Summary
With an increasing number of indie publishers making it big over the last decade, from Devolver Digital to the more recent New Blood Interactive, it’s easier than ever to dive into the entire back catalog of a consistent publisher. Indie games themselves are also more popular than ever before, especially in an increasingly bleak AAA landscape, and this has resulted in an incredibly saturated market. Because of this, following the releases of a trusted publisher is an easy way to find new, great games.
Humble Games may not be as big as some of the aforementioned publishers, but this publishing arm of Humble Bundle has put out some significant work in its lifetime. With the heart-breaking layoffs at Humble Games, there’s never been a better time to remember the titles that they have supported over the years.
Wizard Of Legendis a spell-slinging action roguelike with stylish pixel art anda satisfying magic system. AlthoughWizard Of Legendfeatures a standard dungeon-crawling structure, it could be argued that its gameplay is much more about moment-to-moment action than the usual strategizing over a build that players have come to expect. This isn’t necessarily a negative, though, and helps to distinguishWizard Of Legendfrom the crowd.
This moment-to-moment action is kept fresh withWizard Of Legend’s variety of spells, which players can mix and match to create unique load-outs. This is whereWizard Of Legendshines, and is what provides much of the game’s replay value.
2Ring Of Pain
A Card-Crawling Roguelike Puzzler
This highly unique roguelike may appear like a deck-builder at first glance, butRing Of Paindoesn’t feature deck-building and is instead a card game that represents the dungeon players crawl through with its cards. This “card crawler” gameplay results in a uniquely tactical puzzle that has players weighing their every move.
For players who enjoy the puzzle-like nature oftabletop card games,Ring Of Painis more than likely to please. This is especially so for fans who also enjoy the structure of roguelikes. Furthermore,Ring Of Painfeatures beautiful art direction that’s both dark and fantastical, making it one of the more distinctive-looking roguelikes on Steam.
Thistop-down Metroidvaniatakes place in a science-fiction future and features rich, satisfying combat that drives its gameplay. ExploringUnsighted’s world is also frequently engaging, however, thanks to a well-crafted atmosphere facilitated by detailed pixel art and a fitting soundtrack.
The game puts players in the shoes of Alma, one of many sentient “Automatons.“Unsighted’s plot centers around these Automatons and, more specifically, the resource that powers their sentience. This resource (dubbed “Anima”) is running out, and as a result, these Automatons are losing their sentience and becoming “unsighted.” This is represented by an in-game timer that constantly ticks down as players search for a way to replenish the Anima.
4Archvale
A Combination Of Fantasy RPGs And Bullet Hell Action
For fans of fantasy RPGs andbullet-hell actionroguelikes such asNuclear ThroneandEnter The Gungeon,Archvaleis almost certainly worth the time. This top-down, pixel-art action game combines the satisfying, often intense bullet-hell gameplay of the aforementionedEnter The Gungeonwith the structure of an RPG. This allows the game’s moment-to-moment gameplay to be consistently engaging while offering players an arguably more rewarding experience overall.
Archvalerewards exploration, allowing players to roam interconnected areas at their leisure. Thankfully, the game’s variety of distinctive environments make exploring an engaging task, constantly piquing the curiosity of players.
Combining the unique gameplay ofMega Man Battle Networkwith thedeck-building mechanicsof the smash-hit indie game,Slay The Spire,One Step From Edenis a brilliantly distinctive real-time roguelike. It won’t be for everyone, though, as it requires constant attention on the part of the player, tasking them with consistently hitting inputs and dodging enemy attacks on the game’s grid.
In true roguelike fashion,One Step From Edenfeatures a huge variety of spells and items, offering players a grand space in which to strategize. Combined with its high difficulty curve, challenging bosses, and multiple playable characters,One Step From Edenoffers a highly replayable experience.
This remarkablyold-school first-person shooterfeatures visceral, action-packed combat encounters packed with brutal gore. In this way,Prodeusfeels like a modernized version ofDOOM, but it manages to maintain a retro aesthetic despite its modern feel.
Its old-school design and relentless faithfulness to the games it’s inspired by are arguablyProdeus’greatest strengths. However, players who don’t enjoy the fast-paced action and loose narratives of old-schoolDOOMare unlikely to find fun inProdeus’dark halls.
Signalisis a distinctively dark survival horror game withhighly unique visualsthat blend anime-style panels, a pixelated aesthetic, and 3D animations. The game puts players in the shoes of Elster, who is a form of biomechanical human that the game calls “Replika Units.”
One ofSignalis’greatest strengths is its twisting, psychologically thrilling narrative. As a result, players should attempt to experienceSignaliswith little prior knowledge of its story. However, the moment-to-moment gameplay ofSignalisalso stands on its own two legs, providing players with a classic survival horror experience while maintaining its personality.
