One of the highlights of game shows like Taipei Game Show is the Indie House, an area where indie games are showcased. Everyone gets a chance to play demos or even try the full builds before their actual debuts. Independent game developers now have access to great game-building tools that bring their ideas to life. That’s why it’s really important to give these indie games a stage on any sort of gaming convention big or small. More people trying and playing games means the world to these developers.
Here are a few of the games that drew us in, whether it’s for the graphics, the polish, or overall look. Be sure to check these titles out on their respective platforms.
Our Quick Picks for Great Indie Games
Gothic horror, Spanish culture, and methodic storytelling combine into a first person narrative shooter Crisol. Produced by Vermilla Studios, the game took five years to build and polish, with really gorgeous visuals. Inspired by visual beats and stylistic cues taken from games like Bloodstained, Dishonored, Bioshock, and Blasphemous, Crisol incorporates Spanish culture and sensibilities into the game, something CEO David Carrasco proudly noted. For Pinoy gamers, this means there’s a bit of familiarity underneath all the macabre and blood.
A self-styled “boomer shooter”, Trueworld Studios’ Unyeilder takes its inspiration from older FPS titles like Quake and Doom. It has roguelike elements to keep the game from being too repetitive, but players really need to rely on their aim and quick hand-eye coordination to clear levels.
Part of this year’s winners at the TGS 2026 Indie Game Awards, Ball X Pit from Kenny Sun and Friends took the super retro game Pong and injected bullet hell-inspired action that amped the gameplay up several notches. Quick eyes, quick reflexes, and just letting all hell break loose is how to best enjoy this game.
A game featuring one of the virtual idols from Japanese Vtuber stable Hololive, the game lets players control Shirakami Fubuki, the protagonist from Hololive JP Generation 2. It’s a platformer through and through, with power ups and boss fights galore. If you’re a fan of vtubers, specifically Fubuki, then make sure to get this game onto your radar.
A Sims-type social game wasn’t part of our Taipei Game Show 2026 bingo card as a game that will catch our attention, but Yourlife has a unique strategy: locations in the game can be based on actual locales, and the developers are actively partnering with actual real-life brands like Starbucks to digitize and include in-game, opening opportunities for non-gaming brands to dip their toes in the gaming industry.
JD Pablo Editor-in-Chief
JD Pablo is the current Editor-in-Chief of twenty8two. Enjoys video games, pizza, banana bread, and tea. Takes coffee black.
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