Best Indie Games (Updated 2021)

1. Cuphead

As you’ve already heard by now, Cuphead is a really hard game. The difficulty, however, is not the only thing this game brings to the table. Cuphead is a stunning game in design and play.

If you watched Silly Symphonies and other classic Walt Disney productions, you might recognize the art style used in this game. Visually speaking, this game is a 10/10 with colorful themes, hand-drawn characters, and beautiful watercolor backgrounds.

Like the art, the music is a throwback to jazzy, upbeat music integrated into early cartoons. None the less, it suits the game perfectly. Following a basic storyline, Cuphead and Mugman are two brothers who, unfortunately, make a deal with the devil to save their souls. Central to this plot are the boss fights.

Cuphead is a battle intensive shooter game. The reason it is difficult is due to the constant necessity to learn every boss you encounter during fights. Moreover, each of go of weapons and a different strategy to knockout the bosses. During these battles, you not only have to focus on fighting the boss, but you must also avoid incoming objects and attacks to stay alive.

Apart from the boss fights, there are run and gun phases within this game where you move on platforms while destroying oncoming enemies and collecting useful coins.

On paper, controlling Cuphead and Mugman is straight forward. There are different abilities available in this game. Operate the controls may take some time. Once you’re familiar with this, dodging, dashing, shrinking, and moving around becomes more fluid.

Read More

• Includes Run and Gun stages
• Caphead and Mugman playable main characters
• 1930 Animation and music style

2. The Binding of Isaac

The Binding of Isaac has a lot to uncover, and if you are the kind who loves digging into it all, then a fulfilling and long experience awaits you.

The game allows you to play as a little boy ‘Isaac’ who seems terrified of his religious mother. Characters are mostly biblical references, and there are deep religious overtones throughout the play. Enemies are demonic, and the game goes ahead and names one of the bosses as Mega Satan.

The Binding of Isaac begins with Isaac’s mother trying to prove her faith by wanting to sacrifice Isaac. At first, tears will be your only weapon, and you will have plenty. As you progress, discovering new items, bosses, enemies, and rooms will be thrilling but exciting. One thing you will love is the consistent art style and visuals. The game performs at 60fps, so dark imageries and fetus-like abominations appear as intended.

Forget about the disturbing scenes; it’s the variety of weapons and goodies that steal the show. There are over 500 items and weapons to pick on the way, and all of them are game-changing. They make a continually evolving experience that is fresh every time you engage in a different stage.

The game is tough, but it balances challenging times with a refreshing feeling of the unforeseen. The enemies and unpredictable items make The Binding of Isaac one of the most replayable and wacky games.

Read More

• Loads of new achievements
• New playable character
• Action-shooter with heavy RPG

3. Stardew Valley

There is that comfort found in Stardew Valley that sets it apart from other games. The music changes with different seasons and flawlessly fits the mellowness of the countryside town. Even better, the awaiting activities, whether fishing, fighting monsters, or farming, offer both peace and excitement.

The concept involves raising livestock, cultivating, mingling with villagers, farming, and wooing your romantic interests. It may sound boring, exploring different things makes it fun to play. The game combines RPG elements with beautiful farm simulation to create an absorbing rural world.

Every season comes with an enjoyable pace, which varies according to the weather, birthdays, fun festivals, and others to keep you engaged. The narration and visuals are sure to draw many into the game. Working on different areas makes the game more immersive, thanks to the multiplayer mode. You can team up with your friends to work on other sites and get more productive at the end of the day.

Stardew Valley isn’t about what players do but emphasizes what they do with what they have. Building the farm isn’t just a physical task but has a way of creating emotions among players. The game explores different connections you can have with your environment, work, and people around you. Using the PlayStation 4 analog stick and bumper controls is pretty straightforward. As such, you can comfortably interact with your inventory items and tools.

Read More

• Has 12 potential marriage candidates
• Lots of secrets
• Features encountering valuable treasures and dangerous monsters

• Publisher: ConcernedApe
• Genre: Sandbox, Simulation, Role-playing
• Mode: Single-Player, multiplayer
• Platform: Windows-PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Linux, Android
• Rating: E-Everyone

4. Overcooked! 2

In some way, playing Overcooked! 2 feels like returning to your favorite restaurant after a prolonged absence. Gamers get involved in a lot of swearing and shouting, but the sense of coming back to something special brings the best couch co-op experiences.

The game is more like its predecessor since it allows you to team up with up to four chefs and play through the 40 plus stages. Each kitchen design demands expert teamwork and gives you the ability to throw raw ingredients. The simple addition creates a surprisingly tremendous effect that you can use to master strategies in various stages. It adds an action-packed experience without losing the deliberate play of the predecessor.

Juggling several responsibilities and wearing various hats at once is stressful but very engaging. See, many kitchens are difficult to maneuver and challenging in some sinister way, so preparing food is more difficult than usual. At one point, you will be running kitchen duties on a hot air balloon while random gusts of wind will be blowing away your ingredients. Another kitchen will have disappearing stairs and magic portals, but that’s part of the ridiculous fun of Overcooked! 2.

Unexpected twists and turns make Overcooked! 2 so much fun, even for anyone referring to themselves as pro chefs. The game has nine tests to figure out, some of which are new to the sequel.  Contending with extra steps and additional equipment heightens the heart-stopping tensions and difficulty. Well, it’s a delightful mess that leads to comical and funny mistakes.

Read More

• Online/local multiplayer madness
• Involves a range of new spices
• Chaotic cooking action

5. Untitled Goose Game

The Untitled Goose Game will leave players yearning for a more immersive gaming experience. Yes, the game is short but packs plenty of fun. Typically, many games involve complex individuals and heroes, but this one involves a lone goose on a single mission, which is to victimize.

Here, you get to play as a goose, not just an ordinary goose but one who is sneaky, full of shenanigans, and loves causing mayhem. Much of the time, there won’t be continuous sounds and effects playing on the background. Instead, the game lets you enjoy the relentless honking and the adorable patter of your tiny feet. If by any chance you get to listen to the sounds, it will be on a little touch but with incredible effects.

Untitled Goose Game feels so real despite the kid’s coloring-book aesthetics. Every now and then, you will find yourself asking questions like ‘imagine a goose doing this?’ Stomping and causing mischief around the peaceful village is fun; after all, your goal is to become awful in an undeserving town.

There is no tutorial mode or gaining special abilities in the game. The play is about tricky puzzles, but even without a narrative or stakes, players will be longing to play more. Everything about the game, from the shout lines to the world’s most patient villagers, is interesting. Well, despite the limited runtime, you will be glad to spend your time goosing and honking around.

Read More

• Dedicated honk button
• Involves a horrible goose
• A town full of patient people

6. Celeste

Are you looking to be part of something pure, challenging, and ultimately fulfilling? Then Celeste is worth giving a shot. The game is a 2D platformer that is easy to understand. Celeste captivates gamers on every level, from the complex stories to the attractive visuals and immersive OST.

You are cast as Madeline, the heroine of the game struggling with mental wellness issues. Facing the unforgiving ruins of the Celeste Mountains serves as a simple but profound metaphor for the protagonist.

Although the visuals on this game take on a retro pixilated design, they are worth every second of play. The color pallet used on the graphics is nothing short of impressive. The backgrounds in different chapters are captivating and are always busy. It is a joy to transition between chapters since they come with various designs and beautiful scenery.

The music on this game is not just stunning but very well integrated into the gameplay. When playing, the music fades at different points of the game instead of cutting off bluntly. The chapters feature unique parts of the soundtrack. The ethereal instrumentals on this soundtrack are immersive and make the game even more enjoyable.

Madeline must leap, jump, and run as it is typical of platformer games to get to the top. These gaming mechanics are easy to grasp. Interestingly, this game strikes an outstanding balance between simplistic controls and complicated levels. The result of this balance is an impeccable gaming experience with satisfactory gameplay.

Read More

• 2D platformer
• Side view camera angle
• 700+ screens to survive

7. Dead Cells

If you are interested in a challenging Indie game that is easy to maneuver and has excellent graphics, the Dead Cells will be such a great choice. Rated teen, this roguelike action-based game has a wide range of players, whereby teens can team up with adults for a gaming experience like no other.

Unlike other Indie games, the Dead Cells is quite challenging and requires you to use your alchemic abilities to escape the island setting of the game. While the game can be hard to comprehend, it is among the easiest to play.

First, the controls are exactly what you would expect in an action-oriented game. These highly responsive controls ensure that you are always a step ahead of your enemies and help you to easily complete one level after another.

Due to the efficiency of the Nintendo Switch, this game keeps adding new content more often, which means you will never get bored of repetitions. The mission of the game keeps changing depending on your current level. Interestingly, the more you progress, the more inspired you are to face bigger challenges.

Everything about this game is super. From the beginning, the pixel graphics of the 2D platform are something that every gamer would like to see in a video game. The clear graphics make it easy to spot your enemies and develop a plan to slay them before they advance toward you.

Apart from the graphics, this game has high-quality audio output. Whether you are gaming with headphones over your ears or you are connected to a bigger stereo system, be ready for an immersive sound experience that will take your gaming to the next level.

Read More

• 2D action platform
• Excellent pixel graphics
• Excellent controls

8. Night in the Woods

Night in the Woods is among the few Indie games with an interesting storyline suitable for teenagers. Just like the prodigal son, Mae, who is a college dropout is seeking to return home and pursue life afresh with the old friends.

Ideally, the Night in the Woods is an adventure-oriented game with multiple lessons for the youth of today. In life, teenagers are tempted to make some bad choices, including dropping out of school hoping for a good life somewhere else, but this hardly materializes like in Mae’s story. While it is just a game, it is also a great lesson for teenagers who will be tempted to make a couple of bad decisions.

Besides the teachings part, it is a delightfully humorous game. Usually, you would expect adventurous games to be standard and dull. However, the Night in the Woods goes ahead to incorporate aspects of humor, which make it a worthy investment for the youth.

The excellent graphics of this game give a life-like experience. The controls are highly responsive, so you will have an easy time maneuvering through the darkness of the game.

The Night in the Woods is generally easy to play. All you are required to do is to help Mae locate the route to her neighborhood without being bothered by the obstacles met on the way. The game is also an excellent way to boost creativity among teenagers. Every move made in the game must be well thought to achieve the intended purpose of the adventure effortlessly.

Read More

• Creative gameplay
• Delightfully humorous game
• Great lesson for teens

9. Owlboy

The Owlboy is one of the best indie games if you’re in search of an adventure-driven game with great scenes and is suitable for a family setting. This game can be played by anyone from the age of 10 since it will be easy for them to comprehend the story.

Even before dwelling much into the storyline, it is worth noting that the background of the game is something to be adored. The 2D pixel platform delivers breathtaking graphics that make every scene in the game count.

The graphics and the intuitive nature of the game’s controls is something every gamer should try. Playing an Indie game has never been this easy and fun. Use the intuitive controls to cover for the weaknesses of Otus, who seems to be the main character in the game.

The Owlboy is one of the games that will leave you reflecting about your weaknesses and the efforts you have made to counter them. In life, people rely on friends to cover their weaknesses as it is clearly put out in the game.

The game generally highlights the fruits of true friendship and working as a team. Since it lacks instances of vulgar language, violence, and bloodshed, the Owlboy can be used to teach morals s.

The game will also be a great way for the family to bond as they try to help Otus overcome his weaknesses. The interesting storyline of the Owlboy is a source of inspiration for most families. However, expect it to become challenging as you progress.

Read More

• 2D pixel-based game
• Adventurous story
• Becomes challenging as you progress

10. Katana ZERO

One of the best indie games with a wonderful storyline and creativity is the Katana ZERO. This game is action-based and has for the longest time been marketed as a no-go-zone for younger gamers.

The Katana ZERO is among the easiest Indie games to play. Controls are easy to use and hardly will you experience any lag while gaming. The Katana ZERO is such a great way to relax your mind after a tiring day at work. Served in clear 2D, this game allows you to embrace creativity and come up with hidden moves to defeat your enemies.

The efficiency of a given game will largely depend on the platform used. For the Katana ZERO, expect nothing less than excellent gaming performance and incredible graphics. Do not let the single-player mode of this game make your close associates dull. Instead, the Nintendo Switch platform allows you to connect to an external display where your friends get to cheer you up as you destroy your virtual enemies.

Virtual gaming has never been this easy. The Nintendo Switch controllers allow you to manipulate the gaming environment to your favor. In such cases, you will be in a better position to launch attacks on your enemies without being noticed.

The enigmatic storytelling of this game is something you will not see in every other Indie Game. Each of the levels of the Katana ZERO comes with a new set of challenges that makes the game more interesting. This game is also known for its brilliant gameplay, which eventually helps you beat enemies like a pro.

Read More

• Easily manipulated environments
• Excellent storyline
• Incredible 2D puzzle