E3 is widely considered a conference for big games, and understandably so; the largest publishers in the industry dominate the event, debuting trailers and news for the most expensive and expansive videogames they could possibly produce. But it's not impossible to find compelling independent games at the show, either: here are our picks for five that you'll want to keep your eyes on in the months to come.
NeoCab (Chance Agency, PC)
NeoCab is a game about the emotional labor of the gig economy, in a moody cyberpunk futurescape. You play one of the last human cab drivers, competing against an army of automated cars. The narrative forces you to balance the emotional health of your protagonist with the brutal needs of the job, as you struggle to barely—just barely—eke out a living. Grim? Definitely. Compelling? That, too.
Release Date: Unannounced
Bravery Network Online (Gloam Collective, PC)
Do you like Pokemon? Do you worry that Pokemon is just not eccentric enough? Would you like to capture your punky friends and make them fight each other while striking neat poses? If you answered "yes" to all of those questions, my friend, you have very particular tastes, and this might just be the game for you. Bravery Network Online looks to be playful and exciting—the friend-fighting sim we've always wanted.
Release Date: 2019
Sable (Shedworks, PC)
Sable could be the exploration game of your dreams. Made by a team of two, it's a lush, straightforward exploration game in a beautiful world inspired by European comics artists like Moebius. Did you enjoy Breath of the Wild's freeform exploration? Sable won't match that scale, but the wonder, the creative landscapes, the sense of childlike joy? It's all there. Don't miss this one.
Release Date: 2019
Maneater (Blindside Studios, PC)
Indie games are often treated as serious things, the place you go to look for Real Art and grown-up feelings in a gaming world full of yelling and shooting people. But sometimes you just want to play a game that makes you shout, "I'M A SHARK" while eating people, re-enacting the primal scene of the nightmares you've had since your parents went out of town and you watched Jaws alone when you were eight. I relate. I don't know if Maneater is going to be good, but what a premise.
Release Date: Unannounced
Morning Star (Metkis, PC)
I'm going to be completely honest with you: I'm not entirely sure I know what Morning Star is about. According to the developers, it's a farming sim where computers are the soil and data are the crops. In it, you mine information in order to improve and maybe even resurrect a cyberpunk apocalypse. What exactly does that look like, in the nuts and bolts of gameplay? I'm unsure. But I'm eager to find out; it looks stunning.
Release Date: 2019