{"id":3040,"date":"2025-07-19T13:06:37","date_gmt":"2025-07-19T13:06:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/neon-abyss-2-a-prison-break-rpg-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out\/"},"modified":"2025-07-19T13:06:37","modified_gmt":"2025-07-19T13:06:37","slug":"neon-abyss-2-a-prison-break-rpg-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/neon-abyss-2-a-prison-break-rpg-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out\/","title":{"rendered":"Neon Abyss 2, a prison-break RPG and other new indie games worth checking out"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<p>Welcome to our weekly roundup of the goings on in the indie game space. It&rsquo;s been quite the busy spell, with several notable games debuting or landing on more platforms and some intriguing upcoming projects popping above the parapet.<\/p>\n<p>The Steam Automation Fest is taking place this week (it runs until July 21 at 1PM ET), so fans of games like <em>Satisfactory<\/em> and <em>Factorio<\/em> might be looking to pick up some bargains on similar titles. As well as offering a variety of discounts, Automation Fest also saw the debut of several new games.<\/p>\n<div class=\"caas-iframe-wrapper\" data-embed-anchor=\"26a59d83-87d7-568f-a930-1bdd86729171\">\n<div class=\"caas-iframe youtube\" data-type=\"youtube\">\n<blockquote data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Ib8YhZSgb_s?rel=0\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\"><p><noscript>[embedded content]<\/noscript><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>One of them is from a studio formed by the original team from the celebrated developer Zacktronics. The first title from Coincidence (with the help of publisher Astra Logical) is <em>Kaizen &ndash; A Factory Story<\/em>. This puzzler is set in 1980s Japan, and you&rsquo;re tasked with building popular electronics of the day, including calculators, arcade cabinets, personal computers and toy robots.<\/p>\n<div class=\"caas-iframe-wrapper\" data-embed-anchor=\"27425edd-5b9d-51f6-a1aa-f7acda7eedb5\">\n<div class=\"caas-iframe youtube\" data-type=\"youtube\">\n<blockquote data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZN03G5xdX38?rel=0\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\"><p><noscript>[embedded content]<\/noscript><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>Dawn Apart<\/em> also arrived during Steam Automation Fest. This is a blend of space colony sim and automation sandbox set in a destructible, voxel-based world. Astra Logical is also publishing this project, which is from Industrial Technology and Witchcraft. <em>Dawn Apart<\/em> is available now on Steam in early access.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"caas-jump-link-heading\" id=\"other-new-releases\">Other new releases<\/h2>\n<div class=\"caas-iframe-wrapper\" data-embed-anchor=\"52ab91fc-b661-5ba3-8149-343d80484185\">\n<div class=\"caas-iframe youtube\" data-type=\"youtube\">\n<blockquote data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1yPukqtloa4?rel=0\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\"><p><noscript>[embedded content]<\/noscript><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>One of the highest-profile indie games to debut this week is <em>Neon Abyss 2<\/em>, from Veewo Games and Kepler Ghost. The original game has sold more than a million copies, so plenty of people will have been looking forward to the sequel. This time around, you can play with up to three friends in co-op. The game&rsquo;s creators are promising &ldquo;unlimited item synergies&rdquo; here, which is handy since there&rsquo;s an onus on creating overpowered builds in this action roguelike. <em>Neon Abyss 2<\/em> is out now on Steam in early access.<\/p>\n<div class=\"caas-iframe-wrapper\" data-embed-anchor=\"672ade25-83c6-5207-abc1-e8c6b7afc1f9\">\n<div class=\"caas-iframe youtube\" data-type=\"youtube\">\n<blockquote data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ItUnHOY_kfw?rel=0\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\"><p><noscript>[embedded content]<\/noscript><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>Ready or Not<\/em> has been a hit on Steam since it arrived there in late 2023, and now Void Interactive&rsquo;s tactical first-person shooter has made the leap over to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X\/S. Here, you&rsquo;ll lead a team of SWAT officers in an attempt to restore order to a city that&rsquo;s become overrun by corruption and chaos. You can play the 18-level campaign solo or with up to five friends.<\/p>\n<div class=\"caas-iframe-wrapper\" data-embed-anchor=\"f3165937-5dbd-51ac-b01c-459e478a80f4\">\n<div class=\"caas-iframe youtube\" data-type=\"youtube\">\n<blockquote data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_hdXwWia4bU?rel=0\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\"><p><noscript>[embedded content]<\/noscript><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"internal-linking-related-contents\"><a href=\"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/12-weeks-jail-for-school-it-support-technician-who-took-upskirt-videos-of-teachers\/\" class=\"template-1\"><span class=\"cta\">News :<\/span><span class=\"postTitle\">&lt;div&gt;12 weeks' jail for school IT support technician who took upskirt videos of teachers&lt;\/div&gt;<\/span><\/a><\/div><p><em>Back to the Dawn<\/em> is a story-driven RPG from Metal Head Games and publisher Spiral Up Games that&rsquo;s now out of early access on Steam. It has also arrived on Xbox Series X\/S and Game Pass.<\/p>\n<div class=\"caas-da \">\n<div data-wf-benji-page-context='{\"pageUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.engadget.com\/gaming\/neon-abyss-2-a-prison-break-rpg-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-110043805.html\",\"spaceid\":\"1197802876\",\"site\":\"engadget\",\"hashtag\":\"news;gaming;indie-games;media;videogames;entertainment\",\"lmsid\":\"a0V0W00000HOQu8UAH\",\"lpstaid\":\"9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a\",\"pt\":\"content\",\"pd\":\"non_modal\",\"pct\":\"story\"}' data-wf-benji-wafer-config=\"{}\" data-wf-benji-config='{\"positions\":{\"LREC1-9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a1752930394096\":{\"id\":\"LREC1-9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a1752930394096\",\"region\":\"index\",\"size\":[[300,250]],\"kvs\":{\"loc\":\"mid_center\"},\"path\":\"\/22888152279\/us\/eng\/ros\/dt\/us_eng_ros_dt_mid_center\"}}}' id=\"sda-LREC1-9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a1752930394096\" class=\"wafer-benji caas-sda-benji-ad caas-sda-gam-container caas-sda-gam-container-center\" data-wf-trigger=\"onLoad\" data-wf-margin=\"100 0\">\n<p>ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n<div id=\"LREC1-9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a1752930394096\">\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>As Thomas the Fox, you&rsquo;re an investigative journalist who has been framed for revealing government secrets and tossed into prison. You&rsquo;ll have to forge alliances with other prisoners in your attempt to break out.<\/p>\n<p>As part of <em>Back to the Dawn<\/em>&lsquo;s full launch, Metal Head is introducing a new character, Bob the Panther, as well as a fresh storyline. I like the art style here, and the premise is pretty compelling.<\/p>\n<div class=\"caas-iframe-wrapper\" data-embed-anchor=\"818c7258-3314-5c7c-9a07-614cc2281cee\">\n<div class=\"caas-iframe youtube\" data-type=\"youtube\">\n<blockquote data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OREXWJFGKa8?rel=0\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\"><p><noscript>[embedded content]<\/noscript><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Thinking is cool and all, but sometimes you just want to turn down the volume on your brain and shoot a bunch of stuff. <em>Kickback<\/em> is an arcade bullet hell shooter with a fun twist: you can only move while you&rsquo;re shooting and, as the tile suggests, you&rsquo;ll be propelled backwards. I&rsquo;m into it. <em>Kickback<\/em> &mdash; from Dot blood and publisher Targem Games &mdash; is out now on Steam.<\/p>\n<div class=\"caas-iframe-wrapper\" data-embed-anchor=\"7705cb66-7d91-5320-9472-d4df7e504637\">\n<div class=\"caas-iframe youtube\" data-type=\"youtube\">\n<blockquote data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/d_n2BKre_xg?rel=0\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\"><p><noscript>[embedded content]<\/noscript><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"internal-linking-related-contents\"><a href=\"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/migrant-acquitted-in-first-trial-over-us-border-military-zones\/\" class=\"template-1\"><span class=\"cta\">News :<\/span><span class=\"postTitle\">Migrant acquitted in first trial over US border military zones<\/span><\/a><\/div><p>I&rsquo;ll be honest, I had no idea what <em>Fretless &ndash; Wrath of Riffson<\/em> was when I got an email from Steam this week telling me that this game, which I apparently had placed on my wishlist at some point, is now available. But hey, that name is an absolute winner.<\/p>\n<div class=\"caas-da \">\n<div data-wf-benji-page-context='{\"pageUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.engadget.com\/gaming\/neon-abyss-2-a-prison-break-rpg-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-110043805.html\",\"spaceid\":\"1197802876\",\"site\":\"engadget\",\"hashtag\":\"news;gaming;indie-games;media;videogames;entertainment\",\"lmsid\":\"a0V0W00000HOQu8UAH\",\"lpstaid\":\"9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a\",\"pt\":\"content\",\"pd\":\"non_modal\",\"pct\":\"story\"}' data-wf-benji-wafer-config=\"{}\" data-wf-benji-config='{\"positions\":{\"LREC2-9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a1752930394096\":{\"id\":\"LREC2-9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a1752930394096\",\"region\":\"index\",\"size\":[[300,250]],\"kvs\":{\"loc\":\"mid_center_2\"},\"path\":\"\/22888152279\/us\/eng\/ros\/dt\/us_eng_ros_dt_mid_center\"}}}' id=\"sda-LREC2-9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a1752930394096\" class=\"wafer-benji caas-sda-benji-ad caas-sda-gam-container caas-sda-gam-container-center\" data-wf-trigger=\"onLoad\" data-wf-margin=\"100 0\">\n<p>ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n<div id=\"LREC2-9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a1752930394096\">\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>I appreciate the pixel art look of this turn-based RPG from Ritual Studios and publisher Playdigious Originals. According to the Steam page, you&rsquo;ll play &ldquo;as Rob, a friendly musician trying to restore harmony in an off-tuned world where wacky villains are corrupting music.&rdquo; That sounds quite lovely, actually.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"caas-jump-link-heading\" id=\"upcoming\">Upcoming<\/h2>\n<div class=\"caas-iframe-wrapper\" data-embed-anchor=\"222b8fec-2f73-5b2a-8e0f-52a397797b6f\">\n<div class=\"caas-iframe youtube\" data-type=\"youtube\">\n<blockquote data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JoyLrJ2deig?rel=0\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\"><p><noscript>[embedded content]<\/noscript><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>I have absolutely no idea how Strange Scaffold does it. The studio behind <em>I Am Your Beast<\/em>, the brilliantly unsettling <em>Clickolding<\/em> and <em>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown<\/em> is about to unleash its seventh game in the space of two years. <em>Co-Op Kaiju Horror Cooking<\/em> is Strange Scaffold&rsquo;s first co-op game.<\/p>\n<p>The trailer makes it look delightfully chaotic, as players rush to cook meals to satiate giant monsters and stay alive. <em>Co-Op Kaiju Horror Cooking<\/em> is out on July 29, but until then you can play the entire game for free as part of a playtest.<\/p>\n<div class=\"caas-da \">\n<div data-wf-benji-page-context='{\"pageUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.engadget.com\/gaming\/neon-abyss-2-a-prison-break-rpg-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-110043805.html\",\"spaceid\":\"1197802876\",\"site\":\"engadget\",\"hashtag\":\"news;gaming;indie-games;media;videogames;entertainment\",\"lmsid\":\"a0V0W00000HOQu8UAH\",\"lpstaid\":\"9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a\",\"pt\":\"content\",\"pd\":\"non_modal\",\"pct\":\"story\"}' data-wf-benji-wafer-config=\"{}\" data-wf-benji-config='{\"positions\":{\"LREC3-9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a1752930394097\":{\"id\":\"LREC3-9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a1752930394097\",\"region\":\"index\",\"size\":[[300,250]],\"kvs\":{\"loc\":\"mid_center_3\"},\"path\":\"\/22888152279\/us\/eng\/ros\/dt\/us_eng_ros_dt_mid_center\"}}}' id=\"sda-LREC3-9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a1752930394097\" class=\"wafer-benji caas-sda-benji-ad caas-sda-gam-container caas-sda-gam-container-center\" data-wf-trigger=\"onLoad\" data-wf-margin=\"100 0\">\n<p>ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n<div id=\"LREC3-9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a1752930394097\">\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>What&rsquo;s more, Strange Scaffold has announced two more games: <em>Truck-kun is Supporting Me From Another World?!<\/em> is a &ldquo;chaotic anime-inspired vehicular action game about driving into objects at high speed to rescue the corporate ladder climber you accidentally isekai&rsquo;d into a dangerous medieval fantasy world&rdquo; while <em>Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator <\/em>is a &ldquo;fast-paced stock market sim about buying, selling, and shorting stocks based on the simulated lives of adorable alien children.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Beautiful one-line pitches. Zero notes. Can&rsquo;t wait for those, or to find out about another new game demonstrating a &ldquo;unique method of developer collaboration&rdquo; that Strange Scaffold plans to unveil next week.<\/p>\n<div class=\"caas-iframe-wrapper\" data-embed-anchor=\"46db97a9-f494-52ff-be0a-9945a331ee35\">\n<div class=\"caas-iframe youtube\" data-type=\"youtube\">\n<blockquote data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pyDNTXhzQB8?rel=0\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\"><p><noscript>[embedded content]<\/noscript><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>If you&rsquo;re hankering for more first-person parkour in a similar vein to<em> Mirror&rsquo;s Edge, Neon White<\/em> or <em>Ghostrunner<\/em>, <em>Jetrunner<\/em> might just do the trick. Riddlebit Software&rsquo;s platformer-shooter hybrid, which is published by Curveball Games, is coming to Steam on September 4. It looks like it could be fun! If the announcer&rsquo;s voice in the trailer sounds familiar, that&rsquo;s because the character is played by Matthew Mercer.<\/p>\n<div class=\"caas-iframe-wrapper\" data-embed-anchor=\"e799beee-3c6d-5cab-8cef-0c089a071f3f\">\n<div class=\"caas-iframe youtube\" data-type=\"youtube\">\n<blockquote data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/x5SLX8j11yM?rel=0\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\"><p><noscript>[embedded content]<\/noscript><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>I missed this one last week, but I just want to very quickly mention <em>Ghost Haunting<\/em>. The world needs more funny point-and-click adventures in the vein of those classic LucasArts games. Three Headed Monkey Studios and publisher Daedalic Entertainment have made a positive first impression to suggest they&rsquo;re ready to take that particular baton. There&rsquo;s no release date or window as yet, but this was an instant addition to my wishlist on Steam (let&rsquo;s just hope I don&rsquo;t forget about this one, eh?)<\/p>\n<div class=\"caas-iframe-wrapper\" data-embed-anchor=\"c9c39156-daea-5f11-98e6-f224247e2b61\">\n<div class=\"caas-iframe youtube\" data-type=\"youtube\">\n<blockquote data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iUMPgUcd7Sk?rel=0\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"no\"><p><noscript>[embedded content]<\/noscript><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>I would love to play a tour manager simulator game at some point, getting into the nitty gritty of making sure gigs and everything else involved in a band&rsquo;s life on the road goes smoothly. Rockbeasts is not <em>quite<\/em> that, but it still seems like it could be a good time.<\/p>\n<div class=\"caas-da \">\n<div data-wf-benji-page-context='{\"pageUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.engadget.com\/gaming\/neon-abyss-2-a-prison-break-rpg-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-110043805.html\",\"spaceid\":\"1197802876\",\"site\":\"engadget\",\"hashtag\":\"news;gaming;indie-games;media;videogames;entertainment\",\"lmsid\":\"a0V0W00000HOQu8UAH\",\"lpstaid\":\"9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a\",\"pt\":\"content\",\"pd\":\"non_modal\",\"pct\":\"story\"}' data-wf-benji-wafer-config=\"{}\" data-wf-benji-config='{\"positions\":{\"LREC4-9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a1752930394097\":{\"id\":\"LREC4-9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a1752930394097\",\"region\":\"index\",\"size\":[[300,250]],\"kvs\":{\"loc\":\"mid_center_4\"},\"path\":\"\/22888152279\/us\/eng\/ros\/dt\/us_eng_ros_dt_mid_center\"}}}' id=\"sda-LREC4-9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a1752930394097\" class=\"wafer-benji caas-sda-benji-ad caas-sda-gam-container caas-sda-gam-container-center\" data-wf-trigger=\"onLoad\" data-wf-margin=\"100 0\">\n<p>ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n<div id=\"LREC4-9fd57a33-f27d-4ddf-87e0-fa9798bb867a1752930394097\">\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>This is a &ldquo;grungy&rdquo; narrative-driven rock band management game from Lichthund and Team17. The trailer is fun and there are some interesting talents involved here. Rockbeasts was written by writer Jakub Szama&#322;ek, who was senior writer of <em>The Witcher 3<\/em> and principal writer of <em>Cyberpunk 2077<\/em>. Even cooler is that Iggy Pop voices on of the characters, who is named Iggy Pup. Love it.<\/p>\n<p><em>Rockbeasts<\/em> is coming to PC and consoles next year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><sub>Neon Abyss 2, a prison-break RPG and other new indie games worth checking out<\/sub><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to our weekly roundup of the goings on in the indie game space. It&rsquo;s been quite the busy spell, with several notable games debuting or landing on more platforms and some intriguing upcoming projects popping above the parapet. The Steam Automation Fest is taking place this week (it runs until July 21 at 1PM&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/neon-abyss-2-a-prison-break-rpg-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &ldquo;Neon Abyss 2, a prison-break RPG and other new indie games worth checking out&rdquo;<\/span> &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3041,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3040"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3040\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3041"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jobuzo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}