Over the previous 12 months we have been slammed with a barrage of excellent video games, from AAA blockbusters akin to Baldur’s Gate 3, Resident Evil 4 Remake, and Alan Wake II, to indie darlings akin to In opposition to the Storm, Pizza Tower, and Cocoon. Nevertheless, hidden within the shadows of those excellent video video games that had been performed by thousands and thousands had been equally spectacular titles that by no means obtained the prospect to bop beneath the brilliant lights.
On this article, we’ll introduce you to a different 20 hidden indie gems you seemingly have not heard of, however which totally deserve your consideration. Whereas the majority of those titles have been launched in latest instances, we have additionally obtained a collection of video games that got here out within the final 3 to 4 years.
These are all indies, and whereas some managed to seize the eye of media or players, if just for some time, each sport on the record beneath will be labeled as a highlight snub. We have listed them alphabetically since that appeared like essentially the most honest method to showcase them, contemplating they’re all fairly darn good…
What number of video games have you learnt out of those 20?
> Do not miss our reader ballot on the finish of the article… <
A Highland Track
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- 2D Platformer
- Single-player
At 15 years of age, Moira McKinnon determined to run away and at last see the ocean along with her personal eyes. However the street to the shore is long-winded, stuffed with environmental perils, paths that lead nowhere, and every kind of unhealthy climate that may creep upon you in a minute within the Scottish Highlands the place A Highland Track takes place.
This 2D journey / platformer manages to create an immensely wealthy and distinctive world of intertwined 2D planes with a formidable feeling of depth. A world the place you will get misplaced in a jiffy after making only a handful of mistaken turns. So it’s important to climb close by peaks and map your route by fixing map-based puzzles with a purpose to discover your method ahead, transfer deeper into the 2D airplane of the sport to find new routes, and conceal in caves and ruins from instances lengthy gone to climate storms and proceed your journey to the ocean.
Purchase it from: Steam
Bzzzt
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- 2D Platformer
- Single-player
A pixel artwork platformer that includes tight controls, difficult gameplay, excellent degree design, a traditional mode the place a single hit means demise, and a time problem in every degree, Bzzzt is a speedrunners dream, however this doesn’t suggest others will not benefit from the sport.
Decrease the issue and Bzzzt transforms right into a extremely fulfilling exact platformer with a near-perfect move, greater than 50 ranges, and collect-them-all challenges which might be extra suited to common players who’re fantastic with getting higher at a sport however do not discover the near-insurmountable problem at larger problem ranges all that engaging.
Add various thrilling boss battles, the truth that you possibly can end most ranges in a minute or much less, excellent optimization permitting the sport to be performed on a toaster or any handheld gaming PC, and you have one of many slickest platformers of latest years that begs on your consideration. Bzzzt presents one thing for everybody, so long as they seem to be a fan of platformers.
Purchase it from: Steam, GOG
Cobalt Core
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- Roguelike Deckbuilder
- Single-player
If you hear the phrases “roguelike deckbuilder,” a few of the issues that come to your thoughts in all probability embody punishing problem, barebones story, and static battles the place neither you nor your opponents transfer across the battlefield. Cobalt Core subverts these expectations, presenting a deckbuilder roguelike that options a fascinating meta-story, a number of ranges of problem, and dynamic battles the place it’s important to care about your place as a lot as your card synergies.
This sport appeals to those that usually do not get pleasure from roguelikes by encouraging gamers to embark on one other run not solely with guarantees of cool new playing cards and enjoying characters to unlock, but additionally by unveiling a brand new character-specific story bit every time you end a run. It is a nice carrot-and-stick mechanic for players who lean extra towards story-rich video games than titles that put gameplay in entrance of every little thing else. That stated, Cobalt Core shouldn’t be a one-trick pony in terms of unlocks. Apart from the slowly unraveling meta-story, you additionally unlock new crew members, playing cards, and ships.
And contemplating that every crew member solely has three unlockable story bits – out of 18 bits in complete – and that every ship has completely different unlock necessities, the sport continually pushes you to experiment with new crew members and crew combos, every character having their very own distinctive deck of playing cards, and take a look at enjoying at larger difficulties as an alternative of settling right into a feeling-good-but-not-trying-new-stuff rut when you discover a crew and ship combo that fits your playstyle one of the best.
Purchase it from: Steam
Dodgeball Academia
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- Cut up Display PvP
- Single-player
- Sports activities RPG
Dodgeball Academia is a sports activities RPG harking back to a Saturday morning cartoon, with gameplay akin to a 90s console RPG, stuffed with humorous and healthful moments, with a solid of quirky however lovable characters and a ton of partaking dodgeball battles. The sport presents an enthralling story and a compact sport world stuffed with content material that also manages to maintain the spirit of exploration alive since every a part of the map has its fair proportion of hidden collectibles.
The story unfolds over the course of a few dozen hours, with the sport continually feeding gamers with new areas to discover and new opponents that may take a look at your dodgeball and roster-building skills. Dodgeball battles are straightforward at first, however afterward within the sport, you’ll have to sweat with a purpose to be the final man standing. Don’t dodge this sport!
Purchase it from: Steam, GOG
El Paso, Elsewhere
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- Third-person Shooter
- Single-player
What would you get in the event you’d combine components of Max Payne and Management after which glaze the ensuing potpourri with retro visuals? Most likely one thing similar to El Paso, Elsewhere.
It is a style-and-substance neo-noir third-person shooter that appears and feels nice. Battle tons of bizarrely-looking enemies, use bullet time like there is not any tomorrow, and unveil the story of affection gone foul.
The sport options pretty retro visuals alongside continuous explosive motion the place utilizing bullet time is as pure and frequent as respiratory. Ranges are designed in a method to promote Max Payne-like sort of set items the place model is as vital as getting issues completed, the place the expertise of taking pictures baddies is one of the best a part of the entire sport. Test this one out, you will not remorse it.
Purchase it from: Steam, GOG, Itch
Empty Shell
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- Roguelike Shooter
- Single-player
If one expression might describe Empty Shell, it could be “an train in futility.” Empty Shell is an unrelenting, dissonant barrage of punishing encounters that always result in a fast sport over.
The sport’s overly darkish, twisted, ill-defined visuals that steadily drive you to squint with a purpose to see the enemies marching in direction of you provides a second layer of unapproachability that punishes its gamers each by way of gameplay and visible presentation.
However in the event you persevere and provides Empty Shell an opportunity, you are in for a deal with. At the very least in the event you like gruelingly tough survival horror video games with an obtuse, twisted story, oppressive ambiance, and roguelike gameplay loop. The sport’s tactical gameplay that does not forgive errors can grow to be tremendous addicting. In case you like this type of video games, you would possibly end up awake at 3am after one more defeat, urging your physique to seek out sufficient vitality to embark on simply one other run.
Purchase it from: Steam
Islets
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- Metroidvania
- Single-player
Islets is a one-man undertaking that oozes artful design and love for the Metroidvania style. As an alternative of taking place the route of blocky pixel artwork, Islets makes use of hand-drawn art work to present life to the tiny but courageous mouse you play as, and its playground made of assorted islands floating among the many clouds.
The sport appears to be like nice but additionally encompasses a well-designed gameplay loop the place you discover pretty massive standalone maps stuffed with upgrades, bosses, and delightful surroundings. The catch right here is that your aim is to reunite the fragmented islands, which in flip mends the maps and drops new areas to discover and upgrades to gather, making the method of backtracking the style is understood for a lot much less tedious than in most different metroidvanias.
Apart from the attractive hand-painted visuals, music in Islets can be worthy of reward. Lush visuals mixed with sprightly melodies give Islets a vivacious and luxurious ambiance, the exact opposite of the somber tones of Hole Knight. Locking it in is comparatively easy fight that is not too laborious, permitting gamers to concentrate on exploration and contentment of the sport’s astonishing ranges as an alternative of attempting to git gud with a purpose to beat the boss they have been caught on the final three hours.
Purchase it from: Steam, GOG, Epic Video games Retailer
Loddlenaut
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- Cozy Survival-lite
- On-line Co-op
Choose up trash, recycle supplies, clear the ocean, and revive the planet. The premise of Loddlenaut is easy, and this cozy sport within the vein of “A Quick Hike” would not attempt to oversell itself, not like many different such titles that market themselves like they’re the second coming of A Quick Hike.
The sport’s chill gameplay and the truth that you possibly can befriend cute axolotl-like loddles will win you over the second you set in your diving helmet and dive into the polluted ocean of the planet GUP-14, which can quickly be cleaned by none apart from your self. Loddlenaut is a wickedly cozy sport with slews of appeal.
Purchase it from: Steam
OlliOlli World
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- Arcade Skater/Platformer
- Single-player
The primary two OlliOlli video games had been tons of enjoyable, and the newest entry maintains the unbeatable high quality of the OlliOlli move expertise whereas additionally taking the franchise into 3D realms. Lauded by critics however failing to grow to be a smash indie hit evaluations had been hinting at, OlliOlli World deserves your consideration in the event you’re into the fast-paced combo-hoarding model of video games that pack tons of favor and substance.
The sensation of touchdown one combo after one other whereas driving by way of deftly designed ranges and whereas the frenzy of pleasure in your mind is rising with every second till you cross the end line and uncover that you’ve got managed to accrue sufficient factors to advance to the following degree is among the greatest examples of a high quality tension-and-release design in a contemporary sport. And in the event you’re into conquering every degree, the sport presents various additional achievements that normally require full dedication to be obtained.
Purchase it from: Steam
Patch Quest
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- Roguelike Shoot-’em-up
- Single-player
Patch Quest is a peculiar indie sport that mixes a few of the greatest components of roguelites, metroidvanias, and shmups, infuses them with Pokemon-like creature accumulating, and serves the ultimate course with an additional dose of problem. The sport world is humongous and rife for exploration, however you may have to attend a bit and die a number of instances earlier than you get hold of sufficient upgrades to outlive on the planet of Patch Quest for lengthy sufficient to embark on prolonged runs and truly handle to attain some cool loot and unlock extra everlasting upgrades.
When you get the ball rolling the sport opens up, and also you’re greeted with a ton of content material that features quite a few objects to acquire, everlasting upgrades to unlock, dungeons to discover, and executives to beat. One other excellent news is that taking pictures this is phenomenal, with the sport packing a large sufficient collection of weapons and skills to not flip stale when you grow to be highly effective sufficient to current an actual hazard to the denizens of Patchlantis. Final however not least, the sport helps split-screen co-op for as much as 2 gamers, which means you possibly can shuffle issues up with a pal as soon as solo exploration begins to grow to be uninteresting.
Purchase it from: Steam
Pseudoregalia
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- Metroidvania
- Single-player
Pseudoregalia is a 3D metroidvania that places the enjoyment of movement in entrance of every little thing else. Its N64-like visuals could also be off-putting to some, however when you enter the fortress, unlock a number of skills that make traversing the degrees a breeze, and embark on the hunt to seek out all keys wanted to face the ultimate problem, Pseudoregalia turns into probably the most addictive metroidvanias on the market.
Every degree within the sport features a few areas you possibly can attain by pulling off inventive, sequence breaking transfer combos and utilizing the extent design to your benefit. This design determination all the time retains you guessing whether or not you possibly can advance along with your present set of strikes or should unlock extra skills, eliciting a charming gameplay loop stuffed with rewarding discoveries.
The one factor we advise all potential gamers is to make use of the sport map accessible on this Steam information, except you get pleasure from free-form exploration and infrequently getting misplaced in sport worlds for hours on finish.
Purchase it from: Steam, Itch
Roadwarden
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- Textual content-based RPG
- Single-player
In case you fancy enjoying a text-based RPG with troves of decisions to make and delightful isometric pixel artwork embellishing nearly each dialog window, look no additional than Roadwarden. That is an expertly crafted RPG the place many facet quests embody various impactful decisions to make and the place combating mobs consists of numerous studying, typing, and clicking on multiple-choice solutions.
This choose-your-adventure sport would not attempt to escape its text-heavy roots, but it surely additionally manages to create a gameplay loop the place you cease caring about not with the ability to swing your ax at unhealthy guys and as an alternative embrace the sport’s dialog home windows stuffed with textual content and cute pixel artwork illustrations.
The sport consists of three courses to select from, every distinctive sufficient to supply a very completely different expertise than the opposite two; a terrific incentive to beat the sport a number of instances. Professional tip: in order for you the utmost degree of immersion, flip the time restrict off and take your time absorbing the masterfully written fantasy world of Roadwarden.
Purchase it from: Steam
Rush Rally 3
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- On-line PvP
- LAN PvP
- Single-player
- Racer
One man’s journey of making an final indie rally simulation had began years in the past on smartphones, with the third iteration of the Rush Rally sequence being the primary one to launch on PC. And, oh boy, this one’s a keeper.
In case you like Colin McRae video games, together with the newer Filth titles akin to Filth 2 and Filth 3, you may love Rush Rally 3. The sport is a simcade rally racer with a meaty marketing campaign and greater than 20 rally vehicles from all eras you possibly can unlock, customise, tune, and improve. The phases are a pleasure to drive and might get greater than a bit tough as you progress by way of the marketing campaign mode.
As for the driving mannequin, it leans extra in direction of the arcade however consists of reasonable physics of driving over completely different surfaces, in addition to fairly detailed deformation and injury fashions. Lastly, whereas the visuals will not blow your thoughts, they match properly with the general retro really feel of the sport, taking you again to the 2000s and early 2010s, the golden age of Colin McRae and Filth video games. In case you choose isometric racers, take a look at Rush Rally Origins from the identical developer.
Purchase it from: Steam
South Scrimshaw, Half One
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- Visible Novel
- Single-player
A free visible novel that includes an authentic story a few whale rising up in an ocean that is uncannily comparable but completely alien to ours in addition to a few of the greatest illustrations you may ever see in a sport is a deal you should not miss, even when visible novels aren’t your cup of tea.
As an alternative of enjoying out a branching story stuffed with decisions, penalties, a number of endings, and all that jazz, South Scrimshaw presents a novel method of telling a narrative in a online game. This visible novel makes use of a pseudo-documentary model of narration with totally voiced traces and exhaustively detailed worldbuilding that features particulars not solely about lifeforms occupying the stated ocean but additionally in regards to the human-led expedition that found the planet on which the story takes place.
If there is a main flaw with the sport, it is the truth that it ends form of in the course of the story and that now we have to attend for half two to see how the story ends.
Obtain it from: Steam, GOG, Itch
Stasis: Bone Totem
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- Level-and-click Journey
- Single-player
The Brotherhood is a studio with a knack for isometric journey video games boasting a observe file that features admirable achievements akin to Lovely Desolation and Cayne. Their newest sport, Stasis: Bone Totem, is arguably The Brotherhood’s greatest sport up to now.
Whereas previous video games from The Brotherhood lacked in a technique or one other, Stasis: Bone Totem is the place every little thing clicks into place. You’ve got obtained spectacular visuals, intelligent puzzles which might be enjoyable to unravel, a fascinating story, phenomenal worldbuilding and artwork course, a superb soundtrack, and a gameplay loop that tries to innovate on the tried-and-true point-and-click journey hallmarks.
And whereas journey aficionados will most probably adore this one, Stasis: Bone Totem ought to be performed by everybody who likes darkish, bleak sci-fi video games with a high quality story. Better of all, regardless of the sport being a sequel to 2015’s Stasis, the 2 video games solely share the universe they happened in.
Purchase it from: Steam, GOG, Epic Video games Retailer
Tremendous Woden GP 2
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- Shared/Cut up Display PvP
- Single-player
- Isometric Racer
In case you’ve ever wished for a retro-styled isometric tackle the legendary Gran Turismo 4, Tremendous Woden GP 2 is that sport. The meat and potatoes of the sport consists of the hefty marketing campaign that may see you drive vehicles in a dozen completely different courses, every class with distinctive dealing with and methods to go quick across the tracks. The sport presents a ton of various vehicles to acquire, both by unlocking them by profitable championships or shopping for them at automotive heaps.
Regardless of the sport’s arcadey dealing with, every championship in Tremendous Woden GP 2 feels completely different. Rally vehicles can drive throughout grass and dust nearly as quick as on asphalt, compact hatchbacks speed up like lighting and are tremendous straightforward to manage, however their max velocity leaves one thing to be desired, whereas the highly effective GT vehicles have each the acceleration and max velocity, however require a gold certificates on the braking academy.
The varied providing of championships, the flexibility to improve every automotive you personal, in addition to a slew of content material together with four-way split-screen native multiplayer for when your pals come out, weekly on-line occasions with leaderboards, greater than 180 vehicles to unlock, and an excellent variety of significantly tough time trial races that put your mettle to the take a look at make Tremendous Woden GP 2 probably the greatest indie races on the market, interval.
Purchase it from: Steam
The Multi-Medium
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- 2D Platformer
- Single-player
A simple but partaking puzzle platformer gameplay the place each degree follows a unique artwork model with the one fixed being the ragdoll-like enjoying character, and the truth that each asset present in The Multi-Medium is hand drawn or hand painted make this one a doozie.
Mechanically, The Multi-Medium performs like your normal puzzle platformer. You spend your time working, leaping, avoiding obstacles, fixing puzzles, and combating varied bosses and common enemies whereas attempting to remain alive and go to simply one other world. However as the sport progresses, you uncover that almost all worlds function a novel gameplay mechanic that retains stuff contemporary and prevents the sport from turning right into a chore after the preliminary amazement with the improbable artwork design fades.
The platforming sections are intermittently dotted with varied puzzles which might be, typically, comparatively easy but enjoyable to unravel, supplying the sport with an excellent quantity of partaking content material however stopping gamers from getting caught on that one super-hard puzzle discovered in lots of different comparable titles. On the finish of the day, The Multi-Medium is a cute little hidden gem that revels within the ambiance and is among the greatest methods to spend a pair hours of your free time.
Purchase it from: Steam
Tunguska: The Visitation
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- Isometric Shooter
- Single-player
Whilst you’re ready for S.T.A.L.Ok.E.R. 2: Coronary heart of Chernobyl, you possibly can strive Tunguska: The Visitation. This sport takes the S.T.A.L.Ok.E.R method and locations it in an isometric perspective, all whereas maintaining even nearer to the principle inspiration for each video games, Roadside Picnic. As an alternative of the zone being across the Chernobyl nuclear half, the Soviet Exclusion Zone in Tunguska: The Visitation is situated across the Podkamennaya Tunguska River, close to which the mysterious Tunguska explosion occurred in 1908.
The Soviet Exclusion Zone is stuffed with perils but additionally treasures, untold tales, and tons of enemies starting from fellow human stalkers to otherworldly mutants that may flip the ambiance in direction of survival horror the second you encounter one.
The sport’s designed as a light-survival shooter with RPG components, permitting gamers to design distinctive builds revolving round taking pictures every little thing that strikes, sticking to the shadows, or every little thing in between. You’ve got obtained tons of content material, a chunky story with various cool discoveries and twists, and an exploration-heavy, zero-quest marker gameplay loop that continually drives you ahead into the unknown.
Purchase it from: Steam, GOG, Itch
Below A Star Lengthy Chilly
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- Stealth Roguelite
- Single-player
Below A Star Lengthy Chilly is one more stealth-focused micro sport from Antonio Freyre that options retro visuals and good stealth motion gameplay. However not like most of his different works that observe a linear story, Below A Star Lengthy Chilly is an open-world sport that duties you with looting sufficient assets to pay your money owed earlier than the planet you are on will get destroyed. You’ve got half-hour, and the best way you sort out this time-based problem is totally as much as you.
This time trial twist retains the sport contemporary and offers it a ton of replay worth. You’ll be able to strive completely different approaches and techniques and take a look at whether or not you possibly can end a run efficiently sooner by taking it sluggish and quiet, or using a guns-blazing strategy.
When you amass sufficient money to repay your money owed, you possibly can simply keep on with your favourite schtick and take a look at beating your excessive rating, or strive mixing issues up. The well-designed stealth gameplay will in all probability grow to be the go-to strategy for many gamers, however the appreciable problem of your debt-repaying quest will most probably be a motivation to experiment whereas attempting to get off the planet alive.
Purchase it from: Steam, Itch
Zortch
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Zortch Maxinum needed to avoid wasting money, so she booked a less expensive vacation package deal. The alien ruse has succeeded, and Zortch is now caught in an alien world attempting to get again residence whereas killing hordes of fairly unfriendly aliens that come in additional than 30 flavors. Zortch is a love letter to FPS video games launched in the course of the early 2000s; the sundown of the N64 and the daybreak of the PS2 period.
The visuals observe the requirements set by the PC and console shooters of that point, however the degree design leapfrogs a lot of the stated video games, providing an explosive motion sport stuffed with early aughts humor and uniquely designed weapons. Zortch is a correct banger that ought to be performed by everybody who grew up in the course of the golden age of N64 and PS2. In any case, a sport endorsed by David Szymanski of the Nightfall and Gloamwood fame cannot be unhealthy.
Purchase it from: Steam, Itch