14 Indie Games To Get Excited About During March 2023
2023 has already been an incredibly strong year for indie games with the likes of A Space For The Unbound, Blackfirewall, Ten Dates and The Pale Beyond being heaped with critical praise. In March, you can expect a number of names to join the list of ‘must play’ indie games from 2023.
Lovecraftian sailing, unique boomer shooters to mature visual novels and darkly rich soulslikes, March 2023 has a bunch of exciting indie games to sink our teeth into. We’re here to highlight 14 of our favourites to ensure they’re on your radar.
Here are 14 indie games launching during March 2023 to get excited about.
The Wreck by The Pixel Hunt – March 14th
‘Bury Me, My Love’ is a beautiful and powerful title. After it took the game industry’s collective breath away in 2019, many of us wondered what would be next for developers Pixel Hunt. The answer to that question is “The Wreck”, a mature visual novel about sisterhood, motherhood, grief and survival. Players follow failed screenwriter Junon as she attempts to make it through the most pivotal day in her life. Junon’s life is already in tatters – her career has stalled, she’s emotionally numb, and her personal life is falling apart – but this all comes into sharp focus when she’s called to the ER to find her estranged mother in a critical condition. It’s a unique storyline for gaming, promising powerful emotional moments, which were apprehensively excited to get our hands on here at Finger Guns. The Wreck is launching on PC via Steam, Xbox consoles, Nintendo Switch and on PlayStation on March 14th.
DECEIVE INC. by Sweet Bandits – March 21st
What happens when you blend social deduction games like Among Us with the disguise aspects of the Assassins’ Creed multiplayer modes and a fresh modern art style? You get DECEIVE INC., developed by Sweet Bandits. A multiplayer game of subterfuge, you play as an agent in the titular company that’s hired to do jobs. But you’re not alone. Other agents will by vying for the same objective. It’s your job to stealth, skill and snoop your way to victory by being the agent that fulfils the objective. This game looks like a lot of fun, especially when played with friends. While DECIEVE INC. is aiming to launch on PlayStation, Xbox and PC via Steam and EGS on March 21st, you’ll be able to get your hands on the game earlier. On March 10th, there’s going to be an open beta. Maybe we’ll see you on there – or if we’re good at the game, maybe you won’t.
DREDGE by Black Salt Games – March 30th
It’s no understatement when I say that everyone at Finger Guns is excited to play Dredge. From Black Salt Games, hailing from New Zealand, Dredge is a game about fishing. The kicker here is that the game has a sinister undercurrent and a Lovecraftian edge. In the game, you take up the vacant position of fisherman’s captain at the town of Greater Marrow, a dingy little place hidden away in an archipelago. While you’ll be serving the town by bringing them fish, you’ll also be uncovering the creepy mysteries that are nestled around the islands. Don’t stay out on the seas after night though, or your sanity might be forfeit. Dredge is coming to PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One & Xbox Series.
King of the Castle by Tributary Games – March 2nd
Managing a medieval kingdom isn’t something new for indie games – Reigns and The King’s Dilemma have been doing it well for a while – but I bet you’ve never had to manage your fiefdom while your friends plot against you. That’s the concept of King of the Castle from Tributary Games, a multiplayer narrative experience where you might lose your head, and maybe a friend of two. For between 3 and 24 players, one player takes the role of the monarch while the others (joining via Browser) play nobles in your court. As the royal, you’ll be making choices for your kingdom while you nobles vote to help you, or bid against you in a regicidal plot. It all sounds pretty interesting and is sure to spice up a game night. King of the Castle launches on PC via Steam on March 2nd.
Bleak Faith: Forsaken by Archangel Studios – March 10th
Bleak Faith Forsaken has got to be one of the most impressive-looking post-souls Soulslikes we’ve seen since the sub-genre exploded. A brutal post-apocalyptic world, full of fallen sci-fi monstrosities, players will get to explore the Omnistructure – search any route from the very beginning and defeat the hellspawn lurking at its end. Somehow combining multiple styles of combat, evoking Elden Ring, Control, Shadows of the Colossus, Death Stranding and more, what’s even more ridiculous is this is coming from just a three-person team of developers. If nothing else the art direction on display is rich with macabre storytelling, but let’s hope the combat and world match up when Bleak Faith Forsaken emerges on PC via Steam on March 10th.
Hell of an Office by 43 Studios – March 14th
Ever felt like your work office is the literal embodiment of Hell as lava slowly creeps up from below you as the minutes agonisingly tick by? Same. Hell of an Office brings that excite premise to life, requiring you use your trusty stapler to rocket propel yourself across platforms, dashing and 360 spinning as you go. Channeling supersonic speeds, ridiculous tricks and a mastery of each level to utilise shortcuts for the best possible times, it’s shaping up to be a frantic and adrenaline-pumping ride of platforming and time-sensitive challenges. If only 9-5 jobs had this kind of energy pulsing approach. Minus the lethal lack of job security, obviously.
Tchia by Awaceb – March 21st
We’ve been following Tchia here at Finger Guns for years because it has all the hallmarks of an indie classic. Firstly, it’s inspired by the culture of New Caledonia, a rarity in itself. Secondly, the game looks absolutely stunning. It looks vibrant, colourful and incredibly easy on the eye. Lastly, there’s the hook – in Tchia, you can take control of any animal or object you can find. Want to fly around the archipelago as a bird? Go for it. Want to roll around on the beach as a coconut? Yup, why not. It’s a really interesting aspect that means that Tchia is my personally most anticipated game on this list. What’s more, it’s coming to PlayStation Plus in March. What a treat.
The Last Spell by Ishtar Games – March 9th
Having seen the benefit of 18 months of early access development, the tactical roguelike RPG The Last Spell is launching into its 1.0 version on Steam on March 9th alongside console versions. In this game, your aim is to protect a group of mages attempting to cast the titular last spell which will banish all magic from the realm. At night, the monsters come out and attempt to stop the casting. It’s your job to manage your base, build defences and then take your heroes into battle against the hordes that are bearing down on you. The Last Spell has already achieved ‘very positive’ reviews on Steam with more than 6,000 reviews, so it’ll be interesting to see this unique take on the genre hit consoles in March.
Hellscreen by Jamie D – March 9th
The inspirations behind retro infused shooter Hellscreen are immediately apparent – Doom, Quake and the boomer shooters of yore – but this title has a few innovative aspects worthy of note. Firstly, there’s the art style. By using cyan and red as the main colour palette, the game invokes a DOS era vibe while using the contrast to great effect. The second boon for Hellscreen is that it is the first and only shooter with a rear view mirror. No more being caught from behind by some pesky enemies; you can spot them via the mirror and 360 no scope the snot out of them. We’ve been following Hellscreen for a while – we even interviewed the one man team behind the game (an interview which is unfortunately lost to silicon heaven) – and are excited for the first chapter of this game to launch via Steam on March 9th.
Terminal Velocity: Boosted Edition by Terminal Reality – March 14th
The original Terminal Velocity was one of the first games I ever truly loved. I was 9 when I first played it and the way the game controlled, with the lack of inertia meaning the ship can move, turn and spin so rapidly, blew my tiny little mind. Almost 30 years later, the original developers are back, in conjunction with Ziggurat, to give this 90s classic the spit shine it deserves. Larger draw distance, reduced polygon jitter and improved 360 degree sound are just some of the modern day improvements being made for Terminal Velocity: Boosted Edition. If, like me, you’re itching for a speed boost of nostalgia, look out for this game when it launches on PC via Steam and EGS, with a console release planned for a later date.
Clash: Artefacts of Chaos by ACE Team – March 9th
ACE Team have really made a name for themselves for making quirky and unique titles like The Eternal Cylinder, Rock of Ages and, of course, the Zeno Clash games. Their latest title Clash: Artefacts of Chaos might be their most eccentric – but by golly does it look good. In this game you play as a bizarre-looking martial arts master called Pseudo who lives as a recluse in the land of Zenozoik. Pseudo comes into contact with a small creature who’s being hunted by the forces of Mistress of the Artifacts and decides to protect him. Thus, the pair begin a perilous quest to the edges of the strange lands. Boasting customisable, fast and flowing combat, Clash: Artefacts of Chaos looks jam packed with action to match the off-kilter charm that the punk fantasy art style brings to the table. This is certainly one to keep your eye on when it launches on PC via Steam and consoles on March 9th.
Brok the Investigator by COWCAT Games – March 1st
So, including Brok the Investigator on this list of upcoming indie games is a bit of a cheat because technically, the game is out on Steam right now. Why is it in this list then? Well, we’ll take any opportunity to talk about this innovative point and click meets beat ’em up hybrid. The opportunity this time is the launch of the console versions of this game. In Brok the Investigator, you play as the titular reptile as he sleuths and punches his way around a light cyberpunk work filled with anthropomorphised characters. When investigating the tragic nature around his ex-wife’s death, he uncovers some alarming secrets. This game has already achieved that fabled “Overwhelmingly Positive” review status on Steam. In a few short days, console players will be able to find out what all the fuss is about.
P.S. If you pre-order the game on PlayStation or Switch, you can get 20% off the game too.
Before Your Eyes VR by GoodbyeWorld Games – March 10th
One of the unfortunate realities of being a critic is that sometimes, you experience pre-release bugs and glitches that no players ever experience after launch. That was true of my time with the non-VR version of Before Your Eyes when I reviewed it back in 2021. I fell foul of a few visual glitches that were either patched out or were such edge cases that only a tiny number of users ever experienced them. At the time, I gave the game an 8/10 score. If it wasn’t for the glitches, I would have definitely given the game a 9/10. Maybe even a 10/10. In my review, I said that “An imaginative control method is used in ingenious ways to tell an occasionally uplifting but ultimately heart wrenching story. It’s only a few hours long but that’s more than enough time for this game to get under your skin and leave its mark“. On March 10th, that experience is going to become even more immersive with the release of the VR version of the game. Using eye tracking, this game propels you through a story with a blink of an eye – literally. The game progresses when you blink. It’s a technically impressive prospect surrounding a beautifully told story that PSVR 2 owners should absolutely consider on March 10th.
Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom by Maze Theory – March 9th
We’re rounding off this list of indie games with a title that blew my socks off when I played it at EGX in 2022 – Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom. VR games based on TV shows have had varied results in the past, but King’s Ransom looks to be setting a new high bar. The game drops you into the virtual streets of 1920’s Birmingham and London where you’ll come face to well-digitised face of Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and Arthur Shelby (Paul Anderson). The game is a narrative focused title, driving you through an an original story written in collaboration with the Peaky Blinders’ producers, and with series creator and writer Steven Knight. What I’ve played of the game was very impressive, replicating iconic locations from the show in impressive detail. You should check out Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom when it launches on Meta Quest 2 and PICO 4 on 9th March, 2023, by order of… you know the rest.
Have we missed any indie games launching in March 2023 that you’r anticipating? Want to share with us some of your most anticipated indie games? Head to the comments section and have your say.
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