15* Indie Games To Be Excited About During December 2024
Hello everyone, it’s every gamers’ favourite time of the year and the busiest for those who cover them. That’s right, the holiday gaming season is upon us, and with that, some of the biggest releases are either out or right around the corner. Annual shooters, large-scale RPGs, blockbuster adventures, and probably even a next-gen re-release that no one asked for sit at the bottom of my nice list because, as always, the indies are on top.
I may come across as curmudgeonly with that introduction but for good reason! I didn’t get to tell you about some of the best indie games in November. To rectify that, I’ve added some that I want to draw your attention to, as well as have a nice selection box of December indies to unwrap. Amid the end-of-year chaos the team and I still managed to deliver some great reviews like Kat’s first 10, I Am Future, alongside the darkly comic The Rise of the Golden Idol and the dazzling hard-boiled-egg noir Chicken Police: Into the Hive.
We’re closing out the year as we have every month so far: with a bunch of eclectic bangers. Whether it’s some breakneck platforming that’ll put the pop in your Christmas cracker, or a folk horror to keep you up a night (and not the excitement of a man in red dropping off some presents), December looks to be delivering all of the surprises. So without further ado, it’s my pleasure to give you 2024’s final list of indie games to be excited about.
Death of the Reprobate by Joe Richardson – Out Now
When I say this may be the silliest game you’ll play this year, I mean that with sincerity and love for what is Death of the Reprobate. It’s a point-and-click puzzler that has reappropriated Renaissance-era paintings to create an absurd and oftentimes satirical game. You play the last surviving heir of Immortal John, summoned to hear his dying wish. Long story short, you’re not very nice, so now you’ve been tasked to do better and be an upstanding member of society as you adventure through town, talk to the locals and experience the simple pleasures — like a butt joke taken with the utmost seriousness. Death of the Reprobate is out now on PC.
The Rise of the Golden Idol by Color Gray Games – Out Now
You can check out my review for this one but essentially The Rise of the Golden Idol is a sequel set 700 years after the events of The Case of the Golden Idol. It’s a charming yet absurd point-and-click detective game that centres around the mysterious Golden Idol. There’s no explaining the powers it contains, only that people will always seemingly go doolally for it, causing a spring of murders, thefts and general debauchery to harness its ability. With 20 cases for you to solve, you’ll be detecting, deducing and getting to the bottom of a well-written red-string-laden mystery. The Rise of the Golden Idol is out now on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch.
Sorry We’re Closed by à la mode games – Out Now
A lo-fi retro-inspired survival horror with a punk aesthetic is just about as me as you can get, so I am truly beside myself that I’ve not thus far been able to play it. However, Sorry We’re Closed is just as I described and then some as it has an undeniable attitude and a thought-provoking story to make it one of the most interesting releases in the survival horror genre this year. You follow the final days of Michelle as she fights to break a curse placed on her by a love-seeking demon.
Because you’re so close to hell (not talking about London, though it is set there) you’ll be able to utilise your Third Eye ability to attack demon-enemy weak points with your underworld weapon and travel through both planes seamlessly. With fixed camera angles, resource management and engaging puzzles Sorry We’re Closed ticks all the boxes of the genre with style. The game is out now on PC.
Threshold by Julien Eveillé – Out Now
A short atmospheric horror that I was holding my breath for finally released in November. Threshold has an interesting premise where you’re a person working a train stop at high altitudes with only a limited amount of breath to perform your job. Why the train goes to such heights, what’s in the trains themselves is unknown, you’re just told to keep your head down, your breathing at a minimum and do a good job.
You’ll be blowing a whistle to keep the train on schedule but as you can guess that uses the only resource keeping you alive. There’s also a strange mechanic that alters the difficulty depending on what country of origin you pick for your character. Will you uncover the mystery atop the mountains? Threshold is out now on PC.
Loco Motive by Robust Games – Out Now
If you’re looking for a point-and-click adventure with punchy comedy like the greats from LucasArts, look no further than Loco Motive. Set in the 1930s, the game follows the story of an infallibly moral lawyer, a crime writer turned amateur detective and an undercover spy all embroiled in a murder mystery on a train. You’ll play all three of the characters as you get to the bottom of the murder, whether it’s the traditional point-and-click way or direct control.
Chock-full of slapstick comedy, intricate puzzles and enough twists to get you spinning, Loco Motive is fully voice-acted with a lush pixel art style, as well as music from Paul Zimmermann (Wildfrost and Space Haven). One great feature in the game is a telephone helpline that can assist in solving any puzzle you’re stuck on, so you won’t need to scratch your head or look it up on Google. Loco Motive is out now on Nintendo Switch and PC.
Antonblast by Summitsphere – 3rd December 2024
Much like last year’s Pizza Tower, Antonblast is an explosive 2D platformer that takes heavy inspiration from the Gameboy Advance era of games. Think of Warioland 4 but now Wario has an even more evil cousin known as Dynamite Anton. With Dynamite’s Mighty F’in Hammer, you’ll be blasting the levels to bits in a fast-paced fashion, taking on screen-filling bosses and taking back your Spirits from Satan. The game looks colourful, bashful and dare I say a blast to play. Antonblast will release on PC on the 3rd with a Nintendo Switch release shortly after.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes by SIMOGO – 3rd December 2024
I put Lorelei and the Laser Eyes’ initial release in May’s indie game list, which if you can think back so long ago you’ll remember just how stacked with releases we all were. Amongst them was this enigmatic noir puzzler where the less said about it and the more played the better. With award shows nominating the game and being at the top of your favourite writer’s favourite games of the year, I think that just about sells why you should pick it up when it comes to PlayStation this month.
Developed by Simogo (Sayonara Wild Hearts), you play as a woman who has been summoned by an eccentric man to an old hotel in a European city. As you seek answers to your invite, you become embroiled in a lot more than you’ve bargained for when things get surreal and even dangerous. The game is a non-linear mystery with a bunch of hand-crafted puzzles that’ll be sure to flip your noggin’, but every discovery leads you closer to cracking the mystery behind Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. The game is out now on PC and will release on PlayStation.
Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island by Polygon Treehouse – 5th December 2024
After playing Röki earlier this year, my excitement for Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island has only doubled since last mentioning the game on our annual indie list back in January. Not to mention that indie game enthusiast and Bluesky celebrity (as well as Creative Director at Polygon Treehouse) Alex Kanaris-Sotiriou, has been filling his audience in with enough teasers to start a selection box. You play as amateur backpacker Alex, as they take a much-needed break from the banality of modern life. Things take a turn, however, as Alex ends up shipwrecked on Ambrosia Island – a place of sunshine and mythology, oh yeah and it’s also home to the Greek Gods.
The game is a sandbox adventure that connects you with all the island’s inhabitants, seeking lost treasure and returning memories to form stronger bonds. The game is full of puzzles to solve tied to a dynamic day/night cycle, with an emphasis on universal themes and aversion to violence, making sure everyone can enjoy it. Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island will release on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Symphonia by Sunny Peak – 5th December 2024
Symphonia is a non-violent platformer that takes you across a beautiful orchestral world. You play as a violinist, brought back to life to a world in decline. Your objective is to get the band (orchestra) back together as other musicians have either vanished or become distant from each other. Break the silence, bring life to the world’s machinery through intricate puzzle platforming and play the encore. With a soundtrack made just for Symphonia using a live orchestra, you’ll play concerts with different sections as you create magic. Symphonia will release on PC.
Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop by Beard Envy – 5th December 2024
PC Gamer has described Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop as an interactive, deadlier episode of Regular Show. If you’ve been under a rock or pride yourself on being “too old” for shows on Cartoon Network then, firstly, you’re missing out not only on an apt comparison but also on some great TV. That’s right, visually Uncle Chop’s is something you’d change the channel to on a Saturday morning, where you’d get maybe 16 minutes of an episode, followed by the dirge of capitalistic intent of advertisement. Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop is the perfect remedy, as it satirises capitalism and looks fun doing so, as you run a service station on an unfrequented asteroid.
Each customer you meet is rich with oddities about them that’ll make you chuckle. As well as featuring a great deal of creative minigames that mimic the work you need to do for customers. From simple refuel jobs to total overhauls, get ready to frantically fumble, slice, loosen, tighten, grab and drop – all in a day’s work. There’s a core roguelike element to the game that sees you paying R.E.N.T. Failure in that terminates your run, but hopefully, the upgrades you buy along the way will make each run easier. Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop will release on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Chrono Sword (Early Access) by 21c.Ducks – 6th December 2024
I’ve kept an eye on this for a while. I know it’s not a 1.0 release but I’m just excited for people to check it out. Take Bloodborne, Hyper Light Drifter and Chrono Trigger and you’ve got the makings of Chrono Sword. The game is an isometric souls-like RPG crafted around time travel – I told you, Chrono Trigger! Traverse through the past and future as you uncover the mystery behind the world. Details are quite light but it has a delightful pixel art style and looks to have some intense combat. Chrono Sword will release on Steam Early Access.
Among Ashes by Rat Cliff Games – 9th December 2024
This was a highlight during The Indie Horror Showcase. Enigmatic, creepy and lo-fi is just enough to get my interest piqued. Among Ashes is a first-person horror game about a horror game. After your friend sends you a link to a game that was posted online, you give it a spin only to realise there’s more to offer than some cheap thrills. Something is terribly wrong but your only instructions are to “KEEP PLAYING”. Set in the 2000s, you’ll be exploring your apartment as dark entities start haunting you as well as playing the game called Night Call, which thrusts you into an old manor to solve puzzles and survive. Among Ashes will release on PlayStation and PC.
The Spirit of the Samurai by Digital Mind Games – 12th December 2024
After a village suffers an attack from demons, samurai Takeshi reanimates to take on the Oni army to stop them from total devastation. Takeshi isn’t alone, however, as he’s joined by a cat and a spirit who’ll both aid his journey against the underworld. The game is a 2D action adventure that has a distinct stop-motion art style that brings the character models to life.
The technique used for such an effect was to take the game’s 60 frames drop it to 24 and splice between the two frames. Combat is tough as you use the right stick directionally to attack how you want and pull off combos that you design. I had a lot of fun with the demo when I played it at EGX 2023 so it’s a delightful surprise to see that this is only around the corner. The Spirit of the Samurai will release on PlayStation, Xbox and PC.
10 Dead Doves by Duonix Studios – 13th December 2024
After an incredibly successful Kickstarter and critical acclaim during its previews, 10 Dead Doves is looking to instil an original fright to a beloved genre. You play as Marcus Stetson – described as the most pathetic man on earth – as he’s on one of his latest backpacking trips across the Appalachian Trail, with his lifelong friend Sean. The pair are on one last hurrah as they look for the most elusive urban legend – the Ant Farm.
However, Marcus sees cryptic messages in his dreams from a haunting bird-like figure, testing his wits and will to carry on. The game uses fixed-perspective camera angles, 00s-inspired 3D graphics and fully voice-acted characters to tell a rich horrific mystery of mortal terror. 10 Dead Doves will release on PC.
On Your Tail by Memorable Games – 16th December 2024
Being cordially invited to a perfect getaway in Italy’s Borgo Marina sounds great, but the trip doesn’t come for free as there are a ton of mysteries to solve on your vacation. You play as Diana, an amateur writer who’s taken a break after her latest piece was rejected. Things don’t take long for Diana’s trip to Italy to take a turn though as a thief causes mayhem amongst the locals. With your detective tools and charm to befriend locals, you’ll spend a lot of time getting to know everyone, take a break with some fun activities and piece clues together to get to the bottom of the mystery. On Your Tail will release on PC this month and later on Nintendo Switch.
And breathe… What a year it’s been. I genuinely thought we peaked in 2023 but alas 2024 has been yet another strong year for indie games. Thank you for joining me on these (mostly) monthly lists, I hope you’ve found some of your favourites from these posts. Let us know what indie games you’re excited to pick up from this list. Always worth mentioning that every game’s release 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 February. Until next year!
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