Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. Between The Game Awards and showcases like Day of the Devs, Wholesome Snack, Latin American Games and Women-Led Games, there’s been a ton of video game news over the last week (I need Control Resonant ASAP, please and thank you, Remedy). And hey, guess what? I've got even more for you to dig into, including info on some new releases that you can play right now.
One of those is a game I’d been looking forward to since about 2022, and it’s always nice when something you’ve remained patient for turns out to be worth the wait. In Sam Eng's Skate Story, you play as a demon who accepts a deal offered by the Devil. If the demon can ride a skateboard to the Moon and swallow it after being transformed into a creature made of “glass and pain,” the Devil will grant them their freedom.
It’s just as strange as that setup sounds. While you’ll need to execute combos to defeat bosses, this is a skateboarding game that leans more heavily on story than pure gameplay. It’s visually and sonically arresting too, with Blood Cultures and John Fio crafting a killer soundtrack I know I’ll be listening to for a long time to come.
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Skate Story is out now on Nintendo Switch 2, Steam and PS5 for $20. PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium members can play it at no extra cost.
New releases
Unbeatable is another game I’ve had on my radar for some time, though I haven’t had a chance to jump in yet. This is another stylish game in which you play as Beat, who sings in a band. However, music is outlawed in this world (oh no!). Through rhythm-based minigames and battles with cops, Beat tries to bring back the music. There's a separate arcade mode with a dedicated progression system too.
I'm a sucker for stories about rebellious underdogs, and this rhythm adventure could well hook me in. Unbeatable — from D-Cell Games and publisher Playstack — is available on Steam and PS5 for $28 (there’s a 10 percent discount on Steam until December 23). It's set to hit Xbox Series X/S very soon too.
Speaking of games I've been keeping an eye on, Adrift (from solo developer S.K.9.8 and co-publisher Secret Sauce) was one of the first games I covered when I started doing this weekly roundup earlier this year. It's a driving game in which your aim is to deliver a volatile energy core. Since you're traversing a hot desert, you'll need to be careful to prevent the core from overheating and blowing up. Thankfully, there are safe spots and cooling stations where you can bring down the temperature.
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