Every Day The Same Dream
Alarm. Breakfast. A trip to the office. Job. A typical day for an office clerk... Stability. Monochromatic. Infinity.Lone Survivor
Psychedelic adventure arcade game in a city affected by an unknown disease. To survive you need to keep moving, fight for survival with strange creatures; get enough sleep, eat, find and communicate with survivors. Otherwise, it’s quite easy to fall into madness.Machinarium
The unique world of machines and robots living independently on a landfill planet is amazingly beautiful. Each character has unique personalities and a cute, interesting story - everything is done in order to launch Machinarium again and again. Every time you continue to be touched by these made-up stories that you fall into main character, - simple cleaner Joseph. Empathize with his fate and worry when something goes wrong for him.To the Moon
An indie adventure role-playing game about the adventures of two doctors traveling deep into the memories of their patients. Their task is to give the patient the opportunity to live again, to realize a dream that he could not fulfill during his lifetime...Lively characters, awesome music and subtle humor give rise to a real range of all kinds of emotions, and simple two-dimensional graphics turn out to be an excellent way to express the tragedy and beauty of the situation in which the game’s heroes find themselves every now and then. And “To the Moon” has one of the most beautiful and romantic endings, after which we can confidently say that as long as there are such masterpieces, the gaming industry will live.
| "Worst case scenario: she says no." |
McPixel
A comedy Point "n Click game telling about the incredible adventures of the hero McPixel. To save the world again, he has no more than a couple of tens of seconds. During this time, you have to find and defuse the bomb. Otherwise, the world will be blown up!Gemini Rue
Lies, betrayals and the unknown are hidden on this planet Barracus, forgotten by the entire galaxy, where endless rains add despondency, and the next step is disappointment. Azrael Odin, the main protagonist of the game, decides to find his brother here, where a trouble-filled adventure awaits him and the revelation of a terrible secret.Adventures
Seven Minutes
A quick jump and you run by touch through a destructive world. The creator's wrath is inevitable, you have only seven minutes to get out of this hell alive and understand what happened.Mighty Jill Off
A platformer whose visual style does not indicate that it came out at the end of the 2000s. The game successfully copies the functionality of its tower predecessors without introducing anything other than expanded hardcore in the gameplay. Make your way from the very bottom, avoiding deadly traps, do everything to reach your queen!AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAAAAAA!!! - A Reckless Disregard for Gravity
A basejump-arcade game full of eye-catching effects. Perform a free fall to fiery music while performing crazy, breathtaking stunts. Earn points, unlock new levels and modes of passage!Shatter
Retro style, time-tested gameplay, chic level design and convenient controls. All this makes Shatter one of the best Arkanoid games of all time and consoles!Noitu Love 2: Devolution
Beat "em up seasoned with battles with robots (including huge humanoid fighting ones). Use deadly martial arts styles or weapons to save the world from the destruction of powerful creations of evil geniuses.Limbo
The strange black and gray world brings surprises: wild hunters, huge insects and traps placed everywhere await you at every turn. The visual style and eerie audio fill you with despair; the minimalist environment immerses you in uncontrollable fear, where nothing can be trusted for sure. When it reaches the finish line, what awaits there? To answer this and many other questions you will have to go through the game to the very end. |
| What a strange world this is? Where I am? Why does everyone want to kill me? - Questions that Limbo will not answer |
Aquaria
The ideological successor of the series Castlevania And Metroid, now underwater. A bright and unusual platformer with colorful graphics and an innovative combat system.Super Meat Boy
Once upon a time a game was released in 2005 Meat Boy on Flash. It gained great popularity and in 2010 we saw its remake on XNA, which means XBOX360 and PC. In the new Meat Boy, new worlds were added, the picture was improved, a plot appeared and the characters' personalities were adjusted, but the main thing remained the same - the hardcore gaming process remained the same!Shank
The main character makes his way through revenge, the chopped meat of limbs. He destroys mafia bosses and walks over bloody corpses and severed limbs to his beloved, constantly improving his fighting skills, using increasingly brutal weapons on his enemies.Trine 2
Honoring traditions The Lost Vikings, Trine is a game in which you have to think for three people at once. Warrior, mage and thief will give you the opportunity to complete levels in different ways. Use different techniques, upgrade your skills and solve puzzles. This fabulous journey, a little naive in its own way and kind in a good way, will remain in your memory for a long time.Mark of the Ninja
One of the few high-quality 2D stealth action games that will make you feel like a real ninja! Lots of tricks and techniques, a lot of secrets and different approaches to completing missions. All this makes you remember the best years Splinter Cell And Thief. At the same time, the game does not add anything new, only introducing the necessary shades of irony, fear, freedom, and, of course, oriental myths into the harsh atmosphere.Cave Story / Cave Story+
One of the first popular indie games, thanks to which the genre took off and declared itself. Cave Story is a game with great characters, varied playthroughs and heartfelt content. This is a wonderful story, in the best traditions of adventure games, it will not tire you and will constantly push you to new plot boundaries.Braid
A philosophical parable about the pursuit of a dream. An incredibly beautiful picture, filled with oil paints and excellent visual content.The main character of the game is time, which is constantly running out, now sliding back, now stopping and rushing forward with all its might, not keeping up with the hero. To follow the princess without knowing her true intentions, to look for her without having any idea where. Shock, disbelief and deception will surround the hero until the very end; and only by assembling the mosaic will it be possible to get to the truth.
VVVVVV
A true masterpiece of gaming industry, combining a wonderful soundtrack, light and subtle humor, a lot of fun and pleasure.You must free your team! Manipulate your own gravity, avoid obstacles and work miracles on the decks of a huge spaceship, which, due to a software error, ended up in another dimension.
Fez
The release of this graphic art, which was mistakenly called a game, has been awaited for a long time and has finally arrived! Only Fez was able to turn the compressed world into a real three-dimensional grace of colors and animations, into something whole and even Great! It’s extremely easy to fall in love with the living, wonderful world of Tetris constellations, pixelated waterfalls and the amazing wanderings of the main character; Unfortunately, it won’t be possible to stay there for long.Brain teaser:
World of Goo
These Guu are strange creatures. They have the ability to stick to each other, becoming a single structural part. They need to be helped to get to another planet, but first, everyone needs to get together and get to the pipe leading to the plant...Crayon Physics Deluxe
A sandbox for imagination, a construction set for adults who have not lost interest in children's experiences. An ordinary canvas, where each drawn object instantly receives physical properties. The purpose of collecting stars at a level is only a means to build powerful, complex devices. The whole value of the game lies in your own, sometimes incredible, but valid decisions.Antichamber
Behind the minimalist graphics lies a hardcore puzzle game. Antichamber is based on illusions, deception of space, provocations, which together makes each riddle unique and not at all simple. |
| Don't believe what's around you |
Plants vs Zombies
One of the best Tower Defense in the genre. Upgrading plants, exterminating zombies, purchasing new types of vegetables will not allow the most hardcore player to get bored until the very end of the storyline. And then the casuals are left with their own garden, where they can breed new breeds of flowers, as well as grow them from seeds. All this in beautiful stylish cartoon graphics.Papers, Please
A dystopian state at the end of the 20th century, a flow of emigrants, low level life. More conspiracies, intrigues, underground and condemnation of the government. It is very difficult to do your job when human justice or the well-being of your family depends on your decisions.Walk"n Up
The Stanley Parable
Another mod, this time to Half-Life 2, which experienced a rebirth and became one of the best indie games of 2013. Light humor, two dozen endings in a game that lacks the most important thing - the process itself! However, the opportunity remains to simply follow other people's instructions, or go against the system and unravel the strange story of office clerk Stanley yourself.The Path
The game cut a new branch in the development of the “Game World Exploration” genre. The story of Little Red Riding Hood presented in a new dark way. Here there will be a story of formation on behalf of several girls and a mandatory attribute - a double ending inherent in any such work.Devil's Tuning Fork
The darkness, the huge house and scattered toys will make you feel like a child again, this time in a hellish nightmare. From the weapon there will be only the sound of a tuning fork, which will allow you to temporarily see the space around, and then the darkness will thicken again, making you blind and vulnerable.Strategies:
Defcon
World thermonuclear war simulator. Required arsenal: nuclear submarines, water, land and aircraft. Deliver surprise attacks and make agreements on a huge world map. There will be no winner in such a war, just try to survive.FTL: Faster than Light
The civil war is tearing the federation apart; only one ship was able to pass through the federation-controlled star system. You are the commander of this ship.In war, all means are good, but your ship always needs modifications and fuel changes. When the entire rebel fleet is on your tail, you need to explore space even faster, hide in nebulae and fight along the way. And perhaps it will be your help that will bring peace to the war-torn galaxy.
Darwinia
A forgotten genreless genre of the 80s, a cocktail of arcade, strategy, and action. Darwinia is a unique place of computer simulation, where, as in the upper world, battles, ideas, and viruses rage. This game also reached the masses and was praised by critics around the world.Meditation:
Osmos
The amazing adventures of a small cell in the world of the primordial broth. As you go through natural selection, you will become bigger and bigger, and your neighbors will become twice as smart and bigger! Watch your own exhaustion, remember: only the big ones dominate here!Eufloria
Exploration, action, construction - just a small list of what awaits you in this atmospheric game. An extraordinary, exciting style of small planets filled with marvelous structures that give birth to seeds of future warrior flowers. Take control of all the planets in the world of Eufloria through smart tactics and a global strategy of construction and resource layout. |
| Synthesis of strategy and meditation |
flOw
An unusual experiment in game design. Soothing music, pleasant colors and absolute non-linearity give the player a new gaming experience. Come up with your own tasks; flOw has no game guidelines. |
| Rising from the bottom of the food chain |
Musical:
Super Hexagon
An infinite prism inside of which a small polygon rotates. No innovation - twist the prism so that the polygon does not intersect the lines converging in front of you. A riot of colors rages in the mechanics and this process, verified to the very ends, drags on until another, second, third attempt.Audiosurf
Indie's answer to the popular one Guitar Hero. Play and listen to music. Play inside the music. Glide through the notes, performing virtuoso turns to the accompaniment of your favorite music collection. The best equalizer is inside Audiosurf.---
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Mashinky is a railway strategy simulator in which you have to build your own transport empire on a randomly generated map!
Already in RUSSIAN!
The game has been updated to version v21.02.2019.
Beacon- a sci-fi action game with roguelike elements, where, as a result of a crash, your ship ends up on an uncharted planet!
The main feature of the game is the main character's ability to improve himself using the DNA of the enemies he has killed!
The game has been updated from version 1.9.1a to 2.0a. The list of changes can be viewed.
Factorio- a large-scale 2D sandbox in which you have to prepare an alien planet for comfortable living of earth’s inhabitants!
You will mine resources, research technology, build infrastructure, automate production, and fight foreign enemies.
Use your imagination to design your factories, combining simple elements to create complex structures.
Apply management skills wisely to ensure that all this functions smoothly.
Added game soundtrack.
The GOG version of the game has been updated to v0.16.51.
The game has been updated from version 0.17.1 to 0.17.2. The list of changes can be viewed.
| No rating yet |
She Dreams Elsewhere- surreal JRPG style Undertale about dreams and how they reflect reality. You play as Talia Sullivan, a nervous, anxiety-ridden, comatose woman who embarks on a journey to overcome the nightmares that keep her from waking up, while discovering exactly how it happened to her. But some nightmares are harder to fight than others...
ClassiCube- a completely free copy, which has become more relevant than ever after Mojang disabled all servers Minecraft Classic. However, the game has a number of improvements compared to the original, such as improved optimization, support for texture packs, skins, a frame rate limiter and some new blocks, and if you want to play offline, there is a special single-player mode for this.
The game has been updated to v1.0.1.0 Beta.
IN Snowtopia You will create your own ski resort and meet the expectations of demanding visitors in an ever-changing world. Design ski runs, build cable cars, improve the resort, and manage the workforce to attract skiers of all kinds. Can you create a charming village or a sprawling ski network? It depends on you!
The game has been updated to v0.5.2.1. Changelog not found.
Terraforming Earth- a puzzle platformer where all levels are randomly generated. Take control of three separate robots with unique technological quirks, stranded on a desolate Earth. Help them work together to overcome randomly generated obstacles and restore life on the planet. When playing alone, switch between robots. You can also play with friends in local multiplayer co-op mode.
The game has been updated to v0.4.1. List of changes inside the news.
ΔV: Rings of Saturn - Shadows over the Rings- 2D space shooter. The year is 2273. The unexpected discovery of valuable minerals in Saturn's rings has sparked a cosmic gold rush. You control a ship that mines asteroids for resources in hopes of becoming rich, but you soon learn that all is not as it seems. Experience a hard-hitting sci-fi story backed by real-life physics and science.
The game has been updated to v0.54.0. List of changes inside the news.
Townsmen - A Kingdom Rebuilt- a colorful city-planning strategy simulator where you have to build the city of your dreams - from a run-down village to a medieval metropolis!
The game has been updated from version 2.1.0.2 to 2.1.1.3. The list of changes can be viewed.
This game tells the story of eight people whose daily lives instantly changed. They have just survived a plane crash and are now in the middle of a hopeless Alaskan winter forest. You play as one of the survivors. Overcome difficulties alone, or team up with others and do everything possible to return home.
Indie games have been around since the dawn of the industry, but over the past decade, as multimillion-dollar blockbusters flooded the market, the term has become increasingly used. Indie games today mean modest projects with minimal budgets. And independent developers, as a rule, have more freedom (and desire) to experiment, which is an unaffordable luxury for an ordinary blockbuster.
This selection is not a typical list of the best games of all time. Consider this an opportunity for discussion, not an ultimatum. Each of our employees chose their top ten games, then we mixed the lists and compiled a single selection. This could not have happened without mathematics.
So, without further ado, here are the 25 best indie games. If you like articles like this, then follow the links to find a list of the best PC games (all genres) and a selection of the 50 most significant projects in the gaming industry.
25. Gone Home
Release year: 2013 | Developer: Fullbright
Games don't always involve exterminating aliens, Nazis, and trolls in fantasy, sci-fi, or post-apocalyptic settings. But in most cases this is the formula that is used. Gone Home was not the first game to move away from these stereotypes and offer us an interesting story wrapped in meditative gameplay, but it successfully came out at a time when many were already fed up with the same type of AAA projects.
The reason for the success of Gone Home was the fact that Fullbright studio almost completely abandoned the cinematic presentation of the story, relying on completely different techniques. It's interactive in the sense that we walk around the house and learn the stories of its inhabitants, but the game also encourages us to think about those stories. There are a lot of walking simulators out there these days, but Gone Home stands out among them thanks to its deep storyline that raises a number of important questions.
24. Proteus
Release year: 2013 | Developer: David Kanaga
I love walking simulators, and I use that term without irony, but sometimes I find it difficult to connect with the story. Sometimes it seems drawn out, sometimes boring. But not in the case of Proteus, since in this game I myself am responsible for creating the story. The game takes me to a procedurally generated island and allows me to explore it, climb mountains and chase frogs. Here, of course, there is a general plot - that is, there is a certain sequence of events - but it is not very obvious. (I'll give you a hint: it's connected to the standing stones). If you need a plot, a climax and a resolution, then you will find them, but even without all this, relaxing walks around the island completely suit me.
23. Papers, Please
Release year: 2013 | Developer: Lucas Pope
Games are wonderful because they allow us to live someone else's life. For example, Snake Pass gives you the opportunity to literally walk in the skin of a snake, and Papers, Please, with its prohibitive level of bureaucracy, gives you the opportunity to play the role of a border guard living in a totalitarian regime.
Games often do little to convey the moral side of the topics covered, but Papers, Please, which is full of rather complex rules, is rare in similar projects, gives us tangible power over the destinies of people standing in line in front of the checkpoint. The game forces us to treat them with the utmost severity, because otherwise we may get a fine and return empty-handed to a starving family. And the process of checking documents itself leaves two feelings.
When you find inconsistencies in them, you feel like a real detective, but then you realize that you are depriving a person of the opportunity to get home, and this is not a pleasant feeling. Yes, it's a game about bureaucracy, but it's so intense that when I was given the key to a gun locker for my performance at work, I wanted it back. This is not a game where I would be interested in weapons.
I still remember the man who never became a citizen of the fictional country in Papers, Please - the old man who showed up time after time with fake documents. Sometimes their gender or date of birth was mixed up, sometimes the passport contained someone else’s photo. Each time his mistakes became more obvious, but his carefree attitude never changed.
I refused him a pass, but every time he smiled and said that he would definitely return, as if I were a waiter in his favorite restaurant. Papers, Please is a game where you have to make tough decisions, but what I felt most guilty about was that I never let this resilient old man into the country.
22. N++
Release year: 2016 | Developer: Metanet Software
In my first weeks of playing N++, I found myself thinking that I had found the perfect platformer. The sliding and floating movements of the main character were so easy to control, and the levels were so varied (over 5 thousand of them in total) that I was ready to spend an eternity in this game. And although I've played a couple dozen more platformers since then, N++ remains the only game in this genre that I regularly return to.
It's fun to play even when you're losing, and its emphasis on timing and testing reflexes isn't as nerve-wracking as Super Meat Boy. The entire game is minimalistic, from the level design to the experimental electronic soundtrack (this is one of the rare platformers where I don't want to turn down the music). Here we have the best of purebred platformers for PC - a concentration of everything that we love about this genre.
21. West of Loathing
Release year: 2017 | Developer: Asymmetric Publications
West of Loathing is packed with great humor, a great script and charming characters, so it's hard to leave the game even after you've completed the main story, solved all the (sometimes very tricky) puzzles and collected all the possible hats (and there are more than 50 of them in the game). At every step you can come across funny descriptions that either cause a modest smile or sincere laughter - and this even applies to the settings menu. Perhaps this is the only game in which I explored the world not so much for experience points and new things, but for lines of text.
20. Crypt of the Necrodancer
Release year: 2015 | Developer: Brace Yourself Games
Crypt of the Necrodancer is a cross between a rhythm game and a dungeon crawling RPG. An extremely unusual combination, but that’s what makes the game so attractive. Dance through pixelated dungeons accompanied by a gorgeous, rhythmic soundtrack to make your way further. Try to keep up the pace to kill monsters, and of course, don't forget to check out the shop whose owner is a big opera fan.
19. Bastion
Year of release: 2011 | Developer: Supergiant Games
Not one of those to whom I have advised to play Bastion has been disappointed. Everyone comments on the excellent storytelling and music, and each of these elements would be good on their own, but the way they interact is a real delight. For example, imagine: you're playing through a level when you suddenly hear a beautiful melody, thinking it's a regular soundtrack, but a little later you come across a musician playing this melody. Or take the narrator: at first it seems that he is needed only to bring you up to date, but over time he begins to react to your actions.
Bastion is an action RPG that tells the story of a destroyed city in the sky that is being rebuilt right before your eyes. In off-screen locations, absolutely nothing happens until you get to them. There is no inventory in the traditional sense - you are simply asked to choose two types of weapons from an ever-growing catalog, and the more unusual the combination, the funnier the narrator's comments. In addition, this significantly affects the gameplay. And if you are not satisfied with the combat system, then you can go to the settings and change the controls. I rarely praise the ability to change controls, but the settings in Bastion allow it to turn into a pure Diablo. Is not that great?.
18. Her Story
Release year: 2015 | Developer: Sam Barlow
Jodie: At one time, I really loved the TV series A Very English Murder. When it was at the peak of its popularity, it often featured episodes in which half the screen time was devoted to interrogating suspects, starring guest stars. The same thing can be seen in Her Story, only instead of the cops you are doing this, viewing the video archive and switching between recordings by entering keywords.
Part of Her Story's gameplay consists of watching videos, and part of it involves filling out your notebook with conspiracy theories like the ones Charlie wrote in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. During the passage of Fez, I didn’t even touch the paper (although I should have), whereas for the sake of Her Story I wrote dozens of sheets of paper.
But the influence of the game goes far beyond the monitor - I argued for a long time with friends who did not agree with my version of the events that happened in the game, proving to me that my theories were far-fetched. Perhaps I really got too carried away, but I don’t regret at all the time spent completing the game one hundred percent.
The concept we see in Her Story is hardly used in modern games, and therefore it creates an incredible effect. The dusty old computer screen sets a very convincing tone that makes you believe in everything that happens in the game. Her Story grabs you with its atmosphere from the very first seconds and doesn’t let go until the very end.
17. Dungeons of Dredmor
Year of release: 2011 | Developer: Gaslamp Games
Chris: I'm usually hesitant about turn-based strategy games and RPGs where subtle mistakes lead to stalemates hours later, but Dungeons of Dredmor immediately captivated me with its style and comedy. I never completed it: I didn’t meet Lord Dreadmore and only completed a few levels. But I liked even these levels due to the pleasant atmosphere, humor and surprisingly deep story.
The complexity of the game is offset by an incredible level of absurdity. You can turn your character into a communist vampire who wields Egyptian magic and commands mushrooms, or an emo wizard to battle hordes of strange robots, carrots, genies and other creatures.
I've returned to Dungeons of Dredmor time after time because it's a bit of a gamble and I don't mind losing. I never managed to defeat Dredmor, but I truly enjoyed creating random character with a fun set of skills with equally fun names like “Vegan Killer” or “Paranormal Detective”, even if I died on the first floors. This game encourages creativity. You can manually select your skills, but it's much more fun to trust the random selection system and get an unpredictable combination that will make each playthrough completely different from the previous one.
16. Lovely Planet
Release year: 2014 | Developer: QuickTequila
A first-person shooter doesn't always require gallons of blood and exploding heads. Look at Lovely Planet: it’s also a shooter, but in it we shoot colorful figures while in a colorful world. But what's so fun about a game where you have to shoot colorful figures (and where not a drop of blood is spilled)? The fact is that this is actually a platformer that combines the dynamics of Quake and the need for instant reaction, like in Super Meat Boy.
15. DEFCON
Year of release: 2006 | Developer: Introversion Software
DEFCON is one of those games that I can play forever. It's a simple, gritty real-time strategy game where nuclear war is an inexorable looming reality and "victory" could mean the death of millions in order to keep billions alive. In the early stages we place missile silos (as well as air defenses), airfields, radar stations, submarines, warships and aircraft carriers.
And when war begins, the only way to prevent the genocide of your people is to form fragile alliances only to bomb your former allies within minutes nuclear missiles, turning a blind eye to the fact that radioactive fallout will one way or another destroy all living things. The gloominess of what is happening is emphasized by the strict style of the map, on which reports of the dead are displayed in the form of dry numbers, which perfectly conveys the essence of modern wars
14. Oikospiel
Release year: 2017 | Developer: David Kanaga
Oikospiel is a game about dogs who develop an opera game. Yes, it's complicated. The official description from developer and composer David Kanaga reads: “Oikospielen is about a massive gaming festival called THE GEOSPIEL, planned for the year 2100. The producers of the opera, sponsored by the Animal Workers Union, are trying to attract the dogs who work on the games at Koch Games, but these dogs love their jobs and their boss, and therefore do not want to leave the company! Will it be possible to attract them to the Union?”
The game itself is as strange as its description. Oikospiel is a psychedelic (and moving) insight into the history of the gaming industry, raising important issues related to working conditions. And all this is accompanied by a wonderful soundtrack that perfectly emphasizes the atmosphere of the game.
13. The Stanley Parable
Release year: 2011 / 2013 | Developer: Galactic Cafe, William Pugh, Davy Wryden
Are you playing the game or is the game playing you? In modern games everything is illusory, and the possibility of choice comes down to two simple options. You are either good or bad, and there is simply no third option. The Stanley Parable is an inventive meta-criticism of the entire gaming industry and, at the same time, a Trojan horse filled with an existential crisis (and this is a topic close to all of us).
What happens if we turn away from the only true path, the one along which we are usually led by the hand? And if the game deliberately gives us the opportunity to deviate from this route (which in The Stanley Parable is spoken by the narrator), then is there any point in playing it at all? Hm. Makes me think.
When I first played The Stanley Parable, I did everything I was told. I knew that my actions would be commented on, and this was my way of protest - not to go against the system, although this was exactly what was expected of me. I admit it was stupid. Playing The Stanley Parable for the first time is completely different. Disobey the rules, go where you are told not to, hide in the back rooms and refuse to come out. The full charm of The Stanley Parable is revealed precisely when you do everything contrary to the words of the narrator.
12. SOMA
Release year: 2015 | Developer: Frictional Games
Survival horror games often boil down to the fact that players are asked to destroy crowds of the undead by any means at hand, but Soma stands out clearly from such games. You won't find any weapons at this underwater research facility, and enemies are extremely rare. Most of the time you're just looking at objects, but Frictional studio delivers this activity at the proper level.
The developers managed to create an atmosphere of horror and despair, in which even ordinary dark corridors evoke fear, not to mention the gloomy underwater landscapes. And the ending of Soma - even if you're not a particular fan of slow horror - completely justifies the game. The game has much fewer screamers than, for example, Amnesia, but this only benefits it.
I recommend trying SOMA even for those who don't like the horror genre. Download the aptly named Wuss Mode mod from the Steam Workshop to prevent monsters from harming you so you can focus on the atmosphere of the game. Of course, you won't have to hide anymore, but that doesn't mean the game can't really scare you.
11. Thumper
Release year: 2016 | Developer: Drool
Sean: Thumper is like a revived, unpleasant in every sense, melody of the industrial genre with admixtures of techno. In our selection of the best PC games, Evan described it as “a documentary sketch showing your path after death to heaven or hell,” which is the most accurate description games in my memory. Of course, first of all, this is a harsh game in which timing is everything, but it looks like a joint brainchild of director Gaspar Noe and the musical group Laibach.
10. Nidhogg 2
Release year: 2017 | Developer: Messhof Games
Bo: I don't really like games with local multiplayer, but I just couldn't pass up Nidhogg. Resembling a mix of fencing and tug-of-war, Nidhogg's 1v1 bouts are fast-paced but intense battles that test both your reflexes and your fighting skills every second. The game has a fairly low barrier to entry, but at the same time it has strategic depth, which will not be mastered immediately.
The recently released Nidhogg 2 improves on all of its predecessor's mechanics, adding a grotesque clay animation style and a variety of weapons to make combat even more exciting. As a result, we have a great fighting game that simply cannot get boring (in our office this is a kind of sports discipline, and large bets are usually made on the outcome of battles).
9. Fez
Year of release: 2012 | Developer: Polytron Corp
Sean: Fez is much deeper than it seems at first glance, and the older you are, the more clearly you understand this. It's a mixture of a platformer and a puzzle game, where the concepts of 2D and 3D merge into one. The game's protagonist is tasked with exploring the sudden appearance of a third dimension in a two-dimensional world that previously managed without it, and this is a clear allusion to the condemnation of progress.
And as you progress through Fez, when the world becomes more and more hostile, the game opens up on several levels at once. We begin to realize that some inconvenient truths have always been right in front of our eyes, but we stubbornly refused to notice them. This may motivate some to dig deeper, searching for hidden meanings and secrets (and there are indeed a lot of them in Fez).
Fez is a game about the hidden areas of our world, the existence of which almost everyone knows, but prefers to remain silent. This is a beautiful and at the same time sad game with exciting gameplay. Fez has not aged even 5 years after its release - it still evokes a storm of emotions and prompts important thoughts.
After the fairly simple tutorial levels, every discovery and decision in Fez felt like a big win. I love those moments in games when I say to myself: “This decision can’t be right,” and a little later I discover that my crazy theory turned out to be the only one the right approach. And that's what Fez is all about. It shows that an incredible amount of effort was put into the game; Each level here is carefully checked to the smallest detail, and for each task someone clearly spent many weeks, if not months, collecting it piece by piece and bringing it into perfect shape.
8. Night in the Woods
Release year: 2017 | Developer: Infinite Fall
Most of the most notable indie games have been in the adventure genre, but it wasn't until 2017 that a game was released that made the most of elements of that genre. We're talking about Night in the Woods. As sweet cat Mae Borowski, who decides to drop out of college, we return to the quiet rural town of her childhood. The city is experiencing its decline, and the same can be said about May herself.
Her life has taken a different turn than Mae (and her family) had hoped, and much of Night in the Woods is spent reflecting on this topic. Exploring the area around Possum Springs is fun without context, but the way Night in the Woods wraps a coming-of-age story into a puzzle-filled adventure is admirable.
7. Kentucky Route Zero
Year of release: 2013-… | Developer: Cardboard Computer
I honestly wanted to wait. I wanted to wait until all 5 episodes of Kentucky Route Zero were released so I could binge them. This is exactly how I played through The Walking Dead - it took me a week, but I got all the emotions from the game at once. But I still couldn’t resist and launched Kentucky Route Zero, because a poet I knew recommended it to me, and this doesn’t happen often. And I understand why he liked it even in its unfinished form. The script for Kentucky Route Zero is simply beautiful and hits the mark. Just like when someone calls office bureaucracy a “paper maze” or describes topology as “the science of continuous space.”
Kentucky Route Zero is a modern adventure game where progression through the story is driven more by choices and dialogue than by solving puzzles. The story initially revolves around the search for an abandoned highway, but the game soon dives deep into American mythology, where mysterious roads are the least strange element. I don’t want to spoil it, but I can’t help but tell you about one funny detail - the game has an elevator, one of the buttons in which is labeled “third floor (bears).” It's hard to resist pressing it.
The game is reminiscent of novels in many ways, but Kentucky Route Zero is a great homage to classic games. For example, the phrase “a tangled labyrinth of paths” that appears throughout the game is a reference to the text adventure game Colossal Cave Adventure. The same applies to the first lifted object - the lamp. Some of the early PC games manipulated words simply because they had nothing else to surprise them with. Kentucky Route Zero manipulates words because the creators really enjoy the process. It’s hard to explain why this is attractive, but I’m just a journalist. There should have been a poet in my place now.
6. Stardew Valley
Release year: 2016 | Developer: Eric Baron
Rarely are games as enjoyable as Stardew Valley. Having grown up with the Harvest Moon series, I was glad that Stardew took the same formula but in a PC gaming setting. Stardew sheds many of Nintendo's puritanical taboos (same-sex marriage and sexual innuendo, for example), but still retains the original's farming and crop-growing charm. There's also a vibrant city to explore, mysterious caves, and plenty of fish to catch. I've spent about 80 hours in Stardew Valley, and I'm sure I'll spend the same amount more.
5.Undertale
Release year: 2015 | Developer: Toby Fox
Wes: My friend and I finished Undertale in one sitting. At first, the game attracts with its originality, then it gives rise to determination, asking you to understand the complex combat system without prompts, and after a few hours you gain respect for the creators for the impeccable delivery of jokes and excellent processing of familiar RPG themes and mechanics. Comparisons of this game with the Super Nintendo RPG called Earthbound, alas, are not in favor of the latter: Undertale is incredible smart game, which treats its audience the same way, and therefore manages to surprise even the most experienced gamer.
I think everyone should play it at least once. You'll appreciate either the humor, the challenge of the game, the ability to choose from multiple playstyles, the awesome boss battles, Toby Fox's clever use of the Game Maker engine, the prospect of a "true" ending, or all of the above. . The game looks simple, but there are many surprises hidden in it.
4. Kerbal Space Program
Release year: 2015 | Developer: Squad
Chris: It doesn't matter if you're serious about science and simulation, or just looking for fun game, where you can launch astronauts into space (or watch rockets explode upon launch), Kerbal is the perfect sandbox for you. One of the reasons it's fun to play is that it's full of moments where you realize you've worked hard, like the first time you fly into orbit, land on the moon, or bring back astronauts safely. and safety back to Earth. But at the same time, even failures are not particularly upsetting (and provide important lessons).
KSP is both simple and complex: missiles can be assembled or rebuilt in minutes, but to conquer solar system filigree precision will be required. Nice graphics and detailed physics will appeal to everyone - from fans of space games to real scientists working on creating rockets.
3. Hollow Knight
Release year: 2017 | Developer: Team Cherry
The best Metroidvania game in years, and that's probably because Team Cherry didn't set out to make a game exactly like Metroid. They made a 2D action game with a chic art style, where every detail was hand-drawn, choosing a dying man as the setting underworld beetles, and based on this concept, the game we know was created. A game with excellent controls and an excellent combat system, where every attack feels exactly as it should. Fighting and movement are based on the basic mechanics of jumping, dodging and attacking - that is, all the capabilities that we have from the very beginning. Here skills are much more important than improvements.
Hollow Knight rarely directly tells you where to go or what to do, which sparks interest in exploring new locations and new abilities. This is what the whole game is based on. The world shown in it is simply huge and much more detailed than it seems at first glance, and therefore even after several dozen hours you may not have learned even half of everything that is put into the game. The Super Nintendo had Super Metroid; PlayStation had Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Perhaps Hollow Knight differs in many ways from these projects, but in terms of the quality of execution it is in no way inferior to them, and therefore we can safely continue this series and say: the PC has Hollow Knight.
2.Darkest Dungeon
Release year: 2016 | Developer: Red Hook Studios
Feeling of constant anxiety. Most developers of this style of RPG try to avoid this feeling, but it is an integral component of Darkest Dungeon. To describe the game in a nutshell, it's a dungeon crawler, but the dungeons here don't have a fairy-tale atmosphere - they're just dark and gloomy. Moreover, we need to monitor the psychological state of our team (and this is not an easy task, since the game is clearly inspired by the works of Lovecraft), and therefore you rarely feel calm in this RPG. Darkest Dungeon's gloomy mood and constant play on emotions makes it a truly outstanding representative of the genre.
I like that the archetypes presented in the game are more fighters than magicians. Only one class can cast spells here, and otherwise Darkest Dungeon relies on melee weapons, poisons, bloody fights and crossbows. All the battles in the game, not least thanks to the stunning 2D effects and sound work, feel like real ones, and therefore can be physically exhausting. There's also a nice contrast here with the DD monsters, which make the blood-sucking, tentacled beasts look much more convincing.
1. Spelunky
Year of release: 2008, 2013 | Developer: Mossmouth
When I first started Spelunky, it only lasted me 10 minutes. Then I read Graham Smith's review of the game and reluctantly installed it again. And I still remember what attracted me on the second try: I lifted the golden mask, there was a roar, and a huge cobblestone crashed through the ceiling, killing a character standing nearby. I laughed involuntarily, waking up my neighbor. At that moment I fell in love with Spelunky.
Thousands of lines have already been written about Spelunky's systems for interacting with the outside world, the game's ability to tell compelling stories, and its high complexity. And I subscribe to each of these lines, because I believe that Spelunky has already become a classic of the genre, even despite the fact that it was released relatively recently. I often download it for a couple of hours just to plunge back into the world of the game and feel its atmosphere.
This is a wonderful game that can warm the heart of any gamer. In addition, it became the first game that personally demonstrated to me that an independent project, which was once distributed free of charge, managed to contain so much: a huge number of stories, events and simply pleasant moments. I’ll leave here a gorgeous 87u6ZAb_EB8 cover of one of the game’s tunes.
Even 4 years after its release, Spelunky deservedly takes its place at the top of this list. The way the hero interacts with traps, enemies and objects is simply unparalleled. Brilliant implementation. It's worth mentioning Spelunky's daily missions, which mix the classic arcade spirit with randomly generated levels. Interestingly, before the release of this game, this genre was known for the absence of such daily tasks, but since then they began to appear in every second project.
Worth mentioning
Coming up with a list of the 25 best indie games wasn't easy. There are many games left overboard that we would like to include in the selection. Therefore, we present to your attention 10 more projects that should not be ignored, but which for one reason or another did not make it into the top 25.
- Cave Story+ (2011): Cave Story, a beautiful pixelated metroidvania first released in 2004, inspired thousands of similar platformers that appeared over the next 13 years. But in this game, now called Cave Story+, you can find the origins of everything you love about this genre.
- Audiosurf (2008): Dylan Fitterer's 2008 interactive visualizer (and its equally excellent 2013 sequel) lets you take MP3s from your music collection and turn them into a cosmic rollercoaster. The tempo of the music determines the speed and winding of the route, as well as the placement of blocks to dodge and power-ups to collect. Try starting with the song Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush.
- Mark of the Ninja (2012): An inventive 2D stealth platformer that encourages creativity. Dodging attacks and enemies in Mark of the Ninja is quite easy, but it’s even more interesting to use your imagination in the process. And teasing enemies in a beautifully rendered world is a pleasure.
- Braid (2008): A timeless example of how a slight change to an old formula and the ability to approach a project with passion can create a classic. Jonathan Blow's time manipulation system works wonders in this 2D platformer, but Braid's appeal lies in its touching story, told mostly through hints.
- Hotline Miami (2012): Undoubtedly one of the most stylish and brutal pixel action games for PC. Hotline Miami is similar to puzzle games in that players must "solve" a challenge in each level to figure out the fastest and deadliest route. And the unique soundtrack will not leave your head for a long time.
- Stephen's Sausage Roll (2016): This is a game about frying sausages. But for some reason, you have to chase these sausages through mazes to get them to the grill. It's better not to ask unnecessary questions. If you are looking for a challenging puzzle game, then this game should be perfect for you.
- Don't Starve (2013)): Klei's 2013 Survival is still one of the best in its genre, which is quite surprising for a game that started out in early access. You can think of it as a kind of translation of Edward Gorey's book into a gaming space where you can be eaten by dogs or starve to death during a long winter (the title of the game suggests such thoughts), but in any case it is interesting to play.
- Devil Daggers (2016): A first-person shooter with one single level, which is a hellish arena in which the enemies are flying skulls, snakes and other items from the album cover of any heavy metal band. Here's the essence of the best Quake shootouts, condensed into 10 seconds. Or up to 20 if you have a really good reaction.
- Life is Strange (2015): The first episode, as well as the last, looks a bit damp. But in the three remaining episodes, Life is Strange clearly shows what it's like to be a teenager - insecure and reckless at the same time. The game then gives you the ability to rewind time to correct your mistakes, a kind of adult alternative to realizing that your teenage ideas weren't good. (None of them).
- Gravity Bone (2008): Games about spies are rare, as are games that borrow elements from films and remain standalone works. In just 20 minutes, Gravity Bone will make you feel like a real spy from the film and will not allow you to doubt that the game version is many times greater better. Further games from Blendo Games – Thirty Flights of Loving (2012) and Quadrilateral Cowboy (2016) develop the ideas inherent in Gravity Bone.
Tired of games from well-known manufacturers who simply churn out the same games in new packaging? Then our top best indie games are for you! Games from independent developers are getting better and better every year, which means that the gaming industry is taking off.
TOP 10 best indie games on PC
10th place: Terraria
An exciting game in the style of Minecraft. But in this game, unlike the same Minecraft, there is already. This game drags its world into a very long period of time. After all, here in front of you is a whole bunch of different objects from which you can create something amazing. There are also the most powerful monsters you can imagine. In this game you can build a lot of things, for example your house and even more you can build your village. And gradually, as you progress through this game, you will be given more and more opportunities. It is with this game that we decided to start our top of the best indie games on PC.
9th place: Transistor
The game is a dynamic role-playing game in the steampunk style. The game has many different missions, as a result of which you will gradually improve your character and his skills. Separately, it is worth noting the storyline, it was done very well and will impress any gamer. Despite the fact that this game was made by indie developers, it turned out to be very well-developed and full of various surprises. Perhaps the most important feature of this game can be called strategy; you have to plan every step. This is especially noticeable in battles. As you understand, the questions could not help but put this game in our top of the best indie games of 2015. (+- a couple of years)
7th place: Shovel Knight
Banner is a two-dimensional game in which we can see the development of the plot about the Knight with a shovel. In this game you can find many surprising moments, and highlight for yourself a very interesting gameplay, which is simply perfectly implemented. It is also worth recalling that this game was nominated for many awards, and even became the best indie game of its year. As you understand, it was simply impossible not to include such a game in our top best indie games on PC.
6th place: Child of Light
Before us role-playing game in the platformer genre. The special feature of this game is the amazing, but at the same time simple combat system, and the plot perfectly complements it. It received particular recognition for its similarity to full games from famous studios, but at the same time it remains an indie game with independent developers. An amazing world that is drawn very high quality, really inspires the feeling that you are in a fairy tale. A technically simple yet visually beautiful game earns 6th place in our house of best indie games.
TOP 5 best indie games on PC
5th place: The Banner Saga
A game in which we can see shades of the series Game of Thrones. A classic role-playing system in which we can see a clear development by the creators, who, despite such excellent gameplay, are also independent developers. The plot tells the story of a small tribe of Vikings who live their own lives, and you have to deal with the difficulties that stand in their way, and in your way, with the help of dialogues. The game, like the rest of the predecessors of our top, is simply amazing in its elaboration, and will not leave any experienced Gamer without positive emotions. An honorable 5th place in our top of the best indie games.
4th place: The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Before you is a unique cross that absorbs you until the very end. The story of this game will be told by this active player who knows how to look into the past and he will have to solve one unusual case. However, this is not a simple game at all, because all of our character’s conclusions have to be made by us personally. This game is an example of how a good game doesn't have to be a fighting game or an action game. Of course we are included in our top 5 best indie games on PC.
3rd place: Flower
Despite the fact that the game was created for the PlayStation console, my wife and I decided to include it in the best indie games. Firstly, loyalty calls us, and secondly, for the quality of processing. Similar Igors have never existed before, here we are simply Flying through a field of flowers in the form of the wind. This game is very calming and gives a feeling of bliss and humility.
2nd place: The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
Serenade is a two-dimensional adventure game. A funny fact is that it was created based on the game The Legend of Zelda, Well, now we can watch the dark humor, and various kinds subtext in the scenes. An amazing plot that is perfectly intertwined with humor and unusual situations deserves second place in our top indie games on PC.
1st place: Amnesia: The Dark Descent
An amazing game that will tickle your nerves. All the worst clichés from all over the world are collected here, but clichés in a good way. The darkness that chases you or unusual sounds chills your bones. This is definitely the best indie game of 2015 and in general in recent years on PC. So if you haven’t played this Indie project yet, be sure to check it out today!
In contact with
Finally, I would like to tell you about indie games of the last six years. There are an insane number of them; listing only some of them is already difficult. And I tried to choose the best of them. Let's get started.
Super Meat Boy
Super Meat Boy key for 315 rubles.
One of the most famous indie games that appeared in this world. Super Meat Boy is primarily famous for sending you into a state of rage every time you fail at something. No, it's not about the game, of course. She talks about a meat man who lived with his girlfriend and did not grieve, but an evil embryo in a jar stole the other half and the protagonist and took it for himself. The meat guy just needs to pull himself together and save his beloved!
There are six worlds in the game, each of which has about 20 levels on normal and hellish difficulty. Each difficulty is played separately, so I can't say that you can choose here (for example, in the hell world there is always one warp zone). You'll have to jump through levels, bounce off walls, dodge monsters, projectiles and everything else that can kill your hero.
From the very beginning you won't understand exactly why the game is difficult, but as you try to beat the hellish difficulty in the second world, you will begin to imagine what will happen in the end. There are also boss battles that are quite interesting and unusual. What can be standard there when the hero cannot touch anything. I don’t recommend the game to “100% people”: trying to complete everything with A+, collecting all the patches and finding all the “warp zones”, he might just break something. Or simply not notice how thirsty he is and get dehydrated. The game is fascinating.
Spelunky
Spelunky key for 430 rubles.
Spelunky is fun adventure, which will send you exploring dangerous but rich mines. This is not just an adventure, as it has a touch of the beloved roguelike. You will control a rather big-nosed but cute gold digger who came to the mines for profit and girls to save. The more gold you collect, the better for you. But there are two points that definitely set the makings of a roguelike here: after death, everything starts over again and each time the levels are generated differently.
The main character has in his arsenal a whip, a grappling hook and many other things that he can use during his journey. For example, by placing a bomb, you can clear your way, but you must be extremely careful. There are 16 levels in total, four worlds, and in each you will find as many dangers as possible. At first the game seems very cute and interesting, but after playing for a couple of hours, you begin to understand that this is a real bloody mess that requires you to beat your hands into mush and hone your reaction to an animal one.
You die from everything, be it your bomb, a rat, a trap, or a merchant who was insulted by you. It seems that the creation of the game began with the fact that the developers came up with ways to die, and not something else. But this doesn't make the game bad - on the contrary. Therefore, the more you die, the more experience you gain. All roguelikes from all years work according to this system: in none of the roguelikes can you simply pick up and not die over 1000 times. A game for those who love a challenge. For those who love gold. And also for those who love achievements on Steam (I love them).
Braid
Braid key for 435 rub.
This is a platform puzzle game developed by just one person. Braid turned out great, and therefore, of course, I send great rays of respect to the developer. The story is quite mysterious, although it tells about a boy named Tim who wants to save the princess from the monster. The plot gives a lot of clues that present the story in the form of a bunch of interpretative inserts: from a simple separation to the development of an atomic bomb.
There will be six worlds in total, but you will begin your journey from the second. Later you will understand everything. If, of course, you can beat the game. It is really very complex and falls into the very list of standard puzzles in which freedom of movement around the level is given, but it is not said exactly how and what to do. I had to think about some levels for hours. If you don't give up, sooner or later you will be able to understand what's what, don't worry.
All ideas will be related to time management. You can go back in time at any moment, fall into a “slowdown loop,” divide your fate into two segments, and even move time only in one direction. Such puzzles have never appeared on our computers before, and therefore it is simply impossible to prepare for such a game in advance. Pull yourself together, warn your brains and go ahead!
Don't Starve
Don’t Starve key for 315 rubles.
An excellent indie adventure game with a well-executed survival component. Don't Starve talks about a lot of people (all characters can be unlocked as you progress) who find themselves in a world created by Maxwell - a strange man who looks more like a butler than some kind of villain. Now the game has two modes: survival and adventure.
In the first, you need to survive as long as possible. The longer you live, the more experience you gain and the more characters you unlock. Each character, except the very first, has interesting abilities. Although the first one too: he has a growing beard. But also through Maxwell's portal you can get into an Adventure that will give you hours and even days of enthusiastic playthrough.
Now the version is stable, but multiplayer is being developed, which would make the game even more interesting and richer. Total in Don't Starve has 11 characters, and therefore, most likely, it will be possible to combine heroes with good skills and make the game a little easier and much more interesting. It will be especially interesting to go through the adventure together. Therefore, of course, we hope and wait.
VVVVVV
Key VVVVVV for 135 rubles.
Another good game that was developed by just one person, although another did the music. Now this platformer has been on many platforms, including mobile ones. It is made in a very interesting Atari style, where almost nothing is clear and looks boxy, but at the same time it still remains quite interesting and exciting.
The story tells about a spaceship on which an accident occurred. The captain of the ship - a brave and attractive pixel man - is going to get his entire crew out of this problem, and for this he will have to go through dozens of different levels, which are full of dangers, enemies and other things. Our protagonist cannot jump, but he can change the gravitational field. That is, it can stand both on the floor and on the ceiling. In this case, the camera will not change.
The game does not like those who do not like to strive for victory: levels in VVVVVV is terribly difficult and no one is going to help you. Only the bravest and most patient will be able to reach the end. Don't break anything while you play. It will be a pity for the monitor. It’s better to take a sedative right away and start playing. By the way, the music in this game is simply magnificent. I'm crazy about her.
Terraria
Terraria key for 115 rubles.
2D indie sandbox, which is the second acclaimed indie, where you can build whatever you want, after the well-known Minecraft. As you can imagine, you will see things a little differently in the game. For example, since it would be very difficult to play if you could only see one block below you, you are given the ability to see everything within about a 10 block radius.
IN Terraria, as in Minecraft, there is no goal and therefore impossible to complete. But the first one has quite a lot of interesting moments that are not found in other games. For example, as soon as you build a house, NPCs will start coming to you. How more rooms and fulfilled conditions, the more useful people you will have: salespeople, a nurse, and so on. You may be attacked by goblins, the night of the blood moon may begin, you may fight with a huge eye, a skeleton, an underground worm, and so on. So many things to do!
And how much in Terraria of interesting biomes (lands): deserts, plains, jungles, dark lands and many others. You can even go down to hell and fight with a huge wall, after which life will seem to you one of the most difficult things in this world: everything will become much more complicated and interesting. You can collect statues, artifacts, visit flying islands and everything else that exists. You can also easily play with friends. What else is needed for happiness?
The Binding of Isaac
The Binding of Isaac key for 185 rubles.
In theory, Binding of Isaac is the friendliest roguelike out there today. All you need: randomly generated levels, death is the whole game, hundreds of different items that you can pick up and put on yourself, dozens of different mini-bosses and bosses and a pretty interesting story. And characters to discover. And scenarios that can also be completed. So many things, so many things! This game will captivate anyone who can live in it for at least two floors. I went through it myself.
The plot is based on one of the biblical stories. She will tell the story of Isaac and his mother, who lived happily ever after until a strange voice from heaven tells the mother to take everything away from her son. A little more and she will try to kill him, but the protagonist Isaac manages to escape from the house in time using a hatch under the carpet. This is where his adventures begin. Total in Binding of Isaac, by the way, has 13 endings. Who would have thought.
The game has such interesting moments as “super secret” rooms, deals with the devil, main bosses and so on. You need to play about a hundred or two times to collect all the items and find all the secrets of this wonderful roguelike. By the way, it should be out very soon Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, which should be three times more interesting than its predecessor. I'm waiting for her myself. Although sometimes I see writings about the fact that it came out. Isn't that true?
Limbo
Limbo key for 190 rubles.
Limbo is an indie platformer that's part puzzle and part horror. It tells the story of a boy who lost his sister and goes on a search, finding himself on the edge of the hell in which he finds himself. You will need to solve a bunch of different riddles, otherwise you won’t be able to complete the game: everything that exists in this world will try to kill you or run away from you. Nobody wants to be friends with a lost boy. Otherwise you will have to take responsibility.
Limbo is terribly atmospheric: everything is in gray colors and looks quite scary when you see it for the first time. I especially don't like maggots that enter the brains of other creatures and control them. You will also have to “fight” with such people. And so, you don’t have a weapon with which you could just pick up and kill someone. For some, the game can cause attacks of uncontrollable rage and small cracks in the brain.
Mark of the Ninja
Mark of the Ninja key for 275 rubles.
A good indie stealth action game that will tell the story of a ninja called the Champion. Unlike others, he does not have a sane name, but this does not make the game worse, believe me. The entire passing technique will lean towards the “No one will see me” pass: you will have to avoid contact with the enemy and disarm traps. The protagonist can also hide in all sorts of hatches and behind interior items, if they are present at all.
The main weapon owned by the Champion is a sword, with which you can make silent kills, as well as bamboo darts, which are not needed for killing, but are useful in cases where you need to destroy a light source or distract the enemy's attention with an unknown knock in a dark corner. But even though you have a weapon, you can complete the game without touching anyone you meet (Good ending from Dishonored turned out the same way).
You may also encounter rooms with puzzles, hidden artifacts, bonus tasks that are given at each level, and much more. Naturally, from Mark of the Ninja will be crazy fans of ninja themes (70% of them are children, but still), as well as those who love playing games that require absolute silence and caution from the player.
Papers, Please
Key Papers, Please for 315 rubles.
Papers, Please is a great indie game that doubles as an immigration worker simulator. You will have to sit in a small booth and check the documents of visiting residents, identify inconsistencies and, as a result, let the poor things through or kick them out, depending on the situation. They will give you a stick both for a person who was not allowed through without a reason, and for an immigrant who forged or forgot any documents.
You will have to work with everyone in the queue for quite a long time: you need to check the consistency of the date, photograph and everything else. Even if it turns out that the passport indicated female gender instead of male, and you missed a person with such documents, you will be issued a warning for dishonest work. Try your best, otherwise you will be shot and hanged in the main square. And they will rob you. They always treat lazy people like that there. And also remember the instructions from your superiors: sometimes you will have to deny passage to certain residents.
For those who do not know English, this game will be difficult and incomprehensible: many instructions and other points related to your work may be missed, and then you cannot avoid slaps in the face. But any person who forges documents may turn out to be a criminal who will shoot half of your city. And the game may seem disgusting for those who adore beautiful graphics: there are none here. Did I scare you? Then go ahead! Glory to Artstotska!
Fez
Fez key for 150 rubles.
This is an indie puzzle game that will take you into a 2D... no, 3D... no, still 2D world. In fact, this is not clear here: you are in the second dimension, but at any moment you can change it to another. In total, as you understand, there should be four of them, if you do not take into account the unrealized opportunities that move you, for example, under the main character (Although such an opportunity would destroy the entire wonderful idea of the developers)
The story tells about a small and sweet man named Gomez, who lived all his life in a two-dimensional world. One day, he found a three-dimensional cube, which, of course, seemed terribly strange to him. He gave the protagonist a fez, wearing which you can explore the world in three dimensions. Now he has to find parts of a hypercube that recently exploded, otherwise the whole world will be plunged into darkness and all creatures will die. Hurry!
In total you will have to collect 32 cubes, which are scattered throughout the world. You will have to go through all sorts of dungeons and other pits in order to find at least one piece. As soon as you play for a couple of hours, you will immediately be able to calmly navigate this 2-3D space. Fez is definitely worth the trek.
The Stanley Parable
The Stanley Parable key for 555 rubles.
In my own opinion Stanley Parable is simply godlike. An excellent plot, dozens of endings, a wonderful voice of the announcer who directs our lives in the right direction and wonderful humor. I'm ready to shake hands with both the developer and the screenwriter. The game will tell about the life of an office worker. But we all know that office work is the worst job in the world. Now you can find out why.
The story will tell how one fine day the cycle of the “office worker” was interrupted: all the protagonist’s colleagues disappeared. There is no one left in the building where he worked, and only you decide what to do now. From the very beginning you will be greeted by a narrator with a beautiful voice who seems to be simply explaining what's what, but in fact he is a very interesting person who will actually talk to you. If you want to start looking at the world with different eyes, this game is definitely for you.
Crypt of the NecroDancer
Crypt of the NecroDancer key for 250 rubles.
One of the best indie games to ever come out. Honestly. Crypt of the NecroDancer is a roguelike with the rules we know: if you die, you start from the very beginning, each new game always looks completely different, and you can always unlock new things to play through, fight bosses and, finally, , get to the end of the game, which is incredibly difficult. But you will do all this... To the music! Yes, movement and attack are carried out only at a certain speed, under the “beat”, and the monsters move under it. If you try to move as usual, you will stand in a stupor. This is the game.
The graphics just look great, as does the art in general. The monsters look very interesting, and the concept for the bosses is very unusual. Each monster has different counters (for example, one of the enemy knights, when hit, will retreat to a square, and in the next “bit” will make a dash towards the character), and it would be nice to know these counters by heart, if, of course, you want to I'd like to beat the game once.
There are a lot of characters, each of which represents completely different mechanics. For example, one of the heroes does not use conventional weapons at all, but has an endless supply of bombs that cause enormous damage to enemies. You won't believe how dynamic it is Crypt of the NecroDancer, and how long it can drag on. The music is great, but you can choose something from your own Steam collection: the program itself will adjust to the desired beat. Are you ready to reach the end of the game? Are you ready to die thousands of times and learn from your mistakes? Then go ahead!
IN Shadow of the Colossus was pretty much the same, but I think there were a little more bosses. And it was much more breathtaking. However, for an indie game Titan Souls is almost too good. Its pixelated environment, despite its simplicity, is still fascinating, and each boss boasts unique attacks and characteristics. You... A regular guy, who has only a sword and a bow. But even with these things, he will defeat anyone, as long as the player has straight arms.
No upgrades, no levels. This is not a Korean grindhouse where you don’t even have to think, oh no. That's why I can't say more without spoiling anything. So go ahead and sing, a huge line of bosses has already lined up for you, wanting to compete.
Undertale
This concludes the list of indie games. I’m also ready to announce that our lists of games for 2009-2015 have also ended. It is not clear whether there will be similar lists for other temporary passages, but we will keep you updated on this matter.