As indie games become a larger and larger part of the gaming landscape each year, there become an increasing amount of contenders for the best independent titles of the year. While triple-A titles had a firm hold on the video game market for many years, as time has gone on independent developers have proven that their projects can meet - and often even exceed - the quality of these higher-budget titles. 2022 has been no exception, with an incredible amount of stellar indie titles being released throughout the year.
In recent years, indie titles have begun to receive more widespread recognition for their quality - for example, the beloved cat game Stray, which came from a small French studio, was a nominee at The Game Awards 2022 for Game of the Year. Although there's still a lot of progress that could be seen in terms of independent titles receiving more acknowledgments and praise, as developers continue to release amazing games as they have this past year this will only increase for smaller games. While it can be hard to narrow down 2022's amazing indie releases, these are Screen Rant's picks for the best that hit the scene this year.
Chained Echoes Is Turn-Based Excellence
Chained Echoes is a retro-style JRPG developed by a single man, Matthias Linda, that offers a wholly unique and enjoyable take on the turn-based genre. The 16-bit title meshes together fantasy and sci-fi, letting players do things like practice magic or fight from within a mech suit. Although getting started in Chained Echoes may seem intimidating at first, the layers of strategy offered by the game are well-thought-out and intriguingly complex, and are satisfying for players to master over time, with new layers being added as their party grows. Players will explore the world of Valandis, meet entertaining characters, and flex their strategic muscles in different and exciting ways as they work to maintain peace between kingdoms.
Stray Is An Adorable, Emotional Cat-Driven Experience
Stray bucks the trend of games with animal protagonists by providing an incredibly realistic cat experience in the best way. Set in a gorgeous cyberpunk world, players assume the role of an adorable cat separated from his friends who teams up with a small robot named B-12 to return to the surface. The game is a mix of puzzle-platforming, running from creatures called Zurks, and interacting with the underground environment's robot inhabitants, many of which have their own stories and quests. The warm critical reception of Stray stems not just from its detailed design and engaging gameplay, but from the emotional story it manages to tell without its protagonist ever speaking a word.
Vampire Survivors Is Hordes Of Fun
While Vampire Survivors takes familiar elements from the roguelite genre, it truly falls into a category all its own, best described as an idle-action title. Players work to defend themselves against hordes of the undead as they gain progressive rewards throughout the round, working to survive as long as possible. As players progress, they can unlock a wide array of strange and helpful upgrades that improve future runs in ways that vary drastically from typical roguelites, with some introducing entirely new systems of gameplay to the title. This gives players a sense of genuine sense of accomplishment amongst all the chaos and humor the game has to offer alongside its addicting combat cycles to create something truly special.
Cult of the Lamb Is Adorably Demonic Management
Cult of the Lamb combines keeping followers happy by running a successful cult with roguelike dungeon crawling. The game's management elements involve a fun blend of things like farming with cult elements like delivering sermons and enacting doctrines. Players must manage their follower's health and desires while also going out on missions in a fun and unique balancing act.
Combat wise, players will unlock fun new weapons and abilities as they travel through differently themed dungeons. This is all part of the overall goal to defeat the Bishops of the Old Faith and free The One Who Waits, who has granted the lamb his powers. Cult of the Lamb's blend of addicting combat and unique management easily makes it a shoo-in as one of the best titles of the year.
Tunic Is An Adventure Reminiscent Of Zelda Games
A welcome return to classic action adventure games, Tunic offers an experience that harkens back to older Legend of Zelda titles. Tunic is centered around dungeon crawling, but offers a lot of room for exploration and mechanics that encourage player creativity when it comes to problem-solving. Players assemble an instruction booklet as they explore that can tip them off to in-game secrets that make discovery in Tunic feel deeply rewarding, which is mixed in with elements of puzzling and progressive combat, all while the game tells an interesting story with an adorable protagonist.
Sifu Is A Brawler That Will Age Well
While on the surface Sifu may seem like a fairly typical fighting game, its unique mechanics set it apart from the rest. Players will set on out a quest for revenge that involves fast-paced combat that requires quick thinking, lest the player die in combat. Each time a player dies, they'll be subject to Sifu's unique aging system, growing older with each defeat and in turn lowering their overall stats. This encourages player mastery over each encounter as well as adding replay value, and combined with the game's beautifully-designed settings and soundtrack gives players a lot of incentive to keep coming back.
Unpacking Tells A Story Through Organization
Unpacking offers a puzzling experience like no other, telling a story as players unpack the protagonist's boxes in different settings. The game's story spans about two decades of time in the main character's life, showing its ups and downs while also providing incredibly Zen organizational gameplay. The way that Unpacking manages to weave a narrative solely through boxes is incredible in and of itself, and the open-ended ways players can choose to place each object offers a deeply satisfying alternative to traditional puzzling.
Of course, every player will have their own personal list of the best indie games of 2022, as everyone has different genre preferences and features they look for the most. However, every title on this is certainly worth a look, even if they come from a genre players might not typically pick up, as they all offer unique and engaging gameplay and storytelling at their core. As 2022 comes to an end with so many strong titles, it's an exciting prospect to think about what new indie games 2023 might bring.
Source: Devolver Digital/YouTube