Top 25 Best Indie Game Hidden Gems of the Year 2021 (Indie GOTY 2021)
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- Опубліковано 2 чер 2024
- WHAT A YEAR 2021 has been, so before we head straight on into 2022, here's a look at the best indie game hidden gems of the year!
00:00 ► Start
00:27 ► #25 Mighty Goose : store.steampowered.com/app/12...
01:09 ► #24 Luna's Fishing Garden : store.steampowered.com/app/14...
01:52 ► #23 Beard Blade : store.steampowered.com/app/15...
02:55 ► #22 Kitaria Fables : store.steampowered.com/app/13...
03:50 ► #21 The Ramp : store.steampowered.com/app/15...
04:20 ► #20 Olija : store.steampowered.com/app/12...
04:54 ► #19 Kaze and the Wild Masks : store.steampowered.com/app/82...
05:18 ► #18 Ocean's Heart : store.steampowered.com/app/13...
06:22 ► #17 Here Comes Niko! : store.steampowered.com/app/92...
07:00 ► #16 Stonefly : store.steampowered.com/app/11...
08:15 ► #15 Moonglow Bay : store.steampowered.com/app/13...
10:35 ► #14 TOEM : store.steampowered.com/app/13...
11:43 ► #13 Steel Assault : store.steampowered.com/app/12...
13:05 ► #12 Garden Story : store.steampowered.com/app/10...
13:35 ► #11 METALLIC CHILD : store.steampowered.com/app/14...
14:37 ► #10 : store.steampowered.com/app/73...
15:48 ► #9 : store.steampowered.com/app/11...
16:30 ► #8 : store.steampowered.com/app/12...
17:25 ► #7 : store.steampowered.com/app/10...
18:54 ► #6 : store.steampowered.com/app/12...
20:47 ► #5 : store.steampowered.com/app/10...
21:42 ► #4 : store.steampowered.com/app/10...
22:47 ► #3 : store.steampowered.com/app/14...
23:43 ► #2 : store.steampowered.com/app/14...
24:50 ► #1 : store.steampowered.com/app/12...
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INTRODUCTION
I'm Clement, nice to meet you! I have a passion for Indie Games due to how fun, creative and OUT OF THIS WORLD they can be, so this channel helps get the word out on the Best Indie Games.
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#BestIndieGames #indiegames #ClemmyGames - Ігри
Happy New Year everyone! May 2022 be filled with laughter & joy for you 🎉
Great video, helped me to discover a lot of new games to try out, a game I recommend checking out if you haven’t already is voidigo, it’s a rogue-like top-down bullet hell, the art style in it is a spectacle, and the soundtrack is absolutely phenomenal.
Indie games now are just what I'm looking forward to, great games full of passion instead of just making a game that siphons money out of its players as much as possible.
Yes!!! Please, if you have friends that only play AAA or mobile F2P crap, please point them here
Thanks for mentioning Luna's Fishing Garden :)
Happy new year, Clemmy! Glad to see you keep going and growing.
Happy new year! You are very welcome! Let me know when your next project is ready 😉
happy new year!!! thank you sm for introducing so many games throughout last year. i didn't know about the existence of beard blade but the character has got to be inspired by Jirard
Loved Olija and Narita Boy. I think people forgot about them because they came out so early in the year. Flynn was great, and Toem was one of my top for the year. Another gem I don't think many people have tried is Wytchwood. Really enjoyed it!
Happy new year Clemmy! Discovering your channel was one of the few great things in a shitty and depressing year were I spent most time in quarantine than not and suffering very bad times for family studying and working reasons. Your videos have become a routine to me and I discovered a lot of great new and old games thanks to you.
Really thank you for your work, have a nice 2022
Yay! Thanks, Clem, you are my go-to "recommend guy" when I need to scratch my pixel art/metroidvania itch.
Happy 2022 to you.
Happy new year! Happy to hear that!
great list, but quick point. Unsighted actually has an option at the start to disable the timer function. I've played it this way and still difficult but makes it better to enjoy the story without having to rush,
Mmhmm
true, although I recommend most people to at least try to play with the timer on for their first time. It really adds weight to the story and makes the whole experience much more interesting and memorable. There are also ways in the game to extend the timers of yourself and other characters
i just realized its been like three years where, without planning it, my main gaming interest has been on indie games....i find that quite amazing, but also reassuring to know that independent of budget, what makes a great game is the passion behind it, the love of the craft.....i realized i havent touched ac valhalla and have spent my gaming time playing The Messenger, Axiom Verge, Blasphemous etc....i see games like these as superb, and original gaming experiences where the influence of styles is evident, but there's also a desire to put their twist to the product....
On the other hand, i have come to see AAA games mostly as stuff for casuals and children....derivative gaming experiences that try hard to wow you with expensive visuals and set pieces....but disappointing like a meatless bone....a standing ovation from me to all indie game developers out there that...make gaming great again...
LOVE Luna's Fishing Garden...definitely a gem...so simple but really engrossing, Toem, Garden Story as well as another big fave this year...Monster Sanctuary . Thanks Clemmy...very appreciated 💙💛💙 Happy New Year🎊🎇🎆🎉🥂
Happy new year bud
Oh god BIG, I can't thank you enough for including Ocean's Heart! :D
Happy New Years, B.I.G! You're Notoriously amazing for what you do! Thank you!
Happy new year, and thanks for the video
Absolutely loved Mighty Goose and Narita Boy, and Olija was great as well. Metallic Child should be here any day now and I’m looking forward to it.
AWESOME Video to wrap up those Hidden Gems I marked like 3-4 games that I'm gonna pick up I truly value your opinion on indie games and because of your channel I've purchased sum obscure fun titles in the past year so HOPEFULLY it continues into 2022 ...CHEERS
Welcome! Happy to be your guide
thank you, great list. you do a great job. soon you will have 100.000, you deserve it!
Great list, Clemmy. Ah, I remember, before Kaze and the Wild Masks came out, I sent the dev a loving but very, very drunken message one late night, and that guy was super cool and kind. And I loved that game to bits.
lol, thanks for sharing that story
Your search for creativity is much appreciated.
I love the "hidden gems" videos, happy new year !
Happy new year!
What a great list. Idk how I missed some of these. I need my steam deck desperately. I’m missing out on so much. Beard blade oceans heart and pronty will be bought immediately when I get the steam deck. I’m building a list for when I get it.
I just want to shout out astalon. I really enjoyed that game a lot.
Idk how I missed arch vale either.
Happy new year!!!
Thanks alot for your videos man!
Thanks for this lists! I'm already planning ahead which games to play and this would definitely help me to scout easy~
Excellent!
Thank you for the video, there's a bunch of game I have and don't, but they all looks amazing so I might try some later.
Happy new Year Clemmy!!!! Well, I think a could share some light on why some of these game didn't really got popular:
Flynn: So much time on the making and ended up being beautiful but basic (looks aren't everything as Cristales can testify) and also no regional prices: as I always say, our money is maybe not good for you, but our reviews are needed. I'm afraid the same could happen when the almost mythical Hearth Forth Alicia gets released.
Stonefly: Apparently the controls were very clunky at the beginning, maybe they were fixed later, but sometimes in the indie world you only have one shot.
Kitaria: Clunky and annoying inventory system, grindy.
Luna and Toem aren't really that hidden, both getting close to the 700 reviews. Also, Metalic Child is near the thousand mark, and I was really surprised not seeing it on any of your best of the year list, being just so good.
Astalon: HA! This freaking game is so expensive, way more than any other pixel art game is, out of my wishlist it went, immediately.
Unsighted: The timer, and also being another expensive, not regional prices game. This one hurt, I really wanted it.
Dodgeball is not really a sales magnet, also really expensive.
I repeat once and again that when an indie game has not regional prices and it's also really expensive, tends to win the hate of gamers of the affected countries, like all Latin America, Brazil, Russia and Turkey. That's a lot of negative buzz.
I think one common trend is the 2D retro platformer is a little overplayed, no doubt some like flynn and beard blade are gorgeous, but if there's nothing too new for innovative, people do get bored
Garden Story was such a great game. Here's to another year of great indie games !
Omg I love the style of Here Comes Niko. Wowowowo
Happy 2022 Clem!
Happy newyear and thanks for the great vids🎇. Looking foward to your 2022 videos 😉👌🏻
Happy new year! Will do
@@ClemmyGames Thanks you 😀👌🏻
Looking forward to playing a lot of these games especially Narita boy
I have it I can tell you now very worth getting it
Happy new year 2022 clem!
Happy new year clemmy!
Bonne année 2022 et meilleurs voeux Clemmy!
Happy new year!
Thank you so much for this kind of content!
My pleasure! Happy you like it
Thanks for the list
I absolutely loved Dodgeball Academia. So happy to see it mentioned here!
Excellent
@@ClemmyGames I knew little to nothing about many of the games mentioned here, and they all look so amazing. Major props to you good sir! 🙌
Alot of platformers came out this year which I need to check out. Also surprised Everhood wasnt on here thats my favorite hidden gems of this year.
Everhood is not here because is not hidden at all!!! More that 6000 reviews!
Smashing The Battle had lots of potential that I felt was unrealized. I always appreciated what it was going for, though. Metallic Child looks like it's gonna be everything I wanted from Smashing The Battle!
A refinement for sure
I feel like this list is as much of a highlight of hidden gems as it is a cautionary tale to indie devs. Most of these titles were either shadow drops or released at really bad times of the year, like June, never ever release in June. Also as a note I class shadow drops as things like Pronty as well which you were showing us one week and telling us was out the next, no chance to budget. These days I expect to see a game months in advance and then 2 or so more times including a release date trailer at the very least before they drop so if you don't do that I won't know about you, even if I follow this great channel. Others like Narita Boy and Oceanheart were probably brought down by bigger outlets mentioning flaws in their control systems.
Most of the titles in this video I still want to get but they either dropped when I hadn't budgeted for them, or when I didn't care to play them because I had just gotten something else, or because the money I had budgeted when they dropped was meant for something bigger releasing a few days later or someone mentioned something that made me delay my purchase. I expect most if not all of them to make their way into my Library during next year's sales sometime though.
Great list! Really, I would cut only three to four games in here. The rest, I wish I can try at some point.
The problem with these games are they not featured or highlighted too much on Steam. There must be a month to celebrate Indie games. The only reason why I discover these gems are from UA-camrs so great job on what you're doing.
Happy to help! Steam's discovery system is all out of whack
I had been following Lunas fishing garden for a while it's a very fun game and very relaxing I finished it and would recommend it for kids or for someone who just wants to play it for themselves
happy new year 2022
Flynn: Son of Crimson was supposed to be a Metroidvania? No wonder it feels the way it does, I really wish they would've delayed it and made it what it was supposed to be. Like the video says, it is a GOOD game, worth the $15 or whatever, but it could've been great. As it is now, it's almost like a easier Momodora meets Wonder Boy Adventure/RPG style, but with selectable levels on an overworld map. I can see the greatness it could've been, hopefully the next game will be all it can be, because it really was a fun playthrough.
Yep, I think they tried to do so, hence multiple delays on the project, so I guess they had to compromise at some point to get the game out the door
The game was changed because the developer felt more comfortable crafting individual levels rather than one massive interconnected world. Delays wouldn't have helped in that regard and it's the first big game Thunderhorse has done, and experience is not something you can buy in the store.
@@achehex it's a good game, solid 7/10 or 7.5/10. But I can see big things if this company wants to make another platformer to improve upon some small issues that prevents Flynn from being great. Exciting to see a new company come out of the gate so strong, they're getting good experience for sure, can't wait to see what's next.
Mighty Goose looks amazing!!!
You can turn the timer off in the "New Game" sub menu of Unsighted for those who didn't know. I believe you're only able to choose whether or not to have the timer on during this setup of a new game and I _think_ it also disables certain achievements if you disable the in game timer so there's that too.
I've seen so many of your videos (Metroidvania) but I've never seen you mention 'Phoenotopia Awakening'. The game is hidden gem with great music and wonderful storyline. The game is my GOTY just for the story alone. Other games like "Vigil: The Longest Night" are also great mentions.
I've covered it!
Ok, look, OLIJA IS A BEAST, if you didn't played it, you definitely should! Just another incredible game under Devolver's umbrella.
I also don't understand how people glossed over Stonefly. Definitely a gem.
Lastly, check out Voidigo, it's a brilliant EA game that has received not enough recognition for how cool it is.
Pronty looks really cool, I hope it gets a console release, I'd love to play it
I believe it's coming in 2022
Thank you!
You're welcome!
Heres my personal picks not included:
Sizeable, Genesis Noir, Exo One, The Artful Escape
Ynglet, Stilstand, The Last Campfire, Down in Bermuda,
Milo and the Magpies, Labyrinth City, Cats in Time, Tiny Robots Recharged, Slice of Sea, Intergalactic Wizard Force (its free), Happy Game, Moncage, Unpacking, Phogs! (got lost at the end of last year)
MORE gems here!
If anyones on edge about unsighted's timer, I beat it on my first try, blind, with time to spare and plenty of dying. You'll have plenty of resources to keep yourself alive if you explore lightly. If you explore heavily, you can also keep most if not all of your important friends alive if you so choose.
Game was a good time, would recommend.
Baldo hands down the best indie 2021! Amazing huge immersive game , people who criticize this game don't even played it, such a shame
Really I’ll have to check that out
Nice recommendation, controversial one!
@@ClemmyGames I just finished mundaune I thought it was really awesome
This is a great list, most of these games I have on my list {(or have bought) thanks to you Clemms
I also enjoyed Trigger Witch, a twin stick shooter and plays just like a Zelda game. I thought it was a great and creative combo.
But that's just me as I have been longing a game like Trigger Witch for some time
I liked Trigger Witch... just could've been a bit longer. Fun, though.
Very good choice where I did not know some game.
Happy to help
Star Drift Evolution is my pick for best hidden indie game of 2021. Top down racing game...
Nice to include two titles from my country👍 "Kaze" and "Unsighted" are really worthy!! Still waiting for "Chinatown detective agency". A great new year for all!!!
I think Dodgeball Academia is also from Brazil.
@@grklein00 Cool! I'm gonna check it out 😜
I finished Flynn son of crimson and I agree it was fun but kinda forgettable. Fun though. Worth playing if you like the genre
I think as a whole that is the defining feature of indie games. Idk if you ever played it, but I just finished mother Russia bleeds, and it was the exact same. Fun, but I probably won’t remember to play it again
Unsighted and Flynn were two of my favorite indies that came out 2021
Great games!
Dowloading Archvale now, thank you
Great!
Didn’t expect the legend of Zelda, the minish cap to be number 18
Unsighted's timer is certainly something that is not for everyone, but it's worth to mention that this timer can be turned off
Mm
for me: Happy Game, Genesis Noir, Minute of Islands and TASOMACHI: Behind the Twilight
Good ones. I see an adventure game theme here
Wow!!! Nice!!!
Oh man, I forgot Astalon: Tears of the Earth came out in 2021! I loved that game. I wonder if it went unnoticed because it has such a bland and generic-sounding title. But check it out, it really is a lot of fun!
astalon is epic!
It's getting best Metroidvania of the year on a lot of websites. I looked it up shortly after if came out, and it was confirmed that Limited Run Games will be doing a physical release. So I think people like me who are super interested in playing this game see that it's coming out for real, and we wait for the physical. Which kinda splits the player base, I wish I could just go to Best Buy and get a copy now. Hopefully by summer 2022 we can order this game.
Heck, I couldn't wait any longer to experience Katana Zero, another game confirmed to get a physical release through LRG later this year, maybe I'll just download Astalon and double purchase like they want you to, I hate that.
I'm in the midst of playing Unsighted right now and I'm really enjoying it so far! I like the aspect of a timer going on most characters, but the game does have the option to turn that aspect off for those who don't like it. Reminds me of Hyper Light Drifter, but has enough of its own flare to stand well on its own. Happy gaming to everyone in 2022!
Props to the devs for giving the Explorer option, instead of forcing the timer on all players.
I think the turning off of the timer feels like when you play a game on easy instead of normal: some people like to play the game as the dev intended and not having it dumbed down, and if they don't like how the devs wanted the game to be, they prefer not to play it.
Yep, strong HLD vibes in that one
These are intimidating to watch ^^;
How so?
when a game video is expected in 2022
Hm?
Stonefly has an such an amazing soundtrack
Отличный видос, мне понравился! Лайк!
Probably should give Narita Boy another try, it felt more like a game surviving on good visuals rather than anything else...and i have some of those games but only played Flynn otherwise, it's good though i think it suffers from too many enemy recolors, the fact that most special melee moves need crimson energy to use and that levels can feel really long, as in, sometimes i felt like levels could have been split in two or three different stages.
Despite that, it's a fun and gorgeous game and i am glad that on a Steam discussion page, the developer stated something about coming back to Flynn...though not in DLC, so a sequel may be possible and hopefully one that fixes the problems i had with it.
I've played Narita Boy for a few hours on Gamepass and it's just that - style over substance. Gameplay is very basic and doesn't feel good.
I completed Narita Boy and cannot recommend it. The gameplay was very repetitive. You get new abilities, sure, but they are so fixed in their one function it never really feels like you are growing. The visuals and music were great though.
I got so many indies in my steam just waiting for my steam deck to release
I love flyn son of crimsons!!!💯💯💯
Nice game
I'm actually kinda confused by the last part of what you said about "Kaze And The Wild Masks"... Did you mean that it's not a good game to play at all?
Hey do you ever do platforms only for indies like ps5
2021 was without doubt a great year for platformer games. Not my cup of tea tho.
Nice
Imma bout' to own all indie games all by myself.
YEAHHHHH
just a quick note, the CRT in Narita Boy can be desabled and I think the game looks better without it
Don't forget Death Trash!
Ive been looking into metallic child and Dodgeball Academia. Does anyone have any recommendations/advice? (Also 2 recommendations I have for indie games is A Short Hike, and Crosscode)
Try Dreamscaper.
Nice recs. I would go with Dodgeball Academia, but depends on what you are in the mood for
UNSIGHTED and DODGEBALL ACADEMIA in Top 5??!
LET'S GO, BRAZIL!!!!!!!!
Let's goooo
You should try "Ani Leaving Sirius"
Looks rough
Unsighted is really great but the protagonist does look like she is suffering from "Mass effect andromeda eyes disorder" in some pictures.
xD
Lol
Here Comes Niko looks like a creepypasta/ARG material.
I can see that
Narita Boy is the equivalent of an Oscar movie: awe-inspiring, but niche & overly artistic. I love the combat animations, but couldn't stand the snail pace & the obscure concept.
Ehhh, I wouldn't go that far, but it's neat
Surprised one shot isn't here
I don't know why everyone says Archvale is Zelda-like. There don't seem to be any real puzzles at all, the items all seem to be based purely around combat, and everything that responds to one item responds to all. It's also not really an RPG given the lack of experience points or a skill tree that's intrinsic to the player character.
So many wonderful games, i wonder wtf the AAA industry is doing
Ikr
I would like to play these games
Beard blade is just completionist the game
Pretty much lol
I wish I have time for video games again.
All I could play this days are mobile games and for short time
Mighty Goose should have chosen a totally different main character design/theme and I think it would have done a lot better?
The Ramp looks awesome for some Zen-like gameplay dynamism.
Archvale does looks solid: That "kerching! kerching!" solid pixel-action dodge and attack combo style.
Unmetal just condenses the fun vibe of metal gear solid. Solid!
Pick of them all: ASTALON !! That's my preferred kind of platform-action CLEAR info sort of game. Looks amazing. The graphics and pace of animation is Perfect ! Slow enough to read, but fast enough to act-react to and enjoy those visuals!
Dodgeball Academia: Great concept, but don't like the art. Wish it looked more manga-like tbh. The paper-like design feels incongruous ie bird's eye view as opposed to isometric/3rd person imho. But dang! like dungeon deathball, such a cool concept.
In all honesty, ALL THESE ARE GEMS 100%. No duffers. Stunning range and excellent curation! Thanks.
archvale was fun, 15€ but i played 12hours.
Good game
UnMetal doesn't get nearly enough attention imo. It's a rainbow opal in this list of gems.
I’m hoping Ocean’s Heart comes to Playstation.
Action platformer, action platformer, metroidvania, action platformer, action RPG, metroidvania, action platformer, action platformer....
I HATE how alot of the good stuff is only on Steam. Pisses me off
Join us on pc! Or get a steam deck
Why?
@@jonahabenhaim1223 dont hate it anymore. I built a pc
25,23,22,20,19,14,12,11,10,9,8,3,2,1
What's the thumb game?
Flynn: son of crimson
When you mentioned that Metallic Child was from a Korean studio it made me kinda sad to hear the voice acting in Japanese. It seems like lots of Chinese and Korean games with anime-style art use Japanese voice acting, as if they are trying to avoid being seen as "off brand" or some sort of knockoff. Idk, it just feels wrong to me. I would rather hear VAs from the devdlopers home country or just an English translation instead of Japanese in non-Japanese games