The Independent Gamer is a curated roundup of news from indie gaming, landing here every other Friday.
Post-Noir Role-Playing Detective Game Backbone Releasing for PC on June 8
Backbone, from fully remote developer EggNut — comprised of devs from Canada, Russia, the U.S. and the Netherlands — and Swedish publisher Raw Fury, is a post-noir role-playing detective game following a raccoon private eye character in dystopian Vancouver.
As EggNut describes, the game is inspired by post-Soviet aesthetics and modern political regimes. It explores themes of systemic discrimination, mortality and power.
Backbone releases June 8 on PC, with PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and Xbox to follow.
Related Stories
Where the Heart Leads Preorders Open on PlayStation Store
From Texas-based Armature Studio, the narrative game Where the Heart Leads is now available for preorder on the PlayStation Store for PS4 and PS5.
The game, which explores a man’s past and all the important decisions made in his lifetime, releases July 13.
U.K. Publisher Super to Release Debut Game From Gruby Entertainment
Newly formed Polish studio Gruby Entertainment, co-founded by programmer Kamil Misiowiec (and comprised of some devs who worked on the game Outriders) is developing its first game, a first-person shooter, to be published by Super (Raji: An Ancient Epic).
“Super.com has followed a strategy of seeking out gifted developers such as Gruby Entertainment with advanced technical knowledge and providing them with the support they need to make their vision a reality,” said Anna Grigoreva, publishing director at Super.com, in a recent statement. “With their innovative take on video games, we know that their first title will push the genre’s boundaries and provide a rich experience for gamers.”
I Am Bread Developer Releases Trailer for Aquatic Game I Am Fish
London-based Bossa Studios (I Am Bread, Surgeon Simulator) and publisher Curve Digital (Human Fall Flat) dropped a trailer for aquatic adventure I Am Fish.
The game, which will launch on Windows PC and Xbox in the third quarter of this year, features four playable fish, and a series of physics-based challenges.
PC Cult Game Clone Drone in the Danger Zone Coming to Consoles
Developer Doborog Games (the solo project of Erik Rydeman) announced this week that its PC hit Clone Drone in the Danger Zone, a third-person robot sword fighter, will come to Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on July 27. The game will leave Steam Early Access the same day with a launch update.
Indie Games at the Upcoming Summer Game Fest and All-Virtual E3
Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest Kickoff Live event on June 10 will include the Day of the Devs game lineup. Keep an eye on the schedule as more events pop up.
The four-day virtual Electronic Entertainment Expo — running June 12-15 and featuring press conferences, panels, demos and premieres — will include participation from indie companies including military veteran-owned studio Burgos Games, Silicon Valley studio Dreamtek, Arizona-based Ghost Street Games, Texas-based Hooded Horse Games and Bulgarian developer The Sixth Hammer.
