Indie Magic

MenaceI do love the topdown tactical turnbased games like Fallout XCOM and Jagged Alliance So this game is at the top of my list itrsquos called Menace and itrsquos in early access on Steam but it is worth mentioning here The game drops you into the boots of a Republic Marine Corps commander stranded in a hostile system with a busted ship and no comms forced to juggle missions What makes Menace sing is its crunchy alternatingactivations combat every move matters and suppression can ruin your day in seconds The gear variety from flamethrowers to mechs and squadbuilding to keep tinkerers busy between fights If you like XCOMstyle tactics with grit toys and replayable battles this onersquos worth your timegtgtgtLink httpsstoresteampoweredcomapp2432860MENACEPrice Rs 1499Escape from Ever AfterCorporate RPG with turnbased combat in a fairy tale land count me in You play as Flynt Buckler a vanilla hero who walks into a dragonrsquos castle and finds the real villain is a megacorp with cubicles middle managers and suspicious ldquobenefitsrdquo To fight back you and a downsized collarwearing dragon team up take jobs at Ever After Inc and climb the ladder with the intention of burning it down Itrsquos good because it nails storybook satire mixing funny writing with clever twists across familiar tales plus proper exploration and puzzles that actually make you think Combat is turnbased with timed button presses for dodges and extra hits so every fight feels active not sleepy You should play it if you want Paper Mariostyle charm smart RPG mechanics and a colourful indie that lets you skip pointless scrapsgtgtgtLink httpsstoresteampoweredcomapp1996390Escape_from_Ever_AfterPrice Rs 1100Dead Pets A Punk Rock Slice of Life SimYou play as Gordy a demon guitarist trying to keep her punk band afloat in New Void City while adulthood keeps dropkicking the dream This is a narrative sliceoflife sim where you plan out your days bounce between locations pick dialogue options that shape your stats and relationships and hustle for cash to cover rent utilities medical bills and the everhungry band fund Itrsquos good because it doesnrsquot romanticise the grind The writing leans into dark comedy with occasional gutpunches the DIYpunk visuals look like a filthy gig flyer brought to life and the game keeps things lively with minigames You will work hectic diner shifts deal with bizarre daytoday body stuff in interactive ways and yes you will play rhythmbased sections when the band practises and records tracks from its punk EP You should play it if you want a funny scrappy story about making art under pressure Just know it is not for kids It has very adult themes including harassment and implied sexual assaultgtgtgtLink httpsstoresteampoweredcomapp1851720Dead_Pets_A_Punk_Rock_Slice_of_Life_SimPrice Rs 674MewgenicsThis one is from indie royalty the same developers responsible for The Binding of Isaac and The End is Nigh Itrsquos a roguelike game where you build the ultimate cat It is basically a turnbased gridbased roguelike where you breed build and battle with a squad of mutant cats Fights play out on a tight 10x10 board with familiar RPG roles but the real hook is chaosbydesign Stats mutations skills and loot are often random so every run feels like a fresh science experiment that might either crown you a tactical mastermind or turn your team into kibble Play it if you want deep tactics dark comedy and a roguelike that refuses to go stalegtgtgtLink httpsstoresteampoweredcomapp686060MewgenicsPrice Rs 1300Master of PieceIf Balatro is a latenight ldquoone more runrdquo trap Master of Piece is the boardgame cousin that lures you in with tiny painted mercenaries and then quietly steals your evening This is a deckbuilding roguelite where you recruit units plot a route across a branching randomised map and spend action points to place your fighters on a battlefield Once combat starts it plays out in turn order based on speed so smart positioning and planning matters as much as what you bring Itrsquos good because it keeps the rules readable while letting you get properly nerdy with synergies You should play it if you wanta fresh take on deckbuilders that feels tactile strategic and surprisingly approachable even if the difficultycan bitegtgtgtLink httpsstoresteampoweredcomapp3009310Master_of_PiecePrice Rs 690