AI-Run 'Utopias,' Moss in 2D and Other New Indie Games Worth Checking Out

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Indie gaming continues to deliver a steady stream of creative, genre-defying experiences, and this weekend’s lineup is no exception. From AI-managed utopias to a skateboarding train and a beloved VR title finally going flat-screen, here’s a roundup of the most notable indie game releases and upcoming titles worth your attention.

Denshattack! — A Skateboarding Train

One of the week’s standout releases is Denshattack!, developed by Undercoders and published by Fireshine Games. Set in a dystopian, futuristic Japan, this action title puts you in control of a train that handles like a skateboard. Players jump between tracks, dodge obstacles, and pull off stylish tricks while racing against rivals and bosses.

The game draws clear inspiration from classics like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and Jet Set Radio, with fluid controls and a vibrant aesthetic. It’s available on Steam (Windows, Steam Deck Verified), PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S, and PC Game Pass, priced at $20 (with a 10 percent launch discount on Steam through July 29).

D-topia — An AI-Run Paradise?

D-topia, from developer Marumittu Games and publisher Annapurna Interactive, is a sci-fi adventure set in “The Utopia Project” — a civilization allegedly perfected by artificial intelligence. You play as a maintenance worker solving puzzles, aiding residents, and shaping a branching narrative through your decisions.

The game’s clean, sanitized visual style evokes Mirror’s Edge, and its gentle but pointed tone has drawn praise from early players. Priced at $20 with a 10 percent launch discount, D-topia is available on Steam, Epic Games Store, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

Moss: The Forgotten Relic — VR Classic Goes 2D

The critically acclaimed VR franchise Moss is now accessible to flat-screen gamers. Moss: The Forgotten Relic, developed by Polyarc and Blackbird Interactive, combines both original Moss games and the Twilight Garden expansion into a single 2D adventure.

You control Quill, a heroic mouse fighting to save her world from arcane forces. With platforming, environmental puzzles, and optional combat (thanks to new accessibility settings), this $20 package features fresh cutscenes, a revamped camera system, and upgraded visuals. It’s available on Steam, Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

More Notable Indies

Orpheus: To Hell and Back ($3 on Steam) is a charming Game Boy-style title where you play as Orpheus rescuing Eurydice with a magical lyre that controls enemy movements. Teeto ($18, 20 percent launch discount) is a co-op 3D platformer where you absorb object traits — think vine-swinging, flamethrowers, and turning into a chair. Its family-run studio even had two developers get engaged in-game.

Grapple Bear ($5) is a competitive precision platformer starring a mama bear with a grapple hook, featuring 40 handcrafted levels and weekly procedurally generated stages. Capy Castaway (August 6) offers a low-stress narrative adventure with a capybara and crow duo. And Dispatch, a superhero workplace comedy from former Telltale developers, arrives on Xbox July 29.

Looking Ahead

Upcoming titles include Aerial_Knight’s MrFreezy (September 1) — a darkly comic puzzle game about a serial killer — Grandma(88) (2026), a mystery thriller where your relationship with a dying grandmother shapes the narrative, and Worming from Home (September 4), a “job simulator” where you’re a financial analyst earthworm.

With so many inventive games spanning every genre and price point, indie gaming’s golden age shows no signs of slowing down.

ZA/UM Announces Layoffs Two Months After the Launch of Zero Parades

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

ZA/UM Studio, the acclaimed developer behind the groundbreaking RPG Disco Elysium and its recently released follow-up Zero Parades: For Dead Spies, has announced layoffs affecting up to 32 employees across all departments. The news comes just two months after the studio’s latest title hit the market.

ZA/UM Studio has laid off up to 32 employees just two months after releasing Zero Parades: For Dead Spies. (Image: markusspiske / Pixabay)

The Layoffs and Their Cause

In a statement posted to social media, ZA/UM confirmed it had “served redundancy or at-risk notices impacting up to 32 of our colleagues across all departments at ZA/UM Studio.” The studio attributed the cuts to the weak commercial performance of Zero Parades: For Dead Spies, which “has not enabled us to sustain a studio of our current size.”

According to SteamDB data, the espionage RPG hit an all-time peak of just 3,177 concurrent players around its May launch, and player counts have steadily declined since. For a studio coming off the cultural phenomenon of Disco Elysium — which won multiple Game of the Year awards and sold millions of copies — the numbers represent a significant commercial disappointment.

A Troubled Studio History

For those following ZA/UM’s trajectory, the layoffs may not come as a complete shock. The studio has faced a series of high-profile conflicts since Disco Elysium’s landmark success in 2019. These include the acrimonious departure of the game’s core creative team, a lawsuit involving intellectual property theft allegations, and reports of a hostile work environment for women.

Several former key developers subsequently established their own studio, Longdue, which is now working on a “narrative-first” spiritual successor. The brain drain from ZA/UM has been substantial, and the layoffs represent another blow to the studio’s diminished workforce.

Broader Industry Context

The video game industry continues to experience a severe downturn. ZA/UM joins a growing list of studios affected by layoffs in 2026, following major cuts at Xbox, id Software, and countless other developers across the sector. The trend reflects an ongoing market correction after years of pandemic-era expansion, combined with rising development costs and increasingly risk-averse publishing strategies.

ZA/UM noted that it remains “continued to consult and work with representatives of the ZA/UM Workers’ Alliance” as it navigates the restructuring. What remains unclear is whether the studio can recover its footing after the departure of so much creative talent — or whether Zero Parades will be remembered as the final chapter in one of gaming’s most remarkable stories.

Steam on Know the Tech