In a gaming landscape dominated by thebiggest AAA gamesof the moment, it can be very easy to get wrapped up in the pomp and ceremony, completely forgettingthe little guys in gaming.
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But that would be foolish, as the old adage of good things coming in small packages very much applies here.
There are a wealth of games from small studios and solo developers that have more than enough quality to rival the biggest games on the market, and as a means of proving that, we have devised a long list of the best-in-class where indie games are concerned.
This list is an ever-changing resource that we at Dualshockers will endeavor to update twice a year, slotting in any new and exciting indie games we deem to have broken into the Top 50 of all time.
50Cave Story
The Grandfather Of Indie Gaming
Cave Story
While it’s a rather dated and primitive game by all accounts today,Cave Storystill deserves a mention, as it’s considered the grandfather of all indie games.
Many suggest Cave Story was the first true indie game, and it’s a fair statement considering this game was released in 2004, years before the Xbox Arcade boom.
At its core, Cave Storyis a 2D platformerwith Metroidvania elements, and it’s more polished than it has any right to be.
Offering excellent visuals for the time, challenging sections like the Bloodstained Sanctuary for those looking for a true test of skill, and, best of all,this game was freefor the longest time.
The downside is that it’s no longer a Free-to-Play game, but the upside is that the remastered version, Cave Story+, is readily available. So, if you want to see the seed from which the indie scene blossomed, this is the one to play.
49Oxenfree
Teen Bop Horror
It seems ludicrous to think that thenow-disbanded Netflix games divisionwould manage to craft an indie game worthy of being in the running for the best of all time. But, courtesy of Netflix-owned Night School studios, we were blessed with a narrative-driven 2D horror in the form ofOxenfree.
Oxenfree is a deceptively spooky title that leans into the teen-bop Stranger Things format, as you play as a few teens visiting Edwards Island, only to encounter an otherworldly anomaly opening a rift to another world.
This sets the wheels in motion for an ARG-fuelled epic filled to the brim with paranormal frights, surreal set pieces, and choices that actually matter.
Sadly, the sequel, Lost Signals, didn’t quite hit the same heights, but the original is an indie hall of famer in its own right.
48Chained Echoes
A JRPG Gem
Chained Echoes
A little bit of foreshadowing. This won’t be the only love letter to Chrono Trigger that we will feature in this list, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Chained Echoes is easily one of the best indie JRPGs in existence, offering an incredible campaign, a wealth of combat systems that are a joy to learn and master, and a cast of lovable characters to get to know.
Some may endure some friction with the complex nature of the game’s mechanics, but this depth of systems only showcases how ambitious this indie title is. It’s a JRPG with systems that Square Enix, ATLUS, and Level-5 would be proud of, and that’s saying something.
It’s a remarkable achievement that was over seven years in the making, but that extended time in the oven paid off, asthis western indie JRPGpunches way above its weight.
47A Hat In Time
Move Over Mario
A Hat in Time
When I find the Nintendo fanatics out there gushing over Super Mario Odyssey, I can’t help but interject and say ‘you mean that A Hat in Time clone’.
Now, I’m not naive to the fact that Mario elevates the formula, but the fact remains,A Hat in Timedid it first, and did it well.
This is a wacky and wonderful 3D mascot platformer that sees you play as Hat Girl as she attempts to find all the Time Pieces to repair her ship.
It is a simple premise but one that facilitates bespoke levels with fun narrative themes, crazy gimmicks, and, as is custom in mascot platformers, a wealth of collectibles to find.
Plus, you’ll be able to craft hats, which provide unique powers, much like the aforementioned game featuring the mustachioed plumber.
It’s a truly amazing platformer in an era where mascot platformers were all but extinct, making this a must-play for anyone who longs for the golden era of Nintendo platformers.
46Thank Goodness You’re Here
Cor, Blimey
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Not a lot of gamescan do comedy well,much less make it the driving force behind the entire experience. But that’s exactly what Thank Goodness You’re Here does, plopping the player in the middle of a northern village in English and, to your bewilderment, everyone needs your help with a slew of surreal and stupid tasks.
It’s a game packed to the gills with blighty-based humor, and while the game only runs for about three hours or so, it’s laugh-a-minute comedy throughout.
All you need to do is run around and slap everything in sight, and the game will guide you through its many slapstick, irreverent chapters.
So if you fancy a giggle, pay ten bob to get this one, and then decide if you’re a small pie man or a big pie man. Apparently, it’s rather divisive, so choose wisely.
An Xbox Arcade Relic
When you think of that first wave of indie games that popularized the sub-genre,Braidis certainly one of the names that pop up time and time again.
It was a marvel back then, and it remains as beautiful and captivating today, offering a time-based puzzle experience that really gets your brain juices flowing. However, the reason why this one is so memorable isn’t just because of the stellar gameplay.
It’s because of ‘that’ plot twistthat makes you question your role as a video game player controlling your protagonist. Plus, the game also has a narrative linked to the Manhattan Project of all things.
It sounds like something I just made up on the spot, but I assure you, nuclear destruction and Braid go hand in hand. That aside, though, it’s a very cute and creative puzzler that you need to check out.
44To The Moon
That Damn Platypus
To the Moon
You want to cry your little eyes out?Well, then, you’re in the right place.
To the Moon isan RPG Maker titlethat tells the story of a dying man who has been given a chance to augment his memories on his deathbed, allowing them to fulfill any wish they choose, and in this situation, they decide they want to go to the moon.
Why they choose to do, this seems odd in the beginning, but as you begin to delve into their existing memories and make sense of the life they lived, you grow to realize just how sad the reason behind this wish is.
To elaborate more is to ruin the plot, which is the whole reason you should play this one, so I’ll say no more. Just do yourself a favor and play this one for a heartfelt and beautiful indie gem.
43This War of Mine
War From The Other Side
This War of Mine: Final Cut
Survival gamesare all about making the player feel uncomfortable and vulnerable in an alien environment, but most of the time, after a while, you can become accustomed to the struggle and become a god within this hostile land. Well, don’t expect that to be the case inThis War of Mine.
This Soviet Civil War survival title places you in the role of a simple civilian trying to survive during wartime, which means no super-human powers to call upon and no inexplicably solid base-building skills.
All you have is a sorry little dilapidated building to hide in, and a few fellow survivors to rely on in a world filled with people who will murder you in cold blood for a can of beans.
The game is full of hardships, complex survival systems, impossible choices, and heartbreaking moments. It isn’t for the faint-hearted, but it is one of the finest survival games of all time.
42SUPERHOT
Bullet-Time Choreography
During the 2010s, the shooter scene was very set in its ways. With Battlefield and Call of Duty annual releases going out without missing a beat, and little innovation happening from one year to the next, we were crying out for an indie FPS hero to save us.
Then, as if on cue,SUPERHOTentered the fray, offering Matrix-esque FPS action that wastruly like nothing we had ever seen before.
SUPERHOT is a game where time only moves when you do, so you can play this FPS game akin to a puzzler, planning your next move and moving step by step through a firefight as if you’re a backup dancer working through their choreography.
It’s one of thefinest time manipulation games, one of the most stylish FPS shooters of modern times, and a game that helped bring life and excitement back into a rather by-the-books genre. So, kudos to SUPERHOT.
What Do You Do With A Drunken Sailor?
Just about any time I talk aboutDredge, I mention thenautical PS1 action-puzzler, Overboard, in the same breath. Mainly because Dredge was the first game that allowed me to control a boat and sail around in a video game again.
But it’s not just about sailing around, tying knots, and raising the mast. This game is equal partsan open-world adventure, a test in resource management as you make a living as a fisherman, and a Lovecraftian horror that keeps you on your toes.
The game has a phenomenal risk and reward system as you weigh up staying out after dark to catch more fish, or calling it a day to avoid the perils that lurk below. And this leads to a ‘one more day’ loop that is as addicting as you’d think.
I’ll concede that the horror fades after the first few hours as the scares become a little predictable, but all in all, this is a nautical indie triumph everyone should play.
