GDC 2023: Four Incredible New ID@Xbox Games You’ll Be Playing This Year 

High-profile AAA titles tend to dominate the discussion and airtime at gaming events. The Game Developers Conference is different – it’s an event where indies have traditionally stepped into the limelight; indeed multiple showcases were fully populated by upcoming independent titles this year. 

At GDC 2023 we’ve been celebrating 10 years of [email protected]Preview event featuring many titles that will be coming to Xbox consoles this year. It showcases the variety in genres and styles found within independent games. Here’s a look at a few we got to spend some time with. 

Botany Manor 

The debut title from UK-based Balloon Studios nestles comfortably in the burgeoning “Cozy Games” category; my time with this plant-based puzzler was undoubtedly the chillest experience of the conference. Here’s how it works:  

A fogged up greenhouse was my home, so I planted the seed. It germinated but wouldn’t grow. Finding clues to the plant’s native land and temperature preferences around the room, I learned to place the plant pot in front of a heat source at the exact right intensity to heat the soil. My efforts were rewarded by the plant’s dramatic bloom, which cleared out the greenhouse of smog and allowed me to move on to the next part. This was the second plant. It required me to create its preferred stormy conditions using chemicals.  

You can grow more plants, which means you will solve more puzzles. Puzzlers are loved by many. The Witness Escape Academy will feel right at home… only cozier. 

This plant-based puzzler was my most chilling experience at the conference.

Laure De Mey, creative director at Balloon Studios, promises the final game will be much more open-ended than the linear demo – if a player gets stumped on one plant, they can pursue clues to others across the sprawling manor, returning once they’ve hit on a revelation.  

De Mey explained how the plants grow into the story: “When people see weeds, they pull them out, because they didn’t put them there. These weeds are forgotten flora, and the main character is also a bit forgotten.”  

Botany ManorBalloon Studios has plans to release a version this year as part of its newly announced Developer Acceleration program. We won’t forget it. 

Planet of Lana  

Another studio’s first title, Planet of Lana comes from Wishfully Studios, a gaming offshoot of Sweden-based artist and animation group Fully Studios – and that artistic influence shows.  

The cinematic puzzle movie is breathtakingly animated. This can be seen not only in Lana’s movement, but also throughout Novo’s mysterious world. I was drawn to the gentle swaying branches throughout the show. Planet of Lana‘s lush swamp level – but this isn’t just something you look at, and fortunately the gameplay holds up its end of the package. 

Lana, Mui, and their unique talents are used to work in symbiosis. Lana is attempting to rescue her sister from robot invaders. 

Tom Davis of publisher Thunderful said the game was as “if Studio Ghibli made Inside.”

It started with players guiding Lana to a boat that would help her cross the bog. (Alien cats don’t like bathing, it seems). But this isn’t a one-sided escort mission: hold RT to point and direct Mui to places that Lana can’t get to, like up a high ledge where it can release a vine for Lana to climb. Mui also has the ability to communicate with the outside world in strange ways, allowing Lana to travel through obstacles created by aliens. While it wasn’t part of the demo, I was told puzzle solving extends to combat, as the pair use the environment to defeat enemies and survive, as opposed to direct conflict. 

Tom Davis of publisher Thunderful said the game was as “if Studio Ghibli made Inside.” I was also reminded at times of Ori, the Will of Wisps… if any of those references made you perk up, you’ll want to keep an eye out for Planet of LanaThis spring, it will be available on Xbox consoles and the PC with Game Pass. 

Lamplighters League  

The launch of their new games is a matter of hours for studios and veteran teams. BattleTechThe most recent Shadowrun Trilogy It was the first time that a playable experience had been made. Lamplighters LeagueThis was announced in the beginning of this month.  

Lamplighters League is “a globetrotting adventure” set in a stylized take of the 1930s. Initial vibes are very “Indiana Jones meets XCOM“, though after playing for an hour I believe the closer comparison is the excellent Mutant Year Zero. Players control their party from above in a real time “Infiltration mode,” going over or through obstacles via class-specific abilities. Often outnumbered, there’s an emphasis on staying stealthy; you can see how much noise you’re making while moving and interacting.  

Lamplighters League is “a globetrotting adventure” set in a stylized take of the 1930s. Initial vibes are very “Indiana Jones meets XCOM“.

After being detected, action stops and the battle continues as a turn-based fight until it is over. Every character can have a signature ability that can only be used once per mission. These can make a difference and can change the game. “Sneak”, for instance drops a decoy and becomes invisible, which helped reestablish strategic positioning after I was clumsily detected in an open area. 

The game returns to Infiltration mode after combat. Levels may have multiple battle sequences. With the un-seen setting, you have flexibility when engaging enemies and how often. Lamplighters LeagueS this year.|S and PC this year.  

Venba 

This year, Game Pass will also be available for consoles and computers with Game Pass. VenbaThe game is a combination of cooking and puzzles. Players will experience the daily life of an Indian couple that immigrates to Canada through interactive food preparation. 

All of Venba‘s levels places us a little later in the characters’ lives, with a new recipe to make. The demo involved us making idli (a South Indian savory rice cakes). After reading the recipe, I arranged batter on special plates and set them to steaming… spilling batter everywhere. I should’ve read the recipe more closely! To ensure even steaming, I used towels to cover the plates and then rotated them. They turned out beautifully. I also learned more about the couple and their decision for Canada. 

Venba’s art is inspired by cartoons like “Dexter’s Laboratory” and “Powerpuff Girls,” but more serious.

“A lot of stories about immigrants focus on the kids, but we wanted to talk about the parents,” explained Sam Elkana, lead artist at developer Visai games. “They really sacrifice so much, so we wanted to tell the story from Venba’s perspective.” 

With art inspired by cartoons like “Dexter’s Laboratory” and “Powerpuff Girls,” but more serious, VenbaThis summer, you will be able to bake.