The Game Awards has yet to kick off for the 2023 season, however, Day of the Devs has decided to pull back the curtain on their digital showcase one day early to give fans a glimpse at upcoming Indie games.
As anticipation continues to build for the upcoming kick-off of The Game Awards Opening Night Live tomorrow, Day of the Devs presented by Double Fine’s Tim Schaefer has brought a wealth of indie games with them (some World Premieres) to showcase the day before. Like their 10th anniversary and all other Day of the Devs showcases, the premieres aren’t only entertaining but informative, as a spotlight is placed on smaller creators without the audience or backing of AAA studios, giving these seriously novel creations a stage of their own.
Without further delay, below are the many titles (and some trailers) of the indie games on display from Day of the Devs at The Game Awards 2023.
Day of the Devs: The Game Awards Edition Digital Showcase
Braid Anniversary Edition
By original developer Jonathan Blow, Braid Anniversary Edition brings the 2008 puzzle-platforming classic to 2023, where players will have to solve puzzles by changing the flow of time in this 4K visual remaster of the classic. Braid Anniversary Edition launches April 23, 2024.
The Mermaid’s Tongue (WORLD PREMIERE)
A murder mystery detective adventure game developed and published by SFB Games sees players set out on a mysterious submarine, balancing heavy themes with light-hearted humour. This successor (and sequel) to Apple Arcade’s Tangle Tower even features returning leads from that game as well. Release Date is TBA 2024.
Cryptmaster
A dark narrative adventure from the minds of Paul Hart and Lee Williams, from publisher Akupara Games, Cryptmaster functions as a dungeon-crawling story with a nostalgic visual style about a party of recently awakened dead heroes, and it’s up to players to use words to progress through the crypt. Cryptmaster launches at a TBD date in 2024.
Dome-King Cabbage
A new visual experience from the developers at Cobysoft Co. and publisher HYPER REAL sees Psychedelic visuals, immersive beats, and a kaleidoscopic story combined in Dome-King Cabbage. Encounter an unprecedented gaming experience that grabs the attention of all senses when Dome-King Cabbage launches in the future.
Drag Her!
The developer Fighting Chance Games asks “What would a less-gay Mortal Kombat look like?” and their response is Drag Her! This 2D fighting game features characters based on real-life drag queens and kings from RuPaul’s Drag Race and Dragula. More info can be found on Steam.
Flock
From developer Hollow Ponds and Richard Hogg, and publisher Annapurna Interactive comes a title where gameplay is all about being one with the Flock. Flock can be a solo or multiplayer co-op game where players take on the role of flying shepherds, each tending to their unique herd of adorable flying creatures. Some creatures need to be coerced to join the Flock though, as small puzzles will need to be solved to categorize every creature in the creature guide.
Nirvana Noir 2 (WORLD PREMIERE)
From the small developer studio Feral Cat Den, a noir adventure beyond time and space called Nirvana Noir 2 has been world premiered at Day of the Devs. Nirvana Noir 2 features language-based detective work, where the player will need to adopt certain other character dialects to find the right path forward. As players navigate the dual existence of the protagonist, heading over to the title’s official website to get more info wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Hermit and Pig
From Developer and Publisher Heavy Lunch Studio, Hermit and Pig is a slice-of-life RPG about a reclusive old man and his truffle pig. Combat is turn-based and the objective is to just live a day in the zany life of Hermit and Pig. Social scenarios can be stressful as well, so it’s up to the player to navigate their way out of these situations when Hermit and Pig launches at a later date.
Holstin
A survival horror from Developer and Publisher Sonka, Holstin sees players isolated in a pixel art-laden 90’s Polish town. Gameplay-wise, Holstin explores numerous points of view to up the suspense. An anxious and isometric hallway turns into an over-the-shoulder zombie shooter at a whim when aiming at adversaries. More information will be revealed soon.
Home Safety Hotline
By Night Signal Entertainment, Home Safety Hotline is a text-based horror game about working in a 90’s call center. The player’s job is to field calls about the domestic terrors waiting on the other line, and players will have a database at their fingertips to diagnose caller problems and deal with them effectively. Home Safety Hotline is coming at a TBD date in 2024.
Janet DeMornay Is A Slumlord (and a witch)
Developer/Publisher Fuzzy Ghost brings a new offering for Day of the Devs, and Janet DeMornay Is A Slumlord (and a witch) seeks to explore the anxieties and horrors of what it is to be a renter in a world run by landlords. Of course, the caveat is your landlord (Janet) this time around is a witch, and the house rented is barely being held together by magic. This puzzle-based title launches at a TBD date in 2024
Kind Words 2 (WORLD PREMIERE)
A game from the minds of developer and publisher Popcannibal, Kind Words 2 is a game about being kind to real people. This sequel allows the player to break out of the confines of the room that acts as the setting in the original, and you can explore the outer regions and have conversations with people in the streets. Kind Words 2 offers another safe space for players when it releases at a TBD date in the future.
Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story (WORLD PREMIERE)
From developer and publisher Digital Eclipse, the Day of the Devs world premiere of Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story brings a virtual museum of design documents, playable games, and all-new videos to tell the fascinating story of a true independent game designer. This title allows fans to get behind the mind of Jeff Minter, a pioneer in British Video Games, and go down the path of his career in gaming. More info will be made available soon!
Loose Leaf (WORLD PREMIERE)
From developer and publisher Kitfox Games, the player has to manage a Tea Room on the Day of the Devs World Premiere of Loose Leaf. Kitfox Games touts Loose Leaf as the most in-depth tea brewing simulation ever, and seeing as how the player doubles as a witch and a Tea Room manager, it will be up to them to solve villagers’ problems.
Militsioner
From developer TALLBOYS, Militsioner is a first-person surreal immersive runaway simulator that sees The Truman Show meet a video game that’s a lot more suspenseful than seemingly intended. The player must escape the unnerving giant policeman who is watching over a pleasant town.
ODDADA
A no-pressure rogue-lite music builder from developers Sven Ahlgrimm and Mathilde Hoffmann allows players to Drop cute houses onto all kinds of places and be rewarded with their very own hand-crafted music track. ODDADA allows players to get more instruments as they progress, and players can customize and share their creations.
Open Roads
From the Open Roads Development Team and publisher Annapurna Interactive, the interactive movie mystery-thriller Open Roads has players navigate through a web of mysteries and emotions, and fans won’t have to wait long as Open Roads launches on February 20, 2024.
RESISTOR
From the developers at Long Way Home, RESISTOR is a turbocharged narrative-driven adventure car-based RPG featuring open-world exploration, stunt-infused racing, and explosive vehicular combat. RESISTOR has rhythmic elements to it as well, as combatants will need to pull off tricks and combat moves to the beat to function more effectively, all while pulling off stylish yet destructive moves. More info will come soon regarding RESISTOR.
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
A 2D puzzle game from developer Coal Supper is Thank Goodness You’re Here! Thankfully, the title doesn’t take itself seriously at all and refers to its gameplay as ‘slapforming’ rather than platforming. Fans can join Coal Supper and the zany cast of Thank Goodness You’re Here! in 2024 when it releases at a TBD date.
Ultros
A new Metroidvania title, and the debut of developer and publisher Hadoque, Ultros sees players embark on a psychedelic sci-fi single-player journey that feels pulled straight from a Rick & Morty intergalactic TV episode. Fans have crash-landed on the Sarcophagus, and cultivating the local greenery will be key to surviving abroad in the Sarcophagus’s ecosystem. The more you explore, the more you will uncover in Ultros, when it launches on February 13, 2024.
That just about wraps up the Day of the Devs: The Game Awards Edition Digital Showcase. Fans can catch the entire thing just above if you want to watch from the beginning, but otherwise, The Game Awards Opening Night Live kicks off tomorrow so fans can head over to the official site for more information until then.
