by theygamesIt’s time to dust off that Steam Deck, wipe down that controller, and tuck away the throws. Hot off the heels of Steam Next Fest comes the Steam Spring Sale, and indie publishing platform indie.io has heaps of imaginative games from small teams to help put those Winter blues to bed for another year.
From now until March 20, you can score up to 90% off over a dozen games indie.io has helped bring to life by supporting the ever-ambitious independent developers who continue to bring new ideas to the industry—and deep discounts on over 100 games in total.
Whether you’re looking for brain-teasing strategy games to jump-start your synapses, horror and survival games to make the most of the remaining dark evenings, or cozy simulators to pair with your final few mugs of hot chocolate or rebounding house plants, there’s a new game (or three) worth grabbing from the indie.io collection on Steam.
Horror must-haves for the Spring sickos
Is Halloween a half-year holiday in your house? indie.io has a swathe of survival horror games ready to raise your heart rate. Sci-fi horror FPS game SCP: Fragmented Minds, which debuted to ‘Very Positive’ reviews just a few months ago, is down to just £6.50, beating its launch-day discount. If battling space mutants is your idea of a good time, this is the one to grab. And with updates still to come, it’s the Spring gift that keeps on giving.
And if you prefer your survival horror with a post-apocalyptic twist, last year’s release of HumanitZ can be snagged for 35% off. This isometric zombie survival simulator -still evolving in Early Access- can be played solo or with friends, letting you live out your sole survivor fantasy or enabling you and your friends to feel the Hollywood horror when a poor decision tears your pack apart.
And even its latest game, Hauntsville, launched just this week, can already be had for 20% off its regular price. This first-person survival horror adventure drops you into the American Wild West, where you can brave the horrors alone or team up with up to three others. But it isn’t crooked laws and trigger-happy cowboys you’ll be contending with: the horrors of classic North American folklore emerge as the sun sets on an otherwise picturesque mining town. Gather your friends, some wood, and remember that a Six-Shooter isn’t much good against a horde of beasts straight from hell.
Introducing: Cursed Dawn
Think that’s already too much choice? indie.io is taking the opportunity of the Steam Spring Sale to announce the impending release of Cursed Dawn, due April 7, 2025.
This favorite of the October 2024 Steam Next Fest, Cursed Dawn pits you and your crew against dense waves of the shambling undead. Though there’s no shortage of weaponry (over two dozen, in fact), we’ve always been taught to conserve our rounds in survival horror games. With detailed and destructible maps primed to facilitate the economically viable mashing of these man-eating monsters, smart use of your surroundings is probably still the way to go.
Beyond each map’s ability to deal devastating damage to the fiends gnawing at your ankles, secret tunnels and bunkers are rife, concealing powerful arms that will have any plan to stay close and conserve ammo fall as quickly as humanity clearly already has in this doomed world.
But it’s not just the sluggish everyday crawlers that will beg for a bullet to the brain. Bigger, sturdier beasts can (and will) push through the crowds to get their fair share of human meat. Whether you play with physics to hurl yourself to safety or use a new-found explosive to bar its route to you is your choice. The hard part is deciding on a strategy and sticking to it.
Shake off the Winter malaise
If you spent your Winter cursing the sun for refusing to stick around for more than a few hours, one of indie.io’s many strategy and tactics games could get your brain back to full bore and ready to battle the bees.
Looking for a slice of Fire Emblem on your handheld PC? Grab the deliciously GBA-like tactics game Dark Deity for a whopping 80% off—just in time for the release of its sequel, Dark Deity 2, on March 24. And nab the Dark Deity Deluxe Edition to unlock a fitting DLC story ‘Suns Out, Swords Out’ to welcome the changing seasons.
Another dreamy tactics game inspired by the 32-bit handheld days is last year’s Dream Tactics, which can be had for 35% off its launch price this week. Its unapologetic anime aesthetic and ultimate goal to rescue a Dream World buckling under the weight of too many fluffy foes could make for the perfect bedtime wind-down after a long day of appreciating Springtime blooms.
And if you prefer your tactics games with a healthy mix of cannons, wizards, muskets, and mounts, Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga could be the one for you.
Keeping it cozy
But indie.io isn’t all about surviving shambling horrors and waging war. Whether you think it’s still too soon to sit outside, or you just want to simulate the dutiful care of a cafe or courtyard from the comfort of your couch, indie.io’s lavish range of cozy games are cheaper than a supermarket snake plant.
Everholm, a game we thoroughly enjoyed during Steam Next Fest late last year, got a massive update with new quests and cooking just a few weeks ago. And at 40% off during the sale, now’s the time to help an amnesiac Lilly find her long-lost sister. You’ll throw town parties, tend to your allotment, and even run the odd egg and spoon-race. How does all that help her solve a great family mystery, you ask? It won’t cost much to find out.
Similarly, Echoes of the Plum Grove, last year’s picture-book generational farming sim, set in the delightfully named village of Honeywood, is in the middle of another huge patch cycle with new NPCs, potions, and game-altering weather effects. There’s a roadmap on their Steam page detailing everything else you’ll get over time if you snag it at the same discount: including deeper modding support!
And even if you’re already snuggling up to your fuzzy feline friend, why not take on the dutiful care of some virtual kitties for the good of another community? Cat Cafe Manager is enjoying a deep 65% discount during the Steam Spring Sale. Manage your own cozy cafe where the patrons are almost certainly there for the companions more than your concoctions—though mastering a latte will certainly help with customers.
Bargain bundles and <10$ specials
But that’s not all! If you’re not looking to splash too much cash, indie.io has a couple of games coming in at under $10 for the Steam Spring Sale.
Coveted creature collecting game Coromon has dropped down into the single-digit space, as has the glowing (in both reception and looks) Metroidvania game 9 Years of Shadows. If you thought Samus Aran needed a magical girl transformation sequence in the SNES days, this short, sweet, and oh-so-stylish adventure will be a real treat.
Only got a few bucks to spare after buying all that Spring cleaning gear? indie.io’s Pixel Perfect Bundle gets you Monorail Stories, Monster Outbreak, Telepath Tactics Liberated, Vengeance of Mr. Peppermint, and March of Shrooms for just five bucks. That’s a lot more fun than a similarly priced frothy coffee.
Each of these games was created by small indie dev teams from around the world. If you’re an indie dev looking to launch or promote your game, visit indie.io to take the next step.