We take a look at four upcoming titles from the indie publisher Arte Games

When I went to visit Arte Games during Gamescom, I expected to meet the usual publisher of smaller, artistic games. This turned out to be only halfway true, as little did I know that Arte actually stands for Association Relative à la Télévision Européenne, a French-German TV-station for people living in the border region between the two countries. Starting in 2013 with the font-based platformer Type:Rider, their little gaming division have been experimenting with game publishing and co-producing, and in the last few years these efforts have resulted in a string of well-reviewed games.

During an intense 30-minute session I was given a quick run-through of four of the publisher's upcoming games, and I was quite impressed by the variety on offer. While the four games were visually distinct, as is the case with many of the better indie titles, they also stood out from the crowd by offering varied and unique gameplay, though, as the presentation was mostly hands off, I can't vouch for how they will actually play.

First up was 30 Birds, an adventure game from a small husband and wife studio based in Brussels. Persian culture, a trip to Istanbul, and the novels of Orhan Pamuk were among the sources of inspiration for this game about the young detective Zig who is on the trail of a criminal known simply as The Scientist. To track him down, our heroine must traverse rotating paper lanterns in a beautiful 2D game with a 3D twist.

After returning from Cologne, I played the demo for about half an hour on Steam and came away quite impressed. Sure, the current build was just about as frail as an actual paper lantern with quite a few glitches and control issues, as well as some unfinished areas, but that being said, the writing and art was very charming, and I really enjoyed the wacky rhythm mini games, as well as the single puzzle that I got to try. With its charming characters, irreverent writing, gorgeous visuals and 30 birds to befriend (hence the title), the game might very well prove a surprise hit when it launches in Fall 2024.

Gloomy Eyes - The Game started out as a short VR film, but the developers liked the main characters so much that they are now making them the stars of their very own video game. As the human girl Nen and the zombie boy Gloomy you must travel through a creepy graveyard, trying to bring some light to this dark and scary world. The art style reminded me a tad of Little Nightmares and Psychonauts, which isn't a bad comparison, but unlike the other games from Arte Games, Gloomy Eyes - The Game doesn't really have a unique hook to lure players in. It is a traditional puzzle game where you must use each main character's unique abilities and pay special attention to light and shadow. We'll see how it plays out next year.

Looking For Fael takes place solely within your own apartment, but worry not; your cramped little space quickly turns into an ever evolving labyrinth filled with puzzles and challenges. Your goal is to find your missing roommate Fael, and, as in the Witness and other such games, the key to solving the game's many puzzles is being observant and looking for clues and patterns in the environment. As a unique twist, you must also play on your Game Boy-inspired device, the GameLeaf, to proceed. Looking for Fael is currently set for a 2025 release.

The last game shown was also my personal highlight. The Merlies can be compared to Pikmin in that you play as small creatures - in this case birds - working together to overcome challenges in a world that has rid itself of humans. To survive you must use long forgotten objects and take advantage of each bird's unique strengths, reinforcing the themes of solidarity and environmentalism.

But here the similarities end, with The Merlies not being a strategy game; rather it's a 2D platformer focused on action and puzzles. You control one bird at a time, but your feathery comrades tag along behind you, and you can easily shift to another bird if their particular skills are needed. Each item you bring home from your expedition can then be used to build your home base, letting you create a safe haven in the game's desolate, but oddly charming world. I'm looking forward to playing it, but once again, the release will be 2025 at the earliest.