xbox Series X – ‘Anodyne’ Creators Launching Story-Driven 3D Platformer – The Hollywood Reporter

The Independent Gamer is a curated roundup of news from indie gaming, landing here every other Friday.

Story-Driven 3D Platformer to Launch in Fourth Quarter

From Analgesic Productions (known for the action-adventure Anodyne), Sephonie will launch in Q4 on Windows PC and Mac. Currently, a demo is available on Steam.

The game, featuring an emotional storyline combined with accessible puzzles, is set in the near future when a group of biologists are on a research trip to learn about the creatures of the uninhabited Sephonie island. They become stranded when a mysterious phenomenon destroys their ship.

Futuristic Sci-Fi Puzzle Platformer Launching This Month

Italian developer Leonardo Interactive and Spanish publisher MadLight Studio announced that their futuristic sci-fi puzzle platformer Seed of Life will drop on PC via Steam Aug. 11.

The game is set in a dystopian semi-open world inhabited by alien creatures. Players must take on the role of Cora, the last known survivor, and find a mysterious device called The Seed to restore life to the dying planet. Along the way, there will be stealth combat, role-playing elements and puzzles to solve.

2D Platformer and Top-Down Puzzler Hybrid Available on Steam

From developer Diet Zribi, which consists of brothers Gonen and Ori — who have published twelve games in various game jams — Toodee and Topdee is now available on Steam.

Players can launch into the game as a solo player or co-op as they solve puzzles and defeat bosses in the colorful, genre mash-up game.

Freestyle Motorcross Game Out on More Consoles

Poland-based developer and publisher Tate Multimedia announced that its skater-inspired freestyle motorcross game Urban Trial Tricky Deluxe Edition is out on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC via Steam (it’s already out on Nintendo Switch).

The game features custom bikes and over 30 levels with online leaderboards to chart progress.

Sci-Fi City Builder Headed to Steam Early Access

German-based developer and publisher Assemble Entertainment (Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Dry Twice) is unleashing Sphere – Flying Cities on Steam Early Access this Fall.

The game, which involves a mix of strategy, simulation and survival elements, takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where players manage the wellbeing of the Earth’s first flying city inhabited by the planet’s last remaining humans.

Survival Platformer Residual Releasing in September

Dutch developer OrangePixel and Texas-based Apogee Entertainment are releasing their survival platformer Residual on Xbox Series S/X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam for PC on Sept 9 (PlayStation 5 and 4 will follow later this year).

The game sees an explorer make an emergency landing in an alien world, where they are all alone except for a robot companion. There, they are tasked with repairing their ship while facing hostile plant life and changing weather.

Farming Update for Community Sim Hokko Life

Publisher Team17 and developer Wonderscope Games, the solo project of British-Swedish dev Robert Tatnell, have launched a farming update for their community sim Hokko Life, which is currently available via Steam Early Access.

The update includes 24 different crops to sow, grow and gather, and introduces a new villager in the town of Hokko.