Here’s the third installment of our article series dedicated to indie projects featured on TBL. This is a kind of roundup of the most promising RPGs and strategy games I’ve discussed in recent days. There’s really a lot of interesting stuff among these 12 video games.
Among them, you’ll find some pure RPGs that offer potentially fun and captivating open worlds, as well as intriguing roguelites that use cards both for gameplay mechanics and world representation. There are also some truly fascinating dungeon crawlers. In short, it’s a good mix of all genres. So, here’s the third Indie Showcase featuring twelve of the most interesting turn-based indie games.
Lost in Prayer
Let’s start with Lost in Prayer by Nine Dots Studio, a traditional roguelike, which brings an innovative and potentially fun mechanic. In this game, players traverse the realms of Heaven and Hell as a disembodied soul, facing formidable enemies in procedurally generated levels.
Lost in Prayer stands out because of its innovative mechanic: if players are defeated, they can start their next run as the monster that killed them. This feature adds a strategic layer to the game, where dying can be as rewarding as surviving. With diverse enemies, challenging environments, and a deep skill system, Lost in Prayer promises high replay value and a fresh experience each time. However, the PC release date is yet to be announced.
Dragonero: The Rise of Draquir
I introduced it a few days ago, and now there is also a release date. Dragonero: The Rise of Draquir, is an upcoming turn-based RPG developed and published by Operaludica, set in a richly detailed fantasy world inspired by comic book-style art. Players will guide five unique heroes—Ian, Gmor, Myrva, Alben, and Sera—through a vast open world filled with procedurally generated and handcrafted dungeons.
The game offers strategic turn-based combat where players must carefully manage resources and rest periods to succeed. Featuring a Master Mode, players can also create and share their own adventures. Dragonero promises to engage fans of classic RPGs with its immersive storytelling, challenging gameplay, and an inspired open-world map. The release date is set for 26 September, 2024 on PC via Steam.
ColdRidge
Now, a game focuses on exploring a truly inspired, colorful Wild West world. It’s called ColdRidge, and it’s a roguelite strategy game set in the Wild West that invites players to step into the role of a daring prospector navigating cursed terrains and uncharted lands. Developed by Frog Collective and published by Bark Games, ColdRidge combines strategic movement planning with high-stakes decision-making, where every expedition is a test of wits and bravery.
Players must carefully manage contracts, uncover magical artifacts, and unlock new characters with unique abilities, all while unraveling the sinister secrets of the guild that controls the land. With its rich narrative and atmospheric setting, ColdRidge offers a fresh and challenging experience each time, ensuring that no two playthroughs are the same. Set to release in Q4 2024, Coldridge has a demo available for you to try.
Cairn: Mathair’s Curse
Everything that reminds me of Earthbound is always well accepted, and Cairn: Mathair’s Curse, a turn-based JRPG developed and published by Ross McRitchie, will surely do. It immerses players in a story-rich adventure deeply rooted in Celtic mythology and Scottish culture where players follows the journey of Alex, a young boy, and his mother as they confront a mysterious cult that has unleashed an ancient curse on their homeland, Albaness. With its narrative focused on themes of love, loss, and family, Cairn offers a heartfelt and emotionally engaging experience.
Players will explore a variety of hand-crafted locations, from serene seaside villages to eerie underground caverns, solving puzzles and forging alliances with quirky characters along the way. The game’s combat system is both tactical and humorous, featuring bizarre enemies.
A unique dream mechanic allows players to enter a dark realm where crucial events unfold, adding depth to the gameplay. Complementing the experience is a carefully crafted soundtrack that ranges from upbeat battle themes to melancholic tunes.
With its release expected in October 2024 on PC via Steam, players can try the demo to get a taste of this intriguing adventure ahead of time.
Saveseeker
Saveseeker, a cozy time-traveling RPG from Paper Sword Games, introduces players to the unique world of Emmer Edette, a young girl on a mission to stop her father, a former Hero, from ending the world. Accompanied by her toy dragon sidekick, Tippleton, Emmer embarks on a quest to overwrite “Save Stops” across six vibrant, animated lands.
The game features turn-based combat, puzzle-solving, and the intriguing ability to recruit former bosses as allies, each bringing their own motivations and skills to the party. With its pixel art aesthetic and a warm, catchy soundtrack by Dale North, Saveseeker promises a rich narrative experience filled with strategic depth. Expected to release in Q3 2025 on PC via Steam, the game invites players to explore a bright, colorful world and uncover hidden secrets as they journey to rewrite fate.
The Adventurers
For sure, one of the best picks for me is The Adventurers, an upcoming retro-inspired RPG developed by Eternal Vigilance Entertainment, which draws on the charm of classic Gold Box titles while offering a rich open-world experience. This pixelated RPG emphasizes tactical depth and strategic planning, with turn-based combat that challenges players to make the most of their adventurers’ unique abilities and the terrain. Exploration is a key element, allowing the party to traverse vibrant green expanses and snowy landscapes, evoking a sense of nostalgia for old-school RPGs.
Players can recruit adventurers from diverse classes, equip them with powerful weapons and gear, and manage their morale and health to ensure survival. With hundreds of random events and quests, character progression offers endless customization options, enabling players to craft a balanced and formidable team. The Adventurers is set to launch in Early Access on PC in Q4 2024, promising to deliver a little pixelated masterpiece that blends retro charm with modern RPG mechanics.
Dice ‘n Goblins
Dice ‘n Goblins, developed by Tsukumogami Software, is a unique first-person dungeon crawler that blends traditional exploration with an innovative combat system centered around dice rolls. Players take on the role of Gobby, a determined goblin navigating the treacherous depths of a labyrinthine dungeon. The game challenges players with grid-based movement through levels filled with vertical challenges, traps, and a variety of characters who can either aid or hinder their journey.
The combat system in Dice ‘n Goblins is both strategic and unpredictable, relying on a dynamic dice mechanism where players must skillfully combine their rolls with special abilities to craft powerful combos. As they progress, players can loot chests for new dice, trade with merchants, and upgrade their dice pool to adapt to the dungeon’s evolving dangers. This mix of strategy and chance ensures that every battle is a test of wits and resourcefulness.
Set for release on PC via Steam in Q4 2024, Dice ‘n Goblins promises a fresh take on the dungeon crawler genre, offering a thrilling blend of exploration, strategic combat, and the excitement of chance. A demo will soon be available for those eager to get an early taste of this intriguing RPG.
The Last Spartan
Bad Spiele Studio is working on something truly unique, mostly in terms of story and setting, where players step into the shoes of a Spartan warrior navigating a dark and twisted version of ancient Greece. Combining elements of Greek mythology with Lovecraftian horrors, The Last Spartan presents a unique blend of themes that set it apart in the roguelite genre.
In Last Spartan: Glory Over Madness, players engage in turn-based battles using a customizable dice set, facing off against nightmarish enemies while trying to maintain their sanity. The game’s deck-building mechanics allow for deep strategic play, with each run offering a fresh experience through randomly generated worlds filled with unique enemies, NPCs, and artifacts. The story-driven campaign adds depth to the experience, with players exploring a 2.5D rendition of Greece and aligning with one of ten Greek gods, each providing distinct abilities that influence gameplay.
The combination of rich mythology, dark horror, and strategic gameplay makes Last Spartan: Glory Over Madness a captivating title to watch. Set for release in 2024 on PC via Steam, this game offers endless replayability with its ever-changing challenges and immersive narrative. If you’re a fan of games like Darkest Dungeon, this is one to add to your wishlist.
Rubedo The Occult Dawn
Another really interesting project is Rubedo: The Occult Dawn, an upcoming open-world RPG developed by solo creator Albert Nemec that was recently announced, sparking interest with its unique blend of alchemy and magic. Set in a kingdom where players take on the role of the last surviving witch, the game offers an innovative turn-based combat system that allows players to combine nine alchemical symbols into thirty powerful sigils.
This system provides a rich strategic depth, challenging players to master complex magical effects. The game’s narrative centers around restoring occult magic in a world scarred by witch-hunts, with character progression influenced by players’ moral choices. Additionally, Rubedo features customizable occult hideouts and faction-based quests, promising a deeply immersive experience. Rubedo’s Steam page has just gone live, building anticipation for its eventual release.
Seed of Pandora: Legend of the Gaia Tree
Pandora Media Games has launched a Kickstarter campaign for Seed of Pandora: Legend of the Gaia Tree, a JRPG that draws heavily on classic titles like Final Fantasy and Suikoden. Set in a beautifully crafted 16-bit world, the game invites players to explore the mystical land of Pandora, where they will uncover the secrets of the legendary Gaia Tree and its role in the world’s creation.
The narrative unfolds over a century after a war involving the Gaia Sect, with players embarking on a journey filled with turn-based battles, diverse characters, and rich storytelling. The game combines retro aesthetics with modern enhancements, including autosave, fast-forward options, and a quest-tracking system.
With its Kickstarter campaign, Pandora Media Games aims to fund final touches like pixel art portraits and an anime-style intro, promising an experience that honors the golden age of JRPGs. A playable demo is available on Steam, giving players a preview of this nostalgic yet fresh RPG adventure.
Decks of The Damned
What if the game world is entirely represented in cards? The answer is in indie studio Thorian Games’ Decks of the Damned, an upcoming title that introduces an innovative twist on the card-based genre by creating an entire game world made of cards. In this dark, strategic game, players take on the role of various Vampire classes, managing armies of undead to conquer human settlements by night and defend their lairs by day.
The gameplay centers around collecting resources, crafting items, and exploring dungeons, with every element—from characters to enemies—represented by cards on the board. The game features pixel art graphics that enhance its eerie atmosphere. A playable demo is set to be released in August 2024, with the full release date yet to be announced.
Golel
Golel, a roguelike dungeon crawler from Israeli developer Ofer Rubinstein, merges the atmospheric first-person exploration of classics like Eye of the Beholder and Legend of Grimrock with unique gameplay mechanics. Set in eerie, monster-infested dungeons, Golel places players in the role of a warrior tormented by visions, navigating a world where every step requires strategic thought.
The game features turn-based combat and tile-based movement, with a strong emphasis on environmental interaction—players can use the surroundings to their advantage, such as dropping bookshelves on enemies or maneuvering them into traps. With extensive character development options, including hundreds of skills and stats, Golel offers a deeply customizable experience.
The game’s non-linear world enhances replayability, with a 30-hour main campaign and a procedural roguelike mode for endless post-campaign challenges. Supporting both standard and VR modes, Golel is slated for a Q2 2025 release, with a demo currently available for those eager to explore its dark, immersive world.
