Top 10 Indie Games to Watch for in 2024: Highlights from Day of the Devs

While this week’s The Game Awards grabbed headlines, the Day of the Devs showcase deserves an equally enthusiastic spotlight. This hour-long presentation served as a platform to unveil a diverse array of indie games set for release in 2025 and beyond. From shooters to simulation games and everything in between, the showcase featured 20 unique titles, with several standout games capturing the attention of gaming enthusiasts.

Founded in 2012 by DoubleFine, creators of the beloved Psychonauts series, alongside iam8bit, known for its merchandise and soundtrack vinyls, Day of the Devs aims to celebrate indie developers at no cost. This initiative has evolved into a nonprofit organization this year, hosting countless events that often accompany major gaming milestones, including The Game Awards. Here are our top picks from this year’s showcase.

10 Ultimate Sheep Racoon – A Sequel to an Iconic Party Game (2025)

An Exciting Follow-Up to Ultimate Chicken Horse

The celebrated multiplayer platformer Ultimate Chicken Horse by Clever Endeavour Games is set to receive a thrilling sequel titled Ultimate Sheep Racoon. While players previously navigated challenging courses while creating obstacles, this new installment shifts the focus to bike racing. Players will not only craft racecourses replete with traps and power-ups but will also earn bonus points by performing tricks during races. Boasting up to eight-player cross-platform multiplayer, the game doubles the fun and chaos, making it an ideal choice for parties.

9 PBJ: The Musical – An Absurd Shakespeare-Inspired Journey About Sandwiches (TBD)

A Whimsical Interactive Musical Experience

Watch PBJ: The Musical

The visually stunning PBJ: The Musical dazzles with its unique handmade design. In this engaging production, players follow a rebellious strawberry and peanut on a sandwich-saga styled journey, presented in ten acts. Developed by Kamibox and featuring compositions by comedian Lorraine Bowen, known for her work on Britain’s Got Talent, this game employs an innovative stop-motion technique combining vintage cookbook cutouts and real peanut butter and jelly.

Inspired by Shakespeare, the humorous narrative includes children reciting creatively misquoted lines. Players will be able to manipulate handmade collages to propel the storyline, creating a whimsical and utterly original gaming experience.

8 Sleight Of Hand – A Witchy Stealth Deckbuilder Mashup (TBD)

Delve into the Shadows with Lady Luck’s Cursed Deck

Watch Sleight Of Hand

Venturing into a unique blend of movement and card gameplay, Sleight of Hand by RiffRaff Games presents an intriguing twist on the genre by integrating stealth elements. Set in the atmospheric Steeple City, players assist Lady Luck in uncovering the veiled secrets of her former witch coven, providing a rich narrative backdrop. Utilizing a variety of cards—from traps to teleportation—players must strategize for success while evading adversaries.

This stylish game offers a fresh approach to the deckbuilder genre and showcases how card games can innovate through compelling storytelling and dynamic gameplay.

7 inKONBINI – A Charming Shelf Stocking Simulation (2025)

A Heartwarming Slice-of-Life Simulation

Watch inKONBINI

inKONBINI: One Store. Many Stories invites players into the tranquil world of running a convenience store. Centered on protagonist Makoto Hayakawa, who pauses her studies to help at her aunt’s shop, the game emphasizes the importance of daily routines and human connection. Players will engage with customers through branching dialogues, learning to stock items that can genuinely enhance their lives.

The serene gameplay captures the essence of ichi-go, ichi-e—a Japanese philosophy of treasuring individual moments—making this title a standout in the cozy gaming landscape for 2025.

6 Incolatus: Don’t Stop, Girlypop! – A Y2K-Inspired Shooter

Dynamic Combat Enveloped in Nostalgic Aesthetics

Watch Inhabitants

Channeling iconic Y2K aesthetics, Incolatus: Don’t Stop, Girlypop! from Funny Fintan Softworks combines vibrant visuals with adrenaline-fueled arena combat. Players fight against formidable drones deployed by the Tigris Nix mining company, threatening to drain the world’s vital substance, The Love. This high-octane shooter requires speed, with unique mechanics such as wavehopping that merge classic shooter controls with modern parkour elements.

The game’s engaging premise and chaotic gameplay promise a thrilling experience that potentially brings back the nostalgic feelings of 90s arcade shooter games while modernizing the mechanics.

5 Blue Prince – A Mysterious Puzzler About Everchanging Rooms (Spring 2025)

Unravel Mysteries One Step at a Time

Watch Blue Prince

In Blue Prince, players are challenged to explore the enigmatic Mt. Holly, a constantly shifting mansion designed by developer Dogubomb. Players can only take a limited number of steps each day, compelling them to strategize their explorations to uncover the secrets of the fabled 46th room. This atmospheric adventure holds a promise of engaging mysteries and clever puzzles.

The commitment to player choice within this architectural adventure suggests a captivating gaming experience that unfolds uniquely for every player.

4 Feltopia – A Hand-Felted Sidescrolling Adventure (2026)

Cozy Creativity in a Familiar Format

Watch Feltopia

Ambitiously crafted, Feltopia presents a beautifully unique world made entirely through hand-felting animation. Players take on the role of Skyrider, a sheep herder endowed with magical abilities on a quest to save their flock. Each of the five sheep possesses distinct elemental powers, enabling players to unlock new abilities throughout the adventure.

This innovative twist on sidescrolling gameplay, where players aim to restore the health of adorable creatures rather than defeat them, showcases a promising direction in an often competitive genre.

3 Crescent County – A Magical Simulation-Racer Hybrid (TBA)

A Charming Blend of Everyday Tasks and Racing Excitement

Watch Crescent County

Crescent County invites players to a magical island where witchcraft meets technology. Developed by Electric Saint, players will embark on a journey filled with nighttime motorbroom racing and daytime errands as they build their new life on the island. The game features a strong social component, allowing players to form connections and even romantic relationships with NPCs.

This hybrid experience creatively combines racing and simulation, fostering a sense of community that enhances gameplay.

2 Bionic Bay – An Environmental Manipulation Platformer (March 13 2025)

Manipulate the Environment for Enhanced Gameplay

Watch Bionic Bay

Set to launch on March 13, 2025, Bionic Bay invites players to navigate a visually arresting biomechanical world by manipulating time and gravity. With a focus on speedrunning and multiplayer functionality, players will tackle various environments filled with traps and innovative challenges. As they journey through intense biomes, players can master extraordinary abilities, promising a wide array of discoveries within this immersive experience.

1 Blippo+ – An Enamouringly Confusing TV-Based Title (TBA)

An Intriguing and Mysterious New Title

The trailer for Blippo+ presented at Day of the Devs left many viewers perplexed but fascinated. Created by YACHT and Telefantasy Studios, this title seems to operate within a surreal television-watching universe, blending absurdity with interactive gameplay. Little clarity exists regarding the game’s mechanics—whether it will engage players actively or present a more passive experience—but its eccentric nature certainly captures intrigue.

Given Panic’s involvement as the publisher, known for producing quirky titles like Untitled Goose Game and Thank Goodness You’re Here!, Blippo+ holds potential as one of the most delightfully peculiar releases anticipated for next year.

To catch all the highlights from Day of the Devs Game Awards Edition, the entire presentation is available for viewing on the company’s YouTube channel.

Sources: Day of the Devs/YouTube, Electric Saint/YouTube, Feltopia_game/YouTube, Funny Fintan Softworks/YouTube, Mureena/YouTube, Nagai Industries Inc./YouTube, Philipp Stollenmayer/YouTube, Raw Fury/YouTube, RiffRaff Games/YouTube

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