The New Year holidays are just around the corner, and the gaming industry will plunge into hibernation for a long time. But many players will finally find time for games. Some will return to popular service games or AAA blockbusters, while others will treat themselves to fresh indie projects, which, we are sure, are capable of giving much more impressions and emotions. Moreover, they are all on sale on Steam with a discount for the New Year!
News Tower
Everyone probably knows that the press is the "fourth estate." And with the advent of mass media, it has turned not just into an instrument of influence, but into a real weapon of mass destruction of consciousness. Even in pre-revolutionary Russia, a spark was ignited with the help of newspapers, but the power of the printed word was especially evident in the United States in the 1930s — when media moguls realized how effectively money and newspapers can control mass consciousness.
The game News Tower places you in this era. You become the owner of a small publishing house in Brooklyn, devastated by the Great Depression, and you have ten years to turn it into a real media mouthpiece — by the beginning of World War II. Every week, your journalists will collect juicy materials and cover events in politics, crime, and sports. You determine the editorial policy: the newspaper can become a respectable publication for the elite or a mass leaflet for a wide audience. But don't think that being the editor-in-chief and owner means only dealing with texts. You oversee literally everything in the building: from the purchase of printing presses to the location of toilets for employees.
News Tower is a typical representative of the tycoon genre (from English tycoon — manager simulator), where your task is to lead a small company to success. The project has long attracted attention even at the early access stage, and the release of version 1.0 did not disappoint: the reviews are mostly enthusiastic. Players especially praise the atmosphere and visual style, which perfectly conveys the spirit of the era. The economic mechanics are not particularly complex — but for the genre, this is more of a norm. After all, people come to games to relax, not to solve real marketing problems. The only significant drawback at the time of release is the mediocre translation into Russian. But in a game built on texts and headlines, accuracy and clarity are critical. We hope that the developers will fix this in the upcoming patches.
However, even now News Tower is a mature, well-thought-out product that can be safely recommended to fans of the genre.
- Compatibility: Windows, Mac.
- Russian language: interface, subtitles.
- Reviews: Very positive (94% of 3481).
- Price on Steam: 999 ₽ (without discounts).
Whiskerwood
How to simulate a medieval feudal society in a game — and not offend anyone (even if it's fair)? Very simple: replace the feudal lords with cats, and the subjects with mice. And all coincidences with medieval reality will be "accidental." But these "coincidences" in the city-building simulator Whiskerwood are worked out with amazing thoroughness. So you will plunge headlong into the mouse era of great geographical discoveries, where your advanced detachment of colonists step by step explores the seemingly endless islands.
The developers deliberately do not give you endless expanses. The island can be large or small, but it is always an island — which means its resources are limited. And on this patch of land, time after time, hardworking mice have to rebuild a new colony. Each mouse has its own character, skills, and belongs to a certain guild. There are no universalists here. So when building, you will have to take into account not only the lack of resources, but also the characteristics of your wards. And do not forget: the owners of your fiefdom will demand tribute. They don't care where and how you get it. Moreover, the appetites of fluffy tyrants are only growing. Here you can either trade with other mouse settlements, or turn to pirates, or finally take fate into your own paws and break free from the oppression of a clawed paw... if you can cope with the cat minions.
Whiskerwood is a beautiful, meticulously designed project that combines elements of a city-building simulator, colonial manager, and automation. There are many analogues — from the old Settlers to the relatively recent RimWorld or Timberborn. But in many ways, the game remains original, and this is clearly visible from the trailers and screenshots.
Although the project is still in early access, players are happy:
"This is how games should be released in early access: there is already the entire core gameplay, it's interesting to play, a bunch of mechanics, mod support — almost from the very start. A couple of updates a week, primarily QOL improvements, received from feedback on the forum."
But Whiskerwood is praised not only for this. It is impossible to single out one thing: it is praised for everything. And although the game is still in early access, it can be safely recommended. Our reviewer, Maxim Ivanov, also recommends it. Take a closer look.
- Early access.
- Compatibility: Windows.
- Russian language: interface, subtitles.
- Reviews: Very positive (93% of 1457).
- Price on Steam: 999 ₽ (without discounts).
Winter Burrow
Survival games, cozy adventures, and, of course, roguelikes are incredibly popular among indie developers. In order not to drown in a sea of similar projects, authors are increasingly combining genres: survival roguelikes, cozy roguelikes — or, as in Winter Burrow, a cozy survival game. Oxymoron? Not at all.
This is a full-fledged survival: exploring the surroundings, collecting resources, crafting tools and items, fighting wild animals, and fighting nature itself, which is not at all set up for a pleasant pastime. It's cold and dangerous outside.
But what makes this survival so cozy? In addition to the cute graphics and the fact that you play as a mouse, Winter Burrow has an incredibly warm atmosphere of a hub-burrow: the fireplace crackles, a large comfortable armchair (albeit with a patch) beckons you to relax, and knitted things — which you create yourself — give the interior a homely charm. In general: a mimimish design, a mimimish main character — and a mimimish cruel world.
It is the atmosphere that is the main thing that attracts players to the game. But if you are waiting for a deep immersion and serious survival in harsh conditions, it is better to pass by. Winter Burrow is about something else. Those who wanted a light adventure in a pleasant environment for a couple of evenings got exactly what they expected. However, there are also disappointed players: the plot is simple and unpretentious, non-player characters are present, but there is no deep story behind them, and the arrangement of the house is severely limited by its modest size.
We will not definitely recommend Winter Burrow. But if you like the visuals and atmosphere that you see in the screenshots and trailers, take a closer look. The game is inexpensive.
- Compatibility: Windows.
- Russian language: interface, subtitles.
- Reviews: Very positive (88% of 1463).
- Price on Steam: 710 ₽ (without discounts).
Cross Blitz
"Yo-ho-ho! Welcome to Cross Blitz!" — the developers from Tako Boy Studios LLC lure us. And indeed: before you is a roguelike, deckbuilder, pirate aesthetics, battles on a 4×4 field, a story campaign and a free mode — everything that a modern indie hit should have.
The game has more than 500 cards, 160 relics, 20 archetypes, and all this is neatly distributed among five factions. "Endless options for blitz!" — the creators promise. And, honestly, it sounds tempting on paper.
But the "roguelike-deckbuilder" genre has already so densely populated the indie scene that saying something fundamentally new in it is an almost impossible task. There are recognized standards: Slay the Spire, Monster Train, Inscryption... And there is Cross Blitz — another project in this series. Perhaps it is "another one" that will catch you personally.
Player reviews are moderate: not delighted, but not scolding either. Many note that the game is good, but there is some "rawness" and understatement. And there is only an official localization into Chinese and English. Russian, alas, is not available.
- Compatibility: Windows.
- Russian language: not supported.
- Reviews: Mostly positive (74% of 1428).
- Price on Steam: 810 ₽ (without discounts).
Constance
Constance was positioned as "Hollow Knight in a world of colors" — and immediately there was a noise. Fans of Team Cherry were outraged: why use someone else's name for promotion? Inspiration Hollow Knight (and even Silksong) in the game, of course, is felt — but not to such an extent as to talk about plagiarism. Rather, it is a tribute. And as for the disputes around marketing — well, such are the realities: if you don't have a mega-fan base, you have to cling to associations.
Constance itself is a metroidvania in which you play as an artist armed not with a sword, but with a huge brush. With its help, you fight, overcome obstacles, solve puzzles — and all this in a world that, as it turns out, is the inner world of Constance herself. Yes, in her head, judging by the trailers, there are no cockroaches, but there are plenty of interesting locations, color schemes, and formidable bosses.
Graphics are the main trump card of the game. Reviews are unanimous: the visuals are gorgeous. But you shouldn't judge it by one screenshot — it's better to watch at least one trailer. There, the paint literally breathes.
But with the gameplay, everything is more complicated. It is simultaneously praised and scolded — and for the same thing. "Uninspired", "ordinary", "nothing new" — some write. "Strong", "cozy" — others answer. And, honestly, both sides are right. If you have already completed a dozen metroidvanias and are looking for a breakthrough, Constance will not surprise you. But if you want a warm, beautiful, atmospheric walk through familiar mechanics, it will perfectly brighten up a couple of evenings.
And, perhaps, the most capacious phrase that is found in Steam reviews sounds like this: "Hollow Knight for girls <3". Not the deepest characteristic — but there is probably some truth in this.
- Compatibility: Windows.
- Russian language: interface, subtitles.
- Reviews: Very positive (82% of 1415).
- Price on Steam: 710 ₽ (without discounts).
Lumines Arise
It's probably difficult to surprise an experienced player with another reincarnation of Tetris. Moreover, Lumines Arise is not quite a reincarnation, but rather a continuation of the repeatedly revived Lumines series: the original version was released back in 2004, received a remaster in 2018, and now, in 2025, a full-fledged sequel has appeared. The game, of course, did not reach the popularity of Tetris, but it was released on many platforms — so if you are familiar with this puzzle and like it, feel free to take Arise.
The mechanics are easy to learn, but it is more difficult to explain them in words than just watch the trailer. In short: blocks consisting of two "colors" fall on the field, and your task is to collect them so that solid rectangular zones of the same color are formed inside the game "glass".
Lumines Arise has several modes of varying difficulty, so you can get stuck on the puzzle for a long time. But the main difference is the presentation. The game is literally charged with an excellent soundtrack: assembling blocks is accompanied by energetic rhythms and bright, dynamic visual design. Oh, yes. There is VR support.
In the reviews, players are stingy with words — there is essentially nothing to comment on. Most just put a "thumbs up." We recommend it. If the price doesn't scare you away.
- Compatibility: Windows, PlayStation 5, VR.
- Russian language: not supported.
- Reviews: Very positive (94% of 677).
- Price on Steam: 1300 ₽ (without discounts).
Goodnight Universe
The authors of Before Your Eyes continued their experiments with game mechanics in Goodnight Universe. You can play it in the usual way — with a mouse and keyboard — but it is much more interesting to at least try using a webcam: it is it that becomes the controller, tracking your gaze.
However, positive player reviews are associated not so much with unusual controls (especially since many prefer to play without a camera), but with the adventure itself. It — with a slight touch of reflection — tells about the perception of the world: either by a baby, or by a deep old man, or not even by a person. Such a narrative leaves a very pleasant aftertaste.
The gameplay in Goodnight Universe is minimalistic. Our character almost does not move around the location — we get into a closed space and stay in it for a long time. He also does not know how to talk to other characters, or, at least, does not do it directly. But he can interact with objects around: touch, rearrange, explore. It is in this peculiar "sandbox" that the main action unfolds.
Yes, the game is short — a few hours is enough. But during this short time, you can experience a truly unusual gaming experience. This is what Goodnight Universe is praised for.
The project is clearly not for everyone. But if you are interested in fresh mechanics or want to immerse yourself in a non-standard plot with elements of science fiction, Goodnight Universe will help you with this. True, the lack of Russian spoils the first impression slightly.
- Compatibility: Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2.
- Russian language: not supported.
- Reviews: Extremely positive (97% of 728).
- Price on Steam: 710 ₽ (without discounts).
Demonschool
This is a "new-style tactics RPG", as the developers modestly state in English. Alas, neither the description in Steam nor the game itself has been translated into Russian. But it's not even about the lack of localization — but about what is really "new" and "stylish" in this tactical role-playing game?
Here's what: anime style, turn-based battles in the spirit of classic Japanese RPGs, pixel characters in isometric projection, communication with comrades and social connections. The first Persona games were not officially released on PC, so, perhaps, you can agree with the definition of "new-style" — although with a clear admixture of old-school and the aesthetics of the late 90s or early 00s.
Judging by the reviews, the game is slightly overstretched: after 40–50 hours, the gameplay sometimes begins to seem monotonous. Our author, Maxim Ivanov, also notes in his review that the character of the characters does not correspond to the setting of the early 00s. But at the same time, the game has a strong foundation, an excellent atmosphere, and a lot of content. This is not a masterpiece and not a fake, but a real love letter to the early Persona games, which, in a good way, lacks editing.
If you are ready to forgive her roughness, raw mini-games, and the lack of Russian — welcome to the School of Demons. It is better to take it with a discount, although, honestly, even the full price does not look burdensome.
- Compatibility: Windows, macOS, SteamOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch.
- Russian language: not supported.
- Reviews: Extremely positive (93% of 724).
- Price on Steam: 880 ₽ (without discounts).
Forestrike
"Each death brings you closer to victory"? So, this is a roguelike. Publisher — Devolver Digital? So, the game is definitely unusual. As one of the players aptly noted:
"This is a puzzle for those who don't like puzzles, slipped under the guise of another, more exciting genre — like a pill for a dog, stuffed into a sausage."
Let's figure it out. The main character, Yu, goes on a journey through the empire to free the emperor from the sinister influence of the admiral. Yes, the game has a plot — and it, by the way, is also praised.
Yu's peculiarity is a unique technique of foresight. Before each battle, he can "play" it in his mind: try different approaches, assess the consequences, and only then enter into a real battle. Victory in the imagination does not guarantee success in reality — but it gives significantly more chances.
In addition, you are almost always in the minority. So you have to learn how to deftly deal with entire crowds of enemies, using everything at hand: walls, barrels, opponents against each other — just like in classic action movies with Jackie Chan.
As a result, we get an unusual mixture: a fascinating plot, high replayability, several combat styles, and many enthusiastic reviews. And all this at a very modest price.
Take a closer look.
- Compatibility: Windows, Switch
- Russian language: interface, subtitles.
- Reviews: Very positive (92% of 564).
- Price on Steam: 385 ₽ (without discounts).
Windswept
Windswept is imbued with the vibes of the 90s — and especially the spirit of Donkey Kong Country. Large pixels, platforming, two controllable heroes, a mini-map of levels, collecting coins and golden letters, jumping on enemies, riding animals, collectible items, and secrets hidden in the corners of the level. Everything we love.
But if in the era of Super Nintendo a typical game had a dozen and a half levels, then here there are as many as forty — and, judging by the trailers and screenshots, they are quite diverse. This is definitely a plus: lovers of classic platformers will have somewhere to turn around.
However, Marbles and Checkers — the duck and turtle we play as — clearly do not live up to the charisma of the heroes of the 90s. It is worth saying "Mario", "Sonic", or "Donkey Kong" — and images immediately appear before your eyes, even if you have never played them. But Marbles and Checkers... Funny, cute, but memorable? The designers, perhaps, should have worked a little more.
In the rest, Windswept is faithful to the classics almost to fanaticism — and players appreciated this in the reviews. So if you miss the platformers of those years, this game will allow you to at least virtually return to the 90s.
- Compatibility: Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Switch 2.
- Russian language: interface.
- Reviews: Very positive (95% of 316).
- Price on Steam: 710 ₽ (without discounts).
