Best Indie Adventure Games of 2023
What are the best indie adventure games of 2023? Find out here, including Tchia, A Space for the Unbound, Children of Silentown, and more!
A good adventure game takes you on a tour through a fantastic world and invites you to meet fascinating characters. No wonder, then, that our list of best indie adventure games of 2023 features journeys and narratives that will surprise and engage. Regardless of your platform – PC, PlayStation, Xbox, or Switch, you’re bound to find a story to your liking in this motley bunch.
Our picks will be regularly updated, so check in regularly throughout the year! And if there’s an adventure game that you think we’ve missed, be sure to let us know!
A Space for the Unbound
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
A Space for the Unbound comes to us from Indonesian devs Mojiken, who previously made She and the Light Bearer (our review), among other games. Set in 1990s Indonesia, you play as high schoolers Atma and Raya, who must help their friends fight their inner demons while also dealing with the end of the world.
Come for the abundance of pettable cats, and stay for the mental health awareness.
Children of Silentown
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
Children of Silentown is a point-and-click adventure set in a village surrounded by a mysterious and sinister forest. Every now and then, villagers go missing, and this is exactly what young Lucy is out to investigate. What she finds may get her into more trouble than she may have reckoned.
Don’t forget to check out our review of Children of Silentown, and if you’re already playing it, you might also want to check out our walkthrough series!
Backfirewall_
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (Coming soon to Switch)
Backfirewall_ (the developers insist on the underscore in the title) is a ‘tragicomic’ adventure game where you play as an ‘update assistant’ inside of a smartphone. Your precious operating system is under threat from a update, and it’s now up to you to prevent this doom. How, you ask? By solving adventure puzzles, of course!
Along the way, you’ll also meet other apps and hang out in other areas of the smartphone, from the WiFi to the speakers. Turns out there’s a lot of adventure to be found in your phone, just not on your phone.
Season: A Letter to the Future
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5
Season: A Letter to the Future is set in a world that’s about to be washed away by a mysterious cataclysm. In the face of this situation, the protagonist Estelle steps up to explore the world as it is, and document it in various media, from writing and art to photography and video.
A meditative, thoughtful experience, Season: A Letter to the Future explores memories and how (and why) we record them.
Tchia
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5
Tchia is a coming-of-age adventure game inspired by the tropical locales of New Caledonia. Young Tchia is out to rescue her dad from the tyrant who rules the archipelago, and while she may be small, she’s certainly not powerless. With the ability to take control of animals and objects at will, Tchia must use her wits to explore the islands – and play her ukulele.
The Wreck
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
The Wreck is a mature adventure game exploring topics like sisterhood, motherhood, and grief. You play as 36 year old Junon, who finds herself called to ER, where her estranged mother is in a critical condition. As you piece together Junon’s past, you will also alter her present with new dialog options, and help her come to terms with her future.
RE:CALL
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
RE:CALL is the latest from maitan69, developer of Evan’s Remains (our review), and this one has you manipulating memories to cause immediate consequences in your character’s present. This twisty adventure features a diverse cast of characters, and a mystery full of puzzles where you must discover the secret to your own power.
If you’re keen on the developer’s previous game Evan’s Remains, be sure to check out our walkthrough for it as well!
Life of Delta
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
Go post-apocalyptic in Life of Delta, set in a future where all humans have been wiped in a big war, leaving behind only robots and humanoid lizards. You play as a service robot trying his best to survive in the world that remains, and to embark on an arduous journey full of puzzles and challenges, all so he can find his lost friend.
The Last Worker
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PSVR2, Meta Quest 2
The Last Worker is a dark satire about being the last worker left in an increasingly automated world. You play as dedicated employee Kurt, who works for the world’s largest retailer and is forced to choose between capitalism and activism as he finds himself wrapped up in a plot to dismantle the company he works for.
Check out our review of The Last Worker here, and if you’re already playing the game, also check out our walkthrough for the game.
Thanks for reading our article on the Best Indie Adventure Games of 2023! You can find other interesting articles on the indie games industry linked below.
