Tactical Turtles, Duck Detectives, and Monsters on a Train

The best indies you should be playing this weekend

Wow. It's been a minute, huh? I grossly underestimated just how long it would take us to find out feet after the move from Tokyo to Shiga. An all-night drive across the country speaking to Blue on the phone about the downfall of the Final Fantasy series until 4AM while three moving trucks made a similar journey was an experience I would never forget. Then there was ramping up at my new job. Then there was a beta to deliver. Then there was a pretty big marketing project to lock down.

It's been a time folks. A good time. But a busy time.

I am super stoked to announce that I am a producer at 17-BIT in Kyoto. It's super strange to me that I somehow ended up here. A lifetime ago I remember playing a lot of Skulls of the Shogun on my iPad working my very boring IT support job before I was working in the games industry. I loved that game, and it kept me company during many very boring service calls across rural Australia as I waited in public nursing offices to fix computers. Fast forward a few years after that, I was playing a lot of GALAK-Z while on my lunch breaks at a then fledgling publisher Fellow Traveller, while we were working on our first games for release. I loved the movement and just good vibes of it, and at the time having a voice acted indie game was pretty rare.

I had no idea that the studio was based out here in Japan. A desperate share of my resume on Bluesky landed in the inbox of the studio heads here, and after some interviews they were gracious enough to give me a chance to join them as a producer on what is a much bigger project for the team. I am super excited to be back in games, but I am even more excited to be working with such a passionate and devoted team. I can't wait to share what we are working on when the embargoes are lifted.

But enough about me, let's take a look at the games.

And what came out this week?

Survive the Fall

Developer: Angry Bulls Studio
Steam rating: Mostly Positive
Store page

First up this week is Survive the Fall, an open-world action survival game that has you rebuilding society and managing your settlement while scavenging for loot. Unlike most other apocalyptic games, this one doesn't centre around a zombie apocalypse. Instead a meteor strike has brought civilization to a standstill, and after a period of struggle against unpredictable climate events, it's up to you to rebuild.

Scour the world for valuable loot, manage your growing settlement, and rebuild society as you see fit. Watch out for rival settlements, and wild animals, and other baddies who are trying to stand in your way.

Seems like a neat survival game that has some good themes. The Steam reviews are pretty positive on this one, so if Project Zomboid has finally run its course for you, you might want to check this one out next.

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping

Developer: Happy Broccoli Games
Steam rating: Very Positive
Store page

Despite being about a depressed and recently divorced duck, Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping looks like a mighty cozy detective game. Building on the success of Duck Detective: The Secret Salami, this 2-3 hour mystery will have you questioning suspects, finding clues, and putting everything together to "quack" the case. Get it...? Because he's a duck.

If games like Curse of the Golden Idol or Return to the Obra Dinn are a little too challenging for you, or you just want something light to pass a rainy day, this one should be at the top of your wishlist.

Monster Train 2

Developer: Shiny Shoe
Steam rating: Overwhelmingly Positive
Store page

Deckbuilders out there will be getting their tickets to board Monster Train 2 this weekend I am sure! The sequel to the highly lauded tactical card-based Roguelike has arrived, bringing with it all new game modes, new cards, enemy factions, new clans, and much more.

This time around powerful beings known as Titans have take control of Heaven. The demons and angels need to set aside their differences, creating new clans to take on these ultimate foes. Seems like a neat idea, and the gameplay of the original Monster Train was seriously addictive. This one is on Gamepass for those of you who subscribe, but if you're hankering for Slay the Spire 2 and just can't wait, this one will surely keep you entertained for quite some time.

Worshippers of Cthulhu

Developer: Crazy Goat Games
Steam rating: Very Positive
Store page

If you are into city builders, you are FEASTING these days. Worshippers of Cthulhu is yet another twist on the genre, which has you building a cult township to garnish favour with the Old Ones, and to eventually cause the rise of the big ol' squiddy boi himself.

Build a city to harbour the cultists, and perform dark rituals to bring your gods to life. This one has some really, really dark themes on display, so it certainly won't be for everyone. But I can't resist a decent spin on the Cthulhu mythos,

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown

Developer: Strange Scaffold
Steam rating: N/A
Store page

Strange Scaffold have made a name for themselves making small, weird, indie games. You know, cool shit, like Clickolding, and I Am Your Beast. When they announced that their next joint was going to be a tactical take on my beloved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I was pretty shocked but also incredibly excited.

Adopting a tabletop board game aesthetic, this XCOMish take on the turtles has a tonne of interesting narrative crammed alongside some pretty nifty tactical gameplay. All backed by the quippy turtles, this is definitely my game of the week. Sure, it might not be an indie property, but this feels like a small and bespoke project from one of the more exciting indie teams out there at the moment, so it makes the cut.

And that's a wrap.

Thank you as always for reading. If you liked the newsletter, please share it with a friend. If you really liked it, consider dropping in a few dollars into the Ko-Fi cup. I will use that to pick up some indies and start writing a few features here and there.