In the gaming industry, there are two periods where not many interesting games come out: in the middle of summer, and right after the holidays. After all, every dev wants to ensure their games are out in time to either become the flavor of the summer or hit shelves in time for Christmas. This is why the first couple of months of a year are always a little dry. Once March rolls around, though, that’s when things start getting interesting, both on the upper echelons of the biz and in the indie department. On that note, here are some interesting indie games releasing on Steam in March 2022.
While there is a veritable deluge of games coming out on Steam on any given day, here are a few smaller-time titles you might consider giving a closer look:
- Shadow Warrior 3
- A Musical Story
- TUNIC
- Weird West
- Coromon
- Have a Nice Death
Indie Games Releasing on Steam in March 2022
Shadow Warrior 3 – March 1st, 2022
The first two Shadow Warrior games (which were themselves a reboot of a Duke Nukem-era shooter) employed an eclectic mix of technology and mysticism. While you were fighting demons and monsters, you were doing so with both magic and good old-fashioned lead and explosives. For Shadow Warrior 3, though, they’re leaning more into the mystic side of things; you still use plenty of guns, of course, they’re just… magic guns. Additionally, with the addition of a wrist-mounted grappling hook, you have much greater freedom of movement in combat areas, all of which are designed with a gorgeous Japanese folklore inspiration.
A Musical Story – March 4th, 2022
As the great Stevie Wonder once said, music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand. Even when the world we live in makes no sense and drives you in circles, the power of good music can give you the clarity you need. That’s definitely what Gabriel, the protagonist of A Musical Story needs, as an unknown accident has left him comatose and swimming in his own mind. To retrace his steps, you’ll need to play his band’s songs (26 original songs made for this game, by the by) and witness their journey to musical stardom. It’s a minimalistic story with no dialogue, just music.
TUNIC – March 16th, 2022
Taking cues from the original Legend of Zelda, TUNIC is an isometric adventure that starts you out without much of anything. Your protagonist, a small fox boy, washes up on a beach without any particular direction but the call to adventure. As you explore this massive, interconnected land, you’ll acquire scores of weapons and handy items to keep you safe. Interestingly, one of the game’s collectibles is its own manual, illustrated in the same style as an old NES game manual. Whether this is just a fun nod or a hint to some deeper meta-narrative, you’ll just have to play it and find out for yourself.
Weird West – March 31st, 2022
Contemporary fantasy is one of my favorite genres of storytelling because it’s always fun to think about how fantastical elements mesh with real-world settings. For example, the real-life wild west was a pretty brutal place, but you know what would make it even more brutal? Magic, monsters, and bipedal horse people. In Weird West, you or a group of friends can star in your own cowboy fairy tale, building out your characters in just about any way you can think of. Be a gunslinger, an assassin, an archer, a spellcaster, or whatever you think will keep you alive in the wilds. This game was created by members of the teams that made Prey and Dishonored, so you know they know how to make an immersive experience.
Coromon – March 31st, 2022
Since Pokemon is a Nintendo franchise, other platforms can’t have Pokemon games (Pokemon GO notwithstanding). As such, in order to bring that classic magic of creature-collecting and battling games to a wider audience, indie devs have taken it upon themselves to create their own riffs on the formula. Coromon is one such game designed to appeal to creature-lovers of all kinds. The game features over 100 Coromon to collect and battle in a traditional story campaign, as well as built-in online multiplayer. For you veteran fans out there, there are even built-in switches for randomizer and Nuzlocke runs, though there are also accessibility options for those who want a more leisurely experience.
Have a Nice Death – TBD March 2022 (Early Access)
Being Death is probably the most thankless job in existence. You work 24/7, nobody is ever happy to see you, and the system barely keeps itself together. When the subordinates of Death throw that system out of whack, not only do they mess up the proper flow of souls, but they also stymie his plans for a seriously-overdue vacation. Have a Nice Death is a platformer roguelike in a similar vein to Dead Cells, where Death needs to venture through his company and give his subordinates some proper “motivating.” If Death is killed, he’ll just pop right back since, well, he’s Death, and after a performance review, he’ll unlock new abilities and modifiers for subsequent runs. And coffee! Death needs his coffee.
