INDIE WINS

Pocket-friendly and out in time for the summer hols these games may be more fun than the big titles

- CHERYL MULLIN

I KEEP waiting for things to ease, but life seems to remain as expensive as ever.

And with the summer break fast approaching, it means money over the school holidays is going to remain tight.

It also means expensive hobbies - like gaming - are harder than ever to justify.

Step forward indie games, absolute saviours when it comes to getting a cheaper gaming fix.

Not only are they more pocket friendly, they're often much more fun than the big AAA titles.

June has just seen the tri-annual Steam Next Festival, which gives smaller developers a stage to showcase upcoming titles and releases hundreds of free demos for PC gamers to check out.

This means there are fewer games than usual hitting the indie market this month but we've still found a few gems to recommend.

LOST IN RANDOM: THE ETERNAL DIE

((PEGI 7) PS5, XBOX X/S, Switch, PC, £19.99

This is a sequel to 2021's Lost in Random, which was generally well received by critics.

Unlike its action-adventure predecessor, The Eternal Die is a fast-paced action roguelite that's still set in the whimsical world of Random.

Playing as Queen Aleksandra, you'll battle baddies and wield powerful relics with the help of her trusty die-companion Fortune.