You didn’t really want a social life anyway, right? Here’s 13 indie games to get excited about in June 2021 including Stonefly, Operation: Tango and Curved Space.
June is shaping up to be an excellent month for video games. Between the likes of Necromunda: Hired Gun, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection are a plethora of exciting indie games looking for your attention. We’ve collated 13 of our favourite indie games launching in June 2021 to shine the spotlight on. There’s new platforms for existing bangers, brand new titles and a few indie games bursting out of their early access period.
Without further ado, here’s 12 indie games to get excited about in June 2021.
Umurangi Generation from Origame Digital – June 5th
Umurangi Generation oozes style. A first person game that centres around snapping photographs in a contemporary but “shitty” world (the developer’s words, not ours) you play as a photographer in the sci-fi city of Tauranga Aotearoa. As you’re venturing around, you’ll be aiming to fulfil a checklist of photography bounties which can be challenging but deeply rewarding. The game has been available on PC via Steam for a year already and was called “A thoughtful cyberpunk experience that reimagines tired tropes by taking inspiration from current events and culture” by GameStop. Now Umurangi Generation is headed to Nintendo Switch on June 5th and will take advantage of the portable consoles gyroscope controls.
Stonefly by Flight School Studio – June 1st
“Chill and tranquil” are not usually adjectives you can use to describe an action adventure game. That’s what makes Stonefly from Flight School Studio and MWM Interactive so special. In this game you’ve got to pilot your tiny customisable mech through the wilderness and take on waves of bugs and insects (with non-lethal means) in order to harvest minerals. The art style of this game is stunning and we don’t have long to wait until we can see it first hand as Stonefly is launching on PC (Steam and EGS), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch on June 1st, 2021.
One Hand Clapping by Bad Dream Games – June 10th
Over the past 12 months, we’ve seen indie games really push the boundaries of control methods and the way they impact games, such as Before Your Eyes which was controller via blinking. One Hand Clapping is continuing that trend by allowing players to use their voice to alter the game world. A 2D platformer full of vibrant landscapes and mysterious characters, One Hand Clapping asks the player to sing in order to create platforms in the world. The tone of the vocals alters the height of the platform being created. It’s a very interesting idea and after a period in early access, we’ll be able to sing our way through this one on June 10th when it launches on PC via Steam.
Beasts of Maravilla Island by Banana Bird Studios – June 2021
I’m a huge fan of the resurgence of games that focus on photography, especially those games that point their virtual lens at wildlife (either real or fictional). As someone who spent far too many hours playing Afrika, Aquanauts Holiday and the original Pokemon Snap, I’ve been begging for more indie games like this. The most promising of these is Beasts of Maravilla Island by Banana Bird Studios.
Beasts of Maravilla Island is a 3D adventure game where you play as a photographer who’s exploring the titular island to discover magical beasts in their natural environment. The aim is to document these animals and capture them on film. In order to capture these creatures doing some of the more unique behaviours, you’ll have to interact with them.
Beasts of Maravilla Island is aiming to release during June 2021 for PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX by Jankenteam – June 24th
There’s very little out there in terms of a remake quite like Alex Kidd in Miracle World. The original – the first video game yours truly ever played – is a gold star on my gaming history. Where it all began, and that it’s coming back in with all the style and panache a modern video game system can produce is something I didn’t know I needed.
Developed by Jankenteam alongside those fine folk over at Merge Games, Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX brings the Master System II classic into 2021 with a gorgeous art redesign, new boss fight mechanics and even an expanded story, filling in some gaps from the original. It will also feature the funky ‘Retro Mode’ which will allow you to swap the visuals back to the original visual style for that real nostalgia kick along with a ton of extra content for the hardcore to feast on. Who knows, maybe I’ll finally beat the game,34 years after its release. I’m not holding my breath, mind…
Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX is launching June 24th on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PC and Nintendo Switch. Brush up on those rock, paper, scissor skills.
by Ross Keniston
Operation: Tango by Clever Plays – June 1st
The possibilities of co-op gaming have really evolved over the past console generation. With the likes of Hacktag, A Way Out and It Takes Two, the genre is blooming. The latest and potentially greatest in this co-op indie games revolution is Operation: Tango. In this first person spy adventure, one player acts as the agent on the ground while the other acts as the hacker in the chair. Neither can complete a mission alone and they need to work in tandem in order to bring a hi-tech global menace to its knees. It’s a very cool concept that has never really been done justice before but maybe that will be rectified when Operation: Tango launches on June 1st, 2021 on PC via Steam and PlayStation (PS4/PS5).
Curved Space by Only By Midnight – June 29th
The twin-stick shooter genre is full to bursting point these days so it takes something special to catch my attention. Curved Space did just that. The primary reason this game stands out from the crowd is that the projectiles fired from the player’s space ship hug the ground as they fly forward. As you’ll see in the above trailer, this can create some really interesting dynamics. Then there’s the aesthetic. The alien villains are all blades and sharp edges that look genuinely menacing. Curved Space is flying out to PC via Steam, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series and Nintendo Switch on June 29th.
Sky: Children of the Light by thatgamecompany – June 2021
Thatgamecompany’s latest game Sky: Children of the Light is making its way to Nintendo Switch in June 2021. The game is already available on mobiles, originally launching on iOS in 2019 before allowing us green bubble Android users to join in the party in 2020. The Nintendo Switch seems like a natural platform for Sky. The social adventure game will launch with cross-platform play and it’s aiming to be ‘free to start’.
Sludge Life by DONEONE/Terri Vellmann – June 2nd
I was pretty much sold on Sludge Life when I read the Steam page description. “A first-person / open-world / vandalism-centric stroll through a polluted island full of cranky idiots and a vibe so thick you can taste it”. That collection of words ticks all of my boxes. Of course, this isn’t the first release of Sludge Life. When it originally launched on the Epic Games Store in April 2020, Hardcore Gamer called it “a twisted, hellish, yet surprisingly charming playground” and Game Crate said there’s “a nice blend of real-world commentary and vulgar humour to keep things interesting”. If you missed it the first time around, Sludge Life is launching on the Nintendo Switch and Steam on June 2nd. It certainly sounds like it’ll be worth a look.
Wildermyth by Worldwalker Games – June 15th
Wyldermyth sounds like an excellent combination of games. With a papercraft art style, it’s a party based RPG with tactical grid bound combat. What’s more, this game doesn’t just detail a single adventure. It chronicles the entire life of your heroes via procedurally generated story decisions. When it was previewed by RPS during its early access period they said “Your characters age, they grow, and have stories of their own. They can die, too. They fall in love, they have kids, they chase dreams and make terrible decisions”. I’m certainly looking forward to making those terrible decisions myself when Wyldermyth launched out of early access for PC via Steam on June 15th.
Agent Intercept by PikPok Games – June 2021
Apple Arcade has been quietly recruiting some of the most impressive games on the market. For green bubble people like myself, it’s a constant source of jealousy. Thankfully, many of these games eventually make their way to other platforms, like Inmost, What The Golf and Skate City did so that the rest of the industry can play them. That’s certainly the case with Agent Intercept from PikPok. This high octane game is like if Spy Hunter and Runbot had a love child. You play as an agent who’s racing their car to stop the nefarious CLAW who are up to their old tricks again. I’ve watched the trailers for this game repeatedly and it constantly impresses me. Just watch the one above for yourself. Agent Intercept is racing onto PC via Steam on June 16th.
Mighty Goose by Blastmode Games – June 5th
Geese are having a real moment in indie games right now. The goose that’s the focus of this write up is named however, unlike that other famous fowl. And this one certainly is mighty. Might Goose is a fast paced run & gun shooter starring a bounty hunter Goose. There’s certainly a hint of Metal Slug in all of the game play we’ve seen so far but by the looks of it, it’s benefiting from the year of game play advancements that have been made since 2009. The art style is superb and the what we’ve heard of the soundtrack is impressive. Might Goose is shooting onto PC via Steam, Switch, PS4 and Xbox One on June 5th.
The Magnificent Trufflepigs by Thunkd – June 3rd
As a Dad to 5 kids who has less time to play the games I love these days, I’m in love with the principles of developer Thunkd. They’re a developer aiming to make “evening sizes” indie games. Their debut as a studio is called The Magnificient Trufflepigs and is set in the beautiful English countryside. It’s reminiscent of Firewatch in some ways. The player controls Adam who’s out exploring with a metal detector to try and find local treasure. All the while he’ll be talking to Beth (Luci Fish) via a walkie-talkie who’ll be attempting to help. Of course, not everything goes as planned and the player will be guiding Adam’s reactions to the revelations that unfold. An excellent concept and some fantastic visuals make The Magnificient Trufflepigs one of the most promising indie games releasing in June 2021. It’s launching on the 3rd on PC via Steam.
Are you looking forward to a different indie game this June? Want to bring another title to our attention? Head to the comments section and drop us a link.
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