Indie Game Reviewer’s Top 10 Indie Games of 2024 – Indie Game Reviewer – The Best Indie Games

What are we supposed to do here? There were hundreds – if not thousands – of incredible indie releases in 2024. We see you, Pacific Drive, Felvidek, Thank Goodness You’re Here, Crow Country [play fast-forward animation through dozens of contenders, accompanied by a tape-speeding-up sound effect].

We chose games that were set apart by novel and well-implemented mechanisms, joy-inducing visuals, emotional outcomes, and exemplary design. We favor bold choices and risks; we try to cover a diverse palette of ideas.

After much discussion, the consensus arrived at the following ten games, in descending order. We also chose our annual sacrificial lamb – an indie outlier so rare and so acclaimed that it doesn’t need another nudge from us.

We followed with each of IGR’s personal writer’s picks for the year that didn’t make the list in hopes it opens a door for you, dear reader. And with that, we humbly present:

IndieGameReviewer.com’s Top 10 Indie Games of 2024

10. Thronefall

by GrizzlyGames

“If Citizen Sleeper was my Steam Deck game of 2023, then Thronefall was my number one pick for 2024. It is to tower defense what Vampire Survivors is to an RPG SHMUP: easy to use, tough to master. The delightful, whimsical, and Lilliputian design belies a deep tactical complexity and advanced UX to make any designer take note. A triumph of game design.” ~ Indie-Game-Freak

“Even a complete strategy dummy like me can play this, and it’s somehow engrossing despite that, so kudos to the developers!” ~ TheOvermatt

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, Mac, Steam

9. POOLS

by Tensori

“While walking simulators, found footage horror, or the new darling ‘liminal games’ are nothing new, POOLS from Finnish developers Tensori somehow managed to merge them all, rise above the noise, and penetrate into primal Lynchian subconscious territory.

Mostly dread simulator, part anomaly game, and definitely Unity showcase, this hypnogogic numinous wonderworld preys on the same neuronal circuits that make Pennywise a bad choice for children’s birthday parties. The game, here, is wholly internal…who are you, what are you made of, why are you made this way, and what are you willing to venture in order to find out?” ~ Indie-Game-Freak

Platforms: Windows PC, Mac, Steam

8. Arco

by Franek, Max Cahill, Bibiki, Fáyer

“Arco understands how minimalism can support rich world-building, deep character emotion, complex and thrilling combat, and evocative scenery by leaning on the power of imagination to fill in the rest.

With an eye-level take on Mesoamerican and indigenous South American cultures, the game is set in a speculative North American frontier that feels as authentic as a tamal made by your grandma; it was developed by an international team comprising Polish pixel artist Franek Nowotniak, Australian game developer Max Cahill, Spanish composer and sound designer José Ramón ‘Bibiki’ García, and Mexican developer Antonio ‘Fayer’ Uribe.

Its unusual and original take on pseudo-turn-based tactical combat adds the pressure cooker of your haunted past moving in to crush your spirit if you take too long to make a decision, while dodging enemy attacks plays like real-time arcade action. The narrative is unflinching in its violence and pathos, and 8-bit NPCs are granted enough nuance to hurt when raiders murder them. Hours went by before I looked up. Pixel game of the year for me.” ~ Indie-Game-Freak

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, Steam

7. Indika

by Odd Meter

“Indika stood out to me because it tackles religion head-on, which is why I was surprised when it got nominated at Games For Impact. It’s basically [SPOILER]: A woman’s tale about falling out of religion, putting faith in a supposed religious object, which ultimately was a lie, realizing that at the end, and rejecting it all.” ~ FICTiVETRUiSM

“What could be an arthouse film about reflection on a life devoted to God becomes an artisanal reckoning with identity, meaning, subordination, ontology, and the nature of consensus reality. The meticulous audiovisual design supports a grim and whimsical experience that is sublime and grotesque, absurd and profound. Bold swing, and it’s out of the park.” ~ Indie-Game-Freak

Platforms: Sony PS5, Microsoft Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC, Steam

6. Mouthwashing

by Wrong Organ

“There are very few games as meticulous as Mouthwashing. It has one of the most intriguing and thought-provoking narratives I’ve ever come across. It deals with themes like assault, mental health, narcissism, and corporate greed. It’s all tackled elegantly in a concise and enthralling experience filled to the brim with clever symbolism.

Surreal visuals mixed with an unreliable narrator make you question what’s really happening. Its strikingly moody atmosphere throughout makes the cabin fever tale feel so much more foreboding. It’s a unique experience, and one I won’t soon forget.” ~ FICTiVETRUiSM

“I could hardly pilot my way through the terse, unorthodox path of nightmare fuel before I found the mettle and was greeted by a sharply satiric, self-aware, complex, artistic work reminiscent of Event Horizon, Solaris, and Pony Island. Indeed, if Tarkovsky made punk indie games, this might be the product.” ~ Indie-Game-Freak

Platforms: Windows PC, Steam

5. 1000xResist

by Sunset Visitor

“I truly didn’t know what to expect going into 1000xResist, and I’m still not quite sure how to do it justice with a description. What I’ve settled on is that it’s a compelling narrative adventure with big ideas, even bigger questions, and something that’s given me plenty to chew on well after the credits rolled.

Above all else, it’s a story about generational trauma, the value of resistance, and learning from the past, all wrapped in the wildest religion-fueled apocalyptic sci-fi shell this side of Evangelion. I swear you’ve never played anything like this before.” ~ TheOvermatt

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, Steam

4. Tactical Breach Wizards

by Suspicious Developments

“Some of the most compelling turn-based tactics action this side of XCOM, combined with genuinely funny writing and an engaging story of espionage meets absurd wizard lore. You’ll laugh, you’ll shoot, you’ll laugh as you shoot people out windows.” ~ TheOvermatt

“Let’s begin with the fact that I have been an XCOM 2 stan since the day it spawned. I own it on every device where it can be played. So I like me some tactics. I also love magic fantasy/sci-fi crossovers like Shadowrun. I mean, heck, I even liked Bright. But what tipped me over the edge with Tactical Breach Wizards is the writing. It is consistently not only laugh-out-loud funny but sharp as a tack in every respect, from its pacing to its design. You know those games where all the parts come together so tightly that it just feels like it has always been there? It is indeed a high point for the genre.” ~ Indie-Game-Freak

Platforms: Windows PC, Steam

3. Neva

by Nomada Studio

“The level of artistry across the board from creators of popular indie darling Gris is immediately evident as Neva spreads its beautiful illustrative multiplanar animation across the screen.

From the outset, the delicate and wonder-filled world is superimposed with authentically creepy dark menace, and the relationship between the player character (‘Alba’) and her titular sidekick/ward, Neva, belies an unconventional push-and-pull relationship of camaraderie, curiosity, collaboration, mutual care, and surrender. The way attention is refocused and gently guided is one for the study books, and the consistently detailed and imaginative world-building and character design is itself worth the cost of admission. Dare we say this is a new instant classic.” ~ Indie-Game-Freak

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Sony PS4/5, Windows PC, Mac, Steam

2. Nine Sols

by RedCandleGames

“RedCandleGames have been on my radar since Detention back in 2017, but even I was surprised when they announced their newest game was dropping Taiwanese horror for ‘Taopunk’ hack-and-slash exploration. Thankfully, I needn’t have been worried, because Nine Sols masterfully combines the Metroidvania formula with fast, vicious combat in the vein of Sekiro and a genuinely compelling story about the cost of revenge. It truly deserves all the success it’s found, and more.” ~ TheOvermatt

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Sony PS4/5, Microsoft Xbox One, Microsoft Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC, Mac, Steam

1.  Animal Well

by Billy Basso

“Fans of the Metroidvania genre have been eating particularly well in the indie scene for some time now, but Animal Well shows that an old dog can absolutely learn new tricks. Between its palpable aura of mystery, brilliant level design, and the fact that its secrets only continue to unravel after you finish the game, this is probably the biggest sense of wonder I’ve felt with an entry in this genre since playing Super Metroid for the first time back in 1994. Absolutely essential.” ~ The Overmatt

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Sony PS5, Microsoft Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC, Steam

The Sacrificial Lamb: Balatro

by LocalThunk

Every year there is a game that so outpaces every other in terms of critical and popular attention that we sacrifice it to the altar of once-in-a-blue-moon outliers. Think Minecraft, Super Meat Boy, Vampire Survivors. In 2024 that game was Balatro, made by a clandestine singular developer living in the Canadian prairies. Here is our take:

“Balatro joins its peers like Vampire Survivors among the pantheon of ‘Nothing this addictive should be allowed to be this cheap.’ Something as simple as Rogue-like poker is turned into the stuff of genuine addiction thanks to the absurd amount of game-breaking Joker cards and strategies to try out, not to mention the fact that it keeps getting additional content for free. Buying the mobile version of this is possibly the best thing I’ve ever done for my sense of enjoyment and easily the worst thing I’ve ever done for my productivity. It’s incredible. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” ~ TheOvermatt

Platforms: Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Sony PS5, Microsoft Xbox One, Microsoft Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC, Mac, Steam

Staff Picks:

Indie-Game-Freak’s Pick: Sovereign Syndicate

by Crimson Herring Studios

Welp, I never know what it’s gonna be, but this year the game that just kept bubbling up in my thoughts was the fairly austere but simultaneously ornate clockwork urban fantasy Victorian esoteric alchemical time-and-body-jumping CRPG starring minotaurs in top hats adventure, Sovereign Syndicate.

While simultaneously confounding and titillating, I was dragged forward with an irrepressible curiosity for what I would experience next. Much like the wildly original novel The Failures by Benjamin Liar, I was in fresh creative territory and approached with full commitment. Most patches in the past year have been localization-specific, and gosh, this game is being played in many countries. All told, Sovereign Syndicate was something I just couldn’t stop wondering about. Some even call it the clockwork Disco Elysium. It’s a a generous stretch, but hey, not bad company to be lumped in with.

Platforms: Windows PC, Steam

Kit Goodliffe’s Pick: Frostpunk 2

by 11 bit studios

Frostpunk 2 builds on the achievements of its predecessor by adding more moving parts to its elegant story-generating systems. Tough decisions must be made in order to survive, and each of them shapes the burgeoning society of New London in ways both anticipated and surprising.

With the addition of factions that must be appeased and manipulated in order to nudge civilization in the desired direction, Frostpunk 2 has conjured a convincing politics simulator that, unusually for the genre, conveys not just the logistics but the human consequences as well. In doing so it provides a carefully balanced hybrid of guided and emergent storytelling that seizes the advantages of its medium to good effect.

Platforms: Sony PS5, Microsoft Xbox, Windows PC, Mac, Steam

FICTiVETRUiSM’s Pick: Sorry We’re Closed

by à la mode games

As a big survival horror game fan, Sorry We’re Closed quickly became one of my favorites in the genre. It’s a narrative-driven game about fallen angels and demons who have to coexist in a world with everyday humans.

Its gameplay feels like a tense but forgiving mix between Killer 7 and Silent Hill. But what struck a chord with me the most was its story. Even though its setting is fantastical, it manages to still be grounded and relatable, mainly because of how earnestly it explores its main theme, which revolves around love: how love can change us, what it means to lose it, how it can be the catalyst for us to be better…and the sacrifices that may come with that.

Platforms: Windows PC, Steam

Amanda Bower’s Pick: Minds Beneath Us

by BearBone Studio

Minds Beneath Us blends a cyberpunk universe with immersive storytelling in a way that makes it stand out amongst those in a similar genre. The atmosphere and creative art style stole my heart from the beginning, but I was especially captivated by the characters and their narratives. Given the opportunity to “choose your own adventure”, so to speak, Minds Beneath Us excels in allowing players to elect significant dialogue options.

Want to be kind to a stranger? Awesome. Would you rather be a dude no one likes? That’s fine, too. The dystopian world illuminates the imminent dangers of AI and unveils some secrets of a company that may have gone too far. To say Minds Beneath Us is one of the most brilliant stories I’ve had the pleasure of enduring this year is an understatement; it’s really something special.

Platforms: Windows PC, Steam

The Overmatt’s Pick: Mullet MadJack

by HAMMER95

Mullet MadJack is pure chaos in a way that other shooters could only dream of. Between its Rogue-like structure, gleefully excessive visual style that borrows everything great about ’90s anime OVAs, and gameplay that literally doesn’t give you time to think (only react), this is adrenaline distilled into digital form, like some kind of hybrid of amphetamines and Cyber City Oedo 808. I don’t blame anyone who finds it too much to parse, but if you yearn for the days of getting a sugar rush on Skittles and renting something WAY too adult from the anime section at Blockbuster like I do, this is just the fix you need.

Platforms: Windows PC, Steam

InfinityWaltz’s Pick: A Winter Haunting

by AB

On top of its exquisitely eerie atmosphere, A Winter Haunting succeeds on the strength of its puzzles. Some environmental, some inventory, and some pure logic puzzles, they’re perfectly balanced to engage, not enrage, and they all feel natural to the game’s story and haunted house setting. That haunted house – not to mention its adjacent lake and woods – is also a treat, spooky and seasonal in a wintry way that’s distinct from our Halloween favorites but scratches a similar itch. We often send out holiday cards with Charles Addams or Edward Gorey illustrations, and the faceless characters, intricate Edwardian interiors, and stylized snowdrifts of this game are reminiscent of that same aesthetic.

Platforms: Windows PC, Mac, Steam

Aereyn’s Pick: The Cabin Factory

by International Cat Studios

The Cabin Factory is a masterclass in atmospheric horror, a simple, engaging concept, and immersive sound design. It stands out among other anomaly games because every clue, whether terrifying, intriguing, or delightful, feels purposeful. Sometimes, this genre can get bogged down in the boring and mundane, inspecting minute differences in wallpaper and upholstery.

By fully embracing the genre’s strengths, each anomaly sparked a different story in my mind, amplifying the sense of mystery and unease. The stark, repetitive nature of the gameplay works brilliantly to build tension as the once-familiar becomes unsettling and paranoia creeps in. The hauntings themselves can be deadly, but even more chilling is the possibility of missing something vital to the story or worse, being sent packing, having to start my shift all over again with new nightmares and secrets to be discovered.

Platforms: Windows PC, Steam

Let us know your favorites!

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