What are the secret best indies right now?

[FolderBrad]

Seems like AAA titles are going to get delayed, and since I rely on Gamefly for my new games, I won't be getting FF7 Remake either (they didn't get their copies).

Looking for a really really good indie game from this year that not enough people are talking about. Like Supraland from last year. Or CrossCode from the year before.

Anything so secretly good right now, you are shocked more people aren't talking about it?

 

[Lant_War]

BallisticNG is amazing if you like the PS1 WipEout games!

 

[Chivalry]

Sayonara Wild Hearts. It's like 90 minutes long, but damn it's good.

 

[Talos]

Hollow knight...wait

 

[Deleted member 10737]

if you like ace attorney and picross, check out murder by numbers.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

Sayonara Wild Hearts. It's like 90 minutes long, but damn it's good.

Click to shrink...

Great soundtrack too

 

[Kurtikeya]

In Other Waters just came out. A trance of a game about loneliness, solitude, and the unknown, with a really lovely interface.

 

[Puru]

Maiden & Spell

Maiden and Spell on Steam

Maiden & Spell is a magical girl battle game, set in a cutesy fantasy world. Select from one of eight young ladies to battle 1 on 1 with a friend, or fight your way through a series of bosses and learn the secrets of The Kingdom of Stars.

store.steampowered.com

 

[dirtyjane]

Tiny and Big: Grandpa's Leftovers on Steam

You are Tiny, a nerdy inventor, who tries to reclaim his most beloved possession - Grandpa's underpants!

store.steampowered.com

This isnt that recent but secretly the second best Puzzle-Adventure Game you will ever play.

Snake Pass on Steam

Slither, coil and climb your way to the top of Haven Tor in this one of a kind physics based, puzzle platform adventure from award winning independent studio Sumo Digital!

store.steampowered.com

Also Snake Pass, the second best Collectathon out there.

The Pedestrian on Steam

I can see the signs in my sleep now, always guiding me closer. Will this really work? Have we almost achieved the impossible?

store.steampowered.com

Also Also The Pedestrian!

 

[manustany]

Lonely Mountain: Downhill (also on Game Pass)

You're welcome.

 

[exodus]

I was going to come and recommend Supraland. Glad to see you've already got that covered. One of the best and most overlooked games of 2019.

 

[TeenageFBI]

Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom is one of the better metroidvania's I've played so you should consider that one! Looks and plays great, has excellent music, and there's a fun puzzle element that you don't see in the genre too often. Doesn't get enough love.

 

[Dest]

Not from this year but these ones come to mind.

Star Fetchers on Steam

The introduction to a wild ride with gangsters and deep state conspiracy theories

store.steampowered.com

Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth- on Steam

A 2D Metroidvania-style game developed under the supervision of Ryo Mizuno, depicting the story of Deedlit and the events leading up to Record of Lodoss War: Diadem of the Covenant. Use a variety of weapons and spirit powers to unravel the mystery of the labyrinth.

store.steampowered.com

SYNTHETIK: Legion Rising on Steam

SYNTHETIK is an unforgiving tactical shooter rogue-lite where freedom and experimentation is key. Fight in a world overrun by the Machine Legion and their Gods. Experience the next level in gun-play and dive into unparalleled build options and Android upgrades. Can you defeat the Heart of...

store.steampowered.com

 

[Buckle]

Not from this year but you probably haven't heard of it: Jimmy and The Pulsating Mass.

Plaaayyy iiitttt.

 

[Weiss]

Steamworld Quest doesn't get enough love. It's by far the best of the Steamworld series.

UnderHero is the best Mario RPG we've gotten since TTYD in 2004.

 

[Razorrin]

Play EXIT FATE, it's a spiritual successor to Suikoden and one of my favorite games of all time.

Dev's Website, where you can download it for free!

It's also free on Android too, so check it out on the go.

 

[Deleted member 5621]

hello friends, do you have a minute to hear the good word of Cross Code?

 

[Nabbit]

I believe all of the following games are on all three consoles and PC.

Underhero is really something special and underlooked, with its charming and offbeat story and dialogue, unique environments and awesome Paper Mario-style combat with its own unique spin. It's on all platforms.

Unofficial OT:
https://www.resetera.com/threads/un...ailer-now-officially-the-unoffical-ot.167457/

Splasher is a masterclass in 2D level design and comes from a Rayman Legends level designer. It's an absolutely incredible 2D platformer that mixes aspects of what I loved about Retro's DK games and the modern Rayman games, especially Origins.

My LTTP:
https://www.resetera.com/threads/lt...e-played-since-dktf-and-rayman-origins.20206/

Wuppo is a delightful, unusual Metroidvania with a focus on exploration, legitimately hilarious dialogue and unique setpieces. It feels like the spiritual successor to Super Paper Mario.

My LTTP:
https://www.resetera.com/threads/wu...-in-years-on-sale-for-99-cents-on-psn.109731/

I also immensely enjoyed Yoku's Island Express with its pinball and Metroidvania hybrid, and this on is in Xbox Game Pass (console, not sure if it's on PC Game Pass) so you can play it for free if you have that. Super enjoyable world to explore, beautiful and charming art style, and pinball movement mechanics that surprised me in how engaging they were as a non-pinball fan.

Someone's LTTP which sold me on the game:

LTTP: Yoku's Island Express | It Really Does 'Deliver'!

Platforms: PS4, XB1, PC, Switch | Genre: Metroidvania/Pinball | RRP: $20/£16 | Hours Played: 12 Hours | Version Played: Switch (Physical) Pinball and Metroidvania, not exactly something you’d expect to gel together well. Which is exactly what I thought when I originally read up about it, but...

www.resetera.com

 

[Deleted member 28523]

West of Loathing secret god tier game.

 

[Psamtik]

Last year, but don't sleep on Hypnospace Outlaw.

 

[The Cellar Letters]

One Step from Eden is a 10/10

 

[ThatsMyTrunks]

Mixolumia.

 

[Dogui]

Dunno about recent stuff, but La-Mulana remake is the best game ever.

Valdis Story is pretty great too, or Castle in the Darkness.

Lonely Mountain: Downhill (also on Game Pass)

You're welcome.

Click to shrink...

I remember releasing 2 bike downhill games on game pass in the same week. The one i played was really cool but i'm not sure if it's this or the other one :p

Really great game btw.

 

[CHC]

Lonely Mountain: Downhill (also on Game Pass)

You're welcome.

Click to shrink...

This game is amazing! Hilarious in sort of QWOP way but yet still playable. The challenges are super fun.

 

[Nabbit]

Tiny and Big: Grandpa's Leftovers on Steam

You are Tiny, a nerdy inventor, who tries to reclaim his most beloved possession - Grandpa's underpants!

store.steampowered.com

This isnt that recent but secretly the second best Puzzle-Adventure Game you will ever play.

Snake Pass on Steam

Slither, coil and climb your way to the top of Haven Tor in this one of a kind physics based, puzzle platform adventure from award winning independent studio Sumo Digital!

store.steampowered.com

Also Snake Pass, the second best Collectathon out there.

The Pedestrian on Steam

I can see the signs in my sleep now, always guiding me closer. Will this really work? Have we almost achieved the impossible?

store.steampowered.com

Also Also The Pedestrian!

Click to shrink...

What are the best puzzle adventure and collectathon? ^^

 

[CHC]

Also it's sort of a "mainstream" indie game by this point but if you've not played Enter the Gungeon by now you're missing out severely. I went into it hating rogue likes as a genre and came out with every achievement and 300 hours played. It's a real labor of love, and full of fun and lighthearted references to everything from Doom to Destiny to MGS. Tons of secrets, tons of challenges, immense amount of content, can't recommend it enough.

 

[dirtyjane]

What are the best puzzle adventure and collectathon? ^^

Click to shrink...

Collectathon would be BK for me and puzzle adventure its Talos Principle.

 

[Deleted member 13645]

Caves of Qud. The OT on this site has 3 responses, but it's one of those games where it's systems on top of systems and nearly anything can happen. It's incredibly, and incredibly hard to wrap my head around. It's an RPG with nearly infinite possibility it feels like. If you're going to try it out, I suggest turning off permadeath. I possessed a fish and then couldn't get out of the water and forgot how to cancel the spell, and the fish had, well, fish stats so i got instakilled by something.

 

[Lightjolly]

Bug fables, found better than even Paper Mario:TTYD

 

[Raijinto]

Slay the Spire is only getting better with the fairly recent addition of the 4th character on consoles. Dozens of hours here easily if you like that sorta thing.

 

[ThisOne]

Roundguard recently released but I haven't heard much talk about it. It's basically a Peggle rogue-lite.

 

[Pirateluigi]

Slay the Spire is only getting better with the fairly recent addition of the 4th character on consoles. Dozens of hours here easily if you like that sorta thing.

Click to shrink...

Slay the Spire is just so so so good.

 

[Brakke]

I fell off it, but Blasphemous is a really cool melee combat metroidvania that a lot of people missed. It got a lot of Dark Souls comparisons because the aesthetic is brutal and Catholic, but it's definitely it's own thing.

 

[Javier23]

LISA RPG!

 

[Deleted member 59109]

Abzu, and Yooka Laylee Impossible Lair

 

[JamesQuall]

Splasher is a masterclass in 2D level design and comes from a Rayman Legends level designer. It's an absolutely incredible 2D platformer that mixes aspects of what I loved about Retro's DK games and the modern Rayman games, especially Origins.

My LTTP:
https://www.resetera.com/threads/lt...e-played-since-dktf-and-rayman-origins.20206/

Click to shrink...

Came here to post this after picking it up the other day. It's really excellent and even as someone who actively follows most indie stuff, I had no idea it existed. It's under $5 bucks on the US eShop right now and if you have any interest in platformers it's a must have.

 

[Syril]

Copy Kitty is basically Kirby meets Gunstar Heroes.

 

[Messofanego]

From this year, FolderBrad?
Kentucky Route Zero

In Other Waters just came out. A trance of a game about loneliness, solitude, and the unknown, with a really lovely interface.

Click to shrink...

Heard great things about this, gotta check it out.

Also need to start Ori and the Will Of The Wisps, Lair Of The Clockwork God, and Luna The Shadow Dust, One Step From Eden, and The Pedestrian.

 

[Zukkoyaki]

I sincerely think The Swapper is still the best indie-puzzler ever. Absolutely brilliant game.

 

[y2kyle89]

Bug fables, found better than even Paper Mario:TTYD

Click to shrink...

Came here to say this. Baggu(? The green beetle)is such a charming character. The press select to have the characters comment on the plave they are or the npc they are next to is making me waste so much time i love it.

 

[PersianPrince]

Hyperlight Drifter is the best indie. Everyone should play it.

But as for more underrated hidden gems? Minit and Gato Robato are highly underrated and need more love. Strangely enough they both have the same art style.

 

[Aurica]

One Step from Eden is a 10/10

Click to shrink...

I saw like a few mins of a stream. Is it combat only? There's no world to explore? Is there a story?
I love BN and grew up playing the hell out of the series.

 

[Mexen]

Downwell

 

[Syril]

Grapple Force Rena. It's a love letter to Mischief Makers, but with magic grappling hooks.

 

[ThatsMyTrunks]

But as for more underrated hidden gems? Minit and Gato Robato are highly underrated and need more love. Strangely enough they both have the same art style.

Click to shrink...

I don't know if Minit is hidden, but it was my favorite game of 2018. 3 hours of distilled classic Zelda adventure with so much charm and earnestness.

 

[toythatkills]

Would it be safe to assume that there's been no decent indie games this year, since that's what the OP asked for and almost everyone is posting old stuff?

There must be new games, surely.

 

[Deleted member 56803]

Is it secret? Maybe not, but I'm still recommending all of Ice-Pick Lodge's games.

 

[PersianPrince]

I don't know if Minit is hidden, but it was my favorite game of 2018. 3 hours of distilled classic Zelda adventure with so much charm and earnestness.

Click to shrink...

I suppose, but it deserves more recognition than it currently has because I agree, it's an amazing 3 hour experience. I would probably put it somewhere on a list of top 25 indies ever.

 

[Deleted member 56803]

Would it be safe to assume that there's been no decent indie games this year, since that's what the OP asked for and almost everyone is posting old stuff?

There must be new games, surely.

Click to shrink...

Kentucky Route Zero finished up this year, Coffee Talk is good for fans of bartending sims, Scrougebringer is badass.

 

[Mosaica]

Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight is a pretty nice Metroidvania. The spritework is especially good.