TOP 5 INDIE GAMES 2024

An indie game, short for independent video game, is a video game typically created by individuals or smaller development teams without the financial and technical support of a large game publisher, in contrast to most “AAA” (triple-A) games. Because of their independence and freedom to develop, indie games often focus on innovation, experimental gameplay, and taking risks not usually afforded in AAA games. Indie games tend to be sold through digital distribution channels rather than at retail due to a lack of publisher support. The term is synonymous with that of independent music or independent film in those respective mediums.

1. PIZZA TOWER
2. THE LAST FAITH
3. JUSANT
4. DREDGE
5. SEA OF STARS

1. PIZZA TOWER

Much like Lethal Company, Pizza Tower has consistently remained one of 2023’s highest-rated indie games on Steam, due in part to its incredible visual style and absolute banger of a soundtrack. Underneath its presentation, though, is a rock-solid retro platformer that has more than its fair share of similarities to the cult-classic Game Cube game Wario World. A frenetic platformer that feels like playing a hyperactive cartoon, Pizza Tower follows a long lineage of good players like Super meat boy or celeste but does so all while retaining its own distinctive identity.

2. THE LAST FAITH

The Last Faith is one of the best indie Metroidvanias to release in a year that was stacked with quality entries in the genre. The Last Faith is perhaps the closest thing fans will ever get to a 2D bloodborne game and developer Kumi Souls errs more on the “vania” side of Metroidvania thanks to injecting The Last Faith with a dark, Gothic atmosphere and emphasis on melee combat. If there is a flaw to the game, it’s that it doesn’t innovate as much as it refines, but The Last Faith successfully combines several disparate elements of its various influences to become something greater than the sum of its parts.

3. JUSANT

JUSANT is a game of climbing, sure, but the simple act of climbing and reaching the various checkpoints and remnants of civilization that exist along the way combine to create one of 2023’s most zen-like gaming experiences. Some of the best games pick one key mechanic and hyper-focus on it to have it become the star of the show, and Jusant‘s ability to replicate the thrill of climbing in a piece of interactive media is one of 2023’s many triumphs.

4. DREDGE

Dredge was a highly-anticipated game long before its release thanks to an incredible Steam Next Fest demo in late 2022. Part survival-horror game and part fishing simulator, Dredge is the exact kind of left-field experiment in genre mixing on which the indie game scene thrives, and in execution, it’s astoundingly addictive. Like Vampire Survivors before it, Dredge is one of those indie titles that players have to be careful with, lest they end up sinking several hours into a single session. It’s a perfect game for both the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch as well, with its excellent visuals and lighting truly shining on a handheld console. The game has already received the pale reach DLC this year and a crossover with Dave the Diver is set to arrive soon, meaning anyone who hasn’t played Dredge yet has the perfect excuse to see what all the hype is about.

5. SEA OF STARS

The genius of Sea of Stars lies in the way that the game effortlessly captures the pacing and heart of the SNES best RPGs, all while providing one of the most compelling stories available in video games this year, indie or otherwise. Yes, the game has its inspirations on display loud and clear for anyone who grew up during the 16 and 32-bit eras of gaming, but the reverence with which it honors the past while simultaneously innovating and presenting a new experience makes it an unmissable game for fans of The Messenger, Chrono Trigger, and quality RPGs in general.