5 Indie Games Releasing on Steam in February 2022

2022 is in full swing, and if the state of the world is any indication, it’s still a pretty good time to stay inside and play video games. Not that that would stop most of us either way, of course, but if you are going to be hunkering down and immersing yourself in strange, colorful worlds, you should consider making a few of those voyages indie-centric. As always, Steam has a gargantuan network of small-time developers and publishers, and while there is undoubtedly some chaff to sort through on the upcoming list, there are definitely some smaller projects worth keeping your eye on. Here are 5 indie games releasing on Steam in February 2022 that you might enjoy.

OlliOlli World – Feb. 8, 2022

I think everyone who was born in the 90s had a skateboarding phase, especially if you played a lot of games or watched a lot of cartoons. We all wanted to be like Tony Hawk or Otto Rocket, though most of us didn’t stick with it. Skateboarding is hard, man. But what if skateboarding was not only more accessible, but a regular part of everyday life?

In OlliOlli World, the third game in the OlliOlli series, you’ll take up your board and cruise through the most excellent realm of Radlandia, where the ramps are plentiful, the grind rails go on for miles, and no one laughs at you when you eat pavement. Take on missions and challenges as travel Radlandia, exploring levels with a highly accessible action platforming system that accommodates both newbies and pro skaters. 

Blood West – Feb. 10, 2022 (Early Access)

Retro shooters, or “boomer shooters” as some call them, have become a staple genre of the indie scene. The malleability of the original DOOM proves just how many directions you can take this kind of game, including shooting aliens in space, shooting monsters in a magical realm, or in Blood West’s case, shooting Eldritch horrors in the wild west.

When a nameless gunslinger is revived as a revenant by a mysterious dark force tainting the dusty frontier, there’s not much for him to do but take up arms and send the twisted legions back where they came from, violently if possible. Blood West is an immersive FPS experience that, while appearing old-school on the surface, takes some more cues from modern FPS sensibilities. The dark creatures are vicious, but you can get the drop on them with careful planning and guerilla tactics. Explore open-ended levels and be mindful of your resources; remember, the old west wasn’t exactly plentiful, even in the best of times.

Nimbus INFINITY – Feb. 15, 2022 (Early Access)

Everything is better with giant robots. It’s just a fact. You give me literally any example, and it can be improved with giant robots. But no matter how wacky giant robot ideas have gotten in recent years, we should remember that the genre often works its best when it gets back to basics: tales of war, conflict, and preferably, outer space.

Nimbus INFINITY is the sequel to 2017’s Project Nimbus, and follows a similar paradigm. Take control of the Battle Frames, gigantic flying humanoid weapons platforms, and engage in high-speed strategic firefights in large combat arenas. Build and customize your Battle Frame to your preferences; wanna go toe-to-toe? Pick up a beam saber. Wanna plug ‘em from a distance? You’ve got a whole suite of rifle options. Wanna just blow ‘em up and forget about it? Everyone loves missile launchers! This game also features a brand new story set 21 years after the events of the previous game, where the next phase of interstellar warfare unfolds.

Figment 2: Creed Valley – TBD Feb. 2022

The human mind, when abstracted into a tangible place, is downright bizarre. In fairness, the human mind is downright bizarre in general. Unlike with the rest of your body, when there’s something wrong with your mind, it’s not something that can be solved with some vitamin C and a nap. Luckily, your mind is never entirely against you; there’s always at least one part that wants to keep you safe and sane.

Figment 2: Creed Valley is the follow up to 2017’s Figment, a journey through a human mind’s realm starring Dusty, the personification of courage. Dusty managed to get the nightmares under control last time, but now they’ve shattered the Moral Compass, leaving the mind unable to form or understand new ideas. Dusty, along with his buddy Piper, will have to venture to Creed Valley, where ideals are born, to get things back on track. The game will feature a blend of top-down combat and puzzle solving, with the big draws being the mind’s two states, open-minded and closed-minded, and the musical rhythm that guides the world forward.

Kardboard Kings: Card Shop Simulator – Q1 2022

Card shops are fascinating microcosms of nerd culture. One shop can, in theory, dedicate itself entirely to the buying, selling, and trading of cards from a single card game, and if that game is popular enough, make a totally viable living. It’s remarkable what people will pay for cardboard sometimes, huh?

In Kardboard Kings, you play as Harry Hsu, newly inherited owner of a card shop and former card game champion. With the honor and reputation of your father’s shop on the line, you’ll need to pick up the intricacies of card game economics in a hurry to build up your local reputation as the place for card gamers to be. Buy and sell cards to keep your doors open, upgrade your shop, and host card game events to keep the spirit of small time card shop alive!

Those are our top 5 picks for indie games releasing on Steam in February 2022. Check back soon to discover more gems!