Here we are with the fifth installment of my series dedicated to Indie RPGs that I stumble across from time to time and write about on TBL. I also have to admit I’m a bit overwhelmed by how many great projects I want to talk about but just can’t find the time—new games keep popping up like mushrooms after the rain.
Anyway, below are 10 of the most intriguing titles from recent weeks, including roguelikes, JRPGs, an interesting Battle Brothers-inspired game from the creators of Fell Seal, a survival game featuring vehicular combat straight out of a Mad Max scenario, and an RPG that lets you deal with elves and dinosaurs—yes, you read right—and much more.
Just a heads-up: most of these projects don’t have a confirmed release date yet (except for one, which is already available in Early Access). My goal here is to shine a spotlight on these projects, helping them gain as many wishlists as possible. So, go and support 🙂
Dust Raiders
Let’s kick things off with the Mad Max-inspired survival tactical RPG, which features an intriguing vehicular combat system. In this game, you can pause—or, more accurately, slow down time—to make your tactical decisions.
It’s called Dust Raiders, and it throws players into a gritty post apocaliptic world in a desperate fight for survival. With resources stripped away and a harsh desert looming, you must assemble a scrappy new vehicle, gather a loyal crew, and navigate a world filled with peril.
The game’s main hook lies in its RTWP vehicle combat, where strategic positioning and effective weapon use are vital for survival. You’ll be commanding your crew during intense engagements, orchestrating desert chases, and fending off raiders who stand between you and reclaiming what you’ve lost.
Beyond combat, Dust Raiders features a dynamic economy driven by fluctuating supply and demand, forcing players to make savvy trading decisions to finance their struggle. With four sprawling areas to explore—ranging from the unforgiving Eternal Desert to abandoned cities—you’ll uncover secrets, help enclaves, and face formidable adversaries.
Completing quests and aiding settlements not only moves the story forward but also unlocks new customization options for your vehicle, allowing you to tailor it to your playstyle and maximize your chances of survival as The Great Storm approaches. No release date yet.
Threads of Time
There’s no doubt that retro-style pixelated JRPGs appeal to more than just me—they’re clearly striking a chord in today’s gaming industry. The proof is in the sheer number of these projects, both those recently released and many others still in development, like Threads of Time.
Threads of Time is a nostalgic journey through the ages, offering a turn-based RPG experience inspired by the classics. Players will embark on an epic quest to restore the timeline, gathering a party of heroes from various eras—from the age of dinosaurs to the distant future (Does it remind you of something!?.)
As you navigate these diverse periods, you’ll uncover an intricate plot threatening the past, present, and future. You’ll restore the ancient Order of the Time Knights with each new hero you meet, uniting champions to protect the timeline from chaos.
Combat is an artful mix of nostalgia and strategy, with turn-based mechanics that allow you to bend time to your advantage. Expect visually dynamic battles where you can unleash powerful team combos. Built with Unreal Engine 5, the game merges vibrant, hand-crafted 2D-pixel art with modern visuals—which is what I like the most in video games—evoking the charm of classic JRPGs while delivering a fresh and immersive experience. Threads of a Time release date is yet to be announced.
Pathbreakers: Roaming Blades
Without a doubt, Battle Brothers has been one of the most groundbreaking games in recent years, and it’s now a major source of inspiration for countless other projects. Honestly, I’m all for seeing more developers explore these kinds of dynamics. Case in point: 6 Eyes Studios, the creators of the Final Fantasy Tactics-style Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark, recently announced Pathbreakers: Roaming Blades, a mercenary simulator set in a rich fantasy world, where you’ll take on quests, delve into dungeons, and manage your own band of warriors.
Players can craft their own origin story or choose from a variety of preset paths, shaping their experience with different plotlines and character traits. Whether you choose to pursue contracts, trade, or delve deep into ancient dungeons, maintaining your mercenary crew’s morale and resources is key to survival in this ever-changing landscape.
Battles take place on tactical hex grids, with players commanding up to eight unique mercenaries, each featuring distinct skill trees and advanced class options. The combat promises to be strategic and unforgiving, demanding careful planning to overcome the wide array of enemies, including other mercenaries and monstrous creatures that lurk across the Isle. Pathbreakers: Roaming Blades was announced a few days ago; we still have to wait for more info about a release date.
Scourge of the Reptile
In a world where a meteor’s impact changes everything, humans, elves, and dinosaurs alike are suddenly gifted with magical powers, sparking chaos across the land of Odion. Scourge of the Reptiles unfolds in this tumultuous prehistoric setting, blending a rich narrative of ancient beasts and mystical forces with tactical, party-based gameplay. Off the top of my head, I can’t recall anything quite like this in terms of the setting, and I think that could work really well.
As the hero, you command a party that includes warriors, sorcerers, and even rideable dinosaur companions to face the rising threat. The narrative unfolds over three acts, revealing a dark magical force that has begun to manipulate the very beasts you seek to control.
The gameplay centers on classic turn-based tactical combat, with a focus on strategic positioning and utilizing each character’s unique abilities alongside the power of your dinosaur allies—who wouldn’t want a dinosaur as an ally?—You’ll encounter over 19 species of dinosaurs and develop more than 100 combat skills and abilities, allowing for deep customization of your party’s strengths.
The game provides an estimated 40 hours of gameplay across its three acts, ensuring plenty of opportunities for tactical decision-making as you navigate a world filled with warring factions, fierce undead, and armies of magically manipulated reptiles. Scourge of the Reptiles is planned for release in 2025 on PC.
Fogpiercer
Another title built around vehicular combat is Fogpiercer, though the vehicle you’ll be piloting here is a bit… larger. In fact, you control a train that is both your lifeline and your weapon in a blend of deckbuilding and tactical strategy inside a gritty post-apocalyptic world. As you navigate this desolate landscape, you’ll upgrade your train—each carriage representing different cards in your deck—allowing you to expand and enhance your tactical options.
Battles unfold on a square grid, where careful positioning is crucial. By playing your cards cleverly, you can manipulate enemies to attack each other or even crush them under the wheels of your train. The game features roguelite elements, making each run distinct, with your deck constantly evolving based on the carriages you add and the choices you make.
Reaching stations gives you opportunities to heal, buy new carriages, or upgrade your existing ones to unlock synergy effects. Your progress depends on the routes you choose, with each journey demanding both risk-taking and adaptability. Fogpiercer is set to release in 2025 on PC.
Underkeep
This nostalgic tribute to classic dungeon crawlers was one of the most well-received posts as soon as I shared it on my X profile, and for a good reason. It’s called Underkeep and takes you deep into a dangerous fantasy world where turn-based combat and grid-based movement are the name of the game. Assemble a party of four adventurers, each with unique abilities, and descend into the Underkeep to uncover its long-buried secrets and the stories of its ancient inhabitants.
You’ll combine spells, upgrade gear, and create synergies that allow your party to overcome weaknesses, all while encountering traps, NPCs, and dangerous foes as you progress through the labyrinthine dungeons.
With a yet-to-be-announced release date, Underkeep looks to blend retro dungeon-crawling charm with modern comforts for an engaging RPG experience.
The Grave: The Wildlands of Faenora
Inspired by classic strategy RPGs like Ogre Battle, To The Grave: The Wildlands of Faenora combines tactical turn-based combat with roguelite mechanics, offering a deep and challenging experience. Players lead a customizable squad of adventurers across dynamic paths, battling mythical creatures and unearthing epic loot in a pixel-art medieval fantasy world with branching routes filled with unique events, tough battles, and hidden treasures.
Combat takes place on a 3×3 grid, where positioning is vital—melee fighters thrive upfront, while ranged units excel from the rear, demanding thoughtful strategic planning to optimize your squad’s strengths.
Unit customization is a core part of the gameplay, allowing you to equip characters with powerful weapons, armor, and accessories, as well as promote them to advanced classes to unlock new skills and abilities. As you navigate the treacherous Wildlands, you’ll encounter and gather magical artifacts as well.
Now, tell me, how can anyone resist a visual style like that of The Grave: The Wildlands of Faenora? It practically brings the magical game world to life. There’s only a “coming soon” as hint for the release date but in the meantime you can give the demo a try.
Banquet for Fools
Hannah and Joseph Games have a pedigree of creating unique and original RPGs like Mechajammer and Serpent in the Staglands. Just a few days ago, they announced Banquet for Fools, their new project, and it looks just as distinctive. A party-based Real-Time With Pause RPG set in the fantasy world of Invimona. As one of four guards, you are tasked with unraveling the enigma of a vanished settlement while helping the settlers overcome both human and supernatural threats.
Each member of your party is uniquely customizable, and depending on their skills and traits, interactions with NPCs and within the group vary as bonds are forged during your journey. Without an auto-compass or quest log, you must navigate the island using clues found in scrolls.
Combat in Banquet for Fools blends real-time action with the option to pause and strategize, switching seamlessly between companions while making use of critical attacks, Rally strikes, and character-specific tactics. The game also features skills in pagan magic, music, and rogue abilities, with custom spells and musical setlists providing a distinctive edge in battles. Decisions are crucial—not only do they determine combat outcomes, but also how you choose to deal with criminals and grave robbers, shaping your reputation across the island.
Banquet for Fools launched in Early Access on September 30, 2024, with ongoing updates planned to enrich the map, quests, and mechanics, giving players a chance to influence its development while diving into a richly layered medieval fantasy adventure. It’s definitely one of the most original and unique titles in recent times, and you can find it on Steam.
Stratagem Lost
Perilous conspiracies, a shattered land, and relentless strategy encounters await in Stratagem Lost, a turn-based tactical RPG inspired by SRPG like Fire Emblem and set in a world on the edge of collapse. As tensions between the final two nations intensify, you are tasked with assembling a team of unique and colorful characters, each of whom can attack, move, and use skills freely as long as they have the stamina.
Characters learn skills from each other, forming Comrade Duos that expand your tactical options and create powerful synergies. The turn-based combat offers flexibility, incorporating Positive Marks that enhance abilities and provide a distinctive edge in strategic encounters.
What definitely impressed me the most—and I bet it’ll impress you, too—is the visual style presented with a striking twilight punk aesthetic, expressive visuals, vivid cutscenes, and a bold, hard-rock soundtrack that emphasizes the game’s style. The narrative unfolds across 25+ chapters filled with political intrigue, paranoia, and personal drama, where choices during Off-Time Segments let you bond with allies, learn their stories, and unlock powerful new skills.
Combat includes varied objectives—such as defending key points or delivering critical payloads—and rewards players for strategic efficiency and keeping units alive. The experience is further enriched by mercenary recruits, unique character customization, and even a playable Rottweiler companion. Stratagem Lost has a playable demo, and in the next few days, it will traverse a Kickstarter Campaign.
Stones Keeper II: Chaos Lord
A return to a world of dark fantasy awaits in Stones Keeper II: Chaos Lord, where you command the Circle of Unquenchable Thirst from your own flying fortress. Building on the core mechanics of the original game, this sequel introduces new tactical options, improved graphics, and expanded gameplay features.
As the leader of your squad, you will recruit and level up warriors, customize equipment, and use both brute force and diplomacy to overcome your enemies. Stones Keeper II features a robust single-player campaign with over 30 missions centered around the machinations of the Chaos Lord, involving artifact hunts, enemy raids, and altar captures.
New tactical elements like Zone of Control and Backstab offer depth to the turn-based combat, encouraging varied approaches to battles against the nine different factions—including the newly introduced Forest Spirits. Players can further customize their squads through a system of six character levels and 15 available talents. Managing your flying fortress is a key aspect of the experience, providing upgrades and strategic advantages for the challenges ahead. Coming soon on PC.
We’ve reached the end of this indie showcase, and I have to say, in my humble opinion, it’s one of the best ones yet. Remember, you can always reach me through my X profile (formerly Twitter), the YouTube channel, or the amazing Discord server where you can connect with fellow genre enthusiasts and developers—something truly special. For now, I just wish you all the best. Ciao
