The makers of the forthcoming open-world adventure explain how new gameplay features and an extra-resourceful sword-wielding protagonist set it apart from 2020 predecessor Ghost of Tsushima

Shanghai-based developer Posh Cat Studio focused on the satisfying thrill of solving life’s small mysteries in this cosy crime caper

Low-budget puzzle game is also about building communities and challenging capitalism – while still looking cute and approachable

Developer Spooky Doorway is building a detective mystery full of Victorian spiritualism and pagan traditions, creating a lingering sense of dread that is hard to shake

Become the world’s worst cleric, speak to the dead or pick a fight with sea birds in this Monty Python-esque magical mystery from Swedish developer Christoffer Bodegård

Double Fine’s latest is a whimsical action-adventure that takes inspiration from real-life biology as much as cult fantasy movies from the 1980s

With its rousing card game about activism, indie studio Speculative Agency hopes to inspire players to engage with issues such as pollution and the climate crisis

Jenny Jiao Hsia’s award-winning coming-of-age tale is a charming look at a teen trying her best to stay on top of things

Playing as ill-used teenager Hinako, players must contend with that era’s sexual politics as well as more unearthly terrors

Failbetter’s beguiling take on country life has its comforting routines but slowly reveals a richer and stranger life than you expect

A barmy merging of genres where you can play with balls made from decapitated heads – here’s a release that could promote an indie developer to the premier league

With distinct, discrete areas that you can visit at any time, this is not a traditional open world game, and resists gamification with the mantra ‘there’s no goal but to stroll’

On an icy world, a glitteringly hard take on sci-fi emerges which draws on real science as well as Hollywood’s cosmic fantasies

Indie developer’s take on the ethical conundrum about choosing who to save from an oncoming train may be gimmicky, but with its charm and bite-size levels, it’s ideal for the social media era

Thief: The Dark Project converges with Kafka, Gogol and Tamagotichis in this immersive sim with a giant personality

For his first Nintendo Switch 2 appearance, DK goes on a rhythmic rampage, powered up to new hulking heights by singing sidekick Pauline. It’s big, brash and impossibly enjoyable

Xbox is putting a lot behind its new space action-RPG sequel – which will be the first $80/£70 video game from Microsoft. Does it earn its price tag? We asked the developer what went into it

Originally meant to release in 2022, Capcom’s futuristic game – featuring an astronaut and a mysterious blond-haired little girl – has just re-emerged from stasis; and it looks like it will be worth the wait

This queer emancipation story is set in a cosy pixellated art world but all is not what it seems. You’ll tend your flock, pick some flowers – and also have to dethrone God