The summer showcases have begun, starting with the Six One Indie Showcase 2026. Six One Indie are moving to a yearly format for their showcases, and with the addition of Six One Demo Days, I am excited to be dipping my toe back into games coverage.
Mind you, it is only the very tip of my toe. But you know, sometimes that is all it takes to then somehow fall in headfirst. Watch this space! (but not too closely).
The showcase featured a lovely variety of indie games, which made me want to showcase my own list of the featured games that I will particularly be keeping an eye on. And what do you know, that contains a wonderful variety too!
The games are in alphabetical order for convenience.
Black Jacket
Developer: Mi’pu’mi Games GmbH
Release Date: 12 May 2026
Gamble your way out of hell in this blackjack-inspired rogue-lite deckbuilder. Play powerful card combos or cheat to outwit your opponents and earn your freedom. Win their Soul coins! Bribe the ferryman! And uncover the story of those who stand in your way.
Wishlist Black Jacket on Steam here. There is also currently a demo available here!
Deep Pixel Melancholy
Developer: ok/no
Release Date: Q3 2026
Deep Pixel Melancholy is a visual novel about being stuck in a time loop inside a far northern city. Unravel the mystery, and decide whether escaping is really worth it.
Wishlist Deep Pixel Melancholy on Steam here. There is also a demo available!
Grave Seasons
Developer: Perfect Garbage
Release Date: 14 Aug 2026
Grave Seasons is a narrative farming sim with a terrifying twist – someone in the town is a supernatural serial killer. Farm, romance, and investigate your way through the unsettling town of Ashenridge.
Relax and unwind by cleaning up the world’s biggest corpses either solo or co-op. In a Cleaning Sim like no other, your job is to slice up and tidy away Kaiju carcasses, leaving the city clean and serene. Until the next Kaiju attack, obviously.
Dopamine-fueled minimalist grid-based game that pushes the boundaries of psychedelic visuals and fast reaction time. KAZ is an action roguelike arcade game where choice of items, buffs, and maluses allows you to unlock cool visuals and themes while showing everybody your skill on the leaderboards
Wishlist Kaz on Steam here. There is also currently a demo available!
Pirofauna
Developer: Petums
Release Date: To be announced
Become a tiny living flame, burn away ghosts, reignite homes, and earn the love of bugs that absolutely adore a little arson 🔥🐛 A short adventure game set in an atmospheric misty forest made entirely of paper.
Sloppy Forgeries is a fast-paced competitive painting game. Practice your skills by butchering iconic masterpieces in one of the few drawing games that measures accuracy pixel-by-pixel in real-time.
Treetopians is a cozy colony simulator where players build vertical villages in the treetops and care for a growing community of villagers with unique needs and personalities.
Wishlist Treetopians on Steam or play the demo here.
Vale’s Echo
Developer: Hollow Beak Games
Release Date: To be announced
Death isn’t the end – it’s your last chance. Solve haunting puzzles and make choices that matter as you guide Vale across the underworld. Will regret follow her into eternity?
Wishlist Vale’s Echo on Steam or play the demo here.
Thinky Direct, Wholesome Direct, Summer Game Fest, Steam Next Fest, and – my own most anticipated event – The Story Rich Showcase are all on the horizon. I am going to be watching along and creating content as often as time, life and inspiration allows.
I am also going to be checking out the demos from some of the games listed above so keep an eye out on my Bluesky/Instagram for any highlights!