OK so here's the thing: as an indie game podcast – even one that we put out for free and entirely just for fun – we can't not acknowledge the recent release of Hollow Knight: Silksong, one of the most anticipated indie games ever, right? But also, as it turns out, for various reasons, none of us have actually played it. What to do, then?

Well it turns out that while exactly zero out of three hosts had the time or – to be honest – inclination to jump right in and play Silksong at launch, we've all got a lot to say on the subject of indie game sequels more broadly. While Triple-A and even Double-A gaming spaces are absolutely saturated with long-running franchises, even very popular and successful indie games are seemingly more likely to be standalone than not, which makes sequels something of a curiosity when one comes along.

So that's how we manage to talk about Silksong without actually mentioning Silksong very much! Be it the indie game sequels that really worked for us, the ones that never saw the light of day, or our dream indie game follow-up wishlist, it turns out we have a lot to say as usual when we throw the topic open to a wider examination of an intriguing industry trend. Why is it mainly puzzle and/or horror games that manage to turn themselves into full-blown indie franchises? Do spiritual sequels count? And is Liam over the cancellation of Dreamsettler yet? (Sadly: no, but we shouldn't rush him.)

Our hyperfixations this week see Rachel once again chilling with some cute critters in Star Birds, Liam once again chilling with some factory management in Oddsparks: An Automation Adventure, and Rebecca once again seeking out the least chill time imaginable by going to see The Long Walk in the cinema (it was a great film, just… harrowing).

Our music was written and performed by Ollie Newbury! Find him on Instagram at @newbsmusic. Meanwhile, you can find us at indieventurepodcast.co.uk or wherever you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget that you can now join our dedicated Discord too, and be sure to check out our new Steam Curator page if you simply still can't get enough of us!