It’s July, which means the year is already more than halfway over. And if you’re in the U.S. or Canada, boy, do you feel it. It’s blazing and muggy outside, so why not enjoy the chilly comforts of your own home with some cool indies.
This month, we’ve got another low-number set of indies that have been a little more curated, and some demos played. I’m hoping you find something you like.
Surprisingly, only one title is making the jump to Switch, with two titles choosing PlayStation and Xbox beyond Steam. I’m a little surprised because with a lull of first-party support on the Switch 2, it seems like now’s the best time to get your game on the eshop.
I hope you enjoyed the titles we picked out for this month. I’d like to think I got a little something for everyone. However, if you like any of them, please don’t hesitate to wishlist the games. I cannot stress enough how much this helps the indie devs.
Everdeep Aurora
Platforms: PC & Nintendo Switch | Release Date: July 10th
The demo for Everdeep Aurora is a little bizarre but gives a small taste of what to expect for the full release. Pitched as a narrative adventure experience, players will assume the role of Shell, a feline child who awakens to find their mother missing.
Equipped with a drill, the demo has players running through an abandoned mansion to find four kids in a long game of hide and seek. As Shell visits different rooms, the limited color palette changes, evoking imagery from an old design philosophy.
Delving deeper into the mansion, I see some of Everdeep Aurora’s inspiration as I grab an upgrade from a Chozo statue. Everdeep Aurora releases on PC via Steam on July 10th, 2025. A demo is currently available on the Steam Page, and if you’re interested, please add the game to your wishlist.
Warspace 2
Platforms: PC | Release Date: July 14th
Co-op, in space?! That’s right. Warspace 2 is a top-down, open-world, procedurally-generated space shooter with RPG elements. Incredible that it has so many buzzwords in its description and doesn’t include roguelike or deckbuilder.
Warspace 2 allows you to explore an entire universe with up to three of your friends in epic space battles, trading, crafting, and looting. An entire sandbox universe for you and your friends to explore.
I’ve been covering indie games all year, and this is actually somewhat novel. Warspace 2 releases on PC via Steam on July 14th. There is no demo available, but if you’re interested in playing, please add the game to your wishlist.
Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S | Release Date: July 15th
Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream starts out with a beautifully rendered cutscene that lasts for a while and sets up a relationship between Hannah and her brother Herman. After Herman goes to work, not to return, Hannah falls asleep and is awakened by a couple of constables looking for Herman.
Hannah makes the call to duck through the heating ducts to escape, and then it’s off to the races. The stealth gameplay has the player dodging through corridors, minding their movements, and setting off steam-powered machinery to help them escape the watchful gaze of the police.
Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream releases on PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S on July 15th, 2025. A demo is available on the Steam Page, and if you’re interested, wishlisting is available on all platforms.
The Drifter
Platforms: PC | Release Date: July 17th
This really has been a banner year for new point-and-click adventure games. The slow-burning mystery style game is definitely a fan favorite, and The Drifter kicks off with an immediate narrative hook.
Asleep in a train car, Mick Carter awakens to find that he’s reached his destination. With the door jammed, he attempts to awaken a man sleeping under a tarp for a little assistance, but the man attacks him with rebar immediately.
With little frill and fluff with interaction, The Drifter offers a logical set of puzzles paired with a narrative hook that pulled me right in. Someone or something is causing the houseless in the area to disappear, and Mick’s learning that he can’t die.
I can’t wait for The Drifter to release on PC via Steam on July 17th, 2025. A demo is available on the Steam page, and if you’re interested, make sure to add it to your wishlist.
Wheel World
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S | Release Date: July 23rd
The team that brought you Nidhogg and Nidhogg II has put together a stylish bike racing game titled Wheel World. Our protagonist, Kat, is a rider chosen by ancient cycling spirits and must race to save Wheel World.
Trick out your bike, race elite teams, and perform the Great Shift ritual to save a universe on the brink. Outside of looking gorgeous, Wheel World makes bike riding look fun, which is something I don’t often say. At least in respect to biking video games.
Wheel World releases on PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S on July 23rd. No demo is available, but if you’re interested in the game, make sure to add it to your wishlist on all available storefronts.
Ratatan
Platforms: PC | Release Date: July 24th (Early Access)
I almost skipped this one entirely because it’s just going into early access. But it’s such a light month, and it looks like a really well-designed game, so why not bring it up.
Ratatan is supposed to be a spiritual successor to Patapon. Boasting a rhythm roguelike action style with online co-op supporting up to 4 players and over 100 in-game characters, Ratatan looks like it’s leagues ahead of Patapon in many ways.
Considering how poorly the existing Patapon releases are received, this might be a good option for the rhythm folks. Ratatan enters early access on PC via Steam on July 24th. Don’t forget to add it to your wishlist.
Pip My Dice
Platforms: PC | Release Date: July 25th
Very clearly inspired by Balatro, I was pretty impressed with how well Pip My Dice manages to separate itself and carve its own path. While the shell is clearly wearing its inspiration on its sleeve, the game itself is quite different.
Pitched as a Yahtzee roguelike, Pip My Dice offers stackable relics, colored dye, and on-the-fly modifications to dye to make them more useful when creating combos. While those things alone make for a pretty interesting experience, the three lanes in which you create combos add another combo element.
There’s a lot going on here, and I feel like the nerd math roguelike people are really going to enjoy this one. Pip My Dice releases on PC via Steam on July 25th, 2025. A demo is available on the Steam Page, and if you’re interested, make sure to add it to your wishlist.
Kind of a slow month, but considering July used to be a dead month for video games, this is pretty exciting. A lot of really great indies are coming out this month, and not so many that you’ll have to pull your hair out by having to choose.
Let us know if you ended up grabbing one and enjoyed it. I’d love to know whether or not the list is helping. As always, if there’s a game coming up you want to see covered, feel free to email us at will@monstervine.com or ping our BlueSky account. We’re always scoping out games to cover, so we appreciate the help. See you next month!
