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Title: Remastered Eldritch terror, a fantasy life sim and other new indie
games worth checking out

Date: Sat, 17 May 2025 11:00:15 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/gaming/remastered-el...

Indie games! They're rad, aren't they? We're keeping closer tabs on what's
going on in that scene with our new weekly roundup. We've got a jam-packed
edition for you this time with a little something for everyone, from lo-fi
horror and Eldritch terror to cosy train dioramas and a vaporwave driving
game.

Before we get started, a quick word on a recent game I enjoyed. Idle games
aren't usually my kind of thing ΓÇö I'd rather be actively doing things ΓÇö
but one I spotted on Itch.io offered some temporary respite from a virus I
was dealing with. The DvD idle game from Cybo3D is all about watching a
version of the classic DVD logo bouncing around your screen, buying upgrades
and seeing numbers go up. Pleasantly relaxing stuff. I swear I even saw the
logo go exactly into the corner a few times.

New releases

The Sinking City has a history that's even odder than some of the Eldritch
horrors that lie within. Now, developer Frogwares has remastered its self-
published detective thriller in Unreal Engine 5 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series
X/S. Existing owners get a free upgrade to The Sinking City Remastered, which
Frogwares shadow dropped this week. Along with 4K textures, lighting upgrades
and support for upscaling tech, there are quality-of-life enhancements,
accessibility improvements and a photo mode.

Free-to-play fantasy adventure life sim Palia (which is what you might get if
you smushed together Animal Crossing and World of Warcraft) landed on PS5 and
Xbox Series X/S this week. It's been out on PC and Switch since 2023. There's
a new free expansion for all platforms too.

If you've ever looked at a Grand Theft Auto game and been mildly interested
before deciding a life of virtual crime is not for you, then The Precinct
might be up your alley. In this action sandbox title from developer Fallen
Tree Games and publisher Kwalee, you'll play as a rookie officer who tries to
restore order in his city while trying to solve his fatherΓÇÖs murder. How
very '80s!

Reviews have been mixed, but the art style is compelling and the isometric
perspective with twin-stick controls make for an intriguing wrinkle. The
Precinct is out now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Upcoming

Copycat, the debut game from the small team at Spoonful of Wonder, is another
strong entry in the cat game canon. You play as a kitty who an elderly lady
adopts from a shelter. Needless to say, things don't entirely go smoothly.

I enjoyed Copycat ΓÇö which debuted on PC last year ΓÇö and its short but
affecting story. The game has already sold over 50,000 copies and it's now
set to find a new audience. Copycat is coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on
May 29 for $15.

Folks who like last year's very good and creepy walking sim Pools but yearn
for more intensity from their liminal space horror might be interested in
Backrooms Level X. This one is a mazy first-person survival game that has
puzzles, "oppressive soundscapes" and things watching from the shadows.
Backrooms Level X, from publisher Firenut Games and solo developer José
Manuel Conesa Hernández, will hit Steam on May 29 and consoles at a later
date.

Okay, maybe horror's not your thing. Totally understandable. Perhaps what
you'd rather do is chill out and build little railway dioramas without being
beholden to timers or rules.

You can do just that in Islands & Trains, from developers Akos Makovics and
Fabi Smith and publisher Future Friends Games. It's rolling onto Steam on May
29.

It's probably a little (okay, a lot) because of the laidback synthwave tune
that soundtracks the trailer, but I'm into the whole aesthetic of Adrift.
This is a "chill, offroad driving game" and it's the first title from both
car mechanic turned game developer Stefan Kwak and co-publisher Secret Sauce.


Your goal is to transport a fragile energy core across an '80s-inspired,
vaporwave landscape. Adrift is coming to Steam later this year and you can
check out a demo now.

How about another Steam demo? One just dropped for Flick Shot Rogues from
three-person studio Butter by the Fish and publisher Noodlecake. Turn-based
tactics games usually aren't my cup of tea, but the gameplay here reminds me
a bit of Subpar Pool, a game I love very much.

In this roguelike, you flick your character across the screen to damage
opponents (or evade their attacks) and try to pull off combo moves. Getting
the angles just right is as important as piecing together effective builds.

I fired up the demo and suddenly 50 minutes had vanished as my first run
ended. Yep, I'm liking what Flick Shot Rogues is putting down. I can see
myself sinking dozens of hours into this one after it lands on Steam later
this year.

An open beta for Splitgate 2, the followup to the Portal-with-guns
multiplayer arena shooter, starts on May 22. You'll be able to hop in on
Steam, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

A new trailer shows off the map creator tool, The Lab. You can build maps
with up to 15 of your friends in real-time collaboration.

I'm sure plenty of folks who are into miniature wargaming and other types of
tabletop games have wondered what it might be like to run their own store
that sells such wares. And hey, guess what? You'll be able to get a taste of
that in Tabletop Game Shop Sim from Knight Fever Games.

You'll do everything from deciding on the layout and managing finances to
hosting game nights and playing with customers. This one's coming to Steam in
2025.

Let's close things out on another cozy note. We love a chill puzzle game
around here and Umami might just fit the bill. The idea here is to fit wooden
blocks together to create dioramas of food towers. This 3D puzzler from
Mimmox will hit Steam later this year. A demo will be available during the
Steam Next Fest in mid-June.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/gaming/remastered-el...
and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-110015794.html?src=rss

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