19 Indie Games To Look Forward To During August 2022
Exciting FMV games, long awaited First Person Shooters and unique narrative driven adventures are just some of the indie games launching in August 2022.
“I’m sorry” I whisper to my wallet as I finish pulling together this list of indie games that are launching over the coming month. I look at it guiltily as I realise how much money I’m going to spend on quality looking indie games this month.
All joking aside, the quality and diversity of the indie games that are hitting during August 2022 is incredibly impressive. There’s a bit of something for everybody here from FMV titles, shooters, zen survival games, soulslikes and inventive fighting games. From wholesome to violent, brightly coloured to darkly grim, this list has it all.
Let’s get to it – Here are 19 indie games to look forward to during August 2022.
The Gallery from Aviary Studios – August 1st, 2022
Director Paul Raschid has been involved in the creation of two of the best FMV games in recent times – Five Dates and The Complex. My brief time with a third of his projects – Deathtrap Dungeon – was promising also. Before that can release though, Paul has another indie games project that’s landing in August 2022 – The Gallery. In this game, the player has to choose between a female protagonist (whose narrative is set in 1981 London) or a male protagonist (whose narrative is set in 2021 London). Despite their stories being 40 years apart, these two narrative threads are linked in surprising ways as the two lead actors – Anna Popplewell (‘Chronicles Of Narnia’ & ‘Reign’) and George Blagden (‘Versailles’ & ‘Vikings’) – exchange roles as protagonist and antagonist in each other’s stories. The Gallery certainly has the potential to be one of the best interactive movies/FMV games we’ve seen in quite some time. It’s launching on PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4, as well as iOS and Android devices this August.
Turbo Golf Racing by Hugecalf Studios – August 4th, 2022
I’ve seen Turbo Golf Racing described as “Rocket League but it’s Golf” as if it’s a negative thing. I’ll be honest, I’ve been eagerly waiting for the iterations on the Rocket League formula for years because there’s no doubt that some stunning things will evolve in that space. Turbo Golf Racing is shaping up to be the first big hitter to follow in Rocket League’s exhaust fumes and having spent a bit of time experiencing this game during the Beta, we’re really quite excited for it. If the trailer wasn’t clear enough, the aim of the game is knock your giant ball around a giant golf course and get it to the giant finish flag location before any of your competitors. From Hugecalf Studios and Secret Mode, Turbo Golf Racing is launching into Early Access via Steam and Xbox on August 4th, 2022.
Hindsight by Joel McDonald – August 4th, 2022
Y’know those moments in movies when a character picks up something and it jogs their memories, triggering a flashback to add much needed exposition? Hindsight from Team Hindsight is the gaming equivalent of those moments, using physical objects as gateways into the past. A narrative exploration game spanning the entirety of a woman’s life, from birth to present day, Hindsight has you sort through her personal belongings that become “apertures” into the past. With each new vision, you’ll piece together her life and try to make sense of it all. With a bold art style and interesting mechanics, Hindsight is quite an appealing game and one we’ll be keeping an eye on when it launches on PC via Steam, iOS and Nintendo Switch on August 4th.
Retreat to Enen by Head West – August 1st, 2022
Survival games typically have a constant level of tension running through them. Balancing your needs while fending off dangers can be quite stressful (yet admittedly engaging) work. Retreat to Enen from Head West and Freedom Games is attempting something a little bit different by introducing a level of mindfulness. This sci-fi survival game features a meditation mechanic that has been created in collaboration with licensed mental health specialists to leave players with new knowledge about relaxation. They might need this knowledge as Retreat to Enen still has its moments of surprise and pressure, like escaping from a charging bear. Expect a review of this game shortly after it launches on PC via Steam on August 1st, 2022.
Arcade Paradise by Nosebleed Interactive – August 11th, 2022
Arcade Paradise has been high on the “most wanted” list for many of the Finger Guns team since it was announced. It’s a heady blend of very appealing ingredients – It’s set in the Early 90’s, clad in the vibrant colours of the era, complemented by an inspired soundtrack. It’s a tycoon game with a unique hook, tasking the player to transform a failing laundrette into a thriving gaming arcade. It’s from a top class indie developer, Noseblood Interactive, the developers behind the excellent Vostok Inc, and backed by Wired Interactive, a publisher that has a track record of publishing sleeper hits. To put it bluntly, we’re all quite excited about this one ahead of its launch on August 11th, 2022 on PC via Steam and consoles. You can expect a review from us closer to launch.
Lost In Play by Happy Juice Games – August 10th, 2022
A lot of games get blanketed by the “Wholesome Game” banner these days but I think it would be difficult for anyone to deny that ‘Lost in Play’ from Happy Juice Games is as ‘Wholesome’ as they come. This feel-good point and click adventure stars a brother and sister – Toto and Gal – as they explore dreamscapes and befriend magical creatures. Like playing through a combination of a child’s imagination with Saturday morning cartoons, Lost In Play has you partake in more than 30 unique puzzles and mini-games as you meet goblins, avoid owlbears and sore through the air on the back of a giant stork. Sold. Lost in Play launches on PC via Steam and Nintendo Switch on August 10th.
Fashion Police Squad by Mopeful Games – August 15th, 2022
While it might sound like an oxymoron, Fashion Police Squad is a non-violent first-person shooter. Rather than pumping your targets full of lead, you’re instead blasting them with “fashion sense”. The game is all about solving fashion crimes – which actually might exclude me from playing it based on my own wardrobe – by using portable sowing machines, dye guns, the “belt of justice” and simply slapping them to their senses. I’ve managed to have a very quick play of the latest Fashion Police Squad beta and I’m desperate to play more. It’s fast and funny and bristling with charisma. Check it out on PC via Steam when it launches on August 15th, 2022.
BVOVB – Bruising Vengeance of the Vintage Boxer by Rostok
A comical old-timey arcade beat ’em up in the style of black-and-white photos, BVOVB – Bruising Vengeance of the Vintage Boxer originally released back in November 2021 on itch.io and Xbox. Starring a vaudevillian boxer on a quest to rescue his dog from some petnappers, BVOVB pits you against 22 different enemies and 3 bosses across 16 levels. While this game has already been available for more than half a year, BVOVB is making the leap to Steam on August 11th, 2022. In my humble opinion, this game deserves a much bigger reception than it has previously received so hopefully it can find that success for its Steam release.
Gloomwood by Dillon Rogers & David Szymanski – August 16th, 2022
When I first saw the trailer for Gloomwood, before I saw the name of the game, I thought to myself “Oh cool, someone is finally doing something cool with the Thief IP”. A few seconds later, I of course learned I was wrong but it’s hard to deny the obvious inspirations that those late 90’s titles have meant to Gloomwood. A a stealth horror FPS set in a twisted Victorian metropolis, you’ll be creeping around in the shadows before dispatching your foes using a cane-sword. Oh lordy, it looks good. New Blood Interactive are at the spearhead of the retro-inspired shooter AKA Boomer Shooter revolution, having published titles like Dusk, Ultra Kill and Amid Evil, and they’re throwing their publishing weight behind this game too. On August 16th, we’re finally going to get that Thief itch scratched when Gloomwood hits PC via Steam on Early Access.
Thymesia by OverBorder Studio – August 18th, 2022
I can’t even remember the game I was playing at EGX last year when our man Greg Hicks came over with his trademark swagger and said in uncharacteristic excitement “You’ve got to play this game. It’s called Time… Thym… something like that”. That game was Thymesia, a gruelling and iterative Soulslike from OverBorder Studio and Team17. Greg’s excitement for the game has endured right through to now as he’s currently reviewing it. A few spoiler free thoughts from him: “It plays as fast as Bloodborne, keeping you on your toes as you go on the offensive. It will fill that void without the AAA price tag”. Thymesia is launching on PC via Steam and on consoles on August 18th, 2022.
Cursed to Golf by Chuhai Labs – August 18th, 2022
2D golfing is a concept that’s been pretty well explored now in the likes of Midnight Deluxe, Golf Club Wasteland and Golf on Mars – but none have manage to do it with as much panache and personality as ‘Cursed to Golf’. In this game, you play as a golfer who’s round is cut short when they’re killed by lightning. They find themselves trapped in Golf Purgatory where they must play their way out of, becoming a Golf Legend in the process. The unique element that Cursed to Golf brings to the table is the addition of a roguelike structure. More than 70 holes will be randomly served to you across 4 biomes with each run at the game. Fail and you’ll have to tee off all over again. Cursed to Golf has already attracted some positive press, being included in a lot of “indie games to look forward too” lists. We’ll finally be able to head to the green on August 18th, when it launches on PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.
Midnight Fight Express by Jacob Dzwinel – August 23rd, 2022
In Midnight Fight Express you play as a character called Babyface. Having escaped their criminal past, Babyface is lured back into the underworld by a mysterious AI drone. Drawn back into their previous life, you must kick, punch and otherwise murderise anything that gets in your way as you attempt to stop a citywide criminal takeover. Described as a “hyper-kinetic brawling ballet”, Midnight Fight Express pits you against an army of bozos, cronies, and crime lords which you’ll need to dispatch with a “dizzying array of devastating fighting moves”. It’s hard to not fall in love with the vibe and energy given off by every trailer for this game. We’ll get to see if that energy lasts throughout the game when Midnight Fight Express punches its way onto PC via Steam and all the consoles on August 23rd, 2022.
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist by Northway Games – August 25th, 2022
Usually, when I see the words “deckbuilding RPG” or “card based battles”, mechanics and systems that can be divisive, I usually switch off from a game. I usually decide that that’s not for me and that’s perfectly fine. Despite featuring those exact words in the store descriptions though, I’m still incredibly high on the concept of “I Was a Teenage Exocolonist” from Northway Games. In this game you play and replay through the torrid teenage years of a girl that’s growing up on humanity’s first extrasolar colony. What you choose to do within the 10 years you influence in IWATE is up to you. There’s more than a thousand story events to see, 25 jobs to fulfil, 10 datable characters to woo and 15 skills to hone, all culminating in 50 different endings to experience. This is underpinned by a card battling system that’s loosely based on poker and oodles of charm. I Was a Teenage Exocolonist is coming to Steam, PS4 and PS5 on August 25th, 2022. Wishlist it today.
Cult of the Lamb by Massive Monster – August 11th, 2022
Don’t let the cutesy exterior of Cult of the Lamb fool you. This game does not belong to the “Wholesome” genre. In it, you play as a possessed lamb who has to repay a debt to a mysterious stranger by forming a cult that’ll worship an nefarious god known as “The One Who Waits”. The aim is to venture out into a procedurally generated woodland, build a base, build a flock of followers and then destroy those who follow false prophets. It’s an arrestingly charming game that has received some glowing previews in recent months. Cult of the Lamb will be recruiting you as its follower on August 11th when it arrives on PC via Steam and consoles.
Immortality by Half Mermaid – August 30th, 2022
After Sam Barlow took the industry by storm with his FMV evolving indie games ‘Her Story’ and ‘Telling Lies‘, I think a fair chunk of the industry were eagerly waiting whatever came next. That next project, in collaboration with Allan Scott, Amelia Gray, and Barry Gifford, is ‘Immortal’. Once again, the game centres around viewing and investigating video footage. In this instance, it’s content from the three unreleased films starring the fictional actress Marissa Marcel. Marcel is missing and the solution to the mystery around her disappearance lies somewhere in clips from her movies, as well as behind-the-scenes production footage and television and interview clips. It’s your job to put it all together. Check it out on August 30th, 2022.
Slaycation Paradise by Affordable Acquisition – August 18th, 2022
When I first saw this trailer for Slaycation Paradise, I paused it around the 1 minute mark and rewound it to make sure I’d read what I thought I’d read. “Horse Dong”. Clear as day. A baseball bat sized horse phallus isn’t the only quirky weapon you’ll be wielding in this game either. We’ll be slaying around the state-of-the-art facility at Slaycation Paradise with a magic wand, a mini-gun and a cat firing weapon called “The Pussminator”. Wild. This twin-stick shooter title looks like a whole lot of brain-out fun. You’ll find it on PC via Steam and on consoles on August 18th, 2022.
South of the Circle by State of Play – August 3rd, 2022
An emotional narrative experience, South of the Circle from State of Play has already seen a successful release on iOS. Screen Rant said “It takes players on an emotional rollercoaster filled with unforgettable moments that tug at the player’s heartstrings”. Those are feelings shared by our man Rossko who’s currently playing the game to review it: “Striking visuals and a narrative that, while shorter than its counterparts, can absolutely stand up next to the likes of Edith Finch and Gone Home. It’s Antarctica setting gives a new home for a narrative driven experience, one is reminded of Lake when exploring the small but engrossing locations. A Cold-War era experience unlike any other, it’s certainly one to keep an eye on“. South of the Circle is expanding its horizons by launching on PC via Steam and consoles on August 3rd, 2022.
Scathe by Damage State – August 31st, 2022
Here’s how I imagine Scathe came to be – Doom, Tower of Guns and a procedurally generated roguelike all got into those telepods from the movie The Fly and fired it up. The resulting mangle of games became Scathe. It promises frenetic run-and-gun action as you use a lethal arsenal of weaponry on the legions of Hell while attempting to survive bullet hell. Struggling? Call in a friend for Drop In/Out multiplayer. I don’t tend to gush over high quality products coming from small teams but I’ll indulged myself this once – British developers Damage State are just 3 people, all ex-AAA developers. It’s incredible to see such a promising game with such high production values coming from such a small group. There’s some buzz about this game in the Finger Guns team and rightfully so. We’ll be able to get our hands on the finished article on August 31st, 2022 via Steam and consoles.
Rollerdrome by Roll7 – August 16th, 2022.
Rossko said everything that could be said about Rollerdrome in his preview, but I’ll have a bash at adding my 10 pence. Imagine Death Race meets Tony Hawks Pro Skater and then sprinkle on that tell-tale Roll7 charm and you’ve got an incredibly enticing package that only this team could make. The game looks stunning, by all accounts plays like a dream and for those of you with a PlayStation Plus Premium Subscription, you’ll be able to dive in on launch date for no extra cost. Roll7 don’t miss, in my opinion, and this is certainly shaping up to be yet another banger from the talented British studio.
So, that’s this month’s of indie games to look forward to. Have we missed a game you’re excited about? What to put a game on our radar? Hit the comments section and sound off.
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