Off the Shelf Media

There’s nothing quite like a good indie game. Knowing that a small but dedicated team came together to craft a story that is unforgettable and with gameplay that can be enjoyed for hours on end adds a special layer to the experience. 

Although what qualifies as an “indie” game is subject to debate, for the purposes of this article, we refer to an indie game as one created and developed by a small team with limited funding. 

So, here’s our list of the top seven indie games that we can’t stop playing. 

Shadows of Doubt

Set in a dystopian world where big corporations reign, Shadows of Doubt is a procedurally generated stealth detective game developed by ColePowered Games.

You’re a detective in the 1980s with a serial killer on the loose. It is an open-world game as well, which adds further to the challenges posed by the procedurally generated characters, places, and clues.  

This game is not for the faint of heart, and you’ll need to be open to the challenge; however, it is an incredibly unique title that, with more tweaking, is sure to become a cult classic. 

You can check out our full review here. 

Frog Detective 1: The Haunted Island

Frog Detective is a silly, colorful detective game from a very small team called Worm Club. It’s the first in a trilogy where you, the frog detective, must go around and collect clues to solve the mystery of the haunted island. 

With fun dialogue, goofy scenarios, and a surprisingly good soundtrack, discover the secrets of the island and determine whether the ghost in question is merely a myth or something more sinister is at hand. 

Europa

Created by a pair of friends, Europa is a Studio Ghibli-style, cozy exploration game. It features no combat, but it truly doesn’t need it. 

Soar through the air of this abandoned civilization as protagonist Zee on your trusty Zypher while uncovering the story behind the world you’re in. Solve puzzles, explore, and learn about the creatures around you. 

Though the game only takes around five hours to complete, its touching storyline will stay with you long after you’re done. You can read my full review of the game here. 

Valheim 

Vikings and trolls and dragons, oh my! 

This procedurally generated open-world game places you into Odin’s Tenth World. Explore a variety of biomes, all with their own challenges and monsters to defeat as you build, craft, mine, and explore. 

It’s also a great multiplayer game. 

The Headliners

Developed by the small team at KAFI Games, The Headliners is a co-op, horror survival game. 

You’re a photo journalist in a city run rampant with kaiju-style monsters and creatures. The gorier the photo, the bigger the payout. Capture the moment as best you can and jump onto the helicopter to escape before you become the scene on the front page. 

All in a day’s work, I guess! 

Len’s Island

Len’s Island, developed by Flow Studio, is an open-world survival crafting game. It recently launched its 1.0 version, which also includes a multiplayer feature. 

Similar to Valheim, explore the world around you and collect resources to build your farm and craft the best weapons as you explore a vast world by boat. 

Sable

Sable is one of my absolute favorites on this list. It’s a coming-of-age story set on an alien planet. Play as Sable and explore the world around you to determine your path. 

Its calming atmosphere will have you checking out every nook and cranny for hours as you traverse the desert planet. Its no combat style added with its exploration factor makes it reminiscent of series like The Legend of Zelda. 

You can also read our full review here. 

As a small, independent group of gamers, we love to support indie developers when and how we can on our platform. Are there any titles we should be on the lookout for? Let us know in the comments.