Indie video game 2022 preview: Silt, Card Shark, Marauders, and the best of WASD

metro.co.uk:

The first WASD video games show in London has proven a goldmine for exciting new indie games due out this year and beyond.

At last, a semblance of post-pandemic normality is emerging and, as proof of that, last week saw the first ever WASD, a brand-new, physical video games show which took place at London’s Tobacco Dock between April 7 and 9. The sense of excitement and relief at being able to attend an actual physical show, visible amongst the games industry employees and members of the public present, was palpable.

WASD could, if you like, be characterised as the anti-E3. Whereas the giant US show used to provide the industry’s biggest beasts with the opportunity to showcase their upcoming wares, the more compact and approachable WASD was, bar 2K and Sega, populated exclusively by indie publishers, including Team17, Fireshine, Devolver Digital, Curve, and Good Shepherd. WASD is certainly smaller scale but given E3 has been cancelled for another year that barely seems relevant.

Initially, as it kicked off on Thursday, an air of calm and serenity prevailed – unprecedented for a video games show but perfect for those keen to get as much hands-on time with the games as possible. On the Friday and Saturday, a more typically frenetic atmosphere prevailed, eventually fostering a sense that WASD could swiftly become the UK’s answer to PAX East, the annual US-based video games show hitherto hailed as the centre of the indie universe.

For us, the star of the first WASD Show was Fireshine Games, freshly rebranded (it used to be Sold Out) to reflect its growing influence as a publisher of indie games, both physical and digital. It showed two efforts – both created in Bristol – that stand a great chance of becoming cult hits.

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