An executive states that he believes $9.99 is "not an exorbitant price" for the quality of the game.

Senior ProducerEpic GamesCary, North Carolina, United States2 hours agoApplyWHAT MAKES US EPIC?At the core of Epic’s success are talented, passionate people. Epic prides itself on creating a collaborative, welcoming, and creative environment. Whether it’s building award-winning games or crafting engine technology that enables others to make visually stunning interactive experiences, we’re always innovating.Being Epic means being a part of a team that continually strives to do right by our community and users. We’re constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development.PRODUCTIONWhat We DoWhether it’s driving a vision from start to finish or collaborating with teams to inspire and deliver projects of Epic quality, Epic’s production teams take pride in consistently delivering world-class products and experiences.What You'll DoAs a Senior Producer focused on Multi-Product, you will partner with cross-disciplinary team members on the development of features for the Fortnite Item Shop. You will be responsible for handling and organizing processes so that developers can do what they do best. You excel in organization, have exceptional communication abilities, and are comfortable managing complex projects. The ideal candidates are passionate about working in game technology and have a history of working within technical, distributed environments.In this role, you willLead roadmap planning activities for your initiatives, including feedback collection, requirements gathering, initiative build-out, feature breakdown, estimations, and resourcing in order to drive a solid roadmap that achieves defined strategic product goalsPartner with discipline leads to determine the time and people necessary to see projects through to completion. Build and maintain project plans, schedules, resource allocation, and roadmaps considering dependencies across multiple development teams to ensure successful releasesCollaborate and align with our Shop Operations team who are in charge of merchandising and keeping the Shop runningProvide transparent communications on project status and risks to stakeholders to ensure they are properly informed of any impacts from upcoming releasesPartner with multiple leaders to understand and balance priorities, requirements, and critical timelinesCollaborate with producers and other disciplines on the development teams needed to complete initiatives, communicate frequently and proactively to highlight progress, risks, and mitigationsManage both internal and external resources as they pertain to resource allocation, budget forecasts, and actuals. Improve and develop processes based on the needs of the teams, initiatives, and productsWhat we're looking forExperience on AAA games or game platforms from concept to releasePrevious experience working in a production role where you've managed cross-functional teams in creating and delivering complex projectsDeep understanding of game or platform development, software development process, and project management practicesStrong project management and organizational skillsA good knowledge of light-touch production systems that allow teams to thrive without unnecessary overheadThe ability to communicate with varying levels of stakeholders within your team and throughout the companyA passion for gaming, with a specific interest and familiarity with online safety productsEPIC JOB + EPIC BENEFITS = EPIC LIFEOur intent is to cover all things that are medically necessary and improve the quality of life. We pay 100% of the premiums for both you and your dependents. Our coverage includes Medical, Dental, a Vision HRA, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance & a 401k with competitive match. We also offer a robust mental well-being program through Modern Health, which provides free therapy and coaching for employees & dependents. Throughout the year we celebrate our employees with events and company-wide paid breaks. We offer unlimited PTO and sick time and recognize individuals for 7 years of employment with a paid sabbatical.ABOUT USEpic Games spans across 25 countries with 46 studios and 4,500+ employees globally. For over 25 years, we've been making award-winning games and engine technology that empowers others to make visually stunning games and 3D content that bring environments to life like never before. Epic's award-winning Unreal Engine technology not only provides game developers the ability to build high-fidelity, interactive experiences for PC, console, mobile, and VR, it is also a tool being embraced by content creators across a variety of industries such as media and entertainment, automotive, and architectural design. As we continue to build our Engine technology and develop remarkable games, we strive to build teams of world-class talent.Like what you hear? Come be a part of something Epic!Epic Games deeply values diverse teams and an inclusive work culture, and we are proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. Learn more about our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy here.Note to Recruitment Agencies: Epic does not accept any unsolicited resumes or approaches from any unauthorized third party (including recruitment or placement agencies) (i.e., a third party with whom we do not have a negotiated and validly executed agreement). We will not pay any fees to any unauthorized third party. Further details on these matters can be found here. Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings. Apply

Senior Gameplay AI Programmer, UEFNEpic GamesCary, North Carolina, United States2 hours agoApplyWHAT MAKES US EPIC?At the core of Epic’s success are talented, passionate people. Epic prides itself on creating a collaborative, welcoming, and creative environment. Whether it’s building award-winning games or crafting engine technology that enables others to make visually stunning interactive experiences, we’re always innovating.Being Epic means being a part of a team that continually strives to do right by our community and users. We’re constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development.PROGRAMMING - GAMESWhat We DoUnreal projects have been leading the pack of real-time entertainment with our constantly growing team of programming experts. We’re always improving on the tools and technology that empower content developers worldwide.What You'll DoEpic Games is looking for an experienced Gameplay AI Systems Programmer to join the Fortnite AI team. We believe the best gameplay experiences are driven by collaboration and iteration between gameplay programmers, designers, and artists. You will play a critical role in driving future gameplay AI features in UEFN and across the Fortnite ecosystem.In this role, you willDrive, build and maintain core AI systems in UEFN and the wider Fortnite ecosystem, taking a systems-level approach to building a strong performant architecture that will last for yearsWork closely with art and design to create and iterate on gameplay AI features used by UEFN creatorsCollaborate with other Fortnite teams and Unreal Engine to improve core AI systems and how they are used in gamesEnsure high-quality user experiences across all platforms we support, paying close attention to usability for developers new to game development on UEFNWhat we're looking forExperience developing games professionally, including shipping AAA titles that feature gameplay AIExperience working with gameplay AI systems (eg Behavior Trees, Finite State Machines, Hierarchical Task Networks, Pathfinding, etc.)Strong C++ skills to architect and build gameplay AI systems and toolsWell-versed in games, with the ability to articulate what is strong/weak about the design of existing games (especially online games)Empathy for creators new to programming and game development and motivated to make AI simple to build without sacrificing power/flexibilityExcellent communication and interpersonal skills, self-motivated, and able to work independently, with creative problem-solving skills to innovate beyond industry standard solutionsExperience working on a live service game and console experience is a plusEPIC JOB + EPIC BENEFITS = EPIC LIFEWe pay 100% for benefits for both employees and dependents and offer coverage for supplemental medical, dental, vision, critical illness, telemedicine, Life and AD&D, long term disability insurance as well as weekly indemnity (short term disability) and a retirement savings plan with a competitive employer match. In addition to the EAP (employee assistance program), we also offer a robust mental well-being program through Modern Health, which provides free therapy and coaching for employees & dependents.ABOUT USEpic Games spans across 25 countries with 46 studios and 4,500+ employees globally. For over 25 years, we've been making award-winning games and engine technology that empowers others to make visually stunning games and 3D content that bring environments to life like never before. Epic's award-winning Unreal Engine technology not only provides game developers the ability to build high-fidelity, interactive experiences for PC, console, mobile, and VR, it is also a tool being embraced by content creators across a variety of industries such as media and entertainment, automotive, and architectural design. As we continue to build our Engine technology and develop remarkable games, we strive to build teams of world-class talent.Like what you hear? Come be a part of something Epic!Epic Games deeply values diverse teams and an inclusive work culture, and we are proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. Learn more about our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy here.Note to Recruitment Agencies: Epic does not accept any unsolicited resumes or approaches from any unauthorized third party (including recruitment or placement agencies) (i.e., a third party with whom we do not have a negotiated and validly executed agreement). We will not pay any fees to any unauthorized third party. Further details on these matters can be found here. Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings. Apply

I’ve put about 15 hours into Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and my conclusion so far is that developer Sandfall Interactive might be cooking. The French RPG is clearly inspired by the Japanese greats like Final Fantasy and Persona, but its Paper Mario-style timing elements and wealth of original mechanics keep its grind engaging and decidedly modern. My time with the game hasn’t been without frustrations, but I’m writing these impressions wishing I could be playing the game instead. That’s gotta count for something.Suggested ReadingWhy This Under-the-Radar AAA Title Is More Than Just A Far Cry Clone Share SubtitlesOffEnglishview videoSuggested ReadingWhy This Under-the-Radar AAA Title Is More Than Just A Far Cry Clone Share SubtitlesOffEnglishClair Obscur follows a group of young expeditioners journeying from their home in search of the Paintress, a god-like being who paints a number on a monolith visible from most of the world. As the number ticks down with each subsequent painting, the human life expectancy dwindles with it, for people disappear into dust when they reach the designated age. In a years-long effort to stop the Paintress from shortening human life, people in their final year form expeditions dedicated to reaching and killing her. The titular 33rd expedition has many world-weary characters among its ranks, including the swordsman and gunslinger Gustave, the mage Lune, and the rapier-wielding Maelle, and they set off bravely on their daunting journey. Soon, however, they cross paths with a mysterious man who has somehow aged beyond the 33 on the Paintress’ monolith, who then slaughters most of the group, except a small crew.Despite heavy losses, protocol is to keep moving forward, and that’s because the expeditions don’t seek out the Paintress because they believe they can be the ones to stop her; they do it to lay the groundwork for those who, they hope, eventually can. Gustave, the de facto leader of the group, often says “for those who come after” when doing his signature attacks in battle or writing in his journal about their journey. As I travel through different regions across the game’s sizable world, I keep finding old documents from the expeditions that came before. Being part of an expedition isn’t an act of self-preservation; it’s believed to be a suicide mission to make way for the next one. Clair Obscur is bleak, melodramatic, and full of dramatic gut punches that make the team’s efforts feel futile. There’s not much reason to hope. Nevertheless, the expedition persists.Screenshot: Sandfall Interactive / KotakuClair Obscur’s core premise has drawn me in, but the game pulls from so many different genres that I’m still figuring out the nature of its world. Sometimes it looks like a steampunk setting full of ramshackle technological advancements; elsewhere, like in an underwater area that the expedition can somehow walk around and breathe in, the magic bubbles to the surface. This eclectic approach manifests not just in the world, but also in the creatures who inhabit it, and even in a surprisingly diverse soundtrack that draws from genres ranging from orchestral to Skrillex-esque dubstep. And as you cross the distance between home and the Paintress, you’ll find inhuman creatures, beings who were long believed to be fairy tales by humanity, and what seem to be the remnants of long-lost societies..While the world is fascinating enough that I often get distracted from my expedition’s stated goal by my desire to explore and learn more about its history, unfortunately the game has also forced me to do some meandering I’d rather not have engaged in. One of the biggest problems undermining my travels has been the lack of a mini-map in dungeons, towns, and other bespoke locales. I am historically a directionally challenged individual. I have to have a GPS open to navigate my own city just to reassure myself I’m going the right way. So moving through dark caves or villages I’ve never been to before without any kind of navigational tools has been annoying at best, momentum-killing at worst. Last year, 1000xResist patched in a map after enough people complained about how hard it was to get around the adventure game’s hub. I hope Clair Obscur follows suit because I’ve been hugging walls just to make sure I’m not running in circles.Also getting in the way have been the various monsters I’ve faced on my journey. Its sense of melodrama is one obvious way in which Clair Obscur draws from Final Fantasy, but it’s the turn-based systems that I’ve been missing from the series for decades. At a glance, Clair Obscur’s battles look like your standard turn-based RPG fights full of elemental affinities and status effects, but what helps it stand out is how each party member has their own distinct mechanics that create really interesting opportunities for party synergy.For example, Maelle has different stances that determine her damage output or intake. But you don’t simply switch between them freely; they’re determined by what ability you use in the previous turn. There are stances that prioritize attack or defense, but there’s a third one called Virtuose Stance that doubles her damage output for her next attack. Maelle swaps between these three depending on which attack she uses and if they can chain together with other status effects and abilities. One attack shifts her into Virtuose Stance if she’s aiming at an enemy afflicted with a burn status, but after she unleashes one attack in that stance, she’ll default to her “stanceless” mode. Normally, it would take a couple of turns of setup to get her back into that superpowered stance to deal that kind of damage again, but I unlocked an attack that, if used while in Virtuose Stance, maintains it for the next turn, letting me skewer an enemy once again the next time it was Maelle’s turn.Screenshot: Sandfall Interactive / KotakuThe more I learned how best to wield each character’s original skills, the more I got into Clair Obscur’s groove. Gustave has a powerful ability called Overcharge, in which he uses his prosthetic arm to unleash a powerful electric blast on an enemy, but it has to charge throughout several turns. Through equipping him with different Pictos, which give characters far-reaching passive abilities that go beyond simple stat buffs and debuffs, I was able to let him gain charges simply by avoiding enemy attacks. So if I were fighting a powerful boss that would periodically unleash a barrage of attacks against my team, I could easily unleash my own devastating Overcharge in a turn or two. I keep being surprised at how robust the customization options are and how they let you feed into these kinds of strategies. Everyone’s kit is built to tactically bounce off one another’s, and there’s a lot of room to experiment. Turn-based RPGs can easily drive you into simple patterns of attacking elemental weaknesses or just grinding until the numbers go up enough to overpower any foe you face. Clair Obscur has so many systems that allow for creativity, all without ever getting too overwhelming. There are still some characters I’m trying to wrap my head around, including the scythe-wielding Sciel whose mechanics are a bit more complicated, but the more I play, the more I discover how well these systems fall into place and feed into each other.The key element that strings all of these together are the timing-based moves reminiscent of those in something like Paper Mario. Every attack in Clair Obscur can be dodged or parried, but you have to do this manually for each incoming strike. Dodges have a slightly larger timing window, but parries can be followed up with a strong counterattack. However, most enemies will unleash combos on the team, and you have to parry every hit to counter, so there’s a risk vs. reward aspect at play. And when enemies do land a hit, it hurts. Clair Obscur’s defensive moves aren’t just a cool thing you can do if you’re feeling spicy; they’re integral to surviving in battle.I really love this concept on paper because it could make even the most tedious, grindy encounter engaging, but in practice, after 15 hours with the game, I still find there to be a lack of consistency on the cues for when to dodge. Really, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to every enemy as their combos are all different, they move in distinct ways, and sometimes they’ll use an attack that can only be avoided with a specific method. Which is good for keeping you on your toes, but there are several points at which the dodge window is so precise, and also so poorly telegraphed, that it can be as frustrating as it is rewarding. Not to be one of those sore losers who declares “it’s not me, it’s the game,” but I grew up on character action games and fighting games and like to think I’m a pretty rhythmically inclined player. I know how to dodge and parry, I’m a sicko for that shit, but Clair Obscur’s integration of these techniques lacks clarity.That being said, I’m getting better at it as I go along. Clair Obscur isn’t necessarily challenging in the traditional sense, but it can be punishing when you miss a dodge and find yourself on the wrong end of a team wipe. But all of its systems still coalesce into something that’s really rewarding to experiment with, and I’m excited to keep going. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna submit this draft and play some more so I can get a more comprehensive review out the door.

Wondering what games were Made with Unity in 2024? We've done our best to collate as many as possible. This is a long list, so we’ve attempted to categorize projects by genre (including Action, Comedy, Horror, Metroidvania, and Survival) to make it easier to parse. Hopefully, you can find something that inspires what you’re making or playing in 2025 and beyond. If you want to dive into how some of these games were made, I recommend checking out this recent recap of dev stories.Made with Unity Steam Curator Page We also launched our official Steam Curator page this year, be sure to check it out and let us know any games we've missed!Working on a game in Unity? We’d love to help you spread the word. Be sure to submit your project.Without further ado, to the best of our abilities, here’s a non-exhaustive list of games made with Unity and launched in 2024, either into early access or full release. Add to the list by sharing any that you think we missed.ActionBatman: Arkham Shadow, Camouflaj (October 22)#BLUD, Exit 73 Studios (June 18) Fight Crab 2, Calappa Games (February 13 – early access)Raw Metal, Team Crucible (March 19)Minishoot' Adventures, SoulGame Studio (April 2)Surmount: A Mountain Climbing Adventure, Jasper Oprel, Indiana-Jonas (May 2)Seal: WHAT the FUN, PLAYWITH GAMES Inc. (May 3 – early access)Nerobi, SANOBUSINESS S.R.L. (May 7 – early access)SMYS : Show Me Your Stairs, StarvingFox Studio (May 15)Pre Dusk, Okba Amrate (May 18)Unlanded, Eki-Eki-Eki (June 7)Perfect World, Michael Overton Brown (June 13)Astrodle, Robin Nicolet (June 19)Frogun Encore, Molegato (June 25)OutRage: Fight Fest, Hardball Games Ltd (July 16)Metal Slug: Awakening, Tencent (July 16)ONE BTN BOSSES, Midnight Munchies (August 6)Slash Quest!, Big Green Pillow, Mother Gaia Studio (August 15)CyberCorp, Megame (August 19 – early access)Dustborn, Red Thread Games (August 20)Insect Swarm, Parallel Portal (September 12)NanoApostle, 18Light Game Ltd. (September 12)Stardiver, Green Planet Games (September 12)Perennial Order, Gardenfiend Games (September 6)KILL KNIGHT, PlaySide (October 2)Bullet heavenDeep Rock Galactic: Survivor, Funday Games (February 14 – early access)Nordic Ashes: Survivors of Ragnarok, Noxfall Studios (April 26)Deathless: Survivors, OneTwoPlay (July 29 – early access)Defenders of the Omniverse, Babushka Entertainment (August 26 – early access)The Spell Brigade, Bolt Blaster Games (September 16 – early access)Vampire Hunters, Gamecraft Studios (October 30)NIMRODS: GunCraft Survivor, Fiveamp (October 28 – early access)Temtem: Swarm, Crema, GGTech Studios (November 13 – early access)Cards, dice, and deckbuildersLiar's Bar, Curve Animation (October 2 – early access)Dicefolk, LEAP Game Studios, Tiny Ghoul (February 27)Zet Zillions, OTA IMON Studios (May 23)Rune Gate, Devwind (June 6)Dice & Fold, Tinymice Entertainment (June 24)Dragon Eclipse, Fardust (June 24 – early access)Union of Gnomes, Hoolignomes (July 18 – early access)Rune Coliseum, Rafale Software (September 23 – early access)Breachway, Edgeflow Studio (September 26 – early access)DICEOMANCER, 超厚皮猪猪 Ultra Piggy Studio (October 10)Menace from the Deep, Flatcoon (November 11)Dungeon Clawler, Stray Fawn Studio (November 21 – early access)Deathless. Tales of Old Rus, 1C Game Studios (December 12)Casual and partyDEATH NOTE Killer Within, Grounding Inc. (November 5)Hamster Playground, Mass Creation (July 11)ODDADA, Sven Ahlgrimm, Mathilde Hoffmann (August 15)Mirth Melody, Clay Game Studio (August 15)Mika and The Witch’s Mountain, Chibig, Nukefist (August 21 – early access)Melobot – A Last Song, Anomalie Studio (September 16)Starstruck: Hands of Time, Createdelic, LLC (September 16)City and colony builderEndzone 2, Gentlymad Studios (August 26 – early access)Fabledom, Grenaa Games (May 13)Synergy, Leikir Studio (May 21 – early access)El Dorado: The Golden City Builder, Hobo Bunch, Gameparic (June 17)Go-Go Town!, Prideful Sloth (June 18 – early access)Dystopika, Voids Within (June 21)Nekokami – The Human Restoration Project, Rocket-in-Bottle (June 25 – early access)Preserve, Bitmap Galaxy (August 8 – early access)Mini Settlers, Knight Owl Games (August 8 – early access)MEMORIAPOLIS, 5PM Studio (August 29 – early access)Roots of Yggdrasil, ManaVoid Entertainment (September 6)Goblin Camp, Korppi Games Ltd (September 17 – early access)EcoGnomix, Irox Games (September 30)Citadelum, Abylight Barcelona (October 17)Worshippers of Cthulhu, Crazy Goat Games (October 21 – early access)Technotopia, Yustas (October 23)Overthrown, Brimstone (December 5 – early access)ComedyThank Goodness You’re Here!, Coal Supper (August 1)Inkulinati, Yaza Games (February 22)Fireside, Emergo Entertainment (June 4)They Can Fart, Les Crafteurs (June 18)Thought Experiment Simulator, HoHo Game Studio (July 22)RAWMEN: Food Fighter Arena, ANIMAL (July 23)Exhausted Man, Candleman Games (July 24)Just Crow Things, Unbound Creations (August 15)WHAT THE CAR?, Triband (September 9 – Steam release)Great God Grove, LimboLane (November 15)FPSI Am Your Beast, Strange Scaffold (September 10)Shady Knight, Alexey 'cptnsigh' (October 9)MULLET MADJACK, HAMMER95 (May 15)Anger Foot, Free Lives (July 11)SENTRY, Fireblade Software (March 25 – early access)CONVRGENCE, Monkey-With-a-Bomb (April 22 – early access)ROBOBEAT, Simon Fredholm (May 14)Fallen Aces, Trey Powell, Jason Bond (June 14 – early access)Histera, StickyLock Games (June 20 – early access)Zero Hour, M7 Productions, Attrito (September 9)Chains of Fury, Cobble Games (September 16)Wild Bastards, Blue Manchu (September 12)STRAFTAT, Sirius Lemaitre, Leonard Lemaitre (October 24)Devilated, Trunka (October 28)SULFUR, Perfect Random (October 28 – early access)420BLAZEIT 2: GAME OF THE YEAR -=Dank Dreams and Goated Memes=- [#wow/11 Like and Subscribe] Poggerz Edition, Normal Wholesome Games (November 14)Battle Shapers, Metric Empire (December 4)HorrorContent Warning, Philip, thePetHen, Skog, Zorro, Wilnyl (April 1)POOLS, Tensori (April 26)Crow Country, SFB Games (May 9)Mouthwashing, Wrong Organ (September 26)Sorry We're Closed, à la mode games (November 14)REVEIL, Pixelsplit (March 6)The Tower on the Borderland, DascuMaru (May 20)Imaginary Friend Asylum, Grant Marrs (May 20)Let Me Out, 4Happy Studio (August 8)Envelope, Skaar Game Productions, Numme (September 4)Hollowbody, Headware Games (September 12)Fears to Fathom –Woodbury Getaway, Rayll Studios (September 12)Grunn, Sokpop Collective, Tom van den Boogaart (October 4)Sniper Killer, Black Eyed Priest, Henry Hoare (October 17)Tormenture, Croxel Studios (October 21)I'm on Observation Duty 7, Notovia, Dreamloop Games (October 22)Fear the Spotlight, Cozy Game Pals (October 22)The Scourge | Tai Ương, Rare Reversee, Beaztek (October 23 – early access)The Hungry Fly, Erupting Avocado (October 23)CROWDED. FOLLOWED., NIGHT DIAL (October 24)Absolute Insanity, Chris Danelon (November 5)Angel Wings: Endless Night, RumR Design (November 6)Is this Game Trying to Kill Me?, Stately Snail (November 13)Enigma of Fear, Dumativa, Cellbit (November 28)Zort, Londer Software (December 7 – early access)Management and automationRusty's Retirement, Mister Morris Games (April 26)shapez 2, tobspr Games (August 15 – early access)Minami Lane, Doot, Blibloop, Zakku (February 28)FOUNDRY, Channel 3 Entertainment (May 2 – early access)Coffee Caravan, Broccoli Games (May 20)Galacticare, Brightrock Games (May 23)Rebots, FlatPonies (October 7)Amber Isle, Ambertail Games (October 10)Techtonica, Fire Hose Games (November 7)MetroidvaniaPrince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Ubisoft Montpellier (January 18)Ultros, Hadoque (February 13)Nine Sols, RedCandleGames (May 29)Momodora: Moonlit Farewell, Bombservice (January 11)Airhead, Octato, Massive Miniteam (February 12)Cosmic: A Journey Among Shadows, King's Pleasure (May 6 – early access)Arcane Assembly, Isaac Lee (May 17)Genopanic, Mobirate (May 17)Venture to the Vile, Studio Cut to Bits (May 22)Gestalt: Steam & Cinder, Metamorphosis Games (July 16)Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus, Squid Shock Studios, Christopher Stair, Trevor Youngquist (July 17)Frontier Hunter: Erza’s Wheel of Fortune, IceSitruuna (July 26)DEVIATOR, Gami Studio (August 1 – early access)Anima Flux, Anima Flux (October 7)AWAKEN - Astral Blade, Dark Pigeon Games (October 22)Voidwrought, Powersnake (October 24)Last Vanguard, Cool Tapir Studios LLC (November 5 – early access)Narrative and mystery1000xRESIST, sunset visitor 斜陽過客 (May 9)Harold Halibut, Slow Bros. (April 16)Phoenix Springs, Calligram Studio (October 7)Deep Beyond, Avix Games (May 15)Pine Hearts, Hyper Luminal Games Ltd (May 23)Duck Detective: The Secret Salami, Happy Broccoli Games (May 23)Tavern Talk, Gentle Troll Entertainment (June 20)Ghost Boy, Two Blackbirds (June 25)Vampire Therapist, Little Bat Games (July 18)The Operator, Silver Lining Studio (July 22)The Star Named EOS, Silver Lining Studio (July 23)Closer the Distance, Osmotic Studios (August 2)Farewell North, Kyle Banks (August 16)Copycat, Spoonful Of Wonder (September 19)Mexico, 1921. A Deep Slumber., Mácula Interactive (September 13)Chicken Police: Into the HIVE!, The Wild Gentlemen (November 7)Deathless Death, Dream Delivery Center (November 13)Loco Motive, Robust Games (November 21)Mercury Abbey, YiTi Games (November 22)PlatformerNeva, Nomada Studio (October 15)SCHiM, Ewoud van der Werf, Nils Slijkerman (July 18)Lorn’s Lure, Rubeki Games (September 20)A Difficult Game About Climbing, Pontypants (March 6)Anomaly Agent, Phew Phew Games (January 24)Unleaving, orangutan matter (March 27)Moen, Ambient Melancholy (July 12)Valley Peaks, Tub Club (July 24)Unrooted, 85 Plus Games (August 2)Max Mustard, Toast Interactive (October 16)Mind Over Magnet, Game Maker's Toolkit (November 13)Get To Work, Isto Inc. (December 2)Symphonia, Sunny Peak (December 5)Magenta Horizon - Neverending Harvest, Maddison Baek(Hellfire Railway Interactive) (December 6)Puzzle adventureLorelei and the Laser Eyes, Simogo (May 16)Please, Touch The Artwork 2, Thomas Waterzooi (February 19)Children of the Sun, René Rother (April 9)Paper Trail, Newfangled Games (May 21)CLeM, Mango Protocol (February 6)Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley, Hyper Games (March 7)Botany Manor, Balloon Studios (April 9)Gift, Toydium, Million Edge (May 8)Ouros, Michael Kamm (May 22)Hauntii, Moonloop Games (May 23)The Abandoned Planet, Dexter Team Games (July 14)Linkito, Kalinarm (July 23)Été, Impossible (July 23)Slider, boomo (July 24)Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure, Furniture & Mattress LLC (July 25)Ogu and the Secret Forest, Moonlab Studio, Sinkhole Studio (July 29)Leximan, Knights of Borria (August 13)Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery, Rogueside (August 13)PRIM, Common Colors, Application Systems Heidelberg (October 24)Little Big Adventure – Twinsen’s Quest, [2.21] (November 14)Roguelike/liteCaves of Qud, Freehold Games (December 5)Void Crew, Hutlihut Games (November 25)Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island, Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd. (December 11)Windblown, Motion Twin (October 24 – early access)Oblivion Override, Humble Mill (January 24)BlazBlue Entropy Effect, 91Act (February 14)Spiritfall, Gentle Giant (February 28)Beat Slayer, ByteRockers' Games (April 4)Inkbound, Shiny Shoe (April 9)Rogue Voltage, Horizont Computergrafik(May 10 – early access)The Land Beneath Us, FairPlay Studios Co. Ltd (May 13)Gatekeeper, Gravity Lagoon (May 13 – early access)Never Mourn, Primal Seed (May 13 – early access)Terra Randoma, Deniz K. (May 23)Dragon Is Dead, TeamSuneat (June 7 – early access)Into the Emberlands, Tiny Roar (June 19 – early access)Sandwalkers, Goblinz Studio (June 19 - early access)GUNCHO, Arnold Rauers, Terri Vellmann, Sam Webster (June 25)Valefor: Roguelike Tactics, Valefor Ltd (July 19)Little Scavenger, CodeRed Studio (July 27)Towerful Defense: A Rogue TD, Mini Fun Games (July 29)Cubed and Dangerous, Ace High Arcade (August 1)snatch&swallow, megatouch (August 6 – early access)Loopstructor, Pone Games (August 8)Feed the Deep, Luke Muscat (August 16)StormEdge, Shieldbreaking Games (September 13)Shogun Showdown, Roboatino (September 5)Rogue Waters, Ice Code Games (September 30)Up to Par, It's Anecdotal (October 14)Elin, Lafrontier (November 1 – early access)Munch, Mac n Cheese Games (November 4)ShapeHero Factory, Asobism.Co.,Ltd (November 5 – early access)Ammo and Oxygen, Juvty Worlds (November 7 – early access)Atomic Picnic, BitCake Studio (November 7 – early access)RPGLast Epoch, Eleventh Hour Games (February 21)No Rest for the Wicked, Moon Studios GmbH (April 18 – early access)Another Crab's Treasure, Aggro Crab (April 25)Dread Delusion, Lovely Hellplace (May 14)FANTASIAN Neo Dimension, Mistwalker Corporation (December 5)Cryptmaster, Paul Hart, Lee Williams, Akupara Games (May 9)Three Kingdoms Zhao Yun, ZUIJIANGYUE Game (January 18)Stolen Realm, Burst2Flame Entertainment (March 8)Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, Rabbit & Bear Studios (April 23)Fay's Factory, egor dorogov (May 8 – early access)Plushie from the Sky, fishwind (May 6)Seablip, Jardar Solli (May 17 – early access)SKALD: Against the Black Priory, High North Studios AS (May 30)Vendir: Plague of Lies, Early Morning Studio (May 30)Zenless Zone Zero, miHoYo (July 4)Yaoling: Mythical Journey, RAYKA STUDIO (July 16 – early access)Dungeons of Hinterberg, Microbird Games (July 18)Minds Beneath Us, BearBoneStudio (July 31)Cat Quest III, The Gentlebros (August 8)Depersonalization, MeowNature (August 8)Realm of Ink, Leap Studio (September 26 – early access)Banquet for Fools, Hannah and Joseph Games (September 30 – early access)Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire, Octeto Studios (October 10)Drova - Forsaken Kin, Just2D (October 15)Reverse: 1999, BLUEPOCH GAMES CO., LIMITED (October 8)Metal Slug Tactics, Leikir Studio (November 5)Jujutsu Kaisen Phantom Parade, BILIBILI HK LIMITED (November 7)Void Sols, Finite Reflection Studios (November 12)ATLYSS, Kiseff (November 22 – early access)Neon Blood, ChaoticBrain Studios (November 26)Chrono Sword, 21cDucks co., Ltd. (December 6 – early access)SandboxBulwark Evolution: Falconeer Chronicles, Tomas Sala (March 26)Little Kitty, Big City, Double Dagger Studio (May 9)Shadows of Doubt, ColePowered Games (September 26)SUMMERHOUSE, Double Dagger Studio (May 9)Mirthwood, Bad Ridge Games (November 6)Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island, Polygon Treehouse (December 5)Dustgrave: A Sandbox RPG, Innervoid Interactive (December 5 – early access)SimulationSupermarket Simulator, Nokta Games (February 20 – early access)TCG Card Shop Simulator, OPNeon Games (September 15 – early access)Brocula, Destroyer Doggo (May 9)Cozy Caravan, 5 Lives Studios (May 16 – early access)Rolling Hills: Make Sushi, Make Friends, Catch & Release, LLC (June 4)Everafter Falls, SquareHusky (June 20)Contraband Police Mobile, PlayWay SA (July 9)The Last Alchemist, Vile Monarch (July 12)Critter Crops, Skyreach Studio (July 22)Farlands, JanduSoft, Eric Rodríguez (July 24 – early access)The Crush House, Nerial (August 9)Crime Scene Cleaner, President Studio (August 14)Star Trucker, Monster and Monster (September 3)Critter Cove, Gentleman Rat Studios (September 10 – early access)Recycling Center Simulator, Balas Games (October 2)Old Market Simulator, Alcedo Games (October 3)Gunsmith Simulator, GameHunters (October 4)Extra Coin, CINIC Games (October 8)Fruitbus, Krillbite Studio (October 28)Dustland Delivery, Neutron Star Studio (November 5)Everholm, Chonky Loaf (November 11)Luma Island, Feel Free Games (November 20)Short Trip, Alexander Perrin (December 11)Sports and drivingTurbo Golf Racing, Hugecalf Studios (April 4)Heading Out, Serious Sim (May 7)Blacktop Hoops, Vinci Games (May 16)Motördoom, Hobo Cat Games (August 2)Phantom Spark, Ghosts (August 15)#DRIVE Rally, Pixel Perfect Dude (September 25 – early access)Stampede: Racing Royale, Sumo Digital (October 10)StrategyCataclismo, Digital Sun (July 22 – early access)Tactical Breach Wizards, Suspicious Developments Inc (August 22)Diplomacy is Not an Option, Door 407 (October 4)Thronefall, GrizzlyGames (October 11)Crab God, Chaos Theory Games (June 20)Solium Infernum, League of Geeks (February 22)Godsworn, Thunderoak Interactive (March 28 – early access)Songs of Conquest, Lavapotion (May 20)Dethroned, Irid Games (May 26 – early access)clickyland, Sokpop Collective (June 3)Emberward, ReficGames (June 25)Artisan TD, 4rtisans (July 22)ARC SEED, Massive Galaxy Studios (July 30 – early access)Operation: Polygon Storm, Toxic Studio (August 12)Toy Shire, Bluespy Studios (August 26 – early access)Mechabellum, Game River (September 26)Silence of the Siren, Oxymoron Games (September 30 – early access)Sainthood, Bisong Taiwo (November 1)Skill Legends Royale, ZGGame (November 4)Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch, Ocean Drive Studio, Inc. (November 5 – early access)Tower Factory, Gius Caminiti (November 7 – early access)Songs of Silence, Chimera Entertainment (November 13)SurvivalSons of the Forest, Endnight Games Ltd (February 22)Planet Crafter, Miju Games (April 10)V Rising, Stunlock Studios (May 8)7 Days to Die, The Fun Pimps (July 25)Core Keeper, Pugstorm (August 27)When the Light Dies, Electric Monkeys, Secret Level Studios (May 2 – early access)Carth, Deidre Reay Studios LLC (May 15 – early access)ASKA, Sand Sailor Studio (June 20 – early access)REKA, Emberstorm Entertainment (September 12 – early access)The Last Plague: Blight, Original Studios (October 3 – early access)Bad 2 Bad: Apocalypse, DAWINSTONE (October 30)I Am Future: Cozy Apocalypse Survival, Mandragora (November 13)That’s a wrap for 2024. Want more Made with Unity and community news as it happens? Don’t forget to follow us on social media: Bluesky, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitch.

A few years ago, we created our first 100+ page e-book on performance optimization for mobile games, and quickly followed up with a similar guide for PC and consoles. We wanted to share the insights and general best practices from Unity support engineers who have worked on numerous Unity games with the rest of the community.From the start, our aim was to publish a collection of in-depth guides to cover major themes, from graphics rendering with the SRPs, to 2D development, visual effects, writing clean code with C#, implementing programming design patterns in your projects, and architecting with ScriptableObjects.So far, we've published more than 35 free e-books, over 40 video tutorials, 8 sample projects, and 50+ articles to help programmers, artists, technical artists, and game designers work as efficiently as possible with Unity. You can find all of these resources on unity.com/how-to. Our main focus in 2024 has been on updating many of these resources to Unity 6 so you can get the most out of the latest release. We’ll continue to release Unity 6 versions of the e-books and samples in 2025. As we’re about to wrap up the year, we want to thank everyone who provided feedback along the way. Now let’s take a quick look at some of the technical content from 2024 that we hope you’ll find helpful.From tips to increase productivity in Unity 2022 LTS, to our first-ever guides on DOTS and multiplayer networking, updated best practices e-books for performance optimization across many platforms in Unity, and actionable examples for game programming patterns, here are some of the highlights for programmers in 2024:Technical e-book: Introduction to the Data-Oriented Technology Stack for advanced Unity developersSample project: Level up your code with design patterns and SOLIDVideo tutorials: Game programming patterns YouTube playlistFrom instructions for working with URP in Unity 2022 LTS and Unity 6, to creating advanced visual effects using the VFX Graph, as well as comprehensive guides to creating animations, and mixed and virtual reality experiences in Unity, here are some of the highlights for artists, technical artists, and game designers in 2024:Technical e-book: The definitive guide to animation in UnitySample project: Gem Hunter Match - 2D Sample ProjectVideo tutorial: Deep dive into the HDRP water systemWe want to continue helping your team work effectively with versioning, managing your builds, and keeping track of your assets. In 2024 we’ve updated our guide and video tutorials for version control and project organization. Here are the highlights:Technical e-book: Best practices for project organization and version control (Unity 6 edition)Video tutorial: Getting started with Unity Version ControlVideo tutorial: A quick guide to the Asset Manager in UnityAs a reminder, you can watch all the tutorials in this YouTube playlist: Unity Tutorials: Create Games in Unity.We hope you find the e-books, sample projects, tutorials, and Discussions articles helpful in your day-to-day work in Unity. We'll be developing more resources in the coming months in 2025.Be sure to bookmark this link to easily access all the upcoming learning content.Thank you for reading. See you in 2025!

Based on hands-on comparisons and real-world tests, this guide unpacks what happens when you switch from OpenAI to Anthropic or Google’s Gemini and what your team needs to watch for.Read More

OpenAI launches groundbreaking o3 and o4-mini AI models that can manipulate and reason with images, representing a major advance in visual problem-solving and tool-using artificial intelligence.Read More

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Indie games are a widely celebrated part of the video game industry, and they've only been getting better and better as time goes on. What defines an indie game is somewhat up for debate, and in some cases it can be difficult to tell indies from bigger titles.For the purposes of this list, an indie game is developed by one person or a small team without a large publisher's budget behind it. Sometimes, the developer behind an indie game will grow into a larger studio and develop future games that are considered outside the realm of the indie label. Indies don't have to be a certain type of game or feature any kind of particular style of graphics or gameplay. The driving force behind what makes an indie game is the person or people behind the scenes developing it, as well as the funding behind them. That can make it a challenge to decide what is or isn't an indie, but we've done our best to account for these considerations.With that out of the way, it's time to get into our list of the best indie games to play in 2025. This isn't intended to be a "best indie games of all time" list, but rather a showcase of great indie games from a variety of genres that you can easily play and enjoy today. The list of 25 indie games below isn't in any particular order. If you're looking for something more specific, check out our picks for the best racing games, best horror games, or best strategy games to play right now. Stardew ValleyDeveloper: Eric BaroneRelease Date: February 26, 2016Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, AndroidGenre: RPG/SimulationLet's kick off the list with a game that defined the indie game genre for a generation. Stardew Valley was initially released in 2016 and had one single developer behind it: Eric Barone. What started as a farming simulator with RPG elements has turned into one of the best games of the 2010s with tens of millions of downloads to date. Substantial updates for the game continues to release (which have temporarily put a hold on development of Barone's next game, Haunted Chocolatier), but as is, Stardew Valley is a masterpiece in its own right.You begin as a simple player taking over your grandfather's farm but over time, you discover a massive map full of NPCs, new locations, and different items to expand your farm. You'll also grow your character by acquiring new skills and can even get romantically involved with some of the neighboring NPCs in different towns. If you want even more from the experience, be sure to check out our list of the best Stardew Valley mods. See on Steam UndertaleDeveloper: Toby FoxRelease Date: September 15, 2015Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PCGenre: RPG/AdventureUndertale is one of, if not the most well-known indie titles of all time. Once again, it was published by a single developer, Toby Fox, and released in 2015 to mass critical and fan acclaim. The game features some of the most distinct graphics and gameplay you'll find in the industry, indie or otherwise. While the 2D graphics specifically might throw some players off, once you step foot into the world of Undertale, you'll throw any preconceived notion you had out the window.The story of Undertale follows a child who has fallen into an underground world. This underground world is full of frightening monsters, difficult puzzles, and plenty of characters, both friendly and hostile. On top of all of that, there's also a surprisingly deep dialogue system in Undertale that can get you out of any combat encounter you choose. See on Steam Hollow KnightDeveloper: Team CherryRelease Date: February 24, 2017Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PCGenre: MetroidvaniaHollow Knight is another incredible game that's unlike most other titles on the market. Developed by the independent Team Cherry in 2017, Hollow Knight is a metroidvania that sees you take control of the "Knight." As the Knight, you explore the ravaged land of Hallownest, which has been infected by a disease with no known cure. Hallownest isn't linear, so you can go down different paths to find new enemies and characters.The various levels in Hollow Knight are explored with side-scrolling gameplay and you have access to a wide variety of moves and attacks to take down enemies in your path. Hollow Knight features over 30 bosses and 130 characters to encounter across the many levels and environments you explore. What will keep you hooked, however, is the enticing gameplay and gorgeous graphics. It's one of the more beloved metroidvanias out there, which has made the long wait for its sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong, all the more agonizing. See on Amazon Tactical Breach WizardsDeveloper: Suspicious DevelopmentsRelease Date: August 22, 2024Platforms: PCGenre: Turn-Based StrategyThis is the most recent game on the list, but it certainly deserves a spot. Tactical Breach Wziards is a turn-based tactics game with a surprisingly strong story and hilarious dialogue for its cast of colorful characters. The roughly 14-hour story keeps you involved throughout the game, but you'll stay thanks to the amazingly strong turn-based gameplay.Tactical Breach Wizards sees you control a set of wizards that all have unique abilities, many of which can manipulate the positioning of other units, which is reminiscent of Into the Breach. If you don't like how something turns out during a combat encounter, you can make use of the game's rewind feature. This allows you to correct any mistakes you might have made or simply try out different solutions to a given challenge. It's a deeply satisfying gameplay loop that makes it a worthwhile spiritual successor to Into the Breach. See on Steam CupheadDeveloper: Studio MDHRRelease Date: September 29, 2017Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PCGenre: PlatformerWhen it was released in 2017, Cuphead exploded in the gaming community. What seems like a simple platformer shooter from the outside is actually one of the more challenging games of the last decade. Cuphead combines old Atari games with gorgeous 1930s-era cartoon graphics in a side-scrolling cocktail. To top it all off, Cuphead features boss fights that will absolutely blow your socks off.There's a story playing out in the background of Cuphead's gameplay, as you, playing as the main character, and your friend need to collect souls for the Devil to pay off gambling debts. However, you might hardly notice the story after you get hooked by Cuphead's challenging levels and boss fights. See on Fanatical CelesteDeveloper: Maddy Makes GamesRelease Date: January 5, 2018Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PCGenre: PlatformerCeleste might have retro-style graphics and some gameplay elements reminiscent of other games on this list, but there's something about it that makes it truly stand out from anything else. It's a beautifully crafted game that sees you take control of the main character Madeline. Madeline makes a journey to the top of a mountain where she encounters charming characters, difficult puzzles, hundreds of secrets, and challenges that bring her face to face with her inner self.The mountain Celeste journeys up is one of the most spectacular settings for a game. You'll find yourself anticipating what the next level is going to look like and end up amazed at what's on your screen. In addition to the environment, the audio in Celeste has won multiple awards and has you entranced for the entire duration of the game. Celeste is a true all-around package of a game that tells a terrific story while handling difficult subject matter very well. See on Steam SubnauticaDeveloper: Unknown Worlds EntertainmentRelease Date: December 16, 2014Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PCGenre: SurvivalThere are few larger success stories in the indie genre than Subnautica. While developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment is now working on a third installment in the series that might not count as an indie, the original certainly did. Starting in early access in 2014, Subnautica grew over time, and eventually, a large community formed around it.Subnautica is the definition of a survival game. You're dropped in the middle of an alien planet mostly made up of water. Your job is to go deeper into the vast ocean to find out what happened to your crashed ship and the previous inhabitants of the planet while also finding a cure for a new disease you picked up. There are vast crafting systems, combat (though it isn't the main focus), and dozens of species to encounter at every turn. Subnautica is not for the faint of heart, though, as some of the sealife is quite dangerous and comes out of nowhere to disrupt your journey. Descriptions hardly do Subnautica justice, as it's something you need to experience for yourself to truly understand what type of game it is. See on Fanatical Dead CellsDeveloper: Motion Twin and Evil EmpireRelease Date: May 10, 2017Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, AndroidGenre: Metroidvania RoguelikeUp next is Dead Cells, a game that doesn't get mentioned enough when speaking about some of the all-time great indie titles. It's another metroidvania-style platformer where players take control of a reanimated corpse who's attempting to find a way off an island. The island is mainly made up of a prison that features a majority of the environments you fight your way through.Dead Cells is a roguelike; if you die at any point, you're sent back to the start and you'll need to make your way through another randomized world. Dead Cells can be unforgiving, but the gameplay is highly compelling, and even if you don't successfully complete a run, you're often making progress toward some kind of unlockable to help you on a future run. See on Fanatical HadesDeveloper: Supergiant GamesRelease Date: December 6, 2018Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOSGenre: RoguelikeHades is another success story in the indie genre. Originally released in 2018 in early access, Hades is a roguelike that sees you fight through waves of enemies as you try to escape the Underworld. There is also character progression, a well thought-out story that unfolds even as you fail to complete runs, and RPG elements, giving you a wide mix of genres in one package.As you might have guessed from the name of the game, Hades is based on Greek mythology. As such, you'll meet other Greek gods, including Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, and more, who will lend you their unique abilities on your adventure. The gameplay in Hades is crisp, fast-paced, and strategic, making combat encounters feel different from one another. A well-regarded sequel is currently out in early access, too. See on Steam Outer WildsDeveloper: Mobius DigitalRelease Date: May 28, 2019Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PCGenre: Puzzle/AdventureOuter Wilds is one of the most interesting games you can play in any genre. Right from the start of the game, you're plopped into a space mystery where your job is to figure out what's going on. As you play through the first 20 or so minutes of Outer Wilds, you'll discover its unique mechanic: an endless time loop.Outer Wilds restarts every 22 minutes, meaning you only have that long to explore the vast expanse of space before you. During this time, you can travel to new locations, solve puzzles, and try to uncover the mystery of the time loop. After the 22 minutes is up, your character will start back at their original spot and you'll do it all over again. As you go through more and more loops, you'll have to mentally keep track of everything you've previously seen, as your character has their memory wiped. It's a one-of-a-kind experience that takes some getting used to, but it's a journey worth seeing in the end. See on Fanatical TunicDeveloper: Isometricorp GamesRelease Date: March 16, 2022Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PCGenre: RPG/AdventureTunic is like a combination of different indies we've already talked about on this list. It has beautiful isometric graphics with well-tuned combat, but there's also a large map to follow that uncovers a mysterious story; what initially appears to be a Zelda-like is in fact more of a Souls-like.Tunic thrusts you into the shoes of a fox who's looking to go on an adventure. At the start of the game, your fox won't be able to do much in terms of combat, but as you find more items, you'll be able to defeat tougher enemies and bosses. The game uncovers itself to you in the form of an in-game instruction manual as you progress, offering new combat techniques, secrets, and more. See on Amazon Vampire SurvivorsDeveloper: Luca GalanteRelease Date: December 17, 2021Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, AndroidGenre: Roguelike/Survivors-likeIf you simply look at the cover of Vampire Survivors, you'd think it was a horror game about a savage vampire. However, the game inside is nothing like you'd expect. It's a 2D, pixelated roguelike shoot-'em-up that essentially created a genre of its own: the Survivors-like or bullet-hell roguelike. Your character's job in Vampire Survivors is to defeat waves of enemies until the sun comes up, but instead of attacking enemies directly, you'll just control your character's movement as their weapons auto-attack based on their specific behavior.As time goes on, your screen becomes jam-packed with hundreds of enemies at a single time. It takes the utmost strategy and some luck to survive just one encounter, let alone an entire night's worth. As you progress, you'll unlock more abilities and attacks to take the monsters down, and while you might be at a disadvantage at times, well-crafted builds can turn you into an overpowered nightmare that cuts through waves of enemies like they aren't even there. Vampire Survivors was originally a solo game, but following updates, it's become one of the best co-op titles on the market right now, too. See on Steam Cult of the LambDeveloper: Massive MonsterRelease Date: June 10, 2022Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PCGenre: Roguelike/ActionCult of the Lamb is another spin on the roguelike, where you still face waves of enemies as you progress through the game. However, where Cult of the Lamb differentiates itself is in the metagame, as it essentially has two halves: the more standard action-based roguelike section and the base-building side where you manage and grow a cult. You start off as a possessed lamb with a mission of gaining followers in a land that has others vying for control. As you gain more followers through traveling across different regions, you'll unlock new abilities as well as resources, which can be used to build defenses and attacks.Cult of the Lamb features a randomly generated world with plenty of enemies and bosses to fight that will keep you busy for hours on end. You may end up spending more time managing your cult and its home as you do in the action game-style levels. See on Fanatical RimeDeveloper: Tequila WorksRelease Date: May 26, 2017Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PCGenre: Puzzle/AdventureRime is a puzzle game at heart that features beautiful graphics and a wonderfully crafted world. Your end goal in Rime is to reach the top of a tower that's visible in the background from the start of the game. The puzzles in Rime get more difficult as the game goes on, but none are so challenging that they'll stump you for too long. In addition to the puzzles, you can discover secrets spread throughout the different levels, and there's even a magic fox that comes to help you from time to time. See on Fanatical Disco ElysiumDeveloper: ZA/UMRelease Date: October 15, 2019Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PCGenre: RPGDisco Elysium is widely considered one of the best RPGs ever created. The RPG takes everything to the next level when it comes to role-playing. You take full control of a detective who can either be the hero a city needs or a bumbling fool who wastes their supreme talent. All of the choices in the game are up to you and you can choose from several dialogue options when engaging with other characters. You have dozens of quests and investigations to complete, characters to romance, and a dense map to uncover. Nothing is off-limits when it comes to Disco Elysium. See on Fanatical BalatroDeveloper: LocalThunkRelease Date: February 20, 2024Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, AndroidGenre: Roguelike/Card GameThere's sometimes an indie game that comes out of nowhere to take the gaming community by storm. It happens more often than you might think, and in 2024, that game was Balatro. The roguelike deck-building game was among our picks for the 10 best games of 2024, and it was also featured during The Game Awards.Balatro is yet another take on the roguelike genre, but instead of fighting enemies, you battle against a target score using a decks of cards. At its core, Balatro can be compared to traditional poker, but there are twists and turns that make every hand of cards unique from the last. You'll modify your deck and utilize special Joker cards to mess with the rules of poker, which can be extremely satisfying. Balatro features an endless array of challenges to overcome with numerous difficulties and decks to try winning with, so you'll be hard-pressed to run out of content anytime soon. See on Fanatical Katana ZeroDeveloper: Justin StanderRelease Date: April 18, 2019Platforms: Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, AndroidGenre: Platformer/AdventureKatana Zero is a side-scrolling platformer that features some of the most brutally difficult combat of any game on this list. You'll deal with those challenge thanks to the main character, Subject Zero, possessing some incredible abilities. You're able to slow down time as well as see into the future, giving you a slight advantage if you know how to properly wield your powers.While the gameplay is at the forefront of Katana Zero, the graphics and soundtrack are what make it one of the best indie titles on the market. Every level is hand-crafted and looks gorgeous, featuring a neo-noir art style while the music keeps you engaged throughout the entire campaign. See on Fanatical Pacific DriveDeveloper: Ironwood StudiosRelease Date: February 22, 2024Platforms: PlayStation 5, PCGenre: Survival/DrivingSurvival games have a long history in the indie genre, and it's not often when a survival game comes along that completely changes up the formula. Pacific Drive did just that in early 2024, featuring slick driving mechanics and gameplay in a survival setting. It made our list of the 25 best survival games to play, and for good reason.You spend a majority of Pacific Drive in your car through a first-person perspective. Your main goal is to survive the elements by scavenging for resources across the Pacific Northwest region, which has been ravaged by supernatural forces. There are some thrilling moments to be had in Pacific Drive, as hopping out of your car to find supplies is quite dangerous with what lurks in the shadows. See on Fanatical ValheimDeveloper: Iron Gate StudiosRelease Date: February 2, 2021Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PCGenre: Survival/RPGValheim is another one of those indie titles that came out of nowhere to top the Steam charts. What drew players in initially was the art style of Valheim, which is beautiful and clunky at the same time. The game is set in a land where Viking culture is present all around and your character is banished there by Odin. To escape the land, you need to defeat a series of bosses, all of whom are located in different regions spread around the map. Each subsequent boss is more difficult than the last but, fortunately, the regions where the bosses are located offer new resources that help defeat them.You have to travel all around the randomly generated map to gather the resources you need to become stronger. Along the way, you can construct a structurally sound base that's only limited by your imagination and supplies. Valheim is certainly a more challenging survival game, featuring harsh elements and tough enemies, but it's one of the very best you can play right now. See on Steam SpiritfarerDeveloper: Thunder Lotus GamesRelease Date: August 18, 2020Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, AndroidGenre: Simulation/ManagementSpiritfarer is the first management simulator game on this list and arguably flew under the radar in the heat of the 2020 pandemic. Players who managed to catch wind of it got to experience a remarkable game that you can easily spend over 100 hours playing.The premise of the game is your character, the ferrymaster, needs to construct a boat to travel the world and pick up deceased souls along the way. As you pick them up, you need to care for them until they can step into the afterlife and leave their spiritual form behind. The boat you construct can be expanded upon with new buildings, rooms, and other structures to house your spirits. You'll gather resources through fishing, harvesting, and other means to keep your boat and the souls on board afloat. Spiritfarer can be played solo, but if you want to add a co-op partner, they'll enter the game as a cat companion. It can also be quite the emotional experience given the subject matter. See on Steam Dave the DiverDeveloper: MintrocketRelease Date: October 27, 2022Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PCGenre: RPG/SimulatorIf you enjoyed Subnautica but are looking for something with fewer horror elements, Dave the Diver might be the perfect game for you. While it doesn't feature the vast ocean exploration of Subnautica, you still get to dive underwater to gather fish and other resources for your night job. At night, you run a sushi restaurant, taking and fulfilling orders from customers and ensuring their satisfaction while at the restaurant. Underneath this simulator is a secret at the bottom of the ocean that you'll also work to uncover while you gain new skills as Dave the Diver. See on Fanatical Minishoot AdventuresDeveloper: SoulGame StudioRelease Date: February 21, 2022Platforms: PCGenre: RPG/AdventureMinishoot Adventures is a less well-known game than others on this list, but it's a seriously underrated indie that becomes difficult to put down once you sink your teeth into it. It's an action-adventure style game in the mold of a classic Zelda, but one that you play from the perspective of a top-down shooter. In your ship, you can fight enemies, explore open-ended locations, and upgrade your ship through the Primordial Powers. These powers improve your ship's capabilities and also open up new areas to explore. If the twin-stick controls are too much for you to handle, there are aim-assist options as well as three different difficulty modes. See on Steam InscryptionDeveloper: Daniel Mullins GamesRelease Date: October 19, 2021Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PCGenre: Roguelike/Card GameInscryption is another roguelike deck-building game, but it's decidedly different from something like Balatro. Instead of playing poker, you do battle using cards in a horror setting that gets creepier as the game goes on. As you progress, you'll enter new and mysterious regions with fresh characters to face. These characters aren't to be trifled with and present you with twisted dialogue and new secrets to uncover. Inscryption doesn't feature any heart-pounding jumpscares, but the journey you go on with your deck of cards is nothing short of disturbing. It's also full of surprises, and you're best off not knowing much before playing. See on Fanatical Into the BreachDeveloper: Subset GamesRelease Date: February 27, 2018Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, AndroidGenre: Turn-Based Strategy/TacticsInto the Breach is a turn-based strategy/tactics game and features RPG elements as well as endless gameplay. You control mechs from the future in an attempt to save the world from aliens. You'll need to preserve both structures on the grid-based map and the mechs themselves. Enemy actions are clearly telegraphed, so you know exactly what they'll do on the next turn; by manipulating their positioning, blocking enemies from spawning (at the cost of damage to the unit blocking them), and so on, you can avert disaster. Win or lose, you'll face another randomly generated set of levels, and you can unlock different types of mechs and weapons to mix up the action from run to run. This puts an almost limitless amount of gameplay at your disposal, as every fight feels extremely different from the last. Figuring out problems on each level takes immense strategy and this complements the turn-based combat perfectly. It's the rare game to have received a 10 from GameSpot. See on Steam UFO 50Developer: MossmouthRelease Date: September 18, 2024Platforms: PCGenre: Strategy/Puzzle/RPG/Shooter/etc.UFO 50 is a collection of 50 different standalone games, including both single-player and multiplayer ones spanning numerous genres: platformers, puzzle games, strategy games, adventure games, shooters, and more. The graphics look straight out of the '90s and every game is different from the last. The design in all 50 games is top-notch, and there's plenty of replayability offered by many of the games. You have access to all 50 games in UFO 50 right from the start, allowing you to pick what you, and potentially a friend, play. See on Steam REPODeveloper: Semiwork StudiosRelease Date: February 26, 2025 (Early Access)Platforms: PCGenre: Co-op SurvivalREPO might seem like a harmless game at first if you go in judging it solely based on graphics, but you'll quickly learn it can be pretty scary. It's a co-op survival physics-based game that sees you and up to five friends enter different locations to try and extract valuable objects. In your way of that goal are monsters that can pop out at any time to scare or even kill you. Your main weapon to defend against these monsters is a physics-grabbing tool that allows you to pick up and hurl just about any object around you. Sometimes you'll even need to transport massive objects as a part of your mission, and teamwork is required to ensure the object gets from point A to point B without alerting any nearby monsters. REPO also features proximity chat so you and your teammates can communicate with one another, which comes in handy when someone is being chased by a monster. REPO is a thrilling game with enjoyable mechanics that will have you laughing and fearing for your life at the same time. It's also still in early access and receiving new content fairly frequently. See on Steam Schedule IDeveloper: TVGSRelease Date: March 24, 2025 (Early Access)Platforms: PCGenre: SimulationHave you ever dreamed of a life where you're a drug dealer slinging product night in and night out to make a living? Well, Schedule I gives you the chance to live out this… fantasy. You begin the game as a small-time dealer and need to build your entire drug empire from the ground up. This means making your own product, distributing it for profit, and then using that profit to expand your operations. Along the way, you'll run into law enforcement, whom you can evade or fight head-on with various guns and weapons. Schedule I features 2000s graphics and mechanics, but it's an in-depth simulator with a ton of content right from the start. You can even go into business with a friend in the co-op multiplayer mode, which makes for an even more fun experience. See on Steam Blue PrinceDeveloper: DogubombRelease Date: April 10, 2025Platforms: PCGenre: PuzzleBlue Prince is an inventive and massively in-depth puzzle adventure game that will have you taking actual real-life notes to remember everything you come across. The game's plot sees you inherit a large estate from a relative, but to claim it, you need to find a secret room in the house. To do this, you enter different rooms in the house and look for clues to guide you on where to go. Every door you find can lead to different rooms, and you have a few options to pick from that determine the room behind each door. The catch is that Blue Prince resets all of the house's rooms at the end of each day, which occurs after you've searched a certain number of areas. You need to carve a path through the house and solve various interlocking puzzles to find your way to the mysterious Room 46. Blue Prince offers different items to aid you in your quest, which helps determine what rooms are available every time you reach a new door, but it's ultimately up to you to figure out where to go. You'll pocket permanent upgrades as you go, but the greatest tool you'll acquire is knowledge of how the shapeshifting house works. See on Fanatical Echo Point NovaDeveloper: Greylock StudioRelease Date: September 24, 2024Platforms: PCGenre: First-Person ShooterEcho Point Nova is a first-person shooter that offers you unparalleled freedom and gadgets to explore a massive open world full of secrets and locations to uncover. The game starts with you landing on a strange planet that's being overrun by a mercenary force. This plotline makes up the main quest, but it's not nearly everything the game has to offer. Echo Point Nova features a huge open world made up of different islands that you can visit using a variety of tools. You can use a grappling hook to a hoverboard to other unlockable powers to both explore and move quickly around the areas you're exploring. The gadgets and base movement system in the game make simply getting from point A to point B a fun adventure in and of itself. The world in Echo Point Nova also houses plenty of enemy variety, with massive colossi being the main foes you'll face off against. You can take down these enemies using a custom-crafted loadout made up of various guns, gear, and other powers. And co-op support lets you do it all with friends. See on Steam Promise Mascot AgencyDeveloper: Kaizen Game WorksRelease Date: April 10, 2025Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PCGenre: RPGPromise Mascot Agency is an open-world narrative RPG where you manage a talent agency that specializes in, you guessed it, mascots. Your initial job is to recruit mascots, send them out for work, and then keep them happy, a far easier said than done task. You can upgrade your mascots with Hero Cards, which you can unlock by meeting more characters throughout the map. Speaking of which, Promise Mascot Agency isn't just a management simulator. It's an open-world game that you can explore in your Kei Truck, which can be upgraded itself with a variety of gadgets and tools. During your exploration, you can uncover hidden collectibles, meet new characters, and even stumble upon a mystery that takes the game in an entirely new direction. Whether you're recruiting a new mascot, finding a new job for them, trying to clean up a mess they made, or exploring the open world, there's always something to do in Promise Mascot Agency. See on Steam