Video games. You love them, I love them, we all love them. Well, at least I’d hope so if you’re reading this right now. There’s a whole love of them coming out this year, and a whole lot of them are very cool indies that we here at Kotaku Australia are very excited about.
Some of the games in this list were a mystery in terms of when they were coming out until only very recently, and there’s a good chance that this list is also going to be updated as the year goes on and as games get their release dates and such. If you’re wondering things like, “Ruby, where’s [insert indie game that is being made in the current year but doesn’t have a concrete release date of this year]?”, lemme tell ya something.
I’m not out here trying to get anybody’s hopes up for something that might not even happen. The release dates/windows I’m working with here are all confirmed and all within this year, so they’re the ones I’m freakin’ talking about! And hey, this piece of writing will be right here to add to when another indie game we’re keen on gets thrown into the 2023 release schedule.
On top of that, these aren’t even concrete release dates because it’s hard to say any game has a concrete release date these days. Some of these might get pushed back, and that’s okay! They just need a little more time in the oven to finish cooking, and that’s just fine! We’ll still be excited to play them nonetheless.
Note: The following release dates are all Australian, and may be subject to change.
Bilkins’ Folly
Release date: 2023
Bilkins’ Folly is a narrative adventure being developed by Tasmanian-based solo dev Luke Webster a.k.a Webbysoft. In it, you play as Percy Bilkins, who must venture with his dog Drayton to find his missing mother and grandfather.
As Percy is a treasure hunter, the game revolves around exploring, treasure hunting, and hugging/petting various animals. The buttery-smooth pixel art/animation is what really made this one catch my eye, and I’m real keen for it.
Janet Demornay Is A Slumlord (and a witch)
Release date: 2023
Janet DeMornay Is A Slumlord (and a witch) is a horror comedy adventure from Sydney-based developers Fuzzy Ghost where you play one of the queer tenants of a Sydney sharehouse riddled with enchantments, and you have to get the hell outta there.
Fuzzy Ghost’s last game Queer Man Peering Into A Rock Pool.jpeg was an absolute treat in so many ways, from the vibrant visuals of the whole darn thing to simply the movement of our protagonist as he stomps along. I love it so very much and I can’t wait for the next title.
The Plucky Squire
Release date: 2023
The Plucky Squire is an action-adventure title from Melbourne-based developer All Possible Futures. It follows the adventures of Jot and his friends, storybook characters who discover the thick and juicy world that exists outside of their 2D pages.
This game is like a dream to me. The shifting between 2D and 3D that we see in the trailer is delightful, and this is honestly one of the most creative concepts I’ve seen in a very long time. I am so freakin’ pumped for this game, I might just scream and cry.
Gunbrella
Release date: 2023
Gunbrella is a noir-punk action-adventure developed by doinksoft. You are a man with an umbrella. Your umbrella is also a gun. Gunbrella.
This is yet another title that I tried the demo for and just absolutely fell in love with. The use of the gunbrella as not only a weapon but also a means of getting around is such a nifty little game mechanic, and I just love how it all looks. I had a little nibble and now I want the whole meal.
Sea of Stars
Release date: 29 August 2023
Sea of Stars is a retro-inspired turn-based roleplaying game developed by Sabotage, who you may know as the developers of 2018’s action platformer The Messenger.
You follow the story of two Children of the Solstice who will “combine the powers of the sun and moon to perform Eclipse Magic, the only force capable of fending off the monstrous creations of the evil alchemist known as The Fleshmancer.” I’ve never seen something look like it’s both from the Chrono Trigger era and the current era of games. Very excited about this one.
Sushi Ben
Release date: 2023
Sushi Ben is a slice-of-life anime sim and VR narrative adventure developed by Big Brane Studios, and sees you going out of your way to save a local sushi restaurant from going out of business.
Yes, I don’t have a VR headset of any sort (just yet). That being said, I will be buying one for Sushi Ben. I want to walk a little dog and play a little ping-pong and hunt a little ghost. These are all things I would absolutely love to do.
The Golden Girls Take Manhattan DX
Age is just a number…
The Golden Girls Take Manhattan DX will be releasing for Mac/PC this year!
Follow for updates! pic.twitter.com/p4seJqZBOT
— The Golden Girls Take Manhattan DX (@tggtmdx) March 3, 2023
Release date: 2023
The Golden Girls Take Manhattan DX is a turn-based RPG adventure developed by Mechazawa. If you’ve ever wondered what a Persona game would be like if it directly followed the lives and times of the four Golden Girls, that’s exactly what this game is.
I love a gimmick game. I live for a gimmick game. This game came out of a personal joke that Mechazawa had with himself back in the day and decided to turn into an actual game. That is absolutely my kind of shit. I can’t wait.
Decarnation
Release date: May 2023
Decarnation is a story-rich horror adventure developed by Atelier QDB. It takes inspiration from “the best 2D adventure-horror and survival-horror games from the past eras, as well as cult movies from Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue) and David Lynch (Mulholland Drive)”.
I had to include that whole quote because after playing the demo for Decarnation last year, I have to agree with those influences. Based on the demo and what I’ve seen in the trailer, this game feels so deeply Lynch-like with a hint of body horror one would see in an Ito comic or a Cronenberg movie. It rocks so hard.
AK-xolotl
Release date: 2023
AK-xolotl is a top-down roguelite shooter from developers 2Awesome Studio. It mixes the two things that gamers love most: cute little animals and deadly weapons.
There is nothing in this life that goes harder than a little axolotl with a big fuckin’ gun. It’s so silly, so stupid, and just perfect. Could this be a perfect game? Maybe. You can try the demo now.
Mineko’s Night Market
Release date: 27 September 2023
Mineko’s Night Market is a narrative-driven, social simulation adventure game from developers Meowza Games that celebrates Japanese culture while introducing players to a story of friendship, tradition, and cats.
You play as Mineko, a little girl who’s just moved to a new home at the base of Mount Fugu. As Mineko, you’ll run around the town taking part in various activities at the Night Markets, as well as exploring the village, solving puzzles, crafting, and making friends.
Another Crab’s Treasure
Release date: 2023
Coming from Aggro Crab, the same team that made Going Under, is Another Crab’s Treasure: a soulslike adventure set in the unforgiving depths of the ocean.
You play a hermit crab called Kril, and you’re on a mission to buy back your repossessed shell. In the meantime, you’ll wear various pieces of trash that may help you in different ways as you fight through the sea. There’s nothing I want to do more than be a hermit crab set on revenge.
Venba
Release date: 2023
Venba is a narrative cooking game developed by Visai Games which sees you following a newly-migrated Indian family living in Canada in the 1980’s.
The visual stylings of Venba remind me a lot of A Night in the Woods, making me feel like it’s a mixture of that title and Cooking Mama. Mix that with multiple influences from Indian culture from its cuisine to its music, and you’ve got yourself a banger of a game.
Viewfinder
Release date: 2023
Viewfinder is a first-person puzzle game from Sad Owl Studios that’s all about the way you look at things.
In this game, you can bring paintings, sketches, screenshots, postcards and photographs to life by placing them in the world at just the right angles. It’s a trippy experience and a marvel in game development, and after playing the demo I can’t wait for more.
This article will be updated as the year goes on and as more indie games we’re keen on are announced for release this year. We’ll keep updating it until it seems somewhat pointless to update it anymore.
Leave a Reply