The holiday season is upon us, and the ID@Xbox team is thrilled to showcase this month\u2019s picks for Indie Selects. But first, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone for supporting independent games on Xbox over the past year.\u00a0 Indie Selects is our special platform to celebrate the incredibly weird and unique. Someone\u2019s perfect game isn\u2019t necessarily a massive blockbuster IP, but may be a polished and emotionally resonant story, a brand new spin on an existing idea, or just something truly unusual. Thank you for checking out our recommendations and supporting amazing game creators on our platform.<\/p>\n
Secondly, instead of giving you a one-week December Selects collection, we decided to build out 3 weeks\u2019 worth of 2024 Indie Select Highlights.\u00a0 Each week, starting December 11, we\u2019ll be highlighting and promoting 18 of our favorite titles that launched this last year.\u00a0 Be sure to check out the Indie Selects section in the Xbox Store (head to the Games Home tab and a few rows down) every Wednesday for more must-have indies.<\/p>\n Finally, on January 28, 2025, we will celebrate the one-year anniversary of this program with a 2024 Anniversary Collection. Our team will pick six top Indie Selects from the previous year that we believe are absolute must-haves and place them in this prestigious shrine for all to witness. We have more surprises, new sales, and new collections planned for 2025, but for now, let\u2019s focus on the present.<\/p>\n This month is stuffed.\u00a0 There were so many titles to choose from that truly pushed the envelope in terms of unique design, mysterious mechanics, dramatic storytelling, and the art of fun.\u00a0 We all made some strong cases for what we wanted to champion.\u00a0 Some of us were still in our October bag and needed something terrifying to get the heart pumping.\u00a0 A lot of us, understandably, wanted to build a bond with a giant wolf that we could ride on to our next adventure.\u00a0 Several of us wanted to get lost in something: a mysterious world, impossible choices, or maybe just our own creativity.\u00a0 We ended up with a list that thankfully kept everyone happy here and we\u2019re sure that there\u2019s something here that you won\u2019t soon forget. Here\u2019s what we\u2019ve got for you this month (in no particular order):<\/p>\n I don\u2019t know if any of you are looking for more reasons to get emotional, but Neva<\/em> will hit you right in the feels. I played through last weekend and found myself in awe of its beautiful presentation, visual splendor, and haunting soundtrack. I was also reduced to tears on occasion. It\u2019s an incredibly moving piece of software that also happens to be quite fun and compelling to play.<\/p>\n This follow-up to the gorgeous and emotionally charged Gris<\/em> from Nomada Studio shows a studio honing in on their craft. Gris<\/em> was an impactful work of art; Neva<\/em> takes that core formula and adds satisfying yet simple platforming and combat to the mix. The game is only about 5 hours from start to finish but those hours will make you reflect inwardly and touch your heart in ways that are rare for games. If the combat scenarios get a bit tricky for you, the game offers a \u201cStory Mode\u201d difficulty that removes the health bar entirely and allows you to play without the fear of dying.<\/p>\n Devolver Digital<\/p>\n
Animal Well<\/em> is an illusive, beautiful, 2D pixel art Metroidvania full of abstract puzzles in haunting, living environments.\u00a0 You play as a squishy little blob in a dark and wet world that offers up its own interpretive language on how to proceed beyond to the next area.\u00a0 As you progress through new areas, you\u2019ll gain access to more routes as you find mysterious tools and understand their mechanics. The creatures populating the well create an interesting dynamic as you discover their purpose.\u00a0 Some animals are essential to solving complex problems and because there\u2019s no real combat, other animals often must be cleverly avoided which in-and-of-itself can be its own puzzle.\u00a0 Even as you traverse area after area, the game is packed with so much to do and so many more secrets to find \u2013 well after the \u201cending\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n This is one of those special games that leaves an imprint. It took me some time to nail down what exactly it was that gave me goosebumps during each minute of my playthrough.\u00a0 Finally, it hit me.\u00a0 Your tiny, bright little blob, though very alive and cute, isn\u2019t really the main character: The environment is! There are so many small moments and interactions with the environment that are so wonderfully satisfying, and they just keep happening one after the other. Delving into the deepest mysteries of the environment felt like I was asking the developer directly, \u201cWhat were you trying to do here?\u201d At some point, my goals for what I wanted to get out of the game shifted as I uncovered more and more secrets and felt rewarded for examining every pixel shift.\u00a0 If you relish finding everything in a game without looking for help online, prepare to put your skills to the test and enjoy the ride.<\/p>\n Bigmode<\/p>\n
Planet Coaster 2<\/em> is gratifying for anyone who loves theme park and strategy simulations. As someone who loves both strategy and creativity, this game hits me in all the right ways. From the beginning, you enter a very vibrant world with spectacular visuals. The in-game characters are great at guiding you through the UI, tasks, and management of the park. There are so many possibilities on how you can design and build your dream theme park \u2013and I can spend hours doing this! The coaster builder is very intuitive and allows for lots of creativity, letting you craft rides that are as crazy and wild as your heart desires. The management aspect pulls you right back to reality as a park owner, as you need to balance staff,\u00a0finances, and guest satisfaction to keep everything running smoothly.<\/p>\n Being able to share your creation with other players \u2013 and being able to download theirs \u2013 adds another level of collaboration and fun to the community. It\u2019s astonishing to see just how creative others can be! And even better than that, you can incorporate their vision into your own park. Whether you\u2019ve spent endless hours managing parks before or new to the genre, Planet Coaster 2<\/em> provides the perfect mix of community, strategy, and creativity!<\/p>\n Frontier Developments<\/p>\n
Reach new heights of creativity, management, and sharing as you construct the theme parks of your dreams combining epic water rides and coasters to delight and thrill your park guests.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dive in now!\u00a0<\/p>\n EMBRACE CREATIVITY\u00a0<\/p>\n Expand your imagination: Enhanced and improved building and pathing tools let you create spectacular, true-to-life theme parks, complete with sprawling plazas. Make your mark on the world as you shape terrain and populate your park with stunning swimming pools and thrilling rides. It\u2019s never been easier to bring your dream park to life.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Next-level customisation: Embark on the coaster park experience of a lifetime as you push the boundaries of creativity like never before!\u00a0 Unleash your imagination as you build the most awe-inspiring themed creations with unparalleled customisation tools! For the first time, intuitively add scalable scenery and objects to every ride to elevate your park and give your guests a day to remember.\u00a0<\/p>\n Combine epic water and coaster rides: Create the ultimate experience for your thrill-seeking guests using piece-by-piece construction. Build a vibrant array of exhilarating rollercoasters and jaw-dropping thrill rides. Design a seamlessly interconnected park paradise with glistening swimming pools and twisting water flumes.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Create unforgettable experiences: Surprise and amaze as you bring the dramatic flair of real-world theme parks to your guests with the brand-new event sequencer tool, while sophisticated global illumination lighting brings the theme park experience to your home with stunning visuals and striking authenticity.\u00a0<\/p>\n MASTER MANAGEMENT\u00a0<\/p>\n Find the secret to success: Balance thrilling your guests with managing your budget \u2013 populate your park with amazing efficiently powered attractions and the right amenities to boost your rating and become a theme park master.\u00a0<\/p>\n Take care: Provide for your guests\u2019 health, well-being, and happiness so your park can thrive. With all-new waterparks comes the need for shade, sunscreen, lifeguards, changing rooms, and more to ensure everyone has their best day both in and out of the pool.\u00a0<\/p>\n Satisfaction guaranteed: Understanding the wants and needs of your guests has never been easier! The new \u2018heat maps\u2019 feature lets you understand the wider park\u2019s needs at a glance before diving deeper into the details -simply select any guest to see how they and their immediate group are enjoying your theme park. \u00a0<\/p>\n SHARE THE RIDE\u00a0<\/p>\n Create together: Unleash your collective creativity in Sandbox Mode. Take turns to work on building a park with players around the world using a shared cross-platform save!\u00a0<\/p>\n Play together: For the first time ever, collaborate with friends in Franchise Mode to create the best theme park empire and compete with others to reach the top of worldwide leaderboards!\u00a0<\/p>\n Visit together: Soak up the fun and get up close and personal, as you experience other players theme park creations first hand \u2013 explore their worlds in first person as a park guest!\u00a0<\/p>\n Share creations: Share anything and everything! Upload coasters, rides, or even full theme parks for other players, and download and delight in other\u2019s creations. All are easily accessible from the cross-platform Frontier Workshop both in-game and online.\u00a0\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Phasmophobia<\/em> is a truly engaging horror experience in which you need to figure out what kind of ghost is haunting the locations you are investigating by using various ghost detecting tools. Each type of ghost creates specific supernatural phenomena that you need to identify and to puzzle out in your journal. If you get the correct ghost type, you win.<\/p>\n The secret sauce is in the experience you have while searching for the clues. The game masterfully uses classical horror cues like sound or light to create the feeling of a haunted house, reacting to your actions and making you always fear for your life. As you cannot really fight back, your only option is to get things done as quickly as possible while avoiding the danger.<\/p>\n Finally, the game is a great one to play with a few friends. Nothing beats hearing your friends screaming in your voice chat that they are about to die and the silence afterwards. That\u2019s both the funniest part of the game \u2013 as well as the scariest.<\/p>\n Kinetic Games<\/p>\n
INVESTIGATE PLAY YOUR WAY MULTIPLAYER Full details on the latest status of the game, how you can give feedback and report issues can be found at https:\/\/kineticgames.co.uk\/.\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Fear the Spotlight<\/em> is a retro, \u201990s-inspired horror game focused on puzzle solving, gripping story, and avoiding detection. Vivian and Amy sneak into their school at night for a s\u00e9ance which, of course, goes horribly wrong and Amy disappears.\u00a0 Now Vivian must search the school for her friend and uncover the mystery of the school\u2019s past.\u00a0 <\/p>\n During the search you\u2019ll be stalked by a monster \u2013 more specifically, a man with a spotlight for a head.\u00a0 There\u2019s no combat, so you\u2019ll need to avoid detection at all costs while you explore and solve puzzles which allow you acquire key items to progress further.\u00a0 This isn\u2019t the type of horror game that is full of heart-pounding jump scares, but a slow build of creeping, uneasy, tension that adds to a great narrative experience.<\/p>\n![\"November](\"https:\/\/xxboxnews.blob.core.windows.net\/prod\/sites\/2\/2024\/11\/NovemberSelects_Horizontal-a10a30481b66c73b4280.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Neva](\"https:\/\/xxboxnews.blob.core.windows.net\/prod\/sites\/2\/2024\/11\/Neva-d66b7431945e2a386e00.jpg\")
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\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\nNeva<\/h2>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t$19.99<\/span>
\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\t\tNeva is an emotionally-charged action adventure from the visionary team behind the critically acclaimed GRIS.
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\nNeva chronicles the story of Alba, a young woman bound to a curious wolf cub following a traumatic encounter with dark forces. Together they embark on a perilous journey through a once-beautiful world as it slowly decays around them.
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\nOver time, their relationship will evolve as they learn to work together, helping one another to brave increasingly dangerous situations. The wolf will grow from a rebellious cub to an imposing adult seeking to forge his own identity, testing Alba\u2019s love and their commitment to one another.
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\nAs the cursed world threatens to overwhelm them, Alba and her courageous companion will do whatever it takes to survive and make a new home, together.\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Animal](\"https:\/\/xxboxnews.blob.core.windows.net\/prod\/sites\/2\/2024\/11\/Animal-Well-aabc421fbdf14883c209.jpg\")
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\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\nANIMAL WELL<\/h2>\n
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\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t$24.99<\/span>
\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\t\tHatch from your flower and spelunk through the beautiful and sometimes haunting world of Animal Well, a pixelated wonder rendered in intricate audio and visual detail. Encounter lively creatures small and large, helpful and ominous as you discover unconventional upgrades and unravel the well\u2019s secrets. This is a truly unique experience that can make you laugh in fear, surprise, or delight.\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Planet](\"https:\/\/xxboxnews.blob.core.windows.net\/prod\/sites\/2\/2024\/11\/Planet-Coaster-8cf9238d3882e31f776f.jpg\")
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\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\nPlanet Coaster 2<\/h2>\n
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\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t$49.99<\/span>
\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\t\tCreate a splash with Planet Coaster 2 \u2013 sequel to the world\u2019s best coaster park simulator! \u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Phasmophobia](\"https:\/\/xxboxnews.blob.core.windows.net\/prod\/sites\/2\/2024\/11\/Phasmophobia-9e06f785ffbcfa8e26f4.jpg\")
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\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\nPhasmophobia (Game Preview)<\/h2>\n
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\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t$19.99<\/span>
\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\t\tThis game is a work in progress. It may or may not change over time or release as a final product. Purchase only if you are comfortable with the current state of the unfinished game.<\/p>\n
\nImmersive Experience: Realistic graphics and sounds as well as a minimal user interface ensure a totally immersive experience that will keep you on your toes.
\nUnique Ghosts: Identify over 20 different ghost types, each with unique traits, personalities, and abilities to make each investigation feel different from the last.
\nEquipment: Use well-known ghost-hunting equipment such as EMF Readers, Spirit Boxes, Thermometers, and Night Vision Cameras to find clues and gather as much paranormal evidence as you can. Find Cursed Possessions that grant information or abilities in exchange for your sanity.<\/p>\n
\nLocations: Choose from over 10 different haunted locations, each with unique twists, hiding spots, and layouts.
\nGame Modes: With 5 default difficulties and daily and weekly challenges, there are plenty of ways to test your skills.
\nTeamwork: Dive in head first, get your hands dirty searching for evidence while fighting for your life. If you’re not feeling up to the task, play it safe and support your team from the truck by monitoring the investigation with CCTV and motion sensors.
\nCustom Difficulty: Create your own games to tailor the difficulty to your or your group’s needs, with proportional rewards and come up with crazy game modes of your own!<\/p>\n
\nCo-operate: Play alongside your friends with up to 4 players in this co-op horror where teamwork is key to your success.
\nPlay together: Phasmophobia supports all players together, play with your friends with any combination of input types.
\nCross-play: Play alongside your friends on other platforms.<\/p>\n![\"Fear](\"https:\/\/xxboxnews.blob.core.windows.net\/prod\/sites\/2\/2024\/11\/Fear-the-Spotlight-6c5fd09586ac7cdd1c7f.jpg\")
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