Indie games have repeatedly shown to be the future of gaming, with some of the best games released each year being made by independent developers. This year alone comprises some of the best games in the last decade, all made by smaller teams.
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Whether you’re catching up on indies you may have missed or looking for something amazing from 2025 to play, you’ve come to the right place. Below, we’ll take a look at the very best indie games to come out this past year.
9
Ball X Pit
One of the best parts about indie games is how they’re able to blend two (or more) genres that, in isolation, seem to be totally at odds with each other. Ball x Pit does just that, seamlessly combining brick-breaking puzzle gameplay with a roguelike gameplay loop, with an added town-building component for good measure.
Ball x Pit takes these relatively simple concepts and elevates them with its Fusion and Evolution mechanics. Every ball you use to hit enemies can be combined with another ball, creating synergistic combinations that lead to unique builds. There’s a ton of creativity on display with this system, and it allows for some of the most satisfying gameplay of any indie in 2025.
8
Blue Prince
Blue Prince continues the trend of genre-defying indie games, this time combining the roguelike gameplay loop with a strategic puzzle game. The objective is to explore Mt. Holly, a manor whose rooms and layout change every day. Using your blueprints, you’re able to decide which rooms you may find yourself in.
What stands out about Blue Prince is the sheer depth on display. Reaching the furthest parts of the manor is only the beginning, as dozens of puzzles, secrets, plot threads, and objectives unravel themselves before only the most inquisitive of explorers.
There’s a ton of depth to Blue Prince, and you can easily sink well over one hundred hours into this game before finding every single thing it has to offer.
7
Absolum
Absolum is a roguelike beat ‘em up with a distinctive art style and unique character designs. Beat ‘em ups feel like they should go hand in hand with the roguelike gameplay loop, but it’s something we haven’t really seen much of until Absolum.
The game is developed by Dotemu, who are also responsible for some of the best beat ‘em up games ever created, such as TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge and Streets of Rage 4. Even if you aren’t a fan of the genre, the combat is tight, responsive, and a lot of fun, and the roguelite progression keeps runs interesting.
6
Hades 2
Hades 2 came out in Early Access in 2024, but was fully released in 2025, so we’re counting it here. Somehow, Supergiant Games made an even better game than the original Hades, and not just by adding a ton of stuff (but they also did that).
Hades 2 improves on the original with nearly every aspect. The story has higher stakes, and there are even more characters and gods to meet. Each weapon the protagonist, Melinoe, can wield is fun and uniquely powerful, and the Boons are better than ever, with a near-infinite number of interesting combinations to play around with.
Not only that, but the game is absolutely massive, and the roguelite upgrades between runs will keep you pushing forward. Somehow, there’s always some new goal to shoot for, even well after you’ve rolled the credits.
5
Dispatch
Despite some claiming the contrary, the superhero craze shows little sign of slowing down, with Dispatch being the latest to draw the world’s attention. This story-driven game places you in the shoes of Robert Robertson, a superhero forced to work in a superhero dispatch center after his mech is destroyed.
The story is the driving force in Dispatch, and the game has some of the most charming and well-written characters in any game released this year. Playing Dispatch is like watching a full TV series of your favorite superheroes; the character interactions and just general day-to-day moments are endlessly engrossing.
4
Peak
Peak is a co-op climbing game where you have to climb a mountain with your friends. While the concept couldn’t be simpler, actually getting up the mountain is a whole different story. Along the way, you’ll have to contend with hunger, freezing temperatures, toxic flora, lava pits, and much more, and that’s all while hoping your ‘friends’ don’t leave you behind.
Peak offers the perfect sandbox for you and your friends to play around in. Even if you don’t make it to the mountaintop, the hilarious moments you experience along the way make the whole game worth it.
3
Hollow Knight: Silksong
To no one’s surprise, Silksong is every bit as good as it’s been built up to be in the years since its announcement. The only surprise was that we would actually get to play it this year.
Silksong does something similar to Hades 2, in that it takes everything that made the first game good and makes it better. If you loved Hollow Knight, you’ll love Silksong too, because there have only been improvements here.
Everything from the graphics and map design to the combat and enemy variety is better in Silksong, and the best part is that all of these things were already great in the original Hollow Knight.
If you’ve yet to play Silksong, do yourself a favor, as it’s not only one of the best indie games of 2025, but perhaps one of the best ever made.
2
Monster Train 2
Monster Train 2 is yet another sequel to a beloved indie game released this year, and it continues the trend of improving on every aspect of the first game. Monster Train 2 combines the tried and tested roguelike deckbuilding formula with a hint of tower defense, and has you taking command of a train bound for heaven, hell, and everywhere in between.
To keep your train moving towards its destination, you’ll need to ally with one of several clans, each with its unique set of units and cards. In addition to several new clans in Monster Train 2, you can also play as the clans from the previous game, who have all gotten extensive reworks and upgrades.
The depth and replayability of Monster Train 2 are currently unmatched amongst deckbuilding roguelikes, and only Slay the Spire 2 has a hope of challenging it.
1
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Even if it doesn’t feel like one, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an indie game, and it’s all the better for it. This turn-based RPG is set around a mysterious being known as the Paintress, who, every year, paints a number on her monolith, counting down from 100. Every year, people of the same age as the number die.
You play as the 33rd expedition on a quest to stop the Paintress and unravel the mysteries of the world. Clair Obscur is dark and beautiful, with some of the most evocative environments and unique enemy designs in any RPG. The artistic vision is fully realized and stays firing on all cylinders for the entire journey.
Clair Obscur is a turn-based RPG with parry mechanics, allowing you to avoid and counterattack the enemy’s attacks. This simple addition makes combat wonderfully fluid and engaging, and the fast-paced combat keeps encounters short and stops the game from becoming a slog.
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