“Never Be Alone”, a zombie survival game with host-limited co-op draws attention as its survival system nears launch [Indie Top 3]

Here are the Game*Spark editorial team’s top indie game picks for the second week of September!

This week’s lineup features three titles: *Never Be Alone*, a new open-world zombie survival game with co-op support; *Izakaya Izakoza*, a deck-building roguelike where voluptuous beauties captivate players with their backs; and *The Full Belly Prison Break Plan*, a puzzle-solving dining escape adventure where you aim to break out of prison while eating dangerous dishes.

Never Be Alone

This open-world zombie survival game is set in a world 10 years after a zombie outbreak. As you explore nature-covered ruins, forests, farms, and military facilities, you’ll battle infected creatures and hostile human factions to maintain your safe zone.

The protagonist awakens from a six-month coma and must survive in this dangerous world while uncovering the truth about their past. In addition to solo play, the game supports seamless online co-op for as many players as the host’s PC can handle.

The game features not only exploration and combat but also survival elements such as resource gathering, crafting, base building, farming, hunting, and fishing. Weapons can be equipped with attachments like scopes, suppressors, and extended magazines, and players can use vehicles to traverse the vast map.

Furthermore, you can freely switch between first-person and third-person perspectives, and visibility, combat, and missions change depending on the weather and time of day. Supplies are actually placed throughout the world in locations such as shelves and containers, and a dedicated animation plays when you open a container.Set across three islands, the game features over 30 main missions and includes more than 1,000 voice lines. Conversations, character reactions, and mission outcomes are said to change based on the player’s choices, mission success or failure, rescued survivors, weather, and time of day.

In base building, players can install electrical appliances powered by generators; power generation fluctuates dynamically based on weather conditions—for example, solar power requires sunlight, and wind power requires wind.The game is scheduled for release following an Early Access period, during which the developers plan to expand the story, locations, enemies, items, and survival systems while incorporating feedback from the community. According to the developers, the number of wishlist additions has surpassed 185,000, and a demo is scheduled for release on October 19.

Izakaya Izakoza

This is a deck-building roguelike game that combines interactions with customers visiting an izakaya with card battles. Players engage in conversation with a cast of colorful customers, serve up nostalgic dishes, and occasionally take on battles that unfold within the establishment.

In combat, players move their characters across a grid while using cards from their deck. A key feature is the fully animated characters moving across the battlefield; strategy involves not only card combinations but also positional play using the grid.

Furthermore, your opponents are the customers visiting the izakaya, and you can deepen your relationships with them through conversation and food. The game also features a system where your relationships with customers unlock unique stories and special rewards. An alpha test is scheduled to be released from mid-September through the end of October.

The Full-Stomach Escape Plan

This is a puzzle-solving dining escape adventure in which the protagonist, captured by a hostile organization, aims to escape while eating dangerous dishes. Players must identify the hazards hidden in the food and figure out how to eat safely while attempting to escape from the facility where they are being held captive.The game promotes a “FPS (First Person Shokuji)” experience, where players observe meals from a first-person perspective, making it feel as though they are actually eating the dishes.

In the game, the key to success is observing the dishes set before you and uncovering the dangers and mysteries hidden within them. You’ll encounter surreal dishes, such as an eyeball escaping from a bowl of white rice, a shark leaping out of a bowl of soup, or the universe unfolding on a plate.

As you work your way through a variety of dishes from all eras and cultures, you’ll also rely on the help of allies who assist you in your escape. The game features multiple endings where the story branches depending on how you eat the food.