Sony and Fujifilm are locked in a battle for tape supremacy, with the latter revealing it's preparing for tape media with an areal density of 224Gbit per square inch, which translates to a real life capacity of around 400TB.
Fujifilm - which has just announced its first Tape-as-a-Service offering - is betting on Strontium Ferrite (SrFe) as opposed to the popular Barium Ferrite, which is used in most LTO tapes, the capacity of which currently top 12TB (uncompressed) or 30TB (compressed using an industry ratio of 2.5:1).
LTO-8 will make way for LTO-9 later this year and, with the last four LTO generations shipped over the past six years, one can expect the next four (LTO-10, LTO-11, LTO-12 and LTO-13) to be available by 2026 (depending on market conditions).
At 384TB, a single LTO-13 tape is likely to be the single biggest unit of storage in the world, far outclassing hard disk drives (with capacities stalling, having grown by only 2TB per generation) and solid state drives, which reached 100TB in 2018 and then stopped growing.
It would take a very bold person indeed to bet against LTO being the first media to reach 1PB (that’s one million Gigabyte).
The biggest issue with tape has to do with accessing the right file, which is why it is seen as an archiving media above all. Transfer rates are unlikely to be an issue, with LTO-13 likely to surpass 16Gbps, but that still means you will need at least a day to fill one up, especially if the tape length surpasses 1,000m.
After being targeted by a large scale state-based cyberattack, Australia has announced that it will spend $926.1m over the next 10 years to boost its cybersecurity defenses.
The country's prime minister Scott Morrison said earlier this month that the threats against Australia are not only sophisticated but are directed towards “all levels of government, industry, political organisations, education, health, essential service providers and operators of other critical infrastructure”.
As of yet, Australia has not revealed who it believed was responsible for the recent attacks. However, three sources briefed on the matter informed Reuters that China is believed to be the country responsible though Beijing has rejected these claims. In a statement, Morrison explained why Australia is investing heavily into its cybersecurity defenses, saying:
“The federal government’s top priority is protecting our nation’s economy, national security and sovereignty. Malicious cyber activity undermines that.”
Cybersecurity investment
Of the funds that Australia will invest to improve its cybersecurity posture, $324m will be used to hire an additional 500 security experts to bolster the country's cyber intelligence agency, the Australian Directorate.
According to the country's Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds, the funding is part of a $10bn investment in cyber warfare capabilities and part of plan that was expedited following a cyberattack on Australia's parliament and three of the country's largest political parties last year.
While Australia did not publicly disclose who was responsible for the hack that occurred just months before its election, the country's intelligence agencies were able to determine that China was responsible for the cyberattack. Once again, Beijing denied that it was responsible for the attack.
Cyberattacks and other online threats continue to disrupt businesses as well as governments and it makes a great deal of sense that Australia wants to double down on its cyber defenses before it faces yet another attack.
Keep all of your devices protected online with the best antivirus software
Gavin Bashar, UK MD of Tunstall Healthcare, discusses the important role of medical alert systems, activity monitoring and health monitoring to improve care delivery and maintain health and wellbeing for people living with dementia.
In the UK, 850,000 people currently live with dementia but this is set to reach 1.6 million by 2040 due to the ageing population.
It can be challenging to care for someone living with dementia, and this has only been exacerbated further by COVID-19. However, technology is available to support care-giving and ensure that individuals receive the care they need to live a healthy, happy and high quality life.
Technology can facilitate care delivery, even during a global health crisis, and enable people living with dementia to stay in familiar surroundings for as long as possible. They are therefore able to enjoy a better quality life for longer, and invaluable support can be more easily provided by the people caring for them.
As more is understood about dementia in its various forms it is clear that enabling technology has the potential to make a significant and positive difference to the lives of people living with dementia, and the ability of our health and social care systems to support their needs effectively.
Why technology?
Technologies such as medical alerts systems, telecare and telehealth offer an excellent opportunity to enhance the quality of life of people living with dementia.
When deployed correctly, technology can enable vulnerable people to remain independent, safe and socially involved with friends, family and their community. In addition, people living with dementia can use technology to secure more choices about their care to ensure it is right for them.
However, technology must always be viewed in the context of complementing an individual’s care and support, rather than as a replacement for human interaction as this can leave users feeling isolated and alone.
Medical alert systems and other technology not only provides numerous benefits for people living with dementia, but also for their carers. When telecare is introduced, it can enable carers to improve the relationship with the person they care for, the opportunity to continue activities outside of their caregiving role and peace of mind that the person they care for is safe and comfortable.
To fully realise the benefits of technology in dementia care, it should be introduced as early as possible and be tailored to the specific needs of each individual. Securing the right support early will enable users to continue living in an environment of their choice for as long as possible, with independence and dignity. Furthermore, the range of technology available is constantly growing so early diagnosis is key, so that the right systems can be put in place to offer insight into patterns of behaviour and enable effective care planning.
The role of technology in caregiving
Technology has a key role to play in improving care quality, increasing the capacity of key services and enabling flexibility in the way care is delivered. This will make care for dementia more proactive and predictive, and help to address both current and future challenges. Technology is an enabler, and as our population ages and more people are affected by dementia, it will allow daily monitoring to be delivered more effectively, so that vulnerable people can live independently and be kept out of residential care, for as long as possible.
Alert systems, along with health and activity monitoring, can be tailored to the needs of individuals and automatically monitor risks inside the home, such as falls or fires. Vulnerable people are also able to call for help in case of an emergency, 24 hours a day, from a range of stakeholders. Furthermore, operators can make proactive calls to service users, checking on their wellbeing, offering advice and supporting carers.
Assistive technology enables sophisticated remote monitoring and proactive care planning, ensuring care is provided when it is needed most. Discrete monitoring of activity in the home over time, such as how often the kitchen and bathroom are being used, can detect any deterioration in wellbeing at an early stage and enable interventions which can reduce or delay the need for more complex care. Likewise, remote monitoring of vital signs and symptoms can give an early indication of deteriorating health, and clinicians can view data via an online portal to identify individuals most in need of intervention.
Technology in practice
Organisations across the UK are working to help support people with a wide range of needs using technology as part of services. The Hertfordshire Telecare Service supports almost 4,000 people in Hertfordshire to live more independently, many of whom have dementia.
One patient, who will call Norman to protect his privacy, has vascular dementia, and lives alone, although his daughter lives nearby. Technology is helping him to remain safe and at home, and provide reassurance to his daughter. Unobtrusive telecare sensors in his home will automatically raise an alarm at the 24 hour monitoring centre if they detect floods, fires or carbon monoxide in Norman’s home, and property exit sensors have also been fitted which will notify the centre if an external door is opened. A specially trained operator at the centre can then talk to Norman through the speaker on the Lifeline unit to assess the situation, and make sure Norman is okay. If the operator is unable to get a response, they can contact Norman’s daughter, or the British Red Cross Responder Service so they can check on him.
Norman also has a GPS tracker device, which enables his daughter to locate him should he leave home and be unable to find his way back. Together with the Telecare Service, this has already helped Norman to be found quickly and returned to his home, avoiding him being at risk. It also means that Norman is able to remain in his own home, rather than being admitted to residential care for his own safety.
UPDATE:After a bit of a drought on the sales front, some decent Xbox One X bundles have landed on Microsoft's online store which are quite well discounted – you can check out those deals below.
We research the best Xbox One sales to bring you the best value bundle deals every week. We generally find opting for an Xbox One bundle instead of a console-only deal is a smart way to go as you'll most likely get more for your money, with extra games and accessories thrown in to sweeten the deal.
To make finding the best Xbox One bundle deal less tasking, we've scoured the internet for the lowest prices on bundles and best console deals and rounded them up here in one spot for you.
As we stay indoors to self-isolate due to the threat of Covid-19, what better time to pick up a console and get stuck into some games? Below you will find the lowest prices in Australia for both the Xbox One S, Xbox One X and the newly released Xbox One S All-Digital Edition. Admittedly, it's getting tough to find consoles for sale at the moment, let alone great deals. That said, we're committed to bringing you the best Xbox One prices we can find during this difficult time.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
Xbox All Access
A fantastic option for those who don't want to buy a new Xbox One console as we approach the upcoming release of the next-generation Xbox Series X, Microsoft's Xbox All Access service offers month-to-month access to an Xbox One console, along with an Xbox Game Pass subscription. This allows users to access the console and over 100 great games for a very reasonable monthly-fee.
Telstra is offering an Xbox One S console with Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass For just AU$22 per month*. That means you can play online with a selection of over 100 games to choose from.
*Min cost AU$528 when you stay connected for 24 months + plan charges. Price after first 24 months: AU$15.95 per month. Early termination charges apply.View Deal
Need a console with a bit more grunt? Telstra is also offering the powerful Xbox One X console with Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass For just AU$34 per month*. You get all the same Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass benefits as the previous deal, along with a download code for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Deluxe Edition.
*Min cost $816 when you stay connected for 24 months + plan charges. Price after first 24 months: $15.95 per month. Early termination charges apply.View Deal
Xbox One S deals
With the unveiling of the Xbox One X, the Xbox One S has seen some impressive price drops and bundle deals with Microsoft going all out to pump up the pressure on its rivals. It was already often the cheapest console of the current generation, but with some of these savings on bundles and even Xbox One controllers, the price seems right.
At this point it's probably wiser to buy a bundle and score some wicked Xbox One games along with the unit, as some of them can come in cheaper than the standalone consoles themselves.
It might be getting on in years, but the Xbox One S is still a great console for new gamers. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of deals around for consoles at the moment, with many retailers across Australia totally out of stock. That said, Microsoft is offering the all-digital version of Xbox One S for only AU$239 – that's well below full RRP and comes with codes to download Sea of Thieves, Fortnite and Minecraft, which is better than nothing.View Deal
At once more elegant and more powerful, the slimmed-down design of the Xbox One S ditches the external power brick and chunky looks of the original Xbox One. More importantly, it comes kitted out with 4K visual support meaning you'll be able to watch specialised Blu-Ray and Netflix content in 4K.
Xbox One X prices are constantly changing from store to store, making it hard to keep up at times. To take the pain out of scoping out the best Xbox One X prices this Black Friday 2019, you should be able to find the best real-time deals listed below, updated live, along with some hand-picked options.
Now AU$120 cheaper than it was last week, this Xbox One X bundle is totally worth it if you're desperate for some entertainment during lockdown. Microsoft's online store is offering the 4K-ready Xbox One X bundled with the utterly splendid Forza Horizon 4 and its expansion LEGO Speed Champions for only AU$429 View Deal
Like the deal above, this bundle from Microsoft's online store quite discounted compared to its previous price of AU$549. You can pick up the 4K-ready Xbox One X bundled with last year's terrific Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order for only AU$429. View Deal
Games and peripherals deals
Resident Evil 3 (Xbox One) | now AU$69
Following on from 2018's stellar Resident Evil 2 remake, Capcom has given a fresh coat of paint to the next title in the classic horror series with a remake of Resident Evil 3. While we've heard the game is shorter than its predecessor, this AU$30 discount on the full RRP should make up for that. Buy the Xbox One version for only AU$69 from Amazon Australia.View Deal
Red Dead Redemption 2 (Xbox One) | now AU$44
If you need a truly fantastic game to keep you occupied for a lengthy period of time, look no further than Rockstar's latest masterpiece, Red Dead Redemption 2. Right now, you can pick up a copy of the award-winning western title for Xbox One for only AU$44 from Amazon Australia.View Deal
Unlike their AAA counterparts, the best indie games give gamers the pure artistic vision of game developers. Since they don’t have to rely on tired tropes just to sell millions of copies, like AAA titles, they’re basically artistic masterpieces and offer a more unique experience.
Still, the best indie games can easily rival mainstream games in both quality and scope. Just because the best indie games don’t have the corporate weight behind them doesn’t mean they can’t keep up with the latest AAA hits in scope and ambition. We've found that the opposite is often true. In fact, most ideally experienced on one of the best gaming PCs, many of them are among the best Steam games you can download in 2020.
If you’re looking for the next great indie hits, keep reading. We’ve put together a list of all the best indie games on the PC and console market today, from in vogue indies like Return of the Obra Dinn and Outward, to classic titles like Braid and Dwarf Fortress.
It’s not out yet, with Double Fine promising it’ll be out ‘soonish,’ but Ooblets is already on our radar. Being developed by first-time studio Glumberland, and backed by Double Fine, the game is described as some kind of combo between Pokemon, Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing, capturing our attention – and probably yours, too. The game combines an art style oddly reminiscent of post-apocalyptic sensation, Adventure Time, with gameplay that revolves around gathering creatures called ooblets in the town of, uh, Oob.
In the game, you’ll be able to train and battle your ooblets against other ooblet trainers. At the same time, you’ll have to balance your ooblet training with the real-world responsibilities of being a farmer. That’s right; drawing influence from the likes of Stardew Valley, you can cultivate, produce and decorate your house with various trimmings as well. You’ll also be able to join an Ooblet Club comprised of friends (NPCs) you’ll meet along the way.
If you don’t know what to do just yet, you can just walk around aimlessly to discover new shops and buildings that suit your interest. Better yet, you can open up your own shop to sell produce that you’ve grown yourself on the farm, as well as items that you’ve scavenged throughout the world. And, you can feed the leftover crops to your ooblets to watch them level up and learn new techniques to be used in the turn-based, RPG-style battles.
Expected: ‘Soonish’
Untitled Goose Game
Image Credit: House House(Image credit: House House/Panic)
Who knew an untitled game about a goose could be so fun? A bit of surprise hit, Untitled Goose Game quickly went viral after its brand of avian nuisance-making was unveiled to the world.
Set in a dopey village in the English countryside, you play as a goose tasked with terrorizing your human neighbours: stealing their crops, locking them in closets, and honking all the way through. Inspired by the stealth action series Hitman, but with its own charm, Untitled Goose Game became a huge hit in 2019. You'll zip through the game in a handful of hours, but it's very much work the journey.
Cave Story
Image Credit: Pixel(Image credit: Pixel)
First released as PC freeware by Japanese designer Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya in 2004 after five years of 100% solo development, Cave Story predates this recent indie renaissance by a few years. Because of that, it's often been omitted in indie gaming discussions.
However, this classic more than deserves to be on every best-of list, and not only for its loving homage to the classic action platforming games of the Super Nintendo era. It also boasts awesome music and a breathlessly vibrant world, not to mention, the hugely intuitive controls as well as gobs of secrets and weapons that are simply too fun to use. If you've yet to enjoy this one, you need to put it at the top of your list already.
Cuphead
Image Credit: StudioMDHR(Image credit: Studio MDHR)
From family-owned and operated Studio MDHR, Cuphead has resonated with millions of people around the world, many of whom normally wouldn’t touch a run-and-gun platformer with a ten-foot pole.
While its gameplay was inspired by classic games such as Mega Man and Contra, most gamers will likely compare it to a Fleischer Studios cartoon like Betty Boop. Because Cuphead uses a hand-drawn art style similar to a 1930s animation, it’s been universally praised for its gorgeous visuals.
Cuphead is more than just its stunning visuals, however. It’s a series of 19 challenging and engaging bosses, with platforming bits interspersed between them. It already made our list of the best indie games, but then Studio MDHR has announced that the Cuphead: the Delicious Last Course DLC, slated for 2019, will include a new isle to explore, new bosses to conquer and, most importantly, a new character to master.
A Plague Tale: Innocence
Image Credit: Focus Home Interactive(Image credit: Focus Home Interactive)
This dark and moody action-adventure stealth game by Asobo Studio is hauntingly beautiful.
Set in the 1340s during the Black Death pandemic in the French countryside, you’re Amicia, a young noble girl whose parents were killed by the Inquisition. You must now traverse battlefields and villages with her brother Hugo to find a cure for his mysterious ailment. Along the way, you must scare away ravenous rats as well as stun (or kill) guards and hostile villagers with your sling and special ammunition supplies.
Despite the ghastliness and rawness of the Middle Ages and the Plague, A Plague Tale: Innocence is a complete stunner and a game who almost never want to end.
Spelunky
Image Credit: Derek Yu(Image credit: Derek Yu)
Among the hardcore gamers we know, Spelunky is the go-to drug. Even today, several years after its release, some of them still play it consistently, despite having completed it many times over. That's because this ostensibly rogue-like platformer with a definite end is tough, varied and highly randomized.
It also has more dark secrets than a presidential candidate, which means that there are a number of ways to finish it, and its daily challenges are a sure-fire way to public humiliation.
Does humor belong in video games? Well, if the Stanley Parable has its way, it’s a resounding ‘yes’. This game is hilarious without being dumbed down. Players follow (or don’t) a very British narrator who changes the world around you, based on your choices.
No choice is punished, and every playthrough will be fresh with new humor and weird goings-on. In fact, being trapped in the closet in The Stanley Parable is more moving and funny than the majority of other games, indie and otherwise.
If you missed out on this ironic gem back when it first launched, you’ll be happy to know that the developer announced the Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe edition for 2019, touting fresh content, more endings and a console release. This Ultra Deluxe edition actually sounds pretty tempting, even for us – and we played it a whole lot when it first came out.
Deep Rock Galactic
(Image credit: Coffee Stain Publishing)
It’s no surprise that co-op games have made their way to the indie scene – who wouldn’t want to beat up hordes of enemies alongside friends? One of the best indie co-op games out there is newcomer Deep Rock Galactic, which only officially hit the streets in May 2020. Although it is an infant next to these classics on our list, it’s already built quite a fanbase. That’s how good this game is.
In the game, you’re playing with three others (or you can also play on your own, if you’re a loner) to dig and shoot your way through a procedurally-generated cave network. But, you’re not only battling alien swarms here - there are also resources to collect and a goal to finish. The best part, however, is that there’s no set path so you can complete your mission as creatively as you want, so long as you work together. Well, that and those awesome weapons you can have in your arsenal.
Deep Rock Galactic is simply the coolest co-op FPS game to hit Steam in 2020, and definitely among the best indie games we’ve played this year.
It took more than nine years to make, but Owlboy is certainly worth the wait. Originally designed for PCs and released in late 2016, this clever indie game masterpiece is now available to experience on Mac and Linux as well – and there’s even a Nintendo Switch version! Owlboy revolves around a race of owl-human hybrid characters called, aptly enough, Owls. Of them, you control Otis, an Owl who is censured by his mentor for his inept flying skills.
The story sees Otis’ village destroyed by pirates who have conflict with the Owls. As a result, Otis has to work with an assortment of villagers in-game to take out enemies. Of course, before the boss battles arise, you’ll need to manage allies accordingly, as each character comes with their own set of unique skill sets to use in conjunction with one another. If you’ve ever played and enjoyed a Kid Icarus game, this is one’s for you. If not, well… play it anyway.
Similar to The Stanley Parable, Gone Home falls into the unofficially christened ‘walking simulator’ genre. Where it diverts from the clever and philosophical Stanley Parable, however, is its focus on life’s difficult realities, as opposed to light humor.
After coming home to your childhood house following an overseas visit, you play as 21-year-old Kaitlin Greenbriar who is greeted by an empty house. While gameplay is limited to scavenging through notes to find out where your family is, the compelling story is extremely emotional and gripping, as long as you keep an open mind. After all this time, Gone Home still stands out as one of the best indie games out there.
Kerbal Space Program
Image Credit: Squad(Image credit: Squad)
Only SpaceChem has mixed learning with entertainment as successfully as The Kerbal Space Program. The game is simple - design and build a spacecraft to take the cutesy Kerbals to the Mun and beyond.
Its intelligent use of real physics, however, means that you'll find yourself following NASA as you’re building multi-stage rockets and space stations as well as exploring the Kerbal's strange universe on EVAs, before bringing your discoveries back for research on the Kerbal planet - that's if you can get off the ground at all. It's a huge, complex, challenging and fun game that manages to be super smart without being preachy.
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
Image Credit: Edmund McMillen and Florian Himsl,(Image credit: Edmund McMillen and Florian Himsl,)
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is the exact opposite of something like Kerbal Space Program – it’s an action roguelike par excellence. You play as a young boy forced to kill his damned siblings, mother and possibly the Devil, using only tears that he shoots from his eyes, naturally. This indie games is matched only by the equally visceral Nuclear Throne. With dozens of weird items to collect, endless procedurally-generated levels and many secrets, the Binding of Isaac is a very dark take on the exploratory model established by Spelunky.
Don’t let its pixel art graphics put you off – Undertale isn’t a game that would have fit on the Super Nintendo. That’s because, in Undertale, the decisions you make have a huge impact on how the game ends and, more importantly, how it continues in New Game Plus.
While playing Undertale, you’ll realize just how much freedom the game gives you. Despite its highly inspired and very intense boss matches, you’ll make it through the entire nine or so hours of Undertale as a total pacifist, if you choose to. Plus, when you go through the game a second time, you’ll bear the weight of the consequences from your previous run. What’s even better is that Undertale is out now on the Nintendo Switch, so you can take this masterpiece of game design wherever you go.
Inside
Image Credit: Playdead(Image credit: Playdead)
From developer Playdead, Inside is very much like its predecessor, Limbo, in some ways, only with an added layer of depth that often inspires wonder. This is mostly a result of the unspoken narrative, which revolves around yet another nameless boy. In Inside, the boy is running away from a group of men who – if you fail to stay out of their sights – will try to mercilessly kill you.
It isn't quite clear why the boy is running from these men or why you should even care since you don't know who he is, so Inside will leave you begging for answers. The bleak, lifeless setting of Inside is more than worth the price of admission. Its minimalist art style alone is avant-garde enough to feel right at home in a museum. Factor in the fact that this game is both fun to play and dripping with curiosity, and you won’t doubt that Inside is one of the best indie games money can buy.
Stardew Valley
Image Credit: Eric Barone(Image credit: Eric Barone)
Developed single-handedly by Eric Barone, Stardew Valley is a technical feat for that little fact alone. If you’ve ever played a Harvest Moon game, you’re already familiar with its premise – you may just not know it yet. Stardew Valley is an addictive farming simulator, which lets you interact with townees to the point where you can literally marry them.
Stardew Valley isn’t just farming, however – it’s a whole bunch of other things at the same time. You can go fishing, you can cook, you can craft stuff. You can even go explore procedurally-generated caves to mine for items and even fight slime-monster-things. You should keep in mind that your health and energy are finite however, so you'll want to keep your character rested and fed to avoid suffering from exhaustion. Pass out, and you’ll lose a considerable amount of money and items you’ve worked hard to attain. Stardew Valley will have you playing for hours on end, for better or worse. (Definitely better.)
From Canadian game developer Alec Holowka, creator of the award-winning Aquaria (also featured on this list), and independent artist/animator Scott Benson, Night in the Woods is an unconventional side-scrolling adventure game that revolves around a 20-year-old protagonist named Mae who drops out of college and moves back in with her parents.
Featuring a story largely based around dialog choices and mini games that put a spin on mundane tasks, like carrying boxes up the stairs and eating perogies, Night in the Woods is a timeless coming-of-age tale. Not only will you experience middle class America through the eyes of a personified cat, but virtually every interaction in-game will have you laughing aloud. And now that it’s available on the Nintendo Switch, you can now take it wherever you go.
Hollow Knight
Image Credit: Team Cherry(Image credit: Team Cherry)
If you’re a fan of the recent wave of games inspired by Dark Souls, you’ll absolutely love Hollow Knight. You take control of the Hollow Knight, and lead them through the deceptively adorable landscape to take on bosses and other difficult challenges. Much like Dark Souls, it’s not immediately clear what you’re actually supposed to be doing as the narrative is intentionally obtuse.
The Dark Souls inspirations don’t end there, either. It also embraces Dark Souls’s ‘tough but fair’ philosophy, and the game is only as hard as you make it. In fact, you can overcome anything as long as you have patience and learn from your mistakes. Hollow Knight takes these lessons from Dark Souls and injects them into a MetroidVania, with all the side-scrolling and upgrades you could possibly want. You can even play it on the Nintendo Switch now.
If you’re looking for a game that’s as unforgiving as it is fun, look no further than Dead Cells. It takes gameplay inspiration from so many places – from roguelikes to MetroidVania. There’s even a hint of Dark Souls in there, creating a unique action game that will test your limits and skills.
Each time you play this game, it will feel new. And, while you’ll lose some progress each time you die – and you will die a lot – the game will become even more rewarding as the complex and fluid combat becomes second nature. In the final release of the game, you get access to over 90 weapons, skills and abilities that will let you tailor your gameplay however you want.
Whatever you do, don’t get discouraged if you fail. Get up and try again, as Dead Cells will only reward you in the end, which is why it has our vote for one of the best indie games in 2019.
Deliver Us the Moon
Deliver Us the Moon has gotten a new update ray tracing support.(Image credit: KeokeN Interactive)
If you often have fantasies about preventing a catastrophic world-ending event from happening, Deliver Us the Moon might be the best indie game for you. Released in late 2018, this apocalyptic sci-fi game will let you play the hero who saves humanity from extinction. In the game, you play a lone astronaut, and you’re sent on a critical rescue mission to the moon and find out what happened to Earth’s Helium 3 mining facility, Reinhold mining facility, there after it went dark.
This game by KeokeN Interactive is an adventure game, as opposed to an action one, which means you’re mostly finding clues, navigating your way around abandoned facilities and solving puzzles to figure out what exactly happened. If navigating your way around empty facilities and the whole of the moon all by your lonesome might make you feel autophobic, don’t worry. You’ll have your trusty robot, ASE, beside you as you do so.
Best yet, Deliver Us the Moon has gotten a new update ray tracing support. It now boasts ray tracing effects like shadows, translucent reflections and opaque reflections.
Dwarf Fortress
Image Credit: Bay 12 Games(Image credit: Dwarf Fortress)
Dwarf Fortress is its own genre and its own industry. This is a game that has to generate the entire geography, mythology and history of its massive world before you set foot in it. It then tracks every single one of the dwarfs you're managing down to the hairs on their legs, and the particular horrible elephant murder that they’ve witnessed and are now carving on an ornamental chair.
Your task is simple: to keep the dwarves alive as they carve out their subterranean kingdom. Though given that insanity, monsters and starvation plague them at every stage, it isn’t easy. Plus, dwarves, always, always mine too deep.
Super Meat Boy
Image: Team Meat Boy(Image credit: Team Meat)
Run. Jump. Die. Repeat. That’s basically the gameplay loop of Super Meat Boy, a fiendishly addictive 2D platformer that’s also bloody hard, with an emphasis on bloody. Gallons of blood is spilled as the game’s eponymous meaty hero leaps over deadly drops, spinning saws and walking chainsaws in a bid to rescue his girlfriend, Bandage Girl, from the evil Dr Foetus. Obviously.
With solid controls, lots of humor and vibrant graphics, Super Meat Boy leapt onto the PS4, Vita, and Nintendo Switch in style.
It might not be Playdead’s most recent game, but Limbo is eternal. Five years after its release, and the game’s haunting storyline still has an effect on us. You play the Boy, a child with glowing eyes who is cast into Limbo to find his sister. Making your way through a bleak and dangerous world full of hostile silhouettes, giant spiders and deadly gravitational fields, you’ll need to think on your feet and perfectly time your movements, if you were to survive.
Limbo is much more than a simple platformer: it's an experience, and one that will have you pondering the very essence of life by the time you finish. Deep, profound and absorbing, it's among the best indie games that everybody should take time out to play.
Towerfall: Ascension
Image Credit: Matt Makes Games(Image credit: Matt Makes Games)
If you're looking for a retro-inspired multiplayer archery combat game (aren't we all?), TowerFall: Ascension is the pick of the lot. Fast, frenetic and teeth-gnashingly hard in hardcore mode, the game's mechanics are simple: fire arrows at your enemies or jump on their heads to stay alive until the round ends.
Arrows that don't hit are embedded in walls, making for tense scenarios when you have to traverse the map while dodging enemies to retrieve them. As such, practicing until you achieve Robin Hood-esque levels of accuracy is key. Ascension is best experienced with friends in local multiplayer mode, which is reminiscent of Super Smash Bros' most manic moments.
Celeste
Image Credit: Matt Makes Games, Matt Thorson(Image credit: Matt Makes Games)
It’s not often that a platformer is able to balance challenging and engaging gameplay with an emotional and thought-provoking narrative. Celeste, however, pulls it off, making it one of our best indie games picks. From the developers of Towerfall, Celeste follows the story of Madeline, a young girl who decides to face her mental health issues by climbing to the top of the mysterious Celeste Mountain. In doing so, she learns more not only about the mountain, but about herself as well throughout the process.
An inevitable classic, Celeste integrates the obvious jump, air-dash and climb controls into a brutal series of platforming challenges in upwards of 700 unique screens. If that’s too easy, you’ll unlock B-side chapters along the way, designed for only the most intrepid of hardcore players. You don’t even have to worry about waiting an eternity between each respawn, as Celeste brings you back from the grave in an instant, a welcome departure from the typically extensive load screens.
Have you ever wanted to land on an alien planet, and build a factory? Yes, it’s an unusual premise, but we promise that it works in Satisfactory. You’ll land on one of three planets of varying difficulty, where you’ll be tasked with building and automating a factory to exploit the world around you.
The premise sounds bland, but being able to roam these beautiful worlds in first person while scavenging materials and fighting off hostile wildlife makes it all that more exciting. Plus, is there anything better than sitting back and admiring something you worked hard on?
Satisfactory is in early access right now, and exclusive to the Epic Games Store, but if you can get past all that, you’re sure to get hours of wholesome simulation out of it.
After the raging success that was the original Nidhogg, it’s a shame to see the superior sequel get thrown under the bus. Nevertheless, despite its controversial art style, Nidhogg 2 packs a refined, stunning look that the first version, a cult-classic, wouldn’t dare compete with, which is one of the reasons why it’s on our best indie games list.
In still frames, we can see how this could get misconstrued, but fortunately, it’s the fun and addictive local multiplayer gameplay that makes Nidhogg, well, Nidhogg. And it’s all there in Nidhogg 2. Additionally, every time you respawn, you get one of four unique weapons that only bolster the challenge.
The Witness
Image Credit: Jonathan Blow, Thekla Inc.(Image credit: Jonathan Blow, Thekla Inc.)
Esteemed indie designer Jon Blow's follow up to Braid may look like a wholly different adventure, being 3D and all. However, the two are more thematically alike than you might think. The Witness, at its core, is another puzzle game that tells an absorbing story through said puzzles.
This puzzler takes place in an almost equally impressionist – albeit heavily Myst-inspired – world, but it's story is far more nuanced and mysterious than Blow's earlier work. At almost every corner of this island that you've simply woken up on (or beneath), there is a clue as to how you got onto this island and why you're here.
Don’t get us wrong, we liked Bastion. Still, we can’t deny that Transistor was SuperGiant Games’ best work to date – not to mention, one of the best indie games to hit the streets today. Much of that has to do with the combination of action-based and turn-based RPG elements contained within its cyberpunk futurescape. Likewise, in classic SuperGiant fashion, those mechanics are complemented with a stunning art style and a music score so stunning it’ll make you want to buy the soundtrack.
Leaving key gameplay beats up to the player, the story isn’t so variable. Transistor’s main character, Red, is a renowned singer in the city of Cloudbank. However, she’s been attacked by a group of vicious robots who call themselves the Process, operated by another group called the Camerata. In her journey, she finds the Transistor, a mysterious sword with the voice of a man. Soon enough, she’ll learn more about him and how he will shake up her world.
Oxenfree
Image Credit: Night School Studio(Image credit: Night School Studio)
It’s weird to think that Oxenfree came out before the first season of Stranger Things, and yet, the two coincidentally have a lot in common. The 80s-inspired heavy synth music composed by scntfc, for one, highlights some truly gripping sci-fi horror revolving around – you guessed it – a group of teenagers stuck on an island.
The story involves a handful of uniquely written characters, namely the main character Alex, along with her stoner friend Ren, her newfound stepbrother Jonas, her dead brother Michael’s ex-girlfriend Clarissa and her best friend Nona, with whom Ren happens to be in love with.
The plot is explained through branching speech dialogues, kind of like Life is Strange or modern-day Telltale games, and it offers five different endings depending on your choices.
Firewatch
Image Credit: Campo Santo(Image credit: Campo Santo)
Exploring a surreal wilderness seems to be the trend these days – and not just in real life. Developer Campo Santo's debut, Firewatch, only serves to keep it going in gaming. Set in the wilderness of 1989 Wyoming, you're playing Henry, a fire lookout that's all alone in the woods after exploring something strange in the distance.
That is, except for your partner on the other line of a walkie-talkie: Delilah. She's your only point of contact as you explore the wilderness. Will you make it back alive? Will the decisions you make help or harm the relationship with your only lifeline to the outside world, your boss? But don't worry about those questions just yet – as with any adventure in the Great Outdoors, take some time to appreciate those forestscapes first!
Rust is one of the more successful indie titles – not to mention, one of the best indie games – of recent times. By the end of 2015, it had sold more than 3 million copies. That’s not too shabby considering it wasn’t even finished — the game has been on Steam's Early Access scheme since being released in December 2013.
It seems people can't get enough of the Day Z-inspired survival sim. It sees you use your wits and bearings to survive its harsh open world, with nothing but a rock… at least, in the beginning. After gathering the resources you need to build a house and weapons to fend off attackers (other online players, in other words), Rust progressively becomes more intense as you defend your growing base — or attempt to breach others'.
Overcooked 2
Image Credit: Ghost Town Games(Image credit: Ghost Town Games)
Fans of the original Overcooked will not be disappointed by its second installment in the chaotic couch co-op series from British indie game developer Team17.
This time around, your mission is to defeat the 'Un-Bread' (zombie baked goods) that have taken over the Onion Kingdom, by battling through brand new recipes including sushi, pizza and burgers in increasingly chaotic kitchens with up to three other people.
To add to the frenetic fun, you must deal with obstacles including random fires, collapsing floors and interfering passers by, all while getting your orders out to the pass in time.
Things get complicated incredibly quickly. Relationships, friendships and family bonds will be tested as you work together to complete your recipes on time. Overcooked 2 is a fun and challenging couch co-op game that will make you truly understand the meaning of "too many cooks spoil the broth” and is well-deserving of its spot in our best indie games list.
SCUM
Image Credit: Gamepires(Image credit: Gamepires)
The natural progression of survival games, SCUM takes what predecessors like Rust and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds both succeeded at, only better by iterating in impressive ways. It offers a unique twist, combining the frenetic gameplay of battle royale games with the slow, thoughtful tactical of a survival sim.
SCUM, unlike other similar games, is very heavy on the simulation side of things, however. You shouldn’t expect to run in guns blazing, as you’re going to get tired quickly (just as you would if you tried running outside in person with a ton of stuff in your backpack). But, if heavy statistic systems is something your into, this might be one of the best indie games for you. It’s like spreadsheets with a physics engine.
Just don’t go in expecting a polished experience, not for now. However, developer Croteam promises to add more features over time, and as they’re backed by Devolver, you can trust that the game is going to shape up into something great.
Return of the Obra Dinn
Image Credit: Lucas Pope(Image credit: Lucas Pope)
Every so often, there’s a game that perfectly balances aesthetic, gameplay and narrative – where everything feels like it just fits like puzzle pieces. The best indie games always excel at this, and Return of the Obra Dinn is the epitome of that. A mystery taking place on a derelict ship, your mission is to figure out how the crew of this lost ship died, disappeared or worse.
The entire game has this old-school visual styling that, combining it with the simple controls and gameplay technique that make it feel like a nostalgic sort of adventure. Right from the settings menu, you’ll get to choose what kind of monitor you’d like to emulate – we picked an old school Macintosh option – that should give you an idea of the type of retro revivalism on offer here.
Critical thinking, exploration and a ton of reading is essential in Return of the Obra Dinn. If that all sounds appealing to you, and you’re happy with retro aesthetics, you will love this game. In fact, it’s one of the best indie games in a season marked with AAA decadence.
If you’re anything like us, you’ve probably spent hundreds of hours playing Roller Coaster Tycoon during your childhood. These days, while there have been plenty of amusement park simulators over the last few years, they’ve never quite hit that spot. That is, until Parkitect.
Parkitect might just be the closest we have to those early aughts park simulators currently, and we’re absolutely in love. From the cartoonish art style to the realistic simulation and Steam Workshop integration, Parkitect is one of the best indie games 2019 has to offer.
For years, thatgamecompany has been behind some of the best indie games on the market, but most of them had been exclusive to PlayStation. One such game was Flower. Serving as a kind of a precursor to the beloved Journey, Flower puts you in command of a flower petal, surfing through the wind.
You’ll activate different colors of flower beds to affect the environment, which will also get you different colored petals, until you have an entire trail of color surfing the wind. It’s an incredibly relaxing and creative experience, which also gives you an insight on the industrial world we all find ourselves living in. Trust us, give it a shot as it’s one of the best – not to mention, most legendary – indie games ever.
Michelle Rae Uy, Bill Thomas, Joe Osborne, Kane Fulton and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article.
First announced at 2017’s Paris Games Week, Ghost of Tsushima is a brand new IP from Sucker Punch which will be exclusive to Sony's PlayStation 4 – and, possibly, the upcoming PS5 console too.
Initially due to release on June 26, Ghost of Tsushima's release date has been delayed to July 17. Which means it's not long until we can get our hands on it.
Though Sucker Punch is largely known for the inFamous games, the developer is departing quite significantly from the inFamous formula with this new game. Saying so-long to high-rise cities and neon superpowers, Ghost of Tsushima will be a historical open world adventure that will take players back to Feudal Japan.
Sound like your kind of thing? This is everything we know about Ghost of Tsushima so far.
[UPDATE: Sony has released a brand new trailer for Ghost of Tsushima. Scroll down to check it out.]
Cut to the chase
What is it? A brand new PlayStation exclusive IP from Sucker Punch
When can I play it? July 17, 2020
What can I play it on? PS4
Ghost of Tsushima release date
Ghost of Tsushima was initally due to release on June 26, 2020, however Sony announced that the game has been delayed and will now release on July 17, 2020.
A reason has not been given for this delay.
Ghost of Tsushima trailers
The latest Ghost of Tsushima trailer may only be one minute long, but it's stunning and has us extremely excited for the game's release in just a few short weeks. The trailer's description states:
"Tsushima is on the brink of destruction. In the wake of a crushing defeat at the hands of ruthless Mongol invaders, noble samurai Jin Sakai must sacrifice everything to protect what’s left of his home and people. As he embarks on an epic adventure for the freedom of Tsushima, he must set aside samurai traditions, embrace unconventional methods, and forge a new path—the path of the Ghost."
Check it out below:
This Ghost of Tsushima trailer provides a bit more insight into the game's story and what editions will be available.
A Ghost of Tsushima trailer was shown at the Game Awards 2019, showing a bunch of new gameplay, along with finally revealing a release window (which has, since, changed to July 17).
Before the Game Awards 2019, we got a trailer, courtesy of the State of Play live stream on December 10, showing off a gorgeously-rendered forest, and the tense moments before a samurai battle – with a smoke bomb to hand as well as a blade. You can soak up all the vibes in the video embedded below.
PlayStation showed us a great deal of Ghost of Tsushima at its E3 2018 conference with a lengthy gameplay debut. The trailer shows a huge open world that almost looks like a painting with a soaring atmospheric soundtrack.
We see our samurai challenge Mongol invaders in a combat style that reminded us of Assassin's Creed. But as well as up front and outright combat, there will be an emphasis on stealth with players using the element of surprise to avoid being outnumbered.
Check out the gameplay debut trailer below:
Before this we saw the announcement trailer that was released at Paris Games Week.
Though it was captured in the game engine, it doesn’t feature much in terms of gameplay. What it does show, however, is the game world we’ll be playing in and it’s clear that Sucker Punch is aiming for a stunning aesthetic.
You can watch it for yourself below:
Ghost of Tsushima news and features
Delayed Sony has announced that Ghost of Tsushima's release date has been delayed from June 26 to July 17, however the company did not give a reason for this delay.
Check out the announcement tweet below:
An update from Worldwide Studios: The Last of Us Part II will arrive on 19th June, while Ghost of Tsushima will follow on 17th July. https://t.co/Oo360QNuKY pic.twitter.com/PTCnUdMrehApril 27, 2020
On its own Twitter, Sucker Punch said that it'll be using the extra time to apply some "finishing touches" and squash some bugs which should have the game looking its best by release.
Shuhei Yoshida is impressed Ghost of Tsushima was noted for being visually impressive during its E3 2018 presentation and president of Sony Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida has made it clear that's still the case.
In an interview with Famitsu, translated by The PlayStation Brahs, Yoshida said he's been "overwhelmed" by the game's graphics, adding that when he plays it his "hands stop" because some of the scenes double the beauty of the Japanese landscape. This is high praise, and a nice update for those who have been waiting a long time to hear more about Ghost of Tsushima.
It’s set in Feudal Japan
As revealed by the game’s announcement trailer, Ghost of Tsushima will be set in 13th century Japan - the time of the Mongol invasions. In the year 1274, the Mongols made their first stop on the island of Tsushima.
The game's art director, Jason Connell, stated in a recent PSX panel for the game that the team are taking an "inspired by" approach to the game with the setting serving as a "jumping off point" for a completely original story.
There will be an open world and you’ll play in the third-person
Though it’s very different from Sucker Punch’s previous games in many ways, Ghost of Tsushima will bear one similarity to inFamous with its third-person perspective; this time players will take up the role of a samurai called Jin.
The game will have a huge open world. Specifically, the setting will be the large island of Tsushima, located off the coast of Japan. Tsushima is a geographically diverse place and the game’s trailer shows that players will be able to travel from lush forests, to rugged mountains and towns filled with interesting characters. Sucker Punch did extensive research on the real island of Tsushima in order to capture it accurately.
Judging by trailer footage it looks likely that the player will do the majority of terrain traversal on horseback as they move through main story and side quests.
In a preview of the game in OPM (via TwistedVoxel) there will, apparently, be no physical waypoints in the game and players will have to make their way through the world using physical landmarks and an understanding of the game's locations.
The main character is Jin Sakai – but he's not alone
Ghost of Tsushima focuses on samurai Jin Sakai, one of the last defenders of his home, facing the invading Mongol army. As skilled with a katana as Jin is, however, he needs allies in his fight and players will work alongside other characters such as the archer Masako (who was you might remember from the gameplay trailer).
The player's choices in the game will impact Jin's bond with his allies (via TwistedVoxel), with full-on rifts being possible.
There will be swordplay and stealth Jin will draw on his samurai training in battle, as you'd expect, but in seeking vengeance against the invaders he will stray somewhat from the honorable samurai path through the course of the game in order to learn a new unconventional way of fighting: the way of the Ghost.
Ghost of Tsushima will include melee combat, with players controlling Jin in his fight against the Mongol army. Demos have shown Jin facing his foes one-on-one as well as encountering small groups against which he alternates between strikes and deadly counters which look like they'll require precise timing to execute.
There's also going to be an emphasis on stealth, where being sneaky will give players an advantage over larger groups of enemies. Not only will stealth involve silent kills, projectiles, creeping around and clambering into high places, there's also a grappling hook which adds speed and plain coolness to Jin's movements.
The villain will be interesting Alongside an intriguing protagonist, we’re also anticipating a villain of substance. The player will be facing the Mongol Empire, known for its advanced horseback and archery skills as well as its ferocity.
The ruthless leader of this army, Khotun Khan, will be the player’s main enemy and Sucker Punch has described this leader as being an “uncomfortably reasonable killer.” How this will manifest itself in the game is unclear but it suggests an engaging story line and hero/villain dynamic.
There will be a Japanese audio track Sucker Punch confirmed that Ghost of Tsushima will give players the option of playing the game with English voice acting or with Japanese voice acting and English subtitles.
PS5 backwards compatibility Ghost of Tsushima is a PS4 launch title but given it's been confirmed that the PS5 will be backwards compatible players will no doubt be able to play it when they upgrade their console too. It's not been confirmed, however, if there will ever be a PS5-enhanced version of Ghost of Tsushima to make the most of the next generation technology.
Difficulty levels Talking to GameSpot, Ghost of Tsushima's co-director Chris Zimmerman mentioned difficult levels in the game, saying "There are difficulty levels and that's actually kind of more important for us than it is for a lot of games, because it's an open world game and lots of different people play those games for different reasons."
Zimmerman acknowledges that some players will only want to see the game's beautiful world, saying that "their experience has to be different than somebody who looks at it like they've always wanted to play a really grounded katana fighting game, and the fantasy for them is about challenge, discipline, practice and precision--that's what they expect of samurai and that's what the game should demand from them as the player."
Ghost of Tsushima pre-orders
If Ghost of Tsushima sounds like your kind of game, you can check out the best Ghost of Tsushima pre-order prices below:
Will Ghost of Tsushima make it onto our list of the best PS4 games?
