Demons in Vegas, bio-mechanical ships, and grizzly crime scenes

Here are the best indies waiting for you this weekend.

Wow. August is really melting away fast, isn’t it? This week I have been dealing with a lot of work and life stuff that has taken away from my last stint as a parentless adult, and that has not left a lot of time for games. But I thank this newsletter for giving me some rest from the craziness of life for a little bit, and thank YOU for reading this!

I also got into writing pretty heavily this week. See, after watching the documentary California Typewriter, I went down a nostalgic trip remembering all the times at my grandparent’s house that I would type up stories on my grandfather’s typewriter, and I got a little sad, you know. So off to Facebook Marketplace I went, and purchased a 1979 Brother Young Elite for a cool $15.

I’ve started working on a short story I have had noodling around in my head for about 8 years or so, and I am making progress. It feels real good to just… write, something that I don’t get to do often enough. What will come of this story? Probably nothing, but you know, it’s for me!

My wife immediately ruined the romanticism of writing on my typewriter. I asked her if she wanted to try it, and this is what she delivered to my desk.

Anyway, before we get into the games, please consider sharing this newsletter with a friend, it really helps us grow. And if you want to donate a dollar or two, consider supporting our costs on via Ko-Fi.

What came out this week?

Hellbreach: Vegas

Developer: Infinity Ape Studios
Steam rating: Mostly Positive
Store page

Fans of the Killing Floor series and Call of Duty Zombies will want to be checking out Hellbreach: Vegas this weekend, a wave-based demon shooter that features demons, zombies, across a decrepit Vegas cityscape.

Featuring over 19 weapons, 1-4 players can team up to handle the onslaught of demons who are taking over the Devil’s playground, and because we are here in Vegas, of course there are slot machines! You can try your luck on the slots to unlock weapons, get boosts to your survival rate, and get chances to increase your payout if you make it out alive.

While these sorts of games are usually not my bag, I was pretty impressed to see that this was made by a solo developer. I was also quite surprised to see an AI disclaimer that the “stickers and skin-patterns are AI made.” Personally, I am not sure how I feel about that, but the reviews on Steam state this is a good time, so if you want to grab some friends this weekend, it might be just right for you.

Crime Scene Cleaner

Developer: President Studio
Steam rating: Very Positive
Store page

If you ever wondered what it would be like to be Mr. Wolf from Pulp Fiction, then I suggest you pay attention to Crime Scene Cleaner which started to clean up the filth on Steam this week.

Getting caught up with the mob is never a good time, but in Crime Scene Cleaner it seems that they have your daughter, and the only way to ensure her safe return is to be the best crime scene cleaner that these criminals have ever seen. Get to the job, clean up the viscera, hide the body, and maybe steal some loot to earn a little extra cash. It’s like the very excellent Viscera Cleanup Detail, but with a little narrative woven in there.

As you progress you will even get you hands on some new tools like a power washer, so while Crime Scene Cleaner is definitely taking from some others who have done similar shenanigans, it does look to be quite a lot of fun regardless.

Nova Drift

Developer: Chimeric
Steam rating: Overwhelmingly Positive
Store page

SHMUP-meets-Roguelite with a little sprinkling of ARPG in there. Sound good to you? Well Nova Drift is here after a lengthy Early Access period, bringing with it over 200 modular upgrades to make each and every run of this classic space shooter unique and challenging.

Each and every single run brings with it a near endless amount of customization as you improve your ever evolving bio-mechanical ship as you defeat enemies, and collect powerful upgrades.

Nova Drift has three core game modes - Wild Metamorphosis, which is a challenging Roguelite experience, Draft which throws you into the fray with a pre-constructed build, and Endless which will test just how long you can last in this hostile galaxy.

Also another game this week from a solo developer, Nova Drift has a lot of positive buzz, so if arcade Roguelite space shooter are your thing, throw it on your wishlist.

VLADik BRUTAL

Developer: Narko Games
Steam rating: Very Positive
Store page

Yet again, another ambitious solo developer, has released a big game this week. VLADik BRUTAL is a classic first-person shooter that seems more in the vein of a Half-Life than a classic Boomer Shooter, that throws you into a fictional Eastern European country. Ruled by a ruthless dictator, the followers have swept the nation and murdered those opposed to the leading party, and imprisoned many others.

The rest of the story doesn’t really make a lot of sense to me from the trailer and Steam page, but I put that down to English not being this developer’s first language. What is clear is that you will be facing off against soldiers, and by the looks of it, some mutated beasties, as you fight for freedom and attempt to bring the government down?

Watch the trailer, because it does look to be pretty decent. That song though? Absolute banger. On the wishlist immediately for me.

Level Zero: Extraction

Developer: Doghowl Games
Steam rating: Mostly Positive
Store page

I want the record to show that I thought Evolve was great. Turtle Rock’s follow up to one of my favorite games of all time, Left 4 Dead, was a misunderstood gem that truly deserved more than what it was afforded. I don’t necessarily think we, the players misunderstood the game. I think it was more the publisher 2K who insisted it was going to be the next esports messiah, and as a result the game went down a path that ultimately resulted in failure. Why am I talking about Evolve though?

Level Zero: Extraction looks to bring some of that Evolve magic to the humble Extraction Shooter, creating a PvPvE paradise that has 1-4 players filling the shoes of mercenaries, and 2 players stalking them from the shadows as the big bad alien monstrosities.

The mercenaries enter the zone to find valuable loot and materials, needing to get in, and get out, to build an arsenal of weapons able to take them down. The alien monsters? They just like to kill things… I guess?

Because Level Zero: Extraction is set in a near-future world, there’s a healthy mix of military-style weapons, and some sci-fi prototypes to deal damage with. There’s also a claim that the game is going to focus on melee combat options too, which seems like it could be fun.

I love extraction shooters! I made a video essay a couple of years ago about why I love them, and how I can see them becoming the next big wave of shooters. So I was pretty jazzed to check this one out and… I couldn’t get a match. I am not sure if it’s just because I am in Japan and everyone is at work right now, but I also don’t really see an incentive to be the aliens, and wonder how they are going to navigate that whole thing. I guess time will tell.

Just a word of caution - if you don’t like in the US you might want to see if there is a local community before you pick this one up.

That’s a wrap!

Nothing extra to report this week. There have been some unexpected things that have come up this week that I need to get sorted before our baby arrives, so I have just been sneaking some short gameplay moments here and there. SteamWorld Heist (the original, not the new shiny sequel) is pretty good on Steam Deck! Playing the original GTA on the PlayStation is… maybe a little less good, but is tickling that nostalgia part of my brain really hard right now.

I wrapped up Conscript and Thank Goodness You’re Here, so reviews of those are coming SOON™ , and I am about to start The Crush House which is am weirdly very excited for.

Leave me a comment. Tell me something good! What new indies are you playing at the moment? I am searching for something not too taxing, but has some depth in-between nap time once the bambino arrives!