10 Upcoming Indie Games to Look Out For in 2026

Looking for the best upcoming indie games to keep on your radar in 2026? Whether you’re into story-rich adventures, stylish platformers, or cozy life sims with a twist, this list highlights 10 standout titles worth wishlisting now.

Editor’s Pick: Top Upcoming Indie Games

1. Well Dweller: Matchstick wielding bird in a dark fairytale metroidvania where light is both your weapon and your way forward.
2. Lost and Found Co: Cozy hidden-object adventure where reuniting lost items reveals heartfelt stories in a whimsical, storybook world.
3. Tiny Delivery: Heartfelt delivery robot adventure where everyday moments and small acts of kindness shape the story.

10 Best Upcoming Indie Games in 2026

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is a fast-paced first-person shooter wrapped in a striking 1930s cartoon aesthetic, with hand drawn black and white rubber hose animation bringing its world to life frame by frame. You play as Jack Pepper, a hard-boiled private investigator in the corrupt city of Mouseburg, where a routine missing persons case spirals into a noir-soaked conspiracy involving gangs, crooked cops, and murder. The game blends classic detective storytelling with an unapologetically stylish presentation, backed by an original big band jazz soundtrack.

At its core, MOUSE is a high mobility “boomer shooter” that emphasizes constant movement, chaotic gunfights, and cartoon weaponry. Players wallrun, grapple, and double jump through a variety of inventive locations while wielding a creative arsenal of firearms and consumable powerups that lean fully into slapstick mayhem.

REPLACED is a 2.5D cinematic action platformer set in an alternate 1980s America scarred by nuclear catastrophe. You play as R.E.A.C.H., an AI forcibly trapped in a human body, navigating the corrupt underbelly of Phoenix City, a corporate stronghold where human life is treated as currency. As you uncover the secrets of Phoenix Corporation and the truth behind your own creation, the game weaves a dark cyberpunk thriller centered on identity, control, and what it means to be human.

Blending fluid platforming with fast, responsive combat, REPLACED lets players chain precise melee strikes with impactful ranged attacks while exploring neon-lit alleys, industrial wastelands, and crumbling city districts. Its retro futuristic pixel art, enhanced by modern visual effects and backed by a moody synth soundtrack, creates a striking atmosphere that supports its morally complex narrative.

Demon Tides is an upcoming 3D platformer from Demon Turf developer Fabraz, following Beebz and her crew across the open seas of Ragnar’s Rock. Built around speed and exploration, the game drops players into a seamless ocean world packed with hidden structures, secrets, and optional challenges, all designed to reward curiosity and momentum rather than strict linear progression.

What truly sets Demon Tides apart is its focus on expressive platforming: there’s no single “right” way to play. A highly customizable move set, expanded through collectible talismans like hookshots, paragliders, and bubbles, lets players develop their own movement style as they master the game’s flow.\

For something deeply personal, Pieced Together is a cozy scrapbooking game about friendship, memory, and growing up. Build emotional pages from scattered pieces, and reflect on a bittersweet narrative that’s as much about letting go as it is about holding on. The game’s not out yet, but it’s ready to be wishlisted.

inKONBINI: One Store is a cozy, narrative driven slice-of-life game that finds meaning in quiet routines and human connection. Set in a colorful world inspired by early 1990s Japan, you play as Makoto Hayakawa, a college student spending her summer working the counter at a small town convenience store.

Each day unfolds through simple, tactile actions: stocking shelves, organizing displays, and preparing the store for its regulars. These gentle tasks aren’t about optimization, but about settling into a comforting rhythm. Between chores, you’re free to explore the shop and its surroundings, notice small details, and form bonds with customers whose everyday lives slowly intertwine with your own.

Through branching conversations and thoughtful choices, relationships evolve and intimate stories emerge, painting a warm portrait of a close knit neighborhood. With its nostalgic atmosphere, soothing soundscape, and charming surprises, like collectible capsule toys from the store’s gachapon machine, inKONBINI offers a meditative, heartfelt experience that celebrates the beauty of ordinary moments.

Slay the Spire 2 marks the long awaited return of the genre defining roguelike deckbuilder. After a thousand years of silence, the Spire has reopened. Those who dare to climb will face brutal new trials, demanding sharper strategies, calculated risks, and total mastery of their deck.

This evolved Spire is a constantly shifting labyrinth filled with strange enemies, powerful new cards, relics, and potions that can radically reshape each run, for better or worse. Familiar faces return alongside new characters, each bringing their own playstyles, motivations, and secrets to uncover. No two ascents are alike, with dynamic encounters and emergent strategies ensuring every climb feels fresh.

Set to launch in Early Access, Slay the Spire 2 builds on everything fans love while leaving room for surprises still to come. It’s not a surprise that this game will enter our best short games under 5 hours list.

Neverway is what happens when an indie horror games meets cozy life sim, and then throws in fast-paced RPG combat for good measure. After quitting her job, Fiona flees to a remote island to start over on a quiet farm. That plan unravels quickly when she becomes the immortal herald of a dead god. Now, she must keep her life from spiraling while unraveling the mystery of Neverway, a nightmare realm that’s starting to bleed into her reality.

Co-directed by the pixel artist behind Celeste and scored by Disasterpeace, Neverway blends personality-driven storytelling with top-down action. As you farm, fight, and forge bonds with a cast of over 10 characters, your relationships directly impact gameplay: unlocking abilities, buffs, and choices that shape your journey.

It’s a bold mix of horror themes wrapped in warm visuals. If you’re into slow-burn mysteries or character driven RPGs, Neverway is worth keeping an eye on. Wishlist it now, the premise is enough to pique curiosity.

In Tiny Delivery, you play as a small food delivery robot on what should be a simple task: get the order to its destination. But like the best quiet games, the journey ends up being about much more. Set in a cozy neighborhood full of life, the game unfolds as a gentle, short-form adventure built around exploration, small moments, and human connections.

As you roll through alleys, parks, and sidewalks, you’ll run into people with little needs and stories of their own. A child inviting you to a bike race, an elderly man who can’t reach an apple, a stray cat that decides you’re its ride for the day. These spontaneous interactions form the heart of Tiny Delivery, offering a mix of light puzzles, hidden secrets, and slice-of-life storytelling.

There is no world-ending stakes, no heavy mechanics, just a heartfelt reminder that even the tiniest tasks can lead to unexpected meaning. If you’re into games that slow things down and let you breathe, this is one to keep on your radar.

Lost and Found Co. is a charming hidden-object adventure set in a magical startup run by the goddess Mei, where you play as Ducky, a duck-turned-human intern tasked with reuniting lost items with their eccentric owners. The game blends classic hidden object gameplay with a heartfelt narrative, sending players through cozy, storybook-inspired locations that feel like childhood puzzle books brought to life.

Explore a world packed with personality, where thousands of interactive characters and objects create delightful little stories of their own. From relaxed scavenging to cleverly designed challenge levels, Lost and Found Co. offers pure hidden object satisfaction alongside a surprising sense of discovery. With a generous single player campaign, bonus challenges, office customization, and secrets hidden around every corner, it’s a joyful, content rich escape for players of all ages.

From the creators of Crypt Custodian and Islets, Well Dweller is a dark fairytale metroidvania that starts at the bottom of a well (literally). You play as Glimmer, a tiny bird armed with nothing but a matchstick, on a quest to burn down a wicked queen and rescue your kidnapped siblings. It’s eerie and rooted in the kind of storybook weirdness that seems similar to Bramble and Little Nightmare.

The game may appears like a classic metroidvania like Hollow Knights, but they offers a unique lighting mechanic. Your matchstick lights your path, fuels your attacks, and plays into puzzle-solving. Expect to meet charming characters like Ilda the runaway mouse and Looter the scavenger, as you uncover secrets and chart your own route through a crumbling, haunted kingdom.

There’s no demo yet, but the mood and art style alone are enough to make Well Dweller stand out. Keep it on your radar and wishlist it if you’re into atmospheric side scrollers with a bite.

Final Thoughts

If you’re drawn to atmospheric worlds and inventive mechanics, Well Dweller stands out with its eerie fairytale setting and clever use of light as both a tool and a weapon. For players who enjoy thoughtful genre blends, Neverway and REPLACED offer bold twists on familiar formulas, pairing strong narratives with striking visual identities.

Those craving slower, more personal experiences will find plenty to love in Tiny Delivery, Pieced Together, and Lost and Found Co., each focusing on small moments, human connection, and emotionally grounded storytelling. Meanwhile, inKONBINI: One Store delivers a warm slice-of-life experience built around quiet routines and nostalgia.

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