It is no secret that independent video games are rising – both in popularity and quality-wise. The tools available to small teams and solo developers are leagues beyond what they were even a decade ago. Indie games are now fully capable of rivaling AAA titles produced by large companies – and many of them do. It is incredible what a handful of individuals (or even a single person), passionate about video games, are capable of creating – most of the time with financial support from fellow fans who want to see the budding developers’ idea fully realized just as much as the devs themselves. Here are five indie games definitely worth checking out.
[Related: Top Five Most Well-Known Indie Games]
“Hades” (2020)
Not many video games out there can make dying – mostly interpreted and felt as “failure” in any other game – into a rewarding aspect. Well, in Supergiant Games’ roguelike “Hades,” dying repeatedly is a key element in how the story unfolds for the player. The gameplay style will inevitably lead to the player’s many deaths – since, after all, “there is no escape” – and conveys its character development and arcs through that set-up.
In “Hades,” players control Zagreus, the son of the titular God of the Dead, in his many attempts to escape the Underworld to find his runaway mother, Persephone. Although Zagreus – and the player, by extension – will die many times, the most satisfying part is the aspect of learning through the failed attempts. The player faces the same foes and bosses standing in their way between them and the surface, but each death teaches players not to make the same mistakes during the next escape attempt.
“Hades” was praised and awarded by several publications and awards shows following its own critical acclaim and positive reception. The success of “Hades” has led San Francisco-based Supergiant Games to begin developing the first sequel to any of their games.
“Night in the Woods” (2017)
Developer Infinite Fall’s “Night in the Woods” is a story-centered, adventure game that received critical acclaim upon launch for its narrative, cast of characters, dialogue and soundtrack – even gathering a few awards for those aspects.
Players step into the shoes of recent college dropout Mae Borowski, returning to her hometown of Possum Springs – heavily inspired by the declining Rust Belt region in the midwest and northeast United States. The player controls Mae in her day-to-day life: catching up with friends, playing bass in her band, getting drunk at a party and stealing pierogis from a food stand. However, as the game continues, Mae and her friends uncover dark secrets hiding right under their feet in Possum Springs – along with discovering Mae’s own past and her reason for leaving college so suddenly.
Although it is unknown if it will relate to “Night in the Woods” in any way, The Glory Society – an indie studio founded by two of the three creators of “Night in the Woods” – announced their next game “Revenant Hill” this past May.
“Spiritfarer” (2020)
With the tagline “a cozy management game about dying,” “Spiritfarer” is the third title from Canadian development studio Thunder Lotus Games. The game is a mixture of genres with a bit of management simulation, platforming, sandbox building and action-adventure.
“Spiritfarer” follows the ocean-spanning journey of Stella, alongside her cat Daffodil, as she takes on the role of “Spiritfarer,” running her own ferry to house and, eventually, guide souls into the afterlife.
Following the game’s initial release, Thunder Lotus continued to support it with free updates that included new story content and additional spirits to meet.
“Spiritfarer” was reviewed positively with praise for several aspects including its gameplay, soundtrack, visuals and the handling of its own topics.
“Oxenfree” (2016)
“Oxenfree” was Night School Studio’s debut game and it was more than successful enough to warrant a sequel, “Oxenfree II: Lost Signals,” which released on July 12, 2023.
The style and tone of “Oxenfree” channels both teenage movies and coming-of-age stories as the player takes on the role of Alex, heading to a remote island for a party along with several of her friends. Though, things begin to take a turn for the worse when a mysterious paranormal force is released upon the group and they have to find a way to stop it.
Equipped with a trusty radio that is capable of some paranormal activities of its own, the player can make several decisions along the way that will impact which of a handful of endings will await each member of the group – from personal relationships being destroyed to characters being erased from existence entirely.
“Gris” (2018)
“Gris” is a platforming-adventure game developed by Nomada Studio and released across a wide variety of consoles and platforms.
The game’s main stand-out feature is its, frankly, mesmerizing art style and enchanting soundtrack, composed by Berlinist. Without words (rather, through colors), the game tells the story of a young girl – named Gris – journeying through the five stages of grief.
“Gris” is very much a slower, quieter experience that might not be everyone’s usual inclination when sitting down to play a video game. Nonetheless, with its incredible visuals and atmospheric songs, it is a game that will stick with many people for a long time.
Indie games have so much to offer the video game industry – now more than ever before. Maybe they have to venture forward in their development endeavors without a household name backing them up or a six-figure budget; those facts only serve to make the truly remarkable independent video game experience all the more impressive.
Featured Image Courtesy of Supergiant Games.
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