessel The Witch of the Sea."

"Choose a juggernaut and blast through a dark fantasy campaign of brutal car combat, bosses, and unlocks. Then bring the carnage online in tight team-based multiplayer where explosives, magic, and heavy metal decide who survives."

"Explore the ruins of a colossal tower and fight those who threaten its ancient vault in this short 3D Metroidvania."

"A 2D action game redefined through Extreme Destruction. Every impact is physical. Enemies aren’t health bars, destroy them outright, or dismantle them until they can’t fight back. You’ll explore a world fallen silent, navigating its weathered ruins sealed in ice to uncover the secrets it buried."

"Programmed in Assembly Language, Mighty Cuphead Adventure is designed with the precise, authentic specifications of the Sega Master System home gaming console. While the game will still be compatible with modern consoles and personal computers, those who want a true blast from the past can experience it on a physical cartridge for the Sega Master System home gaming console. They just don’t make ’em like they used to…until we decided to!"

"Layla and Cross are two opposing operators, divided by ideology but united in a fragile alliance against a threat neither can survive alone. Tactical freedom meets grounded combat in a narrative-driven cinematic action-adventure."

"The spirit realm has broken. Your brother has gone missing. Forge the path you were destined for. Explore the gates and find out why there has been broken links inside the spirit realm. Battle, discover and find the secrets, and make new connections in a beautiful hand-drawn 2D style."

"You are Alex, a time-displaced astronaut unraveling the space station Theia doomed in both the war-torn 2185 and the post-apocalyptic 2385 to find your lost brother. Master an arsenal of time travel abilities and weapons in this sci-fi metroidvania FPS: Tempus Vitae."

"Lead an uprising against AI in a post-apocalyptic world where you’re never sure who is human and who is machine. Scavenge for resources, find survivors to grow your base, root out android infiltrators and lead the resistance in a unique hybrid of 2.5D action-adventure and colony building."

"Three days before the Great Flood, and as many loops as you need. Isometric action-adventure inspired by 90s classics like Landstalker and Majora's Mask. The sea rises relentlessly and reshapes the island by the hour."

"Toada Brava is a fully hand-drawn 2D top-down RPG. Battle your way through the Santacrúz Dungeons and help Kako find his mom, while helping the revolution!"

"A cozy building and light simulation game where you observe birds, create custom birdhouses, and help a living urban tree grow. Balance sound, diversity, and neighbor reactions as you shape a calm, reactive environment."

"“Chronoscript: The Endless End” is an exploration-based action-adventure game where you, an editor trapped within a manuscript, must unravel a thousand-year story that writes itself beyond its end—across 2D pages and a 3D manor."

"From the creator of Citizen Sleeper, SIGNET CITY is a first-person fungalpunk RPG. You are a parasite, in a city where strange technologies and radical ideas are taking root. Grow into and through its inhabitants, uncover and change their stories, and witness the terminal season of the signet city."

"MORE STAKES. MORE GUNS. MORE SLOW-MO. James Savage returns in this sequel to the hit third-person shooter. Escape the Void. Fight creatures pulled from myth, history, and imagination. Save yourself."

"ARMATUS is a third-person roguelite shooter set in the demon-infested ruins of Paris. As the last supernatural warrior of an ancient order, armed with powerful firearms and incredible celestial powers, scour the city in search of a lost gateway to heaven - the Sunless Gate."

"Drive, fly, and run deliveries together with your sentient motorcycle-plane, Ermes. Make friends, battle rowdy air pirates, upgrade your bike, decorate your home, explore the islands of Santa Rosa, and solve the mystery of your uncle's disappearance."