With many significant releases delayed, 2023 became an opportunity for smaller developers to take center stage.
The gaming industry is one of the richest in the world with a market cap of nearly $200 billion (as of 2023), but that money rarely reaches independent teams. Indie projects are developed by independent developers.
We’ve compiled a list of ten indie games with stunning graphics and immersive stories that you’ve probably never heard of but should be on the lookout for in 2023.
skate history
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It’s a skateboarding game with a sci-fi twist. It sees you as a demon charged with the duty of traversing the underworld of “glass and pain” with the goal of gliding to the moon and swallowing it. Skate fast to decimate wild demons, help a scattered frog and save other lost souls.
Skate Story, Sam Eng’s next game, is a beauty from publisher Devolver Digital with a GTX 1050 or RX 560 graphics card. The graphics and gravity in this new genre of game are phenomenal.
Nine soles.
Red Candle Games has set their upcoming 2D action-platformer Nine Sols in a space-age Asian fictional world.
While Nine Sols features Sekiro-inspired combat and Chi-inspired spells, it’s significantly less spooky than previous titles from its developer Red Candle Games.
What hasn’t changed, at least in Red Candle Games’ latest release, is that Nine Sols is still heavily influenced by Chinese folklore and culture.
ANTON BLAST
Crowdfunding website KickStarter has backed Summitsphere’s upcoming indie video game, Anton Blast. With a little red man named Anton, the best exterminator in Boiler City.
sea of stars
The plot of Sea of Stars revolves around two Solstice Children who use the psionic powers of the sun and moon to perform Eclipse Wizardry, the only thing that can repel the horrifying creations of the Fleshmancer, an evil alchemist. You used a GTX 860m graphics card in the game.
DIVE DEEPER
highland song
Cross the Scottish Highlands in one jump, one jump and one jump.
The same studio that developed Sorcery!, Heaven’s Vault and Overboard has released A Highland Song, a side-scrolling piece of calm with rhythm and survival elements
Planet of Lana
Planet of Lana is a combination of 2D platformer, sidescroller and puzzler. The game Planet of Lana takes place on the planet Novo. On this planet there was once an uncut balancing act between nature, animals and living beings; However, this balance has since completely changed.
Klas Eriksson, the co-director and screenwriter, and Adam Stjarnljus, the creative director, comment as the game plays.
Dead static drive
Reuben Games developed and published the horror survival adventure known as Dead Static Drive.
if you want to survive this” steal a car and risk it against the supernatural horrors along Route 666.
Dordogne
In this original storytelling experience, you take on the role of Mimi, a 32-year-old woman visiting the home of her recently deceased grandmother.
According to publisher Focus Entertainment and developer XYT YES! Dordogne (DS) will be released in Spring 2023 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and PC via Steam.
bright screen
Shoot your way through a digital hellscape in this retro FPS with 90’s influences.
This game from Uk_resistent ticks all the boxes, much like the old id Software titles you might have heard about through the rumor mill and revival of 90’s shooters like Ion Fury and Hellbound.
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Hollow Knight: Silk Song
It seems that Hollow Knight: Silksong is the most requested title among all reviewed.
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Team Cherry saw the game’s protagonist, Hornet, traverse a world of molten rock with familiar mechanics while killing enemies.
Which of these games are you looking forward to the most? Please let us know in the comments section.