- 5/18/2025
The indie video game industry is thriving this decade, and these games prove it. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best indie games released since 2020.
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00:00This video is brought to you by Monster Train 2, arriving May 21st, 2025 on Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X and S.
00:13Be on your way indeed. What do I care? You shall never reach the surface. Go, see for yourself.
00:21Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best indie games released since the 2020s began.
00:3010. Spiritfarer
00:43Within this thoughtful sim platformer, you'll find even more beauty than its stunning hand-drawn visuals would imply.
00:49As Stella, you awaken the afterlife and are tasked with taking over for Charon, Ferryman of the Dead.
00:54From there, you collect various spirits from different islands, help them find peace, and prepare them to move on.
00:59Each and every spirit, no matter how much time you're given with them, feels distinctly real.
01:04That's because they each had a connection to Stella in her life, and were based on real-life people the developers knew.
01:09The calming gameplay, wonderful art direction, and enchanting score delight the senses.
01:14But it's the character writing that will keep you coming back to Spiritfarer until the final spirit moves on.
01:19Titans have seized heaven.
01:31Now, former angels and demons must unite and fight in this sequel to the critically acclaimed Monster Train, a thrilling roguelike deck builder.
01:38Command five distinct new clans, each with their own powerful abilities to master in run after run.
01:44Defend your pyre across three intense vertical levels against dangerous new foes, knowing each journey offers fresh challenges.
01:50Unleash strategic advantages with powerful room cards, and equip your units for devastating impact as you build your ultimate deck.
01:57Explore the covenant outpost, unlock game-changing pyre hearts to customize each run, and conquer handcrafted dimensional challenges for exclusive cosmetic rewards.
02:07Customize your train's look, and track your legendary runs with the enhanced logbook.
02:11Push your skills to the limit in endless mode, and tackle fresh daily challenges to dominate global leaderboards.
02:17Monster Train 2 is available May 21st on Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X and S. Pre-order now.
02:26Number 9. Cult of the Lamb
02:33Another sim slash management game, but one that is quite different from our last entry.
02:37In Cult of the Lamb, your adorable avatar is saved from death by a deity, who then forces you to start a cult in their name.
02:44In addition to maintaining your village of followers, you'll also venture into dangerous regions, fighting monsters and other foes through roguelike mechanics, in order to find new members.
02:53It's a wonderful mix of genres, as well as a blending of a cutesy design with dark subject matter.
02:58Combat is just as entertaining as managing your community is, which features tasks like cooking, building, and preserving everyone's belief in you as a leader.
03:06Lest they turn against you, or you can, you know, just simply sacrifice them all.
03:10It's your call.
03:11Number 8. Inscription
03:15At its core, Inscription is a roguelike deck builder, but there are so, so many other aspects it juggles all at once that anyone can find entertainment in it.
03:36Players control a content creator who discovers a mysterious game, on which they are challenged by a spirit to a card-based tabletop duel.
03:44Not only is it fun to play, it's got an incredible tone and atmosphere, being just spooky enough to put you on edge.
03:50As players are sucked in by the unique card mechanics, the character delves deeper into the mystery behind the game, finding that there is much more to it than he initially thought.
03:58There's such a strong sense of world building here that you can't help but keep going.
04:10Number 7. Pizza Tower
04:19If you've been missing Nintendo's Wario Land series, you've got something in common with developer Tour de Pizza.
04:24The team set out to make a spiritual successor and, in our eyes, more than succeeded with Pizza Tower.
04:29The game is just ridiculously fun, following a chef trying to save his pizzeria from destruction.
04:34In order to do so, he climbs a tower, fighting food-based foes along the way.
04:38The art style is utterly zany in the best way possible, bringing a lot of comparisons to 90's cartoons.
04:44The character animations are also stellar, combining for a wacky platformer we couldn't stop grinning at.
04:49It may not be the deepest game on our list, but as it's so delightful to play, that honestly doesn't really matter.
05:03Number 6. Tunic
05:04With plenty of inspiration from The Legend of Zelda, Tunic plops you into its fantastical world, and challenges you with unraveling it.
05:17Hand-challenged you'll be, it's so hard, because this game does not hold your hands, not even in the slightest.
05:22But therein lies the game's joy.
05:24There are so many secrets to discover, whether hidden in its world through isometric design, or by unearthing clues that tie to the world's history together.
05:31Moreover, every tough puzzle, or enemy encounter, you're able to overcome feels that much more satisfying and rewarding.
05:38The game gives you just enough to entice you, like a hand beckoning you forward, while still issuing tests to prove you're worthy of seeing it all.
05:45It instills a drive to keep going, no matter what obstacle lies in your way.
05:49Number 5. Animal Well
06:04The indie scene sees a mountain of metroidvanias released each year.
06:07So what makes Animal Well so special?
06:09Well, for starters, you have no way of actually attacking, increasing the challenge by giving players a notable dose of fear around enemies.
06:16However, this also increases the focus on puzzle solving elements, of which the game handles exceptionally well.
06:23There is so much depth, the nuance, and density when it comes to exploring and gathering information, that you'll need to survive as your little blob creature.
06:30You might be pulled in by your love for the genre, or the neon-soaked retro art style, but the string of puzzles that dance out in front of you will make you want to keep pulling its layers back.
06:39Number 4. Vampire Survivors
06:48Simple in its premise, and genius in its gameplay hook, Vampire Survivors is one of the hardest games to put down that we've experienced in years.
07:01You control one of several heroes attempting to kill a powerful vampire, but you have to make it through his hordes of minions first.
07:08You control your character's movement while your weapons attack automatically, with you instead managing what you're using as well as unlocking more powerful weapons as you go.
07:17While that takes a bit of pressure off of you, don't think things will be easy at all, especially in the early game.
07:22Regardless, it's an easy game to sink a lot of time into, and we're thankful it's gotten several expansions since release, including crossovers with Castlevania and Contra.
07:31Number 3. Sea of Stars
07:41Another retro-inspired gem, Sea of Stars should delight all fans of Chrono Trigger and old-school Final Fantasy.
07:47The RPG follows two warriors and their companions as they set out to save their world from destructive monsters called Dwellers.
07:54However, as good of a love letter as it is, it's more than just that.
07:58Characters are lovingly crafted and filled with charm.
08:01The pixel art visuals are nostalgic while also being beautiful and packing each area with a lot of detail.
08:06The combat is simple to pick up, with just the right amount of complexity through interactive elements.
08:11And the soundtrack overflows with catchy tracks that burrow into your brain for days on end.
08:15Many games emulate the Super Nintendo, but Sea of Stars is the gold standard.
08:19Number 2. Bellatro
08:26Everyone's favorite addiction from 2024, Bellatro wholeheartedly deserves all the love and attention it got.
08:36Blending poker with its own unique roguelike mechanics, this is a game that can be picked up and played by anyone.
08:42Its universality makes it easy to recommend, but we must warn you, stay far away from it unless you're comfortable losing hours at a time.
08:49Its simple setup makes it easy to jump into from game to game, but it's the roguelike nature that keeps every single round feeling fresh and making you want to see what the next one will offer.
08:58It's no wonder that it earned a ton of revenue and awards recognition, no one can deny its greatness.
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09:25Number 1. Hades
09:28This one was bound to show up, I guess. In the name of Hades, Olympus, I accept this message.
09:33Simply put, there isn't a single aspect of Hades that isn't remarkable.
09:37The game follows Zagreus, Prince of the Underworld, as he tries to escape to Mount Olympus.
09:41All the while, he's confronted by his father's forces and helped by different Greek gods.
09:46As per tradition with roguelite action games, your run starts over with each death.
09:50But unlike others in the genre, layers of the story and character motivations are peeled back every single time.
09:56Through this structure, as well as phenomenal art direction, writing, and voice acting,
10:00the game explores well-known figures in new and creative ways.
10:03That's not to mention Zagreus' weapons and power-ups, which make every combat encounter an absolute blast.
10:08If you've yet to try it, you're definitely missing out.
10:20What's your favorite indie game to release this decade? Show it some love in the comments.
10:30This video is brought to you by Monster Train 2, arriving May 21st, 2025 on Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X and S.
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