Indie Game Roundup - August 2025

Welcome back to the NSG Indie Game Roundup, our monthly series featuring indie games news, plus game demos and new release discussions. July and August brought us the absolute mother lode of indie game releases that we've been anticipating for YEARS. This roundup, we have oodles and oodles of games to tell you about that we've been playing. We've got some cozy games like Tiny Bookshop and Is This Seat Taken? We also have unsettling and terrifying games like Luto, Heartworm and the demo for Psychotic Bathtub. There's truly something for everyone in this roundup, plus lots of indie game news from this summer! Also, huge thanks to our newest Patreon supporters! In addition to other fun perks, members on Patreon get early access to all of the Indie Game Roundup episodes. If you love No Small Games and would like to support us in growing the show, while also unlocking fun, exclusive content, you can check out our Patreon page. You can find our full show notes, including links and shoutouts, on the No Small Games site: Indie Game Roundup - August 2025 Show Notes Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:07:23 - Icebreaker Question 00:12:47 - Indie Game News 00:48:32 - Demos 00:57:39 - Co-op Kaiju Horror Cooking 01:06:30 - Luto 01:11:47 - Is This Seat Taken? 01:16:41 - Pip My Dice 01:21:24 - and Roger 01:29:49 - Tiny Bookshop 01:39:22 - Birdigo  01:46:31 - Heartworm  01:54:39 - Time Flies 02:00:33 - MakeRoom 02:06:03 - Ritual of Raven 02:12:54 - Slasher U Keep in touch with us on social media: Kate's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social  Emily's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social  No Small Games Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/nosmallgames.bsky.social  No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames  Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

This Bed We Made is a third person narrative thriller that puts you in the shoes of a hotel maid in the 1950s as she unravels the threads that entwine several of the guests' personal lives together. Snoop through the rooms of the fifth floor, and don't forget to clean as you go. This Bed We Made brings plenty of puzzles to solve and mysteries to uncover, all overlaid with an inescapable suspense. How will Sophie's decisions (and cleaning) impact the lives of everyone in the hotel? We've made it to Episode 50!! In this milestone episode, Kate and Emily are joined by special guest MiladyConfetti to talk about her favorite indie game of all time. You'll hear the three chat about the decisions they made as Sophie, their approach to throwing away items in the guest rooms, and of course, which endings they got. We hope you love this episode, covering This Bed We Made! Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:41 - Weekly Boss Battles 00:05:18 - Meet our Guest - MiladyConfetti 00:14:23 - This Bed We Made Discussion 00:47:54 - This Bed We Made Spoilers 01:07:45 - Game Ratings 01:11:01 - One Small Thing Meet our Guest MiladyConfetti (she/her) @miladyconfetti.bsky.social‬ MiladyConfetti is a cozy gaming, tech and lifestyle content creator. She’s also an indie game columnist with Gayming Magazine, and hosts the Nerdy Magical Girl podcast and Queens of Cozy Gaming podcast. We’re incredibly honored to welcome Milady Confetti to No Small Games! Check out MiladyConfetti on the following platforms: Bluesky  Instagram  Nerdy Magical Girl Podcast  Queens of Cozy Gaming Podcast Keep in touch with us on social media: Kate's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social  Emily's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social  No Small Games Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/nosmallgames.bsky.social  No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames  Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Keep Driving, developed and published by YCJY Games, is a management RPG with turn-based combat, and the thickest of vibes. You play as a young person, heading out onto the open road in your trusty car, traveling across the country to meet your friend at a music festival. Along the way, you encounter every facet of life: the good, the bad, and the surprising. You can pick up hitchhikers, take on odd jobs, refill at gas stations, and explore both small roadside towns and big cities. But along the way you have to face off against all manner of road events. Luckily you've also got a car stereo and your CD playlists by your side. In episode 49 of No Small Games, Kate and Emily dive into their own personal experiences of road trips, and how these align with the gameplay of Keep Driving. You'll hear their thoughts on the many mechanics of this turn-based combat system, and discuss their thoughts on the vehicle-oriented UI. But best of all, if you tune into the spoiler section, you'll find out how Kate wound up with the "go to jail" ending. Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:07:56 - Boss Battles 00:16:33 - Keep Driving Discussion 01:26:09- Keep Driving Spoilers 01:32:44 - Game Ratings 01:35:56 - One Small Thing 01:39:54 - Next Game Announcement Keep in touch with us on social media: Kate's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social  Emily's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social  No Small Games Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/nosmallgames.bsky.social  No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames  Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Welcome back to the NSG Indie Game Roundup, our monthly series featuring indie games news, plus game demos and new release discussions. Summer is in full swing and, just like the heat, the indie game new releases are relentless! But we're not complaining because July has been another month packed with absolute bangers. And this month, we're delighted to welcome David Pietrangelo of the Remember 64 podcast and Console Creatures media network to the show! We've got oodles of indie game demos and new releases to share with you, along with some brief thoughts on this month's top stories in gaming news. Also, huge thanks to our newest Patreon supporters! In addition to other fun perks, members on Patreon get early access to all of the Indie Game Roundup episodes. If you love No Small Games and would like to support us in growing the show, while also unlocking fun, exclusive content, you can check out our Patreon page. You can find our full show notes, including links and shoutouts, on the No Small Games site: Indie Game Roundup - July 2025 Show Notes Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:07:37 - Icebreaker Question 00:12:53 - Indie Game News 00:22:10 - Indie Demos 00:41:00 - Instants 00:43:41 - Ruffy and the Riverside 00:53:07 - Missile Command Delta 00:58:58 - Fretless - The Wrath of Riffson 01:04:40 - Many Nights a Whisper 01:11:35 - Die in the Dungeon 01:18:48 - PEAK 01:26:11 - Cobalt Core Meet our Guest David Pietrangelo ‪@davepetro.bsky.social‬ David Pietrangelo is the host of Remember 64, a totally tubular journey through the N64’s library, which is part of the Console Creatures media network. He is also a writer and contributor to other Console Creatures shows, articles and reviews. Check out David and Remember 64 on the following platforms: Remember 64  David's Bluesky  Remember 64 Instagram Keep in touch with us on social media: Kate's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social  Emily's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social  No Small Games Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/nosmallgames.bsky.social  No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames  Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Until Then, developed by Polychroma Games and published by Maximum Entertainment, is a narrative adventure set in a beautiful pixel-art world inspired by the modern day Philippines. You play as Mark, a high school student who is doing his best to keep up with school, life and his friendships while his parents are both working abroad. Although Mark is smart and capable, he struggles to maintain motivation for school and has started to question the direction his life is taking. His whole life is turned on its head the day a new student joins the school. In Episode 48 of No Small Games, Kate and Emily are joined by Jared Moss, co-host of the Play Along Podcast. The three dig deep into this game, filled with twists, turns, and multiple endings, and try to sort out the truth of Mark's situation. You'll learn which of the many emotionally-charged moments in Until Then struck a chord for each of our crew, and which plot points fell a little flat. We hope you enjoy our discussion of this mind-bending and deeply moving game! Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:03:29 - Weekly Boss Battles 00:12:16 - Meet Our Guest - Jared Moss 00:22:46 - Until Then Discussion 01:10:35 - Until Then Spoilers 02:11:39 - Game Ratings 02:16:48 - One Small Thing Meet our Guest Jared (he/him) @playalong.bsky.social‬ Jared Moss hosts the Play Along Podcast along with co-hosts Ky and Ben, where they play through and discuss games in a book club format, in addition to some other delightful episode formats like their Get Rec’d series where they swap video game recommendations with a guest and their fantasy draft style episodes. Check out Jared and the Play Along Podcast on the following platforms: Play Along Podcast  Bluesky  Instagram Keep in touch with us on social media: Kate's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social  Emily's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social  No Small Games Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/nosmallgames.bsky.social  No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames  Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

No Small Games' summer season is heating up with The Crush House! In this "thirst-person shooter" from Nerial and published by Devolver Digital, you play as the producer on 1999's hottest reality TV show. You make every decision from casting, to what gets captured on camera, to running ad spots. As you get familiar with the house and the cadence of each season, you'll also start to unearth some of the sinister secrets behind the show. In episode 47 of No Small Games, Kate and Emily discuss how their experience playing The Crush House aligns with their tastes and preferences when it comes to watching reality TV. They compare notes on their strategies for casting and what to film for the game's various audiences. Did The Crush House sizzle or did it fizzle for our two hosts? Find out in this episode of No Small Games! Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:05:47 - Boss Battles 00:13:24 - The Crush House Discussion 01:19:55- The Crush House Spoilers 01:57:44 - Game Ratings 02:03:10 - One Small Thing 02:09:42 - Next Game Announcement Keep in touch with us on social media: Kate's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social  Emily's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social  No Small Games Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/nosmallgames.bsky.social  No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames  Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Welcome back to the NSG Indie Game Roundup, our monthly series featuring indie games news, plus game demos and new release discussions. The sun is out, the vacation vibes are bumpin', and that means another Summer Game Fest has dropped! Summer Game Fest 2025 was bigger and better than ever, with even more showcases and dozens of exciting indie game announcements. We are so lucky to be joined by Nick and Will from the Friday Night Gamecast podcast to discuss our highlights from eight of the SGF showcases this year. We had some great laughs and everyone's wishlists grew three sizes during this recording, and hopefully yours will too! Also, huge thanks to our newest Patreon supporters! In addition to other fun perks, members on Patreon get early access to all of the Indie Game Roundup episodes. If you love No Small Games and would like to support us in growing the show, while also unlocking fun, exclusive content, you can check out our Patreon page. You can find our full show notes, including links and shoutouts, on the No Small Games site: Indie Game Roundup - June 2025 Show Notes Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:04:20 - Icebreaker Question 00:12:43 - Summer Game Fest Intro 00:23:33 - Day of the Devs 00:33:33 - Frosty Games Fest 00:45:02 - Wholesome Direct 00:55:03 - Women-Led Games Showcase 01:07:38 - PC Gaming Show 01:22:25 - Black Voices in Gaming 01:34:28 - Latin American Games Showcase 01:45:00 - Southeast Asian Games Showcase 02:04:45 - Plugs! Meet our Guests Friday Night Gamecast ‪@fngcpod.bsky.social‬ Friday Night Gamecast is a podcast dedicated to all things video games! Nick and Will co-host the show, providing commentary and discourse surrounding games they’re currently playing, games industry news and more. Head on over there if you enjoy thoughtful discussion, ratings, reviews and fun arguments. Check out Will, Nick and Friday Night Gamecast on the following platforms: Friday Night Gamecast  FNGC on Bluesky  FNGC on Instagram  Will's Bluesky  Nick's Bluesky Keep in touch with us on social media: Kate's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social  Emily's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social  No Small Games Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/nosmallgames.bsky.social  No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames  Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Wanderstop, developed by Ivy Road, is a narrative cozy game that follows main character Alta on her journey to understand why her body and mind will no longer cooperate with her on her mission to be the best fighter in the world. She finds herself in a clearing in the forest, sitting on a bench with Boro, the owner of the Wanderstop tea shop. Players will accompany Alta as she makes tea, gets to know whimsical and strange customers, and attempts to understand the conflicts within herself. In episode 46 of No Small Games, Kate and Emily discuss how Wanderstop stacks up as an example of the cozy management sim genre, and their impressions of the unique pacing of the game. You'll also hear the hosts' very different and very personal experiences of burnout and healing. Of course, the discussion wouldn't be complete without answering the most important question of all: which was your favorite tea mug? We hope you love this very emotional episode and the start to our summer season! Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:05:26 - Weekly Boss Battles 00:15:40 - Wanderstop Discussion 01:34:04- Wanderstop Spoilers 01:47:55 - Game Ratings 01:54:35 - One Small Thing 01:57:49 - Next Game Announcement Keep in touch with us on social media: Kate's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social  Emily's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social  No Small Games Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/nosmallgames.bsky.social  No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames  Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

Welcome back to the NSG Indie Game Roundup, our monthly series featuring indie games news, plus game demos and new release discussions. LudoNarraCon, Six One Indie Showcase, PAX East, oh my! We're beginning to ramp up towards the absolute fugue state that is Summer Game Fest. May brought us several huge gaming new events and showcases, and with those came many new indie game demos and full releases. We're sharing our favorite highlights from some of these events, as well as the demos we've played in the last month. We've also played some fascinating new games including Herald: The Interactive Period Drama, depelote and, of course, we're on the Blue Prince hype train. Want to hear more about PAX East specifically? Go check out our PAX East Recap episode! Also, huge thanks to our newest Patreon supporters! In addition to other fun perks, members on Patreon get early access to all of the Indie Game Roundup episodes. If you love No Small Games and would like to support us in growing the show, while also unlocking fun, exclusive content, you can check out our Patreon page. You can find our full show notes, including links and shoutouts, on the No Small Games site: Indie Game Roundup - May 2025 Show Notes Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:03:05 - Icebreaker Question 00:08:22 - Indie Game News 00:32:06 - Demos 00:52:44 - Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo 00:59:18 - Upstream 01:04:58 - despelote 01:09:24 - Herald: The Interactive Period Drama 01:14:00 - SpreadCheat 01:20:17 - Blue Prince Keep in touch with us on social media: Kate's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social  Emily's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social  No Small Games Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/nosmallgames.bsky.social  No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames  Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com

PAX East 2025 was an absolute whirlwind of meeting wonderful friends and colleagues, chatting with developers and publishers, and getting our hands on awesome indie game demos! Join us for our day-by-day PAX East 2025 recap, where we relive all the exciting and memorable moments we experienced at this year's event! No Small Games was honored once again with the opportunity to cover the show as media attendees in 2025, and we took advantage of every moment. In this recap episode, we're taking you directly onto the show floor for developer and publisher interviews. We're also reflecting on the game demos we got to play, and the overall PAX East experience compared to last year. Come along for the ride as we share all the highlights! Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:30 - PAX East First 2025 Impressions 00:16:08 - Thursday Recap 00:29:13 - Interview - Studio Hybrid 00:42:40 - Friday Recap 00:44:06 - Interview - GameTeam6 01:01:47 - Interview - Optillusion Games 01:16:58 - Saturday Recap 01:19:08 - Interview - Ritual Studios 01:38:51 - Sunday Recap Keep in touch with us on social media: Kate's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social  Emily's Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social  No Small Games Bluesky ✦ https://bsky.app/profile/nosmallgames.bsky.social  No Small Games Instagram ✦ https://www.instagram.com/nosmallgames  Want to learn more and weigh in on what games we should play in future episodes? Check us out and leave a game suggestion at nosmallgames.com