Here’s a comprehensive list which looks to cover the best indie games on Steam you can invest your money and time in. There are an awful lot of titles brought out by independent developers and publishers, and Valve’s digital distribution platform is a godsend for them. And for us gamers too, Steam is something that cannot ever be ignored. Those PC gamers who’re looking for indie titles to add to their libraries should take a look at all these wonderful games we’ve listed below.
The Stanley Parable is the latest phenomenon to hit the gaming scene. This interactive fiction mod for the Source game engine is not action-based by any means, but it allows you to control a protagonist inside a surreal environment to move towards an ending which can be different for different people. This highly rated Windows and Mac offering is pure narrative brilliance.
2 – Terraria
If you’ve played and loved Minecraft, then Terraria is one title which you shouldn’t give a miss. It’s an action-adventure sandbox game taking place inside a procedurally generated world. Elements like exploration, crafting, construction and combat, all form part of its offerings. The game has till date sold more than 3 million copies, and is one of the most popular titles on Steam.
3 – Brothers – A Tale of Two Sons
Starbreeze Studios’ newest offering tells a simple yet poignant tale about two brothers countering various perils in order to procure a cure for their ailing father. And this game couples its engaging story with some really enjoyable gameplay as well. Brothers – A Tale of Two Sons is a memorable journey which is made that by the incredible atmosphere it manages to create.
4 – Hotline Miami
Boasting of retro graphics, Hotline Miami presents you with an over the top experience thanks to its unique gameplay and storytelling elements. It’s a 2D top-down action game influenced by the 80s culture, and it has earned itself immense plaudits from gamers and critics alike since it was launched last year. It can be downloaded via Steam for Windows, Mac as well as Linux.
5 – Outlast
Released in September this year, Outlast is a brilliant psychological horror title which has tons of scares packed in it for you. It’s played from a first-person perspective, and succeeds in creating an absolutely petrifying atmosphere that’s hard to forget. Outlast is a Windows-only offering that’s also poised for a PS4 release later.
6 – Spelunky
Spelunky is all about spelunking into the depths of the earth in search of new experiences. It’s basically a platformer which has you controlling the main character as he makes his way through randomized underground levels. This Windows game is sure to provide you with hours and hours of exciting gameplay.
A brilliant blend of stealth and platforming elements, Mark of the Ninja is an incredibly polished game which deserves all the credit it usually gets. Its truly rewarding stealth gameplay is one of its strongpoints, and an interesting story fraught with well directed cutscenes just amplifies its appeal. It can be bought now for Windows, Mac and Linux.
8 –Bastion
Bastion may be a superb action-RPG, but its main appeal definitely lies in its dynamic narrations and gorgeous visuals. This overly impressive offering is a treat to revel in, and it’s available on Steam for Windows, Mac as well as Linux operating systems.
Remember the awesome dungeon crawlers from the 1980s and 1990s like Eye of the Beholder and Ultima Underworld? Legend of Grimrock looks to provide similar experiences to those titles, but with the help of modern day graphics. This much appreciated action-RPG allows a party of four to explore a massive network of dungeons, while countering dangerous creatures.
FTL: Faster Than Light turned out to be a surprise hit among gamers when it came out last year. It’s a top down, real-time strategy game which puts you in control of a spacecraft holding critical information that needs to be delivered at any cost to an allied fleet several sectors away. It can be bought now for Windows, Mac and Linux.
11 – Limbo
Presented in the form of monochromatic visuals, Limbo is a puzzle-riddled platformer which has you guiding a young boy through dangerous environments, as he searches for his lost sister. Its minimalistic graphics and sounds create an unforgettable atmosphere which deserves to be experienced by all.
12 – Fez
A 2D creature named Gomez is living in a 2D world, but the discovery of a third dimension sends him on a dangerous journey which you need to guide him in. Fez is presented to us in the form of a 2D platformer, but in reality it’s set in a 3D universe, traversing which itself is a puzzle. Steam is currently offering the title for Windows, Mac as well as Linux.
13 – Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
Just like its superbly crafted predecessor, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs too is a terrifying game built inside an unnerving and bizarre setting. While its gameplay is pretty similar to the earlier title, it’s the story where the developers have invested maximum time and energy in. This Windows, Linux and Mac offering deserves to be played by all fans of the survival horror genre.
14 – Braid
Available through Steam for Windows and Mac, Braid turned out to be nothing short of an indie wonder back when it was released in 2008. This puzzle-platformer is known for its deep story and its challenging puzzles.
15 – The Walking Dead
Set in the zombie-infested world of Robert Kirkman’s amazing comic book series, The Walking Dead was by every means one of the finest games to be released last year. With its primary focus set on the effects of a zombie apocalypse on its survivors, the narrative of Walking Dead depends wholly on the decisions you make during gameplay. It unravels based on your choices, so your friends might experience a completely different story than you did.
Conclusion:
With that we end our rant about the best indie games on Steam. Our opinions might differ with others’ but we’re sure about one thing: all these titles are excellent offerings which you can purchase with blindfolds on if you crave for unique gaming experiences.