New year, new indie games! Whilst not as busy as some previous months, January 2025 still looks like it will offer some excellent – and rather interesting – new experiences, and we are, as ever, here for it. After all, January tends to be considered the most depressing month of the year so anything to help make it go quicker is greatly appreciated.
As is typical, we’ve rounded up the best of the indie bunch for you. It’s one of the joys of this job because we get to talk about incredibly cool indie games, the developers get more attention, and you get to play some incredibly cool indie games. There are no losers here, only the pure joy of great gaming.
Hyper Light Breaker – 14th January
First up we have the Early Access release of the long-awaited follow-up from Heart Machine, Hyper Light Breaker. Set in the sprawling Overgrowth, a procedurally generated open world full of mysteries to uncover, the game promises intense combat, exploration, and a dash of co-op chaos. Given the pedigree behind it, it looks poised to deliver a mesmerizing blend of style and substance.
ALOFT – 15th January
Next up is Aloft, a co-op sandbox survival game that takes place in a world filled with floating islands, overrun by a horrifying fungal corruption. You’ll need to learn to glide and make peace with the world around you, as well as how to fight against the unique affliction that threatens the entire world. It’s colourful, looks surprisingly cheery, and you’ll be able to play it with friends too.
Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel – 21st January
It’s roguelike time, and this time around we’ve got Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel. This is another Survivors-like, bullet heaven, horde survival game, but with a dark gritty visual style, and all the joy that comes with Norse mythology. It looks absolutely gorgeous in motion, and as long as it delivers some unique twists to the formula we’ve all come to love, it could be an incredible new entry in the genre.
Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter – 28th January
Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter is set to bring players back into its grim, beautifully hand-drawn souls-like world. In this sequel, players assume the role of Arlo, heir to the Warden of the Wastes, who must journey through a vast, snow-ravaged kingdom in an epic quest to overcome the Dark Wings once and for all. Expect enhanced combat mechanics, including elemental weapon effects, and new monster-hunting quests.
Heart of the Machine – 31st January
Honestly, at this point we should just be able to put “Heart of the Machine is being published by Hooded Horse,” and that should be enough, but we’ll elaborate anyway. Heart of the Machine turns you into the first sentient AI, where you get to decide whether you’ll help or destroy humanity as you take over a city, and find the best way to enact your will. The option to be good or bad here could be a lot of fun, and we have so much faith in the publisher’s decisions that we can’t help but be excited.
