Simon Smith

I started curating some demos to play for Steam Next Fest but didn't even get time to play a single one. If it is the game next time, I will solely focus on smaller festivals and events instead.

Introducing… Tennyson King 百城 Western indie-folk, with added Chinese instrumentation....

Someone is making a Knightmare point and click adventure game. Hello childhood. youtu.be/JQnQ0HJ_VeU?...

Tune-Yards release a stand-alone Motown-fused single as the latest example of a tour single 'The Ones' promotes 'The Ones We Love' tour....

Scythe – ‘Middle8’ review Chiptune for seaside holidays...

Live Vault – Brìghde Chaimbeul Bringing Gaelic and the Scottish Highlands to the NPR Tiny Desk....

Julia Andersson – ‘Forever the Forest Sings’ Review Piano solo comfort blankets inspired by the Finnish forest...

Jonathan Fitas – ‘A Quiet Place’ Review Five short pieces between dreaming and wake....

Websites all back running post php dramas as well. Normal articles and videos will resume in a couple of hours.

If you are a game dev that does not use gen AI, let me know. I am building a public list for those who want to be informed with their choices.

‘Customers should be less informed about the products they buy’ is such a wild stance to take

Fill the Void – Review Reverse Katamari with a level editor and versus mode?!...

SG Racing – Review A NES-era retro kart racer suitable for the nippers....

Introducing… Ana Palindrome Irish lunar-pop trio celebrate a record deal in style....

I'm making a Devs Without AI directory. If you're a game dev who creates games without generative AI, please get in touch. I'm building it this weekend. #indiegames #gamedev #IndieGameDevs www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTjw...

Big Thief has created a live bootleg archive of their shows and I love it They've been recording shows for seven years!...

We’re launching a Devs without Gen-AI list – join it Add yourself to a new, growing list of gen-ai free devs...

Steam Next Fest's double in demo numbers just shows the AI slop problem. We know most of these games get very little traction, and will sink down the rankings, but this is the first time I feel like I cannot do the festival justice. I'd recommend smaller, targetted fests for indie devs for now.

Tonalics is a free in-browser digital instrument, rhythm minigame, and tuner website A free way to test out musical instruments....

Don't let billionaires convince you slop is the future. They're used to managing & directing, not making things themselves. Of course they can't see the difference. They don't understand your love for the craft. Keep making personal, beautiful games. You've got my support 💖

LudoNarraCon 2026 – I Wishlisted All 22 Games in This Preview | Indie Demo Disc EP.017 One of the best festival line-ups ever....

Slam and Roll is superb. Full beans recommendation from me.

Reality Drift will be part of Steam Next Fest, starting on Monday! It's a surreal roguelike racing game including art by Emily L'Orange @emilylorange.bsky.social and Keita Takahashi @kt.uvula.jp! store.steampowered.com/app/3078120/... #SteamNextFest #NextFest #IndieGame #IndieDev

Charlotte Martin – ‘Stromata 2.0’ Review A one-off album performance, reimagined 20 years later...

Live Vault – Gia Margaret Soft and breezy folk pop returns to singing after vocal injury battle....

Arcana – ‘Magna Silentia’ Review A choral and dark ambient song cycle on grief.... https://higherplainmusic.com/2026/10/16/arcana-magna-silentia-review/

Introducing our Analyzer Tool!! 🐛〰️🔫 During your trips around Jupiter, you’ll encounter creatures you can scan to learn more about their traits, and catch all of the hot gossip between those who've been researching them. Head on over to Steam and scan that wishlist button! hi.youngsuns.com/steam

Introducing… Celyn of Gwent The gay bard for the anthropocene has arrived...

Colorbound – Review One of the best puzzle games I've played in the last few years....

Mechaconda – Review Snake as a great bullet hell action roguelike....

Colorbound comes out tomorrow and I have my review ready to go. Short version - it is one of my favourite puzzle games I have played in the last few years. Not because it melts your brain, but because of how pitch perfect the emotions, story, and gameplay mechanics are.

Elsiane’s vocalist and songwriter Elsieanne Caplette launches solo career, celebrating regaining her distinctive voice following an accident Witchy trip hop at its best...

It is absolutely preferable to not pick up the cigarette in the first place news.berkeley.edu/2026/10/09/u...

"Direct your dream game" says Unity Y'all game direction is many things but I can guarantee you that "genre + setting" is not game direction for anyone who has been a game director even just for 5 minutes Which should tell you enough about who made this, and whether you should trust them with this

Superb game and highly recommended for all you arena arcade score attack monsters out there.

I tag my game reviews with the number of local players the game can support, not the number of online players the game can serve. This means I tag a game with online multiplayer and one player if it can handle a lobby of 32 people, but each person joins alone. Does that make sense? I'm overthinking!

Slipstream – Review An arcade racer about blowing your bubble around the bath....

Bubbleware – Review A free Warioware-inspired microgame collection....

Live Vault – Florence + The Machine Her Reading headline performance is available for all....

Sharkeologist’s Nirvana cover comes with a Nerdvana music video quiz The music video visits key locations to Cobain and Nirvana's legacy....

To soft-launch the Higher Plain Racing YouTube channel, because I'm not in a place to run the motorsport content I'd planned, I have an iRacing Arcade Formula 80s championship starting tomorrow for 18 rounds every other day. Expect puns and poor driving www.youtube.com/channel/UCxE...

Introducing… Mass Minor Depeche Mode meets Sacred Skin...

As Seas Exhale – ‘Boreal’ Review The warmest Arctic ambient classical hug...

Djunah returns with a noise-rock opera about complex trauma, inspired by Italian horror films Your Hallowed eve album of 2026 is here....

Biomigrant – ‘Cetáceo’ Review Merging the humpback whale song into fresh Afro-Latin electronica....

Introducing… Essence Martins Confessional rock with soft punches to the gut....

Growing My Manhole – Review Hole.IO as an incremental......

Under Canopies could be the wildlife photography and farming game I’ve been looking for Cosy survival by befriending the forest animals....

What was your setup in Y2K? 📺💿🎮 Track 5 on the new album. Order here: lukhash.bandcamp.com/album/neon-a...

A little blog for my Patreon supporters. www.patreon.com/higherplainn...