Indie developers have shown time and time again that you don’t need a big budget to create masterful and unforgettable video games. The best indie games can transform genres, flipping everything we knew, or create something that makes you wonder, “how hasn’t this been done before?”
While Frictional Games has created some of thebest indie horror ever made, I refrained from putting games likeAmnesia,SOMA, andPenumbraon the list to free up space for other equally impressive entries with genres more accessible to the masses.
So here are our top 30 best indie games of all time, showcased in alphabetical order.
Our top 30 indie games ever made
ANIMAL WELL
Birthed inside a puzzle-platforming labyrinth, there’s mystery hanging over you as you navigate around this world without any guidance on where to go or how you’re supposed to achieve your goal.ANIMAL WELLis all about the journey and how far you’ve come as an inconsequential blob inside a massive ecosystem.
Celeste
Climbing Celeste Mountain is both a mental and physical battle against oneself to enact change when you’re stuck in an unforgiving rut. A challenging platformer that’s fitting for its mental health themes,Celestestands proudly for its strong story and flawless level design.
Crow Country
The theme park isn’t as abandoned as Mara thought, as it’s crawling with monsters that seem a tad bit too human. Crow Country is the ultimate throwback to retro survival horror, with quirky dialogue and immersive level design that’ll surely keep you invested as you uncover the disturbing truth behind the park’s closure.
Cuphead
A deal with the Devil goes south, and now you have to pay as a debt collector. Beautifully illustrated with non-stop platforming action,Cupheadis a challenging and satisfying boss rush game that’ll surely test your patience and resilience to keep fighting.
Disco Elysium
Following an amnesiac and hopeless detective, it’s up to you to shape Harrier Du Bois as you solve a murder. A story about identity and having hope in the darkest times,Disco Elysiumis a reason to hold on and keep going because you never know where life will take you.
DREDGE
H.P Lovecraft’s fear of the unknown is prevalent in the open waters, but there’s a calming feeling as you make waves as a curious fisherman. Just like the ocean, there are layers toDREDGEthat’ll tug at you, inviting you to peel them back and peer inside. Can your mind comprehend the horrors?
Five Nights at Freddy’s
Power is limited, and there’s nowhere to go. 6am and you can punch out. Why would anyone ever come back here? You’re confined to your seat and the cameras, monitoring the sentient animatronics around you—hungry and hunting. A point-and-click horror,FNAFdestroyed childhoods and sparked intrigue with its increasingly layered lore.
Hades
Starting from the very depths of the Underworld, leaving this place won’t be easy. Olympus is calling your name, a deserving place only for those who want it enough. So, do you have what it takes to climb?Hadesis a gorgeous roguelike, a demanding challenge for only the most resilient players. Learn from your mistakes and try again.
Hollow Knight
Infection has spread like wildfire, driving the residents into violent, mindless creatures. At the center: Radiance.Hollow Knightis a 2D action-platformer that will satiate that curiosity and drive to reach the end, with satisfying challenges throughout and a beautiful hand-crafted world to fall in love with.
Hotline Miami
See the surrealism surrounding violence and become engrossed in the blood-stained neon lights that’ll make you question whether you’re wrong to be enjoying this game as much as you are. Top-down endless action and quick-thinking strategy with intoxicating effects,Hotline Miamiis addictive for its gory delivery.
IMMORTALITY
Three unreleased films, an ageless leading actress, and a disappearance that’s yet to be explained. The truth is hidden in the black and white. Look back and study everything.IMMORTALITYis one of a kind for its storytelling, vision, and delivery. You won’t forget what happened to Marissa Marcel.
INSCRYPTION
A cursed video game that knows it’s alive. There’s something keeping you here—that curiosity that you can’t help scratching. The deck-building roguelike ofINSCRYPTIONwill keep its claws in you for its palpable atmosphere, intrigue, and challenge.
Look Outside
Something wakes you in the middle of the night, a calling to peer outside. But doing so means you’ll never be the same again. You have 15 days, what will you do? The survival horror ofLook Outsideis intense, with the feeling of confinement and impending doom at its very center.
Minecraft
Fighting the Ender Dragon from nothing is one thing, but the limitless creative freedom you have in this block world is more than enough to keep you returning. The ultimate escapism and full autonomy to do what you want at the pace you want is whyMinecraftis an easy survival game to sink endless hours into.
Night in the Woods
Finding your place in the world can be tricky, especially when we only have so much freedom to do what we actually want. The spirited world ofNight in the Woodsis brought to life by its quirky, memorable cast, who have realistic depth and dimension, where a dark underbelly haunts the town and its residents for an unforgettable experience.
Nine Sols
A story about revenge against the very people that sacrificed his family, Yi embarks on a relentless journey to defeat the Nine Sols. A story about betrayal, hardship, and having the will to go on,Nine Solsis a demanding yet rewarding action-platformer, full of beauty and drenched in Taoism.
OMORI
The dark truth is slowly seeping out from dream to reality, self-destructing the sunny masquerade. But what truth did you work so hard to protect and forget? Handling dark psychological themes,OMORIwill hold onto you like a comforting embrace, both for its intriguing and profound storytelling, and unforgettable characters.
Outer Wilds
Traverse across the stars, listen to the stories of others, and learn what life is truly about. An action-adventure about acceptance and living a fulfilling life,Outer Wildshas so much beauty in its hopeless situation, where the inevitable isn’t something to be sad about or afraid of, but instead to enjoy the time we have.
Papers, Please
Shifting through immigration papers, you must decide who passes through the border. A moral dilemma, you begin to question your own ethics as you deny safe passage. What should be a mundane game somehow isn’t asPapers, Pleaseis instead an immersive point-and-click puzzle adventure that’ll test your deductive skills and compassion.
Stardew Valley
The tranquillity of life on a farm feels like a peaceful retirement plan, offering the fulfilment of growth and self-development, with the hope of running into the one right around the corner.Stardew Valleyoffers pure escapism from real-world stresses, providing a calming exterior that houses charming residents to befriend and even marry.
Subnautica
Conquer Thalassophobia by submerging yourself into the great unknown. We’ve only discovered five percent of the ocean; why not be the first to swim where no other man has swum? An open world at the palm of your hands, discover the fear and breathtaking beauty ofSubnauticain this survival game that rewards the greatest explorers.
Terraria
Do whatever you want, build whatever you want. There’s no right or wrong way to place. The 2D world ofTerrariatruly is your oyster. Bring stability to the vibrant land by building, interacting, and fighting for one important reason: Your survival.
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Your trip takes a turn for the worse when the residents of Barnsworth start running into problems the moment you arrive. Brought into their eccentric madness,Thank Goodness You’re Here!is full of ridiculously witty and quintessentially British comedy that’ll surely bring a smile to your face.
The Cat Lady
The afterlife tightly holds onto Susan, who’s given immortality instead of release, tasked to take the lives of five sinners. A dark story that navigates the incredibly dark themes relating to the human mind,The Cat Ladyis a gripping story-driven horror adventure that’ll surely leave its mark.
The Stanley Parable
A bizarre story about the mundane shifting into the surreal, your life is orchestrated by a narrator.The Truman Showof games,The Stanley Parableis all about the control you have in your life and the drive to do what you want to do, not for the sake of others, but yourself.
Undertale
Falling into the deep Underground, a realm where no human has set foot, Frisk must navigate battles and friendships, all while trying to stay alive. In this 2D RPG,Undertaleshowcases that actions have consequences as the story twists and turns based on your choices. What kind of person do you want to be?
Until Then
The mundanity of life is altered forever by The Ruling as deja vu plagues Mark’s life. A story-driven game delivered as a visual novel with a dark underbelly,Until Thenis a heartfelt coming-of-age story that handles real themes of loss, friendship, love, and grief with grace.
Vampire Survivors
Experimentation and tenacity are rewarded to those willing to learn. To dust yourself off and try again. The hordes won’t stop coming, but there’s always another route you can take.Vampire Survivorsis an all-out action roguelike with impressively long battles and satisfying rewards that’ll keep you invested in the long run.
What Remains of Edith Finch
A walk down memory lane into the eccentric home of the cursed Finchs. Uncover how each member passed and question whether there’s a curse at all—or if they died doing what they loved.What Remains of Edith Finchcarries weight in each story, told through surrealistic and dreamlike imagery.
YOU and ME and HER: A Love Story
Stuck inside a love triangle, you strive for a normal life but aren’t given the satisfaction, for everything comes down to who you choose.YOU and ME and HERis no ordinary visual novel for the stakes in this drama are far too high, and leaving her hanging may just end in misery.
