Once again this will most likely be somewhat outdated, as Day of the Devs takes place immediately after the live Summer Games Fest presentation. However, I enjoy it a lot more than the live presentation as it gives a deeper look into the games, and it specifically focuses on games made by indie studios. I’ve rated them mostly on how likely I am to buy them when they come out.

Snap and Grab (2026) – 8/10

Amazing 80s aesthetics with high fashion and high class capers. The game centers around taking photos to plan out your heist, marking down treasures, guards, and distractions. With a fun cast of criminals, you must navigate through a variety of lavish maps while avoiding a determined detective. I thought the gameplay would be dull with just taking photos, but the puzzle aspect of then having the plan the heist according to the information gathered elevates the concept to what was advertised.

Big Walk (2026) – 6/10

From the creators of Untitled Goose Game, we get a simple game centered around talking and walking around a large open world with puzzles scattered around. It’s a multiplayer experience that relies on proximity chat for communication so take care to not get lost. In contrast to the realistic environment, the player characters are goofy duck ant things which influences the shenanginan-y vibes of the trailer. If you liked Peak, you’ll probably like this.

Sword of the Sea – 10/10

Same art direction as Journey and it shows! Skate through an absolutely magnificent and breath-taking world on a fabled sword of legend. Chain halfpipe tricks on the land surrounding an eroded river, grind on a chain floating in the sky, and ollie off of a sand ramp in this game inspired by the creator’s own experiences with snowboarding. I cannot emphasize enough how beautiful this game looks. Additionally, it shares the same composer as Journey which means that it’ll have a similarly banger soundtrack.

Escape Academy: Back 2 School – 7/10

Escape rooms are expensive, but now you can play through one from the comfort of your own home. The second Escape Academy game promises a satisfying open world co-op puzzle solving experience and that one puzzle with the marbles that I saw on reels. The entire campus being a giant escape room is a great concept to take advantage of the virtual space. The larger map and increased immersion also helps with the increased complexity as classes might contain hints to help stuck players. It’s clear that the developers took the time to reflect on the first Escape Academy game, listen to feedback, and improve.

Mixtape – 9/10

Already covered in the Summer Games Fest article. Still excited.

Blighted – 8/10

Getting to see more has made me more interested, but it has also alerted me to the fact that the combat is slower than expected. Personally, I would like something more fast-paced, but the concept of devouring others for their knowledge and memories is great lore.

Dosa Divas: One Last Meal (Early 2026) – 6/10

Turn based combat action RPG that explores the importance of food to culture and community, particularly in the face of corporate takeover. I greatly enjoy the retrofuturistic designs and South Asian influence.

Possessors – 6/10

Interdimensional demons invade a corporate tower, killing and sometimes possessing innocent civilians, including the main character Luka. From the creators of Hyperlight Drifters, we get a metroidvania investigating the dark secrets of a mysterious corporation in combination with mysterious devils. I predict that the major corporation was trying to somehow harvest the demons energy and were unable to contain them leading to the main character’s deal with the devil. Probably a standard plot, but nice looking gameplay.

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault – 9/10

I love a combat based roguelite. Here the main source of upgrades comes from managing a shop where you sell the results of your dungeon-crawling outings. Even more exciting, it contains positioning based inventory management, where the position of items in your inventory can affect one another leading to boosts or debuffs. Even the shop management seems enjoyable when usually it would seem like an unfortunate necessity for progression. Unfortunately, I don’t think it will be available on the Switch.

Please Watch the Art Work (Probably sometime around Halloween) – 4/10

A slightly more advanced spot the difference with creepy haunted paintings. A little scary.

Marvel Cosmic Invasion – 5/10

Already covered in Summer Games Fest.

Neverlate – 6/10

Spooky but cute dungeon-crawler and farming simulator. The art direction is very well done and does a good job establishing intrigue around the nightmare dimension you seek to find. It combines the classic fears of paying off a mortgage and outer world monsters. Combat looks okay, nothing too special and nothing bad at all, but I think the main draw will be the story and characters.

Relooted – 8/10

Tackling the controversial topic of African relics being displayed in Western museums, Relooted suggests that the ultimate solution is to steal them back. Created by a team in South Africa, this game centers around pulling off heists to return real stolen artifacts back to where they came. In terms of actual gameplay, it looks quite well-made. There’s a great setup of puzzle, stealth, and platforming which provides a nice variety of action. The platforming in particular stands out to me as it’s a race against the security system to escape with the treasures in hand. I think it also stands out enough from Snap and Grab.

Ratatan – 9/10

From the creator of Patapon, we get another rhythm based music game centered around little guys. This time we have a more colorful world and tinier guys. It also incorporates roguelite elements as you create a build for your little army throughout your journey which is sure to help with replayability. I love roguelites.

Thick as Thieves – 9/10

We’ve got another heist stealth game, but this time it’s multiplayer. The approach is a very nice reflection and improvement on the classic stealth formula. Where games like Hitman will rely completely on the challenge of understanding the level’s layout, NPCs, and pre-determined obstacles, Thick as Thieves intends to add complexity with the unpredictability of real players. I think that is a logical next step and presents a fresh idea of a competitive game without direct combat. However, my one fear is that their promises of fresh environments made by different combinations of maps, quests, and weather could fall flat. This isn’t to say that they won’t have multiple of each element, but more that even with multiple maps, quests, etc. they might just feel the same.

Pocket Boss – 5/10

In this game about manipulating graphs, you play through various minigames, twisting the numbers and aiming for the boss’s approval. As time goes on, the graphs get more and more wonky and the gameplay gets a little more tongue in cheek. Cute and casual.

Consume Me (September 25th, 2025) – 7/10

Cute autobiographical game that tackles the complexities and stress of being a high school girl. Balance a complex relationship with food, ever-present academic pressure, and walking the dog in a game that captures the feeling of “I want to do everything, but I can’t” with minigames and a real story. While the cute and funny art style will charm you, I sense that there’s more than meets the eye.

OFF (August 15th, 2025) – 8/10

The RPG that inspired the most famous indie game of all time, Undertale, is getting ported to Switch and Steam. Very unique visuals, and the port is not just the same game as the creator has added 6 new bosses and original music.

Tire Boy – 7/10

This is not relevant to my impression of the game, but the team is Canadian and they really do look it. Anyways, Tire Boy centers around a boy stuck in a tire. The world is cozy and a little bizarre. The platforming looks unique. The character interactions seem fun.

Toem 2 – 8/10

A pleasant and endearing exploration through the world of Toem a few years later. With similar mechanics as the first game, you walk around a black and white world in search of the phenomenon Toem. Interact with the world through your camera and build bonds with an adorable cast of characters.

Ball X Pit (October 15th, 2025) – 5/10

If you’ve ever played Vampire Survivors, you know the satisfaction of filling a screen with a lot of projectiles. Ball X Pit appeals to this instinctual desire by transforming the classic brick-breaker genre into a roguelike. Just watching the trailer and hearing the sound effects, I can already feel an addiction forming.