We’re highlighting a handful of indie titles that have been quietly taking up our playtime. As ever, this isn’t a comprehensive list, just a roundup of indie releases we haven’t had the chance to review in full.
These short impressions should give you a sense of what each game brings to the table. And who knows, you might just stumble across a hidden gem or two along the way.
Absolum
Developer: DotEmu, Guard Crush and Supamonks
Price: £20.99 / €24.99
Absolum blends old-school side-scrolling beat ’em up gameplay with roguelite elements (think something along the lines of Hades) to craft something truly special.
At its core, the combat is the game’s biggest strength. Fights feel timed, weighty and skill-based. Mechanics like dodging, parrying, combos and magic abilities add depth over time as you unlock them. Each playable character offers a distinct style of brawling too, encouraging experimentation across runs.
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The roguelite loop, progressing, dying and returning that bit stronger, fits naturally with the repetitive roots of beat ’em ups when you think about it. Branching paths, upgrades and ever-changing encounters keep runs feeling fresh, giving it strong replay value that can stretch well beyond your first full run.
Visually, Absolum is striking, with a bold comic-book art style and fluid animation backed by a fittingly energetic soundtrack. As for any issues, the story is relatively thin and combat can occasionally become visually cluttered with so much kicking off at the same time. Overall, Absolum succeeds as a “rogue ’em up” hybrid, accessible yet deep, nostalgic yet innovative.
4.5/5
Aerial_Knight’s DropShot
Developer: Aerial_Knight Games Price: £16.74 / €19.49
Aerial_Knight’s DropShot is one of the more, let’s say, unique titles I have played so far this year, blending an FPS with, well, a skydiving sim of sorts. You fall from the sky while shooting enemies with limited “finger gun” ammo, racing to survive and land first. Yes, that sounds random, but that’s the game: fall as fast as you can, dodging obstacles and finger-blasting bad guys. Why, you may ask? Well, we don’t have time to explain, and neither does the game.
The core concept is undeniably unique, and the constant falling gives the game a real sense of urgency and flow. It’s built around short, sharp, repeatable levels, normally clocking in at under a minute. This keeps the pacing tight and encourages replayability. The mechanics are simple but satisfying, requiring quick reactions, smart ammo use and clever use of slipstreams for speed boosts.
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Visually, the game has a bold, surreal style with vibrant colours and chaotic mid-air set pieces, matched by a banging soundtrack. The only thing that holds it back is that it’s a bit of a one-trick pony and lacks real depth. Add to this a limited variety of modes and a short runtime, with credits rolling in an hour or two, and it’s very likely to leave some wanting more.
But DropShot is a stylish, inventive arcade shooter that excels in short bursts, even if it’s all fur coat and no knickers beyond the first few drops.
2.5/5
Crisol: Theater of Idols
Developer: Vermila Studios
Price: £14.99 / €17.49
Crisol: Theater of Idols at first glance may seem like your standard horror FPS, but look a little closer and you’ll find an unusual core mechanic at work. Set in a nightmarish, folklore-infused version of Spain, the game follows Gabriel, a soldier fighting through a cursed island where religious idols come to life. Story-wise, the tale is intriguing, blending religion, mythology and political conflict to create a compelling yarn. The dialogue and some characters often fall flat, though, given the rich lore on show.
But it’s on the shooting side where things get interesting, as it features a “blood-for-bullets” system, meaning your health is your ammunition. This creates an instant risk–reward tension that adds a level of strategic edge to the game I have never really felt before. It makes you question every reload. Do you prepare for a room ahead, not knowing what awaits, or keep your health for anything that may surprise attack you?
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The game is dripping in atmosphere. The gothic architecture, eerie sound design and unsettling enemies give Crisol a strong identity, similar to BioShock and Resident Evil in a lot of ways. Limited enemy variety and increasingly predictable encounters do break the mood a little, while movement and gunplay sometimes feel a bit slow and clunky in the heat of the moment.
Crisol: Theater of Idols is a creative but uneven experience, a visually compelling, atmospheric shooter with bold ideas at its core that just falls short of fully coming together. That said, it’s still well worth exploring for fans of horror games.
3.5/5
Mortanis Prisoners
Developers: Vladimir Zlobin and Alexey Bulgakov
Price: £16.74 / €19.49
From one horror title to another, Mortanis Prisoners is a grim, atmospheric survival-horror shooter. Set inside a WWII concentration camp with just a pinch of supernatural horror, the game aims to unsettle more than entertain in ways.
It does a grand job of this. The oppressive environments, sparse lighting and haunting sound design create a constant sense of dread and not knowing what’s coming for you. It tells a more psychological tale overall, but it does lack a level of depth and, for me, fails to fully make the most of the heavy themes at play.
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Gameplay is very much in the classic survival-horror mould. Ammo is scarce, combat is slow and deliberate, and stealth often becomes the smartest option. Exploration, resource management and environmental storytelling form the backbone of the experience, encouraging careful play.
But the gunplay can feel extremely stiff, with poor AI and, oddly for a survival-horror, a real feeling of repetition setting in quickly. Mortanis Prisoners is a haunting but uneven experience, memorable for its atmosphere and ambition but limited by rough mechanics and inconsistent execution. 2/5
Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War
Developer: Auroch Digital
Price: £20.99 / €24.99
Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! is, on paper, a “retro-inspired first-person shooter”. I’ll be honest, it’s a boomer shooter set in the Starship Troopers universe, and it’s bloody brilliant.
It delivers fast-paced bug-slaying action wrapped in the satire the original film is best known for. Built in the style of a boomer shooter, it combines classic run-and-gun gameplay with semi-open levels and objective-based missions, giving you freedom to tackle encounters while wielding an iconic arsenal.
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The moment-to-moment gameplay is very satisfying, with weighty gunplay and epic firefights against swarming bugs. It’s at its best when you’re knee-deep in an epic battle, as it captures the feeling of the franchise perfectly.
The presentation is outstanding, using propaganda-style cutscenes and an over-the-top tone that feel lifted from an unreleased movie, with cast members even reprising their roles. Ultimate Bug War succeeds as both a nostalgic shooter and a fitting chapter in a much-loved series, where shooter fans and movie fans will find a good time.
5/5
Sonic Wings Reunion
Developer: Red Art Games
Price: £26.99 / €31.49
Sonic Wings Reunion is a nostalgic revival of the classic Aero Fighters series, aiming to bring old-school shoot ’em up action thrills to modern platforms. It sticks closely to the genre’s roots: fast-paced, vertically scrolling gameplay where you must dodge ever more challenging bullet patterns while upgrading your firepower. There are eight distinct pilots, each with unique weapons and bomb abilities, adding some variety.
The difficulty can be punishing, which will appeal to hardcore fans of the genre but may also put off newcomers looking for an entry point into the world of shmups. The gameplay loop will feel overly familiar, lacking innovation or modern refinements that could have helped it stand out in today’s crowded Shmup landscape.
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Visuals are also a bit of a weak point. Although functional, they often feel bland, with grounded real-world environments that lack the flair or spectacle of other titles in the genre.
It’s also a bit light on content. With only a handful of modes, the package feels thin, especially given its more premium price. Sonic Wings Reunion is one of those titles that is maybe just too faithful to its source. It’s enjoyable in short bursts, particularly for fans of shmup thrills, but ultimately it’s too generic and content-light to leave any real lasting impression.
2/5