In the world of gaming, the AAA title dominates the market and, frequently, the news cycles. But just beyond them exists a small corner inhabited with gems shining with creativity and passion – the indie games. Created by small studios or solo developers with small budgets, they’re often overshadowed by big budget productions. Despite the odds, they’ve managed to carve out a space for themselves.
However, some people have misconceptions about what indie games are and aren’t. Common ones include:
- They must be low quality
- They’re all pixel art trash
- They’re quick and easy to make
- They aren’t profitable
- They’re created by hobbyists
While any of these statements can be true, it’s usually not all at the same time and sometimes not at all. Yes, there are low quality indie games. I’ve run into my share of them. There are pixel art games, getting their inspiration from old-school games of the 80s and 90s. And, while some developers are hobbyists, it doesn’t diminish the love they put into their projects.
As for them being profitable, this can be the case for any game. Some may not make a lot of money but determining their financial success would require seeing their profits and loss statements. However, it’s safe to say that some have become quite successful.
And point 3? That’s highly debatable. Just because a game is small and has a singular game play loop doesn’t make it easy to design, code, or come up with graphics and sound for. I know for certain it would take me months, if not years, to do the same thing!
All this to say that I’m quite the fan of indie games. Out of the numerous titles I own, many of them are indie. Some were free, some I got at huge discounts thanks to places like Humble, Fanatical, and GOG, and others were Christmas and/or birthday gifts. So, let’s take a look at a few of my favorites.
Bulletheaven Games – These games will challenge you, your reflexes, and your creative vocabulary.
- Vampire Survivors, 2022 – considered the game that really made the genre take off, Vampire Survivors is a bulletheaven game featuring lots of different characters, various weapons, increasingly challenging levels, and a couple of DLC to expand the game further. The base game is $4.99 on Steam, and the 3 DLC add another $6.47. A small price for hours of challenging fun! I personally have almost 120 hours in the game and am no where near completing everything.
- Brotato, 2023 – Another fun bulletheaven, Brotato features a wide variety of strange characters, each with strengths and weaknesses that will help determine what build you go for in a run. Unlike Vampire Survivors, this game doesn’t have any permanent stat unlocks, giving it a more old-school game feel. While it doesn’t have any DLC, there is mod support and modders have already created more unique characters to try out. Coming in at $4.99 on Steam, but on sale for $3.99 until January 12th, 2024, this one is definitely worth a try.
- HoloCure – Save the Fans! , 2023 – This list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning HoloCure. Created by a solo developer, this game features popular Vtubers from the company Hololive. Each character has her own unique weapon sets and, aside from being incredibly fun, it’s also very cute. Bonus, this one is FREE on Steam! Run, don’t walk, to your computer and grab this gem.
Relaxing Games – These games are great to chill out and unwind after a long day.
- Dorfromantik, 2022 – This lovely little game is a relaxed strategy where you place tiles down, organizing them to get the maximum points and unlock more tiles. It ends when you’ve placed your last tile. With colorful graphics, peaceful music and sound effects, and no timer, this no pressure game is perfect for those moments when you just want a bit of peace. Going for $13.99 on Steam, it’s worth the price, or wait for a sale and get it a bit cheaper.
- Cloud Gardens, 2021 – This has to be the chillest little game with a post-apocalyptic theme ever. Decorate dioramas with plants and other items and get enough points to advance to the next diorama. The graphics are lovely, the music relaxing, and the theme thought provoking. On Steam for $17.99 , it’s not the cheapest on the list but definitely worth a try if you find it on sale.
- Plant Therapy, 2023 – A game about collecting and caring for plants & decorating your apartments. This features lovely graphics, instrumental music and plants. Lots of plants. Plants that don’t die if you don’t open the game for a while. The base game is free on Steam, and there are 4 DLC packs, two of them being an optional soundtrack and coloring book. Altogether, they’ll set you back $9.96, or $5.98 if you just want the items that directly affect the game. If you like plants and just want to decorate and grow some, this game is perfect.
RPG Games – The indie market has a wealth of fun RPG games to try out.
- Cat Quest, 2017 – One of the older games on the list, nonetheless this game is worth mentioning. You play as a cat going on adventures to save your catnapped sister from sinister claws. Great graphics, funny characters and enough challenge to keep it interesting while still being somewhat casual. Steam lists it at $12.99, a fair price for this little gem. And, if you really love it, it has a sequel too.
- Torchlight 2, 2012 – Another older game, this RPG was created by Runic Games, a studio created by several developers, including one of the co-founders of Blizzard North. A fun dungeon crawl, this game features colorful characters and graphics, and a game play loop that is both simply yet can be challenging. Unfortunately, Runic Games has long since closed so if you choose to play this one multiplayer it will require jumping through a few hoops. It’s $19.99 on Steam, so wait for a sale or look and see if you can find it cheaper elsewhere. However, I do recommend trying it out.
- Grim Dawn, 2016 – This aRPG is now my favorite, beating out even Diablo II. Set in an apocalyptic fantasy world, you create your hero by choosing 2 of a selection of classes, to create new ones, then go out and face the darkness crawling its way across the lands. The base game comes in at $24.99 on Steam and there are multiple DLC packs available bringing the price up by another $58 if you don’t buy the soundtrack. Pricey indeed, so keep an eye out for sales and bundles featuring the game with DLC included. I got mine from one such bundle and am glad I did!
These are but a small fraction of the indie games I’ve played and really enjoyed over the years. Next week, we’ll look at a few more.
Do you enjoy indie games and what are some of your favorites? Drop a comment below and let everyone know!
Until next time, bye for now!
Ms. Bella's World 