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Indie Obscura IOX-2 digital direct recap: All 16 games featured

If you missed the Indie Obscura IOX-2 livestream, Shacknews is here with a full recap of all 16 games featured.

Ozzie Mejia

July 1, 2020 2:25 PM

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It's time once again to celebrate the best of indie games alongside our friends at Indie Obscura. Earlier today, the Shacknews Twitch channel hosted the IOX-2 digital direct, the second virtual event to spotlight over a dozen upcoming indie games and showcase them directly to you at home. For anybody who wasn't able to check out the stream, Shacknews is here with a full recap of everything that you might have missed. You can also check out the full event in the video just below.

Fisti-Fluffs

IOX-2 kicked off the way every direct presentation should kick off and that's with cats. Shacknews is home to more than one cat person, so there's a vested interest in Fisti-Fluffs, a physics-based cat game from the team at Playfellow Studios. Be as much of a cat as possible and if you can be a better cat than your friends, you will be victorious. Compete in four-player local sessions and use the playroom to your advantage. Of if you just want to be cute, you can take screenshots with the game's camera mode.

Fisti-Fluffs is coming soon to PC. If you want a better idea of how this game works, you can try out the free demo on Itch.io.

Drake Hollow

Drake Hollow got a lot of attention when it was first revealed back in November. This latest effort from The Molasses Flood (The Flame & The Flood) sees players take care of the Drakes by providing them with food, water, shelter, and entertainment. Yes, you'll have to entertain them too, so practice your puppet shows. Their lives literally depend on it. But The Hollow is a dangerous place and players will also have to ward off The Feral.

Drake Hollow is almost here. It's set to release on July 17 on PC and Xbox One.

Lost in Play

Sometimes when you get too wrapped up in playing around, you can get lost. A brother and sister have lost their way and now must journey through an imaginary and surreal world in order to find their way home in Lost in Play, the debut effort from developer HappyJuice games. They'll meet all manner of whimsical creatures along the way, who can help solve puzzles and get the kids closer to home.

Lost in Play is set to release in 2021 on PC.

Sail Forth

You're on a boat! And the seas are yours to explore in Sail Forth from developer David Evans and The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild. Sail across the procedural waters and take part in classic naval battles. Take in the beautiful environments, each with their own flora, fauna, and music, while customizing your vessel as you go.

Sail Forth is coming to PC later this year.

Art of Rally

If you liked Absolute Drift, the team at Funselektor Labs has returned with a follow-up called Art of Rally. You'll take part in the golden era of rally cars, driving over 50 iconic racing cars from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Travel to over 60 rally stages set in Finland, Sardinia, Norway, Japan, and Germany. Forget everything you know about Absolute Drift, because this game has an overhauled physics engine. It also has daily and weekly challenges to keep you coming back.

Art of Rally is coming later this year to PC.

Swimsanity!

Here's a game that's familiar to us here at Shacknews. We've seen Swimsanity, from the charismatic team at Decoy Games, around the horn at various conventions over the last couple of years. We even have an interview with the team!

If this is your first time seeing Swimsanity, it's a multiplayer underwater shooter where players compete in online or local multiplayer sessions to see who's the last one standing under the sea. Power-ups and boosts are everywhere and can help turn the tide. There are eight different game modes and if competitive play isn't your bag, there's an Adventure mode with online and local co-op available too!

It's been a long swim across the ocean for Swimsanity, but it's finally nearing its release date. Look for it to arrive later this summer on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

Undying

Anling must fight to survive in Undying, from developer Vanimals Games. But the problem is, she's already been infected by a zombie bite. While Anling may be doomed, she'll keep fighting to ensure that her son, Cody, survives the harrowing zombie-infested world. Teach Cody all of the keys to survival and protect him at all costs, because there isn't much time left.

Undying is coming in 2021 to PC.

Before I Forget

Discoer a woman alone in a house, as you dive deep into a mystery and a love story. Before I Forget is a short story of love and loss from the team at 3-Fold Games and Humble Publishing. This is a narrative exploration game, but one from the perspective of a character with early onset dimensions. Can your memories even be trusted? Try and uncover your past as your life slips away by the second.

Before I Forget is almost here. It's set to release on PC on July 16.

Titan Chaser

Titan Chaser, from developer Stas Shostak, isn't just a driving game. It can be that if you want, but it's also a calm, meditative experience. You'll be on the lookout for Titans and you'll need to use your lights and the environment to shoo them away from the town. But if that proves too stressful, just take some time out and enjoy a foggy drive through the calm, peaceful night.

Titan Chaser is available right now on Steam Early Access.

Out of Place

Simon lives in a world lying in ruin. In Out of Place, from the team at Bagpack Games, Simon must journey through this world to find an ancient machine that has crashed into the mountainside. Helping him along his adventure is The Orb, which not only acts as the Macguffin, but also as a side character in its own right, who helps out in combat. Fight for a better world in this action-adventure that looks to blend classic 2D adventures like Heart of Darkness and Another world with the emotion of a classic Spielberg movie.

Out of Place is coming soon to PC.

Project Sky

Hunt colossal machines in Project Sky, a new third-person action exploration RPG from Ontario developer Seth DeGrace. Team up with a companion from one of the non-human tribes and face off against powerful machines, left behind by the false gods, defending a world that's every bit as dangerous as it is beautiful.

Project Sky is coming soon to PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Black Book

Vasilisa was destined to become a witch, but she defied her future and chose to marry her beloved instead. So when that same beloved dies under mysterious circumstances, Vasalisa journeys out to find the Black Book, a demonic artifact powerful enough to grant any wish to whoever can uncover its seven seals. Serve the common folk, while also taking part in demonic exorcisms in this RPG from Morteshka.

Black Book is coming in 2021 on PC.

Chasing Static

In Chasing Static, from the team at Sick Chicken Studios, a powerful storm rages through the night in North Wales. Chris Selwood settles in a roadside cafe hoping to ride it out, but when he hears a waitress scream in the woods, Chris sets out to help. What ensues is a psychological horror trip resulting from a government conspiracy, where players must trust their ears and use audio-driven mechanics to search for anomalies.

Chasing Static is coming soon to PC.

Into A Dream

You are the last hope for Luke Williams. Into A Dream, from developer Filipe F. Thomaz, you must explore the dreams of Luke, who is diagnosed with depression. Live his heartbreaking story and help him find any kind of silver lining before he fades away forever.

Into A Dream is just weeks away from release. It will release on PC on July 30.

Danger Scavenger

Take the fight to dangerous robots in Danger Scavenger, the latest from developer Star Drifters. Do battle in a cyberpunk city against the machines that have risen up against humanity. Team up with three other friends and turn these evil machines to scrap while collecting as much treasure as you can in this roguelike skyline crawler.

If you want to give Danger Scavenger a shot, it's available right now on Steam Early Access.

Floppy Knights

Hi, kids! Do you remember floppy disks? Learn all about this ancient technology in Floppy Knights, from Those Awesome Guys and Rose City Games. Rather than use them for word processor files and JPEGs, use floppy disks to summon projections in this turn-based deck-building adventure. Enjoy this blend of ancient magic and ancient technology along with art from Marlowe Dobbs, the artist from Dicey Dungeons.

Floppy Knights is coming soon to PC.

Those are all of the games featured during today's presentation. If you're curious to learn more, keep it right here on Shacknews, as we'll be sure to keep an eye on many of these games. You can also visit our friends at Indie Obscura. If you watched today's show on Twitch, we hope you remembered to subscribe. And remember to continue following our Shacknews E4 2020 coverage all summer long!

Ozzie Mejia

Senior Editor

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?