#16 | 2024 Indie Essentials

A free gem that captivated us with its breathtaking pixel art, engaging story, and unforgettable soundtrack. This was one of the year’s most immersive surprises, leaving us all wanting more of its enchanting world.

Simple. Understated. Perfectly rougelike. It’s not trying to be more than what it says, and it meets your expectations exactly where you think they’ll be. Yes, even meeting you when you think you’ve just discovered everything, it adds more.

A haunting journey that stood out this year. Indika drew us into its surreal 19th-century Russian world, weaving faith, morality, and doubt into a narrative that lingered long after it ended.

A masterclass in ARPG and roguelike design. It distilled complexity into simplicity, offering endless build possibilities while encouraging experimentation even at its highest challenges. Every run was a story worth experiencing.

Perhaps made viral by Dunkey, but that’s the point of a publisher, right? Even with that, this resonated deeply with many gamers for it’s rich gameplay, depth and vibe. It was on the lips of many earlier this year for great reason.

A stunning narrative that delved into existence’s vastness with vivid depth. Its blend of high-concept sci-fi and raw emotion left us with a gentle yet lasting sense of responsibility.

Classic anime. High-octane. The Mullet delivered. Unforgettable once you’ve seen it, and instantly lasered into the retinas to make sure you definitely don’t forget it. First person shooter to get your blood boiling.

Free Lives takes a punt on kicking down the door, literally. Smash doors down with your foot and shoot baddies. This oozes charm and is one of those games you instantly recognize. Very hard to do with the volume of releases.

Harking back to the classics of the 70s we have a pretty-perfect mystery detective story. The style here is unlike any other from 2024 and has been imprinted on our brains since it came out. A must-play point and click adventure.

The baby of Stardew & Terarria that absolutely popped off when it exited Early Access. If you’ve been wanting something similar to those games to play with mates, this is your gem.

If we’re talking about 2024’s game, this gets pretty close to it. Everyone and their dog was playing it. Addictive in every sense of the word after exploding from Early Access. If you like making things efficient, you’ll be satisfied here.

A literal storybook come to life. One of the most unique mechanics we saw all year. Perfect for the kids, and a heartwarming story for all. Another one that instantly had it’s own style that you couldn’t look past.

What could be considered 2024’s ‘coziest’ game—dioramas come to life. No timers, no objectives. Just creating the perfect little town in your own space.

Possibly 2024’s best harrowing experience. Review after review leaving the next with the experience of just how creeped out they were. Released perfectly towards the end of the year and got a lot of hearts racing.

Nomada Studios delivered another breathtaking masterpiece. Combining precise action, haunting music, and a thematically rich story, this was a game to savor and reflect on. A living work of art that reaffirmed why we play games.

One of those games that we wouldn’t have tried without the publisher sending through a key hoping we would. And this is the absolute SLEEPER of 2024. It’s got strategy, city-building, and keeps your fingers ready at the touch of a letter. Take our recommendation on this—grab it!

Mossmouth returned in very good fashion. 50 games for 50c a piece. Each living in the same developed world with number 1 being the earliest release, and the games getting fuller from there. This is an absolute no-brainer from the legend behind Spelunky.

One to round out the year from December, a roguelike RPG masterpiece that balanced procedural generation with rich handcrafted content to create a world teeming with danger and atmosphere.