The 10 BEST Indie Games of 2023
“Bat Boy” (2023)
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We’re starting to see a lot more action-platformers coming from various corners of the indie market. “Galaxy Circuit” was a solid title, but the one we kept coming back to was “Bat Boy”. At first, the game wears its inspiration on its sleeve; a lot of similarities between “Mega Man”, “DuckTales”, and “Shovel Knight”. But then, you start getting abilities from the bosses that fundamentally change the way you approach every level. And no, these abilities do not make the game easier! “Bat Boy” shows it was meticulously crafted to be as challenging as it is fun to play, and if you’re a fan of 2D platformers, this ought to be on your must-play list.
“Cassette Beasts” (2023)
Some might unfairly write off “Cassette Beasts” as another “Pokemon” clone, but it offers a wealth of ideas of its own to stand on its own legs. Rather than catching monsters, you record their movements to take their forms and equip stickers on mixtapes to give them new abilities. On top of that, you can fuse forms together to buff your attacks and defenses, and you can use abilities from specific forms to traverse the world around you. There are a lot of neat ideas in play here, making it another excellent addition to the buffet of RPGs we’ve seen this year.
“My Friendly Neighborhood” (2023)
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What if “Sesame Street” got its own survival horror game? Well, you get “My Friendly Neighborhood”. Though it leans more into its laughs than its terror, “My Friendly Neighborhood” offers a unique take on the genre. Sure, you can go in, blast through the game, and beat it in a few nights. Or you can take the time to solve the different puzzles and turn the monsters into friends. In a world where folks seem more hostile and angry than ever, this game hits pretty hard with its story all while its cast utters some of the most insane and questionable life lessons as you explore the studio grounds. Plus, Arlo does a fantastic job as your Cheshire Cat-esque guide, Ricky!
“Dredge” (2023)
“Dredge” might seem simple at first; explore the waters, meet the locals, and catch some fish. However, there is more beneath the water. Exploring at night presents its own risks and rewards. Fish during the dark hours to fish up strange creatures that could net you more dough or lead to new discoveries. At the same time, you will also be exposed to deadly creatures that can either infect your cargo or damage your boat. In addition to an incredible artstyle and controls, “Dredge” excels at turning a cozy world against you and can do so quickly should you keep your eye off the time for too long.
“Save Room - The Merchant” (2023)
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The first “Save Room” made it on our list of Best Indie Games of 2022, and its sequel is just as excellent! While the first game tasked you with packing items into your suitcase in accordance with the layout, “Save Room - The Merchant” throws a wrench into your plan. Not only do you have to pack things in a tidy fashion, now you have to make purchases while adhering to a checklist of items required to be in your suitcase. You’ll sometimes even have items that need to be sold. In other words, the challenge has been increased. So if you blasted through the first “Save Room”, here’s another set that might actually stump you a few times.
“Gal Guardians: Demon Purge” (2023)
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“Castlevania” has long been dormant in the gaming space outside of guest appearances. To fill the void is “Gal Guardians: Demon Purge”, a spin-off of the ultra-weeby “Gal Gun” games. Shinobu and Maya find their school has been replaced with an eerie castle. With Shinobu specializing in ranged combat and Maya in melee, you’ll need to switch between both girls and utilize their strengths to make it out of the castle alive. And if you have a buddy, you can play through the entire game together with one player as Shinobu and the other as Maya. Their unique abilities make for a thrilling action-platformer, and you might find the game is just as hard, if not harder than the “Castlevania” games.
“Cocoon” (2023)
“Cocoon” is one of the most mind-bending games we’ve played in several years. Directed by Jeppe Carlson, lead designer behind “Limbo” and “Inside” who left Playdead back in 2016, “Cocoon” sees you controlling a bug-like alien carrying micro worlds encased in orbs and transporting them across areas. You’ll find an assortment of puzzles both within the environment and in the form of the occasional boss battle. It’s scary, it’s strange, and it’s insane. Carlson and his team at Geometric Interactive have raised the bar in level design and in how puzzle games should be approached moving forward.
“Pizza Tower” (2023)
“Pizza Tower” is the weirdest game on our list here, and we mean that in the most respectable light possible. Control crazed chef Peppino Spaghetti through a multitude of levels to recover his missing ingredients and knock out the pillars that hold up the evil Pizzaface’s castle. Here’s the catch, though - as soon as you destroy a pillar, the level will begin to collapse, forcing you to unleash your inner speedrunner and race back to the entrance before the time runs out. Another catch to this - the level will block off areas you’ve been to before. Yes, it is a far more intense and far more difficult “Wario Land”, and its hilarious animations and jamming music are worth your time and money.
“Bomb Rush Cyberfunk” (2023)
For a time, it seemed like this was never going to come out. But it did, and dammit… The wait was absolutely worth it!! In addition to an excellent story with some humor and attitude behind it, “Bomb Rush Cyberfunk” excels at its stunt and traversal mechanics. Every area you’ll come across is begging you to chain together the ultimate series of grinds, flips, spins, wall rides, and graffiti art, and it all handles beautifully. Even the combat is fun to toy around with in the few instances you’ll need to use it. And you want to know the coolest part? Developer Team Reptile pulled various composers to create songs for the soundtrack including Hideki Naganuma, the composer of the “Jet Set Radio” games! And the music SLAPS HARD!!
“Sea of Stars” (2023)
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From Sabotage Studio, the studio behind the 2018 action-platformer “The Messenger”, comes an RPG that is sure to please any type of player. “Sea of Stars” follows two friends as they fulfill their roles as Solstice Warriors, beings who can use the powers of the sun and moon. What follows is a game that manages to incorporate a basic yet deep combat system inspired by “Super Mario RPG” while telling a beautiful story about friendship and loneliness. And if you have never played an RPG before but want to get into the genre, this is an excellent title to start out with. And if you’re simply looking for a new experience, you can’t go wrong with this. The music, animation, combat, everything is simply superb here. Be proud, Sabotage! Before we end, a special shoutout to a couple games that we couldn’t squeeze in here: “The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood” for its unique story, and “Pizza Possum” for its hilarious and arcade-y approach to stealth-based gameplay. What’s the best indie game you’ve played this year? Did it make our list? Let us know down in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great videos everyday!
