This year's BitSummit, Japan's premier indie games expo, was bigger than ever, showcasing consistently strong game quality. Here’s a recap of some standout titles:

Changeable Guardian Estique

In the year 2024, developers are still creating games for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Changeable Guardian Estique was running on an original Famicom through a CRT television, proving it’s not just a modern game with a retro look. This side-scrolling shoot ‘em up lets players transform their ship between a spaceship and a mech, each with its strengths and weaknesses. The game uses NES hardware effectively, displaying numerous sprites on-screen without noticeable slowdown or flicker.

Rhythm Rabbit

Rhythm Rabbit turns a simple concept into a challenging yet endearing game. Players control a rabbit hopping to the beat of the music, aiming to reach a carrot at each stage's end. The rabbit's random hops require quick decision-making to navigate obstacles like rivers. The relentless pace ensures action-packed gameplay even in early stages. A free demo is available on Steam, showcasing its tricky but engaging mechanics.

Guardian Maia

Developed by New Zealand’s Metia Interactive, Guardian Maia is set in a futuristic New Zealand ravaged by a toxin called Grey Death. Players control Maia, a forest guardian traveling across Te Waipounamu (South Island) to find three kete (baskets) to save her people. The game uniquely blends sci-fi with indigenous Māori culture, offering a strong protagonist and engaging gameplay. Maia can ride a giant bird, smashing into enemies, adding to the game's appeal. Although still in early development, Guardian Maia is one to watch.

Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus

Recently released, Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus stands out among numerous Metroidvania games. The game’s beautiful artwork, reminiscent of Oriand the Will of the Wisp, is complemented by innovative mechanics like adding a double jump with each enemy hit in the air. This leads to dynamic sections and engaging boss battles. More detailed coverage of Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus will follow.

Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch

Announced over eight years ago, this beat ‘em up based on Kevin Smith’s movies is nearing completion. Chronic Blunt Punch features impressive character art and animations, packed with in-jokes and familiar characters from Smith’s films. The game uses a tag-team mechanic, allowing players to switch between Jay and Silent Bob, each with unique moves. Fans of Kevin Smith will find this game worth the wait.

1000 Deaths

Developed by Pariah Interactive, 1000 Deaths is a decision-making platformer featuring a small television set navigating various worlds. Each stage unlocks decisions that affect the story's direction. The demo presented choices like whether a character stays in a grim town or leaves for fame, impacting subsequent stages and story elements. The game promises significant replay value with numerous story forks and speedrunning trophies.

Block Rancher

Ever wondered where Tetris blocks come from? Block Rancher by London-based HandCircus blends puzzle and action roguelike genres. Players gather creatures that turn into Tetris-like blocks to build trinkets for a conglomerate. The gameplay involves using a part-gun part-vacuum to capture creatures and build items within a time limit. HandCircus founder Simon Oliver mentioned the game is in early development, but it shows great promise.

Exhausted Man

Set for release on July 25, Exhausted Man by Beijing’s Candleman Games is a comedic physics-based game. Players control a perpetually tired person by dragging their head and limbs to complete tasks like grabbing items or climbing heights. Despite sounding potentially frustrating, the game is more lenient than similar titles, offering a more approachable experience.

Tensei

Tensei is now available on Steam for a reasonable £2.49 and will be coming to consoles on August 8. In this game, players control a small black blob with the goal of ascending as high as possible by jumping across floating pillars. The blob can perform a triple jump and a ground-pound to help land on small columns. Despite its simple core concept, the game features a striking art style. Players can even change the season to springtime, complete with sakura petals. Tensei offers a challenging yet relaxing experience.

JDM: Japanese Drift Master

Japanese Drift Master focuses on powersliding cars around tracks. The demo provided a single lap around a track, running on a Steam Deck or ROG Ally connected to a monitor, which caused some performance issues. Despite the short time to get accustomed to the handling, the game showed promise. The free Prologue, releasing on August 8, will allow players to experience the game as intended.

Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days

The first two Into the Dead games by New Zealand studio PikPok were first-person endless runners featuring zombies. Our Darkest Days, a spin-off, takes a different approach as a side-scrolling survival adventure set in Texas in 1980. Players choose from a group of survivors, each with unique strengths, and explore various locations to complete tasks. The atmosphere is compelling, and the combat is satisfying, balancing between fighting one or two zombies and running from larger groups. This game has the potential to offer something special upon its release next year.

Sonokuni

Developed by Don Yasa Crew, a Japanese hip-hop group, Sonokuni is a top-down action game inspired by Hotline Miami. The player controls a character who can die with one hit but can slow down time, block projectiles, and use a sword to deflect attacks. Each enemy type requires different strategies, with quick diagrams explaining effective tactics. The game features a variety of enemies in each room, demanding constant awareness and planning. The soundtrack, created by Don Yasa Crew, adds to the game's appeal.

The Spirit of the Samurai

The Spirit of the Samurai is a visually stunning side-scrolling action game where players control a samurai, a kodama (spirit), and a cat. The game features stop-motion animation, providing a unique visual experience. Players fight various enemies and help survivors in a foggy, bug-infested environment. Although the controls can be slightly clunky, the game offers a promising and unique gameplay experience.

Voidwrought

Developed by Swedish studio Powersnake, Voidwrought is a Metroidvania game with a solid gameplay experience. Players start with a basic slash attack and fight various creatures, reminiscent of GBA and DS Castlevania games. The demo showcased additional skills like charging attacks and using tendrils to grapple. While not remarkably unique, the game is satisfying to play, with epic music enhancing the boss fights. A demo is available on Steam for those interested in trying it out.

Hordes of Hunger

Hordes of Hunger, developed by Polish studio Hyperstrange, is a third-person rogue-lite arena slasher. Players control Mirah, defending her homeland from hordes of monsters. The game offers various missions, such as killing 100 enemies or defending a character in stocks. As a rogue-lite, players will repeatedly die, return to the hub, and buy upgrades to grow stronger. The game's long-term appeal lies in its ability to keep players engaged over extended playtime.

Each of these games showcased at BitSummit highlights the creativity and diversity thriving in the indie game development scene.

Indie game developer The Wild Gentlemen and publisher Joystick Ventures have confirmed that they will showcase a playable demo of Chicken Police: Into The Hive! at BitSummit Drift 2024. For those unfamiliar with the game, it’s a quirky experience where you play as two chicken detectives in a 1930s animal-themed noir setting, trying to solve a case. The demo will offer players a glimpse into the story and mechanics without revealing too much of the plot. Check out the latest trailer above for a sneak peek.

Chicken Police: Into The Hive!

Chicken Police: Into the Hive! is a character-driven, story-rich, film-noir detective adventure where you must uncover a complex, world-scale conspiracy by gathering clues, interrogating suspects, and solving puzzles. Sonny and Marty, the Wilderness's toughest detectives, are about to tackle the biggest case of their lives, diving into the insect underworld and confronting the darkest corners of their past. The heart of the game lies in its characters, brought to life by over 30 deeply developed personalities, each meticulously crafted and fully voice-acted. The Wilderness is a world with a rich history spanning thousands of years, filled with intriguing facts and mysteries.

Explore the city of Clawville, experiencing its vibrant cultures, traditions, desires, and fears of its anthropomorphic inhabitants. In Clawville, you have the freedom to go wherever you wish. Alongside the main story, delve into numerous side quests, paths, and opportunities, solving problems in various ways and replaying the adventure to uncover every last secret. You're in for a story that will impact the fate of an entire city, and possibly the whole world, while remaining deeply personal and 'human'. Murder, betrayal, conspiracy, loss, friendship, and even love await you in this dramatic and absurd adventure.

The Japanese studio HexaDrive is preparing to unveil an exciting new project. During the BitSummit Drift gaming event, held from July 19 to 21 in Kyoto, they will showcase a demo of their latest horror game. In this game, players will assist the main character in returning home by solving puzzles, avoiding monsters, and uncovering secrets. HexaDrive is renowned for its work on Silent Hill: The Short Message in collaboration with Konami, as well as Super Bomberman R, The 3rd Birthday, Rez HD, and other notable projects.