Author: Obsidian

Welcome to the Mental Hospital Sometimes, you just want to grab a few friends, hop on Discord, and play something stupid. S.E.M.I. – Side Effects May Include… aims to fill that exact niche. Released on January 23, 2026, after an Early Access period, this chaotic platformer tasks players with escaping a bizarre clinic by popping pills that grant random, often detrimental, superpowers. Developed by Two Horn Unicorn, the game embraces a “Fanboy and Chum Chum” aesthetic—derpy, colorful, and slightly unhinged. But is it a prescription for fun or just a bad trip? The answer depends largely on whether you have…

Lost in the Kingdom of the White Beast In the indie gaming landscape, the “metaphor for depression” subgenre has become as crowded as a subway car during rush hour. It takes a lot to stand out when every other platformer wants to explore the depths of the human mind. Yet, The Perfect Pencil, released on January 29, 2026, manages to carve out a distinct identity through sheer artistic charisma and a commitment to weirdness. Developed by Studio Cima, this hand-drawn action platformer throws players into the shoes of John, a protagonist with a camera for a head (figuratively speaking—he analyzes…

Let’s Get Cracked There is a specific, primal joy found in physics-based combat games. From the rubbery slapping of Gang Beasts to the card-stacking strategy of Rounds, the genre thrives on chaos, unpredictability, and the inevitable screaming match between friends on Discord. Enter CRACKED, the latest contender in the arena brawler ring, released on January 7, 2026. Developed by PurrNet and Pebbles Games, CRACKED strips the concept down to its most fragile elements: glass-headed wizards, absurd magical upgrades, and a physics engine that seems to hate you personally. As a free-to-play title, it faces the uphill battle of maintaining a…

The zombie apocalypse is usually depicted through the barrel of a shotgun or the swing of a baseball bat. We are used to being the survivors running through the streets, scavenging for cans of beans, and aiming for the head. But what happens after the initial panic settles? What happens when bureaucracy tries to reassert itself on the edge of oblivion? Quarantine Zone: The Last Check, developed by Brigada Games and published by indie powerhouse Devolver Digital, answers this question. Released on January 12, 2026, this simulation-strategy hybrid asks you to holster your weapon and pick up a clipboard. You…

On the Nintendo Switch 2, the apocalypse isn’t about survival of the fittest—it’s about survival of the chillest in I Am Future. When we think of the post-apocalypse in video games, our minds usually drift toward the radiation-soaked wastelands of Fallout, the fungal horrors of The Last of Us, or the desperate resource scarcity of DayZ. The end of the world is traditionally stressful, brown, and depressing. But what if the apocalypse was… nice? What if, instead of fighting off raiders, you were fighting off the urge to take another nap in your hammock? This is the central question posed…

Every now and then, a game comes along that feels less like a product and more like a proof of concept—a concentrated shot of creativity that leaves you desperate for more. Hank: Drowning On Dry Land is precisely that. Developed by My Next Games and released on January 13, 2026, this bite-sized adventure pitches itself as “Batman, but always drunk, and he can time-travel.” It sounds absurd, and it is. But beneath the veneer of comic book noir and alcohol-fueled vigilantism lies a genuinely clever puzzle game about time loops, paradoxes, and cooperation with your past self. The Setup: A…