Interstellar truck driver Flux Dabes has crash-landed again. Good thing this isn’t her first alien rodeo! In Crashlands 2, help her gather resources, craft gadgets and interact with dozens of hilarious characters. A mysterious blight known as the Withering is snaking across the planet Woanope, and it’s up to Flux to get to the bottom of it!

What we love: The finely tuned mix of relaxed base-building and risky exploration. As you scour the world for exotic materials, you’ll find explosive shrubbery, tucked-away treasures and eggs that hatch into adorable (and deadly) pets. Bump into an alien creep? Smack it with your Space Wok!

Quick tip: Before venturing too far into the wilderness, make sure you have Creepthistles or Thistlesticks to hurl at faraway foes, plus a stack of Popcork Docks for building makeshift bridges. And don’t forget a healing item, like Panflurritos, for treating nasty Sluggabull bites.

Meet the creator: St. Louis–based studio Butterscotch Shenanigans was founded by the Coster brothers – Seth, Sam and Adam – who came up with the name during a long road trip. The Crashlands and Levelhead makers also host a weekly podcast, Coffee with Butterscotch, where they discuss indie game development.