5 great upcoming indie game demos to try out

Some players wouldn't dare drift away from the norm and play an indie game. AAA games contain a level of polish and scale that is attractive to many, but their biggest drawback is how quickly titles become repetitive or are turned into money-making machines that we love to hate.

Some indie games may not be great, but most of them are. They are affordable, showcase original art and ideas, and every once in a while, a random developer in some corner of the world dreams up a masterpiece that overshadows AAA titles.

Indie games represent the heart and soul of a generation of gamers who dream of sharing their imagination with others instead of just delivering another project to earn from.

Embrace the spirit of exploration and check out five great upcoming indie games with demos you can try out for yourself.

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Best impending indie game demos to check out

5) Railbound

From a developer team based out of Poland, Railbound is an indie puzzle game with a gorgeous art style. The developer, Afterburn, has also made Golf Peaks and Inbento and carries forward the same minimalist design style across their game.

The mechanics are relatively simple: players are dropped into a scenario where they are given a finite number of tracks and must place them in such a way that the bogeys of the train can connect to the engine in the right order. As the game progresses, each situation becomes more complicated, and players must bend tracks to create elaborate designs and achieve their goal.

The game isn't a sandbox but a well-detailed puzzle. Players are always given the exact number of tracks required to create the right design, which is fixed in every scenario. This is great for younger gamers to exercise their grey cells and older ones who just want to relax.

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4) Sons of Valhalla

For those who love a good Viking saga, Pixel Chest transports players to a pixel-art recreation of Viking age Britain. This side-scrolling strategy game puts players in the boots of Jarl Thorald Olavson, who sets sail for England to avenge the loss of his village and his loved one.

The game challenges players to be both a destroyer and builder, as they raid and besiege other settlements while fortifying and building up their own.

Directing longboats filled with warriors and massive siege weapons, players must also take to battle themselves to overcome the many enemies across the English countryside. Featuring day-night cycles and beautiful environmental effects such as storms, this indie game is a delight to behold and play.

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3) Toy Tactics

Every child loves playing with figurines, but the cost of well-detailed miniature warriors prevents most from doing so. Toy Tactics is sure to scratch that childhood itch as it places beautifully crafted soldiers called wobblers at your disposal.

A physics-based RTS game, this indie masterpiece by Kraken Empire boasts a unique control system. Players can command their troops by simply drawing formations and paths on the ground. The game aims to keep the controls simple while focusing on complex tactics to overcome the enemy.

Featuring three different factions, each with unique abilities and powerful artifacts that allow players to call down spells and reinforcements, the game promises a lot of replayability and sandbox-like fun.

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2) Lone Ruin

A spell-based twin-stick shooter, Lone ruin is developed by Cuddle Monster Games, an indie studio based out of Sweden. Promising tons of replayability, gamers play as an explorer looking for ancient magic in a primeval ruin built over a mysterious source of magical goop used by mages of old to power and transform themselves.

This fast-paced roughlite has players fighting through hordes of enemies and bosses while dogging and timing their attacks right. In a dynamic, semi-3D pixel art style, Lone Ruin's vibrant palette makes every randomized level a visual treat.

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1) Power Chord

The world is in danger from musical demons, and players must assemble earth's mightiest musicians to take them on. Akin to the band battles fought in live concerts, players must choose a drummer, guitarist, bassist, and singer and synergize with them effectively to win.

Essentially a roughlite deck-builder with each character having their own set of cards, the combat is turn-based, with each side sending musical attacks on one another.

Players must be mindful as characters carry forward the damage they receive at any level, and upon being knocked out, all their cards become unusable.

Featuring a branching path forward, which allows players to choose their battles and rewards and pit stops to heal up and resupply, each level ends with a boss battle.

A Canadian studio headquartered in Ontario, the people at Big Blue Bubble are the masterminds behind this power-packed indie musical adventure.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.