*TIMESTAMPS :* 1:59 Superhot 2:39 Limbo 3:39 Firewatch 4:49 The Stanley Parable 5:59 Hotline Miami 6:48 Sifu 7:57 Transistor 9:11 Oxenfree 10:40 Kena: Bridge of Spirits 11:54 Unpacking 13:43 Gris 14:43 Super Meat Boy 15:46 Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy 17:01 Braid 18:29 Soma 20:04 The Witness 21:34 Overcooked 2 22:53 To The Moon 24:17 Fez 25:27 Gorogoa 26:37 Inside 27:48 Untitled Goose Game 29:13 Shovel Knight 30:32 Celeste 31:57 Golf Story 33:43 Her Story 34:57 Disco Elysium 36:54 Katana Zero 38:18 Gone Home 40:18 Slay The Spire 42:01 Minecraft 43:28 Subnautica 45:32 Death's Door 47:08 Baba Is You 48:23 Into The Breach 50:02 Towerfall 51:13 Tunic 53:27 Binding Of Isaac 55:02 Hyper Light Drifter 56:37 Papers, Please 58:24 A Short Hike 1:00:21 What Remains Of Edith Finch 1:02:35 Return Of The Obra Dinn 1:04:14 Night In The Woods 1:05:51 Dead Cells 1:07:41 Hades 1:10:10 Hollow Knight 1:11:57 Stardew Valley 1:14:20 FTL: Faster Than Light 1:16:56 Outer Wilds
If you haven't played "Before Your Eyes," I really recommend it based on this list. A really wonderful, moving narrative told in a remarkably unique way: the game connects to your webcam, and time skips forward when it detects your blinks, like your life is flashing before your eyes.
This might be one of my favorite videos on gaming ever. It's very special to celebrate the diversity and charm of so many amazing games. Sometimes it's the smaller games that suck you in the most and have the longest lasting emotional impact on the player.
Some other games you guys might like if you like this video: - The Beginner's Guide - Journey - Unfinished Swan - Call Of The Sea - The Last Door - The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter - Life Is Strange - Torn (VR) - Invisible Hours (VR) - Wanderer (VR)
Some classics that are not on this list and comes to mind are Guacamelee 1/2, Undertale, Enter the Gungeon, Ori 1/2, A Hat in Time, Cuphead, Dakest Dungeon, Axiom Verge 1/2, Blasphemous, Little Nightmares 1/2, Spelunky.
@@RiloXRi the puzzles aren't what you would think as traditional puzzles like in games such as "the witness" or "baba is you", rather, they're more like logical deductions of the world and its mechanics. So you might enjoy it
@@ambersinghdreamybull less of a game. More of a piece of art. Never played anything remotely as interesting as it… Hope I will experience the same at least another time in my short life.
@@picklechinazzboi2991 SPOILERS, IF YOUHAVEN'T PLAYED OUTER WILDS DON'T READ. I dislike Outer Wilds. Maybe I will pick it up because I am gaslighted to like it but genuinely I just lost interest for some reason. Long (and at least for a newbie) difficult maneuvering in space, making it what feels like an hour drive back to where I was before dying or getting stuck somehow. Also often not really finding anything? I have hard time following the main story too. And I despise the planet that has those typhoons that stole my ship and threw it on top of the map making it almost impossible to get... I was stuck there 30m just trying to launch myself with the water that kept rising to get back to my ship since I refused to just suicide out of stubbornness. Also I haven't found any relatable characters so I feel like I am just looking at old fictional stuff that has little plot, since again I have only understood "this is really old and fancy alien technology before our kind". And I find the sun reset stupid. It just kills me for, idk existing? Maybe I missed something or it will give me a lightbulb moment later but now it is just an annoying mechanic. And just for reference I don't mind the game being hard, I would rate Elden ring two (maybe 3) points higher than this (5 for this and Elden 7).
@@ok-sj7bx I feel like your complaints are very minor to the point where you just got slightly annoyed before interested. It doesn’t take longer than a minute to get to any planet and with anything, flying the ship takes some time to get good at. You also have an autopilot that will do most the work for you. The game is designed in a way where you cannot be trapped for more than 20 minutes and with the planet you were at, you could of just swam to an island. Similar to Elden Ring, if something happens that you don’t like, just keep it in mind and it shouldn’t happen again in the future, or if it is more complicated than that, think of a solution! Relatable characters isn’t the point if Outer Wilds, the story is almost entirely characterless, interactions between Nomai help you care about them more as a species but it is distinctly different than a game like Undertale. If you don’t like the sun blowing up, try to stop it! For you to be interested, you need to be hooked on the mystery, where it really helps to have been following the story beats from the start. The game isn’t traditionally hard, but the puzzles are hard. It never ever holds your hand and always respects your intelligence! It doesn’t seem like you have cleared enough of the game for you to tell whether you actually like it or not, you just got ticked off by ship controls and the world’s environment which shouldn’t be the deciding factor at all! I believe you should pick it up again and take your time before you go to some of the harder/bigger planets, explore the moon, and follow one of the threads you have after exploring it! Have a nice day.
I don't understand how you don't have more subscribers. You are a great reviewer with a good voice and such enthusiasm. You also articulate things quite well.
Great list overall, it was really cool to see so many overlaps with my favorite indie games as well, some others that I think would be good contenders to be among these 50 are (sorry if there are duplicates): LISA: The Painful, Norco, Citizen Sleeper, OMORI, Undertale, Ori Series, Rain World, Hypnospace Outlaw, Kentucky Route Zero, Inscryption, Dusk, Chicory, Stephen's Sausage Roll, Terraria, Journey, The Cat Lady
I loved playing dusk and I don't care if some don't call minecraft an indie game anymore to me minecraft is still a indie game and helped kick off the indie scene
Im putting my lot in as well for games that should be in the top 50 (or 100) with project wingman, project zomboid, frostpunk, payday 2, foxhole, unturned, euro truck simulator 2, American truck simulator, war of rights, holdfast nations at war, war game red dragon, squad, hearts of iron 4, goat simulator, cities skylines, this is the police, holdfast nations at war, eve online and finally foxhole
Never been happier than right now, seeing Outer Wilds at the top spot. It is by far the most unique and unconventional game i have ever played but nailed every part of it in the process. The only bad thing about is, that you cant talk about whats happening during your playtrough because knowledge is the only way to progess and discover the way to finish one of the best games ever made
I absolutely love the amount of work that went into this video. I adore the smooth script that always felt interesting, and somehow, for 80 minutes straight never missed a beat.
Great list. Indies are so many it's impossible to sample them all. Some of my absolute favs are Factorio, Rimworld, Loophero, Kingdom Two Crowns, Darkest Dungeon, Battle Brothers and They Are Billions
I'm surprised this wasn't mentioned, but CrossCode is an absolutely fantastic action rpg that blends a fast paced and stylistic combat system with puzzle design that rivals old school Zelda games. It's one of those games that at a first look you might shrug off as "yet another retro inspired pixel art game" but it truly is fantastic. And it has a free standalone demo (which runs in your browser), which you should absolutely try if you're remotely interested.
I don't know why, but this masterpiece is largely unknown, even among indie fans. I just finished another playthrough, and still managed to find new things.
@chloeleferman2227 i wish i hadnt to be honest. It was cheap enough but i couldve used the 40 hours doing much better things. Driving nails under my finger tips for example.
i was waiting for both outer wilds, and what remains of edith finch. Both games i wasnt expecting much but both resonated with me and felt like an experience rather than a time killer. Ironically enough, i just downloaded them one day assuming i would forget them a week later but nope, love them both. you have great taste.
If you’re a fan of deck builders like Slay the Spire, you should absolutely play Inscryption. It turned me into a fan of the genre and is one of my favorite games I’ve ever played.
Quickly scrolled through the comments and my eye caught this one. Thanks a ton, going to try it. Have you played Monster Train as well? I got it for free, had zero expectations and didn't like the art style, but ended up playing more than 100 hours
Couldn't agree more. I didn't think I would enjoy a deckbuilding game, but after seeing some other recommendations, I tried Inscryption and LOVED it. In my opinion it belongs in the top 10 of this video.
This is one of the best videos I've ever seen on YT. You can just FEEL the love for video games as a medium beyond the graphics and gameplay. Video games, like any other medium, is often a reflection of the current state of humanity as a whole. Amazing!
Outer wilds is 100% the number one best indie game. When I finished it I immediately felt grief since I knew I wouldn't ever be able to relive that whole experience. This is hands down the best experience one can get from an indie game. You get sucked right into it and it sticks with you for the rest of your life. Absolute. Masterpiece.
@@Yokah no its not lmao. Subnautica sits in the top 5 for my favorite games of all time, but outer wilds has great gameplay, a much better storyline, and is much more polished.
Other wilds just didnt click at all for me, i found the game boring. The only interesting aspect was the groundhog day trope. Beyond that the whole sentimental value of life theme just felt blase and unremitting dull
@@Gilded_07 im really surprised that you can use the term "blase" to describe outer wilds. i guess "dull" would be applicable if you don't enjoy any of the games tropes (mystery, exploration & puzzle solving), but i cant think of any excuse aside from that. the lore and mystery of outer wilds are intriguing, but its strongpoint is the way it directly correlates progression to knowledge. there are very few other games i can think of that do this. there is no level system, no grinding, no upgrades, just knowledge. and your entire journey is uncovering more knowledge, up until you complete the game (which for me was the most impactful moment; the culmination of everything you learn). this allows for a very personal experience because you know that everything you uncover is 100% a result of your own exploration and puzzle solving capabities, and not some weird arbitrary levelling system, or controlling another character's combat, or selecting preset dialogue to outcome a preset cutscene. it really feels like you are the hearthian that you play as, and that your journey is completely unique from every other players' (which it probably is). and thats really cool
Surprised Undertale didn't make it. It's such an iconic game I almost feel like like it was forgotten, because no doubt it is one of the most memorable journeys with its fourth-wall breaks, funny characters and a moving story.
As a fellow indie UA-camr and indie game lover, I appreciate this video on multiple levels. Our gaming sensibilities are similar, and I'm blown away by how much work must have gone into producing this. Excellent work, thank you for creating this.
The second the music from Hyper Light Drifter started playing, even before I was consciously aware you were about to talk about it, it's like my heart skipped a beat. This game had such a profound impact on me. I played it almost two years ago, but I still think about it frequently. It's music still haunts me.
This is a great list. I thought Terraria would make the list after seeing Minecraft in there. Some of the notable missing games (from my list) are Rimworld, Terraria, Project Zomboid, and Kerbal Space Program.
Someone just wanting to raise money with YT channel: get one game from the list, make a review with 3 minutes of gameplay (not even capturing video youself) and 12 minute of ads. You: just loving games and make a wholesome awesome review of 50 games you personally enjoyed and make them feel unique (I played /heard of 80% games and still find you words interesting to listen). Keep doing your job, YT got recommended this and I think you are good content creator.
"To the Moon" is probably one of the best written game I have ever played. There are so much twist and turn but ultimately when that ending song start playing I was sobbing so much. Its a chronological game but the story in this game is one of the best. If you got the chance than definitely play this game
All lists will be subjective. Cuphead is the only game I've ever refunded on steam because the gameplay is so intensely boring. Beautiful and great music, but wildly unfun to play.
That was a good list. Having played the majority of these I can agree with you on almost all fronts. I’m personally glad you included What Remains of Edith Finch and Night in the Woods. Two of my most favorite story telling indie games of all time. Edith gets left off of a lot of list because I venture to say it isn’t action packed and takes some considerable amount of paying attention to enjoy. Louis’s story hits me hard as well every time. The game always leaves me misty eyed. I also agree Mayday is one of the best protagonist ever. She’s so relatable. She reminds me that you can be broken and still awesome. Im personally going to sit some of my friends down and have them watch this video. For years I’ve tried to get my pals into indie games and this is perfect list of validation to show them.
what remains of edith finch is one of my most memorable experiences in gaming. the day i finally gave the game a chance it was raining and i was home alone. i assumed i would play it for maybe 20 minutes and realize it wasnt for me but, i was completely wrong. i didnt even realize at the time but i was locked into the story immediately. the most impressive part is how smooth and easily it hooks you in. and if im being honest, i dont even remember what part made me realize that this game was different and that i was in for a bittersweet treat.
@@k1tsunex Awesome, I think it's unfair when people label games like this a walking Sim. I like calling them first person exploratory games. It's an experience. WROEF is still one of my favorite games. Glad you had a simular experience with it.
Here is my top 50(In order since I have been ranking every game I play and actually enjoy since college) 50-Monster Boy and The cursed Kingdom 49-Trials Rising 48-Katina Zero 47-Griftlands 46-Tunic 45-Mother Russia Bleeds 44-Life is Strange 43-Pentiment 42-I am Alive 41-Dark Pictures Ashes 40-Darkest Dungeon 39-Child Of Light 38-Nex Machina 37-RollerDrome 36-Hades 35-TMNT Shredders Revenge 34-Hotline Miami 2 33-Super Meat Boy 32-Streets Of Rage 4 31-Walking Dead Telltale Season 3 30-Salt and Sanctuary 29-Stray 28-Huntdown 27-Signalis 26-My friend Pedro 25-Slay the Spire 24-Ori and Will of the Wisps 23-It takes 2 22-Monster Train 21-Celeste 20-Inscryption 19-Walking dead season 2 18-Cult of the Lamb 17-Walking Dead Telltale season 4 16-Astral Chain 15-Neon White 14-Walking Dead Season 1 13-Wasteland 2 12-The Witness 11-Disco Elysium 10-Hellblade Senua Sacrifice 9-Rogue Legacy 2 8-Hollow Knight 7-Hotline Miami 6-Wasteland 3 5-Return of the Obra Dinn 4-Sifu 3-Enter The Gungeon 2-Nuclear Thone 1-Cuphead I think we have in common that we dont look up answers. It took me 3 week to solve one of puzzles in the witness. Also I think you have convinced me to play Golf Story...Great list, Once I saw Obra Dinn I knew I was watching someone with excellent tastes. I think 2022 was an excellent year for indies, 6 of my top 10 games were indies. Also I need to play outer Wilds, you are the 4th person that that has told me that game is something special.
I can't believe terraria wasn't on this list?? Such a love project from the developers. So much depth, replayability, creativity and quality. I have to imagine you just haven't played it before otherwise I'm sure it would be in your top 15 at least.
I clicked on this video thinking "there's no way a video this long isn't a rambling mess", but man you do a great job giving just enough info on each game to make me curious. Well done, great video.
I really enjoyed this list although there were few games on here that I didn’t yet know. But it was still great to “relive” them for a moment. My only negative thought would be that... I thought that the spoiler for some games was a bit too big. But maybe that’s just me, idk. Anyway, really enjoyed this, thanks for putting in the work!
Unpacking is one of my favorite games of all time. I started the game at around 1 AM the night before I moved out of my parents' house and into my college dorm to start my first year of university. I was so nervous, but the game soothed my mind. Games are beautiful in the way they can connect with us on so many levels. I'll never forget that night, or Unpacking.
Awesome list. Lots of familiar faces, a few new games. Then I saw Outer Wilds at number 1, and I literally got churning butterflies in my stomach. The most amazing and moving game experience I’ve ever had. The game was a religious experience for me. So good. I love the different ways the different species view the universe. Innocent curiosity, scientific rigor, religious wonder (and betrayal) in the DLC. Wow. What a game. I know this video had to take a ton of work. It was really well done. Thanks!!
This is a fucking excellent video. Hardly any UA-camrs take the time to explain their thoughts and rankings in lists of this size. Also our tastes overlap a LOT - I absolutely loved Tunic. Please make more of these kinds of vids!
There are two indie games I highly, highly recommend: Cave Story+ and Unsighted. It's an often overlooked classic with fantastic gameplay, memorable characters and a really nice secret path that I encourage people to look up. Regarding Unsighted, I really don't understand why people don't talk about it more. It's basically Zelda with Dark Souls combat, honed to perfection. It's criminally underrated. Special mention goes to Messenger. Very fun Shinobi-style retro game with two very, very good twists.
Great list! Happy (and a little sad) to say that I already played most of them. Will definitely check out Golf Story and To the Moon. As far as omissions go, I would suggest: -Spiritfarer -Inscryption -Sable -Journey -Valheim -Risk of Rain 1+2 (were indie before Gearbox picked them up) -The Artful Escape -Machinarium (or all games by Amanita Design, really) -Noita -Wandersong -Pizza Tower -Rollerdrome -Thumper -Webbed -Stray ...damn, there are so many great indies, I could go on.
as well as Blasphemous, Enter the Gungeon, moonlighter is cute too but I was genuinely surprised to not see Blasphemous on this list, such a phenomenal game. perhaps he didn't play it I'd also recommend In Other Waters but tbh I haven't gotten very far in it
Nice. Thanks for some recommendations. Here are some indie titles (according to Steam tags) that I’d like to include. - Black Mesa - Bro-Force - Cup Head - A Hat in Time - The Messenger - Ori and the Blind Forest - Portal Reloaded - Portal Stories: Mel - VVVVVV
Great list. I would add Rimworld to the list. Incredibly complex, endlessly replayable, punishing and incredibly satisfying. Easily one of the best indie games ever made.
Great list! I'll gladly try some of the titles I've missed. I'd recommend Rimworld, a really nice and complex survival strategy game where all the colonists have different personalities which makes for interesting scenarios.
My partner and I just spent a lovely morning enjoying your thoughtful reviews. We were excited to see some of our favorites on your list, and delighted to find new games to look forward to. Thank you
a touching and light hearted game that doesnt get seen by nearly enough people is wandersong. Its just cheerful and really helped me have an optimistic outlook on life! Its an almost unheard hidden gem that i enjoyed every second of.
Awesome list and breakdown with not TOO many spoilers. Surprised Inscryption didn't make your list but I respect your wrong opinion ;) Thanks for introducing my Steam wishlist to a few titles I either hadn't heard of or hadn't given a second thought. You've also inspired me to finally boot up a few that have been collecting dust in my library. Subscribed!
Great list! I was really surprised to see Outer Wilds at no. 1. I was anxious throughout the video to see whether you knew about it as well and put it in your video, and it made me so happy to see you giving it the recognition it deserves, too few people know about that game, it's a true masterpiece.
Hahah same. All the way up to number 2 and I had just about concluded that it must not be in the list. And then as OP said, butterflies the moment I saw that Outer Wilds art style appear
One game that I don't see talked about enough (maybe because it is so old) is A Story About My Uncle. It is a really short game, but the game just feels like such a fun journey that is extremely calming, but also engaging.
I was surprised to see FTL so high, but darned if I didn't love that one too. Unlocked all the ships and achievements and whatnot. The length of a run hit a real sweet spot with me.
this makes me want to make my own list of my favorite indie games. I could probably make a whole list of 50 indie games I love that you didn’t even mention in this video. (Maybe not 50, but still a lot). Also I instantly looked in the comments with time stamps to see if there was enter the gungeon. It’s fine that it isn’t there, im just really obsessed with it.
Do it! It was disappointing to see so many major titles that I, and I assume many jt here, are familiar with. Was hoping to find a few hidden gems in this video but alas there were none.
great video! shockingly i almost played all of these xD games which I really miss are: Cuphead, Undertale, Inscryption, Neon White, Monster Train, Spelunky 2 and Rogue Legacy 2
Enter the Gungeon is for sure mine. That game is amazing! Great video man, Have played maybe 80% of these put you definitely put some new ones on my list.
Amazing work on the list, made me check up lots of titles I didn't know about! Curious where you rank my top 3 of Valheim, Darkest Dungeon and Terraria
Hell yah, glad to see FTL so high on your list, it's my #1! Seeing your taste in games, give Horace a try. My daughter and I played through it together and we LOVED it. The story is funny at times and a tear jerker at other times. It's such an underrated game
I checked the comments now at number 8, to see if someone had made a list. I was amazed at the amount and depth of praise for Outer Wilds. I was stunned by how effusive Skill Up was (repeatedly) about the game, so I already had it on my must play list. I am even more excited now, and I haven't even heard the current review!!
I love these types of lists, there are always gems in it I've never heard of before. Might have to give Firewatch a try. Some games I really enjoyed were Carrion, Spiritfarer, Grime, Owlboy, Steamworld Dig 2 and Sheepo. And for the humour: Helheim Hassle. Kind of surprised Blasphemous and Ori didn't even make it on the list but also happy about a few new finds because of it
@@primateboogaloo he did say he thought gris was better then ori, so he also could have just not included it there's alot of indie bangers that didnt make the list and well thats mainly thanks to there being so many
This is the best video I ever watch around indi games. We can feel the passion and even the "vibe" of the video feels indie (maybe because of all the games soundtrack you used) Thank you for your work I was looking for games to do and even if I played a lot of indie game already, I still have a ton to do
my dude, i think you have single handedly inspired me on a new journey; indie gaming. i have only played shovel knight, undertale, blasphemous, and deltarune. now, i am seriously hungry for more.
Very solid list, i havent played some of these but in my list i would have to put in slime rancher and coffee talk, both are very unique, calming and exciting
Amazing list and presentation! I'd suggest Aviary Attorney - it mixes the Ace Attorney formula with some can't-see-everything time limits, and to offset, gives many ways a trial can be won (or lost). And there's no hard failstate - the game will progress on, and permute accordingly to whatever happened previously, leading to a good number of routes (including entire differing last chapters) and endings. There's a lot of humor and silliness, but it also gets serious as the stakes raise. And if nothing else sells you, as the title implies, you're a bird lawyer.
Amazing list! Some indie games I would recommend for you to try are Castle Crashers, Rivals of Aether, Bug Fables, A Hat in Time, Geometry Dash, and Rhythm Doctor. (Those are some of my favorite indie titles)
Oh man RHYTHM DOCTOR!! Completely different genre from I think anything else on the list, but it's SO GOOD! Still in early access, production feels like it's going at a crawl, but it is what it is with small studios: games take time.
Here is some more Indie games for you to try Life is Feudal your own, Naval Action, Natural Selection 2 , Grim Dawn, Farthest Frontier, Factorio, Satisfactorio, Golf with your Friends. Bloons TD6 , Project Zomboid, Kingdoms Reborn, 7days to die, Foxhole and cough cough Terraria
Couldn't agree more. This game has some of the purest gameplay ever. I am crap at it and I still strive to be better at it. Not in a Top 50 ? Amazing video , I just cant believe Spelunky didn't make it. Schoolboy error !
best indie list ive ever seen, watched the whole thing, im glad you were not afraid of making a long video just becose most people have atenttion span of a 5 second tiktok clip
I was not expecting to get anything out of this video other than a nice background listen, but I ended up buying Unpacking. You really sold it to me man. Can't wait to get home and play it.
Extremely well made video! Enjoyed all of your selections and comments!! I was hoping to see Inscryption, Norco, or Spiritfarer in there but oh well. Have you played any of those titles?
I know it’s not easy to make a Top 50 list with so many amazing selections in the past 15+ years, but I’m going to have to write you a citation for excluding Blasphemous, Terraria, and The Messenger. I’m advocating for time served for excluding Cuphead and Undertale.
Thanks for touching on topics like soundtrack and visual artstyles because these things add so much soul into these games. Specifically mentioning Lena Raine's music for Celeste is a great touch because, I don't think the game would have half of it's charm without the brilliant OST woven into the core of the game.
can't even describe my happiness to see Outer Wilds at #1, it's my favourite indie game and just game in general, by a lot, changed my view of myself, my mortality, my "role"/"place" in the universe, such an amazingly written and woven together plot it'll never not blow me away
Absolutely incredible video! It's rare for a long video to hold my attention but I finished it in one go. Thanks for introducing me to some new indies which I'll definitely add to my wishlist. My favorite game of 2022 was by far Tunic (#14 on your list). With it I find my long lost childlike gaming wonder. I wholeheartedly with your comments. Finding mechanics which were present from the start through the gaming manual pages was truly exciting and a brilliant twist. The soundtrack is brilliant too!
Fantastic list. Outer Wilds is absolutely the best indie game I've ever played (and one of the best games, period.) I'd probably put slay the spire a little higher, and the walking simulators (gone home and Edith finch) a little lower, but good picks.
This is a really good list. I was just looking for some indie games to play and I stumbled across this video and honestly most of these games look really interesting. I don't know what to recommend playing, I've played Stray recently and it's a really good game although the gameplay and difficulty isn't anything to write home about. However the story and atmosphere really pulls it through. I've also heard about the game Unheard although I didn't play it. It's a mystery solving game that relies mostly on audio
Outer Wilds high on the list was obvious. But lack of Rain World on this list is heartbreaking. It's at least top 20, and in my opinion, somewhere in top 5.
Amazing video. From seeing some of my all time favorites like Hades and What Remains of Edith Finch to getting hyped to play games I have had on my radar for a while to finding new games this was an excellent 80 minutes to sit through. Much praise
I'm glad you mentioned Gris cause to this day IT STILL MAKES ME CRY EVERYTIME. Thank you for the effort you put in the video, you made me discover new games I want to play :D
Great list. A lot of nostalgia in it for me. Especially when I heard you talk about what remains of Edith finch. Its impossible to play all the incredible indie games that come out, however, you didn't mention risk of rain 2. I don't know if you've played it or not, but for me it is a top 5 contender. A monumental game. Personally I'm going to be giving FTL a try. I have had it for a few years now and never played it.
The messenger would crack my top action platformers of all time never mind indy or not. Its a modern classic. Not a judgement on his list in anyway but i was definitely anticipating its inclusion.
Wow, really excellent reviews! You spent just the right amount of time on these to give us insight into why each is good, and I've found a few new games to check out. 😎 Thanks for all your effort!
There’s a few games missing I personally would have had (Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse, Enter the Gungeon, Danganronpa, Zero Escape, DDLC) but your list is awesome! Definitely some favourites in there
I would boot some of the games out of the list and put these instead: - Inscryption - Enter the Gungeon - Terraria - OMORI - Gunfire Reborn - Risk of Rain 2 - Rimworld - Recettear I feel like there is a ton of overpopularized indie games on here that for me were kind of meh or just ok (for example Superhot and Fez, which were still relatively fun experiences, but they wouldn't make it into my top 50 tbh). Outside of that, it's a really great list. I'm glad so many bangers that I've played made the list
I've watched your video before, but I gained a ton of respect at the nod to Netrunner. Such an amazing board game and I love when there is a crossover in content.
Great video. Really shocked that Cuphead didn't make it. To me it's one of the most lovingly crafted indie games ever made so I thought it'd be somewhere in the lower places. Also, special shoutout to Neon White. Probably now my favorite indie games.
*TIMESTAMPS :*
1:59 Superhot
2:39 Limbo
3:39 Firewatch
4:49 The Stanley Parable
5:59 Hotline Miami
6:48 Sifu
7:57 Transistor
9:11 Oxenfree
10:40 Kena: Bridge of Spirits
11:54 Unpacking
13:43 Gris
14:43 Super Meat Boy
15:46 Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy
17:01 Braid
18:29 Soma
20:04 The Witness
21:34 Overcooked 2
22:53 To The Moon
24:17 Fez
25:27 Gorogoa
26:37 Inside
27:48 Untitled Goose Game
29:13 Shovel Knight
30:32 Celeste
31:57 Golf Story
33:43 Her Story
34:57 Disco Elysium
36:54 Katana Zero
38:18 Gone Home
40:18 Slay The Spire
42:01 Minecraft
43:28 Subnautica
45:32 Death's Door
47:08 Baba Is You
48:23 Into The Breach
50:02 Towerfall
51:13 Tunic
53:27 Binding Of Isaac
55:02 Hyper Light Drifter
56:37 Papers, Please
58:24 A Short Hike
1:00:21 What Remains Of Edith Finch
1:02:35 Return Of The Obra Dinn
1:04:14 Night In The Woods
1:05:51 Dead Cells
1:07:41 Hades
1:10:10 Hollow Knight
1:11:57 Stardew Valley
1:14:20 FTL: Faster Than Light
1:16:56 Outer Wilds
Thank you so much
MVP
where is crosscode :(
Take this Reddit Award
Hotline Miami not high enough…
1:59 Superhot #50
2:39 Limbo #49
3:39 Firewatch #48
4:49 The Stanley Parable #47
5:59 Hotline Miami #46
6:48 Sifu #45
7:57 Transistor #44
9:11 Oxenfree #43
10:40 Kena: Bridge of Spirits #42
11:54 Unpacking #41
13:43 Gris #40
14:43 Super Meat Boy #39
15:46 Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy #38
17:01 Braid #37
18:29 Soma #36
20:04 The Witness #35
21:34 Overcooked 2 #34
22:53 To The Moon #33
24:17 Fez #32
25:27 Gorogoa #31
26:37 Inside #30
27:48 Untitled Goose Game #29
29:13 Shovel Knight #28
30:32 Celeste #27
31:57 Golf Story #26
33:43 Her Story #25
34:57 Disco Elysium #24
36:54 Katana Zero #23
38:18 Gone Home #22
40:18 Slay The Spire #21
42:01 Minecraft #20
43:28 Subnautica #19
45:32 Death's Door #18
47:08 Baba Is You #17
48:23 Into The Breach #16
50:02 Towerfall #15
51:13 Tunic #14
53:27 Binding Of Isaac #13
55:02 Hyper Light Drifter #12
56:37 Papers, Please #11
58:24 A Short Hike #10
1:00:21 What Remains Of Edith Finch #9
1:02:35 Return Of The Obra Dinn #8
1:04:14 Night In The Woods #7
1:05:51 Dead Cells #6
1:07:41 Hades #5
1:10:10 Hollow Knight #4
1:11:57 Stardew Valley #3
1:14:20 FTL: Faster Than Light #2
1:16:56 Outer Wilds #1
ty so much
Thank you so much ❤❤
No Inscryption, Rain World, Ori, The Esacapist 2, Factorio, Rim World, Sunless Sea, Jump King and The Messenger? :O
You saved my life
Legend🫡🫡🫡
If you haven't played "Before Your Eyes," I really recommend it based on this list. A really wonderful, moving narrative told in a remarkably unique way: the game connects to your webcam, and time skips forward when it detects your blinks, like your life is flashing before your eyes.
Agreed! It's nice and short too: about 2 hours from start to finish.
Just played it the other day and i liked it too. I did not except the ending, it was moving
It made me sad 😔
What do if no webcam for fear of covert government espionage operations gathering intel on my very important private matters?
Sounds shite bro 🤣
This might be one of my favorite videos on gaming ever. It's very special to celebrate the diversity and charm of so many amazing games. Sometimes it's the smaller games that suck you in the most and have the longest lasting emotional impact on the player.
Some other games you guys might like if you like this video:
- The Beginner's Guide
- Journey
- Unfinished Swan
- Call Of The Sea
- The Last Door
- The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter
- Life Is Strange
- Torn (VR)
- Invisible Hours (VR)
- Wanderer (VR)
What about cuphead?
id add the case of the golden idol
Some classics that are not on this list and comes to mind are Guacamelee 1/2, Undertale, Enter the Gungeon, Ori 1/2, A Hat in Time, Cuphead, Dakest Dungeon, Axiom Verge 1/2, Blasphemous, Little Nightmares 1/2, Spelunky.
Don’t starve and Terraria
Inscryption, yokus ilsand express, vampire survivors, V rising, mini motorways/mini metro, rain world, banished are also great but missed out
Playing Outer Wilds changed my understanding of what a video game could be, in a way that I don't think happened since the switch to 3D with Mario 64
Absolutely. It's an experience that can only be had through the medium of video games.
Lmao
I always wanted to play it but I’m not that big on puzzle games. Should I still give it a shot?
@@RiloXRi the puzzles aren't what you would think as traditional puzzles like in games such as "the witness" or "baba is you", rather, they're more like logical deductions of the world and its mechanics. So you might enjoy it
I played about 30 minutes or so, I'll need to give it another go.
It’s great to see A Short Hike get the recognition it deserves. For sure one of my favorite games!
So happy to see Outer Wilds slowly is getting all the recognition it deserves. Remember playing it back in 2019 and literally nobody knew about it
Outerwilds is an L "game"
@@ambersinghdreamybull less of a game. More of a piece of art. Never played anything remotely as interesting as it… Hope I will experience the same at least another time in my short life.
@@ambersinghdreamybullinteresting take. Im guessing you probably played until you realized there was no trackable quest line than gave up?
@@picklechinazzboi2991 SPOILERS, IF YOUHAVEN'T PLAYED OUTER WILDS DON'T READ.
I dislike Outer Wilds. Maybe I will pick it up because I am gaslighted to like it but genuinely I just lost interest for some reason. Long (and at least for a newbie) difficult maneuvering in space, making it what feels like an hour drive back to where I was before dying or getting stuck somehow. Also often not really finding anything? I have hard time following the main story too. And I despise the planet that has those typhoons that stole my ship and threw it on top of the map making it almost impossible to get... I was stuck there 30m just trying to launch myself with the water that kept rising to get back to my ship since I refused to just suicide out of stubbornness. Also I haven't found any relatable characters so I feel like I am just looking at old fictional stuff that has little plot, since again I have only understood "this is really old and fancy alien technology before our kind". And I find the sun reset stupid. It just kills me for, idk existing? Maybe I missed something or it will give me a lightbulb moment later but now it is just an annoying mechanic.
And just for reference I don't mind the game being hard, I would rate Elden ring two (maybe 3) points higher than this (5 for this and Elden 7).
@@ok-sj7bx I feel like your complaints are very minor to the point where you just got slightly annoyed before interested. It doesn’t take longer than a minute to get to any planet and with anything, flying the ship takes some time to get good at. You also have an autopilot that will do most the work for you. The game is designed in a way where you cannot be trapped for more than 20 minutes and with the planet you were at, you could of just swam to an island. Similar to Elden Ring, if something happens that you don’t like, just keep it in mind and it shouldn’t happen again in the future, or if it is more complicated than that, think of a solution! Relatable characters isn’t the point if Outer Wilds, the story is almost entirely characterless, interactions between Nomai help you care about them more as a species but it is distinctly different than a game like Undertale. If you don’t like the sun blowing up, try to stop it! For you to be interested, you need to be hooked on the mystery, where it really helps to have been following the story beats from the start. The game isn’t traditionally hard, but the puzzles are hard. It never ever holds your hand and always respects your intelligence! It doesn’t seem like you have cleared enough of the game for you to tell whether you actually like it or not, you just got ticked off by ship controls and the world’s environment which shouldn’t be the deciding factor at all! I believe you should pick it up again and take your time before you go to some of the harder/bigger planets, explore the moon, and follow one of the threads you have after exploring it! Have a nice day.
I don't understand how you don't have more subscribers. You are a great reviewer with a good voice and such enthusiasm. You also articulate things quite well.
Great list overall, it was really cool to see so many overlaps with my favorite indie games as well, some others that I think would be good contenders to be among these 50 are (sorry if there are duplicates): LISA: The Painful, Norco, Citizen Sleeper, OMORI, Undertale, Ori Series, Rain World, Hypnospace Outlaw, Kentucky Route Zero, Inscryption, Dusk, Chicory, Stephen's Sausage Roll, Terraria, Journey, The Cat Lady
Technically Minecraft was once an indie game too, but too bad we cant call it an indie game anymore
+ ULTRAKILL, Spiritfarer, Slime Rancher, Noita, The Messenger.. I guess there's too many to include :)
I loved playing dusk and I don't care if some don't call minecraft an indie game anymore to me minecraft is still a indie game and helped kick off the indie scene
Im putting my lot in as well for games that should be in the top 50 (or 100) with project wingman, project zomboid, frostpunk, payday 2, foxhole, unturned, euro truck simulator 2, American truck simulator, war of rights, holdfast nations at war, war game red dragon, squad, hearts of iron 4, goat simulator, cities skylines, this is the police, holdfast nations at war, eve online and finally foxhole
risk of rain 2 too
Never been happier than right now, seeing Outer Wilds at the top spot.
It is by far the most unique and unconventional game i have ever played but nailed every part of it in the process. The only bad thing about is, that you cant talk about whats happening during your playtrough because knowledge is the only way to progess and discover the way to finish one of the best games ever made
@@geoffschnoogs6888 brave of you to publicly admit having the worst taste possible. I'm impressed.
@@ForeverMasterless hater alert
I absolutely love the amount of work that went into this video. I adore the smooth script that always felt interesting, and somehow, for 80 minutes straight never missed a beat.
This is not a ranking video. It's a list of masterpieces.
Great list. Indies are so many it's impossible to sample them all.
Some of my absolute favs are Factorio, Rimworld, Loophero, Kingdom Two Crowns, Darkest Dungeon, Battle Brothers and They Are Billions
I was addicted to They Are Billions for a long time
I'm surprised this wasn't mentioned, but CrossCode is an absolutely fantastic action rpg that blends a fast paced and stylistic combat system with puzzle design that rivals old school Zelda games. It's one of those games that at a first look you might shrug off as "yet another retro inspired pixel art game" but it truly is fantastic. And it has a free standalone demo (which runs in your browser), which you should absolutely try if you're remotely interested.
I don't know why, but this masterpiece is largely unknown, even among indie fans. I just finished another playthrough, and still managed to find new things.
Its typically overlooked because its a 6/10 game.
@@ChicCanyon you clearly haven’t played it then
@chloeleferman2227 i wish i hadnt to be honest. It was cheap enough but i couldve used the 40 hours doing much better things.
Driving nails under my finger tips for example.
@@ChicCanyon nobody is stopping you bud. Crosscode is awesome
i was waiting for both outer wilds, and what remains of edith finch. Both games i wasnt expecting much but both resonated with me and felt like an experience rather than a time killer. Ironically enough, i just downloaded them one day assuming i would forget them a week later but nope, love them both. you have great taste.
Same, I was waiting for them too.
If you’re a fan of deck builders like Slay the Spire, you should absolutely play Inscryption. It turned me into a fan of the genre and is one of my favorite games I’ve ever played.
Quickly scrolled through the comments and my eye caught this one. Thanks a ton, going to try it. Have you played Monster Train as well?
I got it for free, had zero expectations and didn't like the art style, but ended up playing more than 100 hours
@@Gulzt I haven’t, I’ll have to check it out!
Couldn't agree more. I didn't think I would enjoy a deckbuilding game, but after seeing some other recommendations, I tried Inscryption and LOVED it. In my opinion it belongs in the top 10 of this video.
Yep absolutely based recommendation, Top 10 games in my entire lifetime for my personal list
This is one of the best videos I've ever seen on YT. You can just FEEL the love for video games as a medium beyond the graphics and gameplay. Video games, like any other medium, is often a reflection of the current state of humanity as a whole. Amazing!
I wish way more people realized this is what video games can be
Outer wilds is 100% the number one best indie game. When I finished it I immediately felt grief since I knew I wouldn't ever be able to relive that whole experience. This is hands down the best experience one can get from an indie game. You get sucked right into it and it sticks with you for the rest of your life. Absolute. Masterpiece.
You should try Subnautica, it's superior in every aspect.
@@Yokah no its not lmao. Subnautica sits in the top 5 for my favorite games of all time, but outer wilds has great gameplay, a much better storyline, and is much more polished.
Not even close haha@@Yokah
Other wilds just didnt click at all for me, i found the game boring. The only interesting aspect was the groundhog day trope. Beyond that the whole sentimental value of life theme just felt blase and unremitting dull
@@Gilded_07 im really surprised that you can use the term "blase" to describe outer wilds. i guess "dull" would be applicable if you don't enjoy any of the games tropes (mystery, exploration & puzzle solving), but i cant think of any excuse aside from that.
the lore and mystery of outer wilds are intriguing, but its strongpoint is the way it directly correlates progression to knowledge. there are very few other games i can think of that do this. there is no level system, no grinding, no upgrades, just knowledge. and your entire journey is uncovering more knowledge, up until you complete the game (which for me was the most impactful moment; the culmination of everything you learn).
this allows for a very personal experience because you know that everything you uncover is 100% a result of your own exploration and puzzle solving capabities, and not some weird arbitrary levelling system, or controlling another character's combat, or selecting preset dialogue to outcome a preset cutscene. it really feels like you are the hearthian that you play as, and that your journey is completely unique from every other players' (which it probably is). and thats really cool
Surprised Undertale didn't make it. It's such an iconic game I almost feel like like it was forgotten, because no doubt it is one of the most memorable journeys with its fourth-wall breaks, funny characters and a moving story.
that literally is one of the best games to ever exist
@@december9838its a bit more mainstream than indie 😅
Dont hurt me pls
@@QuietToadindie means independent development, mainstream or unknown doesn't define an indie
@@LemonLovah ok
@@QuietToad it's not okay! 😭 You hear me?! 😭 You ruined it! 😭 You ruined the definition of the word "indie"! 😭 You ruined it for EVERYONE!!! 😭
As a fellow indie UA-camr and indie game lover, I appreciate this video on multiple levels. Our gaming sensibilities are similar, and I'm blown away by how much work must have gone into producing this. Excellent work, thank you for creating this.
The second the music from Hyper Light Drifter started playing, even before I was consciously aware you were about to talk about it, it's like my heart skipped a beat. This game had such a profound impact on me. I played it almost two years ago, but I still think about it frequently. It's music still haunts me.
This is a great list. I thought Terraria would make the list after seeing Minecraft in there. Some of the notable missing games (from my list) are Rimworld, Terraria, Project Zomboid, and Kerbal Space Program.
Someone just wanting to raise money with YT channel: get one game from the list, make a review with 3 minutes of gameplay (not even capturing video youself) and 12 minute of ads.
You: just loving games and make a wholesome awesome review of 50 games you personally enjoyed and make them feel unique (I played /heard of 80% games and still find you words interesting to listen).
Keep doing your job, YT got recommended this and I think you are good content creator.
"To the Moon" is probably one of the best written game I have ever played. There are so much twist and turn but ultimately when that ending song start playing I was sobbing so much. Its a chronological game but the story in this game is one of the best. If you got the chance than definitely play this game
Gah, that moment where you hear the heart rate monitor overlaying the music... I just lost it. Never cried to any medium like that before.
@@Sazazezer Wrecks me every time!
Cuphead is my personal favourite video game of all time, and I’m surprised it wasn’t on this list bc it was shown for a brief moment at the beginning
Idk how he ranked untitled goose game and stardew over it, cuphead was definitely snubbed
Cuphead is mid
@@CC-1993_Jet bros never played cuphead before 💀
All lists will be subjective. Cuphead is the only game I've ever refunded on steam because the gameplay is so intensely boring. Beautiful and great music, but wildly unfun to play.
@@user-cy9vd7rl4h cap
That was a good list. Having played the majority of these I can agree with you on almost all fronts. I’m personally glad you included What Remains of Edith Finch and Night in the Woods. Two of my most favorite story telling indie games of all time. Edith gets left off of a lot of list because I venture to say it isn’t action packed and takes some considerable amount of paying attention to enjoy. Louis’s story hits me hard as well every time. The game always leaves me misty eyed. I also agree Mayday is one of the best protagonist ever. She’s so relatable. She reminds me that you can be broken and still awesome. Im personally going to sit some of my friends down and have them watch this video. For years I’ve tried to get my pals into indie games and this is perfect list of validation to show them.
what remains of edith finch is one of my most memorable experiences in gaming. the day i finally gave the game a chance it was raining and i was home alone. i assumed i would play it for maybe 20 minutes and realize it wasnt for me but, i was completely wrong. i didnt even realize at the time but i was locked into the story immediately. the most impressive part is how smooth and easily it hooks you in. and if im being honest, i dont even remember what part made me realize that this game was different and that i was in for a bittersweet treat.
@@k1tsunex Awesome, I think it's unfair when people label games like this a walking Sim. I like calling them first person exploratory games. It's an experience. WROEF is still one of my favorite games. Glad you had a simular experience with it.
Here is my top 50(In order since I have been ranking every game I play and actually enjoy since college)
50-Monster Boy and The cursed Kingdom
49-Trials Rising
48-Katina Zero
47-Griftlands
46-Tunic
45-Mother Russia Bleeds
44-Life is Strange
43-Pentiment
42-I am Alive
41-Dark Pictures Ashes
40-Darkest Dungeon
39-Child Of Light
38-Nex Machina
37-RollerDrome
36-Hades
35-TMNT Shredders Revenge
34-Hotline Miami 2
33-Super Meat Boy
32-Streets Of Rage 4
31-Walking Dead Telltale Season 3
30-Salt and Sanctuary
29-Stray
28-Huntdown
27-Signalis
26-My friend Pedro
25-Slay the Spire
24-Ori and Will of the Wisps
23-It takes 2
22-Monster Train
21-Celeste
20-Inscryption
19-Walking dead season 2
18-Cult of the Lamb
17-Walking Dead Telltale season 4
16-Astral Chain
15-Neon White
14-Walking Dead Season 1
13-Wasteland 2
12-The Witness
11-Disco Elysium
10-Hellblade Senua Sacrifice
9-Rogue Legacy 2
8-Hollow Knight
7-Hotline Miami
6-Wasteland 3
5-Return of the Obra Dinn
4-Sifu
3-Enter The Gungeon
2-Nuclear Thone
1-Cuphead
I think we have in common that we dont look up answers. It took me 3 week to solve one of puzzles in the witness. Also I think you have convinced me to play Golf Story...Great list, Once I saw Obra Dinn I knew I was watching someone with excellent tastes. I think 2022 was an excellent year for indies, 6 of my top 10 games were indies. Also I need to play outer Wilds, you are the 4th person that that has told me that game is something special.
I can't believe terraria wasn't on this list?? Such a love project from the developers. So much depth, replayability, creativity and quality. I have to imagine you just haven't played it before otherwise I'm sure it would be in your top 15 at least.
i think he may not have played it
Not really indie
@@d3he173it is! It won best indie games of the year in 2011... It should of been in the list for sure. Perhaps even top 10
Terraria honestly isnt worth your time. Stardew valley and Minecraft are better.
@@timebandit1266 minecraft is terrible compared to terraria lol wdym
love the effort you put in these videos. you deserve more subscribers and I'm sure your channel will blow soon
True
Yeah bro, please keep making videos! The quality of your writing + analysis are as good as anything else I've seen in this space. You got this!
i hope it blows me
I clicked on this video thinking "there's no way a video this long isn't a rambling mess", but man you do a great job giving just enough info on each game to make me curious. Well done, great video.
I really enjoyed this list although there were few games on here that I didn’t yet know. But it was still great to “relive” them for a moment.
My only negative thought would be that... I thought that the spoiler for some games was a bit too big. But maybe that’s just me, idk. Anyway, really enjoyed this, thanks for putting in the work!
Unpacking is one of my favorite games of all time. I started the game at around 1 AM the night before I moved out of my parents' house and into my college dorm to start my first year of university. I was so nervous, but the game soothed my mind. Games are beautiful in the way they can connect with us on so many levels. I'll never forget that night, or Unpacking.
You know why you're awesome? You show actual gameplay as opposed to cinematic cut scenes. Respect.
Awesome list. Lots of familiar faces, a few new games. Then I saw Outer Wilds at number 1, and I literally got churning butterflies in my stomach. The most amazing and moving game experience I’ve ever had. The game was a religious experience for me. So good. I love the different ways the different species view the universe. Innocent curiosity, scientific rigor, religious wonder (and betrayal) in the DLC. Wow. What a game.
I know this video had to take a ton of work. It was really well done. Thanks!!
This is a fucking excellent video. Hardly any UA-camrs take the time to explain their thoughts and rankings in lists of this size. Also our tastes overlap a LOT - I absolutely loved Tunic. Please make more of these kinds of vids!
There are two indie games I highly, highly recommend: Cave Story+ and Unsighted. It's an often overlooked classic with fantastic gameplay, memorable characters and a really nice secret path that I encourage people to look up. Regarding Unsighted, I really don't understand why people don't talk about it more. It's basically Zelda with Dark Souls combat, honed to perfection. It's criminally underrated.
Special mention goes to Messenger. Very fun Shinobi-style retro game with two very, very good twists.
Let it be known that Transistor is number two of FOUR supergiant games (Pyre is often overlooked and is supremely underrated)
Great list! Happy (and a little sad) to say that I already played most of them. Will definitely check out Golf Story and To the Moon.
As far as omissions go, I would suggest:
-Spiritfarer
-Inscryption
-Sable
-Journey
-Valheim
-Risk of Rain 1+2 (were indie before Gearbox picked them up)
-The Artful Escape
-Machinarium (or all games by Amanita Design, really)
-Noita
-Wandersong
-Pizza Tower
-Rollerdrome
-Thumper
-Webbed
-Stray
...damn, there are so many great indies, I could go on.
as well as Blasphemous, Enter the Gungeon,
moonlighter is cute too
but I was genuinely surprised to not see Blasphemous on this list, such a phenomenal game. perhaps he didn't play it
I'd also recommend In Other Waters but tbh I haven't gotten very far in it
Nice. Thanks for some recommendations. Here are some indie titles (according to Steam tags) that I’d like to include.
- Black Mesa
- Bro-Force
- Cup Head
- A Hat in Time
- The Messenger
- Ori and the Blind Forest
- Portal Reloaded
- Portal Stories: Mel
- VVVVVV
Great list. I would add Rimworld to the list. Incredibly complex, endlessly replayable, punishing and incredibly satisfying. Easily one of the best indie games ever made.
it sucks
@@glauberbispo8922 What?
I'd include Dwarf Fortress instead, then.
Oxygen not included, don't strave are also some great games you can check out
Dwarf fortress and kenshi are far better than the ovarated garbage that is rimworld
Great list! I'll gladly try some of the titles I've missed. I'd recommend Rimworld, a really nice and complex survival strategy game where all the colonists have different personalities which makes for interesting scenarios.
My partner and I just spent a lovely morning enjoying your thoughtful reviews. We were excited to see some of our favorites on your list, and delighted to find new games to look forward to. Thank you
One of my favorites is "There's no game: wrong dimension", I highly recommend it
a touching and light hearted game that doesnt get seen by nearly enough people is wandersong. Its just cheerful and really helped me have an optimistic outlook on life! Its an almost unheard hidden gem that i enjoyed every second of.
I love your script writing! The descriptions and reasons why you like games are just so well-written. Well done.
I'm so glad "to the moon" made it on here, such an underappreciated game
Edit: Her story made it on here too? This persons taste is so damn great
Awesome list and breakdown with not TOO many spoilers. Surprised Inscryption didn't make your list but I respect your wrong opinion ;)
Thanks for introducing my Steam wishlist to a few titles I either hadn't heard of or hadn't given a second thought. You've also inspired me to finally boot up a few that have been collecting dust in my library. Subscribed!
Great video! The order of the top 5 took me by surprise big time! #4 and #5 I honestly expected to finish as #1 and #2 lol
Great list! I was really surprised to see Outer Wilds at no. 1. I was anxious throughout the video to see whether you knew about it as well and put it in your video, and it made me so happy to see you giving it the recognition it deserves, too few people know about that game, it's a true masterpiece.
Same here. I was ready to be mad about it’s exclusion lol
Hahah same. All the way up to number 2 and I had just about concluded that it must not be in the list. And then as OP said, butterflies the moment I saw that Outer Wilds art style appear
One game that I don't see talked about enough (maybe because it is so old) is A Story About My Uncle. It is a really short game, but the game just feels like such a fun journey that is extremely calming, but also engaging.
I was surprised to see FTL so high, but darned if I didn't love that one too. Unlocked all the ships and achievements and whatnot. The length of a run hit a real sweet spot with me.
No Inscryption, Rain World, Ori, The Esacapist 2, Factorio, Rim World, Sunless Sea, Jump King and The Messenger? :O
this makes me want to make my own list of my favorite indie games. I could probably make a whole list of 50 indie games I love that you didn’t even mention in this video. (Maybe not 50, but still a lot). Also I instantly looked in the comments with time stamps to see if there was enter the gungeon. It’s fine that it isn’t there, im just really obsessed with it.
Do it! It was disappointing to see so many major titles that I, and I assume many jt here, are familiar with. Was hoping to find a few hidden gems in this video but alas there were none.
great video! shockingly i almost played all of these xD
games which I really miss are: Cuphead, Undertale, Inscryption, Neon White, Monster Train, Spelunky 2 and Rogue Legacy 2
Enter the Gungeon is for sure mine. That game is amazing! Great video man, Have played maybe 80% of these put you definitely put some new ones on my list.
Amazing work on the list, made me check up lots of titles I didn't know about! Curious where you rank my top 3 of Valheim, Darkest Dungeon and Terraria
Hell yah, glad to see FTL so high on your list, it's my #1! Seeing your taste in games, give Horace a try. My daughter and I played through it together and we LOVED it. The story is funny at times and a tear jerker at other times. It's such an underrated game
I checked the comments now at number 8, to see if someone had made a list. I was amazed at the amount and depth of praise for Outer Wilds. I was stunned by how effusive Skill Up was (repeatedly) about the game, so I already had it on my must play list. I am even more excited now, and I haven't even heard the current review!!
I love these types of lists, there are always gems in it I've never heard of before. Might have to give Firewatch a try. Some games I really enjoyed were Carrion, Spiritfarer, Grime, Owlboy, Steamworld Dig 2 and Sheepo. And for the humour: Helheim Hassle. Kind of surprised Blasphemous and Ori didn't even make it on the list but also happy about a few new finds because of it
I love Ori almost as much as Hollow Knight, perhaps it wasn't included because of Microsoft Studio's involvement?
@@primateboogaloo he did say he thought gris was better then ori, so he also could have just not included it
there's alot of indie bangers that didnt make the list and well thats mainly thanks to there being so many
Steamworld franchise is extremly underrated
This is the best video I ever watch around indi games. We can feel the passion and even the "vibe" of the video feels indie (maybe because of all the games soundtrack you used)
Thank you for your work I was looking for games to do and even if I played a lot of indie game already, I still have a ton to do
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this for us.
It was truly one of the best game recommendation videos I've seen on YT .
How did they forget Cuphead, Undertale AND TERRARIA???
I think they got too big for this list
And the Ori games.
@@omgeduison if thats the case thats even more disrespectful bcs imo
@@omgeduison minecraft was on the list lil bro
How did you forget opinions exist?
my dude, i think you have single handedly inspired me on a new journey; indie gaming. i have only played shovel knight, undertale, blasphemous, and deltarune. now, i am seriously hungry for more.
This video coming in clutch during the winter sale. Man what a hidden gem channel.
I agree
Very solid list, i havent played some of these but in my list i would have to put in slime rancher and coffee talk, both are very unique, calming and exciting
Amazing list and presentation! I'd suggest Aviary Attorney - it mixes the Ace Attorney formula with some can't-see-everything time limits, and to offset, gives many ways a trial can be won (or lost). And there's no hard failstate - the game will progress on, and permute accordingly to whatever happened previously, leading to a good number of routes (including entire differing last chapters) and endings. There's a lot of humor and silliness, but it also gets serious as the stakes raise. And if nothing else sells you, as the title implies, you're a bird lawyer.
Amazing list! Some indie games I would recommend for you to try are Castle Crashers, Rivals of Aether, Bug Fables, A Hat in Time, Geometry Dash, and Rhythm Doctor. (Those are some of my favorite indie titles)
Great gamme taste!
Oh man RHYTHM DOCTOR!! Completely different genre from I think anything else on the list, but it's SO GOOD! Still in early access, production feels like it's going at a crawl, but it is what it is with small studios: games take time.
Rivals, bug fables and a hat in time should really be on this list!
Here is some more Indie games for you to try
Life is Feudal your own, Naval Action, Natural Selection 2 , Grim Dawn, Farthest Frontier, Factorio, Satisfactorio, Golf with your Friends. Bloons TD6 , Project Zomboid, Kingdoms Reborn, 7days to die, Foxhole and cough cough Terraria
The things I'd give to experience Outer Wilds for the first time again
This was an insanely well produced video and your commentary made me want to play a lot of these. New to Indie Games myself.
Want any recomendations? I have at least 100 indie games in mind
I'm surprised that Spelunky isn't on this list. It's incredibly deep in the most subtle ways and endlessly replayable.
exactly ..
spelunky 2
Couldn't agree more. This game has some of the purest gameplay ever. I am crap at it and I still strive to be better at it. Not in a Top 50 ? Amazing video , I just cant believe Spelunky didn't make it. Schoolboy error !
best indie list ive ever seen, watched the whole thing, im glad you were not afraid of making a long video just becose most people have atenttion span of a 5 second tiktok clip
I was not expecting to get anything out of this video other than a nice background listen, but I ended up buying Unpacking. You really sold it to me man. Can't wait to get home and play it.
sigh.. bought Getting over it.
Extremely well made video! Enjoyed all of your selections and comments!!
I was hoping to see Inscryption, Norco, or Spiritfarer in there but oh well. Have you played any of those titles?
Fantastic ranking and well narrated and constructed video, great job.... Although, how are games like Spiritfarer and Journey NOT on this list?
Another great video, I really like your work. I personally love indie games and even found some new ones to add to my wish list. 😁
I know it’s not easy to make a Top 50 list with so many amazing selections in the past 15+ years, but I’m going to have to write you a citation for excluding Blasphemous, Terraria, and The Messenger.
I’m advocating for time served for excluding Cuphead and Undertale.
Thanks for touching on topics like soundtrack and visual artstyles because these things add so much soul into these games. Specifically mentioning Lena Raine's music for Celeste is a great touch because, I don't think the game would have half of it's charm without the brilliant OST woven into the core of the game.
can't even describe my happiness to see Outer Wilds at #1, it's my favourite indie game and just game in general, by a lot, changed my view of myself, my mortality, my "role"/"place" in the universe, such an amazingly written and woven together plot it'll never not blow me away
Absolutely incredible video! It's rare for a long video to hold my attention but I finished it in one go. Thanks for introducing me to some new indies which I'll definitely add to my wishlist. My favorite game of 2022 was by far Tunic (#14 on your list). With it I find my long lost childlike gaming wonder. I wholeheartedly with your comments. Finding mechanics which were present from the start through the gaming manual pages was truly exciting and a brilliant twist. The soundtrack is brilliant too!
Fantastic list. Outer Wilds is absolutely the best indie game I've ever played (and one of the best games, period.)
I'd probably put slay the spire a little higher, and the walking simulators (gone home and Edith finch) a little lower, but good picks.
It's like listening to a storyteller. What a cool voice and form of passing information, thank you.
Bro this was far better than any IGN receiver could ever imagine
This is a really good list. I was just looking for some indie games to play and I stumbled across this video and honestly most of these games look really interesting. I don't know what to recommend playing, I've played Stray recently and it's a really good game although the gameplay and difficulty isn't anything to write home about. However the story and atmosphere really pulls it through. I've also heard about the game Unheard although I didn't play it. It's a mystery solving game that relies mostly on audio
Outer Wilds high on the list was obvious.
But lack of Rain World on this list is heartbreaking. It's at least top 20, and in my opinion, somewhere in top 5.
Rain world is 100% top 5
Unpacking makes my brain feel happy. Something about it is super satisfying. It’s my go-to relaxation game.
Amazing video. From seeing some of my all time favorites like Hades and What Remains of Edith Finch to getting hyped to play games I have had on my radar for a while to finding new games this was an excellent 80 minutes to sit through. Much praise
I'm glad you mentioned Gris cause to this day IT STILL MAKES ME CRY EVERYTIME. Thank you for the effort you put in the video, you made me discover new games I want to play :D
Great list. A lot of nostalgia in it for me. Especially when I heard you talk about what remains of Edith finch. Its impossible to play all the incredible indie games that come out, however, you didn't mention risk of rain 2. I don't know if you've played it or not, but for me it is a top 5 contender. A monumental game.
Personally I'm going to be giving FTL a try. I have had it for a few years now and never played it.
Thanks so much for your efforts in making this massive list up. Really appreciate it.
Great video! Have you played The Messenger? Just an awesome game that mixes 8-bit side-scrolling action with 16-bit metroidvania.
When he was finishing up his description of FTL, I immediately thought, "Oh, the Messenger has to be #1!" It was absolutely my GOTY for 2018.
The messenger would crack my top action platformers of all time never mind indy or not. Its a modern classic. Not a judgement on his list in anyway but i was definitely anticipating its inclusion.
A new one to add to this list (sorry if a gazillion people have already recommended it) is inscryption. Really blew my mind
i was NOT expecting a Maggie the frog reference in a video about indie games but it made it even more perfect
Wow, really excellent reviews! You spent just the right amount of time on these to give us insight into why each is good, and I've found a few new games to check out. 😎 Thanks for all your effort!
There’s a few games missing I personally would have had (Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse, Enter the Gungeon, Danganronpa, Zero Escape, DDLC) but your list is awesome! Definitely some favourites in there
I would boot some of the games out of the list and put these instead:
- Inscryption
- Enter the Gungeon
- Terraria
- OMORI
- Gunfire Reborn
- Risk of Rain 2
- Rimworld
- Recettear
I feel like there is a ton of overpopularized indie games on here that for me were kind of meh or just ok (for example Superhot and Fez, which were still relatively fun experiences, but they wouldn't make it into my top 50 tbh). Outside of that, it's a really great list. I'm glad so many bangers that I've played made the list
Cool you can make your own vid😊
I've watched your video before, but I gained a ton of respect at the nod to Netrunner. Such an amazing board game and I love when there is a crossover in content.
Great video. Really shocked that Cuphead didn't make it. To me it's one of the most lovingly crafted indie games ever made so I thought it'd be somewhere in the lower places.
Also, special shoutout to Neon White. Probably now my favorite indie games.