Weekend Confirmed is back, and this week, Garnett Lee, Jeff Cannata, "Indie" Jeff Mattas and Nikole Zivalich convene to talk about some new releases. Garnett kicks things off with some talk about his experience with Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, which is followed by some discussion about the recently-released indies, Skulls of the Shogun and Proteus. Naturally, the crew brings it all home with a batch of Finishing Moves, and the final post-show NFL TailGate of the season.

Listen: Weekend Confirmed Episode 150 »

Thrills, chills, and gently rolling hills are coming on January 30 with the launch of dreamy explore 'em up Proteus on PC and Mac. For $9.99, the playable song will send you off on a lovely countryside stroll, playing with local flora and fauna to build a wonderful procedural soundtrack. Wear sensible shoes and bring a packed lunch.

Read more: Pre-order for only $7.50 »

There's a lot to be excited for in 2013, and the Shacknews staff each have five games on their radar. The editorial team at Shacknews outlines their most anticipated games of 2013 individually. Next up, we've got cuss word expert Alice O'Connor's list of next year's titles.

Read more: Alice's picks for 2013 »

Sublime indie wander 'em up Proteus has opened pre-orders with a discount and instant access to a beta build, so you can start exploring straight away. The IGF 2012 hopeful is coming to PC, Mac and Linux.

Watch: Lovely sights and sounds »

Along with the various conventional video games that can be found at IndieCade, the festival has also been home to some specialty titles that emphasize art moreso than gameplay. One of these titles is Proteus, a first-person exploration game from British-based developer, Twisted Tree Games. I was fortunate enough to take a hands-on look at the game, while also observing the reactions of convention-goers that tried the game out for themselves.

Read more: about ambient exploration in Proteus »

One of the best things about this year's IndieCade is the particularly wide assortment of incredibly innovative cooperative experiences. Given that all those in attendance love videogames--or at the very least, have a healthy curiosity--an enthusiastic collaborator is always in within arm's reach.

It's indicative of the natural bonds that can develop when bringing so many talented game-makers together. "There's a really unique community of developers that come from around the world, sharing ideas," IndieCade CEO and founder Stephanie Barish explained. She told me that oftentimes, new development teams manifest as the result of the relationships that form at IndieCade. "It's just very, very exciting to be here and be part of this community," she said, "and to have the opportunity to show your work to each other, and to the broader public."

Read more: award winners, great people, and great co-op »