Summary
- Indie games offer unforgettable experiences through minimalist design and storytelling.
- Void Stranger and Milk Inside a Bag of Milk Inside a Bag of Milk surprise players with deep storytelling and eerie atmospheres.
- Simple gameplay in games like Super Hexagon, Her Story, and Beat Saber provides rewarding and immersive experiences.
Minimalist design in video games is something more fans have come to appreciate, especially given how creative indie games can be in this department. What may seem like a simple, old-school game ends up hiding something sinister that players will love to slowly uncover.
Best Indie Games On Xbox Game Pass
The collection of indie games available on Xbox Game Pass are stellar, and here is a look at the best titles you can play.
These games are the personification of less is more, using simple gameplay, visuals, and storytelling to let players enjoy an unforgettable experience. Players may think that these games show their hand in a few hours, only for them to blow their minds by showing just how impressive the scope is.
Void Stranger
A Simple Puzzle Game Transforms Into Something Otherworldly
Void Stranger
- Released
- September 1, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Puzzle, Adventure, 2D
Sokoban puzzles involve players moving objects around to clear their way to reach the end of a stage. Void Stranger takes this simple concept and rolls with it, letting players enjoy one of the weirdest and most fascinating indie games on the market.
The game has three impressive acts with incredible storytelling and mind-blowing revelations, all the while letting players enjoy a tough and frustrating puzzle game that's meant to elicit the vibes of a retro Game Boy title. While the game can get frustrating sometimes, the overarching story of Void Stranger is so interesting that players will find every revelation to be worth the hair-pulling difficulty of the puzzles they endure.
Milk Inside A Bag Of Milk Inside A Bag Of Milk
A Short, Simple Visual Novel That Horrified Fans With Ease
Milk Inside A Bag Of Milk Inside A Bag Of Milk
- Released
- November 11, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Visual Novel
For a free visual novel that isn't even all that long, Milk Inside a Bag of Milk Inside a Bag of Milk does a great job of scaring players out of their wits. What should be a simple grocery run to stock up the fridge becomes a nightmarish adventure.
The game deals with heavy themes like trauma and psychosis, making players sympathize with the struggles of a person who can barely go through life without being plagued by her issues. Despite how short it is, Milk Inside a Bag of Milk Inside a Bag of Milk will have a great time with this title, even though it's ultimately just a simple linear visual novel with admittedly great art.
Super Hexagon
Surviving For A Minute In The Game's Uber-Hard Stages Has No Business Being So Riveting
Super Hexagon
- Released
- August 31, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action
Super Hexagon features one of the simplest gameplay loops in a video game. Players control a triangle rotating in the center of the screen that must be guided to get past the many geometric obstacles that stand in their way.
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However, the game itself is so challenging that trying to survive for a mere minute in some of the harder stages is easier said than done. Players must enter a flow state and master the game's movement if they want to surpass the three initial stages and their harder variants.
Iron Lung
Players Are Whisked Away On A Horror Experience For The Ages That Barely Lasts An Hour
Iron Lung
- Released
- March 10, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Indie Games, Adventure, Simulation
Despite being a horror game that can be completed in under an hour and takes place entirely within the confines of a submarine, Iron Lung will have more of an impact on players than most other titles in the genre. This is mainly due to its excellent atmosphere and eerie setting, where players explore an ocean of blood in a submersible.
Moving the submarine around and taking pictures is simple yet immersive, which leads to one of the scariest reveals in the game when it turns out that the player is being hounded by an underwater monster. It channels a person's thalassophobia and ensures that players will be left quaking in their boots once they're done with it.
Her Story
Presents An Incredible Story While Just Being An FMV Hunter
Her Story
- Released
- June 24, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Puzzle, Indie Games, Simulation, Casual
Her Story is essentially nothing more than a simple FMV hunter where players use the worst search tool of all time to uncover a chilling story. Hannah Smith's story seems fairly by-the-numbers, only for players to find out the harrowing events leading up to her husband's death.
Uncovering the story piece by piece and using keywords to find new videos makes for a simple and ingenious way to gamify the investigation. Finding these police interviews and piecing everything together makes the mystery of Her Story more riveting than it has any right to be, especially given how ludicrously simple the game is.
Beat Saber
A VR Rhythm Title That Wowed The World With Its Simple Gameplay Loop
Beat Saber
- Released
- May 21, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone
- Genre(s)
- Rhythm
Rhythm games were an obvious fit for VR, which is why Beat Saber flourished on this platform. Using lightsabers to cut blocks in accordance with the beat makes for a great time and ensures that every track in Beat Saber is a joy to play through.
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Players can download custom content to load this game up with their favorite songs and turn it into a slice of rhythm heaven for them. Beat Saber's simple gameplay has made a killing on VR platforms and turned it into one of the most sought-after titles, with the act of cutting blocks having such incredible longevity that fans can't believe how popular Beat Saber is despite focusing on just a single gameplay loop.
Journey
A Walking Simulator That Became A Fan Favorite In No Time
Journey
- Released
- March 13, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone due to Mild Fantasy, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
Despite being a walking simulator, Journey became one of the best and most relaxing video games ever made in the eyes of many. The simple act of walking around to uncover this game's charming world and help a character complete their pilgrimage is surprisingly riveting.
Other players can join a person's pilgrimage, making Journey's social elements muted yet riveting in their own way. There's a reason why players love replaying this game over and over again, especially given how zen it feels. Sure, it may just be a brief journey where players just move and glide around, but these simple mechanics are surrounded by great environmental storytelling that's a joy to behold.
Shadow Of The Colossus
Defeating Sixteen Enemies In A Desolate World Has No Business Being So Engaging
Shadow of the Colossus
- Released
- February 6, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
For a game with sixteen enemies and a dying world, Shadow of the Colossus weaved an epic tale that fans loved. The game opts for quality over quantity, ensuring that helping Wander revive his lost love makes for one of the more captivating journeys players can enjoy. Aside from riding a horse, firing a bow from time to time, and climbing to hit Colossi where it hurts, there's very little else to do in this game.
The fights in this game feel more like puzzle encounters as players try to figure out the best way to land on a Colossus and target their weak spot. Despite how depressing it may be to take out these mystical beings, the satisfaction of overcoming a massive foe and making progress never goes away.
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Netflix subscribers have various mobile games available to play. Players with a subscription should give these games a go.