Why Indie Games Like Fading Afternoon Deserve More Attention

An Appreciation for Indie Games

I have a great appreciation for indie games, which are crafted by small teams driven by passion and a clear vision. These games don’t compromise or cater to the masses; rather, they embody the creator’s complete vision, even if it narrows their audience.

Fading Afternoon: A Hidden Gem

This is why I was so drawn to Fading Afternoon, an indie project developed and published by team Yeo; a 4-person team with a few games under their belt.

Unique Concept and Gameplay

At first glance, the game’s concept might seem simplistic—a 2D pixel art Yakuza—but it unfolds into much more. It begins with your character’s release from a prison cell after an unspecified period of incarceration. Upon exiting, you’re welcomed by your family, who provide transportation to the office and update you on the current state of the streets that your family once controlled. As the game progresses, you gain access to various locations where you can acquire equipment and engage with NPCs, further enriching the narrative.

Immersive Discovery

This game hit me differently because I went in without any prior knowledge. Discovering the game’s capabilities and systems along the way led to many eureka moments, and I believe that’s the best way the game should be experienced. For that reason, I’ll refrain from divulging any further plot details or discussing any systems I encountered. However, I will say that this game offers more dynamism and systems for a 2D pixel character than any other game, 2D or otherwise, that I’ve played in recent memory. The systems presented continually astonish me with what they enable the player to do. This extends beyond the player’s interaction with the world to the world itself, showcasing many logical outcomes that, as a gamer, I find are often overlooked or entirely omitted in most games. Here, they’re fully realized to a fantastic degree.

“this game offers more dynamism and systems for a 2D pixel character than any game, 2D or otherwise, that I’ve played in recent memory”

YouTube player — While I’d advocate that you go in cold knowing nothing about the game, this trailer does give you an idea of what Fading Afternoon is capable of.

Underappreciated on Steam

At present, it appears the game has slipped under the radar on Steam. Despite being available since September 14th, 2023, Fading Afternoon has garnered only 666 reviews on Steam to date. The developer has tweeted out looking for more visibility for the game in hopes of being featured on Metacritic for the recent Nintendo Switch release.

Highlighting Hidden Indie Gems

If this site serves one purpose, it should be to highlight games that have fallen through the cracks. In my view, this game warrants far more attention than it is currently receiving.

Play Fading Afternoon Today

Fading Afternoon is currently available on Steam and the Nintendo eShop. The developer related to me that the chances of a console port at this point is very slim. If you have the hardware to play this game, I would HIGHLY recommend it.