AI-run 'utopias,' Moss in 2D and other new indie games worth checking out

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Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. There are a lot of neat new games for you to check out this weekend and we've got some news about titles that are a little further out to bring you.

I haven't spent a ton of time playing games this week, because it's summer, and I'm putting experience points into my "going outside" skill tree. I did briefly check out a couple of new games, though. One of those is Denshattack!, from Undercoders and developer Fireshine Games.

Set in a futuristic, dystopian version of Japan, Denshattack! sees you take charge of a train that controls like a skateboard. It jumps from track to track, avoids obstacles and, perhaps most importantly, pulls off sick tricks. You'll face rivals and bosses as you speed through gorgeous environments.

I've only had time to play an hour or so thus far, but it's clear that Denshattack! is dripping with style. None of the rad visuals or audio would mean much if it didn't feel great to play, and fortunately this game does. It's as fluid as a Tony Hawk's Pro Skater game or Jet Set Radio — both of which are clear inspirations here. I need to play more ASAP. Who needs to go outside when the air's all smoky anyway?

Denshattack! is available on Steam (Windows; Steam Deck Verified), PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox for PC. It typically costs $20, though there's a 10 percent discount on Steam until July 29. If you buy it on console by then, you'll get bonus train skins. Denshattack! is also on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

D-topia

Developer: Marumittu Games
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
Platforms: Steam (Windows; Steam Deck Verified), Epic Games Store, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Price: $20, with a 10 percent launch discount

D-topia is a sci-fi adventure set in The Utopia Project, in which artificial intelligence appears to have succeeded in fostering a perfect version of civilization (I have my doubts about that). As a maintenance worker, you'll help out residents with their problems and fix mechanical foibles by solving puzzles. The game features a branching narrative that you shape with your decisions.There are companions to rescue as well.

I played a demo of D-topia last year and dug it. The clean, sanitized aesthetic reminds me a bit of Mirror's Edge and I enjoyed the gentle, but mildly pointed, tone. I'd like to check out the full version at some point, even if the logic puzzles might leave me scratching my head.

Moss: The Forgotten Relic

Developers: Polyarc, Blackbird Interactive
Publisher: Polyarc
Platforms: Steam (Windows; Steam Deck Verified), Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Price: $20, with a 10 percent discount on Steam until July 30

Moss and its sequel are among the best-known virtual reality games, and now folks without a VR headset can play them. Moss: The Forgotten Relic combines both games and the Twilight Garden expansion into a single 2D adventure for PC and consoles.

The game follows the story of a mouse named Quill, who sets out "to save her world from arcane forces." It features platforming, environmental puzzles and combat, the latter of which you'll be able to skip if you prefer thanks to a new accessibility option. This version features fresh cutscenes and a revamped camera system, as well as upgraded visuals.

I haven't ventured into the world of Moss just yet, even though the two games have been on my to-play list for a long time and I do have a PlayStation VR2 headset. I vastly prefer flatscreen gaming, so this 2D version might be a better fit for me.

Orpheus: To Hell and Back

Developers: StudioLoading, Kibou Entertainment, Alunite
Publisher: Alunite
Platform: Steam (already available on checks notes Game Boy?)
Price: $3

You don't see too many games being released as a physical Game Boy cartridge these days, though it does sometimes happen with Kickstarter projects (as is the case here). However, if you don't have an Analogue Pocket or another device that can run such a cartridge, you can still check out Orpheus: To Hell and Back as it arrived on Steam this week.

Here, you play as Orpheus as he attempts to scour the depths of hell to "rescue his beloved Eurydice." He's equipped with a magical lyre that can control enemy movements, so you can lure them into traps or make them fall asleep.

This looks super charming! I also love when a game uses music as a weapon. I wouldn't be surprised if the developers took some inspiration from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time here.

Teeto

Developer: Eat Pant Games
Publishers: Super Rare Originals, CouchPlay Interactive
Platforms: Steam (Windows; Steam Deck Verified), PS5, Switch, Switch 2
Price: $18, with a 20 percent launch discount

I have made no secret of how much I appreciate a great video game name, and Teeto is one of those. It's fun to say out loud. Try it. "Teeto!" It rolls right off the tongue. Developer Eat Pant Games has a great name as well.

Teeto is a 3D platformer that you can play solo or with a friend in co-op. One of the main tricks here is that you can absorb the traits of various objects, so you can take on the properties of a vine to swing across chasms, gain a flamethrower power or turn into a chair.

You can customize the titular blob and Nory the bunny with a variety of looks. There's a lucha libre get up that makes me want to try the game more than anything else I've seen so far. You'll also be rescuing creatures called Michaels. I adore that.

Best of all, according to a press release, two of the developers from the family-run studio got engaged in-game. They have a daughter who voices several characters in Teeto. My heart is now full.

Grapple Bear

Developers: HaviEgyJatek, ProkischDaniel
Publisher: HaviEgyJatek
Platform: Steam (Windows)
Price: $5, with a 10 percent discount until July 24

I like Grapple Dog very much, and that was enough for an entirely separate game called Grapple Bear to catch my interest. You play as a mama bear who is looking for her cub. The only way you can move is with a grapple hook that tethers to specific points in the environments. Some of those move as well and you'll often have to shift momentum quickly to survive.

The levels are very short. Many take just a few seconds to complete. Once you touch the level's flag (i.e. the goal), you'll still need to stay alive until it reaches the bottom of the flagpole.

This is billed as a competitive precision platformer. It has online leaderboards for each level. Along with 40-plus handcrafted levels, a new procedurally generated one becomes available each week, complete with its own leaderboard. The developers drew all of the visuals on paper before scanning and digitally coloring them. That helps Grapple Bear have a unique look.

I enjoyed what I've played of Grapple Bear so far, because I'm a sucker for grappling hooks and games that build movement around momentum. Once I finish the game, I can see myself going back to compete for faster times.

Dispatch

Publisher and developer: AdHoc Studio
Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox on PC (already on Steam, Switch, Switch 2, PS5)
Release date: July 29

One of our favorite games of 2025 is making its way to another platform. Dispatch will arrive on Xbox later this month. The superhero workplace comedy is an episodic game from former Telltale Games developers. It has a killer cast, captivating characters, fun dialogue and a story that's shaped by your choices.

After playing and enjoying the first two chapters immensely, I really need to get back to Dispatch. If you have Amazon Prime, you can play the game on Luna right now at no extra cost. Meanwhile, all current versions of Dispatch now have new localization options in the form of LATAM Spanish, Turkish, Thai, Polish and Ukrainian.

Aerial_Knight's MrFreezy

Developer: Aerial_Knight
Publisher: Aerial_Knight Games
Platform: Steam
Release date: September 1

I'm always interested in whatever Aerial_Knight is cooking up after enjoying the developer's previous games. After side-scrolling platformers and a skydiving first-person shooter, it's going in yet another direction with Aerial_Knight's MrFreezy.

You take on the role of a female serial killer who kidnaps men and lops off their heads in what's billed as a "light-hearted puzzle game." I am already sold.

The aim is to arrange the heads so you can separate them from victims' bodies in as few swings of an axe as possible. There are different types of heads, each with their own rules for how they can be positioned. Some will even explode if you don't collect them quickly enough.

"This game is definitely darker than my past games," Aerial_Knight (aka Neil Jones) wrote on the Steam page. "It's still built around a really fun and satisfying gameplay loop first, just with creepy vibes layered on top."

Grandma(88)

Developer and publisher: ROTxBLAU
Platform: Steam
Release window: 2026

I love the ominous vibes of the trailer for Grandma(88). The concept for this mystery thriller is interesting: a young woman tries to discover the truth about her family's dark past while visiting her dying grandmother, who tries to keep it hidden.

The grandmother will change her story at times, depending on whether you decide to believe her or contradict her version of events. The environment and your relationship with her will shift too. Push back too hard against her version of events and she might shut you out.

I'm intrigued! I've added this one to my wishlist and hope to try it when it hits Steam later this year.

Capy Castaway

Developer: Kitten Cup Studio
Publisher: Big Blue Sky Games
Platform: Steam (Windows and Mac)
Release date: August 6

My partner's kid likes capybaras, so I'll have to show her the release date trailer for this narrative adventure game. After being swept away, capybara pup Capy tries to return home with the help of a new friend, a crow named Corvi. You can play solo or with a friend as you explore an island, solve puzzles and rescue other animals.

Capy and Corvi each have their own abilities. The capybara can sniff out things of interest, dig and swim, while the crow can fetch items and fly Capy to different places. The developers designed Capy Castaway "to be low-stress and welcoming for everyone." Maybe this'll be the first game the kiddo and I try playing together.

Worming from Home

Developer: Zach Northrop, Mason Sabharwal
Publisher: Zach Northrop
Platform: Steam (Windows and Mac)
Release date: September 4

Let's wrap things up for this week with a release date and another peek at a super-serious job simulator. In Worming from Home, you're an earthworm that just happens to be a financial analyst. You'll try to, uh, worm your way up the career ladder by hurling your body around the keyboard to fill out spreadsheets and respond to messages in the hopes of landing a promotion. Stock market investing and completing paperwork are part of the job too. You can enjoy life away from your desk too, by working out and even flirting with coworkers.

I appreciate that this is a short game. The developers say it should take around three hours to play through. That's definitely a good thing considering how many other notable games are coming out in September.