The 100 hottest of indies (Part 3)

2025 was an incredible year for the indie scene, with games such as Hollow Knight: Silksong, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Blue Prince scooping up loads of prestigious awards and stealing our gamer hearts. Nothing - absolutely nothing - suggests that 2026 will be any worse when it comes to games developed by independent game studios. We have compiled a list of one hundred titles, all of which are scheduled for release this year. Some have a fixed date, others have an approximate date, while most have not announced a release date yet.

Instead of delivering all the games at once, we have sorted them alphabetically and divided them into four parts with 25 games each. We have worked as broadly as possible to cover as wide a spectrum of genres and styles as possible. So sit back and get your notepad, your Steam wishlist, or just your mental memory library ready, because I promise you will discover something to look forward to.

This is the third part of the article series on this year's one hundred hottest indie games.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire

• Genre: FPS, Action


• Developer: Fumi Games


• Publisher: PlaySide


• Release date: March 19


• Link to website

"The rubber hose design is definitely the biggest selling point of Mouse: P.I. For Hire. It looks absolutely incredible, and we hope it's just as fun to play. Expectations are high, and in March we'll see whether Fumi Games has succeeded or not."

Neverway

• Genre: RPG, Horror


• Developer: Coldblood Inc.


• Publisher: Coldblood Inc., Outersloth


• Release date: Unknown


• Link to website

"The pixel artist behind Celeste has been working on Neverway, and it shows. It's pretty much pixel perfection, and in terms of gameplay, it looks pretty good too."

Nocturne

• Genre: JRPG, Music


• Developer: Pracy Studios


• Publisher: Pracy Studios


• Release date: June 30


• Link to website

"Aside from being a fairly traditional JRPG, Nocturne has a real trump card that makes it even more appealing. The battles are rhythm-based, and if you check out the gameplay, you'll see that the setup is based on the Guitar Hero formula."

Nova Roma

• Genre: Strategy


• Developer: Lion Shield


• Publisher: Hooded Horse


• Release date: January


• Link to website

<em>"In Nova Roma, we're going to build cities, and not just any cities; Rome. Just as surely as all roads lead to Rome, we will also have to keep the gods happy, ensure that the inhabitants obey the laws, and develop complex supply chains."

Order of the Sinking Star

• Genre: Adventure, Puzzle


• Developer: Thekla, Inc.


• Publisher: Arc Games


• Release date: Unknown


• Link to website

"When Jonathan Blow releases something new, it's almost mandatory to stop and take a closer look at what it is. With Braid and The Witness under his belt, we can almost assume that Order of the Sinking Star will also be good. Really good."

Over the Hill

• Genre: Racing


• Developer: Funselektor Labs Inc., Strelka Games


• Publisher: Funselektor Labs Inc.


• Release date: Unknown


• Link to website

"The folks behind Art of Rally are back with a new car-oriented indie gem. This time around, it's not rally racing that's on the agenda, but rather the idea of climbing difficult terrain (either alone or with friends) in old off-road vehicles from the 60s to the 80s."

PVKK: Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant

• Genre: Simulation


• Developer: Bippinbits


• Publisher: Bippinbits, Kepler Interactive


• Release date: Q3


• Link to website

"The game that would probably win the competition for the most difficult title to pronounce in a long time also looks really good. As the operator of giant cannons, it's your job to obey orders and press the right buttons."

Paralives

• Genre: Simulation


• Developer: Alex Massé and team


• Publisher: Paralives Studio


• Release date: May 25


• Link to website

"The Sims has reason to be a little nervous about its dominant position in the genre, as Paralives looks set to be a real challenger. This is a substantial game that simulates everything from paying bills to dating and job hunting."

Parasite Mutant

• Genre: Horror, RPG


• Developer: IceSitruuna


• Publisher: IceSitruuna


• Release date: Unknown


• Link to website

"It's not hard to figure out which game IceSitruuna is paying homage to with Parasite Mutant. It's Parasite Eve, of course, and Parasite Mutant really seems to capture the essence of the games Square released in the late 90s."

Pathologic 3

• Genre: Horror


• Developer: Ice-Pick Lodge


• Publisher: HypeTrain Digital


• Release date: January 9


• Link to website

"Although we haven't played the previous instalments in the Pathologic series, we're very curious about this game. Here, we play as a doctor who has 12 days to save a city from a mysterious plague. It's all about making the right diagnoses and taking ruthless decisions."

Planet of Lana II

• Genre: Platformer, Puzzle


• Developer: Wishfully


• Publisher: Thunderful Publishing


• Release date: Unknown


• Link to website

"The Swedes behind Planet of Lana are back with a sequel and offer exactly what we want from them; more of the same. Planet of Lana II looks set to be bigger, more varied and better than its predecessor."

Pony Island 2: Panda Circus

• Genre: Puzzle, Point & Click


• Developer: Daniel Mullins Games


• Publisher: Daniel Mullins Games


• Release date: Unknown


• Link to website

"Daniel Mullins may be best known for the fantastic game Inscryption, but before he released it, he made Pony Island, and now it's time for a sequel. On the game's Steam page, we can read "This is not a game about ponies," and we are grateful for that information."

Quarantine Zone: The Last Check

• Genre: Simulation, Horror


• Developer: Brigada Games


• Publisher: Devolver Digital


• Release date: January 12


• Link to website

"As a controller at a station in a world under attack by zombies, it's your job to ensure that you do not let infected people in and make the situation worse. You will do this by conducting various checks on the people who want to enter."

ReStory: Chill Electronics Repair

• Genre: Simulation


• Developer: Mandragora


• Publisher: tinyBuild


• Release date: Unknown


• Link to website

"You run a small electronics repair shop in Tokyo in the mid-2000s, and your task is to slowly but surely grow your business by repairing old iconic game consoles, mobile phones, music players, and other devices. Looks very cosy and relaxing!"

Recur

• Genre: Platformer, Puzzle


• Developer: kaleidoscube


• Publisher: Astra Logical


• Release date: Unknown


• Link to website

"In Recur, you play as a postman, but depending on whether you move forwards or backwards, time is rewound or fast-forwarded. It's a bit like Braid, but a little more fun to watch and hopefully it's fun to play too, and there are plenty of signs that it will be."

Replaced

• Genre: Platformer, Action


• Developer: Sad Cat Studios


• Publisher: Thunderful Publishing


• Release date: March 12


• Link to website

"Replaced is one of those indie games that has cut through the noise and become something people are eagerly awaiting. It's not hard to see why when you watch the trailer, which is incredibly stylish with an almost erotic lighting design."

ROCKBEASTS

• Genre: RPG, Adventure, Music


• Developer: Lichthund


• Publisher: Team17


• Release date: Unknown


• Link to website

"Actually, there should be an umlaut over the O in the title: RÖCKBEASTS. That said, it's clear that this is a game where hard rock is central. More specifically, you, in the role of band manager, will help shape the next new rock sensation."

Rollin' Rascal

• Genre: Platformer, Action, Adventure


• Developer: Kiskadee Games, Curiomatic


• Publisher: Kiskadee Games, Curiomatic


• Release date: Unknown


• Link to website

"Rollin' Rascal borrows a lot of inspiration from another, rather edgy, gaming hero and looks set to do very well. It will be very fast-paced as you whizz through the levels, and not only that, it will also be thoroughly entertaining."

Rootbound

• Genre: Puzzle, Adventure


• Developer: Brainlag Games


• Publisher: Brainlag Games


• Release date: Unknown


• Link to website

"Equipped with a living backpack, you'll solve puzzles, fight monsters, and explore a world filled to the brim with secrets. Apparently, it's very important to avoid the rain, not just because you'll get wet, but because it seems to be the source of the plague ravaging the world Rootbound takes place in."

Sacrifire

• Genre: JRPG


• Developer: Pixelated Milk


• Publisher: Pixelated Milk


• Release date: Q1


• Link to website

"Gorgeous pixels, anime aesthetics, 2D with 3D environments, music from the legendary Motoi Sakuraba, and a war between gods and demons. It sounds like a great recipe for a fantastic experience, and those who like JRPGs should add this to their wish list."

Scott Pilgrim EX

• Genre: Beat 'em up. Action, Adventure


• Developer: Tribute Games Inc.


• Publisher: Tribute Games Inc.


• Release date: Unknown


• Link to website

"When Tribute Games releases a game, you know you have something to look forward to. The fact that it's a sequel to the game that largely revived the beat 'em up genre doesn't hurt either."

Serial World

• Genre: JRPG, Rougelike, Deckbuilder


• Developer: Serial Project


• Publisher: Kakehashi Games


• Release date: Unknown


• Link to website

"A roguelike mixed with a dungeon crawler meets JRPG? Sounds awesome, right? Yep, it does, and it also looks very cosy with cute little creatures that can join your team."

Shroom and Gloom

• Genre: Deckbuilder, Roguelike


• Developer: Team Lazerbeam


• Publisher: Devolver Digital


• Release date: Unknown


• Link to website

"Shroom and Gloom really has a unique style. It doesn't look like anything else and plays in a way we haven't seen before. It's not just a game you build and fight with, but also one you navigate the environment with. Looks absolutely superb!"

Slay the Spire 2

• Genre: Deckbuilder, Roguelike


• Developer: Mega Crit


• Publisher: Mega Crit


• Release date: March


• Link to website

"Another game on this list that people are very aware of and looking forward to. It was supposed to be released last year, but good things come to those who wait, and we can almost count on Mega Crit to do just that. Release something good, that is."

Spirit Crossing

• Genre: MMORPG, Simulation


• Developer: Spry Fox


• Publisher: Spry Fox


• Release date: Unknown


• Link to website

"A multiplayer life-sim where you can befriend bears, help lost souls, ride a fluffalo, and build a growing town together with other players. Could be something really special for those who want to play together with others."

Parts one and two with more hot indies can be found at these links: Part 1 and Part 2.