If you haven’t been paying attention, 2026 has already been a bangin’ year for indie video games. Between titles like Mina The Hollower, Mewgenics, Esoteric Ebb, Mixtape, Cairn, Slay the Spire 2 Early Access, and legitimately many more, those looking for some amazing breaks from AAA gaming action have been eating well.

What’s even better is that as we approach the midpoint of the year, there are still dozens of promising-looking indies on the horizon. Today, I’ll highlight ten games that should be on your radar if you’re a fellow enjoyer of the smaller budget titles.

To qualify for consideration on this list, a game must have either a confirmed release date this year, or at the very least, a 2026 placeholder on Steam. That means anything with a “Coming Soon” label wasn’t eligible for the list. Even though some of those “Coming Soon” games might end up being 2026 titles, we simply don’t have that information yet. Let’s begin.

10

Grave Seasons

Stardew Horror

On the surface, Grave Seasons very much looks like any other Stardew Valley-like indie game that we’ve gotten plenty of versions of since the original game came out. Dig a little deeper and notice that Blumhouse Games is the publisher for this one, and you’ll probably begin to piece together what’s going to make this one stand out from the crowd.

In addition to the awesome artwork and charming, dating sim-looking NPCs you’ll bump into around town, Grave Seasons is also hiding something sinister beneath the surface. The game’s demo features a grisly murder by some kind of monster and a trail of blood to follow to investigate, so we can be sure Grave Seasons is going to flip this type of cozy game on its head in many ways.

9

Stupid Never Dies

Zombies Are Cool Again

Stupid Never Dies is one of the most Suda51-looking games I’ve seen in a while from someone… well, not named Suda51. This is a frantic-looking Action-RPG full of tons of style, color, and weirdness all around. We’ll play as Davy, who also happens to be a zombie, as he fights off hoards of wacky creatures in order to rescue a human he’s in love with, Julia.

It kind of has that 2010s zombie-obsessed vibe, most similarly reminding me of movies like Warm Bodies, but very clearly infused with tons of chaos and action all around. This isn’t your traditional-looking indie to be sure, but it’s one to keep an eye on if you’re more action-oriented.

8

There Are No Ghosts at the Grand

Yeah… Sure

There Are No Ghosts at the Grand is kind of a weird one to describe, but let me do my best. It looks to be a cozy-ish, house restoration, narrative-heavy game in which you inherit an English hotel from your vanished father. Oh, and there are apparently ghosts. Or at least, something supernatural is going on here.

Armed with a talking multi-tool, a black cat guide, and more fully choreographed musical numbers than your average Disney movie, There Are No Ghosts at the Grand really seems to be aiming for something highly memorable, unique, whimsical, and creative all at the same time.

7

SacriFire

A Classic in the Making

The latest in the “New JRPG leans into a classic style in order to capture our nostalgia while also just being an amazing game,” SacriFire really is ticking every box for longtime fans of the genre. Our own Murillo Zerbinatto previewed this one in May, and as easily the most well-versed JRPG expert I have in my life, I trust him enough to say if he’s excited about a JRPG, everyone should be excited about a JRPG.

SacriFire places you in the shoes of a priest that’s wrapped up in a crazy battle between gods and demons, allows you to manipulate time, and seems to really be leaning into requiring you to think through your strategy and tactics in order to survive. It’s also gorgeous and reportedly boasts an awesome soundtrack, so it’s absolutely one to watch.

6

D-topia

But Definitely Not a Dystopia… Right?

I previewed D-topia myself at the LVLUP Expo in Vegas back in April, and I walked away very intrigued and ready to get my hands on more whenever the time came. And thankfully, this one is officially super close at this point, launching in mid-July. If you’re a fan of things like Black Mirror (but nicer and cuter) and/or some creative types of puzzle games, this one could be for you.

Living in a sci-fi, corporate “utopia” designed to maximize resident happiness, D-topia will send you on what it describes as a “gentle-paced puzzle adventure,” which is something I’m very much into myself. It’s also published by Annapurna, which is becoming somewhat of an indicator of quality these days in the indie scene with their recent track record of games they’ve partnered with.

5

Denshattack!

Tony Train

Another one I’ve gone hands-on with already is Denshattack!, which had an incredibly fun demo that left me completely sold and ready for the full release. Luckily, this is another one that’s coming soon on the horizon, also slated to release in mid-July. Denshattack! is heavily inspired by games like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and Jet Set Radio, but it’s also absurdly unique in its own crazy ways.

The elevator pitch is that it’s Tony Hawk meets Shōnen anime, except instead of a skateboard, you’re controlling and manipulating an entire train as it speeds down the railways of Japan. Oh, and also there are crazy boss fights and tons of charming characters to meet. The art style is amazing, the music slaps, and from what I’ve played so far in the demo, it’s very, very fun.

4

Neverway

Dark and Cozy

Ah, the life sim RPG. Meeting neighbors, tending crops, running errands, repaying your eternal debt to a creepy, dead, ancient god. Wait, what? Somewhat in the vein of Grave Seasons, Neverway is another “cozy”-type of game by genre description, but one that looks absolutely nuts in terms of pulling in crazy psychological horror at the same time.

I don’t know too much about this one myself yet, but I’m intentionally keeping it that way, because it seems like one of those where the less you know going in, the better. Fellow DualShockers writer Jake Valentine played a demo earlier this year, and between reading his preview and just scrolling some screenshots, Neverway is high up my list of indies to watch in the back half of 2026.

3

Toem 2

Look At This Photograph

I’d imagine you don’t really need to play the original Toem in order to enjoy the upcoming sequel Toem 2, but I can’t recommend it enough if you’ve never checked it out. Roll credits on the monochromatic photography adventure from 2021, and you’ll immediately join the rest of us counting down the days until this sequel arrives.

With an adorable art style and charm for days, Toem 2 seems to be another lovely journey featuring our little photographer friend as he travels around, snaps pics of the world, and helps some friends along the way. Toem 2 is primed to be another one of those feel-good, low-stress titles you can spend a nice weekend wrapped up in a blanket with a warm beverage.

2

Big Walk

Peak Friendship

Highlighted during a couple of Nintendo Directs at this point, Big Walk feels most akin to something like PEAK, the co-op mountain climbing game that’s taken the world by storm in recent years. And while Big Walk will likely be another one you see dozens of funny clips of on social media once it arrives, it’s also one that looks a bit more abstract and whimsical than PEAK in some very fun ways.

It’s all about traversal, finding ways to communicate in unique situations, solving some little puzzles, and having an all-around nice time with your pals along the way. I gotta say, I also am personally really vibing with the art direction here on all fronts, from the color palette, to the character designs, to the goofy soundtrack.

1

Blighted

In Drinkbox We Trust

A fun fact about me: I love Drinkbox Studios. At this point, whenever I see they’re coming out with something new, it’s immediately at the top of my mental most anticipated list, because this team really has yet to disappoint. And while my personal favorite game of theirs is Severed, the wildly underrated touchscreen-controlled game I platinumed on the Vita (RIP), Blighted legitimately looks like it could be their best yet.

A trippy, Western-themed Soulslike/Metroidvania/RPG/Action game that looks heavily inspired by Hades is a string of words in one sentence that makes me incredibly excited. The combat and boss fights look rad. The style is incredible. I’ll be first in the queue to download this one whenever it drops in 2026.