The 50 best indie games for different platforms

 Indie games are those produced by independent studios, with varied budgets. This set enjoys a greater representation in a number of games, so it is impossible not to find something according to your tastes. In our case, we wanted to group the 50 best indie games that have surprised us the most, without following a specific order. Find out now!

1. Journey

• Release year: 2012
• Platforms: PS3, PS4 and PC

The journey is one of the most beautiful games out there. Completely devoid of dialogue, the game takes you on a journey of discovery as you make your way to the top of a mountain. It is possible to advance alone or meet other players who are having the same experience as you. In a nutshell, Journey fascinates with its simplicity and visual richness.

2. Stardew Valley

• Release year: 2016
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, iOS y Android

Stardew Valley is an exciting game to play as a farmer alone or in the company. There are many types of activities to carry out, missions to complete and infinite possibilities to make one type of farm or another. It is possible to interact with quite a few NPCs and raise a family or plunge into danger in search of treasures. Stardew Valley can be as long as you want!

3. Undertale

• Release year: 2015
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS Vita, and PC

Undertale is an RPG focused on decisions. You can kill, try to talk, or even recruit enemies as good allies. Your mission is to get out of the underground world and return to the surface. And what prevents you? Monsters and dungeons full of puzzles. Will you be a character of peace or will you destroy everything in your path? You choose!

4. Disco Elysium

• Release year: 2019
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4 y Nintendo Switch

Disco Elysium's approach is sublime. It is an RPG different from what we are used to, very focused on freedom of action, decision, and character construction. You will take control of a detective, who must solve a crime. However, the drunkenness causes her to suffer from amnesia, so she needs your help! Interact with the characters however you want, connect clues and accuse whoever you think is guilty. Think well!

5. Ori and the Blind Forest

• Release year: 2015
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One y Nintendo Switch

Ori and the Blind Forest has an emotional story that is accompanied by a wonderful audiovisual section. It has a well-balanced difficulty, in a game that challenges you to solve puzzles, collect items and save the world from darkness. If you loved this game, there is also Ori and the Will of the Wisps!

6. Minecraft

• Release year: 2011
• Platforms: PC, Android, iOS, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch y Nintendo 3DS

Minecraft has marked an entire generation of players for the genius and dimension of its open world. There are hundreds of things to do in the game and areas to explore, both offline and online. It's no surprise that it became a commercial success, as you can build freely, venture through a wide variety of environments, and battle against dangerous enemies.

If you want something more action-focused, give Minecraft Dungeons a try.

7. Divinity: Original Sin 2

• Release year: 2017
• Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One y Nintendo Switch

Although it seems very surprising, Divinity: Original Sin 2 was developed by an independent studio. Within RPGs, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is one of the best you can play, not only in recent years but in all history! You have great freedom in the creation and development of characters, the combat is tremendous and the consequences of your actions are well thought out.

You can always choose to start with the first part, but the sequel improves in almost every aspect.

8. This War of Mine

• Release year: 2014
• Platforms: PC, iOS, Android, PS4 y Nintendo Switch

We include This War of Mine for its rawness, but the most striking thing is the gameplay. It is a strategy and management game, with many elements of survival. The war has hit the civilians and you must help them to survive at all costs. Find food and other resources, and make decisions with a cool head or with your heart. It is not an easy game, nor is it fair, but that is the purpose of the game!

9. Celeste

• Release year: 2018
• Platforms: PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch y Xbox One

Do you want a difficult game? Celeste is one of the most challenging and well-made titles in the world of indie games. Like Journey, the main task is to get to the top of a mountain. Celeste boasts good gameplay, great level design, and artistic beauty that makes everything seem to come to life. It is a trip you will not forget.

10. What Remains of Edith Finch

• Release year: 2017
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4 y Nintendo Switch

What Remains of Edith Finch invites you to discover what happened to the Finch family. You will unearth the secrets as you explore the mansion and the family possessions. The most interesting thing about this game is that each story is told in a different way, with changed playable rules. The level of interaction is high and the setting catches you from start to finish.

11. Don’t Starve Together

• Release year: 2016
• Platforms: PS4, Xbox One y PC

The objective of Don't Starve Together is clear: don't starve. It is a very challenging survival and an experience that you can share with friends. The graphics are super striking and well in line with the personality of the game. You will die quite a few times, but you will learn from your mistakes and you will surely appreciate the possibilities that this title brings.

12. Night in the Woods

• Release year: 2017
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4 y Nintendo Switch

Night in the Woods talks about the life of millennials, representing themes associated with love relationships, family, emotions, and social classes. Mae the cat returns to her homeland, only to find unexpected changes and mysteries to solve. Something hidden hangs over her loved ones, and the game encourages us to unravel the mysteries little by little. An interesting and intense narrative game.

13. Cuphead

• Release year: 2017
• Platforms: Xbox One, PC y Nintendo Switch

Cuphead is charming due to its visual style, similar to the animations of the 1930s. It is a platform and shooting game, with a lot of enemies to defeat and some puzzles to overcome. You will have to fight the Devil himself! The fame of this game lies in its difficulty, frustrating for some players but addictive for others. If you play it, practice deep breathing, or you'll end up breaking something!

14. Subnautica

• Release year: 2014
• Platforms: PS4, Xbox One y PC

Subnautica literally immerses us in a lethal world in which almost everything will be against us. You will have to find a way to escape from the planet, something that you will only achieve after hours of exploration and crafting. As a survival game, Subnautica is one of the most immersive and high-quality you will find on the market. As an extra plus point, the graphics are some of the most beautiful you'll see in an indie.

15. Katana ZERO

• Release year: 2019
• Platforms: PC and Nintendo Switch

Katana ZERO is one of the flashier action platformer games on this list. Even though one can spend hours appreciating the art in the game, no distractions are allowed! In Katana ZERO, one hit is enough to end your life. Fortunately, you can manipulate time, dodge, shoot back, and use environmental traps to your advantage. Of course, this game challenges your skill level after level.

16. Inside

• Release year: 2016
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4 y Nintendo Switch

Inside is a game that presents a dystopian society, in a story loaded with symbolism. You will play as a little boy who cannot sit still but must run, jump, swim and escape while completing puzzles. It is a game with touches of terror that easily captivates any player. For a similar experience, Limbo is another excellent game from the same company.

17. Terraria

• Release year: 2011
• Platforms: PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS, Android, iOS y PC

Terraria is a game quite similar to Minecraft, with the difference that it is in 2D and not in 3D. It is really the only main difference because in it you can explore at your own pace, build what you want, meet different NPCs, and fight against many enemies. You have complete freedom!

18. The Stanley Parable

• Release year: 2011
• Platforms: PC

The Stanley Parable is an extremely curious and complex adventure. Not complex in the sense of being difficult or using technical language, but because everything happens and in no apparent order! It is difficult to explain The Stanley Parable well in a few lines. However, we do tell you that it is a pleasant experience to play, it knows how to attract your attention minute after minute and will not leave you indifferent.

19. SUPERHOT

• Release year: 2016
• Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch y PC

SUPERHOT's approach is simple: if you move, everything else moves quickly; if you stop, the rest will move very slowly. You will get into a virtual world full of red enemies that will use everything they have in hand to defeat you. The good thing is that, in this shooter, you can also use everything, but be careful! One-touch... and you lose the game!

20. Hotline Miami

• Release year: 2012
• Platforms: PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch, PC, Android y Xbox One

Hotline Miami is a completely wild shooting game set in the 90s, with a totally successful graphic style. The soundtrack is powerful and the gameplay mechanics are very reminiscent of old arcade games. It's the beginning of a good franchise of games that don't forgive mistakes, so it's best to perform at your best!

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is a spectacular sequel, and we hope to see more installments in the future.

21. No Man's Sky

• Release year: 2016
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One y PS4

No Man's Sky takes you on an endless space journey with millions of planets to explore. We are not exaggerating! The development of this game was a bit turbulent, with a launch that did not convince. However, over the years it has been polished and turned into an excellent open-world survival adventure game, in which you have a lot of freedom of action. A perfect game for dreamers of space life!

22. Braid

• Release year: 2008
• Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, and PC

Braid is a platform game full of classic charisma and color. There is not much innovation in terms of narrative, but the gameplay mechanics are very good. Nor can we forget to applaud the nice sound effects and graphics, which are a very clear tribute to platform classics like Super Mario World.

23. The Witness

• Release year: 2016
• Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC, iOS y Android

The Witness is a beautiful game to explore that hides a great challenge: solving hundreds of puzzles. The game goes up quite a bit in difficulty, to the point that you can spend many hours until you overcome an area. As long as you don't cheat, of course! It is not necessary to complete all the puzzles to beat the game, but if you love this genre, it is best to face this challenge without the help of a guide.

24. Baba Is You

• Release year: 2019
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch and PC

Baba Is You presents one of the most original ideas that we can see in a game. It is a puzzle game, in which we must exchange phrases and words that change the way the level works. That allows us to make our way, overcome obstacles and reach that long-awaited goal. Don't hesitate to take any opportunity to try Baba Is You.

25. GRAY

• Release year: 2018
• Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, iOs, Android y PS4

GRIS is an adventure platform game that can be described with one word: art. Everything that has to do with the audiovisual is sublime, and the gameplay does not suffer in any way. GRIS is easy to complete, we will not deny that, although it contains a few extras that extend the useful life of this charming work.

26. Super Meat Boy

• Release year: 2010
• Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS4, PS Vita, Wii U y Nintendo Switch

You will literally be a piece of meat that runs through scenarios full of traps. What sounds curious? Well, if you dare with this game, prepare to die over and over again until you learn all the levels well. It is a game that focuses on trial and error, is very fast-paced, and with a masterful phase design. You have to work hard to save Bandage Girl!

27. Slay The Spire

• Release year: 2017
• Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, iOS y Android (en 2020)

Imagine for a moment that you mix card games, chess, and fighting in one product. That's Slay The Spire! The game brings us a new, fast and addictive experience, with an original approach within the genres of strategy and roguelike. If you like to see new proposals in the world of video games, don't hesitate to play Slay The Spire.

28. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

• Release year: 2019
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4 y Nintendo Switch

In RPGs with a playable approach in 2D, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is one of the best. It is reminiscent of the classic Castlevania for the artistic section, but it differs in its original charisma and plot. The game is excellent on its own merits, but you will find many references to other games in the genre, both in enemies and in the scenarios. All an enjoyment!

29. Path of Exile

• Release year: 2013
• Platforms: PS4, Xbox One y PC

Path of Exile is a game completely inspired by Diablo. It is a great alternative to Diablo 3 since it is free on top of that. The game features very extensive customization options and rich character evolution. The game is not only long but can be enjoyed in company. Also, with the possibilities you have, you can spend months experimenting with different characters!

30. SOMA

• Release year: 2015
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One y PS4

SOMA is a great survival horror that encompasses psychological and technological themes. The plot hides some surprises and forces you to explore each area well to obtain the necessary elements in order to progress. The graphics are very good, very dark indeed, and from time to time there will be dangers from which you can only do one thing: run away!

Other amazing games from the same company, Frictional Games, are Amnesia: The Dark Descent and Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs.

31. Bastion

• Release year: 2011
• Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, iOS, PS4, PS Vita y Nintendo Switch

Do you love role-playing and action games? Bastion is one of the best representatives of games of this type. In addition to having good game mechanics, Bastion has a powerful narrative that knows how to keep your interest, worthy of a good story. As the hours go by, you will gain new skills and weapons to help you deal with hordes of enemies and fearsome final bosses. Become the hero Bastion needs!

Transistor, Pyre, and Hades are three other impressive games from the same company.

32. Into the Breach

• Release year: 2018
• Platforms: PC and Nintendo Switch

Into the Breach is a turn-based strategy game, with the particularity that the battles take place on 8x8 boards. So little! And, at the same time, very challenging. The aliens want to eliminate the human race and to foil their plans you will have to use different units and abilities. If you lose the game, it's not game over, but you can send a soldier through time. It is a curious proposal!

33. Hollow Knight

• Release year: 2017
• Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4 y Xbox One

Metroidvania in indie version! Hollow Knight has seduced many fans of this genre with more than enough content and duration. It draws attention to the visual section but, as soon as you play for a couple of hours, you realize how rich it is playable. Explore levels in any order you want, upgrade your equipment and skills, and defeat real beasts that threaten the world.

34. The Binding Of Isaac

• Release year: 2011
• Platform: PC

The Binding of Isaac is an isometric perspective action RPG focused on dungeon crawling. The stages are challenging and your mission will be to traverse the eight floors of a dungeon, no matter what. Dangerous and terrifying enemies will come out to meet you; To defeat them, you will have to use more than a hundred objects. A difficult and 100% replayable game!

35. made

• Release year: 2012
• Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PS4, PS Vita y PC

The goal in Fez is to collect cubes and shards that float in hard-to-reach areas. Each stage requires looking for different ways to advance, either by jumping or rotating the game world. It is a game that makes us use our heads a lot until we understand how each phase works. The mix of 2D and 3D is innovative and it's an experience that never gets tiresome.

36. Spelunky

• Release year: 2008
• Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PS4, and PC

Spelunky is tough, and that's part of its charm. You will be a kind of Indiana Jones in search of many valuable treasures. But what else will you find in this game? Well, randomly generated scenarios, annoying and dangerous enemies, and unexpected falls. The great challenge is to use all the tools you have in hand to get all the treasures, and not die once!

If you loved Spelunky, great news! In 2020 we will receive the sequel, Spelunky 2.

37. Dear Esther

• Release year: 2012
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One y PS4

Dear Esther is a narrative game that is not for everyone, as it is complex and difficult to understand. The exploration of devastated Scotland is the main point of Dear Esther. The setting is gloomy and each location hides a few secrets. The interesting thing about the game is that there are no missions or objectives. Instead, you go at your own pace, and you'll discover the story!

38. Papers, Please

• Release year: 2013
• Platforms: PC, iOS, and PS Vita

Papers, Please is a simulation puzzle game about immigration. You will be an immigration and customs inspector who must decide who goes in and who stays out. All decisions have consequences in the lives of foreigners, but also in yours! It's a game in which you have to think carefully about who you let in, because terrorists hide among the migrants. What's more, Papers, Please has 20 endings!

39. Observer

• Release year: 2017
• Platforms: PS4, PS5 (planned), Xbox One, Xbox Series X (planned), Nintendo Switch, and PC

The observer puts you in the shoes of a detective who can hack people's minds. It includes elements of horror through the unsettling situations you discover by navigating the memories of criminals. In this sense, Observer is a very psychological game that invites you to pay attention to the details, without being a difficult title.

40. Firewatch

• Release year: 2016
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4 y Nintendo Switch

Firewatch is a walking simulator mixed with survival. You'll never know what's behind the next tree, so there's always that element of surprise. The narrative, although linear, allows you to explore different stories that enrich the experience. Although Firewatch is short, it's a nice experience and you can always replay it to try different things.

41. Shovel Knight

• Release year: 2014
• Platforms: PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One, Wii U, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS y PC

Shovel Knight is an homage to 90's games like Castlevania. You will assume the role of a warrior, who, armed with a deadly shovel, must destroy the order of the knights of darkness! Simple and straightforward, but totally fun and nostalgic. There are different installments of Shovel Knight; all of them are great products and relatively cheap, so play any delivery!

In case you are looking for a complete experience, go for Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove.

42. Gone Home

• Release year: 2013
• Platforms: PC, iOS, Xbox One, PS4 y Nintendo Switch

In Gone Home you will return to the home of the protagonist's family, only to discover that they all disappeared! Your mission, then, is to explore the mansion and find out what happened to the parents and sister. It is a deep game and a good experience for those who love point & click adventure games.

43. Darkest Dungeon

• Release year: 2016
• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch e iOS

Give up hope if you play Darkest Dungeon! In this game, you don't only have to worry about the life of your characters, but about their fatigue, illnesses, and more. The task is to recruit and train a group of soldiers strong enough to overcome insufferable challenges. As a role-playing game and dungeon crawl, Darkest Dungeon is tremendously difficult and there will be many times that you will have to recruit new characters or retry the game. Do not give up!

44. Indivisible

• Release year: 2019
• Platforms: PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One y PC

After a tragedy, Ajna, the protagonist, awakens an incredible power to fight a powerful enemy. Indivisible is a game that combines action, role-playing, and platforms, all with very vivid color and playable simplicity that is effective. Throughout the adventure, you have the opportunity to recruit a couple of dozen allies, all very different. To face an army, what better than another!

45. A Plague Tale: Innocence

• Release year: 2019
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One y PS4

A Plague Tale: Innocence tells an impressive story in all sections. Inspired by the time of the Hundred Years War and the Inquisition, brothers Amicia and Hugo will need your help to evade enemies and a plague of rats that is destroying everything in its path. A Plague Tale has overtones of horror that are based on the need to use stealth as a way to increase the tension. It's an amazing indie game!

46. Mount & Blade

• Release year: 2008
• Platforms: PC

Mount & Blade is a sandbox RPG with a lot of content and almost unlimited character development options. In this game, you can be whatever you want: a noble interested in ruling, a champion in competitive combat, a mercenary, or just a traveling merchant! It's an old game, but it has good support for mods that expand and improve the experience.

You can also enjoy various expansions and the sequel, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, which just came out in March 2020:

47. Overcooked

• Release year: 2018
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4 y Switch

Overcooked! It's not just a cooking game, but a pure adrenaline cooking game! You must prepare dishes and deliver them all before the time runs out, but anything can happen in the middle of each level. Whether you're cooking alone or with friends, you'll need to complete assignments in vehicles, on icebergs, or in the middle of the street. Anything to satisfy customers!

48. Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair

• Release year: 2019
• PlatPlatformsaformas: Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One y PC

Yooka-Layle and the Impossible Lair is a 2.5D platform game full of charisma and friendliness. It can give you many hours of gameplay, thanks to the fact that each level has alternative versions. The essential thing in this game is to collect items, rescue, and solve puzzles to move forward. In addition, the game has dozens of tonics that modify different visual or playable parameters. Come on, you have fun for many weeks!

And if you want more, you can always play the original Yooka-Layle.

49. Oxenfree

• Release year: 2016
• Platforms: PC, Android, iOS, PS4, Xbox One y Nintendo Switch

Oxenfree is a supernatural adventure, in which exploration and freedom of decision are the two vital elements. Well, those two and how creepy some scenes are! Depending on the progress and the decisions you make, the story will take one direction or another. If you play this game, try to pay attention to the scenarios and dialogues, or you might get a little lost!

50. Untitled Goose Game

• Release year: 2019
• Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch y PC

Untitled Goose Game won awards and nominations for game of the year for being a different and fun game. Hold on tight: you control a goose that walks around the neighborhood with the sole objective of making life impossible for people. It's a naughty game that knows how to get a few laughs out of you!