Summary
- Indie games offer unique mechanics and stories, creating impressive and personal experiences.
- Celeste excels in platforming precision, story depth, and music, setting a high bar for potential sequels.
- Katana ZERO's time manipulation mechanic and stylish combat set it apart, hinting at future narrative depths and character exploration.
For a long time, indie games have served as the inspiration for new ideas and unique game mechanics, as big studios often can’t take such risks themselves. Often, these games impress players with their unique features or by breaking away from previously established game patterns. Some indie games get recognition worldwide, but many others prefer to serve their own quiet group of fans instead.
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 united by their success in offering something that’s both impressive and unique to play. It’s clear from this list that the mechanical ideas these games bring to the table deserve more recognition and might suggest the need for a sequel that would raise the bar even higher.
1 Celeste
Platforming Precision Personified, A Deep Personal Hike
Celeste
- Released
- January 25, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
- Developer(s)
- Extremely OK Games
- Engine
- microsoft xna
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Platforming experiences don’t get better than Celeste due to its genuine story of growth and its responsive and perfectly executed controls. The game guides players while they lead Madeline up a dangerous mountain, and the path is further made difficult by her inner struggles. The bare-bones pixel art hasn’t stopped the game from adding challenging levels that require skill and dedication. What makes it valuable is the way it mixes hard challenges with an emotional story.
In spite of how celebrated Celeste is, it is still unique by comparison. Since the development of "Earthblade" was delayed, what the indie platforming world lacks is another instant-classic game like Celeste. A second game could explore Madeline even further or present us with new characters having to overcome their own metaphorical hills, all while still using the game’s unique design. A continuation could delve deeper into themes of strength and finding oneself, interesting everyone, whether fans of the original or not.
2 Katana ZERO
Time-Bending Assassin's Tale
Katana ZERO
- Released
- April 18, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs and Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Askiisoft
- Publisher(s)
- Devolver Digital
- Genre(s)
- Platformer, Action
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Katana ZERO places players in fast-paced action that requires great planning, as every enemy battle becomes a dangerous game of movements. What sets the game apart is the ability to control time, which allows players to attack and defend with great accuracy. Although not something innovative for the first time, Katana ZERO really sets it apart from the rest. With a gripping narrative that isn’t told in order, the game looks at subjects like trauma and who we are, all while being engaging in both the game and its story.
While certain new free DLC is on the horizon, fans are hoping that the next installment will be a full sequel. New chapters might delve into the main character’s inner world, let him manipulate time differently, or introduce various new characters in the same setting. Because the game mixes excitement with a deep story, it prepares us to explore more and keeps us interested in new features and bigger story elements.
3 Furi
Rhythm and Reflex in Combat
Furi
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- The Game Bakers
- Publisher(s)
- The Game Bakers
- Genre(s)
- Arcade, Shooter
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Boss fights-only gameplay has never been better or more stylish. Players in Furi must face each boss as a new game or at least a whole new genre. Every encounter with a boss is special and demands players to change and notice small details. Vibrant visuals and an exciting synth soundtrack make the battles more intense and give players that much-needed boost to conquer the hard battle and come out victorious.
Even though fans eagerly want more, the developers are not working on a sequel right now. Still, thanks to its unique action and world, there’s a lot of room to improve and create new content. The next game in the series might introduce fresh battles, uncover secrets from the main character’s past, or look into parts of its world we haven’t explored yet. Because the combat is based on skills, a subsequent entry can improve the system and add new challenges for everyone.
4 Sundered
Choices Between Humanity and Power
Sundered
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 76 /100 Critics Rec: 57%
- Released
- July 28, 2017
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4
The game, Sundered, takes place in a beautifully haunting realm full of Lovecraftian monsters and always-changing caverns. Because the game uses both hand-made designs and procedurally generated level-changing algorithms, each experience is different. Players are tested to make decisions that determine their humanity, which can result in a variety of final conclusions.
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Though the game was appreciated for how it looked and felt, there were those who didn’t think it lived up to its possibilities. A follow-up can solve these problems by changing parts of the game, offering additional landscapes, and expanding the plot options. If the same universe continues, having characters or places we haven’t visited could lift the storytelling and the experience of the game.
5 Dead Cells
Fluid Combat Meets Exploration
Dead Cells
- Released
- August 7, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood and Gore, Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Motion Twin
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The combination of fast action, many weapons, and castle rooms that shift each time made Dead Cells a standout in roguelikes. Because players can try out various builds, no two runs end up the same. Players are surrounded by mysterious adventures because of the impressive pixel art and fitting musical score.
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After many years of adding new content, the developers have finished all plans for Dead Cells. Even so, there is potential within the game’s mechanics and the universe that hasn’t been explored. The sequel may include new areas, challenges, and plotlines, looking into why the main character exists or explaining elements of the island’s story. A sequel could extend the original, adding new challenges and fresh stories for its fans to enjoy.
6 Baba Is You
Logic-Bending Creativity, Rules Made to Be Broken
Baba Is You
- Released
- March 13, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
The game made players alter the rules by moving or changing the examples in its puzzles. With this feature, puzzles moved from being easy to quite challenging, pushing players to use uncommon ideas. A new edition might add additional complex settings and different challenges in learning and using words. Things like interacting with the environment, working on puzzles in 3D, or mixing existing rules, the possibilities could grow even more.
The concept introduced in the original would be built upon, while giving access to better narrative possibilities and world creation. Introducing more complex environments and spicing things up with some new types of linguistic challenges could be the path to a sequel. The unique features it provides can’t be limited to just one entry in the series.
7 Sea of Stars
Sun and Moon Warriors Unite
Sea of Stars
- Released
- August 29, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language
- Developer(s)
- Sabotage
- Publisher(s)
- Sabotage
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Sea of Stars honors classic role-playing games, with both story-driven adventure and fight scenes that look impressive. Throughout the story, players guide two characters who make use of the moon’s powers and those of the sun. The game's features involve hitting enemies with timing and defenses, which makes regular turn-based battles more strategic.
The game now features the free DLC, "Throes of the Watchmaker," which broadens the storyline and points to more tales yet to come. The game is occasionally updated with content, but a sequel might add new information about the game’s lore, include fresh characters, and fine-tune how fighting works. Thanks to its previous success, another game could help make this popular RPG an even greater classic.
8 ANNO: Mutationem
A Beautiful Pixel Art World Where Cyberpunk Meets Action RPG
ANNO: Mutationem
- Released
- January 10, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Teen // Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Developer(s)
- ThinkingStars
- Publisher(s)
- Lightning Game
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
ANNO: Mutationem sets players inside a cyberpunk world, combining sharp pixel art in a 3D world with some of the most gorgeous pixel art graphics. The game features Ann, who is an experienced fighter. She’s on a quest to find her brother and piece together her missing past, all the while in style, fighting off dangerous enemies in lit-up cities. Its distinctive visuals and fun fighting draw attention to it among independent games.
New story parts, mini-games, and updates have been added, yet the universe in the game is still full of possibilities. A follow-up game might expand the answers to unsolved mysteries, take the story from another character’s point of view, or use its already existing multiple endings as a new plotline. Updating the fighting and adding to the storytelling could attract gamers who want to come back to this cyber world.
9 Signalis
Retro Survival Horror Reimagined
Signalis
- Released
- October 27, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Indie Games, Adventure, Shooter
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X/S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Signalis shows that a strong story can be told using atmosphere, borrowing from famous survival horror games. Elster guides players through a grim world, giving rise to plenty of psychological and existential topics. Through its simple design and eerie music, the game ensures players are always uncomfortable, not because it surprises them with jump scares common in horror games, but instead by reimagining old classic mechanics in a new and updated fashion. The game features one of the most intriguing stories while also keeping players on the edge of their seats the whole time.
Unsolved stories and mysteries are found throughout the universe, even though the game has a self-contained story. A second game might introduce fresh stories and players, helping us understand better the game's themes about who we are and who we once were. If it follows its own style, another story would help solidify Signalis as a leader in modern indie horror by testing players’ minds and emotions again.
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