Wardogs, Valheim 1.0, and Other Indie Games Worth Your Time

Engadget’s latest roundup highlights a diverse selection of indie games available this weekend, ranging from early-access hits to fully released titles that have expanded to consoles.

Starting with Worming From Home, this humorous remote work simulator tasks players with advancing their career as a financial analyst while hiding the fact that they are literally a worm. The game requires clever problem-solving, such as nudging a computer mouse with your body and avoiding typos on the keyboard. After work, players can engage in minigames based on Snake and Breakout to boost skills or customize their office space. Available on Steam for Windows, Mac, and Steam Deck, the game is currently discounted to $6 until September 18.

In the realm of tactical shooters, Wardogs has made a significant impact since entering early access on Steam. Developed by Bulkhead and published by Team17, the title sold over a million copies in its first days, peaking at more than 340,000 concurrent players. Departing from standard battle royale or extraction models, Wardogs utilizes a “king of the hill” mechanic where three squads of ten players compete for control zones across 2km squares. The game features an economic system where cash earned during matches carries over to the next round, allowing players to purchase vehicles and loadouts, though expenses may force them to start subsequent matches with basic gear. Local voice chat and base destruction are also key features. The price sits at $40 during early access, with PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions planned for 2028.

Perhaps the most notable release is Valheim, which concludes its five-year early access journey with its 1.0 launch. The Norse mythology-inspired survival game is now available on PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2, alongside existing PC and Xbox platforms, supporting crossplay for up to 10 players. The update introduces the Deep North biome, new weapons, armor, crafting materials, and creatures. Having sold over 17 million copies, the game continues to attract dedicated fans, with some players logging hundreds of hours.

For RPG enthusiasts, Mewgenics by Edmund McMillen and Tyler Glaiel has arrived on consoles after selling a million copies in its first week on PC. The game focuses on breeding cats to combine traits and abilities for turn-based battles. McMillen notes that the sheer number of potential cat combinations is staggering, citing 74 sextillion basic variations, not accounting for mutations, classes, or abilities. The game is priced at $40 across Steam, Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox.

Deckbuilders can try Shroom and Gloom, a double deckbuilder developed by Team Lazerbeam and published by Devolver Digital. Priced at $15, it combines a combat deck with a separate exploration deck used for resting and unlocking abilities. The game offers unique mechanics, such as turning enemies into food cards that can be consumed to create cost-free weapons. It is currently in early access for Windows and Mac.

Effulgence RPG, developed by Andrei Fomin, stands out for its distinctive ASCII art style used to render 3D characters. This party RPG allows players to defeat enemies and collect particles to fuel a matter printer, unlocking weapons and gear even mid-combat. Fomin estimates a playthrough takes between five to seven hours. The game is available on Steam with a 25% discount until September 24, bringing the price down from the usual $20.

Looking ahead, several upcoming titles have generated interest. Puzzlez – A Shapez Game, coming in 2027, offers a puzzle-focused spin on the factory builder series, featuring automation challenges in small spaces. Yuzutsu also arrives in 2027, tasking players as Taomaru, a capybara monk who must solve puzzles by swapping places with enemies rather than fighting them directly. Finally, Mayhem à la Carte, an early access FPS cooking game from Ingame Studios and 505 Games, combines Overcooked-style chaos with first-person shooter elements, allowing players to defend their kitchen using toast, lobsters, and shrinking beams. All three are set for release windows in 2027.