Since it's announcement back at the final E3 in 2021, Replaced has constantly been on media outlets' most anticipated lists year after year. Nearly five years later, and 2026 has seen numerous solid indie games release in similar genres. But none that share Replaced's unique pixelated look and slick action.

For the second week in a row, we have a fun, smaller scale turn-based RPG inspired by the JRPG classics. Dosa Divas continues independent studio Outerloop Games' South Asian inspirations that appear in every title, with another turn-based RPG after the enjoyable Thirsty Suitors. Both games focus on confronting the past and facing family and friends.

Having been raised on a stable diet of JRPGs from the 90s onwards, from Chrono Trigger, the mainline Final Fantasy series, Skies of Arcadia and countless more, I've always appreciated a long-form story where you get to know a cast of characters in an original, imaginative world. But over time, the genre has slowly transitioned to a prominent action or hybrid focus over turn-based combat. Although I've still enjoyed countless action JRPGs like Kingdom Hearts, I still keep an eye out for any new and interesting turn-based games - a genre that saw Clair Obscur Expedition 33 win many people's game of the year award last year.

Between the big AAA releases, I often search for a relaxing and short indie title to play. Nippets, a hidden object puzzle game, from developer and publisher, Blink Industries and multiple talented collaborators is just the game. It instantly reminds you of sitting down as a kid with the picture book Where's Wally? book or Where's Waldo? in other parts of the world, and searching every nook and cranny for his red and white striped jumper, and then, noticing all the other familiar characters hidden on each page.

Fishbowl is an indie, visual novel game and the first video game from I Miss My Friends Studio; a developer duo of Rhea Gupte and Prateek Saxena who decided to make a video game influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and other life events. It presents the possibility of being emotionally resonant with everyone due to our shared experience during the pandemic and topic such as depression, self-doubt and cancer.

After spending countless hours as a teenager one hundred percenting the original Super Meat Boy, I was initially hesitant when I heard the announcement of a 3D reimagining of my favourite brutal platformer. It seemed like an impossible task to translate such finely tuned level design into a new perspective.

Since their rise in the 2010's, cinematic puzzle-platformers have become an unexpected favourite genre of mine in video games. Often shorter experiences; perfect vessels for emotional and atmospheric games that attempt to synchronise gameplay and story. With the likes of Limbo, Inside, and recently, Reanimal, using the genre for darker horrors, Planet of Lana 2 is a welcome continuation in the beautiful and colourful sci-fi world, Novo, created in the original.

2026 feels like another rejuvenation cycle for 3D platformers, as indie developers continue to use their inspirations to invent new takes on the genre. In the late 90s we had Super Mario 64 and Crash Bandicoot, and the early to mid 2000s, Ratchet and Clank, and Jak and Daxter. Whereas, the last two decades gifted us Super Mario Odyssey and Donkey Kong Bananza. But the continued renaissance in the boundary pushing indie scene is what's impressed me. First, we had the excellent Big Hops, and now, Demon Tides.

For some reason, I've always gravitated towards difficult precision platformers - the more masochistic the better. From the gravity flipping VVVVVV, to the tense sequences in Super Meat Boy. Straight away, Love Eternal reignites similarities to both, and quickly turns into its own unique hybrid of part hardcore precision 2D platformer, part psychological horror interactive adventure game.

In recent years, we've been lucky enough to have many indie studios release video games that deliver the quick thrill of short time based first person shooters from the addictive Neon White, to the narratively strong and stylish, I Am Your Beast. Now, developer Aerial_Knight and his small development team continue this genre with their own focused interpretation.