Indie Game Spotlight: Cult of the Lamb Expansion & New Releases

The indie game landscape continues to thrive with a steady stream of innovative releases, from major expansions to narrative-driven puzzles. This week highlights significant updates to beloved titles alongside fresh adventures across various genres.

Developers like Massive Monster, Inkle, and Douze Dixièmes are driving the momentum, offering experiences ranging from cult management to sci-fi exploration. The following roundup details these releases and what players can expect from each.

Massive Monster and publisher Devolver Digital have released the Woolhaven expansion for Cult of the Lamb. This major DLC is designed to keep fans engaged for an extended period, offering a scope similar to the base game.

Players must progress close to the end of the base game to access the new content, though defeating the final boss is not required. The expansion introduces a variety of new mechanics and environments.

Key additions to the game include:

• A new mountain area featuring two fresh dungeons
• A ranching system for raising animals as pets or food
• Dynamic weather effects
• Additional content to explore

The Woolhaven expansion is available now across all major platforms, including PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One. It is priced at $17 for owners of the base game.

Inkle, the studio behind titles like Overboard! and A Highland Song, has returned with TR-49. This puzzle game centers on a World War II-era computer that has been fed an array of books, letters, and journals over five decades in an effort to "crack the code of reality."

Players are tasked with a specific objective: find and destroy one particular book before a timer runs out. The game draws inspiration from narrative deduction titles such as The Roottrees are Dead, The Return of the Obra Dinn, and Her Story, as well as audio dramas.

"I imagine many players will need a notebook for this one."

TR-49 is currently available on Steam. It is priced at $7, with a 10 percent launch discount available until January 28.

Several other titles made their debut this week, spanning various genres. Douze Dixièmes and publisher Focus Entertainment released MIO: Memories in Orbit, a Metroidvania featuring a striking art style.

In this game, players control the robot MIO, exploring a forgotten spaceship to revive its lost memories and save it from doom after AI caretakers fail. The gameplay involves discovering new abilities, including a grappling hook and air gliding. It is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, Steam, the Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store for $20, with a 10 percent discount on some platforms. It is also accessible via Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

Additionally, Three Bees released Perfect Tides: Station to Station, a pixel-art point-and-click narrative adventure. As a sequel to Perfect Tides, it follows 18-year-old Mara over the course of an in-game year as she explores the big city. It is available on Steam for PC and Mac for $20.

The cozy genre saw a new entry with Tailside, a cafe simulation from Coffee Beans Dev. Now available in early access on Steam, players serve snacks and drinks to furry customers while learning about them through newspaper stories. The game allows for drawing latte art, decorating the cafe, and eventually visiting other players' cafes. It is priced at $11 with a 10 percent discount until January 28.

Looking ahead, Kenny Sun and publisher Devolver are releasing a free major update for Ball x Pit on January 26. Titled "The Regal Update," it adds two new characters, eight new balls, new passives, and a surprise. It will be available on Steam, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2.

Finally, a demo for Vampire Crawlers, a spin-off of Vampire Survivors, will be released on February 23 during Steam Next Fest. Progress from the demo will carry over to the full game, which will launch on Game Pass day one.

The current release schedule demonstrates the diversity of the indie scene, offering everything from complex puzzle mechanics to relaxing simulation games. With upcoming demos and free content updates, players have numerous opportunities to explore new worlds without a significant initial investment.

Upcoming releases include Ratcheteer DX on March 5 and the story-driven survival game Aethus on March 6. These titles continue the trend of revitalized classics and solo-developed projects entering the market.