Screenshot from the game Hades 2 where a female character strikes two enemies
By
Carrie Lambertsen
Published 2 hours ago
Carrie is a Senior Writer at ScreenRant who previously managed Geek to Geek Media and wrote for SwitchRPG. She is particularly knowledgeable when it comes to WoW, Diablo, and cozy games. She has a passion for supporting the indies and always enjoys sharing her passions with others through her writing.
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Massive game releases by big studios can easily overshadow the plethora of incredible Indie games that are also launched every year. In 2025, however, there were several games from these smaller independent studios that captured the hearts of many and became just as highly talked about.
When coming up with our ranking for the best indie games of 2025, we took into consideration not only our own ScreenRant reviews, but also scores from Metacritic and OpenCritic. Ultimately, we hope this list can reflect the broad community of players, and so I tried to focus on user reviews as much as possible, and then a team of editors and writers debated the choices and order of the list.
Naturally, everyone reading this will have their own favorites. Personally, I fell in love with the cozy mining game Gemporium this year, and we would love to hear what your top indies may be.
While many would consider Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to be the top indie game of the year, particularly after its winning run at The Game Awards this year, due to the controversy regarding whether it is truly an indie or not, ScreenRant has opted to leave it off this list. However, it is still an absolutely amazing game that I highly recommend.
10 Megabonk, A Roguelike Survival
Described as being very similar to Vampire Survivors except with a 3D art style, Megabonk has been quickly gaining momentum since its September 18 release. Available on PC, the game was originally nominated for the category of Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards, but Megabonk's developer withdrew from the award due to having created other games under different studio names in the past.
Despite developer Vedinad's opting out of the nomination, it is clear that this game is still deserving of awards. The addictive chaos that this game provides has given it overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam. It is too early for Metacritic and OpenCritic to score the game, but many players and critics have loved the experience.
9 Tiny Bookshop, A Cozy, Narrative Management Game
Screenshot from Tiny Bookshop game
2025 wasn't a great year for fans of the cozy game genre, yet one title shines through. Tiny Bookshop combines the cozy hobbies of reading with relaxed gameplay as players get to experience running their own little mobile bookshop and selling books at the beach, park, café, and more.
One of the biggest draws is that most of the books included here are from our real world. So, when a customer requests a classic romance, I can immediately pull Pride & Prejudice off the shelf. In fact, in our review of Tiny Bookshop, our reviewer stated, "books on my in-game shelves reminded me of so many good titles I haven’t read in a while, and gave me the strong urge to pick up a book."
ScreenRant gave Tiny Bookshop 9/10 stars, while OpenCritic gave it a score of 82, and Metacritic shows it at 81. Although it is currently only available digitally on PC and Switch, it will have a physical release for Nintendo Switch and a PS5 version next spring.
8 Ball x Pit, A Base-Building, Survival Roguelite
Screenshot from Ball x Pit
For some truly fast-paced action, Ball x Pit takes players on a fantasy roguelite adventure to plunge deeper and deeper into a possibly bottomless pit of monsters. As you get stronger and discover new levels of the pit, you can then work to build a New Ballbylon community with heroes, characters, power-ups, and more.
ScreenRant writer Kyle Gratton says that Ball x Pit starts out simple but "quickly spirals out of control with all the variety you uncover," as he admitted he was likely to lose a lot of sleep playing this addictive game.
Ball x Pit is available on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2, and has an 80 player rating on OpenCritic.
7 Absolum, A Beat 'Em Up Roguelike
Screenshot from the game Absolum with two players fighting off a horde of monsters
Blending classic side-scrolling beat 'em up fighting with roguelike elements, Absolum gives fast-paced action and a satisfying fighting feel. Taking it to the next level, the game also packs in so much personality and addictive qualities that it's hard to put down.
While giving Absolum a review of 8/10 stars, ScreenRant writer Leo Faierman wrote that Absolum is something special with "a confidently crafted world, a gorgeously animated aesthetic, some fascinating characters, and [a] killer beat 'em up structure."
Available on PC, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch, Absolum has a Metacritic score of 86, with user scores being generally favorable at 8.2.
6 Despelote, A First-Person Adventure
Key artwork from the game Despelote with kids playing soccer in the street
With an eye-catching, unique art style that uses photos and audio recorded on location, Despelote blends a soccer game into a first-person adventure with a slice-of-life storyline about childhood. Truly, it's more about the people than soccer.
As you dribble and pass the soccer ball around the streets of Quito, Ecuador, you are learning more about the people and city itself as Ecuador comes closer to qualifying for the World Cup.
Available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch, its deep story has gotten it overwhelmingly positive reviews and a Metacritic score of 89.
5 The Seance Of Blake Manor, A Narrative Puzzle Mystery
Screenshot from the game The Seance of Blake Manor
If you're looking for something a bit spookier and mysterious, The Seance of Blake Manor offers a supernatural detective mystery. Set in 1897 Ireland, players take on the role of Private Investigator Declan Ward as he investigates a remote hotel filled with spooky secrets and strange characters, all while trying to find the missing Evelyn Deane.
With beautiful comic-book style artwork and a puzzling first-person narrative, this gothic supernatural game feels like a classic detective mystery. OpenCritic has given the game a score of 94% Critics Recommend.
4 Dispatch, An Episodic Adventure
Three choices for the player to make for Robert, DispatchImage via AdHoc Studio
Choices matter in this superhero workplace comedy full of misfit heroes. Dispatch is a narrative adventure game that was released as eight episodes, where the player's dialogue choices determine what happens and where the story goes.
Playing as Robert Robertson III, who was once known as the superhero Mecha Man, players are a dispatcher for a group of villains-turned-superheroes. Sending them out to respond to different crimes and events, you must decide who to send and why.
Not only does it have an impressive list of voice actors, but Dispatch has an incredible 100 Player Rating on OpenCritic, alongside its 96% Critics Recommend score. It is currently available on PC and PS5, with ports for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 expected in January.
3 Hades 2, A Roguelike ARPG
Hades 2 Gameplay.
In Hades 2, players take on the role of Hades' daughter, who seeks to defeat Kronos to rescue her family and the underworld. This is done by running through semi-randomized levels with boss battles that feature major figures in Greek mythology. Each run gives you the chance to unlock new weapons or skills to make the next run even better.
Hades 2 earned itself a 10/10 review here on ScreenRant, with reviewer Chris Carter stating that, "the world this time around feels so much bigger... it made me feel like this was a living, breathing world." Additionally, it has a 100 Player Rating on OpenCritic, and a Metascore of 95.
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Dive into the world of movies and TV shows with Screen Rant, your source for news, reviews, and exclusive content. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.Although it was in Early Access in 2024, Hades 2 launched as a full roguelike ARPG in September 2025 on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.
2 Hollow Knight: Silksong, A Metroidvania Action-Adventure
After years of waiting anxiously for it to be released, Hollow Knight: Silksong proved its development time was worth it by the high-quality game we received. Playing as Hornet, we gain new weapons and upgrades as we progress through a cavernous world full of monsters and quirky allies.
Despite some initial review bombing, mainly aimed at the difficulty of the game, Silksong has some of the highest reviews of any game this year, whether from an indie developer or not. The game was given 10/10 stars by ScreenRant, a Metascore of 90, and 97% Critics Recommend by OpenCritic.
Personally, I adore the wandering NPC Sherma and would happily take this cheerful singing pilgrim with me throughout the game if I could.
1 Blue Prince, A Puzzle Adventure
Screenshot of Blue Prince, showing the game's art design, mansion, and landscape.
Between Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades 2, and Blue Prince, it was difficult to decide which is the top game of the three. Each has a very different game style, with many reasons why they should be recommended.
Blue Prince distinguishes itself from other indie games with its depth of puzzle mechanics and exploration. After inheriting a mysterious mansion whose rooms change with each day, players must attempt to find the rumored Room 46. There is no combat here, but it does require a lot of brain power. In fact, one of the beginner tips I share is to keep a notebook near you to jot down things you learn with each day's exploration.
This game is more than just a normal roguelike. Its game mechanics and dozens of mysteries stay with you long after playing and draw you back again and again. Blue Prince deserved a Game of the Year nomination for the level of quality in its compelling puzzles, and certainly is the best indie game of 2025.
Blue Prince
10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed Puzzle Adventure Exploration Strategy Systems
OpenCritic Reviews
Top Critic Avg:
90/100
Critics Rec:
95%
Released
April 10, 2025
ESRB
Everyone 10+ / Alcohol Reference, Simulated Gambling
Developer(s)
Dogubomb
Publisher(s)
Raw Fury
Engine
Unity
10 Images
Close
Genre(s)
Puzzle, Adventure, Exploration, Strategy
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