Cyborg girl with military chip in unsettling sci-fi side-scroller; “Itano Circus” mecha demo live! Asian Indie Discovery, Oct 2026

*Note: Due to system limitations, some text that should be displayed in Simplified or Traditional Chinese may have been replaced with variant characters in this article.

◆『Dark Side Void』

“Dark Side Void,” a 2D side-scrolling mech action game developed by Beyond The Light Cone, is currently available for addition to your Steam wishlist. A demo is also available for a limited time from October 1 through October 31.

Set in a solar system ravaged by repeated interstellar wars, this game puts you in the role of a combat mech pilot battling various threats.The game features fast-paced combat as you fly freely through space, combining shooting and melee attacks in mech action, and pits you against hordes of enemy mechs and massive weapons.

The developer seems to be quite the robot enthusiast; on bilibili, they’ve released gameplay footage titled “Itano Circus-Style Aerial Combat.” The video shows your mech and enemy units engaged in intense dogfights in the sky, making it clear that the game has been heavily influenced by Japanese robot anime.

My personal favorite aspect is the attention to design detail—rather than standard humanoid walking mechs, the game features mechs with legs replaced by fuel tanks and others with fighter-jet-style fuselages. Just that alone makes me feel the developer’s love for mechs.

◆ “The Teahouse Next Door”

“The Tea House Next Door,” a coffee shop management simulation developed by BearTricks Games Studio, is now open for wishlist additions on Steam. In this game, you manage a run-down tea house inherited from your grandfather and, through interactions with various customers, uncover their stories and secrets related to your own family.The game is scheduled to support Japanese.

The protagonist takes over the long-neglected teahouse to save up for college tuition.One of the game’s highlights is the variety of management elements you can enjoy—from blending tea and serving customers to growing tea leaves in the garden and freely decorating the interior and exterior of the teahouse. As you deepen your bonds with visiting customers, you’ll unlock new recipes, and your relationships may even develop into friendships or romantic connections.

The story also delves into the “mysteries of the past” left behind by the protagonist’s eccentric grandfather, and it’s said that a crucial decision awaits at the end. This is a title worth checking out not only for its laid-back tea house management but also for the human drama involving the characters.

◆ “Disorientation Syndrome”

“Disorientation Syndrome,” a light horror novel currently being developed solo by Fudō Iryūshi, is now accepting wishlist additions on Steam. A demo is also available, but both the game and the demo are currently only available in Simplified Chinese.It has been revealed that the game is already complete and is currently undergoing Steam’s review process. Furthermore, even when the full version is released, it appears it will be distributed as a free-to-play title.

This psychological horror title centers on psychological terror. Set in a seemingly ordinary office, the sense of unease lurking beneath the surface of daily life gradually comes to light. Your boss is gentle and polite, and your relationships with coworkers aren’t bad at all… or so it seems, but there’s an “inexplicable, eerie atmosphere” hanging in the air.

In the game, you’ll interact with three characters—a boss, a coworker, and a special staff member—as you delve into the company’s secrets. The story’s progression and your relationships with the characters will change based on your choices, and the game reportedly features a multi-ending system with multiple possible outcomes. The game is scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2026.

◆ “RUST MOON”

A demo for the cyberpunk side-scrolling action game “RUST MOON,” developed by moonbell studio, is now available on Steam.

Set in a dystopian world where people’s lives are managed by AI, this sci-fi action title depicts a struggle surrounding lost memories. In this world, while people are promised eternal happiness, every aspect of society is controlled by the system—to the point where those who fall behind on payments are sent to a facility known as the “Dream Capsule.”

Players take on the role of “ALPHA-7,” a girl whose memories have been rewritten by an unknown entity in this world. In search of her past, she enhances herself by swapping out chips in her cybernetic body and uses firearms and swords to eliminate the threats that stand in her way.

While the game features powerful chips—such as those that slow down time or provide optical camouflage—in a cyberpunk setting, the perception that more powerful weaponry comes with higher risks tends to take precedence (*based on personal opinion*).Additionally, there are subtle plot elements—such as the military chip embedded in the protagonist’s body being connected to a personality suppression zone—that stir unease in the player, creating an even more unsettling atmosphere when combined with the dystopian setting. The game is scheduled for release in 2026 and will support Japanese.