As much as we all do the usual routine ofchecking the aggregated review scoresfrom various outlets when a game comes out, you all likely take journalists' opinions on games with a pinch of salt. It’s great for a bit of insight, but rarely are these reviews the definitive say on a particular game.
50 Best Indie Games of All Time
Forget blockbuster AAA games! We want some plucky little indies!
This is why user review scores exist, as they provide a series of reviews from players, which, individually, might be a little less professionally handled. However, as a collective, these reviews tend to offer a fairly tight correlation of scores, providing an accurate indication of how the game has been received.
So, we have taken the time to list a handful of games that occupy the top of the Steam user review charts, offering a wealth of positive reviews that have led to near-unanimous praise for each of these games.
We will only consider games that have garnered a 98% positive score or higher, and we will also only consider games that have at least 1,000 user reviews in total. Plus, the more user reviews, the more likely the game will appear.
10Holocure
Chat Really Like This One
HoloCure - Save the Fans!
While it may not be a household name like a lot of the other games on this list, it’s only fair that we give Holocure its moment in the sun, because if you filter by User Review Score on Steam, Holocure will be right up there at the tippy-top of the list.
It’s easy to see why this game is so universally loved by fans, as not only is this game a fantastic bullet heaven title that rivals Vampire Survivors in terms of quality. It’s also a game that can be downloaded completely free.
This high-octane bullet heavenoffers a fun kawaii twist to Vampire Survivor’s action, asking you to play as a group of streamers and V-Tubers to save the world, complete with some light life-sim mechanics into the bargain.
It’s admirable in this commercial age that developer Jay Yu has no interest in making cash from this project, and that seems to have helped this game find an audience. But not only that, but an audience that adores this game with very few exceptions.
9A Short Hike
I’m Getting No Bars!
A Short Hike
This list consists of a lot of games that are arguably just too cute and cozy to hate on, and that could definitely be said of A Short Hike. A game where you play as a little bird named Claire that needs to climb to Hawk Peak to get some cell phone reception.
Using jagged polygons reminiscent of the Dreamcast era, and simplistic open-world design,this game offers a pocket-sized adventurelike no other, that can be started and finished in one lazy Sunday afternoon.
But, despite the simplicity of the design, it’s a game that will stay with you long after the credits roll thanks to the touching story, the wacky NPCs and activities you’ll get up to, and the immaculate, comfortable vibes that make existing on the island a joy.
It’s over before you know it, so savor every second of this cozy open-world indie adventure.
8Lil Gator Game
Playtime Is Forever
Lil Gator Game
Along the same lines as A Short Hike, we have yet another open-world game that is simply too colorful, vibrant, and easy-going ever to take up arms about.
Lil Gator Game is effectively what happens if you take the Breath of the Wild blueprint made famous by the Legend of Zelda series and then completely strip it of stakes, fail states, and danger.
Instead, you have an adventure that is fueled by your childish whimsy and imagination, as enemies are cardboard cutouts that serve as collectibles instead of hostiles to take down.
Additionally, the game’s storyline emphasizes the importance of childhood and the art of playtime, highlighting how, as adults, we should never fully relinquish the playfulness within us.
Something I can get behind as I play games for a living. Like, honestly, how is this a real job? But, tangent aside, Lil Gator Game is a title that is chock-full of whimsy and wonder, making it a game that is simply impossible to hate.
7TOEM: A Photo Adventure
Smile For The Camera
I’ve always been a sucker for games that allow you touse a camera to snap photosand interact with the world, changing your perspective. However, TOEM could easily be my favorite within this niche, little photography sub-genre.
The reason being that this game offers a cozy vibe, an outstanding monochrome art style, and gameplay that feels as though you’ve been handed a camera within the world of Paper Mario and have been asked to solve fun puzzles to progress through a series of quirky levels.
The puzzles are somewhat challenging without ever feeling frustrating, the writing is fun and irreverent, and the payoff at the end, when you finally get to see TOEM for the first time, is a fitting way to close out proceedings.
It’s another game that’s short and sweet, so enjoy it while it lasts and take lots of photos to immortalize those memories.
6A Hat in Time
Magic Hats, Magical Experience
A Hat in Time
Super Mario Odyssey may be the highest-rated and most commercially successful game that sees you playing as a platforming mascot with magical hats. Credit where it’s due, A Hat In Time is the one with the highest Steam User Review score. Sure, it’s because the other isn’t on Steam, but let’s not split hairs.
A Hat In Time feels like a quirky bootleg Mario title in a lot of ways, with bespoke levels of varying themes, tight platforming, and a whimsical, vibrant art style that is a joy to behold at every turn.
However, unlike Mario, A Hat In Time actually offers some pretty impressive writing that is hilarious and irreverent. But, equally, the humor of the mute protagonist is just as comical as anything in the script.
Basically, it’s indie 3D Mario, but with more quirky charm than the mustachioed plumber could ever hope to muster, and that’s why it’s so highly regarded.
5Pizza Tower
Thirty Minutes Or Less, Guaranteed
Pizza Tower
Much like how Hades managed to inject the roguelike genre, long considered a relic in the industry, back into the zeitgeist. Pizza Tower was the trailblazer that aimed to capitalize on the sheer lack of Wario-esque games on the market today, and it’s safe to say that it succeeded.
Pizza Tower is a chaotic, fast-paced, and frenetic platforming where causing as much destruction while maintaining a flow state is the key to success. Essentially, it channels the madness of older Wario titles, and the need for speed of retro Sonic titles to offer a marriage made in heaven.
But that’s not all; the game also offers a delightful cartoonish story, a devilishly addictive arcade-inspired gameplay loop, and a killer soundtrack.
It’s a game that has inspired other Wario-like titles, such as Antonblast, but it remains the best modern example to date, and it’s one that boasts positive user reviews to show for it.
4Neon White
Heavenly Haste
Neon White
We have already spoken about a game that has fast, frenetic gameplay. But the aforementioned title is more about reacting to the chaos around you. Whereas, in Neon White, it’s all about moving with precision and shaving milliseconds off your run time.
Playing as a demon from hell, given a reprieve from whatever it is you do down there to rid heaven of its demon infestation. You’ll need to chain dashes, gunshots, and more to get through stages at pace to earn the coveted S-rank.
In theory, it’s just a typical FPS shooter with some card mechanics instead of traditional bullets, but really, it’s much more than that.
It’s a speedrunning game, a quirky anime-inspired game, and in a lot of ways, a racing game where time trials are the primary focus. It’s a little bit out there, but I would urge you to try it, as I wager you’ll like it just as much as everyone else clearly does.
Olympus Here I Come
If you’ve ever wondered why just about every indie game of the last half-decade or so doublesas a Roguelike, you have Hades to thank for that. However, despite all the indie game developers jumping on the bandwagon, there’s an argument to be had that no Roguelike has ever come close to matching SuperGiant’s magnum opus since.
Not only does Hades offer an excellent Roguelike blueprint with satisfying progression and excellent hack-and-slash combat that feels different from one run to the next. But it also offers a story that grows in depth with each death.
It’s a rare game that genuinely feels like an incomplete experience unless you die repeatedly, but the good news is that, unless you’re an absolute underworld whizz kid, you’ll die plenty and get to know the residents of Hades' underworld very well indeed.
Hades 2 appears to be a successor that will at least match its predecessor, but even if it proves superior to its parent game, the original will stand the test of time as a modern indie classic.
You’ll BeGLaDOSYou Tried It
Every genre has a few games that are considered royalty within their respective circles, and within the puzzle genre, Portal is the ruler of them all. Despite occupying a saturated genre, Portal has stood the test of time and still ranks among the best puzzle games ever made, even compared to more modern contemporaries.
This is mainly because Portal’s use of, you guessed it, portals, was so incredibly well implemented, allowing for some truly cerebral and mind-melting puzzle design, all the while offering a format familiar to FPS fanatics.
It’s hard to argue that Portal is the better narrative experience, as the sequel tops it in that department. But, I would personally argue that the original remains the better solo puzzle experience, while still offering all the charm and humor the series is known for.
The cake may be a lie, but it’s no lie that Portal is beloved, and the user reviews showcase that better than anything.
1Stardew Valley
The People’s Indie Champion
Stardew Valley
When talking about universally adored games, it usually isn’t long before Eric Barone and his iconic farming simulator get brought up, and rightfully so.
Stardew Valley is a natural evolution of the classic that gave birth to the genre, Harvest Moon, but with respect to the elder agricultural statesman we just mentioned, SDV is better in every way imaginable.
It offers a wealth of content that keeps getting added to free of charge, the gameplay is much more modern and refined, the replay value is astronomical, and it’s co-op friendly, so you can take your buddies along for the ride.
It’s, in a lot of people’s eyes, the ultimate cozy game, and it’s pretty hard to argue with that sentiment, which perhaps shows why hardly anyone has a bad word to say about this indie darling.
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