Indie games are an extremely important part of the gaming industry. In a landscape in which AAA titles are able to get away with some of the sleaziest, anti-consumer practices imaginable, it’s imperative now more than ever to have space for independent developers to do their thing and proper.
If you are looking for something different and interesting, this list of five indie games will be a good start for you to start exploring out of your comfort zone.
1. Dark Deity
Dark Deity is a turn-based tactical RPG from Sword & Axe that is mechanically and artistically very heavily inspired by Fire Emblem. It features a massive cast of characters with diverse designs, as well as fascinating histories and playstyles.
The artwork of Dark Deity is something to appreciate as well, as it’s masterfully able to emulate the feeling of older Fire Emblem titles while also managing to stand on its own. In terms of gameplay, it’s almost a one-to-one copy of Fire Emblem, with some minor changes to the weapons and levelling system.
For anyone looking for a Fire Emblem experience on PC, Dark Deity and its recently released sequel are the way to go.
2. Ale & Tale Tavern
The next indie game to try is Ale & Tale Tavern, developed by Scienart Games, which is a restaurant sim set in a medieval fantasy world. The player is tasked with serving ale along with a series of different stews and recipes to visiting heroes, who give their thanks in coin.
The more successful the player’s tavern, the more they can expand their place of business, invest in new ways to cultivate resources, and expand their menu. The fantasy setting as well as the interactivity helps sell the experience, somehow making mundane or even stressful tasks like fetching water, preparing meals, washing dishes and serving drinks engaging.
3. Mayhem Brawlers
Mayhem Brawlers, developed by Hero Concept, is a side-scrolling beat ’em up that’s heavily inspired by western comic books. The setting is that of a fantastical modern day, following three superhuman police officers on a mission to uncover a dangerous underground criminal plot.
Each character feels wholly unique, each fitting a different and clearly distinct role, and can be swapped after every mission, giving the player the option to either stay the course or switch things up a bit. The player is also given control over the narrative, as they’re made to choose between two different potential levels to advance to at the end of each mission. A sequel is currently in the works as well.
4. Atlyss
For those interested in MMO or MMO-inspired games but are too apprehensive in the face of their mechanical complexity, then Atlyss is definitely worth a try. Developed by Kiseff, this is a more simplified take on an MMO.
It still has a series of races and classes to choose from each with their own benefits, negatives, skills, attributes, abilities, etc., but the main gameplay itself is like that of a soulslike or hack and slash. Implementing a combat system like this makes it much more accessible, since the player can learn over time how their abilities can help them while still leaning on the more familiar combat, instead of needing to rely on the abilities from the start.
5. Roboquest
Finally, there’s Roboquest, a game developed by RyseUp Studios, which is everything you could want out of a FPS roguelite. The name of the game is experimentation, as every potential strategy the player can think of is not only obtainable, but viable as well, since any weapon can be buffed with rarity upgrades, affixes, skill upgrades, or combined with the player character’s melee to improve its efficiency.
Roboquest also offers a diverse range of locations for the player to explore, which is most certainly encouraged, since players can unlock new items and even gameplay modifiers by taking the time to look around.
Obviously, these are just some of our picks for indie gems that are worth checking out. If you have any underrated or underrepresented titles that promise a good time, be sure to drop them in the comments below.
