10 Best Indie Games Of 2023, Ranked

2023 was a massive year for the gaming community as a whole, with many huge video games being released throughout, yet there were still numerous titles from the smaller indie developers that also managed to steal the show. From short, thought-provoking games such as Viewfinder to the larger retro-inspired RPG Sea of Stars, there are many different genres to experience while supporting the indies. Indie developers don’t have the financial backing of the large AAA companies, yet some can still produce incredible works of art that they share with the world.

The past several years have seen an increase in recognition for indie-developed games, many of which have seemed to create their own recognizable style in retro formats. Although they do not have the same budgets for marketing and development that the big organizations have, several standout titles from small teams are getting better hype created for them by fans through social media channels. Numerous releases from talented indie devs launched in 2023, making it difficult to narrow down this list, but these are Screen Rant‘s recommendations of the best indies to try out from 2023.

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Best Indie Games Of 2022

Among the many high-quality independent titles released in the past year, these are Screen Rant’s picks for the best indie games of 2022.

10 Silent Hope

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch

Silent Hope seemed to sneak up without much fanfare before its release, yet this cartoony dungeon-crawler managed to hit all the right notes and earned itself a review of 4.5 out of 5 stars from Screen Rant. It blends the traditional feel of a dungeon crawler with unique mechanics of cooking, crafting, and the ability to swap between many different classes of party members while diving into the depths of the Abyss. The narrative tale it weaves is intriguing, leading players to want to push just a little more to uncover the next bit of story. With a bit of a roguelite dynamic of numerous runs through the Abyss, Silent Hope earns itself a spot as one of the best games and a hidden gem of 2023.

9 Jusant

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Recently, many games have started incorporating climbing as a large part of their gameplay, but Jusant takes this mechanic to all new heights. The game’s entire purpose and mechanics focus on climbing a massive tower. While it would be easy for this to take on a monotonous feel, Jusant earns its place as one of the best indie games of 2023 because it is able to take this deceptively simple premise and build upon it through creative puzzles, beautiful artwork, a subtly engaging story, and more.

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8 Humanity

Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5

Humanity tells a deep story that manages to explore spirituality, morality, and the very nature of humanity itself through a simplistic graphic design and surprisingly fulfilling puzzles. This puzzle-platformer inspires philosophical introspection as players guide massive flocks of humans to the light by taking on the form of a glowing dog. The mechanics of the game are simplistic, yet challenging, with a lot of variety and creativity in its approach.

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7 Viewfinder

Platforms: PC, PS5

Viewfinder is a beautifully unique puzzle game that focuses on the scenery and environment to find innovative workarounds and creative means to solve problems. As was stated in Screen Rant‘s review of the game, “there is no doubt that Viewfinder is setting a new standard for creativity and innovation that should raise the bar of players’ expectations out of games adjacent to it in the genre.” The story for the game is not very deep because of Viewfinder‘s focus on creatively artistic puzzles, yet it is just interesting enough to not feel as though something is lacking.

6 Cocoon

Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch

Another puzzle game, Cocoon is a unique take on the puzzle adventure genre, as the player travels through alien worlds, crossing between them through the use of colored orbs. Hopping between these worlds through the orbs is how the player can manipulate the environment and avoid obstacles in their path. It is a beautiful game visually with each world featuring strikingly different environments. The game as a whole challenges expectations and utilizes world-jumping and storytelling in new ways, making it one of the best indie games of 2023.

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5 Coral Island

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Coral Island is a tropical take on the cozy farming simulator genre with an abandoned and overgrown farm that needs work, romantic possibilities, and the side quests of chopping wood and mining minerals with the occasional monster to fight. Besides its unique island setting, the game sets itself apart by telling a story that promotes environmental awareness and cleaning up the oceans of the world. Players can even meet merfolk as they dive underwater and clean up trash and an oil spill that threatens the reefs. Launching after a year in early access, Coral Island is one that all fans of the cozy farming sim genre should try.

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4 Dave The Diver

Platforms: PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch

Dave the Diver is a difficult one to choose for a list such as this. It received a nomination for Best Independent Game for 2023’s The Game Awards, yet has caused a stir due to the technical definition of whether it is, in fact, an indie title or not. The game itself is a wonderful release, however, and one of the few games to receive a review of 4.5 out of 5 stars from Screen Rant, primarily due to its delightfully relaxing gameplay. Like Coral Island, it also shows off the majestic beauty and wonders of the ocean, with care given to show the diversity of life under the sea. While on the surface, the game appears to be simple and silly, it earns its place as one of the best of 2023 due to the hidden depths that Dave the Diver holds.

3 Lies Of P

Platforms: PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Lies of P looks as though it was created by one of the big game studios due to the amazing quality and care put into its artwork, music, and storyline. It takes the familiar story of Pinocchio and turns it on its head with a masterful narrative that is dark and gritty. The combat is challenging, fittingly so for a soulslike game, and an impressive amount of detail has been put into every aspect of the game. Lies of P earned a 4.5 out of 5 stars in its Screen Rant review, has won the Mac Game of the Year 2023 award from Apple, and was nominated for both Best Role Playing Game and Best Art Direction at The Game Awards.

2 Dredge

Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch

Although it may look like a peaceful fishing game, Dredge creates a unique blend of atmospheric fishing and Lovecraftian horror. The mysterious storyline in the game lures players to keep trying to push the limits a bit more to unravel the secrets of the night, while also fishing or dredging to gather fish for the locals. Its atmosphere and artwork play to its advantage, with the player never seeing their own character and the darker tones of the game fitting the horror-tinged adventure in a way that sends a chill up the spine.

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1 Sea Of Stars

Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch

Sea of Stars is a turn-based RPG whose indie developer created it with the goal of paying homage to beloved games of the past like Chrono Trigger in not only an artistic style but through the story, soundtrack, and turn-based combat. It is filled with charming characters and a narrative that can hold its own against any major game studio release, landing itself on many players’ lists of not only indie game of the year, but as their ultimate game of the year for 2023. As Screen Rant‘s review coverage of Sea of Stars states, “the gameplay choices it makes turns the game into a must-play for fans of the genre.“

Source: Apple