Some of the best indie games coming up for release in 2021. Check back at the end of the year as I will be updating the list with what came out and was great :) Similar to last year’s.
“A little boy falls asleep to a horrible nightmare. Can you make him happy again? Endure and escape three unforgettable nightmares. Solve deeply disturbing puzzles in (not so) charming environments. Deal with suspicious smiley faces and pink bunnies”
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Nintendo Switch
Release: Spring 2021
“Close your eyes, take a deep breath and let yourself be carried away by the great journey of Season, a third-person atmospheric adventure bicycle road trip game. Through the eyes of a young woman leaving a secluded community, you explore the wider world for the first time. Collect artifacts and memories before a mysterious cataclysm washes everything away…
“Document, photograph, draw, and record life. Through a solitary bicycle journey, form your own memories, your own vision of the world around you. Your goal? Protect these treasures from being forgotten. Your quest will lead you to discover a new world; unknown, yet familiar. You will be immersed in different societies that will make you discover the mysteries of the world of Season; a surreal version of the mid-twentieth century, where thousands of years have passed without any progress. Find out what caused the last collapse and what might cause the next one…”
Platforms: Windows, PS5
Release: TBA
“Following a tragic stroke of fate, Alfred embarks on a journey north in search of redemption. In this single-player road trip adventure, you’ll travel to beautiful places, capture memories with your camera, meet interesting people, and even make some new friends.”
Platforms: Windows
Release: 2021
“A third-person, single-player, story-driven, road-tripping action-adventure about hope, love, friendship, robots — and the power of words.
“Set in a vibrant and perilous post-infodemic America inspired by graphic novels, a band of misfits and outcasts must cross a divided continent to transport a mysterious package from California to Nova Scotia.”
Platforms: PC & consoles
Release: 2021
A sorrowful narrative driven adventure about a kind old man who hears the cry of a creature in the wilderness and starts off on a journey to help. Explore a postwar environment (inspired by ancient Russia and Iceland) by boat or on foot with your magic staff which you can use to fight enemies or solve puzzles.
The title comes from a wake ceremony called “selfloss”, which you can use in order to heal your own wounded soul.
Platforms: Windows
Release: 2021
“Fight your way across the city in a brutal romp that mixes old school brawlers and fast-paced motion-captured combat. Battle across multiple, distinct hand-crafted levels on foot or a variety of vehicles. Use various weapons, the environment and more to wade through piles of enemies on your way to victory. “
Platforms: Windows
Release: 2021
“Explore a strange and wonderful archipelago in this classic comic-style adventure. Guide young mechanic Mo on a journey to find the strength to let go in a world about to collapse. The powerful Omni Switch at your disposal may not be enough to fix all that is broken…”
Platforms: Windows, Mac, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Release: 2021
“The story of a happy little spider on an adventure to save her boyfriend from a big dumb bowerbird. Explore the dangerous wilderness with nothing but your webs and your wits. Practise the art of web swinging to speed your way through the world!
“Leave your own unique mark by spinning webs through the interconnected world. Stick webs to almost anything and use them to create your own paths. Make friends with bugs, and dance with them. Some bugs could use a little help from a friend and might even join your rescue effort in return!”
You can play around with the web slinging in an old prototype if you like. 😊
Platforms: Windows
Release: 2021
A dark sci-fi adventure set deep below the ocean where you control four explorers sent to investigate the disappearance of a research team almost two years ago. It seems they might have discovered something they weren’t intending to find… Use specialized equipment to dig further and scan the extensive caverns in order to uncover the mysteries of the deep.
Inspired by 80s and 90s movies/games like Alien, Half-Life, and The Thing (the reference at the end 😍). Being solo developed and made in a custom engine with ragdoll physics and destructible terrain. Absolutely looks like it could be set in the Carrion universe, and after seeing how good that was my body is ready for more.
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox, Switch
Release: 2021
“Play as Hornet, princess-protector of Hallownest, and adventure through a whole new kingdom ruled by silk and song! Captured and brought to this unfamiliar world, Hornet must battle foes and solve mysteries as she ascends on a deadly pilgrimage to the kingdom’s peak.
“Hollow Knight: Silksong is the epic sequel to Hollow Knight, the award winning action-adventure. As the lethal hunter Hornet, journey to all-new lands, discover new powers, battle vast hordes of bugs and beasts and uncover ancient secrets tied to your nature and your past.”
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Nintendo Switch
Release: 2021