AAA blockbusters grab headlines every year with massive budgets and sweeping scale, but indie games earn their reputation differently — through bold ideas, a distinct creative voice, and a willingness to experiment. These projects are typically built by small teams without the backing of major publishers.
When people go looking for the best indie games, they tend to find an incredibly diverse range of genres — from platformers and roguelikes to puzzle games and narrative adventures. Below are ten standout titles from the independent scene that distinguish themselves through their mechanics, artistic style, cultural impact, and overall experience.
Best indie games
Here are ten indie games that have left a lasting mark on the history of independent game development.
10. Journey (2012)
Journey turns a trek through the desert into a calm, nearly wordless adventure. Its linear structure never gets in the way of feeling free: ruins, canyons, and a distant mountain guide you forward without the usual hand-holding. For anyone putting together a list of top indie games with unconventional storytelling, Journey is a prime example of that approach. Its minimalism, score, and striking visual style let the story speak almost entirely without words.
9. Stardew Valley (2016)
In Stardew Valley, you inherit a run-down farm and slowly bring it back to life. Growing crops, fishing, exploring mines, building relationships with townsfolk, and expanding your homestead come together to create an incredibly cozy simulation experience. What makes it even more impressive is that the foundation of the game was built almost entirely by one person — Eric Barone.
8. Hollow Knight (2017)
Hollow Knight sends players into the dying kingdom of Hallownest. Tight platforming, challenging combat, winding routes, and a dark hand-drawn aesthetic give the game an unmistakable identity. If your personal top indie games list prizes exploration above all else, Hollow Knight is a strong example of why that style resonates — revisiting familiar areas constantly opens up new paths, secrets, and possibilities.
7. Inside (2016)
Inside is a dark platformer from Playdead about a boy trying to escape a deeply unsettling facility. There’s almost no direct explanation — the story unfolds through the environment, movement, and light. The restrained approach only heightens the sense of dread, and the ending leaves plenty of room for interpretation.
6. Hades (2020)
In Hades, Zagreus, son of Hades, attempts over and over to escape the underworld. Each failed run becomes part of the story: characters respond to what’s happened, relationships evolve, and new dialogue gradually reveals a larger family drama. When putting together a top indie games list based on how tightly the narrative is woven into repeated playthroughs, Hades stands as one of the clearest examples of that design philosophy. A varied arsenal and boons from the gods ensure that each escape attempt feels fresh.
5. Undertale (2015)
Undertale flips the script on traditional RPG conventions. A child finds themselves in the Underground, where almost any conflict can be resolved through talking rather than fighting. Your choices shape what happens next, and the humor sits right alongside unexpectedly weighty themes. That combination made Toby Fox’s creation one of the defining works of the indie scene.
4. Celeste (2018)
Celeste follows Madeline as she sets out to climb a mountain despite her anxiety and self-doubt. The game’s high difficulty is directly tied to its theme of pushing through personal struggle. Precise controls and short stages turn repeated failure into a natural part of the journey rather than a punishment.
3. Disco Elysium (2019)
Disco Elysium puts you in the shoes of a detective with no memory, tasked with solving a murder. There’s almost no traditional combat — your main tools are dialogue, observation, and character stats that seem to hold conversations of their own inside the protagonist’s head. Politics, personal drama, and dark humor combine to create an RPG narrative of rare depth.
2. Outer Wilds (2019)
Outer Wilds is built around a time loop: every 22 minutes, a local star goes supernova and destroys the solar system, then the cycle resets. Instead of levels or upgrades, the only real progress you carry forward is knowledge. Unraveling the mysteries of this small corner of the cosmos depends entirely on curiosity, observation, and a willingness to test your theories.
1. What Remains of Edith Finch (2017)
What Remains of Edith Finch follows Edith as she returns to her family’s unusual home and relives memories of relatives who have passed away. Each episode uses its own distinct gameplay mechanics, so the way the story is told keeps shifting throughout. Giant Sparrow managed to weave together interactivity, imagination, and the experience of loss so seamlessly that this game remains one of the most compelling examples of what video game storytelling can achieve.
