Peak Reaches Consoles as Indie Games Bring Hockey, Horror and Heists

Indie games have never been especially interested in staying in one lane, and this latest batch of releases and announcements is a fine example of that creative restlessness. One moment, players can be scaling a mountain with friends while managing survival systems and accidental disasters. The next, they can be taking part in arcade hockey matches against bizarre opponents, shooting apart modular fungal creatures, cooking through an Italian psychological horror story, or investigating a mysterious presence beneath a Scottish fish-and-chip shop.

The week has also been especially busy for playable previews. Steam Next Fest is running until Monday, bringing thousands of demos to PC players and putting everything from strange simulators to experimental action games in front of curious audiences. Alongside that event, recent ID@Xbox and Critical Reflex presentations brought new release information, game reveals and platform updates for a wide variety of projects.

Here is a look at the biggest new indie releases, the most intriguing upcoming games, and a few demos worth keeping on the radar.

Peak climbs onto consoles

Peak, the cooperative climbing hit developed by Team Peak and published by Aggro Crab and Evil Landfall, is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2. The game was already a major success on Steam, where its unusual blend of cooperation, survival pressure and slapstick failure helped it sell more than 23 million copies.

For useful background on this topic, read Ken Kutaragi Backs Sony's Move Away From PS5 Discs, While Acknowledging Ownership Fears.

Its premise is simple enough to explain but remarkably effective in practice: a group of players must work together to climb increasingly punishing mountains. The layouts rotate daily, making each ascent feel like a fresh shared problem. Climbers need to monitor their condition, navigate harsh terrain and make the most of limited resources. Naturally, the same systems that support teamwork also create opportunities for chaos, whether that means a mistimed jump, a poorly placed item or a friend becoming an unexpected obstacle.

Cross-play is included, an important feature for a game built around gathering a group and embracing whatever disaster follows. The console editions cost $10. Developer Nick Kaman has said the team has effectively doubled the amount of content since the original launch, while noting that the move from the game's original $8 Steam price to the new console price is comparatively modest.

Peak's console arrival is notable not only because of its success, but because the game is particularly well suited to the social spaces surrounding consoles. It is easy to understand, entertaining to watch and packed with the kind of unpredictable moments that turn a routine co-op session into a story friends will keep retelling.

Tape to Tape leaves early access with chaotic hockey

Tape to Tape has officially left early access on Steam and is also available for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Switch. Developer Excellent Rectangle's game takes the structure of a roguelite and applies it to arcade hockey, resulting in a fast, silly and surprisingly strategic take on the sport.

Players choose squads with their own rule sets and approaches, then build toward a run by unlocking players, abilities and upgrades. The campaign revolves around trying to stop an "evil golfers" team from ruining one of Canada's most celebrated sports, but the opposition gets considerably stranger from there. Soccer players and "farting princesses" are among the unusual foes that can show up on the ice.

The roguelite format means that success is not just about winning individual games. It is also about finding combinations of abilities that complement a team's identity and can turn an average lineup into something formidable. Since this is hockey, fights are part of the experience as well. Local co-op supports up to 10 players, making it a potentially excellent choice for a loud couch multiplayer session.

The game entered early access in 2023. Its full release follows updates to visuals, audio, mechanics and the campaign structure. Tape to Tape normally costs $20 on Steam, with a 10 percent launch discount available until October 30.

Mycopunk brings fungus-fueled co-op shooting to PS5

Another game making its full-release transition is Mycopunk, the co-op looter shooter from Pigeons at Play and Devolver Digital. It is now available on Steam and PS5 after leaving early access, and it is also included with PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium. On Steam, the game is normally $15 and has a 50 percent discount through November 3.

Mycopunk sends players to a planet overrun by a fungal threat, but its combat is more thoughtful than simply pouring ammunition into crowds. Infected enemies are modular, so players can target individual components to disable particular threats. That tactical consideration is complicated by the fact that enemies can pick up dropped weapons and use them against the team.

The game's bold, grimy art direction draws inspiration from the work of Moebius, while its weapon-upgrade system encourages experimentation. An upgrade grid lets players create stranger and more specialized builds instead of following a narrow progression path. Mycopunk also offers a hub designed to be more than a place to queue for missions, giving players room to explore and interact between runs.

Its strongest appeal may emerge with a regular squad. The action has been built around cooperative play, rapid firefights and build experimentation, so players looking for a new team-based shooter may find plenty to investigate.

Short-form horror heads to the kitchen and the chippie

Halloween season is bringing its usual wave of horror releases, including two particularly distinctive low-cost options on Steam.

Cucina Stellata, from developer Filthy Eden and publisher Critical Reflex, is a free psychological horror game set in 19th-century rural Italy. It was both announced and released during the Critical Reflex Time presentation. While its frightening elements have been kept relatively mysterious, the game combines its uneasy atmosphere with cooking mechanics. Players who want to support the game beyond the free release can purchase a $5 supporter pack containing illustrations and real-world recipes inspired by the game.

Meanwhile, Grease Trap '99 from solo developer James Muirhead brings horror mystery to a far more contemporary setting: a fish-and-chip shop in the Scottish Highlands. Something unsettling is growing under the floorboards, and it is up to players to work out what is happening. The game uses retro low-poly visuals, includes full Gaelic voice acting with English subtitles, and is designed to be completed in less than an hour. It normally costs $5 on Steam, with a 10 percent discount until November 4.

Both games underline how flexible horror can be at the indie scale. One finds dread in historical food preparation and countryside isolation; the other turns a familiar takeaway shop into the setting for a darkly comic local mystery.

Steam Next Fest demos offer more unusual ideas

Steam Next Fest remains one of the best opportunities to sample games that might otherwise get lost in an overwhelming release calendar. Among the notable demos available during the event is Emberville, whose full prologue is now playable. Progress made in that prologue will carry into the complete game, which launches October 27.

Golden Retriever Simple Life is another charming outlier. It is an FMV life simulation centered on caring for Pichu, a golden retriever. The demo covers one in-game week, letting players feed, train, pet and play with the dog, as well as take Pichu on adventures. It is mechanically light by design, with the central attraction being the warmth of spending time with a very good dog. The full game is planned for February.

Other demos worth a look include the cyberpunk shopkeeping game Probably Stolen, Backrooms-inspired puzzle adventure Geodyssey, propeller-plane shoot 'em up Iron Skies, no-jump-button Metroidvania Moonbrella, and comedy heist game My Arms Are Longer Now, where a very long arm becomes the key tool for crime.

Dispatch expands while Faraway and Payday approach

AdHoc Studio has shared a substantial set of updates for Dispatch, its superhero workplace comedy created by former Telltale Games developers. The game is coming to iOS and Android on December 9, with the first four episodes available free on mobile. It is already on Steam, Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox on PC and Luna.

A deluxe edition adds a commentary mode featuring 16 hours of cast and crew discussion, along with an option to play through the game using storyboard animatics. Owners of the standard edition can upgrade for $11. A one-night Los Angeles concert focused on the game's music is scheduled for December 3, and Lost in Cult is preparing a hardcover art book.

On November 5, Annapurna Interactive will publish Faraway for Steam, Epic Games Store, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Switch. Created by Steph Thirion, the $10 arcade game puts players in control of a shooting star. By linking stars into constellations, the player gathers the energy necessary to continue moving through its procedurally generated space. The concept aims for quick accessibility paired with a high mastery ceiling.

The same day also brings Payday: Aces High, a virtual-reality Payday spin-off from Fast Travel Games. Available on SteamVR and Meta Quest for $25, it supports up to four players as they plan and execute heists. Teams can attempt stealth or choose a much louder approach, then spend their earnings on inventory and skills. A final playtest is available through October 26 on Steam and Quest.

More games to watch

ID@Xbox also provided dates for several projects. A Game About Digging A Hole Together is due December 4, while Mouthwashing comes to consoles October 29. The platformer Croak is targeting March.

Finally, solo developer Joe Winter has revealed more of Nyra and the Garden of Moros, an open-world action adventure for Steam. The game follows Nyra as she confronts a dozen colossal creatures in an effort to imprison a god of doom and end a spreading curse. Players can defeat these giant Keepers or take on the more difficult task of cleansing and saving them. Nyra travels with Rama, a wolf companion inspired by Winter's late husky, while the protagonist's character was also shaped by the developer's admiration for his wife's compassion and strength.

From giant-beast climbing to dog care, sports roguelites, Gaelic horror and VR robberies, this is another reminder that the most interesting corners of gaming are often where the categories start to blur.