Welcome back to another edition of This Week in Indie Games! The indie schedule never stops, and this week we’ll be taking a look at six great looking games set to hit the virtual shelves over the next 7 days. From feline-piloted spaceships, to wrestling RPGs, there’s something for everyone in this weeks list. Let’s get started shall we?

Whisker Squadron: Survivor (August 21)

Love cats and on-rails shooters? Whisker Squadron: Survivor is the perfect game for you! Blending the internet’s love for felines with a healthy dollop of Star Fox DNA, each 20-30 minute run will be packed with intense on-rails combat, as your cat crew engage in close quarters encounters against an army of robotic bugs.

With roguelite elements offering up plenty of replayability, the success of your runs will depend on not only your ability to take down The Swarm, but also by making the best use of a wide range of mods and equipment options to maximise your favoured playstyle.

Interestingly enough, Survivor is actually a taste of what is to come in this universe, with Whisker Squadron, an more expanded open-world space game in a similar vein, penned in for a 2024 launch…

Jumplight Odyssey (August 21st)

Sticking with the space theme, next up is Jumplight Odyssey. Initially launching into Steam Early Access, it’s certainly got strong FTL vibes, with your role being to manage your starship and escape a rather murderous set of green aliens determined to take down both your ship, and its extensive crew.

When you’re not looking after your ship and dealing with the ongoing alien threat, you’ll be sending out search missions to explore new planets, finding more survivors, and resources that can be reinvested to develop your ship. You can even build a hot tub, talk about cruising in style.

I’ll definitely be picking this one up on August 21st, I can’t wait to dive into this space adventure!

WrestleQuest (August 22nd)

Here’s one for the wrestling fans. WrestleQuest pays tribute to decades of wrestling greatness with a hilarious tale about an up and coming wrestler determined to make their mark on the wrestling world. Surprisingly, there’s a lot of turn-based RPG focus in WrestleQuest, and a very healthy bout of comedic writing sets up a experience that is both witty and hilarious in equal measure.

It’s all set in a toy box too, which makes total sense, obviously. WrestleQuest isn’t afraid to let the campy nature of professional wrestling take centre stage. What do local mob bosses burning schools, corrupt businessman, and civil war between different promotional agencies have in common? They’re all solved by wrestling apparently!

WrestleQuest launches on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and Steam on August 22nd.

Fort Solis (August 22nd)

Earlier this year, the wonderful Edge produced an extended of preview of Fort Solis, and I have been hooked on the game ever since. Presenting an episodic format across 4 chapters, Fort Solis angles itself as a cinematic experience set on the dark side of Mars. A mysterious story, an abandoned space facility, and fear inducing set pieces will make for some intense gameplay sequences across it’s 4/5 hour story.

On top of this delightful cocktail, there’s a star-studded cast of voice actors including the beloved Roger Clark, enigmatic actress Julia Brown, and last but not least, the brilliant Troy Baker. Alongside conversations between main protagonist Jack Leary (Roger Clark), and Jessica Appleton (Julia Brown), the storyline is supported by audio/video logs, and surveillance footage of past/present events within the station.

It looks incredibly ambitious, and I’m hoping that Fallen Leaf have what it takes to pull it off!

Blasphemous 2 (August 24th)

I wasn’t a huge fan of the original Blasphemous when it launched all the way back in 2019, but I did love the aesthetic and world it was set within so perhaps its sequel is my chance to finally get to grips with this rather distinct souls-like adventure series. Continuing directly from the originals DLC conclusion, Blasphemous 2 will offers more player choice through different starting weapons, an expansive non-linear world to explore, and even more epic boss fights.

There’s more gothic charm than you can shake a stick at, and the haunting landscapes that littered the original make a triumphant return here. From early previews and reviews it seems that player choice is even more prevalent here, and I’m keen to dive back in to this world again and see whether the sequel can sway me in a way it’s forefather was unable to.

Blasphemous 2 arrives on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS5 and Xbox Series on August 24th.

Don Duality (August 25th)

This weeks final entry is the rather brilliant Don Duality. Ever wanted to be the boss of your very own mob with a bustling restaurant on the side? This might just be the game for you… Order your loyal gangsters to collect debts, rob unsuspecting folks and intimidate cops, before flushing all that money through your restaurant to avoid any suspicion!

The restaurant side of things look like a combination of real time strategy with some random card-based elements for good measure, making for what will hopefully be a delightfully fiendish combination. Don Quality looks like a light-hearted experience that I am definitely going to be keeping an eye on, especially as it is satirising what is a rather dark subject matter.

The prologue is free to try right now, and the full game sneaks onto Steam on August 25th.

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And that’s my week in indie games! As always, thanks for reading, hopefully one of these great looking games has taken your fancy. We all need to do our bit to support independent gaming, and the indie enclave is my way of doing just that. For more indie content, why not check out last week’s releases, or how about my review of the brilliant Chained Echoes?

If you have any suggestions for new features, or improvements, don’t hesitate to let me know either within the comments below or by contacting me on Twitter. Until next time..!