Tired of hearing about the same AAA game releases everyone talks about? I found some amazing upcoming indie games you should know about.
Major studios dominate gaming headlines, but the indie scene quietly crafts some of the most innovative titles for 2025. My research into upcoming games revealed 15 hidden gems that most gamers haven’t heard of yet.
These indie games range from a noir detective story with a mouse protagonist to a mind-bending platformer that explores eternal life. Each title stands out with unique mechanics and stunning art direction that delivers unforgettable gaming moments. Independent game development’s creativity and diversity shine through these selections.
Morsels
Image Source: Steam
My search through exciting upcoming indie games led me to a quirky gem called Morsels that embodies indie gaming’s creative spirit. This unique roguelike engaged me with its clever premise: you play as a hungry mouse who meets a magical fatberg in the sewers that gives you the power to become different creatures.
Morsels Gameplay Features
Morsels shines with its innovative creature-collecting system. The game lets you switch between different “Morsels” whenever you want, and each brings its own abilities and strengths. These creatures can get power-ups and quirks that change how they perform, which adds strategic depth to every encounter.
Notable features include:
- Rotating roster of captured Morsels for instant switching
- Strategic combat against cat forces
- Hidden bonus levels with surprising gameplay twists
Morsels Art Style and Atmosphere
The visual presentation stands out with its handdrawn art style. The game blends whimsical elements with darker undertones that create an atmosphere both charming and slightly unsettling. The environments span from grimy sewers to magical realms, and each shows incredible attention to detail.
Morsels Release Details
This fascinating indie title will launch in February 2025. Players can enjoy the game on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC. The development team at FURCULA and publisher Annapurna Interactive are putting final touches on the game to ensure a smooth launch.
Cairn
Image Source: Steam
Cairn stands out as one of the most innovative upcoming indie games with its fresh take on mountain climbing simulation.
Cairn Climbing Mechanical
The game’s realistic climbing system amazed me. Players can move each limb separately with easy-to-use controls. The game creates a new “Survival-Climber” genre that needs careful management of resources like pitons, chalk, and finger tape. Your character’s limbs start to shake when stamina runs low, adding to the authentic feel of climbing.
The game includes these key features:
- Natural movement system for individual limb control
- Resource management for survival elements
- Strategic route planning with no predetermined paths
- Adjustable difficulty settings for customized experience
Cairn Visual Design
Famous comic book artist Mathieu Bablet’s visual presentation creates an immersive atmosphere. The stylized art direction adds to the game’s distinct character. This becomes clear as the environment transforms with time—from changing sunlight to lengthening shadows.
Cairn Development Progress
The Game Bakers, known for Furi and Haven, are developing this latest project. A team of 25 developers has worked on the game for four years. The demo shows multiple gameplay modes. Players can pick between characters Aava or Marco in the Expedition mode.
Drop Duchy
Image Source: Steam
I took a closer look at the most predicted games of 2025 and found that there was a fascinating genre-bending title that combines block-dropping puzzles with strategic kingdom building. Drop Duchy grabbed my attention with its fresh take on classic gameplay mechanics.
Drop Duchy Unique Mechanics
The Drop Duchy’s reimagining of traditional block-stacking gameplay really stands out. The game moves beyond simple line-clearing. Players must place terrain pieces carefully to build a thriving realm. The game’s block types are unique and useful, letting players expand territories and gather resources. Strategic structure placement creates powerful resource synergies, like positioning farms next to fertile plains.
Drop Duchy Strategic Elements
The game’s rich deckbuilding system adds incredible depth with more than 80 unique cards that customize structures and enhance soldier recruitment. Players can choose from three distinct factions:
- The Duchy
- The Order
- The Republic
Each faction comes with its own quests and rewards, adding hours of replay value. In spite of that, the procedural generation system creates the real strategic depth by generating fresh challenges in every playthrough.
Drop Duchy Early Access Plans
The development team shifted the release window from late 2024 to early 2025. This extra time lets them add more content and features before launch. The game will launch with 50 challenges that help players through their experience.
Mouse: PI for Hire
Image Source: Steam
My gaming radar picked up one of the most intriguing upcoming indie games that blends film noir with classic cartoon aesthetics. Mouse: P.I. for Hire puts me in the shoes of Jack Pepper, a private investigator who roams the corrupt streets of Mouseburg.
Mouse PI Gameplay Overview
The game stands out with its mix of action-packed combat and detective work. Players get access to an impressive arsenal that includes:
- The Mauser, a classic multishot pistol
- The Turpentine Gun, which erases enemies from existence
- Tommy Gun for explosive firepower
A metroidvania-style progression system adds depth to the gameplay with movement upgrades. Players can use a helicopter glide and turn the mouse’s tail into a grappling hook.
Mouse PI Visual Style
The game draws inspiration from 1930s rubber hose animation to create a monochromatic world featuring hand-drawn characters. A retro jazz soundtrack complements the visual style and brings the era’s atmosphere to life. The team has polished the animation quality, particularly in environments, weapons, and character designs.
Mouse PI Release Information
Mouse: P.I. for Hire will launch in 2025 on multiple platforms. The noir adventure will be available on:
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox Series X|S
- Nintendo Switch
- PlayStation 4
- Xbox One
- PC via Steam
Midnight Walk
Image Source: indie games devel
I found a truly remarkable game while exploring upcoming indie releases—a dark fantasy adventure with every element handcrafted in clay. The Midnight Walk beautifully combines traditional craftsmanship with modern gaming technology.
Midnight Walk Story Elements
The haunting tale follows The Burnt One’s experience as they rise from a muddy grave to search for purpose. The protagonist meets Potboy, a dormant lantern creature that comes alive when reignited. These two characters must navigate a dangerous highway and experience five distinct tales about fire’s dual nature – its life-giving warmth and destructive power.
Midnight Walk Art Direction
The game stands out because of its unique creation process. Every single asset was sculpted in clay and then 3D-scanned into the game. This artistic approach creates stunning results through:
- Detailed monster designs with visible clay textures
- Intricate environmental elements that show fingerprint impressions
- Stop-motion style animation that delivers an authentic claymation feel
Midnight Walk Development Updates
The developers at Moonhood found an unexpected source of inspiration. After completing their previous game Lost in Random, they found that there was renewed creativity through clay sculpting. Their innovative approach has set a Spring 2025 release window. The game will launch on multiple platforms:
- PlayStation 5 (standard and VR)
- PC with VR support
- Steam VR compatibility
Tears of Metal
Image Source: Steam
My search for standout upcoming indie games led me to a thrilling medieval hack-and-slash that blends roguelike elements with Scottish warfare. Tears of Metal grabbed my attention with its unique take on battalion-based combat.
Tears of Metal Combat System
The game’s core mechanics let players lead a powerful Scottish battalion against invading forces. The combat system feels engaging and allows players to combine over 100 artifacts with powerful upgrades to create devastating builds. The permanent progression system makes it stand out – soldiers gain lasting skills between campaigns, but fallen warriors are lost forever.
Tears of Metal World Design
Players can explore 45 handcrafted environments that offer unique scenarios and objectives. The game features:
- Expandable settlement system with new shops
- Special objectives unlocking artifacts and characters
- Mysterious Dragon Stone Meteor storyline
Tears of Metal Release Timeline
Paper Cult, the team behind Bloodroots, showed the game at Summer Game Fest 2024. The game will launch on PC via Steam in 2025 and supports both single-player and co-op gameplay modes. The exact release date isn’t set yet, but the development team is putting final touches to ensure a smooth launch.
Possessors
Image Source: Steam
My recent dive into upcoming indie games led me to discover a visually striking side-scrolling game that blends horror and sci-fi elements. Possessors stands out as one of the most predicted games from Heart Machine, the creators of Hyper Light Drifter.
Possessors Story Overview
A quarantined mega-city, torn apart by an interdimensional catastrophe, sets the stage for this tale. The story follows Luca, who must build an uneasy alliance with Rehm, a mysterious counterpart forced upon her. Their relationship grows as they traverse through collapsed skyscrapers and abandoned aquariums.
Possessors Gameplay Features
The combat system takes inspiration from platform fighters and offers:
- Ground and air attacks with combo potential
- Multiple weapon types with upgrade possibilities
- Unique movement abilities that improve exploration
Possessors Technical Details
The game impresses with its blend of 3D environments and hand-drawn animated characters. Neon flashes and orange sunsets create a haunting atmosphere. The game supports both keyboard and mouse controls, but the developers suggest using a controller for the best experience.
The development team targets a 2025 release. Their focus remains on balancing precise combat with engaging storytelling through interconnected world design.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Image Source: Reddit
I’ve been checking out upcoming indie games and came across an amazing RPG that grabbed my attention. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 mixes turn-based combat with real-time action in a fresh way. The game tells a gripping story where time becomes your worst enemy.
Expedition 33 Combat System
This game’s combat system changes how we look at turn-based battles. The mix of strategic planning and quick reflexes pulled me right in. Notable features include:
- Real-time dodging and parrying mechanics
- Free-aim system for targeting weak points
- Chain combos through precise attack rhythms
Each character brings their own special abilities to the fight. To name just one example, see Gustave with his mechanical arm that charges up devastating attacks. Lune can create elemental effects that lead to powerful combinations.
Expedition 33 World Building
The story takes place in a world shaped by Belle Époque France. A mysterious figure called the Paintress dooms people of a certain age to death each year. The plot follows Expedition 33’s race against time to stop the Paintress before she paints the number “33”.
Expedition 33 Release Plans
The game will hit the shelves in spring 2025. Players can expect over 30 hours of main story content and plenty of side quests for completionists. At $49.99, the price tag matches the game’s scope and unique features perfectly.
The Stone of Madness
Image Source: Game Rant
The Stone of Madness stands out among upcoming indie games as a masterpiece of tactical stealth gameplay. The Game Kitchen currently develops this intriguing title that brings a fresh perspective to the stealth genre.
Stone of Madness Stealth Mechanics
The game combines live tactical gameplay with a unique approach to failure. Players can learn from their mistakes since there’s no game-over state. Five distinct characters bring their remarkable abilities to the game:
- Alfredo Martin can light up dark spaces and wear disguises
- Agnes Santos manipulates light sources effectively
- Three other prisoners showcase their specialized skills
Stone of Madness Setting
An 18th-century Spanish Monastery in the Pyrenees serves as the game’s backdrop. This weathered Jesuit monastery doubles as a madhouse and inquisitorial prison. The game’s day-night cycle affects guard patterns and brings paranormal elements after dark.
Stone of Madness Development Progress
The game’s creation tells an interesting story. Teku Studios started the project before The Game Kitchen acquired it. The developers created hand-painted visuals inspired by Francisco de Goya’s artwork. The game will launch on January 28, 2025, for PS5, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC.
Croak
Image Source: Indie Games Showcase
I spent time learning about many upcoming indie games and ended up falling in love with a unique precision platformer that brings fresh movement mechanics to life. The team behind Cuphead and Rick & Morty developed Croak, which looks set to deliver an exceptional gaming experience.
Croak Movement System
The game’s core mechanic stands out with its SuperBonk ability. This system lets players use the prince’s tongue as a grapple that propels and bounces them through levels. The movement feels easy-to-use yet challenging, and players need to think strategically to become skilled at the simple-looking controls.
Croak Level Design
The game world features several distinct biomes that add unique twists to gameplay. My exploration revealed:
- Dangerous mysterious swamps
- Secret-filled haunted mines
- Treacherous snow-covered mountain paths
Each area showcases hand-crafted rooms packed with interactive platforming elements. The game rewards players who explore with hidden areas and collectibles, which makes every playthrough exciting and fresh.
Croak Release Information
WoodRunner Games’ team has crafted each animation by hand, drawing them frame by frame using traditional techniques. The exact release date hasn’t been announced yet, but the game will launch on PC through Steam. This fractured fairy tale ended up becoming a precise platforming challenge that tells the story of a cursed prince trying to save his kingdom.
Eternal Strands
Image Source: www.eternalstrandsgame.com
A remarkable physics-based action-adventure game caught my attention while browsing upcoming indie releases. Eternal Strands stands out with its fresh take on magical combat and environmental manipulation that changes how players interact with creatures.
Eternal Strands Combat Features
The game’s physics-based combat system amazed me with its creative possibilities. Players need a combination of sword skills, spell combinations, and strategic climbing to defeat colossal enemies. The combat system shines with these notable features:
- Ice magic to make enemy armor brittle
- Kinetic powers for launching objects
- Flame abilities that spread realistically through environments
Eternal Strands World Design
The world gives players complete freedom of movement because every surface can be climbed. Player actions directly affect the environment – fires spread naturally, ice changes mobility, and weather patterns change without warning. The game’s next-generation physics system encourages players to explore creatively.
Eternal Strands Development Status
Yellow Brick Games, led by former Dragon Age lead Mike Laidlaw, heads this exciting project. The game packs between 25 and 35 hours of content and will launch on January 28, 2025. The studio has plans for post-launch content and will work with Square Enix’s Creative Studio III to create new epic creatures and weapons.
Tenjutsu
Image Source: Steam
I just came across an amazing project in the indie games world. Sébastien Benard, who created Dead Cells, has something special brewing. His new game, Tenjutsu, grabbed my attention with its fresh take on roguelike gameplay mixed with martial arts action.
Tenjutsu Roguelike Elements
The game puts you up against four powerful crime syndicates that run Secret Garden City. Here’s what makes it interesting – your choice of which syndicate to take down first really changes how things play out. Taking out one group early gives the others time to beef up their forces. The city comes alive as you make progress, and new shops and restaurants pop up where defeated organizations once stood.
Tenjutsu Combat System
The fighting style feels like you’re in the middle of a John Wick or Jackie Chan movie. The game’s arsenal is pretty impressive with:
- 10 melee weapons that each play differently
- A mix of ranged weapons and special powers
- A smooth 360-degree combat system that lets you fight in any direction
Tenjutsu Release Timeline
PC and console versions are in the works right now. The team has built nine unique districts for players to explore. Each area packs a lot into a small space but stays vibrant, and you can take different routes to get around. The game doesn’t have an exact launch date yet, but we know it’s coming in 2025.
The Eternal Life of Goldman
Image Source: Steam
I came across an amazing hand-drawn adventure game in the big world of upcoming indie titles. The Eternal Life of Goldman caught my eye with its detailed frame-by-frame animation and captivating story.
Goldman Platforming Mechanics
Goldman’s versatile cane is the game’s centerpiece that works as both a movement tool and puzzle solver. The cane has three parts you can customize:
- Different handles that give you unique abilities
- Points you can upgrade to boost movement
- Stick sections you can modify for special powers
The platforming feels precise but welcoming, and it offers challenging sequences without becoming too hard.
Goldman Art Style
The game’s visuals blew me away with beautiful hand-drawn artwork. Artists create each frame without any AI help, building a world that takes elements from ancient Greek, Jewish, and Mesopotamian folklore. The development team spends up to a year making each biome, and this shows in the rich details and life packed into every environment.
Goldman Development Progress
This amazing project kicked off in 2017 with 25 developers who put their heart into every detail. The team’s dedication to traditional animation techniques shows in every scene. They chose the hardest path to create a pure 2D experience. Players can look forward to playing the game on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Grit and Valor 1949
Image Source: Steam
My exploration of upcoming indie games led me to discover a fascinating dieselpunk tactical game that puts a new spin on World War II. Grit and Valor 1949 blends roguelite elements with real-time strategy in a way that stands out from other games.
Grit and Valor Gameplay Features
The game puts you in command of an elite Mech Squadron during real-time tactical battles. Players need to deploy units and protect a vital Command Vehicle. Here are the exciting tactical elements the game brings:
- Terrain and cover create tactical advantages
- Waves of enemy forces from all types
- Mechs and pilot abilities you can upgrade
Grit and Valor Setting
The story takes place in an alternate 1949 where World War II never reached its end. Europe remains under Axis control, and their mechanized forces keep the continent in a tight grip. The Resistance’s mission sends you deep into enemy territory with an EMP weapon. Your target is their mech production facility – the Machine Tower.
Grit and Valor Release Details
Milky Tea Studios has set a 2025 release window. The game will launch on several platforms at once:
- PC
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox Series X|S
- Nintendo Switch
Beta testing has started, and the game shows promise as one of the most predicted tactical releases of 2025.
Comparison Table
| Game Title | Release Window | Platforms | Key Gameplay Features | Developer/Publisher | Genre/Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morsels | February 2025 | Nintendo Switch, PS5, PC | Creature-collecting, Dynamic combat mechanics, Strategic creature switching | FURCULA/Annapurna Interactive | Roguelike |
| Cairn | 2025 | Not mentioned | Independent limb control, Resource management, Survival elements | The Game Bakers | Survival-Climber |
| Drop Duchy | Early 2025 | PC | Block-stacking, Kingdom building, Deckbuilding with 80+ cards | Not mentioned | Strategy/Puzzle |
| Mouse: PI for Hire | 2025 | PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC | Dynamic combat, Detective work, Metroidvania progression | Not mentioned | Action-Adventure/Noir |
| Midnight Walk | Spring 2025 | PS5 (Standard/VR), PC, Steam VR | Clay-based visuals, Dark fantasy narrative | Moonhood | Adventure |
| Tears of Metal | 2025 | PC (Steam) | Battalion-based combat, Permanent progression, 45 environments | Paper Cult | Hack-and-Slash/Roguelike |
| Possessors | 2025 | Not mentioned | Platform fighter combat, Combo-based attacks, Multiple weapon types | Heart Machine | Side-scrolling Action |
| Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 | Spring 2025 | Not mentioned | Hybrid turn-based/dynamic combat, Free-aim system | Not mentioned | RPG |
| The Stone of Madness | January 28, 2025 | PS5, Xbox Series, Switch, PC | Tactical stealth, No game-over state, Multiple playable characters | The Game Kitchen | Stealth |
| Croak | 2025 | PC (Steam) | SuperBonk tongue mechanics, Precision platforming, Hand-drawn animation | WoodRunner Games | Platformer |
| Eternal Strands | January 28, 2025 | Not mentioned | Physics-based combat, Environmental manipulation, Climbing mechanics | Yellow Brick Games | Action-Adventure |
| Tenjutsu | 2025 | PC and Consoles | Dynamic combat system, Multiple weapons, Evolving city | Not mentioned | Roguelike/Action |
| The Eternal Life of Goldman | 2025 | PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC | Cane-based platforming, Puzzle-solving, Customizable abilities | Not mentioned | Hand-drawn Adventure |
| Grit and Valor 1949 | 2025 | PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch | Dynamic tactical combat, Mech warfare, Wave-based missions | Milky Tea Studios | Tactical/Dieselpunk |
Conclusion
The year 2025 looks promising for independent gaming with 15 standout indie titles. These games avoid tried-and-tested formulas. Each title brings something new to the table – from Morsels’ creature-collecting mechanics to The Stone of Madness’ stealth gameplay that embraces failure.
AAA titles may dominate gaming discussions, but these indie projects show remarkable creative courage. Midnight Walk’s developers crafted clay assets by hand, while Goldman’s team created frame-by-frame animations. These passionate developers value artistic vision more than production convenience.
Small teams driven by creative passion, not market trends, have created impressive technical breakthroughs. Cairn’s independent limb controls and Eternal Strands’ physics-based combat system challenge gameplay conventions in exciting ways.
These hidden gems remind us why indie games drive gaming innovation forward. Dedicated developers have poured countless hours into each title and taken bold creative risks. Their unique visions and groundbreaking mechanics will deliver unforgettable gaming experiences throughout 2025.
