In the vast world of video games, indie developers continue to push boundaries, offering unique and creative experiences that often fly under the radar. While blockbuster titles dominate the spotlight, many indie games provide equally compelling, and sometimes more innovative, gameplay. Here’s a look at 10 underrated indie gems that you might have missed, but absolutely need to play.
1. Hollow Knight – A Metroidvania Masterpiece
While Hollow Knight has gained a cult following, it still remains underappreciated by the broader gaming community. This hand-drawn, side-scrolling action-adventure game set in a haunting, insect-inhabited underground world is rich in atmosphere and exploration.
Why You Should Play: The tight controls, beautiful art, and intricate world-building make it a must-play for fans of the Metroidvania genre. Plus, the difficult combat rewards precision and strategy.
Interactive Moment: Imagine traversing through the dark and eerie caverns, your character low on health, and you hear a faint hum in the distance—a secret boss, perhaps? How would you prepare to take on this unexpected challenge?
2. Celeste – A Heartfelt Journey of Overcoming
Though Celeste won several awards, its pixel art and challenging platforming might deter some from discovering its deeper emotional narrative. The game follows Madeline as she climbs the titular Celeste Mountain, symbolizing her personal struggles with anxiety and self-doubt.
Why You Should Play: The mix of tough but fair platforming and a deeply moving story about mental health makes Celeste stand out among other indie games. Every death (and there will be many) feels like a learning opportunity rather than a failure.
Interactive Moment: You’re about to make a leap across a gap with spikes below—your reflexes are sharp, but you’ve failed this jump multiple times. What keeps you going? Does the challenge frustrate or motivate you to press forward?
3. Hyper Light Drifter – A Visual and Auditory Experience
Hyper Light Drifter offers a top-down action RPG with fast-paced combat and a mysterious world with minimal dialogue. Inspired by classic 8-bit and 16-bit titles, it delivers a surreal experience that feels like a dream you can't quite remember.
Why You Should Play: Its gorgeous pixel art, ambient soundtrack, and a world full of secrets make it an adventure that sticks with you long after you’ve put down the controller.
Interactive Moment: In this colorful yet cryptic world, you come across a locked door with no obvious way to open it. Do you search for hidden clues, or press forward with your journey, knowing you might return to this mystery later?
4. Oxenfree – A Supernatural Thriller
Oxenfree is a narrative-driven adventure that blends teenage drama with supernatural mystery. As a group of friends stumble upon a ghostly anomaly during a trip to an abandoned island, players must unravel the mysteries and make choices that affect the story.
Why You Should Play: With its engaging dialogue system, eerie atmosphere, and branching narrative, Oxenfree offers an interactive experience unlike most narrative-based games.
Interactive Moment: During a heated conversation with your friends, a supernatural occurrence interrupts, forcing you to make a critical decision. Do you investigate the anomaly further or prioritize keeping the group safe? Your choices could lead to dramatically different outcomes.
5. A Short Hike – Relaxing Exploration
In contrast to the often intense and fast-paced nature of games, A Short Hike is a peaceful exploration game where you guide a bird named Claire on a hike to the summit of Hawk Peak. The game encourages exploration at your own pace.
Why You Should Play: It’s a short, calming game with charming visuals, making it a perfect palate cleanser between larger, more intense games. The sense of discovery and the relaxing soundtrack makes every moment feel serene.
Interactive Moment: Imagine gliding through the air, catching updrafts as you soar over a lake. You spot a hidden path below—do you swoop down to explore, or continue onward to the peak, letting the moment carry you?
6. Slay the Spire – A Deck-Building Dungeon Crawl
Slay the Spire combines roguelike dungeon crawling with deck-building mechanics, challenging players to choose cards, relics, and strategies carefully as they battle their way to the top of a sinister tower.
Why You Should Play: The mix of card strategy and roguelike gameplay makes every playthrough different. With multiple characters, each offering unique playstyles, it’s a game that feels fresh every time you play.
Interactive Moment: You've drawn a hand of cards during a critical boss fight. Do you play defensively to survive another turn, or go all-in on an offensive combo, risking everything for a potential victory? Your deck—and luck—will decide.
7. Night in the Woods – A Story of Friendship and Existential Crisis
Set in a declining Rust Belt town, Night in the Woods follows Mae, a college dropout returning home to reconnect with friends and family. The game explores themes of depression, adulthood, and change.
Why You Should Play: It’s a narrative-rich game that uses its quirky art style and memorable characters to tell a deeply personal and emotional story, filled with moments of humor, sorrow, and introspection.
Interactive Moment: You meet up with an old friend, and the conversation takes a serious turn, revealing something deeply personal about their life since you’ve been away. Do you comfort them, or avoid the emotional weight and change the subject?
8. The Messenger – A Time-Traveling Ninja Adventure
The Messenger is a retro-style action platformer with a unique twist: halfway through the game, it transforms from an 8-bit side-scroller to a 16-bit metroidvania, complete with time-travel mechanics.
Why You Should Play: It combines old-school platforming with modern gameplay innovations, offering a nostalgic yet fresh experience. Plus, the humor is top-notch.
Interactive Moment: You’re about to make a leap into the future, where the environment and enemies will change. Do you prepare carefully, or dive headfirst, trusting your reflexes to adapt to the coming challenge?
9. Darkest Dungeon – A Lovecraftian Nightmare
Darkest Dungeon is a turn-based RPG that tests your party’s physical and mental endurance as they navigate through procedurally generated dungeons. The stress mechanic adds a layer of complexity to combat, forcing you to manage your party’s sanity as well as their health.
Why You Should Play: The unique stress system makes every decision in combat more critical, while the game's dark, gothic atmosphere and brutal difficulty make every victory feel earned.
Interactive Moment: As you venture deeper into a dungeon, your team’s stress levels rise. One hero is on the verge of breaking. Do you press on, risking their sanity, or retreat to fight another day?
10. Gris – An Artistic Journey of Healing
Gris is a visually stunning platformer that explores themes of grief and recovery through abstract landscapes and color symbolism. As the protagonist regains her strength, the world around her shifts from dull and gray to vibrant and alive.
Why You Should Play: Its minimalist storytelling, breathtaking art, and soothing music make it an emotional experience that resonates on a personal level.
Interactive Moment: You find yourself in a world of black and white. As you move forward, color begins to return, but only in subtle, slow strokes. Do you rush to restore the world, or take your time, savoring each moment of transformation?
Conclusion
These 10 underrated indie games offer a wide range of experiences, from relaxing exploration to intense, emotional storytelling. Each one offers something unique, and while they may not have the same level of attention as big-budget games, they provide unforgettable experiences that deserve your time. Which of these indie gems will you dive into next?