Top 10 Indie Games Releasing in July 2023

At GameGrin, we pride ourselves on being an indie-friendly outlet. We try our best to be inclusive to the developers who struggle to make it in a AAA-favouring industry, and as such, we always like to give a bit of a shoutout where we can! For this month, we are checking out 10 of the best indie titles that will be released throughout July, starting with…

Jello

• Release Date: 7th of July
• Genres: 2D Platformer, Adventure
• Developer: Froggy Frog Games
• Publisher: Froggy Frog Games
• Check out the demo here!

Starting off with an adorable title in which you get to play a slime, Jello is a 2D platforming title in which you will have to traverse the environment and unravel a mystery about corrupted magic!

I'm a sucker for platformers of all kinds, and one of the things that most captivated me about Jello is the unique controls and abilities that our slime protagonist will be able to use. I was amazed at how interesting some of the movements and mechanics looked, and I can't wait to try it out myself!

Gravity Circuit

• Release Date: 13th of July
• Genres: Action, Platformer
• Developer: Domesticated Ant Games
• Publisher: PID Games
• Check out the demo here!

In this action-packed platforming title inspired by retro platformers, you will explore a single-player campaign as you fight against a group of sentient robots that have been threatened by the Virus Army. Take control of Kai and defeat the armies single-handedly!

Truth be told, I'm not much of a fan of retro-inspired titles, but Gravity Circuit brings a lot of modern gameplay and beautiful graphics that it looks definitely enjoyable. The combat looks fast-paced and fun, and I genuinely can't wait to try this one out — it stood out as a great upcoming title, even though it isn't my favourite genre, and that's a feat of its own.

UFO: Unidentified Falling Objects

• Release Date: 18th of July
• Genres: 2D Platformer, Puzzle Platformer
• Developer: Andrew Morrish
• Publisher: Gearbox Publishing
• Check out the demo here!

Dodge falling obstacles and destroy blocks in order to make big combos in UFO: Unidentified Falling Objects. Oh, you thought it would be flying objects? No no, that's a different thing!

This title looks like a great opportunity to pick up and play in short bursts with bits of Tetris-inspired gameplay! Titles that are focused on playing short rounds are always very enjoyable to pick up and play by short bursts, and I think that is exactly what UFO: Unidentified Falling Objects will offer!

Cramped Room of Death

• Release Date: 19th of July
• Genres: Puzzle, Pixel Graphics
• Developer: Hafiz Mohd Rozlan
• Publisher: Nicalis, Inc.

Cramped Room of Death is a puzzle title in which you will need to use your spear to defeat enemies, collect treasures, and plan your path through the various tight rooms you'll have to traverse. With five different stages and various types of enemies and traps, you'll need to use your wits to get past this one!

This title reminds me a lot of Dungeons of Dreadrock, and the spear mechanic looks not only complex but very satisfying to utilise. Although I'm not a fan of keeping track of moves, I appreciate that it doesn't seem to be a mandatory part of the game, meaning I can make as many mistakes as I want. Because let's be real: I'm dumb.

Ducky's Delivery Service

• Release Date: 20th of July
• Genres: Action, Arcade
• Developer: C.T. Matthews
• Publisher: C.T. Matthews
• Check out the demo here!

Take control of a duck with a propeller pack as you set out to deliver mail around the town and build your business! With 20 levels to master, different modes, and even accessibility options, this score-based title is bound to be a great way to spend some time doing deliveries and seeking for the best score.

Ducky's Delivery Service just looks great. The precision of flying around with a propeller and sending out the items looks like a very satisfying loop with a bit (or a lot?) of platforming in the mix. Although I tell myself that I'll be playing the relaxed mode, I'm very likely to get addicted to trying the highest score, and I'm all for it.

Honourable Mentions

Let's be real; there are so many more than just 10 great titles releasing throughout July — it's unfeasible to assume that when there are several games released every day! As such, here are some of the great titles I wanted to add but was just short one (or two) entries to include.

Super BAWK BAWK Chicken (18th of July): BAWK! This is an infinite runner where you play as a chicken and make it as far as you can by mastering the power of the BAWK!

Treasure Chest Clicker (17th of July): Look, I'm the girl that has consistently admitted to being addicted to Cookie Clicker and played only that for about a week; of course I'm going to include this one. Clickers have become a part of my daily life, and now I am in serious need of Treasure Chest Clicker!

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There are definitely a lot of titles I'm looking forward to releasing in July, but these are my top five (okay, I cheated — it's seven) indies I couldn't go without mentioning. That's my part of the listicle, and I now leave you with my wife, who will give you five other ones she's looking forward to playing herself!

Violet

My wife may have cheated a bit by adding two extra titles, and I’m here to tell you: expect no better from me! We spent way more time than we should’ve just choosing who got which game, and then realised we were still way over the limit! But enough gushing about indie titles; let’s get on with my list!

Invector: Rhythm Galaxy

• Release Date: 13th of July
• Genres: Rhythm, casual, co-op
• Developer: Hello There Games
• Publisher: Warner Music Group

Invector: Rhythm Galaxy was revealed to us during this year's PC Gaming Show, so it might be familiar to some of you. In this title, we'll get to play through famous music tracks — from Duran Duran to Charli XCX — while racing down a gorgeous neon track! There's even a multiplayer mode to jump in and enjoy with loved ones, too!

This year has been big for me and gaming: I've broadened my likes considerably! One of the genres I've come to appreciate is none other than “anything with cars”. I'll be honest: the first thing that got my attention was the neon graphics, but I definitely stayed for those tunes!

Cotton Tale

• Release Date: 14th of July
• Genres: Precision platformer, physics, 2D
• Developer: Outer Engine Games
• Publisher: Outer Engine Games

Cotton Tale is an upcoming precision platformer — or for Twitch fans, a "Foddian" game — that will have you playing as an adorable little bunny named Taffie. She's trying to get home, but it won't be an easy task; so much so that the developer warns that it's going to take a lot of patience.

It seems like we've gotten to witness the birth of certain types of genres in recent years, and the so-called "Foddian" titles are one of them! I've seen some here and there, namely Getting Over It and Only Up, but none have ever been as cute and eye-catching as Cotton Tale! I can't imagine I could rage too hard being a cute bunny... right?

Earth Defender

• Release Date: 14th of July
• Genres: Top-down shooter, perma death, post-apocalyptic
• Developer: Nobody Cares
• Publisher: Nobody Cares

In Earth Defender, we take on the role of the very last human in a post-apocalyptic world. Scavenge for supplies, survive deadly enemies, and start up your own colony through sheer willpower and determination. This procedurally generated title seems fantastic from what we get to see on the Steam page!

If anyone looks through my reviewed games, they might notice a certain pattern: I don't shy away from survival or sci-fi titles! And although I am absolutely terrified of perma death games, I would be willing to try it out for the first time; it looks fantastic!

Aldro

• Release Date: 14th of July
• Genres: Sandbox, loot, pixelated
• Developer: Six Point Studios LLC
• Publisher: Six Point Studios LLC

In Aldro, we play as an adorable titular slime who has gone off to explore the world. In this colourful, procedurally generated title, we'll get to farm, craft, level up, and defeat all types of bosses! 

I have a lot of love for Forager because the gameplay was absolutely addicting and I really liked the colourful style, and I can’t help but think of a more in-depth version of it when I see Aldro. There are few things I enjoy more than playing an adventure title where I just collect, collect, and collect more until I'm strong enough to beat bosses… and on top of that, I get to be a slime?! There are no words to describe my excitement!

My Friendly Neighborhood

• Release Date: 18th of July
• Genres: Survival horror, action
• Developer: John Szymanski, Evan Szymanski
• Publisher: DeadXP

In My Friendly Neighborhood, you'll find yourself fighting for your life against… terrifying hand puppets! I’m talking Sesame-Street-esque horror game, where we take on the role of a repairman who finds out these cuddly fellas are more than they seem. 

I unfortunately never got into the whole Five Nights at Freddy's hype; I don't know if it was the graphics or more static gameplay, but I didn't ever care much for it! This is why I am super excited for this upcoming survival horror, which features a similar hilarious setting but with much more action and less security-camera-watching!

Honourable mention: I couldn't say goodbye without squeezing this fantastic hand-painted adventure where you help Claude Monet complete his masterpieces. The style is gorgeous and the setting intriguing. The Master’s Pupil comes out on the 28th of July!

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That’s it for our Indie games list! We’re so excited for these titles that I am woefully heartbroken the month has just begun; but hey, at least now we know we’re really going to need to save up! Thanks for reading, and feel free to plop down any games we missed in the comment section below!