Let’s be real for a second—while the big-budget AAA studios are busy making sequels to sequels, the indie scene is absolutely carrying the torch for creativity right now.
Every time I look at Steam or a showcase, there’s something new, weird, and incredibly polished popping up.
The indie market is clearly the place to be if you’re looking for games that aren’t afraid to take risks.
Whether you want to blast aliens with a giant cannon or go to magical college with your friends, there is something on this list for everyone.
If you’re looking for something fresh, here are 8 upcoming indie games that’ll make you forget AAA titles even exist.
1. Alabaster Dawn
Platforms: PC, Linux, Consoles also planned
Release Date: Early Accessed on May 7, 2026, full launch date not yet known.
If you’ve ever played CrossCode, you know exactly why this is at the top of the list. Developed by the same team, Alabaster Dawn is an action RPG that features some of the most lush, fluid pixel art I’ve ever seen.
It’s got that classic Zelda exploration vibe mixed with a Diablo-style combat pace and a hint of Hyper Light Drifter. The animations are so smooth they put some $70 games to shame. It’s the total package—art, plot, and pinpoint combat.
2. Agent 64: Spies Never Die
Platforms: PC
Release Date: August 11, 2026
For those of us who grew up huddled around a CRT TV playing GoldenEye 007 on the N64, this game is a direct hit to the nostalgia bone.
Agent 64 isn’t just “inspired” by the 90s console shooter; it looks and plays exactly like one, right down to the character models and the non-linear objectives.
It even includes split-screen multiplayer. It’s retro gaming done right without the clunky 1997 controls.
3. Witchbrook
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S
Release Date: Somewhere later in 2026 we believe
Imagine if Harry Potter and Stardew Valley had a baby—that’s Witchbrook. You’ll be going as a student at a magical college in a seaside town, and you’ll spend your time learning spells, making friends, and living your best witchy life.
What makes this one stand out is the cozy, isometric social RPG element. It’s the kind of game you’ll want to spend all day into on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
4. Blight Survival
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X and S
Release Date: Somewhere in 2027 or later
This is a “how has nobody done this yet?” kind of game. Blight Survival is a medieval extraction horror game.
Think Left 4 Dead but with knights in full plate armor fighting zombies in the middle of a war-torn landscape.
It’s gritty, gruesome, and looks incredibly high-fidelity for an indie project. With over 1.5 million Steam wishlists, the hype for this co-op slasher is very real.
5. Exekiller
Platforms: PS5, PC, Xbox Series X and S
Release Date: Unknown
If you dig the “Cowboy Blade Runner” aesthetic, Exekiller is calling your name. It’s a retro-futuristic Western set in a world where humanity is fighting over bionic implants called bio-chips.
In this indie video game, you will be playing as a bounty hunter in the ruins of New York, driving a flying car across a dusty, orange-hued wasteland and much more.
6. PVKK (Planetary Vice-Kommando)
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Release Date: Somewhere in 2027
This game has a very specific “Papers, Please” energy, but instead of checking passports, you’re operating a massive planetary cannon from a cramped bunker.
You live, sleep, and work inside this turret, trying to follow orders and fend off an invasion while navigating the propaganda of a totalitarian regime.
It’s a simulation game that feels heavy, tactile, and claustrophobic in the best way possible.
7. Graft
Platforms: PC
Release Date: Unknown
From the creators of the Shadowrun trilogy comes Graft, a dark sci-fi RPG that leans heavily into body horror. The hook? To get stronger, you have to graft parts of your fallen enemies onto your own body.
You might start as a human, but by the end, you’ll be a terrifying amalgamation of tech and flesh. It’s disturbing, cinematic, and looks like a fantastic departure for the studio.
8. Angels in Orbit
Platforms: PC
Release Date: Uknown
Finally, we have Angels in Orbit. This one is fascinating because it takes the “Biblically accurate angels” meme (think rings of eyes and too many wings) and turns it into a legitimate horror game.
It’s an ambitious project featuring stealth, weapon customization, and interconnected maps. It’s weird, off-kilter, and exactly the kind of risky project that only an indie dev would dare to make.
And this is it for now, stay with us for more!
