17 Indie Games To Be Excited About During August 2024
The summer has finally thought of bringing the weather along with it. But that doesn’t matter to us gamers though as we’re all staying inside enjoying all the indie games, right? A couple of you? Me included? Alright. Well, the indie train stops off almost every month, but first, let’s look back at July. Finger Guns covered a bunch of July’s best with the deceptively creative SCHiM, the enraging kick ’em up Anger Foot, the laidback slice of life The Garden Path and much more, making it yet another great month for indie games.
There’s something fun for everyone this month and dare I say an exceptionally bright and colourful one – very summery. If killer comedies or actual killer comedies are your vibe; thinking tactically deep in the West or with some wizardry in your bulletproof vest is more your style, then we have a whole bunch of indie games for you. So without further ado, here are 17 indie games to be excited about during August 2024.
Valley Peaks by Tub Club – 24th July 2024
Made by the two person team at Tub Club, Valley Peaks sees you assuming the role of a frog whose job is to climb up all the summits in a mountainous paradise to help signal boost the radio. The game is in first person and each trigger (on a controller) represents each arm you can climb with. Your amphibious limbs stretch far but there is real emphasis on the physics and momentum you build whilst climbing.
Set in an open world, exploration is a key factor in the brilliance of Valley Peaks. Alongside all the charming locals you’ll meet and clubs to partake in you’ll be overall enjoying the ascent to the tallest peak. Valley Peaks is out now on PC.
Thank Goodness You’re Here! by Coal Supper – 1st August 2024
During their interview for Edge Magazine (#392), the two-person team at Coal Supper points to various British comedy institutes. Names like Aardman, Beano, Viz and Monty Python were cited as comical references to what is starting to be commonly known as a slapformer for their new title Thank Goodness You’re Here! The game takes a sketch show approach by delicately crafting scenarios for your lemon-headed protagonist to find themselves in. Giving equal parts hilarity and platforming.
During the game, you’ll meet the colourful cast of characters and locations inspired by their hometown in Yorkshire, usually helping them with their odd jobs to progress. Thank Goodness You’re Here! may appear to be a frivolous platformer, but Coal Supper promises to bring a spiralling narrative you’ll want to see till the end. Thank Goodness You’re Here! is out today on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Closer the Distance by Osmotic Studios – 2nd August 2024
Closer the Distance has been one on my wishlist for a while. Despite the game’s subject matter, the cosy style looks like it’ll be a big hug. Following a tragic car accident rocking the town of Yesterby, you play as Angela, a young woman who uses her ethereal abilities to connect the town and decide their fate with tough choices.
Whilst the game sounds like a downer, the warm visuals and uplifting empathetic look at relationships aim to bring some happiness in the face of tragedy. Unearthing long-kept secrets, repairing strained relationships and helping loved ones move on with laid-back point-and-click gameplay. Closer the Distance will release on PlayStation 5 & 4, Xbox Series X|S & One and PC.
Creatures of Ava by Inverge Studios – 7th August 2024
Creatures of Ava isn’t about capturing animals but rather taming and working together. With the help of your recently befriended creatures, you’ll explore new lands thanks to your friends’ abilities. Featuring loads of biomes with a focus on explorative gameplay, your bonds to grow with your tamed creatures. These bonds create unique abilities that’ll hopefully save the world.
Creatures of Ava looks absolutely stunning with the promise to deliver a heartfelt narrative. You play as Vic, a nature adventurer studying a recurring infection known as “the withering” that’s affecting the wildlife. Co-created by Rhianna Pratchett, the story is full of mystery to uncover and we can’t wait to jump in and explore all the wonderful elements the game has to offer. Creatures of Ava will release on Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Preserve by Bitmap Galaxy – 8th August 2024
With some time in Steam Early Access to refine the game’s systems, Preserve has been likened to a similar hexagonal strategy game, Dorfromantik. If Preserve is making those kinds of comparisons then it’s a great sign that it might be just a grand time. The main theme of the game is harmony as you create living biomes across your hexagonal lands.
Working in tandem with each other to support each other’s ecosystems, Preserve will give you full creative control in what is ultimately a relaxing experience. If the strategy of the main mode is laid back enough for you, players can jump into a creative mode to make their land how they see fit, and take sweet pictures of your biomes in the game’s photo mode. Preserve will release on PC
Arcade Paradise VR by Nosebleed Interactive – 8th August 2024
One of Finger Guns’ games of the year is back and now in VR! That’s right, Arcade Paradise is taking the laundrette-turned-arcade into the next big VR experience. Including six new exclusive cabinets for the VR mode, as well as the ability to play the other games too.
Starting off as a humble laundrette that could, you’ll graft, manage and maintain your humble washing abode to house some of the coolest games from the ’90s, creating a wonderful empire of video games. We here at the team cannot wait to jump in and check out paradise. Arcade Paradise VR will release on PSVR2 and is out now on Meta Quest.
The Crush House by Nerial – 9th August 2024
Coming out of its announcement swinging during the Devolver Direct 2024, The Crush House looks to have way more to offer than what it shows on the surface. You’re at the helm of the popular 1999 reality show, The Crush House. Pick your favourite cast, manipulate situations to wow audiences and do everything you can to keep the show on the air or else face sinister consequences.
You play as Jae, who has scored the job of her dreams producing each season of The Crush House. When you’re not delivering what the audience wants each episode, you’ll explore the house at night and learn all the dark secrets from the cast mates. Devolver has garnered a reputation for knowing what to publish, so I have every faith in The Crush House absolutely delivering on the weird concepts it’s presenting, and we can’t wait to be Big Brother. The Crush House will release on PC.
Leximan by Knights of Borria – 13th August 2024
Leximan is a wonderful wizarding adventure that sees you using your words in a spellbinding way. You’ve just so happened to be enrolled into the most prestigious magic school: Academy Elementia. Here you’ll learn the magic of Leximancy a stupendous branch of magic that makes players use their entire lexicon of vocabulary to spellcast. After the school is attacked by a nefarious evil, it is up to you, a basement-dwelling spell caster to save the entire school from being taken over.
The game has a very irreverent style that really makes me look to games like Undertale and Eastward if I were to compare. It has very oddball humour and a really crunchy-looking pixel art style where your words are the key to combat encounters. Leximan will release on PC.
Farewell North by Kyle Banks – 15th August 2024
If you’ve ever thought about what it’d be like to be a border collie (I’m aware how niche that is, but there are probably a few of you) then look no further than Farewell North. You play as a border collie alongside their human companion to restore the colour back to the barren land for your human. Through exploration, you’ll be learning glimpses of the character’s past in a bittersweet story about how to say farewell. Inspired by the Scottish highlands and the archipelagos of Orkney and St.Kilda, the handcrafted environments create a great variety of gameplay with a distinct art style to enjoy. Farewell North will release on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
I Am Your Beast by Strange Scaffold – 15th August 2024
Back-to-back games from Strange Scaffold over the past two months. I Am Your Beast won’t see you clicking a tally counter but rather clicking heads. The game is a run-based FPS that rewards the most creative killers in intricately designed levels of chaos. Games like XIII, Max Payne and even a little Timesplitters come to mind when watching the gameplay and it looks absolutely visceral.
Retired agent Alphonse Harding is thrown back into the fray for saying no too many times to new work – someone needs to learn some work boundaries. With over 20 levels, fully voiced and yet another bumping soundtrack for RJ Lake, I Am Your Beast looks to be action-packed. I Am Your Beast will release on PC.
Just Crow Things by Unbound Creations – 15th August 2024
Much like Untitled Goose Game and Little Kitty, Big City, Just Crow Things is the latest in the random animal in a sandbox doing silly things genre. From the makers of of Rain On Your Parade comes a level-based sandbox Crow simulator; you’ll be pooping on humans, grabbing on their shiny items and creating friendships with other animals. Doing random tasks across the levels will build up your Crowputation, unlocking new modes, outfits and more. Testing your intelligence, skill and randomness, Just Crow Things just looks like a cutesy delight from start to finish. The game will release on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Later on PlayStation.
Arco by Fanek, Bibiki, Max Cahill and Fáyer – 15th August 2024
I learned how special Arco was going to be thanks to IGN’s preview of the game a few months ago. The preview praised the game’s fresh perspective for a familiar Western setting, grand storytelling and tactile gameplay and it instantly shot up to one of this year’s must-plays.
Going through multiple storylines and exploring a breathtaking world, you’ll be faced with some intense tactical RPG scenarios against some of the West’s worst evils. Not everything is too tense though, as Arco features a vibrant pixel art style and an engrossing soundtrack to get lost in the wild, wild West. Arco will release on Nintendo Switch and PC.
Castaway by Canari Games – 16th August 2024
Castaway, quite simply, looks like a retro delight. Easily something for fans of old skool Zeldas as Castaway sees you exploring an island after crash landing your spaceship. Retrieve your weapons, explore the numerous dungeons, defeat bosses to ultimately save your dog. The game looks vibrant with a nostalgic framework and features a chiptune soundtrack to delight retro fans. With a pacifist mode taking out the enemies and a survivor mode to see you fight waves of them instead, Castaway looks to have a seemingly robust offering outside of its story. Castaway will release on PlayStation 5 & 4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Dustborn by Red Thread Games – 20th August 2024
Dustborn is a story-driven action adventure where your character’s bat isn’t her only weapon. You play as Pax, a con artist who has the unique ability to weaponise her words. Pax and her ragtag crew have been hired to transport precious cargo across country, so what better cover to have than being a band on tour? Exploring an alternate history version of America, you’ll be building your relationships, completing missions and defining the story with your choices. It appears there’s a huge attention to detail in Dustborn’s world, giving it a lived-in feeling for players to immerse themselves in. On top of that, the game has an awesome cel-shaded art style with a diverse cast of characters to embrace. Dustborn will release on PlayStation 5 & 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC.
Tactical Breach Wizards by Suspicious Developments – 22nd August 2024
Hogwarts would have been a whole different battlefield if they were suited and booted in bulletproof vests and guns. Probably would have made for a lot fewer books too… Anyway, let’s move on from fantasy to more… fantasy! Tactical Breach Wizards sees you assuming the role of an elite task force of Wizards infiltrating multiple scenarios in tactical turn-based gameplay. Combine your team’s spells for unique outcomes, reverse time when mistakes are made and upgrade your magical arsenal to be the ultimate task force. This was a Miles favourite during his demo impressions and has been a Finger Guns one to watch for years. Tactical Breach Wizards will release on PC.
Crypt Custodian by Kyle Thompson – 27th August 2024
Kyle Thompson has been making some really fun and visually stunning Metroidvanias over the past few years. With the release of Sheepo and Islets showcasing his innate skill in the respective genre, why not go three for three with Crypt Custodian? This time around, however, we’re seeing a shift in perspective as Crypt Custodian is an isometric experience. The change in direction gives us an even better look at Thompson’s lovely painterly art style, as well as changing the approach to combat.
You play as Pluto, a cat who’s recently arrived in the afterlife to clean up the place. As the afterworld’s janitor, you’ll be hanging out with fellow doomed souls, exploring a vast and interconnected landscape and discovering all the secrets the afterworld holds. During your trips into the dungeons of the game, you’ll be finding new abilities to help you with your travels and combat – all in the name of defeating the epic bosses that lie in the darkest corners. Crypt Custodian will release on PlayStation 5 & 5, Xbox Series X|S & One, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Gori: Cuddly Carnage by Angry Demon Studios – 29th August 2024
Gori: Cuddly Carnage is a third-person action game that I can only really compare to Devil May Cry meets Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. As your ship crash lands on a planet full of zombie-like monsters plaguing the planet, Gori tries to find a new ship. The journey is filled with hacking and slashing in virtuoso style, using combos and skate traversal to really be a cat with claws. If that’s not enough convincing, you can read Miles’ preview too. Gori: Cuddly Carnage will release on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Let us know what indie games you’re excited to pick up out of this list. Every game’s date is subject to change and as always you can reach out to us at hello@fingerguns.net, or on our socials if you have indies to showcase for August. Until next month!
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