Darkest Dungeon DLC and Twisted Tower lead new wave of indie releases
Red Hook Studios revives its cult classic with new heroes, while a BioShock-inspired horror shooter and a Morrowind-style RPG join a busy slate of upcoming titles.
The indie gaming sector is seeing a surge of new content ahead of the Gamescom event next week, headlined by the release of "The Fire's Edge" DLC for Darkest Dungeon. Developed by Red Hook Studios, which now operates under Behaviour Interactive, the expansion marks the first new content for the original title in six years. The update introduces The Runaway and The Duelist, two characters previously seen in the sequel, Darkest Dungeon II, into the original roster.
The Fire's Edge also adds three new districts, fresh town events, and a series of new trinkets. Red Hook has confirmed that the new heroes expand the character slots, meaning players do not need to displace existing crew members to use them. The base game is currently discounted on Steam and PlayStation 4, a prerequisite for accessing the new content.
In the horror genre, Twisted Tower offers a first-person shooter experience set in an abandoned 1950s theme park. Developed by Atmos Games and published by 3D Realms, the game draws clear inspiration from BioShock, featuring vending machines for upgrades and a cast of hellish mascot enemies. Players can utilise upgradable toy-based weapons, including a mallet, a rubber-band pistol, and a chain gun that fires bubblegum.
Another notable release is The Lantern of the Laughless Saint, an open-world RPG from NerveLabs that cites Morrowind as a primary influence. Currently in early access on Steam, the game features a main campaign with over 50 quests and 60 distinct enemies. The developers have stated they expect the game to remain in early access for less than a year, with updates deployed every week or two.
The upcoming slate includes Hyperdrop, a pachinko-based incremental roguelite from Devolver Digital, which is scheduled for early access on 10 September. The title, developed by Team Lazerbeam, is described as ultra-stylish with neon aesthetics and boss battles. Also arriving in September is Shroom and Gloom, a roguelike deckbuilder where players juggle separate decks for exploration and combat.
Not all news in the sector is positive. Ternox Games has claimed that Sony is blocking the PS5 version of its stock market game, STONKS-9800, and delisting previously released titles. The developer alleges that Sony scrapped its agreement without explanation, though it plans to bring the game to Xbox and Nintendo Switch. Additionally, the critically acclaimed game Mixtape is set to receive a native Mac port "soon," according to publisher Annapurna Interactive.
