We are back with another indie review roundup, this time shining a light on the indie titles that slipped through the cracks but still managed to steal our time. These are the games we missed along the way, the quiet releases that landed during a busy year and deserve a moment before the calendar resets.
Read More:Indie Review Roundup – Wheels, Tracks and Hulls
The list below only scratches the surface of recent indie drops. While we didn’t have the bandwidth for full reviews, we didn’t want these to go unmentioned. Hopefully, these bite-sized impressions give you a feel for what each one offers, and you might even find a late-year hidden gem worth carrying into the new year.
BALL X PIT
Developer: Kenny Sun
Price: £12.49 / €14.49
Ball X Pit is a high‑octane, arcade-style brawler that leans hard into chaotic fun. The premise is simple: control a bouncing ball and wreak havoc in arenas filled with hazards, enemies and power-ups. Think a mash-up of classic pinball mayhem and modern arena battlers, where precision and timing matter just as much as aggression. There’s also a light base-building and management layer on the side.
Gameplay is fast and relentless. Each arena introduces new challenges such as spikes, moving platforms and turrets, while a growing arsenal of upgrades lets you smash through obstacles and chain combos for big scores. The simple controls keep the focus on reflex-driven chaos.
Read More: Indie Review Roundup – Wheeling, Raging, and Retro Charm
Visually, Ball X Pit blends retro pixel art with crisp modern presentation. Bright, high-contrast colours ensure projectiles and enemies remain clear even during frantic runs. The soundtrack matches the pace perfectly, pumping energy into every round.
Long-term progression can feel a little grindy, and repeated arena layouts may dull the excitement over time. Still, for short bursts of colourful destruction, Ball X Pit delivers exactly what it promises: fast, fun and unashamedly chaotic.
SCORE: 4/5
Voidtrain
Developer: HypeTrain Digital
Price: £24.99 / €29.99
Voidtrain is a surreal first-person adventure that casts you as the lone engineer of a flying, modular train drifting through an endless void. It mixes survival, exploration and light crafting, combining quiet tension with bursts of frantic action. Think a stripped-back survival sim crossed with the infinite-world concept of No Man’s Sky, but aboard a floating train.
You’ll manage engines, upgrade wagons and gather resources from floating islands. Dangerous terrain, hostile creatures and mechanical failures keep every journey tense. The sandbox structure encourages creativity as you expand your train, automate tasks and experiment with different builds.
Read More: Indie Review Round-Up – Summer Games to Enjoy in the Shade
Visually, Voidtrain is striking. Floating islands, deep voids and shimmering skies create a haunting atmosphere, while the sound design reinforces the sense of isolation. Some controls feel clunky and progression can be slow, which may put off impatient players.
For those willing to settle into its rhythm, Voidtrain offers a unique and oddly meditative experience. It’s about quiet discovery, steady building and surviving in a world that feels both infinite and fragile.
SCORE: 4.5/5
Pacific Drive
Developer: Ironwood Studios
Price: £24.99 / €29.99
Pacific Drive is a survival-driving adventure that turns the American wilderness into a tense, unpredictable playground. You take the wheel of a heavily modifiable car and explore a mysterious, abandoned coastal region where the environment itself is a threat.
It’s Survival Sim meets Road Trip Horror. Every journey becomes a test of resource management. Engines break, tyres puncture and fuel runs low as you explore forests, ruins and desolate towns. Each trip is a balancing act: push too far and you risk being stranded; play it safe and you miss valuable resources. Crafting and vehicle mods add depth, letting you tailor your car to the dangers ahead.
The visuals and sound design sell the eerie atmosphere. Foggy highways, crumbling buildings and the constant hum of your engine create a sense of unease and urgency. For players who enjoy methodical survival with a constant adrenaline edge, Pacific Drive is a uniquely tense and satisfying experience.
SCORE: 5/5
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Developer: Coal Supper
Price: £15.99 / €18.99
Thank Goodness You’re Here! was one of my favourite games last year, and now that it has arrived on Xbox, it’s just as good as it was on Switch. It’s a delightfully absurd, Yorkshire-flavoured comedy adventure. You play a voiceless junior salesman sent on a mundane trip to the sleepy town of Barnsworth, where chaos quickly unfolds. The game focuses on humour and storytelling rather than traditional mechanics.
Movement is simple: walk, jump and slap things. Slapping is your main way of interacting with townsfolk, objects and animals, with light puzzles appearing occasionally. Early tasks are quaint, but the tone soon shifts into surreal, Monty Python‑style absurdity, full of bizarre and often hilarious situations.
Read More: Thank Goodness You’re Here! review – Adventure Out of Yorkshire
Visually, it feels like an interactive cartoon, reminiscent of Rick and Morty or Koala Man. The sound design and voice acting are excellent, with Matt Berry delivering a standout performance that perfectly suits the game’s Yorkshire charm.
It’s short, likely two to three hours, and occasionally unclear about where to go next. Some jokes land better than others, but overall it’s a charming, laugh-out-loud slice of British humour. A perfect pick for a wet Sunday afternoon.
SCORE: 5/5
Arctic Awakening
Developer: GoldFire Studios
Price: £20.99 / €24.99
Arctic Awakening is a tense first-person survival adventure set in a frozen wasteland. It blends exploration, crafting and environmental storytelling. You play as Kai, a crash-landed pilot searching for a missing co-pilot, accompanied only by Alfie, a court-mandated therapy robot. Think The Long Dark meets Firewatch, with a focus on atmosphere over action.
You’ll scavenge for food, fuel and materials to stay warm, craft tools, repair equipment and navigate treacherous terrain while dealing with wildlife and unpredictable weather. Exploration is rewarding, with abandoned stations, hidden notes and environmental clues painting a bleak picture of what happened.
Read More: Indie Review Round-Up – Fresh Titles Stealing Our Time
The icy landscapes and realistic lighting make every trek feel dangerous. Sound design heightens the isolation, while the dynamic between Kai and Alfie adds emotional weight.
Arctic Awakening isn’t about speed or spectacle. It’s about tension, discovery and the cold thrill of survival in an unforgiving world.
SCORE: 3/5
Fort Solis
Developer: Fallen Leaf
Price: £16.74 / €19.99
Fort Solis is a slow-burning sci-fi thriller set on a remote Martian base where something has gone terribly wrong. You play as a maintenance engineer investigating a mysterious incident, only to find the station deserted and the environment turning hostile. Think Alien: Isolation meets The Expanse, with a focus on psychological dread rather than action.
Gameplay centres on exploring dark corridors, hacking systems, piecing together logs and solving environmental puzzles. Combat is minimal, leaving atmosphere and tension to take the lead. Flickering lights, distant rumbles and claustrophobic spaces build a constant sense of unease.
Read More: Spirit of the North 2 review – Not Capturing the Spirit
Visually, Fort Solis impresses with detailed machinery and moody lighting. The sound design is excellent, from the hum of failing systems to the creaks of a station under strain. Strong voice acting helps sell the isolation.
It’s short, around four to five hours, but delivers a memorable, tightly crafted narrative. Fort Solis thrives on atmosphere, mystery and slow-building dread.
SCORE: 4.5/5