Summary

• These 10 indie games all focus on cozy tones, slice-of-life narratives, or whimsical art.
• All of them are expected to release before the end of 2024, though some still don't have concrete release dates.
• Games like The Plucky Squire and Magical Delicacy are charming and inventive.

2024 has had a massive number of Crow Country. However, fans of the indie genre should not discount the next six months as they’re considering their next gaming pick. Dozens of titles are scheduled to arrive in the coming months, with July seeing a huge influx of amazing titles.

While indie games are often overshadowed by their AAA peers, they are typically better at capturing a sense of whimsy and cuteness. The following indie games all center around cozy tones, slice-of-life narratives, or whimsical art styles that will leave players feeling warm inside. Note that some titles at the end of the list do not have official release dates set but are expected to be available before the end of the year.

10 Flock

July 16 - PlayStation, Xbox, & PC

Developed by Hollow Ponds and published by Annapurna Interactive, Flock is a multiplayer co-op game focusing on simplicity. The object of the game is to charm several whimsical creatures into ing one’s flock, which follows the player as they fly throughout the game world. The game emphasizes exploration and collection, with some creatures having hidden quirks that players must discover.

The game's visuals, while somewhat minimalist, are beautiful and expansive, and the lo-fi soundtrack emphasizes Flock’s key selling point: it’s meant to be relaxing. Being multiplayer, this is the perfect game to play for those looking for a quiet evening with friends. A demo is available on Steam before Flock’s launch in July.

9 Magical Delicacy

July 16 - Xbox, Switch, & PC

Magical Delicacy is a cozy platformer RPG published by Whitethorn Games. Players take on the role of Flora, a witch who spends her time exploring the city, befriending townsfolk, and cooking them meals. As such, much of the game centers around harvesting ingredients throughout the city and bringing them back home to cook, often for recipes with certain stipulations given by NPCs throughout town.

The pixelated art style and hazy soundtrack combine to give the game a Ghibli-esque feel, focusing on quiet, slice-of-life interactions and stakes. A big draw for many will be the ability to customize Flora’s kitchen. In contrast, others might enjoy the exploration component of the game, delving into secret areas of the island to discover hidden knowledge about magical creatures. Magical Delicacy is great for anyone who enjoys kitchen witchery or cozy games, and will be launching day one on Game .

8 Bō: Path Of The Teal Lotus

July 17 - PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, & PC

Navigating through a tale inspired by Japanese folklore, Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is a side-scrolling 2.5D action platformer from developer Squid Shock Studios and publisher Humble Games. Players take control of Bō, a celestial spirit who’s come from heaven to take part in a prophecy. With Bō’s mighty bo staff, players will battle through beautiful environments and face fantastical foes.

Like other action games, players will spend time collecting special equipment for Bo and leveling up their abilities. However, something unexpected about Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is the colossal size of its bosses; many tower over the player character, giving each battle an insurmountable tone, as though Elden Ring suddenly became two-dimensional and adorable.

7 Broken Lens

July 22 - PC

A more intimate game than others on this list, the gameplay of Broken Lens is inspired by “spot the difference” puzzles. Developed and published by Flying Oak Games, Broken Lens is a cozy puzzle game that puts players in control of a small robot who, indeed, has a broken lens. The robot slowly navigates through humorous landscapes to spot anomalies between its two eyes while collecting pages from a strange book.

Broken Lens isn’t a game about rushing through or speedrunning. Rather, the intricate maps and ethereal soundtrack encourage players to take their time and really explore every inch of the beautifully illustrated landscapes. Broken Lens is perfect for players who enjoy simple puzzles and whimsical humor.

6 The Star Named EOS

July 23 - PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, & PC

Another game focused on visuals, The Star Named EOS was developed by Silver Lining Studio and published by PLAYISM. The game combines several playstyles, from exploration to puzzles and photography, to create an eclectic experience. Players take control of Dei, a photographer, on a journey to follow after his estranged mother.

The Star Named EOS combines beautiful 2D and 3D visuals that give the world an artisanal feel, while the uplifting music goads players further into the world, hungry to chase after Dei’s mother. A demo for The Star Named EOS is available on Steam before its July 23 release. Players who enjoy the puzzles of Resident Evil but want a break from zombies will love this game.

5 Thank Goodness You're Here!

August 1 - PlayStation, Switch, & PC

Thank Goodness You’re Here!, developed by Coal Supper and published by Panic, is a comedy platformer in which players take control of a traveling salesman. Through the game, players will explore the town of Barnsworth, an odd village in Northern England, and complete a series of increasingly odd tasks for the citizenry. It’s full of slapstick humor and quirky content that will keep players entertained for hours.

The highlight of Thank Goodness You’re Here! is obviously the humor, which is made richer by the art style and voice cast, including the talented Matt Berry, star of the hilarious What We Do In The Shadows. A demo for the game is available on Steam, and any player looking for crisp art and hysterical gags should look no further than this title.

4 Fowl Damage

September 13 - PC

Fowl Damage is a puzzle platformer developed in collaboration with Red Nexus Games. The schtick of this platformer is, though, that the fall damage from a single jump can kill the player. Fowl Damage has players take control of an egg and navigate through a slightly macabre factory while attempting to avoid breaking into a million pieces.

The game mixes a cutesy pixelated art style with a dark purple color palette and somewhat ominous surroundings to create a unique gaming experience that keeps players slightly off-kilter while they attempt to stay whole. Those who enjoy slightly stressful gaming experiences will love Fowl Damage, which has a demo available on Steam.

3 Afterlove EP

Q3 2024 - PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, & PC

From the creator of the Coffee Talk, Afterlove EP is an eclectic, slightly morose game that puts players in the character of Rama, a struggling musician dealing with his girlfriend’s recent death. The game combines aspects of visual novel, platformer, and rhythm games to take players through Rama’s emotional journey. Further, Afterlove EP places a high-stakes endgame clock right from the beginning, forcing players to consider each choice they make — similar to the calendar system of Persona 5.

The art style and upbeat indie soundtrack of Afterlove EP fit the complexity of its story well, and players will find themselves engrossed in Rama’s aloof persona quickly after starting. The game has no set release date, though it is supposed to be sometime in Q3 2024, a demo already available on Steam.

2 The Plucky Squire

TBA - PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, & PC

Originally announced for a 2023 release, The Plucky Squire is officially coming sometime before the end of the year, with several previews of the game already coming in. The game centers around Jot, a storybook character who gains the ability to leave his printed world and hop between 2D and 3D environments. Jot and his friends must stop the evil Humgrump before the villain destroys Jot’s happy ending.

The seamless visuals between the 2D and 3D environments are the stars of this game. Developed by All Possible Futures, The Plucky Squire has a similar tone and style to It Takes Two but with a storybook twist. No official release date has been announced, but based on the preivews pouring in, its release cycle appears to be winding up.

1 Neva

TBA - PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, & PC

Developed by Nomada Studio and published by Devolver Digital, Neva is a unique, artistic platformer centered around a young girl, Alba, and her incredible bond with a white wolf. Alba and her companion traverse beautiful landscapes as they confront a decaying world and search for a home. Neva emphasizes themes of environmentalism and natural beauty by making the player character proportionally small to the drawn environments.

Nomada Studio also developed Gris, which currently holds a 10/10 on Steam.

Further, the stunning animations of rather dark subject matter, such as animals decaying, will leave players transfixed throughout an epic story. Neva has no scheduled release date at this time, but it has been announced to come out sometime in 2024. Players who enjoy high emotional stakes and beautiful art should pick this indie game up.