Indie games that took the spotlight at Gamescom 2023 – hands-on with upcoming games

It’s not only the big names that deserve recognition

While we were rushing around covering major games like Assassin’s Creed and Alan Wake 2, we had time to slow down and take a look at some of the smaller games that made their way to the convention floor this summer at Gamescom 2023. We saw a wide variety of games from MOBAs to horror games and even visual novels. In fact, every indie game we saw at Gamescom came from a different genre.

If triple-A games aren’t really your style, then take a look at some of the smaller yet promising games we saw at Gamescom this year.

Inescapable

It may look like a Danganronpa clone, but Inescapable actually lets you alter people's fates as you play / Aksys Games

You may have seen Inescapable and stored it away in your mind as that ‘Danganronpa clone’ where a group of people are trapped together on an island with no escape and a big prize up for grab. It will sound familiar, but if you know enough about Danganronpa, you will know that the story is linear. There is no way to change the fate of those trapped in the death game, no matter the morality of your decisions. Inescapable gives you that opportunity, and while you may not intend to alter people’s fates, you inevitably will. Everyone can live or die, and that all depends on the choices you make throughout.

I had a few hours to play Inescapable, and it definitely intrigued me, though I did find some of the characters to be quite shallow. I’m told that this is intended, as the more you get to know each character, the more they will subvert expectations on how they appear. We would have to see more to find out if this is the case. However, if the characters are indeed deeper than they first appear, then this could be one to watch for visual novel fans. I was told that there are multiple paths and endings, and even a true ending that can be grabbed right from the start, giving a lot to consider when it comes to replayability.

Still Wakes the Deep

Offensively Scottish in its presentation, Still Wakes the Deep has one of the most unique settings in gaming / Secret Mode

A new game by The Chinese Room best known for Dear Esther, Still Wakes the Deep has one of the most unique settings in gaming. Set on a Scottish oil rig in the 1970s, it is offensively Scottish in its presentation, and has no issue with delivering dialogue completely in Scots. This is something that I admire. It’s not trying to make itself palatable for general audiences. It’s trying to portray a unique character portrait of our protagonist, a man whose wife is asking for a divorce, and who is in trouble with his boss for beating up another man.

While we didn’t see too much of the character, what we did see is a lot of him traversing the oil rig. The seemingly supernatural elements clashed a little with the gritty realism, but overall the atmosphere was consuming. It holds heavy over you, with the screeches and crashes coming from the eroding rig, combined with the stormy conditions. One slip and you’re in the drink, and you feel that weight with your character. We didn’t get a hands-on with this one, but the first look was a positive one.

Last Epoch

Last Epoch is a MOBA with an interesting story / Eleventh Hour Games

The Last Epoch’s story is almost as interesting as the game itself. After years of playing MOBAs the lead developer took to Reddit to discuss his dream MOBA with other fans of the genre. From there a number of people put their heads together and decided that they would design their perfect game. Together they created a successful Kickstarter, and later released it in Early Access. From there they have been doing what Early Access was made for; listening to player feedback and adjusting the game accordingly.

And the feedback has been positive. As someone who isn’t big on the genre, I can still see that it has some big improvements over the standards of the genre. There is a huge amount of classes you can play, more than I’ve ever seen, and each comes with its own vast set of skills and skill trees. It makes each character unique and the gameplay more rewarding. If it’s a genre you’re interested in, it’s definitely worth taking a deeper look.

Abiotic Factor

Survive in a lab after a disaster shuts you down from the outside in Abiotic Factor / Playstack

Abiotic Factor is a retro-style game, but it’s built using a completely modern engine. Teaming up locally or online with up to four players, you each decide your role in the team, and set to survive in a lab after a disaster shuts you down from the outside. The main hook in this survival game is that you rely on smarts rather than strength to keep your team alive, as you gather resources, build contraptions, and cook your way to survival.

Together we made it through the first section of the game, and there were a lot of laughs to be had particularly when one of our party ate some questionable meat and seemingly couldn’t stop vomiting. It’s a little goofy, and that humor might just find it the community it’s looking for.

AK-xolotl

A cute but deadly rogulike shooter / Playstack

AK-xolotl takes the vibe from all of your favorite roguelike games and adds something extra; gun-wielding axolotls. It has gameplay similar to Enter the Gungeon, a choice of rooms with the items displayed outside à la Hades, and the limited health of The Binding of Isaac. There is also a hub world where you can grab upgrades that you can find in the dungeon – think Crypt of the Necrodancer – and we’re told there is a system to raise baby axolotl like… well… no other game we’ve seen before.

It’s clear that the developers are fans of roguelikes and truly know the history of the genre. We would have to see more before we can claim this one a staple of the genre, but it’s definitely captured our interest in a genre that is beloved by many.

The Last Faith

A clear homage to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, The Last Faith actually feels closer to Salt and Sanctuary in terms of difficulty

Speaking of indie games that take cues from other genres is The Last Faith which is unashamed in its homage to Castlevania, most notably Symphony of the Night. It carries that dark gothic theme, but has added an extra level of difficulty making it feel like something a little closer to Salt and Sanctuary. I was told that the team is still discussing the way they want to take the difficulty, but I didn’t think it was too difficult as it stood. It just lands further in the punishing but rewarding part of the scale.

Luckily it took Castlevania’s lead on map design, in that it has one, and you can refer back to it at any point. As only the parts we’d uncovered were shown, we’re unsure just how large the map is, but we did discover plenty of paths we couldn’t take yet, and shortcuts back up to them. Again we didn’t see enough to make a full decision, but initial signs are promising.

Cat Quest 3

Cat Quest 3 is a cutesy adventure, brimming with secrets and an open-ended structure that keeps you hooked / Kepler Interactive

Cat Quest 3 was one of my surprise favorites from Gamescom, and I cried out when I found out that my session had come to an end. I was allowed to play 30 minutes in pretty much any way I liked, with the developer pointing out little Easter eggs I may have missed along the way. In that short time, I managed to uncover a hidden boss, and was proud of how quickly I had got control over the combat. After the tutorial level, you’re free to explore wherever you like on the map, and that includes going to high-level areas and getting kicked to the curb. But it’s this freedom that I admire most.

The cutesy art style, the fast-paced pirate ship combat, and a world brimming with secrets add up to a surprisingly captivating game with plenty of hooks to keep you exploring. It bends the rules of typical video games, giving you no clear goal, allowing you to blow up all the NPCs, and encouraging you to search every inch of the map. It may be the third Cat Quest game, but it has only gotten better.