The gears at the game factory which cover the whole world continue to turn and pump out new titles faster than is possible to play them. There’s competition between big companies, small studios, and those working out of their bedroom whenever they get some free time. Talents are all over the place with visual styles bouncing between hyper-realistic and colorfully stylized. Despite the differences in experience and resources, what really matters is creativity and hard work. This is something that’s not easy to spot at a glance which is why a lot of attention goes into making something eye-catching. Here are our top picks for the best indie games in September 2021.
Upcoming Indie Games in September 2021
OPUS: Echo Of Starsong
Humanity has advanced to such a degree that we’ve been able to uncover a lot of mysteries about the universe. Despite this, there’s still so much we don’t know with the lure of the unknown continuing to call out. The folks at SIGONO INC. have decided to answer this call with a game called OPUS: Echo of Starsong. It follows the story of a girl named Eda who is able to hear mysterious sounds coming from the depths of space. As she sets off to find its source, she’s joined by an exile named Jun who also seeks these sounds. It’s a beautiful-looking adventure that combines puzzles and narrative elements to create a wondrous experience and land on our list of the best indie games in September 2021.
OPUS: Echo of Starsong will release on PC on September 1.
Golf Club: Wasteland
Of all the sports that people have invented, golf is frequently viewed as extremely slow-paced and boring to a degree. However, you could also see it as a relaxing activity that hones concentration and discipline. Like all other sports, golf has a fair share of video games that bear its name and gameplay. As a result, designers have also tried to reinvent the sport such as those from Demagog Studio. This team is working on something called Golf Club: Wasteland. It’s an interesting mix of golf with a post-apocalyptic scenario. In this game, both the world and humanity have been devastated beyond recovery. However, those with endless wealth escaped to Mars and now visit Earth occasionally to use the wasteland as their own personal golf course. It feels both melancholic and oddly relaxing as you hit a ball over various ruins.
Golf Club: Wasteland will release on PC, Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox on September 3.
The Artful Escape
Art is something that anyone can do and is open to personal interpretation. This applies to all forms of art from music, to painting, to film, and all along the creative spectrum. It’s something that sparks imagination and lets our most wild thoughts come to life. Art provides a break from reality and a gateway to endless worlds of fantasy. Those at Beethoven and Dinosaur have pursued this idea in The Artful Escape. You play as a talented teenager with a love for guitar who goes on a trippy trip to find inspiration. He is split between himself and his stage persona while also desiring to explore the truth behind some local folklore. Take in all the sights, sounds, and actions of this arty adventure.
The Artful Escape will release on PC and Xbox on September 9.
Lost In Random
The intimidating thing about chaos is that we have no control over it. It’s normal to be afraid of things that we don’t understand or can’t predict, but this randomness is also the source of the unexpected which keeps life fresh. The problem is that we never know whether these fresh things are going to be good or bad and neither do Zoink and Thunderfull. These creators are working on Lost In Random which is full of twists and turns. You play as a girl named Even who falls into the kingdom of Random where every being’s life is determined by dice rolls. You’ll need to learn how to master RNG in order to overcome all the enemies and hazards you’re destined to face. It’s a gothic fantasy dripped in chaos with no idea what’s going to happen next.
Lost in Random will release on PC, Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox on September 10.
Small Saga
There are many reasons why someone would find a story about animals more interesting and heartwarming than a story about humans. This might be due to the fact that animals have an innate sense of innocence and purity. Still, this doesn’t stop people from putting animals into overly human situations without losing popularity. This concept continues with the upcoming Small Saga by Jeremy Noghani. The adventure follows a mouse who loses his tail to a god and decides to seek revenge. This fantasy adventure takes place underneath London with all manner of creatures including squirrels and octopi. As you lead the hero Verm on his quest, you’ll be joined by other rodents who have mastered different household items to deadly effect. It’s an epic quest on a small scale with nice artwork and animation, making it one of our picks for the best indie games in September 2021.
Small Saga will release on PC this September.
Flynn: Son Of Crimson
When it comes to memorable heroic figures, they tend to have long names or titles. To be fair though, the best titles are usually earned while others are gained by association. This seems to be the case for Flynn: Son Of Crimson, a young man living in the fantasy world of Rosantica. The team at Studio Thunderhorse has created an adventure involving magic and a quest to free land from oppression. Flynn must go on a journey to defeat an ominous force known as the Scourge by confronting and defeating its overlord. You’ll need the companionship of your magical wolf-lion and mastery of Crimson energy in order to summon weapons and power. It’s a 2D platforming adventure with a crimson theme and a huge world to save.
Flynn: Son Of Crimson will release on PC on September 15.
Eastward (Sept. 16th)
One of the defining characteristics of old-school 2D games which have become something of a tradition is designing it so you simply need to move right to reach the end. Games have evolved past this but you’ll see some callbacks every now and then. A soon-to-come reference to this is Pixpil’s Eastward, which is seemingly named after the progression tradition. The difference here is that it’s a top-down RPG adventure where a child must escape from a land that’s falling apart. You’ll need to travel through weird towns fighting monsters and meeting wacky characters. Defend yourself with a frying pan and mysterious powers that you don’t completely understand. It’s a game that makes you want to escape to safety but not before you take in all the sights before they’re gone for good.
Eastward will be released on PC and Switch on September 16.
Sable
Of all the different types of environments, deserts are among the most intimidating. They’re miles of land that stretch far and wide with little to offer in terms of safety. Still, if you’re willing to brave the sand, you could uncover a lot of things that’d you’d never see anywhere else. The Shedworks have used this idea for the basis of Sable. You play as Sable, a young woman going through a rite of passage called Gliding. This will take her across a vast desert which she needs to run, jump and ride through. You’ll encounter remains from both the past and the future in the forms of broken spaceships and mysterious ruins. There’ll be a lot of opportunities to help others wandering the desert as you solve puzzles and find things to make your hoverbike the best ever.
Sable will be released on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox on September 23.
That’s a wrap on our top picks for the best indie games in September 2021! Which game are you looking forward to the most? Be sure to let us know on Twitter. If you’re looking for some great indie games that are out now, be sure to check out our picks from August!
