10 awesome indie games coming out July 2021

Knock knock. Who’s there? July. July who? JULY!

That’s right, 2021 has just passed 50% completion, and it’s certainly another strong month of indie games being released into the world. Among the gems on this list are a game from Annapurna Interactive and two titles from the one and only Devolver Digital. Truly, it’s an exciting month for indie gamers so I hope you find this selection appetizing!

After E3’s return this year we’ve seen an influx of indie game news which is never a bad thing. Personally, I found the Wholesome Direct one of the more enjoyable events because of all the sweet games being announced and release dates teased throughout.

If you’re keen to know what indie games from E3 have the team at Checkpoint Gaming talking, click here!

So, without further or do – Let’s check out some of the best indie games releasing this month!

Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!

Developer: Team Salvato
Release Date: July 1st
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Genre: Psychological horror

“Welcome to a terrifying world of poetry and romance! Write poems for your crush and erase any mistakes along the way to ensure your perfect ending. Now’s your chance to discover why DDLC is one of the most beloved psychological horror games of the decade!”

Starting off July with something that is truly the repackaging of existential dread. Doki Doki Literature Club Plus is here to let you experience the trials and tribulations of love and longing. Join the literature club! Send a poem to your crush, experience the terror of high school love, and see if you have what it takes to nab that perfect ending! At first glance, this one is not my usual pick when it comes to visual novels, however, I’m certainly taken by it. As any of my crushes know, I love sending a cheesy poem so this game sounds like a dream. Overthinking about why characters don’t like me sounds a little too relatable if you ask me!

Nemezis: Mysterious Journey III

Developer: Detalion Games S.A
Release Date: July 8th
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre: Puzzle

“Nemezis: Mysterious Journey III is a puzzle adventure game in which two tourists – Bogard and Amia – find themselves engaged in a series of mysterious events. Solve intriguing puzzles and unfold a story which will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.”

Prepare to jump into the unknown in this adventure puzzler. Take on an assortment of dazzling brain teasers with two tourists named Bogard and Amia on a bizarre planet. I’m excited for this one as I’m a huge fan of explorative games like The Witness and Myst and it’s giving me a similar vibe. I’m also really appreciating the character design especially considering this is a puzzle game. Hopefully this one has an excellent story to accompany the progression through the world.

Boomerang X

Developer: DANG!
Release Date: July 9th
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch
Genre: Action

“Harness the power of a mystical boomerang to fling yourself through the air. Slice, fly, and blast through arenas swarming with evil creatures. Stay agile or meet your doom.”

Devolver Digital really dropped yet another excellent presentation at E3 this year and this is one of two games they’re publishing this month to appear on this list. Grab a boomerang in this arena battler and slay a horde of enemies as you nimbly traverse the map. This one also makes stunning uses of cel-shading to really make the colorful environment pop. I’d say I find games easier to play when they aren’t hyper-realistic, especially when there’s loads of motion on the screen, so it will be great to check this one out. Also, you can befriend a Millipede. This is why I love indie games!

Death’s Door

Developer: Acid Nerve
Release Date: July 20th
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Genre: Action Adventure

“Reaping souls of the dead and punching a clock might get monotonous but it’s honest work for a Crow. The job gets lively when your assigned soul is stolen and you must track down a desperate thief to a realm untouched by death – where creatures grow far past their expiry.”

Best not fear the reaper in this macabre black-feathered tale. Play as a crow tasked with reaping souls as you venture to a realm without death in search of a stolen soul. This is another offering from Devolver Digital so I’m expecting quality from this one. The character design is impressive and I’m really appreciating the gothic style. The visuals look awesome and all the trailers have featured an expressive soundtrack so this one looks like an indie game we’ll be talking about for a while!

Cris Tales

Developer: Dreams Uncorporated, SYCK
Release Date: July 20th
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Genre: RPG

“Cris Tales is a gorgeous, indie love letter to classic JRPGs with a new perspective. Peer into the past, act in the present, and watch as your choices dynamically change the future — all on one screen as you play!”

This indie game looks gorgeous. It’s been a while coming but it’s finally releasing this month! Cris Tales is a time-bending RPG where you’ll use Crisbell’s powers to alter reality and win each fight. I really enjoy a game that plays with time elements so this should be a fun one. This one explores the consequences of the present on the future and how the past shapes how we see progress. There are certainly some broad themes here so I’m excited to mess with the timeline in this one!

Last Stop

Developer: Variable State
Release Date: July 22nd
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch
Genre: Adventure

“Last Stop is a single-player third-person adventure set in present-day London, where you play as three separate characters whose worlds collide in the midst of a supernatural crisis.”

Strap in folks because the ever-beautiful Annapurna Interactive is taking us on yet another intriguing journey with this one from the developers at Variable State. It’s a roleplaying game starring 3 separate characters in modern-day London during a supernatural event. I’m getting a real Life Is Strange vibe from this one which is another game series I love. Blending supernatural happenings with drama is a fun combination because often there’s a lot more of a caveat to the story than is first thought. Also, this one being an Annapurna Interactive game only proves that there’s likely quality here. I’m excited to get my hands on this one!

Tribes of Midgard

Developer: Norsfell
Release Date: July 27th
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5
Genre: Adventure Co-op

“Heads up, the Giants are coming! Mythical creatures, deadly spirits, and gigantic brutes threaten to bring on Ragnarök—the end of the world. Form your tribe of up to 10 and become Viking legends in this action-survival RPG of gigantic proportions.”

Assemble the Viking horde for this one. Ragnarok is on the way and it will stop at nothing! Form a tribe of up to 10 friends and jump into procedurally generated Norse realms where you’ll fend off legendary beasts. Forge powerful weapons and armor and even learn magic to suit you’re playing style in this co-op PvE survival game. I’m looking forward to this one as the aesthetic is reminding me of Hades and the blend of play styles looks really satisfying.

The Forgotten City

Developer: Modern Storyteller
Release Date: July 28th
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Genre: Action Co-op

“Travel 2,000 years into the past and relive the final days of a cursed Roman city, where if one person sins, everyone dies. Unravel the mystery at the city’s heart by exploiting its deadly time loop, questioning locals, exploring, and solving puzzles. The fate of the city is in your hands.”

What was once a Skyrim mod that’s been downloaded 3 million times is now a full game of its own! The original mod even earned a national Writers Guild award and now the full release is here and it features a script twice the size this time around. It features a non-linear narrative full of puzzles and tricky characters that takes place in a time loop. It centres on a mystery in an ancient Roman city where everything is not as it seems. I’m excited to take this one for a whirl after experiencing some of the original mod. The core team of three people has taken four years to build a game that takes the best of the mod and reforms it into its own game.

Eldest Souls

Developer: Fallen Flag Studio
Release Date: July 30th
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch
Genre: Action

“Fast-paced and brutally challenging, Eldest Souls is a unique Boss-Rush soulslike experience. In a final act of vengeance, the Old Gods have unleashed a great Desolation upon the world. Mankind’s only hope lies with a lone warrior… and his greatsword of pure Obsydian.”

I’ve been burned by boss-rush games before but this one has me thinking I can try again. Soulslike games are meant to be challenging but the pixelized art style in this one is quite impressive. Take on the vengeful Old Gods in a desolate world in this brutal challenge of endurance. Claim celestial powers and harness unique skills and abilities as you cut down overbearing foes! Get your hands on this one if you’re looking for a challenge that will make your fingers ache for more!

The Ascent

Developer: Neon Giant
Release Date: July 30th
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Genre: Action Co-op

“Welcome to The Ascent Group arcology, a corporate-run metropolis stretching high into the sky and filled with creatures from all over the galaxy. You play as a worker, enslaved by the company that owns you and everyone else in your district. One day, you are suddenly caught in a vortex of catastrophic events: The Ascent Group shuts down for unknown reasons and the survival of your district is threatened. You must take up arms and embark on a new mission to find out what started it all.”

Get ready for a new cyberpunk adventure that is sans 2077. The Ascent is a co-op shooter that will have you taking on the big bad world now that the last mega cooperation has fallen. Explore the city with an array of weapons as the enemies come in impassable hordes. I love that there are a few co-op games releasing this month that feature different styles. Cyberpunk is an intriguing neon-soaked aesthetic and I like that they are leaning into the fall of capitalism for this game. There’s also a focus in the game on hardware augmentations that give you a multitude of ways to overcome the enemies!

So there you have it, indie game lovers…

These are just 10 of the new indie games we’ll be getting our hands on this month, let us know which one you’re most excited to play or if we missed any!