Don't let those AAA developers get all the attention! Give your hard-earned money to these developers, because they worked insanely hard to make their dream a reality, without the restrictions (or funding) that major production companies put on their games.
Cuphead
Cuphead is one of the highest critically acclaimed games of all time. It’s praised for its creativity, level of difficulty, and the painstaking process that it took to hand draw every single frame in the entire game. The team behind Cuphead tasked themselves to make something impressive that had never been seen before, which would never have been achieved if they were working for a AAA development studio.
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley was made by one singular person over the course of 4 years. Eric Barone worked roughly ten hours a day, every day, to complete this passion project of his. He was so emotionally invested in this game that his personality shines through for the majority of it. You feel like you really get to know the developer when you put the time into making your farm the best it can be.
Papers, Please
This game is a bit unorthodox (some might not even call it a game), but its impact is undeniable. You play a border agent in post Cold War Russia. All you do is approve and deny individuals to pass through your border. This game is technically genreless, but it is one of the most encapsulating games ever made. Papers, Please seems like an experiment, and with 20 possible endings, there is plenty to discover in every playthrough.
Spelunky
This game came out in 2008 on PC and Xbox 360, and at first, it didn’t seem like it had much to offer. Based on the graphic quality and style of game it was, people didn’t really latch onto it at the time, except for those who were interested in MAKING games. Spelunkey was an early example of a “roguelike.” Now, roguelike is a highly replicated and well-known genre of game, with specific features like “perma-death,” procedurally-generated rooms and combat, and a sprawling world that is reminiscent of a traditionalist dungeon-crawler style game.
Celeste
Celeste deserves every ounce of praise it gets. This game has more character than any AAA title that has come out in the past 5 years, the art style is outstanding, the character development is beautiful, and the plot is absolutely addictive. Please do yourself a favor and play Celeste, it’s one of the most satisfying games ever created.
Undertale/ Deltarune
Toby Fox is the mastermind behind this 2015 smash hit indie title. Undertale got a lot of media attention when it came out because of how different it was compared to every other RPG that was popular on the market. Undertale is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most unique games to come out in this current generation, and just recently, Toby Fox released the first chapter of his next game, “Deltarune,” for free on all platforms. Go give it a shot.
Hollow Knight
There are not enough words in the dictionary to explain how much I love this game. If you were a kid when I was, you probably have at least seen an advertisement for a Metroid game at some point. Hollow Knight is the leading example of what a “Metroidvania” should be. Games inspired by the Super Metroid formula (a vast, interconnected, and sprawling map, ability barriers that reward the player for their exploration, and hundreds of secret passageways that reward the player for being curious) are considered Metroidvanias (this is a word I will be using a lot through this list). Hollow Knight is a near-perfect game, and you should play it right now. For only $14, you get hundreds of hours of some of the most unique and exciting gameplay, and Team Cherry is working on another game in the Hollow Knight universe as we speak.
Hotline Miami
Hotline Miami is an OG indie title. This game set the stage for a lot of other developers, proving that a game doesn’t have to be incredibly complex, or graphically impressive to be memorable. Hotline Miami tells a surreal and immersive story all while using simple pixel art. The gameplay is exciting, addictive, and genuinely difficult. You’ll find yourself playing this game again, and again, and again.
Return of the Obra Dinn
From the creators of Papers, Please, Return of the Obra Dinn is the only indie game that has been seriously nominated for more than one award. There are only a few ways to describe this game without ruining it entirely. Basically, you’re hired by an organization to investigate some murders that occurred on a pirate ship. However, this game is so much more than that synopsis. Plus, the art style is very unique and charming.
Braid
Braid was another one of the OG indie games that got a ton of hype for being what it was. Released in 2008 in the same way that Spelunkey was, Braid separated itself from other indie platformer titles by experimenting with the concept of in-game time. Although Braid outdates itself just a little bit, it is still worth a play to get a feel for the origins of the indie game market.
Gone Home
Gone Home is a modern twist on the classic point and click adventure titles that you may have played when you were younger. This game starts with you, the daughter of a normal family, returning home from being away and discovering your family home is empty. Throughout the game, you gather context clues as to why your family left the house and what happened to them, all leading up to a brilliant twist ending.
Shovel Knight
Shovel Knight may not have revolutionized the indie game market, but it sure did bring a lot of media attention to it. Shovel Knight posted their game idea on Kickstarter and they raised over $320,000 over the course of 6 months. Shovel Knight was revolutionary in its genre, and the team behind the game (Yacht Club Games, a crew of 6 developers) barely survived financially until the game was released.
13 Minecraft
Minecraft was originally a single-pixel augmented sandbox game that was used as a testing ground for other games created by Markus Persson. Now, Persson is one of the wealthiest game developers on Earth. Minecraft is worth $2.5 billion now, making it the highest-grossing indie title of all time (also just one of the general highest-grossing titles of all time).
Limbo
This game was released in 2010 and was immediately recognized for its unique art style and black and white film style lighting. Both the atmosphere and the plot are incredibly memorable in this linear puzzle game. Limbo was one of the most prominent examples of the representation of video games as an art form, and that reputation still stands today.
Inside
Released in 2016, Inside is the spiritual successor to Limbo, developed by Playdead studios. Inside functions similarly to Limbo, it is a physics-based puzzle game, in which you control a silent protagonist. This game was partially funded by the Danish Film Institute, and it has received massive critical acclaim since its release.
Into the Breach
This game’s plot couldn’t be simpler, you command a fleet of giant robots, and you’re fighting a bunch of giant bugs. However, you gamble with much more than a single match. Every step of the way, every battle, every interaction has consequences. This game forces you to look within yourself and decide what you would destroy if you were in this position, and your answer might shock you.
The Stanley Parable
This game can be described as a walking simulator, an office work simulator, a “look into society” simulator, and even a simulator of your own consciousness. The Stanley Parable was originally made in 2011 using the Half-Life engine and was re-released in its own engine in 2013. This game is hard to describe, it’s more of an experience than anything else.
Death Stranding
Technically this game is an indie title because Konami fired Hideo Kojima and he released this game through his own production company. This game could also be called a “walking simulator,” but Kojima made sure that this would leave a lasting impact on the gaming community. Death Stranding uses incredibly unique multi-player interactions that are similar to the way Dark Souls implements bloodstains. Give Kojima your $60, try this game out.
Guacamelee 1-2
Have you ever looked deep inside yourself and asked: “do I like to have fun?” If the answer is yes, then Guacamelee is the game for you. It’s a 2D action-platformer with exciting combat, lovable characters, a truly impressive art style, and it is challenging enough to leave even the most experienced platformer players scratching their heads.
Hyper Light Drifter
Think “The Legend of Zelda: a Link to the Past,” but replace Hyrule with a war-torn hellscape that has pockets of beauty and your character is slowly dying from an unknown illness. Seriously though, this game is truly a work of art. Every environment is breathtaking, the combat is complex and difficult, yet accessible. This game will have you begging for more, and there IS more to come, just in the future.
Super Meat Boy
This beautiful success story game started on Newgrounds and made it all the way to the top of the indie game echelon. This simple, yet challenging, platformer combines the simplest elements of traditionalist platforming and ramps them up to 150% difficulty. The gameplay is so quick and simple, you’ll find yourself attempting the same jump for an entire day.
World of Goo
When World of Goo was released in 2008, nobody really knew what to think of it. This simple game requires the player to make transportable structures out of goo balls present in the environment, and that’s it. The art style, simplicity, and attractiveness that this game presented won it multiple awards, and after 11 years it still holds its charm.
Firewatch
If you like playing outside, even as an adult, Firewatch might give you your fresh air fix without even requiring you to leave your cozy couch. This cutesy exploration game will surprise you with how dense its gameplay really is.
Rocket League
Rocket League has been around for a long, long time at this point. Even though it has close ties with Sony and Microsoft, Rocket League started as an independent title before it was scooped up by the media giants.
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
Do you like dungeon crawlers? Are you brave enough to face a challenge? Will you be able to tolerate having to start from square one after you die (you will die, a lot)? Then this is the game for you!
Dead Cells
Dead Cells is leading the market in the “coolest roguelike” category at the moment. This game functions like Dark Souls (I hate equating games to Dark Souls) but it brings a “do or die” element to the gameplay, because, unlike Dark Souls, there are no bonfires to rest at.
Subnautica
This game is dense and beautiful and is also practically the plot of Castaway if Tom Hanks was a capable engineer and the movie was set 100 years in the future. In Subnautica, you can get lost in the world around you, both in and out of the water.
Sundered
If there were three words to describe why this game is good, they would be “boss fight design.” Everything about the boss fights in this game is polished to the absolute teeth, like straight-up perfected. The wave style combat in the rest of the game is questionable to some critics, but it is undeniable that this game showcases some of the coolest looking, and most exciting boss fights that have ever been in an indie title.
Ori and the Blind Forest
This game is stunningly beautiful, the musical composition is borderline masterful, the gameplay is simple yet challenging, and this game deserved every single snippet of praise it received. There's a sequel now too, and you should go play it.
Katana Zero
If you had to compare this game to any other one, it would be most similar to Hotline Miami. However, they only share the Neo-Noir setting and the one-hit death mechanic. Otherwise, Katana Zero is an extraordinarily difficult game that’s extremely fun and worth your time.
Night in the Woods
This game is likely going to evoke some kind of feeling in you that you’ve felt before in a different context. Amidst the small-town blues, this game tackles modern concepts like global warming, recession, anxiety and dread, inaccessibility, and the results of inflation through capitalism affecting an entire town.
Ape Out is pretty much just Hotline Miami but you play as a gorilla that escaped from his cage. This fast-paced, all or nothing top-down beat 'em up game is rife with gore, action, challenges, and recklessness. Don’t ask yourself why you’re playing it, ask yourself why not.
The Witness
The team (person) that brought us Braid also brought us The Witness. This outlandish title combines puzzle solving with mystery-solving, and the game is so large it’s almost threatening. There are 650 unique puzzles to be solved, and Jonathan Blow (creator of Braid and the Witness) estimates that it would take the average gamer around 80 hours to complete the game.
Baba is You
Have you ever wanted to learn about coding but the idea of sitting behind a computer looking at sequences of gibberish makes your head spin? Take a peek into Baba is You. This truly unique title incorporates soft coding language into its problem-solving elements to crack the puzzles in each level. Soon, you’ll find yourself digging around in the game’s source code just for fun.
Enter the Gungeon
Just thinking about this game gives me heart palpitations. Enter the Gungeon is a gauntlet for people who consider themselves “good” at video games. This game is adorable and entrancing, but don’t let that fool you. It took me an entire year to even make it halfway through this game, and then I quit, and then I came back, and then I quit again, and then I came back again. It's probable that this will happen to you too.
Chuchel
Come for the design, stay for the puzzles. Chuchel has much more to offer than the Dr. Seuss esque art style, every puzzle is challenging, and every moment in this game will make you have an emotional reaction.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Aside from PT, this is, straight up, the scariest video game ever created. Resident Evil 7? That game’s got nothing on Amnesia. If you’re going to attempt to play this game alone, make sure you have a change of pants with you if you know what I mean.
SOMA
Soma has been called “Bioshock adjacent,” others call it “underwater Dead Space without the combat” but I just like to call it “a good game.” Soma will leave you entranced (and terrified) for hours upon hours. This game is just as interesting as the original Bioshock.
Crypt of the Necrodancer
You want a rhythm-based dungeon crawler that’s also a roguelike and has a consistent plot AND the music is great? Oh, hey look, Crypt of the Necrodancer is a game. Plus, there’s a Legend of Zelda version that’s sanctioned, and oh boy is it fun.
Owlboy
This is probably the most mechanically unique of all of the platformers on this list. In Owlboy, you play as an owl boy (oh really?) named Otis. Over the course of the game, you make more and more friends, all of which Otis can pick up and utilize for combat purposes. This game is refreshing and unique, albeit is quite short.
A Hat in Time
This 3D platformer will bring you back to the days of the Nintendo 64, Banjo and Kazooie, Super Mario Sunshine, and Sly Cooper. Every inch of this game oozes personality, and its occasional dark sense of humor offsets the juvenile nature of the game’s introduction and appearance.
The Red Strings Club
These game partners bartending with information brokering in a unique and refreshing twist on the classic text-based RPG adventure style genre. Craft drinks to interrogate individuals for snippets of what they know, and every step of the way will lead to another exciting portion of the plot.
Dwarf Fortress
Is this game fun? Maybe. Is this game informative and perfect for people who wanna play Minesweeper and Civilization at the same time? Oh yeah, buddy. Dwarf Fortress is an impressively large RPG adventure, worldbuilder, and puzzle game that is entirely procedurally generated, and it will without a doubt infuriate you, but you will be back for more.
Path of Exile
Path of Exile is a perfect example of a Diablo 2 clone that actually works. The amount of customization in this game is OUTRAGEOUS, literally, this game probably has the most complex customization engine ever seen in a video game. If you love specking your character tirelessly, menu screens, and googling how to min-max your dude, Path of Exile is the game for you.
This independent title is arguably one of the greatest RPGs that has ever been made. For those who know what isometric RPGs are, you most likely have played this title, or at least know about it. This is the game you should be getting into as winter creeps closer and closer.
Oxenfree
Oxenfree is a beautiful, text-driven adventure RPG with an intense story, incredible characters and voice acting, and a plot that will straight up leave you with your jaw on the floor. This is a definitive and unique title, and you should play it.
Fez
Fez is a very cool platformer that plays with the idea of a Z-axis in a 2D world. This idea has been done before, mostly by Nintendo in newer Mario games, but Fez capitalizes on its art style and music being the focal point. That being said, this game is no slouch when it comes to difficulty.
SUPERHOT
Dude, this game is so cool. Long story short, you play as yourself, but not really, playing a game that isn’t a game, kind of, and the ending is just as confusing as the ending of Inception. The gameplay is what we’re here for, as SUPERHOT is one of the most innovative shooters I’ve played in years.
Furi
This rhythm-based cyberpunk boss rush game is unforgettable. Just the music from Furi should be enough to make you want to play this game, plus, it’s incredibly satisfying.
Rise and Shine
The first enormously successful Adult Swim title, in Rise and Shine, you play as a kid named Rise with a gun named Shine. The objective? Win. That’s it. Think Metal Slug, but more stylized and honestly, more fun.
Rogue Legacy
People have their objections about Rogue Legacy, but it is impossible to deny its importance in the roguelike world of games. Rogue Legacy took the handbook for making a roguelike and copied it word for word into a game, and it works really well.
Nidhogg
Nidhogg is, by far, my favorite party game ever made. Fight your friends, fight the computer, fight some worms, fight dudes online, as long as you never lose, you will love this game.
VA-11 Hall-A
If you’ve ever wanted to be a cyborg bartender in the future, then this game is the one for you. Mitigate romantic interactions between characters, throw parties, fall in love, get drunk, nothing is real anyway.
Outlast
This game saw a major console release, but it never really got the love it deserved. This independent title graphically rivals AAA titles with 100x the budget and manpower that they had. If you like horror games, give this one a shot.
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
Grab some friends and pilot your ship into the unknown in one of the cutest and most challenging indie titles on the market. Each part of your ship provides another function, and every upgrade makes you more powerful, but it becomes more difficult to independently pilot your ship.
Rain World
This game is extremely detailed and beautiful. It never really got too much love due to some mechanical difficulties that genuinely ruin the experience of this game to a certain degree. However, Rain World is so incredibly beautiful and creative, we cannot help but include it in this list.
Moonlighter
One day you’re a shopkeep, the next day you’re an adventurer. Take your character on some wild dungeon-crawling rides after you’re done managing your shop for the day, which can become tedious and a little boring, but hey, adventuring costs money.
Jazzpunk
Humor is the beating heart that carried this game to greatness. This two-hour long tour de force combines humor with abstract game design, a surprise waits behind every corner, and it will make you laugh.
Cave Story
This is THE indie game. If it weren’t for Cave Story, there would be no indie game movement. Also, Cave Story is a really cool band from Portugal, you should check them out.
Getting Over It
Don’t play this game if you’re in an emotionally unstable place, because it might make you throw your computer down a staircase, or into your washing machine, or off of a cliff. Just the thought of Bennett Foddy’s voice makes me sick.
Doki Doki Literature Club
One of these games is not like the others, and it is this one. I can't properly explain this game outside of saying it’s an anime high school RPG that gets really dark. Play this game, but like, don’t replay it.