5 most innovative indie games set for a 2023 release date

2023 promises to be a great year when it comes to indie games across all platforms. Although most gamers are excited about Bethesda Game Studios' Starfield and Assassin's Creed Mirage, there are a few eye-catching upcoming indie games worth putting on your bucket list.

2022 has been a monumental year for indie game developers. Indie titles such as Stray and Neon White exceeded all expectations and were popular among mainstream gaming audiences. Gamers are definitely in for a treat if 2023's indie titles live up to the hype as well. Here is a handpicked list of some of the indie games worth being excited about.

Note: This article solely reflects the author’s opinions.

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5 most anticipated indie games lined up for 2023

1) Valheim

• Developers: Iron Gate Studio, Fishlabs, Piktiv
• Releasing: Q1 2023
• Genre: Open-world third-person survivor
• Platforms: Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Xbox Series X and Series S

Valheim is an upcoming open-world sandbox survivor inspired by Viking culture. Exploration is a key element in this third-person indie game, and players will get to traverse procedurally generated maps inspired by Norse mythology. The game was made available on Steam in 2021 via early access.

Players will get to wander through dark forests, climb mountain peaks and various challenging terrain, and slay monsters in this open-world survival game about conquering a mythological realm.

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2) Kerbal Space Program 2

• Developer: Take-Two Interactive, Intercept Games, Star Theory Games
• Releasing: February 2023
• Genre: Space flight simulator
• Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows

Yet another game that was due to be released in 2021, Kerbal Space Program 2 is the much-awaited sequel to the 2012’s genre-defining spacecraft simulator.

Kerbal Space Program helped gamers realize how much fun a real-time spacecraft simulator game can be. Kerbal Space Program 2 is finally up for a 2023 release date, and the latest edition promises to offer a realistic aerodynamic system and more space exploration options than its predecessors.

Apart from realistic spacecraft simulation, Kerbal Space Program 2 is designed to offer all the sophistication of modern-day space exploration with a plethora of spacecraft customization elements, resource gathering tasks, colonization features, and much more.

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3) Planet of Lana

• Developer: Wishfully
• Releasing: Spring 2023
• Genre: Hand-painted cinematic puzzle adventure
• Platforms: Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X, and Series S

An indie game with a vibe of its own, Planet of Lana is an upcoming cinematic puzzle-solving adventure set in a post-apocalyptic world. The harmony of the planet (the balance between humans and nature) has been distorted, and it’s now up to a little girl and her group of friends to save the colorful and vibrant planet from sophisticated machines and hideous creatures.

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4) Pixelshire

• Developer: Kappa Bits
• Releasing: Q1 2023
• Genre: Indie adventure
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X, and Series S

Pixelshire is an upcoming RPG adventure with elements of city-building, exploration, and combat. Players will get to gather resources and design the town of their dreams. They'll also need to take care of trade and defend their towns from greedy neighbors. This epic RPG adventure set in the pixelated world of Arcadia will provide a unique twist on the genre.

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5) Manor Lords

• Developer: Slavic Magic
• Releasing: 2023
• Genre: RPG, strategy, and city-building title
• Platform: Microsoft Windows

Manor Lords made a brief entry in Steam’s 2022 Next Fest and instantly became one of the most anticipated games of the upcoming year.

This indie game is set to redefine the city-building genre with a mix of tactical battles and complex economic and socio-political systems that players need to take care of while building a formidable settlement. Fans of the strategy and city-building games should consider adding Manor Lords to their wishlist.