There was no shortage of high quality, AAA releases throughout 2023. Alongside the rush of excellent remakes and compelling sequels, this was also a fantastic year for indie games as well! Here are some of my favorite indie titles from this past year.
World of Horror
Developed by PaweÅ‚ KoźmiÅ„ski, Published by Ysbyrd GamesAvailable on macOS, Windows, Switch, PlayStation 4/5After years of being in early access on Steam, this Junji Ito inspired roguelite meets visual novel RPG hybrid got its long awaited 1.0 release on PC and consoles. This episodic mystery thriller has tremendous replay value thanks to it’s numerous endings and support for player mods.Â
DredgeDeveloped by Black Salt Games, Published by Team 17Available on Windows, Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/XThis compelling blend of cosmic dread and fishing hooked many players on Steam and consoles this year! The latest DLC adds several hours of gameplay to this sleeper hit.
Alien Hominid InvasionDeveloped and Published by The BehemothAvailable on Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and SwitchThe long awaited follow up to Alien Hominid provides chaotic run-n-gun gameplay with friends. Behemoth also made the game accessible to players of all skill sets, allowing players to set their own difficulty parameters even in multiplayer!Â
Wandering SwordDeveloped by The Swordsman Studio, Published by Spiral Up GamesAvailable on WindowsFans of HD 2D JRPGs and wuxia / Chinese martial arts stories should definitely check out this hidden gem. The developers have been actively updating the game with additional features, more customization options, and an improved localization.Â
Bomb Rush CyberfunkDeveloped and Published by Team ReptileAvailable on Windows, Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/XThis indie is perhaps the best spiritual successor to Jet Set Radio. It adds its own unique wrinkles like additional traversal options, combat, and good incentives for doing tricks. It even features banging musical contributions from the original Jet Set Radio composer, Hideki Naganuma.
Slay the PrincessDeveloped and Published by Black Tabby GamesAvailable on Linux, macOS, and WindowsThis is an enthralling, fully voiced(!) visual novel where your choices actually carry weight. Whether you follow the game’s objective or not, the game takes players on a wild, emotional ride throughout its numerous outcomes.
Sea of StarsDeveloped and Published by Sabotage StudiosAvailable on Windows, Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/XFrom the studio behind The Messenger comes a beautiful, hand drawn 2D RPG inspired by classics such as Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG. The soundtrack even includes contributions from Chrono Trigger composer Yasunori Mitsuda.
GyltDeveloped and Published by Tequila WorksAvailable on Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PlayStation 4/5This former Stadia exclusive found new life and new platforms to haunt this year! Fans of Alan Wake and Silent Hill may find themselves intrigued by this spooky adventure.Â
Ember KnightsDeveloped by Doom Turtle, Published by Twin Sails InteractiveAvailable on Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PlayStation 4/5, and Switch.This is another long awaited ear access game that finally launched this year on PC and consoles. It’s a fun, Hades like experience built around co-op, both local and online!
Astlibra RevisionDeveloped by KEIZO, Published by WhisperGamesAvailable on Windows and SwitchThis critical darling from 2022 has also gotten a console release this past year. Astlibra Revision is a Nihon Falcom inspired 2D action RPG that offers many hours of intense gameplay and a surprisingly dense story.Â
