Top Indie Games of September: Building Nicely, Delivering Funnily, Investigating Darkly, and More

Many indie games of August seemed to converge on one theme: building. But now, it's not from a bird's-eye view, but brick by brick, like children playing with construction sets. From cozy villages to Martian logistics hubs, this month is particularly generous with projects where detail, not scale, is important. But if you think it all boils down to therapeutic digging and arranging shops, prepare yourself: among the quiet simulators are sharp parkour shooters, dark occult investigations, and even bloody runs with a sword.

Most Popular Indie Games of August

Town to City

In most city-building simulators, developers offer players scope. We design cities in blocks and districts, dreaming of building a metropolis that everyone else will look up to. But rarely are we given the opportunity to look at this city through the eyes of those who live in it. Of course, you can zoom in with the mouse wheel—but why? After all, "the big picture is seen from a distance."

Town to City is not such a simulator.

Yes, there is also serious simulation and scope for large-scale construction. Yes, you will be able to surprise others with your architectural scale. But the emphasis is different. You will build the city not by districts, but house by house. Laying not transport arteries, but narrow paths. Building not shopping centers, but small shops. Not factories, but a good old mill. Everything here is large, cozy, cute. And step by step, house by house, you can grow a real big city, inhabited by kind and happy residents.

But their happiness is your responsibility. It will only appear when you provide at least basic needs: food, work, trade, communication. You will have to develop infrastructure, establish production, and solve logistics. Everything here is serious. And in between tasks, you can decorate: arrange art objects, decorate facades, add a little soul to your town.

Despite early access, Town to City is already winning the sympathy of players. The Minecraft-like graphics allow you to create an environment, albeit cubic, but surprisingly realistic and lively. The atmosphere of serenity is literally felt. The gameplay is captivating from the first minutes—and does not let go for a long time, while remaining relaxing. This is a rare but successful combination.

Recommended. Even taking into account the technical details and shortcomings inevitable at this stage. Town to City will resonate with both lovers of cozy adventures and those who think like an engineer, builder, or architect.

• Compatibility: Windows.
• Russian language: interface, subtitles.
• Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive (97% of 2185).
• Price on Steam: 880 ₽.

Mars First Logistics

Games about delivering goods are very different. There are cinematic AAA projects like Death Stranding—philosophical explorations of the connections between people in the post-apocalypse. There are production dramas like Snow Runner—extremely realistic, with real equipment and off-road conditions. And there is Mars First Logistics—a physical puzzle sandbox where you, as an engineer, create devices for transporting goods on Mars.

Here you assemble rovers and mars-copters as if from LEGO bricks to complete delivery during the colonization of the Red Planet. The physics in the game is as realistic as possible. But the atmosphere is absolutely unrealistic, even absurd. It's somewhat reminiscent of Bad Piggies, only in 3D. Hauling oranges across Mars? Are you serious? Mars First Logistics will smile and say, "Seriously."

You combine servos, springs, rocket engines, and manipulators—as your imagination and moment of insight suggest. At the same time, the cargo itself often becomes the main test: it can melt, crumble, explode, or have such a shape that it can only be secured with a whole stabilization mechanism. Everything must be taken into account: an unbalanced structure will overturn, fly into the sky, or simply fall apart. But the game does not punish for failures—restarting the mission takes a second, and you immediately want to try a new scheme.

Important point: progress in the game not only unlocks new details, but also changes the landscape. Built roads, monorails, and stations remain on the map, turning initially chaotic trips into an ordered logistics system.

Players are mostly delighted—especially those who like to solve problems through experiments. Many say that the game takes them back to childhood. Just like when you assemble something from a construction set and sincerely believe that it will fly. The cooperative mode is especially great. Alas, it is less interesting to play outside the campaign. But Mars First Logistics is a rare case where the process is more important than the goal.

If you have ever loved tinkering with LEGO or dreamed of creating unusual mechanisms—welcome. Yes, the principle of "entertain yourself" applies here. But if you are a creative person, there will be no problems with entertainment.

• Compatibility: Windows.
• Russian language: interface.
• Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive (95% of 2175).
• Price on Steam: 849 ₽.

Star Birds

The genre of production sandboxes is popular among independent developers. There are recognized standards—Factorio and Satisfactory. And there is Star Birds. And if in large projects you develop entire planets, building giant production complexes, then for Star Birds even Ceres will be too big. A flock of cosmonaut birds conquers the galaxy, creating space factories on tiny asteroids. All this is presented in cartoonish, cute graphics.

The gameplay, although simplified, is essentially serious. You scan asteroids, extract resources, build production facilities, and connect them with pipelines, taking into account the limited space and terrain of celestial bodies. The action takes place in 3D—this adds to the puzzle: you literally have to go around obstacles so as not to block one line with another. Each level offers new tasks—releasing certain goods, researching mysterious artifacts, fulfilling whimsical requests from birds. At the same time, there is no single correct solution: you can try different recipes, alternative chains, and delivery tactics between asteroids.

Player reviews are mostly positive: they praise the visual style, relaxing gameplay, and fresh approach—especially after intense industrial simulators. Many note that the game is addictive, despite its modest size—the campaign of seven levels takes 7–8 hours to complete. The main complaints are related to early access: there is no free mode, cloud saves, and after completing the content quickly ends. Also annoying are the strict conditions for achievements, requiring almost 100% efficiency.

Nevertheless, Star Birds is already an interesting experiment, combining science fiction aesthetics, smart casualness, and a sense of space adventure. If the developers realize the potential by the release, we may have one of the most stylish and cute games about "factories in space".

Despite early access, Star Birds deserves attention. The project is curious—and who knows, maybe after mastering it, you will then gladly return to more "adult" games.

• Early access.
• Compatibility: Windows.
• Russian language: interface, subtitles.
• Reviews: Very Positive (93% of 1523)
• Price on Steam: 710 ₽.

Strange Antiquities

Gloomy, atmospheric, cozy—these are the first impressions from the trailers of Strange Antiquities. You have to work in a shop of occult objects in Undermere and help local residents solve their unusual problems. It seems like a simple matter—an artifact store, of which there are many. But this is only seems. The fate of the entire town, balancing on the border between reality and the other world, depends on your decisions—whether you help the buyer or resist him.

Decisions must be made not only in dialogues. Mistakes in labeling powerful artifacts can be costly. Attention is required—and attention again. In this shop, you are not just a seller and storekeeper. Often you have to be a detective to unravel the mysteries. And sometimes—get out from behind the counter into the city, performing special assignments for the owner.

Strange Antiquities is not the first game about Undermere. The previous project of the Bad Viking studio in this setting—Strange Horticulture—has collected hundreds of positive reviews. Players who have tried the novelty say: if you liked the predecessor—take Antiquities boldly. At the same time, in terms of the number of reviews, the novelty is already ahead of the first part. No wonder: players note better puzzle design and a more interesting plot.

However, there is also negativity—mainly due to the translation. It is not always correct, which may affect decision-making. And the price of mistakes is sometimes very high.

The game has already received several awards, and the gaming press gives it the highest marks. Apparently, this time journalists and the community agree—extremely positive reviews confirm this. From ourselves we will add: the animation and character design could be more accurate, even taking into account the chosen style. But this does not interfere with the gameplay, and the low price allows you to turn a blind eye to minor flaws.

• Compatibility: Windows, Switch.
• Russian language: interface, subtitles.
• Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive (96% of 1244).
• Price on Steam: 650 ₽.

Worth Paying Attention To

Bloodthief

Bloodthief is a fast-paced, bloody dungeon-runner in dark medieval dungeons. In general, there is not much to tell about the game: minimalist 3D graphics with a touch of fantasy Middle Ages and one sword for all enemies. But the whole point is in the gameplay.

You don't just kill opponents, but literally fly through them—like a ghost with a blade. A kind of medieval Ghostrunner "on a minimal scale." Only the difficulty is turned to the maximum, and the speed should be no worse than in Neon White. It is difficult to convey the drive of such games in words. Trailers partially convey the sensations, but you can truly feel the кайф from the speedrun only by playing.

Here, combat and movement are merged into one: hesitate for even a moment—and you're dead. The blood of enemies gives temporary buffs—you fly faster, jump higher, die less often. This creates a loop of continuous high-speed killing: to live—you need to kill, and as quickly as possible.

The levels are not procedural, but saturated with secrets, detours, and hidden artifacts that unlock new abilities. However, the main reward is not in skills, but in the feeling of a perfect sweep, when the entire level turns into one long combination, and your name appears at the top of the rating.

We will not definitely recommend Bloodthief. If you are close to this style—take a closer look. If you haven't tried anything like this yet—it's worth a look. But is it worth starting with Bloodthief—the question. Ghostrunner, although more expensive, is much more beautiful. And Neon White, given the age of the project, can often be bought with a significant discount. Or you can take a closer look at the fresh JETRUNNER, which is below.

• Compatibility: Windows, SteamOS.
• Russian language: interface, subtitles.
• Reviews: Very Positive (96% of 374).
• Price on Steam: 710 ₽.

Arctic Awakening

Arctic Awakening is a first-person narrative adventure in which the cold Arctic becomes the backdrop for a story of survival, loss, and a strange but touching partnership with a robot therapist named Alfie.

The action begins after a plane crash: you, pilot Kai, wake up in the icy wilderness. The partner is missing, almost all the equipment is destroyed—but a mechanical interlocutor turns out to be nearby. He, apparently, was appointed to you not only for support, but also to monitor the psyche.

The gameplay is built around exploration, collecting items, listening to audio diaries, and dialogues with Alfie. His logic and emotional reactions depend on your decisions. Survival mechanics are there, but they are more decorative: hunger, cold, and fatigue do not kill—they only slow down movement, creating the illusion of tension without real hardcore.

So before us is not a survival game, but an atypical first-person quest, a mixture of a walking simulator and an interactive drama with consequences. Instead of fighting for life, the player gets a slow walk through beautiful, but sometimes too empty landscapes. Each found object or activated recording brings you closer to solving the mystery: what happened to the second pilot, why the plane fell apart in the air, and who—or what—is making sounds outside the circle of light.

Choices in dialogues affect the relationship with Alfie and determine the ending.

Player reviews are divided. Some praise the game for its atmosphere, music, and philosophical questions in the finale—especially those who are interested in the themes of the boundary between human and artificial consciousness. Others criticize bugs, poor optimization, and lack of tension: when it is impossible to die even after falling from a mountain, the sharpness is lost. Many note that Arctic Awakening is more like an interactive series than a full-fledged game—interesting, but sometimes boring; beautiful, but with technical flaws.

In general, the project is cute, but the price is embarrassing—especially against the background of a number of critical reviews. If it is not fundamental for you—you can take it and try it now. Otherwise, it is better to wait for the sale.

• Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5.
• Russian language: interface, subtitles.
• Reviews: Very Positive (86% of 163).
• Price on Steam: 1049 ₽.

Henry Halfhead

Henry Halfhead is a rare example of a game in which neither descriptions nor trailers convey the whole essence of what the player will receive. At first glance—a typical indie sandbox, in which you can " тупить " after school or a working day. The childish visual style will probably attract a younger audience. However, the game is suitable for gamers of all ages.

A mysterious character appears in screenshots and trailers—Henry. He has only half a head, the rest of the body is missing, as if he fell directly into the textures of the game world. And there is some truth in this: Henry is really able to "fall" into any object within reach. Each item on the screen is a potential embodiment. Want to make toast? Become a knife—cut bread, become slices—jump into the toaster, become the toaster itself—accept bread, then turn into a fork to "plug in" to the outlet. So, step by step, you go from one puzzle to another. You can play alone or with a friend—a cooperative mode is provided.

This gameplay is visible from the published materials. But what is almost not visible is the deep, instructive story promised by the developers. An invisible narrator comments on your every action as you accompany Henry on his path of growing up, maturing, and, finally, aging. Your task is to help him stay playful and curious, explore the world and experiment, making everyday life bright and meaningful.

Players in reviews note the unusual format of the sandbox and a fresh look at the mechanics of puzzles. The game has a pleasant warm aftertaste, and thanks to its small duration—the entire passage will take a couple of hours—it does not tire, but rather pleases. True, some technical roughness can slightly spoil the impression, but only for a while.

Henry Halfhead is an atypical indie game, but with a quite typical conclusion: it is not for everyone. If you are looking for the usual gameplay—this game is unlikely to interest you. But those who appreciate bold experiments and non-standard thinking will like it.

• Compatibility: Windows, Switch, PlayStation 5.
• Russian language: interface.
• Reviews: Very Positive (98% of 97).
• Price on Steam: 490 ₽.

JETRUNNER

JETRUNNER is another September parkour shooter from the first person. But if Bloodthief stands out for its gloomy and bloody atmosphere, then JETRUNNER is more like a bright sporting event than a classic shooter. In the main role is a well-developed, cute girl, the arenas are beautiful, saturated with light and color. At the same time, there is no feeling of "вырвиглазности": the designers managed to maintain visual balance.

From the point of view of gameplay, there is nothing fundamentally new. The mix of parkour and shooting familiar to players from Neon White: you need to pass the obstacle course as quickly as possible, hitting the installed targets. However, JETRUNNER has one feature. Judging by the trailers, the pace of passage is lower than in Bloodthief or Neon White. But many players in reviews note the fantastic design of the levels—they are not just beautiful, but perfectly thought out.

Finding the perfect trajectories can take a lot of time, but this is the main feature of such games. And it's not just about finding the path. The variability of passage is also at a height—the same arena can be mastered for a long time and with pleasure. Another plus is the high-quality physics, which positively affects the overall impression.

Although almost all player reviews are positive, some implementation features raise questions. Unlike the same Neon White, where success depends on the accuracy of actions and the choice of route, here many speed records are achieved due to rare successful coincidences, and not exclusively due to skills. This reduces motivation. In addition, some nuances of control do not always allow the character to do exactly what the player wants.

In general, the project looks interesting. And it really looks—in JETRUNNER, it seems, it was possible to combine good design and exciting gameplay. Without flaws, of course, it did not do, but, perhaps, there are no games at all without flaws. So it's worth a try—even if you're not a fan of the genre, but just interested.

• Compatibility: Windows.
• Russian language: interface, subtitles.
• Reviews: Very Positive (96% of 79).
• Price on Steam: 710 ₽.