I have an impressive backlog of games to catch up on, but after the April 14th Indie World Showcase, there are a fresh batch of titles I’m adding to my wish list.

Indie titles have taken the gaming industry by storm. They had a strong 2020 performance despite the pandemic (think Hades and Ori and the Will of the Wisps), and the trend seems to be repeating itself this year.

Since Boss Rush Games already covered the Indie World Showcase, I’m only going to speak to the one I’m most looking forward to: Road 96. It was a tough decision, as I’m a big fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and any games released by Annapurna, but the endless possibilities within this story-driven adventure put Road 96 at the top of my list.

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Brought to us from the creators of Valiant Hearts and Memories Retold, Road 96 is developed by DigixArt Entertainment and part of the Omen Presents initiative from HP Inc. This game starts with a simple premise–you hitchhike your way into an epic road-trip across Petria. The year? 1996. Your actions could impact the lives of other NPCs or even influence the fate of this authorization nation.

Aside from the open-ended nature of game-play, I’m also excited for the soundtrack. It’s highly influenced by the 90s, composed by artists across eight countries. I don’t know about you, but this sounds like music I’d listen on repeat.

Road 96 is slated for release this summer. Check out their webpage, and if you haven’t already, view the trailer:

Which indie game are you looking forward to the most this year? Did anything stick out to you during the Indie World Showcase? Or perhaps you have another indie game on your wish list? Let us know on our Discord channel!

Source: Road 96 Website, Nintendo