TECHMASH

Tag: #SoloDev

  • Alternate-History Soviet Madness: Hardcore Retro FPS ‘HMUR’ Locks In September Steam Demo!

    Alternate-History Soviet Madness: Hardcore Retro FPS ‘HMUR’ Locks In September Steam Demo!

    Boomer shooter fans, it is time to stretch those trigger fingers. Publisher Valkyrie Initiative and solo developer FoxusSexus have officially announced that the highly anticipated demo for HMUR is dropping on Steam this September 2026.

    If your idea of a good time involves lightning-fast movement, pulse-pounding electronic beats, and zero room for error, this is one indie title you need to put on your radar immediately.

    Brutal Combat Meets Soviet Sci-Fi

    Developed entirely by a lone dev, HMUR is a high-speed retro first-person shooter that feels like a beautiful, chaotic love child of Hotline Miami, Dusk, and the retro-futuristic Soviet aesthetic of Atomic Heart.

    Set in an alternate-1990s USSR, you step into the boots of Sergei—a humble utility worker trapped inside a classified facility in the city of Mirnogorsk after a catastrophic disaster. Instead of fixing pipes, you’ll be blasting your way through relentless hordes of enemies.

    The catch? One hit can mean instant death. HMUR features high-stakes, one-life gameplay where speed and absolute precision are your only mechanics for survival. Stop moving for even a second, and it’s back to the checkpoint.

    Check Out the Fresh Gameplay and New Visual Style

    The announcement comes right alongside a brand-new trailer, giving players a look at fresh, meatier gameplay footage and an updated visual style. FoxusSexus has been hard at work polishing the environmental details, and the new gritty, psychedelic look pairs perfectly with the game’s non-linear level design.

    Here is what you can look forward to when the demo drops:

    • Frantic ’90s Gunplay: Pure, unadulterated retro FPS action where momentum is everything.
    • Branching Levels: Hit a brick wall on one path? Take a different route through the facility.
    • High Stakes: Limited resources and fragile health mean every single bullet counts.
    • A Killer Soundtrack: Blast enemies to an original blend of techno, hard bass, and breakcore.

    Following its selection as one of the top 50 finalists at The Indie Premier 2026, HMUR is shaping up to be one of the most exciting solo-developed projects of the year.

    How to Play

    The HMUR demo will be publicly available on Steam in September 2026. In the meantime, you can head over to the official Steam page right now to check out the new trailer, look at the upgraded graphics, and add it to your wishlist so you don’t miss the launch.

    Are you ready to survive the madness? Let us know in the comments if you’ll be downloading the demo this autumn!

    Find out more here

    #HMUR #RetroFPS #BoomerShooter #IndieGames #ValkyrieInitiative #SoloDev #SteamDemo #GamingNews #TechMash

  • Build, Explore, Survive: Solo-Dev Gem ‘Settler’s Domain’ Brings Strategic Pixel Art Goodness to Steam

    Build, Explore, Survive: Solo-Dev Gem ‘Settler’s Domain’ Brings Strategic Pixel Art Goodness to Steam

    If there is one thing we love here at TechMash, it’s the sheer magic of indie games—especially those crafted by a lone developer pouring their heart, soul, and coding hours into something special. Enter rick, a solo developer who has spent the last two years building a gorgeous, thoughtful colony sim that strategy fans will definitely want to keep on their radar.

    Say hello to Settler’s Domain.

    Combining charming pixel graphics with deep, thoughtful, and rewarding strategic gameplay, Settler’s Domain tasks you with establishing and expanding a thriving colony in beautiful but unforgiving unknown lands.

    What is Settler’s Domain All About?

    At its core, Settler’s Domain is a strategy game about survival, exploration, and expansion. You begin with minimal resources and the ultimate goal of keeping your settlers alive while transforming a tiny camp into a bustling domain.

    But it’s not just a peaceful city builder—the world is alive, procedural, and full of both opportunity and danger.

    Key Features to Get Excited About

    • Deep Resource Management: Managing your ever-growing population is a delicate balancing act. More settlers mean more productivity, but they also bring a higher demand for housing, medicine, and food. Balancing your supplies—especially when the harsh winter hits and crops stop growing—is vital.
    • A Massive Tech Tree: With over 80 unique structures to build, you can research and unlock everything from basic tents to advanced medicine huts, quarries, and even a “jammery” to keep your colony thriving.
    • Exploration and Dynamic Diplomacy: You aren’t alone in these lands. As you clear away the unknown on the procedural map, you’ll encounter neighbouring settlements. It is entirely up to you how to handle them. Will you engage in peaceful diplomacy and forge trade agreements? Or will you choose hostility and annex them by force?

    Why Solo-Dev Projects Hit Different

    There is a distinct passion that shines through in solo-developed projects like this. Rick’s art style takes clear inspiration from classic GBA-era visuals, giving it an instantly nostalgic, cosy aesthetic that perfectly contrasts the intense, punishing tactical choices you have to make to survive. It’s got the micro-management charm of Banished blended seamlessly with the macro-exploration elements of classic 4X games.

    Release Date Update: After nearly two years of hard work, rick has officially announced that Settler’s Domain is launching on Steam on August 25, 2026.

    If you love city builders, colony sims, or classic RTS games, you can head over to Steam right now to try out the demo and add it to your wishlist. Supporting solo developers is what keeps the gaming industry fresh, and Settler’s Domain looks like it’s going to be an absolute gem.

    Are you going to build a peaceful trading empire or conquer the map? Let us know your strategy in the comments below!

    Find out more here

    #IndieGames #SettlersDomain #StrategyGames #TechMash #GamingNews #SoloDev #PixelArt #CityBuilder #SteamGames #ColonySim

  • Helmet On, Visor Down: LANESPLIT Drops Massive Free Update and Full Steam VR Support!

    Helmet On, Visor Down: LANESPLIT Drops Massive Free Update and Full Steam VR Support!

    If you’ve ever wanted to experience the white-knuckle adrenaline rush of weaving through deadlocked traffic on a superbike—without, you know, the actual real-world peril—then solo developer FunkyMouse (Shakya Ranatunga) has just delivered your ultimate fix.

    The critically acclaimed traffic-weaving motorcycle racing simulator, LANESPLIT, has officially accelerated into the virtual reality realm. Announced at the VR Games Showcase, the game has dropped a massive, game-changing free content update alongside full PC via Steam VR support.

    Grab your virtual handlebars, because this indie hit just took immersion to a whole new level.

    Strap into the Virtual Saddle

    LANESPLIT has always been praised for its flow-state gameplay, but experiencing it in true first-person VR completely alters the playing field. With traffic whizzing past your peripheral vision at breakneck speeds, the sense of velocity is utterly intoxicating.

    The formula remains beautifully intense: dodge traffic, rack up points for tight lane-splitting manoeuvres, and don’t crash. Because if you do? The heart-pounding drum-and-bass soundtrack screeches to a violent halt, and the game’s realistic ragdoll physics will send your rider flying.

    What’s New in the Free Content Update?

    FunkyMouse isn’t just delivering VR support; the base game is receiving an incredible injection of free content for all players:

    • A Beefed-Up Garage: The roster has expanded to high-performance machines, including two brand-new electric bikes that feature their own entirely distinct acceleration curves, traction, and handling characteristics.
    • Ride as the Legends: The update introduces a fresh cast of playable characters modelled after real-world motorcycle icons and POV content creators, including Brian636, CyborgAngel, and GhostRider.
    • Dynamic, Slick Weather: Think you’ve mastered the roads? The addition of Thunderstorms will turn bone-dry highways into treacherous, suddenly slick asphalt, forcing you to feather the throttle to survive.
    • Modes for Every Mood: Test your ultimate reflexes in the chaotic Rush Hour mode, or simply cruise empty, beautiful highways in the beautifully relaxed Zen Mode.

    “Motorcycle POV videos from Brian636, CyborgAngel, and GhostRider were a huge inspiration for this content update,” says solo developer Shakya Ranatunga. “While the first-person camera angle already lends itself to flow-state gameplay, VR takes the riding experience to another level.”

    Play Solo or Dominate the Leaderboards

    Whether you want to tackle the highways alone, customise your custom rider, or burn rubber in multiplayer against friends, the new LANESPLIT update delivers the definitive urban racing experience.

    The update is out now on PC. If you own the base game on Steam, the VR functionality and content drop are completely free.

    Are you brave enough to split the lane in VR? Head over to Steam and let us know your high scores in the comments below!

    Find out more here

    #LANESPLIT #VRGaming #SteamVR #IndieGames #SoloDev #MotorcycleSim #FunkyMouse #RacingGames #TechMash

  • Evolved Animals & Galactic Action: Solo Dev Chris Considine Announces ‘Endangered’

    Evolved Animals & Galactic Action: Solo Dev Chris Considine Announces ‘Endangered’

    The indie gaming scene is about to get a wild new addition. Solo developer Chris Considine has officially announced Endangered, a fast-paced, roguelite action game that turns the tables on sci-fi tropes.

    Centuries ago, Earth’s animals did what humans couldn’t: they evolved, built spaceships, and left our dying planet behind for the stars. Now, they’re coming back.

    The Premise: Earth is Reclaimed

    In Endangered, you don’t play as a space marine or a cybernetic soldier. Instead, you step into the paws, claws, and talons of highly evolved animal heroes. Having thrived in the cosmos, these specialised creatures are returning to a ruined Earth to reclaim their ancestral home from the synthetic and mutated threats that now occupy it.

    What to Expect From the Gameplay

    As a solo project, Endangered punches well above its weight class with a focused, high-energy loop:

    • Lightning-Fast Roguelite Action: Expect high-stakes, twitch-reflex combat where positioning and speed are everything.
    • Diverse Animal Heroes: Each evolved creature comes packed with unique traits, abilities, and playstyles tailored to different tactical approaches.
    • Dynamic Run Progression: True to the roguelite genre, no two descents onto Earth will look the same. Collect cosmic upgrades, adapt to hostile biomes, and build the ultimate build to survive the wasteland.

    Why it matters: Solo game development is a massive undertaking, but it often yields the most unique, uncompromising creative visions. Considine’s blend of anthropomorphic sci-fi with punishing, rewarding roguelite mechanics makes Endangered a title indie fans should absolutely keep on their radar.

    Gear Up for the Return

    Whether you’re a fan of fast-paced shooters, deep roguelite progression, or just want to play as a highly intelligent, heavily armed animal, Endangered is shaping up to be a thrilling ride.

    Stay tuned to Techmash for more updates, gameplay deep dives, and release window announcements as development progresses.

    What animal hero are you hoping to play as? Let us know in the comments below!

    Find out more here

    #IndieGames #GamingNews #EndangeredGame #SoloDev #Roguelite #SciFiGaming #Techmash #PCGaming #GameDev

  • Solo Dev Magic: Tactical PvP Card Battler ‘Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel’ Hits Steam

    Solo Dev Magic: Tactical PvP Card Battler ‘Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel’ Hits Steam

    The indie card game scene is about to get a lot more competitive, and this time, it’s coming from a solo powerhouse. Developer ShootingStar has officially opened the Steam page for Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel, an upcoming free-to-play tactical PvP card battler that proves you don’t need a massive studio to build an ambitious, deeply strategic universe.

    If you are a fan of tight resource management, clever mind games, and deckbuilding, this is one indie title you need to add to your wishlist immediately.

    What is Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel?

    At its core, Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel is a turn-based 1v1 strategy game where board control and precise timing mean the difference between a glorious victory and a crushing defeat. Players choose a hero, manage a steadily growing mana pool, and fight to reduce the enemy hero’s health to zero.

    What sets it apart is the sheer variety of tools at your disposal across five major card types:

    • Characters: Your frontline fighters are tasked with attacking and defending the board.
    • Structures: Durable fortifications that shift the field’s geography and provide passive advantages.
    • Equipment: Direct stat-boosts and modifiers to empower your characters.
    • Spells: High-impact cards for instant damage, healing, or board clears.
    • Traps: Hidden, face-down cards that trigger on your opponent’s turn—perfect for baiting aggressive plays and completely reversing momentum.

    Build Your 30-Card Strategy

    The game skips over convoluted deck limitations in favour of a clean, hyper-focused rule: a legal deck consists of exactly 30 cards, with a maximum of 4 copies of any single card.

    When you first step into the world of Astralight, you’ll select one of three elemental starter paths—Fire, Water, or Forest—giving you a strong thematic foundation to experiment with. Combined with unique, mana-activated Hero Skills that can define your entire win condition, the tactical permutations are vast.

    A Massive Long-Term Vision

    While the game is launching as a tight, competitive 1v1 PvP battler, the developer has massive plans for the future. Astralight is designed to eventually evolve into a full online card RPG, with plans to introduce:

    • Co-op PvE roguelike expeditions
    • Auto expeditions and card trading systems
    • Shared social world features to connect the community

    Best of all? Every match you play—win or lose—rewards you with currency and crafting materials, keeping the free-to-play model firmly focused on progression and collection expansion rather than paywalls.

    Watchlist It Now!

    Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel is listed as “Coming Soon,” and the Steam page is officially live for wishlists. Head over to Steam, check out the trailer, and support a solo indie developer trying to reshape the CCG landscape.

    Wishlist Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel on Steam

    #TechMash #Astralight #IndieGames #CardBattler #PCGaming #SteamGames #FreeToPlay #CCG #SoloDev

  • Nimillion The Last Expedition demo game on Steam now!

    Nimillion The Last Expedition demo game on Steam now!

    Ready to test your piloting skills? The demo for Nimillion – The Last Expedition just dropped on Steam, and it’s a brutal, physics-based treat for anyone who misses the “no hand-holding” era of gaming.

    Developed by solo dev Anthony Gatti (Digital Candy), this is a “Metroidvania Spaceship Adventure” that swaps traditional platforming for tight, thruster-only flight mechanics.

    What’s in the Demo?

    • Physics-First Flight: Forget autopilot. You’ll need total precision to navigate tight corridors using only your ship’s thrusters.
    • Early Abilities: Get a taste of the progression system by unlocking the Short Boost, Protective Shield, Zero-G Mode, and the Burst Laser.
    • Retro Challenge: Inspired by Amiga classics like Gravity Force, this game is “brutal yet fair.” It’s designed for players who find modern games a bit too easy.
    • Speedrun Ready: The demo includes global leaderboards—perfect if you want to prove you’re the best pilot in the galaxy.

    Why You Should Play

    If you love the exploration of a Metroidvania but want the high-stakes mechanical challenge of a precision platformer (like Celeste but with a rocket ship), this is for you. The full game is slated for a Q1 2026 release, so now is the perfect time to get your wings.

    Play the Demo now on Steam: Nimillion – The Last Expedition – https://store.steampowered.com/app/2889880/Nimillion__The_last_expedition/

    #games #gaming #gamers #videogames #NimillionTheLastExpedition #Nimillion #IndieGames #SoloDev #Metroidvania #SteamDemo #GamingNews #RetroGaming #AnthonyGatti #DigitalCandy