15 Indie Games To Be Excited About During May 2025
We’re nearly halfway through the year, and I already can’t quite keep up with all of the indie games. Is that due in part to the fact that Blue Prince has got me completely lost in the rooms and halls of Mt. Holly? Sure. But there’s also a much larger problem on the horizon – a lot of brilliant titles releasing. Last month, Promise Mascot Agency got a perfect score at Finger Guns with its bombastic and reverent take on the management sim genre. As well as being captured by the picture-esque Lushfoil Photography Sim, amongst others.
As we look forward, the sweeping of genres for indie games is alive and kicking, with some of them kicking more than others – I’m looking at you, despelote. If you’re not up for kicking a football, there’s a few here that look to kick ass instead, with multiple exciting shooters coming from sophmore dev studios, as well as some truly unique releases from indie auteurs. May’s a big one, so without further ado, here are 15 indie games to be excited about during May 2025.
despelote by Julián Cordero and Sebastian Valbuena – 1st May 2025
Despelote has been striking more than just at the back of the net. It’s visually stood out at every showcase it’s appeared in over the last few years, and we’re finally in the 90th minute for its release today. Described as a soccer game about people, Despelote immerses you in the streets and parks of Quito as eight-year-old Julián.
Set during Ecuador’s first good chance at qualifying for the World Cup, you’ll be kicking the ball about with physics-based gameplay in first person, as you cause mischief and interact with your neighbours in a semi-biographical tale of youth. Despelote is out now for PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Shotgun Cop Man by DeadToast Entertainment – 1st May 2025
DeadToast Entertainment came out guns blazing with their debut, My Friend Pedro, a 2D gun-fu shooter that would give Max Payne a run for his painkillers. The follow-up, Shotgun Cop Man, takes you to hell to arrest Satan. Using your dual-wielded weapons, you’ll propel yourself through 150 handcrafted, high-octane levels with precision platforming whilst blasting away demons in the process.
If that’s not enough chaotic action, there’s also user-generated levels, alongside challenge runs like No Damage, Speedrun, and Kill All challenges. Shotgun Cop Man looks to be doubling down on the difficulty that DeadToast Entertainment set out in My Friend Pedro, and we can’t wait to perfect our pew-pewforming – that’s platforming with bullets being fired, in case the awful pun didn’t make it clear. Shotgun Cop Man is out now for PC and Nintendo Switch.
Drop Duchy by Sleepy Mill Studio – 5th May 2025
Have you ever played Tetris and thought to yourself, these blocks shouldn’t disappear, they should build a medieval town and fight off threats to your realm! I know I’ve cast a wide net there, but Drop Duchy is an interesting and unique blend of genres to bring something wholly original.
With a mixture of deckbuilding, rougelite and puzzle mechanics, you’ll build out your realm with different-shaped blocks, clear lines to collect resources and unlock new cards to form more powerful structures to defend yourself against enemy forces. Featuring over 100 missions across three factions with meta progression, Drop Duchy looks to drop real-time strategy, blocky puzzle solving on its head – in a good way, of course. The game is out now for PC.
Deck of Haunts by Mantis – 7th May 2025
We’re all accustomed to walking through haunted houses in video games. Whether it’s the Spencer Mansion or the whole town of Silent Hill that plays as this perfectly constructed horror rollercoaster, we’ve all had our fair share of scares and scraps of fear. But what if you were the one curating this house of terror?
Deck of Haunts lets you do just that as you build out a demonic house to feed helpless humans to a malevolent entity. Curate a deck of cards that you’ll use in rooms of the house to be as efficiently evil as possible. Strategically build your rooms to ensure the heart of the house is protected from the pesky humans, and be your own worst nightmare. Deck of Haunts will release on PC.
Creature Keeper by Fervir Games – 8th May 2025
The monster collecting genre has had a handful of decent indie iterations in the past, Temtem, Casette Beasts to name a couple. However, most have been about capturing them and using them as your conduit of battle. Creature Keeper lets you befriend the cutesy pixel art creatures and fight alongside you in real-time combat.
When you’re not battling to uncover the secrets of a spreading sickness, you’re cultivating your own farm and building relationships with the creatures you have fighting by your side. It looks adorable, it seems to be doing things we’ve seen before in the genre whilst adding a new flair, but overall it appears to be a cosy creature action adventure.
Return of the Savage Planet by Raccoon Logic Studios – 8th May 2025
Yet another follow-up to an indie game hit, Revenge of the Savage Planet is the long-awaited sequel to Journey of the Savage Planet. Full of satire, slapstick sci-fi action and colourful alien planets, you’re set on sticking it to your former boss by gathering as much info and space rocks to return to Earth.
With plants to scan, creatures to discover, caves to spelunk and upgrades to yield, all possible in co-op, might I add, Revenge of the Savage Planet looks to be a wild sci-fi adventure. The game will release on PlayStation 5, Xbox and PC.
Spirit of the North 2 by Infuse Studio – 8th May 2025
A sequel to the acclaimed Spirit of the North, this follow-up takes you on an adventure across a stunning ancient world as you play as a fox with their raven companion by their side. The game promises a big open world to explore as you discover lost legendary guardians to save from a dark shaman.
With multiple biomes with their own visual style and challenges, as well as secrets to discover, Spirit of the North 2 looks to expand on its puzzle-based encounters seen in the original. Also featuring customisation options for your fox to cater to your playstyle, this sequel looks to be an exciting entry for the series. Spirit of the North 2 will release on PlayStation, Xbox and PC.
Empyreal by Silent Games – 8th May 2025
A quote from Wccftech’s preview on the game’s Steam page cites that very few games are willing to ignore the pre-established formula, but Empyreal is supposedly doing just that. The game is an action RPG that propels you to the far corner of the galaxy. An Expedition discovers an unexplored planet where a monolith was built by a lost civilisation, holding only dangers within.
The Expedition is ill-equipped, but with combat, exploration and treasure hunting to have fun with, you may just understand humanity yourself. Pick from three different weapon archetypes, all with their own stylish movesets to master as you learn to parry, deflect and perform perfectly timed attacks. On top of that, you’ll be discovering new armour and modifiers to customise your playstyle to perfection. Empyreal will release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
The Precinct by Fallen Tree Games – 13th May 2025
The Precinct is a top-down sandbox in the style of the original GTAs; however, this time, you’re playing as the cops in Cops and Robbers. You play as rookie cop, Nick Cordell Jr., working the beat as you try to clean up the streets of Averno City. Protecting and serving the law isn’t your only motive, though, as you’re also trying to solve your Dad’s murder in the line of duty.
An ode to classic cop movies, The Precinct is drenched in neo-noir style with its aesthetic throwbacks to the ’80s. Get stuck into thrilling car chases, shootouts, maybe even a bank heist if the city’s gangs have gotten brave. The Precinct will release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Labyrinth Of The Demon King by J. R. Hudepohl – 13th May 2025
Labyrinth Of The Demon King is a first-person survival horror inspired by some PS1 classics. Set in Feudal Japan, you play as a lone soldier seeking revenge on a demon for killing your lord. You’ll be infiltrating the castle and fighting off the horrors lurking within until you reach the top.
With methodical combat, keeping track of your stamina and resources and some classic style puzzles, Labyrinth Of The Demon King looks to be a thrilling love letter to horror classics that it’s inspired by. The game will release on PlayStation 5/4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Into the Restless Ruins by Ant Workshop – 15th May 2025
Deckbuilders and roguelikes are plentiful, sometimes even seen in the same game, but Into the Restless Ruins has found a new and exciting way to keep the genre refreshing. Your deck of cards contain structures of a dungeon that you create before fighting through it every night.
Battling through it rewards you with Glimmer, a currency that can improve your deck and give you better rooms and corridors, hopefully getting you to the end to fight The Warden. With a world rooted in Scottish folklore and Celtic legends, from witches, faeries and even the Maiden with her connection to the Harvests – also playable in Scottish Gaelic. Into the Restless Ruins will release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Fretless – The Wrath of Riffson by Ritual Studios – 22nd May 2025
A rocking turn-based RPG where you wield powerful instruments, gather powerful riff attacks and save the land from Rick Riffson’s musical monsters. You play as Rob, a musician trying to restore the out of tune world to restore harmony.
Our own Miles had a great time with the Steam Next Fest Demo earlier this year, enjoying the punchy QTE-focused turn-based battles and the stellar soundtrack enveloping the game. Fretless – The Wrath of Riffson will release on PC.
Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping by Happy Broccolli Games – 22nd May 2025
Another follow-up on this list of indie games? Absolutely, and what a sequel I get to introduce. The Duck Detective series is a light-hearted and cosy game of deduction. You play as a depressed and recently divorced Duck who’s going beak first into work and help others.
Interview suspects, inspect evidence and put together a case to find the spooky culprit. Beatable in a handful of hours, fully voice-acted and complete with fun puzzles, Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping takes you to a haunted campsite to dredge up the truth of delinquency. The game will release on PlayStation 5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and PC.
to a T by by uvula – 28th May 2025
From the creator of Katamari Damacy and the uvula team comes a narrative adventure of a young teenager who’s stuck in a T-pose. It goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway, that To A T looks delightfully charming with that signature Keita Takahashi style.
Set in a seaside town, the story unfolds episodically as you play minigames trying to control the T-posing teen through a variety of scenarios. Whether that’s trying to eat food or petting a cute dog, the teen has their own unique way of manoeuvring across the game. To A T will release on PlayStation, Xbox and PC.
Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo by Pocket Trap – 28th May 2025
The Steam page for this asks readers if they’re ready for the first Yoyovania? Well, are you? The look of this immediately drew me to the game, with its colourful pixel art style. Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo is a 2D top-down adventure set in a sprawling urban metropolis.
Using your Yoyo tricks to navigate and manipulate your surroundings, fighting rival crime bosses to regain influence for the Pipistrello family. With a bunch of special tricks, 40 equippable badges to switch up your playstyle and over 80 collectibles to discover. Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo looks like an action-packed blast. The game will release on PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch and PC.
Let us know what indie games you’re excited to pick up from this list. It’s 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 June. Until next month!
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