It’s summertime, and the game showcases are out in full force. Geoff Keighley’s SGF kick-off show aired earlier, but following it, we also got another look at some exciting indies thanks to the 2024 Day of the Devs SGF Edition.
Put on by several companies in games to spotlight up-and-coming independent developers, Day of the Devs has traditionally been a showcase full of fresh and vibrant ideas in the space. This year’s SGF Day of the Devs was no different; in fact, I’d venture to say this is one of the better ones in recent memory.
From competitive match-3 puzzling to horror, mountains, and more, there is a lot here. Here’s all you need to know from today’s showcase.
First up is Battle Vision Network from Capybara Games a1v1 puzzle battler that might look familiar to Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes fans. Capybara made that game, and now they’re doing their own original take on the formula, with an evolving narrative to spur on the scrapping. It’s aiming for PC and console in 2025, and is made in partnership with Netflix.
The Game Bakers, makers of Furi and Haven, are here with another entry in their “freedom trilogy.” Revealed during Keighley’s showcase, Cairn is a game about climbing a mountain no one’s summited. It’s got some Jusant vibes, but given their past work, I expect Game Bakers’ Cairn to be emotional, beautiful, and one to watch.
Petal Runner from Nano Park Studios and iam8bitpresents is a retro-flavored slice-of-life RPG where you play a motorbike courier delivering flower-powered digital pets. Complete minigames, venture around, and uncover the mystery behind these cute lil’ pets. It’s got Pokémon vibes for sure.
Karma: The Dark World from Pollard Studio, based in Shanghai, China, looks super scary. Dive into people’s minds to uncover the truth behind events, while keeping “the company is above all else.” Or at least, until you learn a little more about what the company has in store for you.
Ever feel nostalgia for something that doesn’t exist? UFO 50 from Mossmouth is that: 50 games in a collection, from a non-existent retro system spanning the ’80s and into the ’90s. A loose framework connects them all, but Mossmouth and its collaborators are advertising quite the variety of experiences, including some local multiplayer in both co-op and versus. Look for it September 18 on Steam.
The grove gets a little ghost-y with Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit from Spry Fox. It’s a chill camping life game, where you craft, gather, build hearts, upgrade, etc., for phones through Netflix. And that does mean no extra fees, no ads or in-app purchases. Just chill vibes and spirits.
Koira from Studio Tolima, published by Dontnod, is a stylistic isometric adventure game. You have a dog pal who helps you out, and you can play music as well. I love the hand-drawn art and frame-by-frame animation, plus a sweet soundtrack. Seems neat! A demo is on the way.
Ever move things around in your mind? Move a little different? Arranger from Furniture and Mattress has a hero who does just that, navigating the world by shifting rows and columns. The team has the Braid artist and Carto writer on board, so the presentation is bound to be top-notch too. Arranger arrives on July 25 for PS5, Switch, Netflix, and PC.
Following the big Blumhouse Games lineup reveal at the Summer Game Fest stream, Cozy Game Pals is showing off Fear the Spotlight, which gives me some Life is Strange meets lo-fi horror vibes. Solve puzzles, avoid scary monsters, and maybe figure out why your friend is acting so strange.
You might recognize Crescent Moon Games and Those Dang Games’ Screenbound: A Game by its main concept alone: you walk around in 3D while holding a Game Boy game, which also displays enemies and objects in 2D. This looks so cool! The way the 2D and 3D environments link up is fascinating. I’m very excited to see more of this.
Zoochosis from Clapperheads gives me new scares I didn’t know I could have. A giraffe just turns into a spider monster. Kangaroos with giant mouth-bellies. And you’re their zookeeper, learning the ropes from a strange senior. Seems frightening!
While Waiting from Optillusion Games is about what happens while you’re waiting. That’s it. Everything in life has some waiting, and you’re about to experience all the ways in which waiting happens. It’s a really unique concept that seems simple but expands fast.
Tom the Postgirl from Oopsie Daisies Studio is a different kind of creepy. Play as a postgirl delivering mail who can’t resist peeking on people during her route. Then, discover things about the locals who all seem creepy as heck. There are some wild sights, but also a cowboy worm!
Rocket Adrift’s Psychorama is a cyberpunk horror point-and-click adventure. You’ve got amnesia and have to deal with a loose sense of self, while also handling the tech around you. The devs plan on exploring ideas of identity through a character that is both biracial and non-binary, a really interesting viewpoint for this tale.
Not to hand out awards, but Building Relationships from Tan Ant Games is a fantastic trailer. You play as a house, meeting other houses. You can dash, fish, and hang out with other buildings. You can even fish for cars. And there are some light dating elements. It’s like A Short Hike, but for houses.
A Little to the Left is getting some DLC in Seeing Stars. 33 new levels and five additional bonus levels, with 100 stars to discover. There are interactive items that can unfold or unravel. Also, more cats! It arrives June 25.
Soup Island is making the world’s coziest time loop in Hello Again. A postal worker, you, is designated to deliver a package to a remote island. Only, you get caught in a time loop. What do you do next? Explore, discover, and try to figure out what’s going on.
After Love EP from Pikselnesia is a really neat game with a sad story behind it. The game’s story follows a musician who hears the voice of his girlfriend after she’s passed. And the studio, Pikselnesia, is developing the game after the death of its creator, Coffe Talk‘s Mohammad Fahmi. It seems like heavy stuff, but it’s really something beautiful to see this vision realized, and coming together so well too. After Love EP is aiming for a Q3 window, and there’s a demo out now.
For another game that won me over in a single trailer, here’s Phoenix Springs from Calligram Studio. You’re a reporter searching for her brother, eventually leading to Phoenix Springs. It’s a “modern” point-and-click game with a striking art style, and no objects in your inventory. Instead, you have thoughts, concepts, and ideas, and you use them to progress. It’s been in development for seven years, and now it’s aiming for September 16 on Steam.
Road 96 studio Digix Art is here with Tides of Tomorrow. The super trippy art style and direction leads into what looks like a time loop, where you can set things up for others. Potentially you, or maybe for others? Is this a strand game? I’m not sure, but I’m definitely curious.
That’s all for today’s showcase, but as always, follow and wishlist the games you dig from this stream! Even just a little support can go a long way, and this showcase was stuffed with neat indie projects that deserve your attention.
