6 Best Indie Games from Gamescom 2022 That We Can’t Wait to Play

Gamescom is the largest gaming expo in the world and it took place at the end of August in Cologne, Germany. 

After a two-year hiatus and without E3, Gamescom felt like a breath of fresh air, bringing together AAA and indie studios. And although the expo is finished, we still can’t stop thinking about it and the games presented at the convention. 

In a previous article, we already covered some of the best highlights of the event, focusing mainly on AAA titles. However, Gamescom 2022 will also be remembered for a huge indie section that showcased some of the most exciting and intriguing games presented at the event. 

Here is our list of the best indie games shown at Gamescom.

Best Indie Games from Gamescom 2022

1. Planet of Lana, Spring 2023
2. Lightyear Frontier, Spring 2023
3. Vikings on Trampolines, Fall 2022
4. Ghost Song, November 3 
5. Signalis, October 27 
6. Friends vs. Friends, TBA

1. Planet of Lana

Planet of Lana is a hand-painted adventure game where a young girl and her pet embark on a dangerous rescue mission, on a vibrant planet taken over by a malicious enemy. It is a beautiful 2D platformer set in a colorful world with an Ori and the Blind Forest feel. Developers mention that the game will have puzzles, stealth techniques, and companion mechanics, through which you use the abilities of both Lana and her companion pet. Planet of Lana will be released in the spring of 2023 and will be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one. 

2. Lightyear Frontier

Lightyear Frontier is a wonderful and peaceful farming adventure. 

The game takes place on a planet at the far edge of the galaxy that is bound to be your new home.

 Harvest alien crops, gather resources, build your farm, and discover ancient secrets of the planet. Lightyear Frontier comes to PC and Xbox in the spring of 2023 as early access. 

3. Vikings on Trampolines

Vikings on Trampolines is an indie game from the makers of Owlboy, in which you control Vikings jumping on–you guessed it–trampolines. It is a classic “bounce-em-up” game, where you must stay on Trampoline, pushing your opponents to the ground and avoiding the ground yourself. 

The game supports solo and local multiplayer with up to four players. But that’s not all–you can play the game with just one hand! Vikings on Trampoline comes to PC soon. 

4. Ghost Song

Humble Games, an award-winning indie video game publisher, is one of the most notable participants of the expo. It brought several interesting playable demos of the upcoming games. 

One example is Ghost Song, a sci-fi horror platformer in which you go deep beneath the surface of the desolate moon of Lorian, battling strange creatures and uncovering the secrets of the ancient alien world. Ghost Song is planned to release on Xbox and PC on November 3 this year.

5. Signalis

Technically, Signalis was presented before Gamescom. However, we still decided to include it in the list because the game was also in the Humble Games lineup at the expo. 

Signalis is a sci-fi survival horror set in the dystopian world of Elster. The game is a nightmarish and claustrophobic adventure filled with terrifying secrets and challenging puzzles. The game has a distinctive retro-cyberpunk aesthetic and Neo-noir melancholy, making it incredibly attractive and hard to put down. Signalis comes to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC on October 27. 

6. Friends vs. Friends 

Presented at the opening night live showcase, Friends vs. Friends is a stylish FPS where you compete with friends online. 

The game combines combat and deck building, allowing you to collect cards and use them to obtain power and weapons to win your friends. FvF has more than 10 playable characters, each with its own abilities that improve your deck. The game has a unique colorful style and looks just as fun as it sounds. No planned release date for FvF has been announced yet, but we’ll keep you updated once we hear something. 

Final Remarks on the Best Indie Games of Gamescom

Gamescom 2022 was a massive event with hundreds of great indie titles presented at the convention. And while the indie arena had a ton of hidden gems, these were our personal favorites and the games we really can’t wait to play. 

If you want to learn more about indie games presented at Gamescom 2022, you can check the official webpage of the indie section.