The year 2025 has been the best for gamers in the last decade. We had some incredible games to play this year, and most of them came out of indie studios. The gaming scenario is starting to see a shift where small indie gaming studios are performing incredibly better than large AAA studios. This year alone had so many incredible indie games that many of them couldn’t even make the nominations list for many game awards.
Three of the indie games were nominated for GOTY 2025 at TGA, with one of them winning it at the end. So, with the year drawing to a close, we wanted to take a look back at the 10 best indie games of 2025. Interested? Take a look at our list below.
1. Clair Obscur Expedition 33
Clair Obscur Expedition 33 easily tops our best Indie games of 2025 list. This game is an absolute masterpiece and won most of the awards at The Game Awards this year. Seeing such a high-quality game come out of an independent studio makes me optimistic for the future of gaming. Clair Obscur Expedition 33 is a turn-based, story-driven game that mixes real-time combat mechanics like parrying and dodging into its combat. This weird mix drew players from different genres, but what kept them was the incredible storytelling and music.
The developers also mixed mechanics from popular platformers as minigames, like having an entire level with the mechanics of ‘Only Up,’ as an optional side minigame. The game also features a huge variety of bosses and enemies, each having distinctly different attack patterns that will keep you on the edge of your seat at all times.
2. Hades II
Although Hades II went into early access in mid 2024, the game felt completely new on release. Even during early access, I had already realised that Hades II was far better than its predecessor mechanically, with an added depth in combat that was incredibly polished. On release, the game added more content than I have yet to see in another Roguelite.
Hades II is one of the crown jewels in the Roguelite genre, having stunning visuals, a crisp and meticulous combat system, and a storyline that ties everything together. Anyone who loves playing Roguelites or Rouguelikes should definitely give Hades II a try.
3. Hollow Knight: Silksong
Silksong broke every major gaming platform on release, bringing the entire gaming community to a standstill for hours. This game is a testament to what a small group of developers can achieve when driven by passion. Silksong was developed by only three people, while giving us gamers over 100 hours of engaging content that many AAA developers fail to provide, all at the expense of only $20.
Anyone who loves playing Metroidvania games but with increased challenge would love Silksong. The game also features an incredible soundtrack, paired with outstanding boss fights, and is filled with some of the most likable NPCs in gaming. For anyone still wondering whether to play this metroidvania masterpiece, read our Silksong review before you make your final decision.
4. Dispatch
Dispatch is a superhero game…or is it a game about the average working middle-class man? AdHoc Studio has done something incredible with Dispatch, mixing the difficulties of being a corporate employee with the over-the-top theatrics of the superhero genre. It is a heavily narrative-driven game where you have to step into the shoes of Robert, an ex-superhero who now has to manage a dysfunctional team of misfit heroes.
The game perfectly mixes the commonly seen office drama into the world of egoistic superheroes. Dispatch is one of the best games of 2025, and would have received a lot more recognition if it hadn’t released in a year of star-studded games. Read our Dispatch review to get the full scope of the game.
5. Blue Prince
Blue Prince is a genre-defying masterpiece. It is so incredibly unique that I cannot find another example of a game that remotely comes close to what it offers. Blue Prince is a Roguelite puzzle game, which is something I could have never imagined before 2025. Unlike a puzzle game, where it ends after going through a set of puzzles, Blue Prince uses RNG to constantly create new, unique, and engaging puzzles. Your reward for solving a puzzle is basically another puzzle, which may require a bit more of your brain power.
The replay value of this game is incredible, and anyone who loves testing their IQ against puzzles would love to play it. And these puzzles are no joke. I have seen people spend even an hour on some, so only try this game if you have patience for it.
6. Schedule I
Schedule I was the first mega hit for Indie games in 2025, and it was made by a solo dev. The game had a peak player count of 459,000 on Steam, by word of mouth among gamers. At its core, Schedule I is a management simulation game in first-person view, but with an added twist that you play as a drug dealer. In pure Breaking Bad style, you have to start your drug empire from scratch. The game lets you build an entire crime chain, from recruiting fellow drug dealers to finding potential customers.
What makes the game truly stand out is that it isn’t static like many other simulation games. The world reacts to your presence. You will have to engage in gang fights to exert your dominance in an area, protect yourself from police searches, and make sure your production always delivers the “high-quality” stuff to the customers. But among all this, riding around this weirdly eccentric world on your skateboard seems the most fulfilling element.
7. Megabonk
Rougelite genre is becoming very saturated nowadays, with constantly new releases of games that look and play the same. But every now and then, a game like Megabonk appears that adds a bit of spice to the genre. Megabonk’s character style and movement make it stand apart. The game uses a 3d world, where you can climb and slide down hills, jump around, and fly through the air at incredible speed.
You can play as a Skeleton that rides a roller skate, a monkey that throws bananas, or the impersonation of ‘Chad’, who kills enemies with his aura. And that’s just scratching the surface! If you have been bored with Rougelite games recently, then you should definitely try out Megabonk because it will reignite that spark for you.
8. Peak
The year 2025 featured some incredible co-op games, with Split Fiction topping the list. But among the many indie co-op games, Peak led the charge for the most part. Peak is a 4-person co-op game about exploration. Here, you will have to traverse through some incredibly difficult terrains by cooperating with your friends. Use trampoline mushrooms to reach the top, or use ropes to get down a hill. The game is filled with such mechanics that will send your brain working overtime.
But true hardships only strengthen bonds, which is why Peak is amazing for bringing your friends closer…or you end up fighting about not tying a rope properly, which leads to the end of it. Nonetheless, this game is the most fun with others and brings out the feel of trekking out into the mountains with your close ones, while staying in the comfort of your home at the same time.
9. RV There Yet?
RV There Yet? is very similar to Peak, but instead of being stuck on an island, you are stuck after going out camping, only to find the road blocked on your return. But this time, you are not just accompanied by your friends, but a massive four-wheeler RV as well. In this game, you will have to ride your RV through treacherous terrains until you manage to return home.
Sounds simple enough? It would have been if the road hadn’t been filled with hostile animals. Even if you avoid the animals, the RV can fall apart like Legos with a simple touch of a tree branch. Keeping your RV safe until you reach the end is the real challenge, and it will test your communication skills to the utmost to achieve it. I had a ton of fun in this game with my colleague, so definitely check out our first impressions of RV There Yet? before you decide to buy the game.
10. Ball x Pit
Remember when I said the Roguelite genre is getting saturated and most games look and play the same? That statement doesn’t include Ball x Pit. This game is a unique take on the roguelite genre, mixing it with Pong, Tetris, and base building! Choose your character and start shooting balls to break blocks in front of you, but these blocks would draw closer like Tetris, and may even fire shots at you.
The roguelite element makes playing this game a pure joy as you find upgrades that increase your ball count and strength quintessentially. But it’s not just mindless ball smashing. The game comes with boss fights, quests, multiple characters, and much more. If you wanted to try something new in the Roguelite genre, then this is your game.
So, this is our list of the best indie games of 2025. Which has been your favorite indie game this year? Let us know in the comments below.
Aryan Singh
