MOST ANTICIPATED GAMES OF 2026!
- Hubert Spala
- 3 days ago
- 9 min read
A new year means new opportunities! As much as I loathe the cold grasp of winter, the darkness outside the window and the cold seeping through the walls, I can't deny the mental cleansing a new year brings to my mind. It's that big reset for my willpower, my discipline, my desire to be better. And on other fronts, it means a whole year to enjoy our hobbies, defining what they mean to us. I will keep enjoying great indie games. The indie renaissance is still thriving, so we can expect a steady flow of fantastic titles in 2026. As a matter of fact, we already know quite a lot of them, and I am excited for way too many to count.
Well, it is countable actually - with my wishlist of 236 titles on Steam, I know quite well what I am hoping to get my mitts on. Obviously there's no chance I can write about all of them, so as much as it pains me, I want to shine a spotlight of my most anticipated games of 2026... as of the start of this year. I am sure the list will evolve with time, but that's what monthly posts are for! For now, let me show you some titles I am riveted about!
A smart, strategic autobattler with a unique art style? It has strong mechanics beneath the surface and clear explanations of everything? Sign me up! The demo was most impressive - fun, direct and to the point. This title, for me, has that Gamer's Game feel to it. And to explain what I mean by this, I merely had the feeling it just wants you to rapidly engage with its systems and find depths of fun in finding out killer combinations. Positioning, placement, they all play a role too. The best part for me was the Labels system. Units come with one or more tags, like Melee, Ranged, and Arcane. The more tags of the same type you have, the bigger the bonuses for your growing army. Units can level up, get powerful equipment, everything can be upgraded or modified... It is an extraordinarily rich game with multiple systems set in place for the players to be finicky with. And I am here for it.
Why I look forward to UNDERBOARD:
A great variety of units, systems, items, and tools to craft a vast combination of possible armies.
Cool, grungy art style.
ROAD 96 was quite a game. I remember it fondly - it's a weirdo game, a narrative experience focused on delivering the unexpected. You never know in what wacky direction any conversation can steer you towards. Linear, exciting and peculiar in the best possible way. TIDES OF TOMORROW is the developers' another foray into a narrative experience but with a delicious twist - it's kinda-sorta multiplayer. Other players' actions affect everyone else. Imagine seeing the ghosts of struggling souls in the DARK SOULS series. This time, their choices truly influence your experience. That alone is an interesting prospect to explore. Add to that the fact that the game looks fantastic and enthralling. Ruined, flooded planet, remnants of crumbled society, and yet, despite the post-apocalyptic tone, it is not painted in rust and gloom. Vivid, vibrant, colourful, stylish. It has that special something that draws me to it.
Why I look forward to TIDES OF TOMORROW:
Single Player narrative in which other players' decisions impact my story sounds intruiguing.
ROAD 96 was a great game, and so, I am eager to check the devs' new project!
This is it. The prophesied spiritual successor to the Best Game of All Timelines. DISCO ELYSIUM isn't just a milestone in gaming; it is a piece of art that could easily be displayed in the Louvre. Some bold developers are taking on the huge challenge of creating something similar. We can expect a few titles this year that will try to capture this lightning in a bottle again. The demo was spectacular. You're a Cleric. A little soggy. A little confused. You have a noble quest! To investigate a rather explosive disappearance of a local tea shop. The problem is, there is an election coming, so time is of the essence. Also, you're a bit of a bumbling buffoon. Or not. Or somewhat.
Because you, the player, decide what kind of Cleric you will be - a straight-to-the-point, focused detective? An apple-munching lunatic who gleans truths from the ancient walls? A ragamuffin ruffian with no compunction about stealing stuff? Meet strange folk. Declare your allegiance - even if it is to yourself and your own outrageous dreams of glory. Solve a case. Or, well, try to anyway. Talk to your inner self and duke it out - verbally - with variety of pusher, movers and go-getter to get... somewhere. It's comedic. It's deep. It has lore up the wazoo. I am salivating to get my hands on the full game.
Why I look forward to ESOTERIC EBB:
Because my Constitution enables me to talk to walls.
Because fighting a zombie wasn't about hacking at it, but more about awkwardly trying to convince it to move away.
I know, this might be a shocker to y'all, but I like deckbuilders. Sorry, it's just who I am. I guess my sting with Magic: The Gathering in my youth left a mark on my soul that will never rub off. CROPDECK is a lovingly unique take on the genre simply because the farming gimmick is real. Ish. What it means is that you can't just smack some cards together, make a killer combo and call it a day. First, because you're not dropping cards to battle a monster, but to plan for the future. You need to optimize your deck to the max to ensure good draws, proper order of cards... Plough the fields, plant the crops, water them on a regular basis.
All that while constantly checking the calendar, as turn after turn gets you closer to the ruthless taxation to come and demand its due. Like every good game about making cards work for you, it is a bit of a puzzler - each scenario a conundrum to solve, with a plethora of ways to do it, too. Go wide with rapidly growing, cheap veggies that can be spammed and harvested rapidly, or go tall with slow growers that pack an impact. Chain together your crops and cards to make little value engines. Don't get stuck and don't let the random events ruin your carefully laid-out plans. It's neat!
Why I look forward to CROPDECK:
Because I am always happy to see a roguelike or a deckbuilder with a more pacifist theme!
Because it is deceptively clever, despite its vibrant, cutesy vibes.
Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant. Now that's quite a name to add to your gaming library. And of course it wouldn't be on the list for its fancy name alone. The concept has tantalised me since its reveal, ten thousand years ago. Because who, in their heart of hearts, didn't want to be a kommandant of a giant planetary cannon? That's your job in the game - a lonesome soul living in a bunker that is also a complex command centre for a giant armament pointed at the cosmos. Alien invaders are coming and it is up to your deft manoeuvring and your understanding of the byzantine control panel of the ginormous gun that stands in the way of their conquest. But wait, there's more. It seems things aren't as they seem, or maybe your mind is getting a little skittish, because there are some... spooky events unfolding between the operational necessities of handling your behemothian artillery.
In short - it's hella intriguing. The concept is as fresh as it gets and the execution, from what we could see so far in teasers and trailers, looks very promising. Especially the ever-growing complexity of your command console, with countless buttons, switches, levers, gears, screens and other bits and bobs that you'll need to learn how to manage in a timely manner. Bring it on!
Why I look forward to PVKK:
Because it was always my dream to operate a colossal cannon with over-complicated controls.
Because it is as innovative a concept as you can get!
It is not often that a game boldly describes a cosmic horror from beyond the dark veil of the stars, and it turns out to be the British. In TEARS OF METAL you will play valiant Scottish heroes, leading their merry band of freedom fighters against the infernal forces of the southern colonizers with bad teeth... and access to mystical, eldritch metal that fell from the sky and corrupted them into a true Force of Evil. What makes this game awesome and impossible to miss is the blend of genres. I never thought I would see a DYNASTY WARRIORS'esque gameplay so seamlessly married to a Roguelike formula. And by Jove, it works like a charm. Run around small, tightly designed battlefields, smash through waves of the bri'ish occupants, beat the tougher elites, face the bosses. And all that while unlocking new gear, levelling up your troops, gaining new companions. And, most of all, creating a build from Clan Powers - each clan offering a set of blessings and imbuements for your main hero to spike up your power and prepare you for the run final boss.
It's fantastic. The visuals, rough, painterly and vibrant. The soundscape? Stellar! The clashing armies, yelled invectives and battle cries, grindy Scottish accents. And that blood-stirring power metal soundtrack kicking in with the bagpipes and electric guitar riffs to go with the slaughter! What a rush.
Why I look forward to TEARS OF METAL:
Because SCOOOOTLAND FOREEEEVER!
Because the roguelike Dynasty Warriors formula is a wild blend that I have never seen before.
I can't even properly describe why I am so excited for this game. But let me try... TRUCKFUL feels like a blast from the past in some strange, ephemeral way. It tickles my brain into believing that it is so very PS2-era coded, even though it really isn't. It's a simple game, with simple controls, almost forgotten in the modern age of gaming. You have your ramshackle truck, deliver goods, all locked to a rigid camera and intimate perspective. Enjoying the vistas as you drive, because the world presented is simply gorgeous - low-poly, but extremely polished. Colorful, high contrast, vivid and warm. The act of driving through gentle serpentines on this idyllic countryside felt like a balm for the soul. Sun is blazing, rich grasses sway to the wind, trees rustle with foliage, sheeps bleat in the distance... The vibes, good sires, are impeccable.
But the visuals alone - as stellar as they are - are a dressing for a pretty fun game. Delivering stuff with a physics-based caboose is a perfect core loop challenge. You must balance speed with control, making sure you don't swerve too hard to crash too much to let your cargo spill and smash. Add to that a monstrous killer truck in the dark depths of the forbidden forest hunting you down like some primordial predator, et voilà ! You get a thrilling, exciting game prospect on your plate.
Why I look forward to TRUCKFUL:
Because it is the best-looking game I have seen in ages.
Because running away from the truck from hell, with horns blaring and engines churning, made my spine tingle and my skin prickle.
Genius. I wasn't so excited for a new roguelike game in years! Remember the movie Mortal Engines? Where titanic city-sized land leviathans roam the land, fighting each other over resources. Where even small villages or singular buildings were on heavy threads, churning the ground under their motion? That's the game. It's a whimsical, cheerful medieval romp in a fantasy land, where every single structure is a smoke-belching vehicle. The first time you see a little house rise from the ground, trying to run away from your tiny, mobile castle, is quite unforgettable! Windmills run away, big towers and giant fortresses roam the land, armies of footsoldier try their best to stop you in your tracks...
It's hilariously fun. The controls are tight and the roguelike systems are great. As you level up your gear - guns, rams, your soldiers - your tiny tower grows in size and heft. It becomes more deadly, yes, but also bigger and more unwieldy. And there are plenty of options for how to construct your mobile bastion. You can go for a close-range-oriented build, roll on wheels, treads or spindly spidery legs to get up close and bash enemy structures. You can rely on mighty cannons, laying mines, or trained squads of archers. It is a high-octane romp that keeps on being addictively fun.
Why I look forward to WANDERBURG:
Because innovative takes on a roguelike formula are always welcome.
Because it is an arcade delight with a fantastic, fresh premise.
Playing the demo of this game transported me back in time. It felt like I was 12 again, playing my way through CRASH BANDICOOT on PS1. Not because the games are similar, not even close, but it is the charm of it, the feel of the experience. It's unapologetically retro, but in the best way possible - because it doesn't forget modern sensibilities. An action-adventure platformer where you play as Waltz, a lost ghost in the afterlife. With your cute spirit puppy - titular Jam - you’ll explore the quirky lands of the dead. And within that realm, you’ll meet strange characters, solve puzzles, battle threats, and collect various items. It's a classic setup and I feel like fans of old-school 3D platformers will find utter delight playing through this game. Bah, the demo is still very much out there for the taking, so give it a go.
It's worth adding that I find the visuals of this game to be fantastic. It is cutesy, yes, but it has this gentle veneer taken straight from Burtonesque playkit. A bit of cheerful horror, a glimpse here and there of something dark and uncanny wrapped in soft edges and gentle aesthetics. Love that!
Why I look forward to WALTZ AND JAM:
Because games like that are still relatively rare, especially made with such fidelity!
Because the demo was a blast and I am excited to spend way more time with Waltz and Jam.