Day of the Devs SGF Edition 2025 sure did blow my socks off this year. Showcasing a host of exciting upcoming indie games from talented developers, we got six new shiny world premiere reveals and a closer look at some previously announced gems that had me reaching out with impatient grabby hands. In fact, some of them have got me so hyped that I simply cannot stop myself from screaming about them right here.
From an exciting new life sim with a horror-esque twist on the classic Stardew Valley formula, to an incredibly zen looking new atmospheric adventure from the art director of Journey and many more, Day of the Devs brought lots of indie game goodness to the Summer Game Fest Schedule for 2025, and once again proved to be one of the highlights of the big announcement season. Let's just say that after this showcase, I've added a lot of new games to my wishlist, and you should absolutely do the same.
Toem 2
Developer: Something We Made
Platform(s): PC
Toem was easily one of my favorite games of 2021, so I'm naturally over the moon that we're getting a sequel – which made a delightful appearance during the Day of the Devs showcase. Set a few years after the first game, Toem 2 is once again going to take us on a photography-filled adventure where we can snap pictures of all sorts of critters and curiosities.
This time around, though, we'll be able to play around with new camera tools that we get from friends we meet and complete questlines for. These tools let us interact with the world in new ways, from using a hammer to smash things, or a scissor to cut our way through obstacles or solve puzzles. Complete with a new movement system that will let us climb and traverse in fresh ways, it looks every bit as charming as the first game. Put me behind the viewfinder right now.
Snap and Grab
Developer: No Goblin
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
As a huge fan of the pop culture of the era, anything set in the '80s is going to be right up my street, which is why I instantly clicked with the concept behind Snap and Grab. "High fashion glamor and high ticket crime" paints a picture of what's in store in this heist-filled romp, which sees you take on the role of the "world's greatest photographer" who takes snapshots in a variety of settings to try and hone in on valuable items to steal.
Then, you use your trusty camera to capture potential obstacles, before using the photos to map a step-by-step plan to carry out the perfect crime. As well as looking downright stylish, I love the unique camera-fueled hijinks Snap and Grab promises. I'm ready to rewind the clock and step back into the decade of shoulder pads, neon-colors, and synthesizers to see what I can pinch in early 2026.
Mixtape
Developer: Beethoven and Dinosaur
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X/S (Xbox Game Pass), PS5
I absolutely adored the toe-tapping goodness and quirky sci-fi weirdness of Artful Escape (check out our Artful Escape review for more on that), which is why I'm already jazzed for developer Beethoven and Dinosaurs next game, Mixtape. With another look at the new coming-of-age adventure that follows three friends who in the words of developer Johnny Galvatron, "spend their last night together listening to a perfectly curated soundtrack", I can see myself falling into its rhythm when it releases sometime this year.
Described as a musical retrospective, we'll explore memories that mash up mechanics, eras, and art styles, the soundtrack is stocked up with a host of rad bands and artists – from the likes of Devo and Joy Division to Smashing Pumpkins, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Iggy Pop. I'm totally getting my cassette player ready for this one (even if you won't actually need one to play it).
Sword of the Sea
Developer: Giant Squid
Platform(s): PC, PS5
From the art director of Journey and Flower, Matt Nava, and developer Giant Squid – the studio behind Abzu and The Pathless – comes a new atmospheric adventure that's absolutely calling to me. With movement that's inspired by old snowboarding games and the Tony Hawk series, Sword of the Sea aims to tap into the meditative flow of surfing as we restore life to a lost ocean on the back of a Hoversword.
Whether it be gliding over water surfaces, careening off ledges, or sliding across walls, sweeping across the surreal landscapes promises to send me right into a flow-state. Topped off with an art style and vibe that smacks of the studio's signature DNA, and music from Austin Wintory, you better believe I'm going to be on board when its release rolls around on August 19, 2025.
Neverway
Developer: Coldblood Inc
Platform(s): PC
I'm not one for horror, which is why my desire to play Neverway comes as a personal surprise, but I love the way it riffs on the classic farming sim trope of leaving a dead-end job and escaping to a farm, only to become… indebted as the immortal herald of a dead god? Talk about a dark turn. With time progressing in three blocks - morning, afternoon, and evening - you can choose when you advance to set your own pace.
From fishing to farming and cooking it looks set to feature all of the ingredients I love to play around with in a life sim that's finished up with helpings of combat, mystery, and spookiness. Plus, you can also form friendships with those you meet and even develop romantic relationships if you wish, and that couldn't speak to me more. As a big fan of games like Stardew Valley, I can't remember the last time I added a new life sim to my wishlist so quickly (with the exception of Witchbrook).
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