The best indie games of all time

Games from independent developers are the lifeblood of the industry. Showcasing innovation and passion unmatched by most efforts in the AAA gaming industry, the level of quality of indie gaming is what makes video games such a fun hobby. Without indie games there are plenty of studios that wouldn't be here today, making some fantastic games in all areas of the game. Here we are celebrating just a few of the greatest indie games in history. Here are the best indie games of all time.

Spelunky

Image via Derek Yu

Snape likes are one of the most common genres among indie games, and not without reason. Story-based games require longer development times with higher costs. In rogue tastes, especially those with procedurally generated levels, there is enough variation in level design to keep games always fresh and exciting. Derek Yu Spelunky is not only one of the earliest examples of a modern roguelike, his Indiana Jones theme suits him perfectly. The 2012 remake was also a mind-blowing recreation and still worth playing today.

The bond of Isaac

Image via Edmund McMillen

There are ways to make Bible stories intriguing and The Bond of Isaac takes an exciting turn with inspiration from the story that bears the same title. This game was created by Super Meat Boy's Edmund McMillen, who uses the game to represent his feelings about the positive and negative aspects of religion while growing up with Catholic and Christian family members. With classic Zelda-style gameplay, The Binding of Isaac offers an engaging story while encouraging multiple parties.

Untitled Goose Game

Image via House House

Even though it is a concise game, Untitled Goose Game manages to win the hearts of gamers with its simple concept of being a naughty goose. Its use of the stealth genre surprisingly makes the game more than just a goose stealing people's stuff. The lack of violence makes the game comical and a lot of fun. The game's inspirations ranged from Super Mario 64 and the Hitman series and created a strange, yet timeless title. It's hard to say if there will be another Untitled Goose Game, but we'd love to see this clever bird again.

Bastion

Image via Supergiant Games

If there was an award for the greatest storyteller ever released to any medium, the portrayal of actor Logan Cunningham in Bastion would be a favorite for it. A game that perfectly blends action adventure and deep storytelling, Bastion follows "the kid" as it deals with the aftermath of Calamity, an event that plunges the gaming world of Caelondia into fractured chaos. The game still holds up well today and is the best game in developer Supergiant Games' excellent catalog of titles.

Stardew Valley

Image via ConcernedApe

Stardew Valley It took Eric Barone four years to complete, but his attention to detail and what the game had to offer paid off. The game is completely versatile for anyone because they can choose which activities they want to do, who to like and how they create their farm. The amount of freedom the game offers is amazing and draws a lot from the Harvest Moon series. For farming simulations, Stardew Valley is captivating, colorful, and brings a lot to the table for indie play.

Shovel knight

Image via Yacht Club Games

Thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign, Knight of the Shovel has grown into one of the best indie games to date. Inspired by NES games, this 2D side-scrolling game offers unique gameplay mechanics. The version exclusives also have small differences that make each version of Shovel Knight enjoyable. Level designs are something on a whole new level, and developer Yacht Club Games has made sure that the game is its entity while also being a love letter for classic 2D side-scrolling games.

Braid

Image via Number None / Jonathan Blow

One of the founding games of the indie game boom, Jonathan Blow Tresser is an adventure that seems simple on the surface. A platform game with the ability to manipulate time sounds like a new but not uncommon game idea. Which Braid sets aside, it does a fantastic job of subverting expectations when it comes to both the game and its story. Without spoiling anything, Braid's highlight is wonderfully written and should demonstrate exactly why Braid deserves a spot on this list, but the platforming puzzle gameplay itself is excellent too.

Celestial

Image via Matt Makes Games Inc.

If there is a way to create a compelling story through gameplay, Celeste is the best fit for that description. It's another platform game, but the player has limits when controlling Madeline. While she has new abilities, like being able to perform a midair shot, this can only be done once per jump. The gameplay might be straightforward, but it's the story that sells Celeste as a beloved indie title. The main character deals with anxiety and depression, which are strong and relatable topics that make us want to help him reach the top of Heavenly Mountain.

His history

Image via Sam Barlow

When it comes to games with story-based campaigns, JVMs or games shot with real images are extremely rare. It takes a lot of time, an immense amount of skill to collaborate with all the sequences, and access to an actor who can produce a performance compelling enough to engage an audience of players. But that's exactly what UK developer Sam Barlow did in His Story, piecing together the VHS-style police interview story of a currently missing man, and it's up to you to find out the truth. When it comes to "interactive movies", Its history is up there with the best.

Cuphead

Image via Studio MDHR

Cuphead was discussed endlessly once it arrived in 2017, but its impact as a designed yet frustrating game deserves recognition. As a shoot'em up game, it's one of the prettiest titles thanks to the hand-drawn animation inspired by the 1930s cartoons. Even though it can be a ruthless game, there is always a chance to get the highest rank with tons of attempts. With unlimited lives, Cuphead is tough but fair. The legacy of the game ultimately resulted in the creation of a Netflix series, so it will be exciting to see how the game develops into other forms of media.

Inside

Playdead Games has only made two games since its inception in 2006. Their first, Limbo, was a dark platformer that saw you trying to escape the darkness. And giant spiders. Its spiritual suite Inside improved in every way. The story takes place in a dystopian future where everyone except the privileged few are a wandering corpse without a spirit performing the tasks of their masters without a conscience. You still have free will, and it's up to you to escape the clutches of the police state and find out the truth of what's going on. The brooding atmosphere and sound design are what makes Inside so special. The journey is wild even without any dialogue, but the conclusion is unexpected and extremely satisfying. No one creates games like Playdead and Inside is a must.

Subtitle

Image via tobyfox

For a man like Toby Fox to create a game on his own outside of art, he certainly left a massive legacy with Subtitle. Considered by many to be a spiritual successor to Earthbound, Subtitle acts like an RPG with inspirations from bullet hell titles like Project Touhou while also bringing iconic characters like Sans and Flowey into a dark story, but incredibly relatable. There is a lot of replayability for the paths you want to take, but what the game manages to do is that no matter what you do after your first game, some of the characters will remember events that you didn't. might not have done. Its impact on the video game community is so great that music would be featured in rhythm games, and Sans would appear as a Mii DLC costume in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Programme spatial Kerbal

Did you know that KErbal Space Program (or KSP for short) was not created by a game development studio? Squad, the team behind the game, is primarily a Mexico-based media marketing company. This makes the fact that KSP is such a fantastic game all the more incredible. Build a spaceship from scratch and watch how it tries to take your green men known as Kerbals into space. Scratching the same building and creating the itch that Minecraft and even SimCity provide, Kerbal Space Program is a puzzle game and a splendid game besides.

Super Meat Boy

Image via Team Meat

Platforms have been an influential genre in the game, thanks to the legendary NES title Super Mario Bros., Super Meat Boy is something like that, but with a level of difficulty that will rage gamers, but want to keep playing regardless. It started as an Adobe Flash game, which would later become a sensation on Newgrounds. So the game would get big once Super Meat Boy makes its way to consoles and PCs. Its impact as an indie title turned fan project is why Super Meat Boy will go down as an unforgettable game.

Rocket league

Image via Psyonix

The best football alternative that video games have, Rocket League sees teams of rocket-powered cars attempting to score into an opponent's goal. Sounds easy, right? What makes Rocket League's appeal is so great that it's not as easy as putting the ball on the ground and aiming for the goal. There is a strong emphasis on verticality, with the boost being used to obtain touches in flight. Because of this, the game can be played casually, but has a huge skill cap, which means that the best players can provide an extremely enjoyable spectacle of football action. Because of this, Rocket League probably ranks as the best independent “sports” title of all time.

Minecraft

Image via Mojang

Minecraft takes a simple concept of creating materials and exploring different areas. It manages to become one of the greatest games of all time despite its status as an independent title. Millions of players still connect to Minecraft in its day, and it's all thanks to the endless replayability offered by the game. Players can use many modes, whether alone or in co-op. The game even spawned multiple spinoffs and media adaptations, becoming one of the most influential video games of all time.

Original post by Rebekkah McPhearson; updated by Sam O'Hara.