The gaming industry is a tough nut to crack for most, but none more so than indie game developers. With shoe-string budgets and minimal resources, they go toe-to-toe with gaming goliaths in the hope of just a slither of their success.
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On some occasions, these Indies defy the odds and become the name on everyone’s lips for a while, but for the most part, these Indies fail to find an audience and fade into obscurity.
However, many of these unlucky Indie games are incredible experiences that deserve a moment in the spotlight and to be heralded as some of the best games on the market.
So, to help these games climb from relative obscurity into the gaming zeitgeist, here is a list of ten indie gems you need to try.
10El Paso, Everywhere
John Wick Who?
Strange Scaffold
3rd Person Shooter
Release Date
26th September 2023
We kick things off with a game sure to evoke memories of diving around guns akimbo in slow motion when playingMax Payneall those years ago.
El Paso Everywhereis a surreal3rd person shooterthat offers a weirdly compelling story of a vampire romance gone sour, and tells that story mainly through high-octane gun-toting violence.
It’s a game that may look for all the world like it was made for the PlayStation 2, but when you get your hands on this title, you’ll see that this is a much more polished shooter than it looks at first glance.
It has frenetic over-the-shoulder shooting, a great level design that is reminiscent ofHotline Miami,and a B-movie-esque story that actually has quite a lot of substance.
There’s nothing quite as badass as a matrix-style shootout, andEl Paso Everywhereproves that.
One Last Job
WONDER POTION
2D Platformer
9th November 2023
When it comes to Cyberpunk games, the whole ‘cybernetic ghost in the machine’ narrative isn’t a new one.Ghostrunnerhas done a pretty good job offering an AA parkour experience of this ilk, but I would argue that the2D platformerSanabijust edges it, offering the best futuristic ninja platformer around.
Sanabi places you in a dystopian Korea where you must come out of retirement to return to your super-solider lifestyle. Which mainly consists of drinking in the neon cityscape and swinging around with the help of your trusty grappling hook.
It’s a game with incredibly fluid movement and traversal, making each action-packed section a blast. While the story is a little confusing and obtuse, it’s still a sci-fi-adjacent fantasy that you’ll adore getting lost in.
8To The Moon
I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying!
Freebird Games
Story-Driven
1st November 2011
Fancy bawling your eyes out uncontrollably? Well, boy, do I have the game for you.
RPG Maker gamesare about as Plucky as Indies get, but there are a select few that make the most of the rather simplistic development software to create truly magnificent works of art, andTo The Moonis an RPG Maker game that fits the bill.
It’s completely story-driven, telling a tale of two star-crossed lovers, who, despite spending their lives together, never quite see their love blossom into what it could have been.
But through rooting around in John Wyle’s psyche, you just might be able to right those wrongs. It’s a beautiful, deeply effecting narrative, and one that I would recommend to anyone.
Pixel Perfect Witchcraft
Nolla Games
24th September 2019
It’s fair to say that mainstream gaming has embraced both roguelikes androguelitesin a big way, with games likeThe Binding of Isaac, Hades, and more enjoying huge success as a result.
However, a few excellent examples have slipped through the cracks, and one such game isNoita.
This title has you explore a pixelated underground world where each pixel is independently rendered. It looks and feels a little like those falling sand simulators we all spend way too much time messing around with.
But aesthetics aside, it’s also an impressive Roguelike with a punishing world, a wide variety of wands and spells to make each run feel distinct, and a rewarding learning curve that makes little successes feel like mammoth wins.
It’s a phenomenal indie gem many have slept on for too long. So, pick up a wand and venture into the darkness below.
6Minishoot Adventures
Bullet-Hell Zelda
SoulGame Studio
Bullet Hell
21rd February 2022
Due to theZeldafranchise’s sheer longevity, anyone reading this will likely have playedat least oneZeldagame in their lifetime. However, I would wager that even those who have played all of Link’s top-down adventures would agree that none are quite like whatMinishoot Adventureshas to offer.
For all intents and purposes, Minishoot Adventures is a top-down Zelda adventure where you explore, collect keys, solve puzzles, and the like.
But the standout feature here is that hack-and-slash combat is traded in for lively and brilliantly implemented bullet hell twin-stick shooting.
It’s a wonderful adventure game cocktail that offers moments of high-octane bliss and cerebral puzzle-solving.
So, if you’re tired of the tried-and-testedZeldaformat, this just might be the breath of fresh air you need.
5Laika: Aged Through Blood
Backflips and Bullets
Brainwash Gang
Metroidvania
19th June 2023
I’m a sucker for a game that takes a mechanic that has no right to exist in an established genre and manages to crowbar it in there successfully anyway. This is exactly what happened whenLaika: Aged Through Bloodwas developed.
This game combines the bullet-time mechanics of Max Payne and the motorcycle platforming of Trials Fusion to offer a gritty Metroidvania with a difference.
It’s a game that demands mechanical mastery, but once you get in the swing of things, you’ll be treated to some incredibly fluid action sequences, a bleak but powerful story of vengeance, and one of the coolest soundtracks the indie scene has ever produced.
They say violence is never the answer, but Laika proves that sometimes blood, guns, and non-stop action are just what the doctor ordered.
4Bramble: The Mountain King
A VeryGrimmFairytale
Dimforst Studio
2D Puzzle Platformer
27th April 2023
I’ve always had a deep love for ominous, horror-adjacent side-scrolling platformers. It seems like a niche far too small to be a sub-genre in its own right, but thanks to games likeLittle Nightmares,INSIDE, andLIMBO, it’s very much the case. However, there is a Grimm’s Fairytale-inspired example that just doesn’t get talked about enough.
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Bramble: The Mountain Kingtells a story of a fairytale gone awry, as you slowly unravel, descend into madness as you take on the horrors within this storybook setting, and eventually become a monster yourself.
It’s a harrowing tale with plenty of creepy moments, a wealth of great platforming puzzles and some neat boss battles as well.
So, if you want a horror game that isn’t quite as scary as some, this could be a palatable one to check out.
3Nine Sols
Parry, Parry, Strike!
Red Candle Games
29th May 2024
When someone mentions Metroidvanias,they probably mentionHollow Knightin the next breath.
However, while everyone has been waiting forSilksongto arrive, plenty of great games within the genre have come along and shown that there’s no need to wait if such quality is available right now.
Nine Solsis a prime example of this, offering a 2D Souls experience with a twist.
The twist is that this game is lessDark Soulsand moreSekiro, asking the player to master a rather intricate and demanding parry system to survive the gauntlet of bossesNine Solshas waiting for you.
But alongside great combat mechanics, you have a Tao-inspired world, slick visuals, smooth platforming, and a gritty story to get your teeth into.
It’s a tough game, so fair warning, but if you’re looking for a challenge, you just might have found it.
A Surreal Homecoming
Geography of Robots
Text-Based
15th June 2021
Just last year, it wasBaldur’s Gate 3that proved that primarily Text-Based games still have their place in gaming,but while it took all the plaudits, yet another Text-Based gem was slipping under the radar of many.
NORCOis a surreal, Sci-fi, religion-focused epic that’s rather hard to truly pin down. But to make an attempt, you return to the troubled town of Norco after the death of your mother, and suspecting some foul play, you aim to get to the bottom of things.
This naturally leads to this tiny thread rapidly unraveling, treating you to one of the most weirdly wonderful stories gaming has ever gifted us.
You’ll meet homeless Santa, sail on the Louisiana Bayous, join a strange cult that hangs out in the local mall, and so much more. It’s hard to do this one justice without you diving into the story headfirst, so do yourself a favor and jump in as soon as you can.
1In Stars and Time
Over And Over Again
Insert Disc 5
20th November 2023
By a country mile, I have to say without question that the most criminally underrated game of modern times has to beIn Stars and Time.
Despite offering a cast of lovable characters, an interesting world trapped in a perpetual time loop, witty, humorous writing, and clever minimalist RPG combat, this game still sailed under many gamers' radars.
Thankfully, I was not one of them, and I got to witness firsthand the complexity of the fourth-wall-breaking time loop, complete with amazing character relationships, world-building, and welcomely progressive narratives.
Upon release, I said that this game had usurpedOuter Wildsas my pick for the best time loop indie game of all time, and I still stand by that statement.
So, if you want to see what all the fuss is about, then get going. And remember, don’t eat the pineapple; you’re allergic!
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