[imagesource: Steam]

I’ll be upfront and say I’m not much of a gamer.

That’s not to say I don’t enjoy keeping an eye on what’s out there, because games have come a long, long way since SimCity and the like.

Games, or video games? I wonder if somebody is considered out of touch if they use the latter.

Anyway, moving along.

The Electronic Entertainment Experience 2021, or E3 2021, recently wrapped up, with the event showcasing a wealth of new games.

Alongside established titles like Legend of Zelda, Battlefield, and Halo were some really interesting releases from smaller studios.

The Guardian has a list of 20, but let’s stick with five, for now, starting with Silt:

Silt looks to be a brooding, expressionistic adventure in which a diver searches a monster-strewn ocean bed seeking to uncover a long-forgotten mystery. The beautiful monochrome visuals should lure fans of Inside.

Games these days often come with great trailers, so let’s dive in:

It’s impossible to see a game named Harold Halibut and not be a little curious:

Billed on its website as “a handmade narrative game about friendship and life on a city-sized spaceship submerged in an alien ocean”, this intriguing game looks like a Charlie Kaufman-esque animated indie movie and promises a vibrant, offbeat adventure.

Trippy:

If it’s dark you like, then get ready for Somerville:

The first project from indie studio Jumpship, set up by Inside and Limbo co-creator Dino Patti, is an extremely dark, seemingly post-apocalyptic adventure following a couple trying to get their toddler through a ruined landscape.

It promises a gripping and intense experience – especially for parents.

There you go, parents. Something to get stuck into once the children are down for the night:

True-crime fans may enjoy Conway: Disappearance at Dahlia View:

The latest title from White Paper Games (Ether One, The Occupation) is a Rear Window-style mystery thriller set in 1950s England, following retired detective Robert Conway investigating the disappearance of a child named Charlotte May.

The trailer suggests a taut, gloomy atmosphere with a tinge of horror.

I get the feeling there won’t be a happy ending:

Finally, something very different, and perfect for those who look back fondly at their younger years – No Longer Home:

Two friends navigate the end of their university years in this introspective indie game about the painful transitions of a confusing, conflicting stage of life.

Set mostly in and around an apartment presented as interestingly minimalist dioramas, this partly autobiographical game has been in development for some years.

Go on, escape from your familiar fears and insecurities by entering a world fraught with many of the same:

Still, looks intriguing.

It’s your spare time.

[source:guardian]