Top 10 Indie Games of the Generation

My love of the indie game began in the Xbox 360/Playstation 3 generation, where games like Limbo, Braid, and Super Meat Boy introduced us to a new way of enjoying games. Whereas in generations past games like these would have no hope of being published on consoles or be relegated to the bargain bin with no promotion or fanfare, some now receive top-billing on release day and large ads on online storefronts. I love that I can get dozens of hours of enjoyment from games that cost $15.

With this current generation, I find myself playing more indie games than big, Triple-A titles from major publishers. The indie game space is where developers take more risks. My favorite genres like the 2D metroidvania and the platformer have fallen out of vogue with major publishers, but the indie game devs have picked up the ball and run with it. Normally I limit my lists to five entries, but with so many of my favorite games of the generation being indie games, I couldn't possibly narrow it down. I began with 26 games, and this is after I already cut several games from the list.

There is some gray area here; some of the games listed are developed by indie studios but published by Triple-A, but I certainly don't think that negates their inclusion. There were also games that I originally had on my list until I realized that they were actually released on the previous generation and then ported. However, if the game was released in the mid-console transition and appeared on both on day one or within a reasonable time frame, it gets the nod.

As always, if you don't see a game that you really enjoy, chances are that it was under consideration but didn't make my personal cut, or it's a game that I've never played. Being a fan of indie games, I'm always open for suggestions. And since I love all of these games, all of them are getting the honorable mention before getting to the top 10. So here's my 16-way tie for the 11 spot.

Pyre

Brilliantly written characters with an even better soundtrack and a compelling narrative combined with gameplay that can only be described as "celestial NBA Jam."

Inside

Play Dead followed up their hit Limbo with a similarly playing game that tells a great story of government conspiracy and shadow organizations. Mostly a puzzle-platformer that sometimes delves into horror.

Yoku's Island Express

One of the most unique concepts for a game you'll ever see, Yoku is a mishmash of Metroid and pinball that works better than you would think it would.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Do yourself a favor and play this one with headphones. This Norse mythology inspired tale from Ninja Theory has the ability to leave you both terrified and heartbroken while exploring the effects of mental illness.

Timespinner

A standard metroidvania at first glance, Timespinner has a variety of combat options and optional quests for those seeking 100% completion. This game benefits from its shorter length when compared to similar games.

Golf Story

Golf Story's only detriments are a limited gameplay variety and a tendency to run a joke into the ground. A nice alternative for fans of golf games and traditional RPGs alike.

Overcooked/Overcooked 2

Sometimes games are better when played with friends on the couch, and that's Overcooked's modus operandi. You and up to three friends are cooks trying to please customers in the most poorly constructed kitchens ever. My wife and I have never had more fun arguing with each other.

Little Nightmares

No one would blame you if you thought Tim Burton directed this game. Little Nightmares is a 3D platformer that gives you control of Six as she tries to escape The Maw, a ship filled with patrons trying to turn her into dinner.

Rogue Legacy

I never knew I liked roguelikes until Rogue Legacy. Cartoony and humorous with some decent risk/reward mechanics, this one will have you constantly saying "just one more run."

Cuphead

Aesthetically one of my favorite looking games ever, Cuphead takes the unique look of 1930s cartoons and slaps it onto one heck of a challenging run-and-gunner.

Steamworld Dig 2

This metroidvania sequel is grander in scope than its predecessor, featuring more and better power-ups, puzzles, and characters while keeping true to its original, addictive formula: just keep digging.

The Messenger

A semi-metroidvania chock full of fourth-wall breaking humor, The Messenger blends 8 and 16-bit graphics seamlessly. The "cloud step" mechanic provides ample challenge in certain sections but makes you feel like a platforming savant when performed properly.

The Mummy Demastered

Usually developers make bad games based on good movies. This is the opposite. WayForward knocked this one out of the park and this metroidvania title is the best thing that came out of the failed reboot of the Universal monster series.

Guacamelee! 2

Guacamelee! 2 took one of my favorite indie games of the previous generation and gave us more of the same. That may be its only shortcoming; there just wasn't a lot there to distinguish itself from its predecessor. The bosses were a bit easier but the platforming presented a greater challenge, which is a welcome trade off for me.

River City Girls

WayForward is back again, this time with a sequel to the long running Kunio-Kun beat 'em up series. Good combat, a great soundtrack, and a game that's fun whether by yourself or with a friend.

Celeste

Even I'm a little surprised this one didn't make it onto my list. As much as I love Celeste, what held it back for me was the feeling that I'll probably never play it again, and all the games that did make the cut I can definitely see myself playing in the future. The difficulty of the DLC didn't do it any favors, either.

10. Owlboy

The story of the ragtag group of misfits coming together to achieve something great is a trope that's been around for quite some time. Bad News Bears, Little Giants, The Goonies, these are movies that I grew up on and have a hefty amount of nostalgia for. Owlboy takes that group of misfits and combines it with the "save the world from imminent destruction" cliche. It's kind of like Armageddon but with less moon-drilling, more likable characters, and a more believable plot.

The "owlboy" in the game is our silent protagonist, Otus, who isn't silent for purposes of trying to get the player to identify with the character, it's explained early in the game that Otus is mute. This combined with Otus being a bit of a klutz leaves him the subject of much ridicule from his village and especially his mentor. Despite his lack of speech, Otus is one of the most likable characters of any game this generation. The aforementioned band of misfits is comprised of Geddy, a town guard, Alphonse, a former villainous pirate, and Twig, formerly an ally of the pirates. Otus uses his ability to fly to carry various items/allies, which all have unique abilities and attacks.

While Geddy is the Milhouse to Otus's Bart, Alphonse and Twig are both supremely written. Alphonse provides the comic relief while Twig's desire to be something he's not leads to some rather touching and heartbreaking dialogue between he and his family, you feel bad for the little guy.

Owlboy is the kind of game that I can't recommend enough. Everyone that I know who has played it has similar praise and a similar soft spot for it in their hearts, don't let this one pass you by.

9. Hyper Light Drifter

As much as I love the way Owlboy tells its story and writes its characters, I'll juxtapose that with Hyper Light Drifter, a game that tells you nothing but lays hints around for you and tasks you with figuring it out. There's no dialogue to speak of, and most NPCs "tell" their stories with three still images, prompting the player to deduce what those images mean in hopes of understanding the overall plot. Honestly, I love when games, movies, or television shows purposefully keep things vague or flat out don't tell you what's going on. It's why I enjoy something like Twin Peaks, I like that I don't completely understand what's going on. The unknown makes it interesting, and that's why Hyper Light Drifter and I meshed so well together.

Definitely not the hardest game in the world, or even the hardest on this list, but Hyper Light Drifter is far from a walk-in-the-park. Enemies increase in both number and difficulty as you progress, and the later boss fights sent me back to the previous checkpoint on more than one occasion. The titular Drifter's arsenal is basic but necessary. I applaud any game that requires me to become proficient in every weapon instead of just sticking to the ones I know and love. The different ranged attacks and their unique properties often came in handy for specific situations, making those late-game encounters even more pulse-pounding.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a sucker for the retro-inspired pixel-art style that's become so prevalent in the indie game space, so in my opinion Hyper Light Drifter looks like a million bucks. It takes an almost minimalist approach to both its graphics and music, eschewing the bombast of an orchestral score in favor of a more ambient soundtrack. HLD is very obviously influenced by games on the Super Nintendo, particularly The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, featuring a similar open-world structure and several dungeons to explore. Many games on this list are homages to other games, and in Hyper Light Drifter's case, the decision to crib from one of the best games ever made worked out in their favor.

8. Ori and the Blind Forest

You've already seen me use the term "metroidvania" several time thus far, and believe me, it won't be the last. It's the genre that most dominated the indie game space this generation, and as someone whose favorite genre is the metroidvania, that couldn't make me more happy. Many metroidvanias have a reputation for being very easy, usually because of generous save points and the player character becoming overpowered by the end of the game. Not so with Ori. Ori's minute to minute gameplay could see you die in several ways, and its lack of a traditional checkpoint system only exacerbates that. In Ori, save points are few and far between, but you may create "soul links" wherever you please, allowing you to restart from that spot should you die. However, these soul links require energy, which is a finite resource and limits the amount of checkpoints you can make. It's a unique spin and I'm a little surprised to see it removed from the sequel.

One of the primary reasons I connected so well with Ori is because of its emphasis on platforming. Many metroidvanias have platforming challenges (Guacamelee! for example), but Ori is on a completely different level, pun intended. Platforming in Ori is integral to the level design and overall experience. Prior to the release of the Definitive Edition, Ori and the Blind Forest didn't have a fast travel system, but I hardly minded because the control is so smooth and the world so smartly designed for speed running that getting from one spot on the map to another never felt like a chore. The fluidity of Ori's movement is unlike any other platformer of the generation, smooth as buttah!

However, I'm not without my gripes. I'm not a completionist when it comes to 99 out of every 100 games I play. I don't obsess over trophies or achievements, but I do like to try and grab the ones I can. In almost every metroidvania, I want to try and snag all the collectibles and health/power upgrades, and Ori and the Blind Forest committed an unforgivable sin in this area. They put upgrades in areas that become permanently blocked off, meaning that if you don't get them while you're in that area, you're screwed. So when I looked at my save file after beating the game, I saw a very irritating "11/12 Life Orbs collected" staring back at me, all because I missed one in one of these areas.

Ori and the Blind Forest also doesn't have boss fights, instead opting for intense and lengthy escape sequences. I enjoy the kind of twitch platforming skills these sections require, but I can imagine many people had their no-death runs ruined by a simple brain-fart in these areas.

Ori and the Blind Forest is excellent, and its sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, is equally outstanding. In many regards, the sequel is superior, but the reason I didn't choose it for this list is because of the outrageous amount of technical issues I had playing it. The game crashed several times, I clipped through the world and was unable to re-enter on more than one occasion, and because I was playing on an Xbox One S instead of the SUPER ULTRA MEGA POWERFUL XBOX ONE X, the game would freeze anywhere from one to five seconds constantly. And I don't say constantly in a hyperbolic manner, it happened throughout the entire game. A lesser game with those kinds of issues would have been shut off immediately, but Ori was worth sticking it out.

7. Axiom Verge

Axiom Verge is a game that despite its great critical reception I still feel is underrated. Guess what? It's a metroidvania. Shocking, I know. Axiom Verge takes the sci-fi route and is heavily influenced by The Legend of Zelda and Metroid.

I played through Axiom Verge twice, once on the PS4 and again when the Vita version was released, and the story was still a bit lost on me until I began reading plot synopses. I wouldn't be able to do it justice were I to try and give a brief rundown because there are so many moving parts, but the overall theme is to question what is real. The amount of fourth-wall breaking in Axiom Verge would make Hideo Kojima blush.

But for me, gameplay is what matters most, and Axiom Verge's gameplay is top notch. In most metroidvanias (or most video games, for that matter) I find the one or two weapons I like the most and use those almost exclusively. Axiom Verge features 23 different weapons and 13 abilities to discover during your time on Sudra. Few of the weapons are necessary, but they all have unique properties, making them fun to track down and experiment with.

But the thing that makes Axiom Verge so memorable is the world and its inhabitants: the Rusalki. These gigantic war machines are the ones assigned to protect Sudra and look like something out of H.R. Giger's nightmares. These hulking metal beasts are never not intimidating. Even after you realize that they're on your side, any time you walk into one of the Rusalki's chambers, you can't help but feel uncomfortable. Axiom Verge creates an ominous feeling of foreboding throughout its runtime, and while I wouldn't say that it crosses over into being a horror game, you'll still occasionally find yourself with the same feelings of uneasiness.

6. Rocket League

The one and only competitive multiplayer game I've ever enjoyed. Part (most) of that enjoyment comes from the fact that I'm not half-bad at the game, consistently being the one to lead my team to victory or prevent us from being blown out. I'm not going to be competing in any tournaments, but I'm no slouch.

However, even if I weren't good at Rocket League, it would still be a blast to play. For the uninitiated, Rocket League is soccer (or basketball or hockey or whatever other modes they've added since I last played) where you play as an RC car. It's amazing how such a simple concept turned out to be one of the best games of the generation. Even better, a lot of us got the game as a PSN freebie when it launched, which undoubtedly contributed to it's popularity.

The arenas are varied and the electronica music fits the frenetic action perfectly. Psyonix has consistently updated the game, which is why it's still incredibly popular today, several years after launch. But perhaps what I appreciate most about Rocket League is the community. They're just pleasant. Rocket League allows you to use the D-pad to choose from a select number of phrases to send to your team, and it's commonplace to get a "Nice shot!" or "Good save!" after you make a good play.

While I'm not big on the alternate game modes, standard Rocket League epitomizes what video games are supposed to be: fun.

5. Hollow Knight

I've written about Hollow Knight recently, so I won't be too long-winded here. I'll just say that Hollow Knight is a special game to me. The world of Hallownest is so engrossing and beautiful that I found myself continuing to think about it weeks after I had finished playing the game. Again, I'm not a completionist, there's a lot in the game that I still haven't done (I intend to go back at some point), but I would pore over the Hollow Knight wiki wringing every last bit of information I could.

The combat is tough but fair, and I never felt like I was the victim of cheap deaths, but I always felt like a true Nailmaster when I would finally best a boss that would consistently beat me. Hollow Knight's music is exquisite. As much as I love video games and video game music, I'm not the type of person that listens to video game music on a regular basis in my normal life. But the Hollow Knight soundtrack is one that did get consistent play on my Spotify account when I needed background noise while writing.

Though Hollow Knight comes with my highest recommendation, I know many people have trouble getting into it, so take that recommendation with a grain of salt. The upcoming sequel, Silksong, is high on my list of most anticipated games.

4. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

It's impossible to review Bloodstained without mentioning its heritage. That heritage is so strong that when looking back over the years searching for games to make this list I had forgotten that Bloodstained was independently developed. Yeah, I forgot it was a Kickstarter game too.

You've played Symphony of the Night, right? Of course you have, everyone has. It's one of the best games ever made. Because of this, you'll be of one of two minds about Bloodstained. You're either going to love it because of how similar it is to SotN, or you'll hate it because it's so unabashedly a SotN ripoff. But then you'll remember that the same guy made both games and you'll be back on board. But then you'll do research and realize that Igarashi didn't become the head of the Castlevania series until after SotN and you'll hate it again.

All joking aside, I was on board with Bloodstained from the Kickstarter. I didn't pledge any money to it because I saw how Mighty No. 9 turned out, but I was definitely excited. I'll put it this way: Bloodstained is not on the same level as Symphony of the Night, not even close. Bloodstained is not going to go down in history as one of the best video games of all-time. But Bloodstained is about as good as you could hope a spiritual successor to Symphony of the Night could be. It plays great, it's fun to mess around with the different shard abilities, there are secrets everywhere, and it has features that weren't in SotN like side quests, crafting, and cooking (which may not sound useful but each new dish you create gives you permanent stat increases, making it useful to learn new recipes).

If I had to choose between the two, of course I'm taking Symphony of the Night, it's not even a contest, but Ritual of the Night is an outstanding game that shouldn't be overshadowed by its ancestry.

3. Dead Cells

Rogue Legacy was a "my first roguelike" kind of game. It's a great way to introduce yourself to the genre. If Rogue Legacy is on that end of the spectrum, then Dead Cells is on the other end. Many people referred to Dead Cells as a 2D roguelike Dark Souls. I don't like that comparison, just because a game is hard doesn't mean it has to be the Dark Souls of something (also, Dead Cells is actually good), but I understand it to a degree. Like Dark Souls, Dead Cells requires you to be plodding and strategic when it comes to combat. While you will eventually get comfortable enough to blow right through the first couple of areas, the later levels can be relentless. Taking your time, recognizing enemy attacks, timing parries properly, and choosing your abilities wisely will be your keys to success.

As mentioned, Dead Cells falls into the roguelike category, meaning every time you fall in combat, you start over from the beginning with whatever new abilities, weapons, or perks you may have unlocked along the way. Over time you'll develop an affinity for certain gear. Personally, I know that if I can get any combination of the Sinew Slicer, Cleaver, and Double Crossb-o-matic, I have a higher chance of success. If I can get my hands on an Impaler or the Assassin's Dagger, my chances increase even more. Throughout the course of a given run, I focus on leveling up the Brutality and Tactics skill trees, increasing my attack power as well as increasing the effectiveness of my gear. That's the style that best suits me, and you'll find what works for you.

Dead Cells has a surprising amount of lore and secrets that have kept me scratching my head for two years. Even though the layout of the levels change on each run, certain rooms and secret areas show up each time, and every time I sit there and wonder how to crack the code and gain access to those rooms.

I haven't had the opportunity to play the Bad Seed DLC yet, but I know I'll be itching to get back to Dead Cells in the near future, it's the kind of game I keep coming back to, and that's when I'll give that a go. But even without the DLC, Dead Cells is the total package.

2. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove

Oh, Shovel Knight, how I love thee, let me count the ways. Shovel of Hope. Plague of Shadows. Specter of Torment. King of Cards. Four distinct campaigns featuring four lovable characters, each with their own unique abilities and quirks. No game this generation has gotten more of my money than Shovel Knight. I bought it on 3DS on release day, then on the PS4 when it was released there, then the physical PS4 edition, and I have the physical PS4 Treasure Trove edition pre-ordered, not to mention the amount of money I've spent on Shovel Knight merch over the years. I don't regret any of it. Yacht Club Games made a quality product, and if it means I can help them with their vision for Shovel Knight or whatever they may have planned next, I'll keep giving them my money.

If Shovel Knight taught us anything about homages to classic video games, it's that you have to do more than just look like an old game. There are tons of indie games that would look right at home on the NES, and most of them are poorly made. Shovel Knight looks technically superior to anything you'd see on Nintendo's inaugural home console, but it invokes the feelings of nostalgia that people like me have for the NES by incorporating elements from Super Mario Bros., Castlevania, Mega Man, The Legend of Zelda, DuckTales, and many more into its design.

Boss Fight Books published an entire book based on the development of Shovel Knight, chronicling the hardships the small development team faced as well as going into great detail about the technical and design aspects of the game. I read it in a couple of days and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Shovel Knight or video game design in general.

1. Stardew Valley

Community center restored. Every relationship maxed. Every fish caught. Every item crafted. Every recipe cooked. Every crop harvested. Every museum item delivered. Every stardrop obtained. Bottom of the mines reached. All secret notes found. Theater built. Litter removed. Multi-million dollar farm. Married. Two kids. A dog. One very proud grandpa looking down on me from Stardew Heaven.

In a game with a near limitless amount of content, I found myself close to 200 hours into Stardew Valley with nothing left to accomplish. Then cooperative play was added and I started over with my wife playing with me. All of this from a $20 game that I originally bought as a gift for her that I had no interest in playing myself. The moment I started Stardew Valley, I was hooked. I've played twice as much Stardew Valley as I did games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Skyrim, and The Witcher 3, and I played a lot of those games.

It used to be that I always found myself writing about Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Resident Evil 4, but in the last couple of years, Stardew Valley has taken their place. Anything I say here would just be me beating a dead horse. If you consistently read my writing, you're probably tired of hearing me talk about it.

This is how I'll leave it. Stardew Valley is firmly in my top 10 games of all-time. When I didn't have money to afford new video games, Stardew Valley was what helped me pass the time. When I went back to college, Stardew Valley is what I played when I needed a break from writing essays. When I switched to a higher-stress job, Stardew Valley is what helped me unwind and blow off some steam. When I was cramming leading up to my RRT exams, Stardew Valley is what calmed my nerves. Stardew Valley helped me out a lot in the last few years, and I've grateful for that.

Hey, thanks for reading. You're the best.

-Dustin