The best indie games for 2023

Into the Breach is a time-traveling rogue-like that, more than any other game, makes you know that every mistake was your fault. You control a team of three mechs on various grid-based maps with different terrain, cities to protect, hazards, and other elements. Then there are the bug monsters you fight, which start on the map as well as spawn from below the surface. However, the twist is that you know exactly what every enemy will do and when, allowing you to move, attack, and reposition the enemy to completely counter or nullify their turn … if you’re smart enough to work it out, that is. Maps are always small, meaning every move and attack needs to be considered. This game is incredibly addictive and, being a rogue-like, endlessly replayable.

Omno‘s eye-catching graphics might pull you in, but you’ll stay for its heartwarming narrative and comfort-food platforming. Everything about Omno is lighthearted and inviting — and it was all done by a single indie developer. Reviews from both critics and consumers mark Omno as a must-play indie game. Whether you’re surfing around its sandy dunes, jumping on the back of massive turtles, or soaring about the clouds, Omno presents you with some of the best platforming and puzzles you’ll find in any game. It’s also incredibly cheap and available on Xbox Game Pass — so there’s no reason not to check it out.

It’s not the newest game on the block, but few indie titles can match the frantic pace of Hotline Miami. Played from a top-down perspective and featuring gritty, pixelated graphics, Hotline Miami sees you gunning down foes as you follow a dream-like story throughout neon-soaked 1980s set pieces. It’s not for everyone, but it quickly became one of the best-reviewed titles of 2012, as few others managed to feature such fluid and rewarding gameplay. If you love everything about Hotline Miami, you’ll be glad to know that Hotline Miami 2, offered in this collection as well, offers more of the same. Its graphics received a bit of a change, but the fast-paced, over-the-top action is still intact.

If you’re a fan of walking simulators — such as Death Stranding — Lake needs to be on your to-do list. Instead of roaming around a post-apocalyptic world with a baby strapped to your chest, Lake brings things back to reality as you’ll step into the shoes of Meredith Weiss as she delivers mail in her old childhood home. The adventure features a heartwarming narrative, a relaxing gameplay loop, and surprisingly well-voiced characters. There are a few twists along the way, but Lake is a game meant to be played at a snail’s pace — so kick back, put your feet up, and enjoy the sights and sounds of this quaint lakeside town.

Telltale-esque, story-driven adventures aren’t nearly as common as they were prior to the Telltale Games closure. Nonetheless, Oxenfree may very well be the best entry in the popular genre to date. Set on an island, Alex and her friends begin experiencing events that can only be referred to as supernatural. Instead of fleeing, they remain to uncover the island’s secrets. A distinct, 2.5-D art style gives Oxenfree a look that separates it from others in the genre, and the twisting and turning story is undeniably spellbinding. With wonderfully realized cutscenes, introspective dialogue, and a meaningful choice-based system, Oxenfree is a gripping story that will grip you until the credits roll. Then, if you’re anything like us, you’ll boot it up again to choose differently, and see how Alex’s relationships and the ending change based on your actions.

Spelunky remains one of the best indies of all time, but the new launch of Spelunky 2 took its randomized roguelike formula and perfected it. Like the original, you play as a treasure hunter diving into procedurally generated levels that change every time you die — and you’re going to die a lot. Yet after each death, you’ll improve your skills and learn more about how to spot deadly traps and deal with the deadly monsters you encounter. While the original had four worlds with four levels each, Spelunky 2 adds branching paths so you can choose different worlds to explore, with seven areas in a single playthrough and up to 16 different areas you can end up in based on your choices. It also includes new doorways — letting you go into caves behind each level that bypass the main area and add new treasure and traps — as well as new weapons, allies, and mounts to ride. You can now explore Spelunky 2‘s caves in an online co-op with a friend or compete for the high score in the Daily Challenge mode, which gives everyone the exact same cave configuration. It’s a bizarre game with weird but deadly enemies and comically exasperating deaths. Yet when you reach a new level or discover a new secret, it feels that much more rewarding.