October is the spookiest month of the year, but when it comes to indie games, it’s also the coziest. Leaves fall from the trees, orange is everywhere, and we get to wrap up warm and sit by fires. Sometimes, there are even ghosts.
This month, I couldn’t decide which to feature most in our Indie Spotlight series, so I’ve gone for a good mix of titles that provide the perfect October vibes for everyone. I’m really excited about every single game in this article, and I hope you are too once you read about them. There’s just something so inviting about games that walk you through stories or keep the horror on the sidelines just to unnerve you when you think you’re having a lovely time.
Little Goody Two Shoes
- Release Date: Out Now
- Platforms: PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation & Xbox
Little Goody Two Shoes is a game I was lucky enough to play at EXG 2023, and I can confirm it’s fantastic. Players are thrown into the role of a young woman in a backward town where everyone fears witches and evil monsters. After an endearing introduction, you settle into a daily routine where you must help out the locals between going on dates with one of three love interests.
What I love about Little Goody Two Shoes is the way it blends elements of farming and daily routines from games like Stardew Valley with a spooky story and a world you want to lose yourself in. I became addicted to the idea of heading into town, weighing up my options, and trying to win the heart of the woman I was set on for that playthrough. There are more than 20 endings to unlock and so much more to the game than it seems at first sight.
At one point, I walked into town to see one of the nuns swinging in the moonlight, talking about how she’s not enough. The sweetest girl in the world when the sun is up, transformed into nightmare fuel as soon as the moon appears. This one is a treasure that fits the niches of Halloween and coziness all at once.
Windy Meadow – A Roadwarden Tale
- Release Date: Out Now
- Platforms: PC via Steam
Windy Meadow – A Roadwarden Tale is a trio of narrative tales set in the Roadwarden universe. Developer Moral Anxiety Studio crafted these tales while figuring out the Roadwarden universe and wanted to give them to players to enjoy.
These games are slice-of-live narratives focusing on the most important decisions in the lives of three separate characters. I think the Roadwarden world is fascinating, and this game just allows me to explore it more, but I also think they’re far more easily digestible for those with less time or who want something a bit more straightforward. These are the definitions of cozy, so don’t skip them. They’re also games you can finish in a single sitting, the type of games we all need now and then when our batteries are low.
Ding Dong Dead
- Release Date: Out Now
- Platforms: Puppet Combo
Ding Dong Dead is a new Puppet Combo title with B movie video game visuals and a bonkers yet terrifying concept. Players are babysitting in a neighborhood in the wake of a mass prison riot nearby. The Ding Dong Ditcher Ripper has escaped, and they want to get inside.
The visuals and gameplay of this title are what got me. There’s this ever-present sense of dread because you don’t know who is going to turn out to be a killer, and you’ve got to be prepared. You can lock windows, lay traps, and even sleep with some of the characters. The aim of the game is to be able to survive the killer, though, and they look absolutely terrifying.
I get serious Alien Isolation vibes from Ding Dong Dead. Puppet Combo has always been fantastic when it comes to games with a single, roaming antagonist, but this one throws in elements of survival and light tower defense that make it feel like a twisted sort of Home Alone.
Midnight Girl
- Release Date: Out Now
- Platforms: PC via Steam
Midnight Girl might sound like a spooky game, but it’s actually tastefully arty. It’s a point-and-click adventure title set in Berlin in the 60s, inspired by art of the time. I’m a sucker for a good point-and-click game, and this one just speaks to me on an entirely new level.
What makes this Midnight Gitl stand out is the combination of striking visuals that look like they belong in a Limbo-inspired platformer, with a story of espionage and secret societies. It’s the appeal of an era before technology made being a spy so simple and streamlined in the movies. Everything is analog, clunky, and kind of romantic. I fear that once I start playing it, I won’t be able to put it down.
For me, Midnight Girl is a game to pick up, install on the Steam Deck, and play when winter really sets in. I can’t wait to explore themes of loneliness and exile alongside a pulse-pounding story.
Free Game – 11:45 A Vivid Life
- Release Date: Out Now
- Platforms: Itch.io
11:45 A Vivid Life was brought to my attention by someone on Twitter. It’s free and has a somewhat silly concept that sounds as though it could explore the idea of identity and sense of self incredibly deeply. A woman discovers that her skeleton isn’t actually hers, so she steals an X-ray machine and goes on a road trip to find out who she really is.
I know times are tight, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t amazing games out there that you can play that won’t cost a penny. The fact that a game’s free also doesn’t mean it needs to be a one-minute wonder. I think this game ticks all the boxes for a lot of people.
Play Date – Glagstone
- Release Date: Out Now
- Platforms: Play Date
Glagstone is the first city management game on Play Date. With a handful of buttons and a crank, it won’t be easy to play exactly, but having something so basic yet complex on the go feels like it takes this tiny yellow machine to the next level. What makes this game sound even better is that the city management takes place on a mysterious island, so there’s a lot of scope for strange occurrences and events.
Like I said, I love all of these games. However, there are so many that I didn’t get to feature. Indie horror game developers have, of course, waited until now to put out their scary games. There are just too many to count, let alone include. Please keep an eye out for creators sharing their work, give all the demos you can a try, and delve into what this season has to offer.
