The Black Lives Matter movement has been in full swing for a while now, due to recent global events. The movement has therefore allowed the showcasing of a range of diverse voices from different perspectives from many different corners of the gaming industry. It goes without saying that it’s more important than ever to help amplify these voices and support black creators as much as possible.
So without further ado, here is a list of PC games from black developers and creators that are definitely worth your time and support, and will hopefully pave the way for more black creators in the future.
1. Hair Nah
Hair Nah provides a very interesting, thought-provoking, premise for a game by taking a common topic of discussion amongst black women and it has consequently become somewhat of a viral hit.
This game was created by Momo Pixel and it plays on an issue which has been the main of many black women’s’ existence – touching our hair. And it does it in a very fun and tongue-in-cheek way.
The game mainly entails the player setting off on a globetrotting adventure, trying to prevent white hands from touching your character’s Afro hair. The best thing is that it’s free to play.
2. Swimsanity!
Swimsanity! is a colorful, energetic side-scrolling co-op underwater shooter game in which you and some friends team up and battle it out against a whole host of creatures including monsters and robots.
The player plays as the protagonist Mooba, who is utilises various weapons and skills to survive a crazy underwater world. Featuring over 150 challenges across eight modes, the game can either play online or locally.
The game was developed by an independent studio, Decoy Games which is owned by brothers Ahmed and Khalil Abdullah.
3. Combat Core
Developed by MABManZ, the recently-released Combat Core is an action-packed, futuristic, cyberpunk-inspired, 3D arena fighting game, in which you can fight either online or offline or with friends or the AI.
This game is reminiscent of titles like Power Stone. The game offers interactive arenas with various mechanics, weapon pickups, the opportunity to customise your fighters with a full character editor as well as a varied roster of characters each possessing their own unique movesets and strengths.
- Purchase on Combat Core on Steam
4. Treachery in Beatdown City
A sort of throwback to the beat em up video game craze that swept the 1990s, in particular Streets of Rage, Double Dragon or Final Fight, Treachery in Beatdown City is a colorful 8-bit, 2D fighting game, which also combines the elements of an RPG, wrestling, action/adventure and turn-based mechanics.
In this game, you fight you way through an array of enemies and features a killer alternative hip hop soundtrack, a unique combat system and a hilarious story. This is perfect for those looking for a slice of nostalgia. The game is developed by New York City-based Nuchallenger and Hurakan Works.
- Purchase Treachery in Beatdown City on Steam
5. Hex Gambit: Respawned
Turn-based strategy games may not be the most popular video game genre amongst black folk, but Hex Gambit: Respawned hopes to change that.
This upcoming quirky turn-based, strategy game, developed by One Man Left Studios, is a very chess-inspired game for one to four players. It offers competitive local multiplayer and also has an online mode. It’s accessible to new players, has unique map layouts and allows you to acquire a ton of creative tactics.
- Pre-order Hex Gambit: Respawned on Steam
6. Before I Forget
Fans of thought-provoking, narrative-driven, story-based video games are in for a treat with Before I Forget, which was developed by 3 Fold Games, namely two people behind the studio, Chella Ramanan and Claire Morwood.
In this hour-long adventure, you get to play as a woman named Sunite, who is suffering from early onset dementia, from a first-person perspective. The game explores the emotional impacts of dementia and is designed to be experienced in just one sitting.
It has a beautiful, melodic soundtrack and it also comes with a free developer’s commentary which features some insightful interviews.
7. ValiDate
An exciting twist on the visual novel, the upcoming ValiDate is a decision-based, romantic visual novel which is being written and developed by an entire team of people of color.
For anyone who loved Dream Daddy, for example, or just generally loves their dating simulators is certainly in for a treat. The game follows a group of twenty-somethings who deal with typical stuff that people in that age group deal with, in particular, dating and relationships.
The game features twelve playable characters and 30 routes to choose from and it is said that there will be around 20 to 30 hours of content.
- Support the game here
8. She Dreams Elsewhere
She Dreams Elsewhere is a visually striking, retro style, surrealist RPG adventure, from Studio Zevere, in which you play as a protagonist named Thalia, who suffering from anxiety and is thus on a journey to confront her deepest nightmares and escape from a coma.
It has a very distinctive artistic style and cool palette as well as a roster of black characters, each with their own narratives – an added bonus. It has a deep narrative which presents a nuanced, mature exploration of mental health issues, a turn-based battle system where you battle a variety of demons and a character customisation system.
- Pre-order on She Dreams Elsewhere on Steam
9. The Slaughter: Act One
The Slaughter: Act One is an 8-bit, story-driven, point-and-click adventure game from Alex Francois and Brainchild Studios, and is set in a very faithfully recreated Victorian London.
This is a noir-filled adventure in which you are tasked with following the trail of a serial killer who is terrorising the streets, searching for clues and solving some crimes as the private investigator Sydney Emerson, with a huge slice of dark humour and more adult themes. What’s more, you get to meet a whole load of your typical eccentric British characters.
- Purchase The Slaughter: Act One on Steam
10. Aerial_Knights Never Yield
Aerial_Knights Never Yield is a 3D side-scrolling, action-adventure game with various mechanics and a colorful, distinctive artistic style, which is perfect for speed runners everywhere.
Set in a futuristic Tokyo-style Detroit, the game is accompanied by a soundtrack composed by Detroit artists with backing vocals from an array of black vocalists from all over the world. In this game, you play as Wally, a kid who is set out to recover his past in order to save the future and uncover some truths.
- Pre-order Aerial_Knights Never Yield on Steam
TechRadar’s PC Gaming Week 2020 is celebrating the most powerful gaming platform on Earth with articles, interviews and essential buying guides that showcase how diverse, imaginative, and remarkable PC games – and gamers – can be. Visit our PC Gaming Week 2020 page to see all our coverage in one place.
- Check out the best PC games of 2020
