In recent years, indie games have become increasingly popular among gamers of all kinds. Whether it’s Sony, Nintendo, or Steam, independent game developers seem to be on the rise and gamers are seeing higher quality indie games pop up all the time. As a self-proclaimed lover of all indie games, I would personally say that it seems Microsoft has been doing exceptionally well in attracting excellent developers in this field to their Xbox One platform.
I’ve compiled a list of the best 5 indie games that you can get on your Xbox One this summer, and as a plus they’re all free if you have an Xbox Game Pass membership.
#5 Super Hot
This game has become extremely popular the past few years in part due to its exciting and immersive VR experience. Even if you don’t have access to a virtual reality headset though, this title is still stunning and enjoyable on the Xbox One with a controller. With charming low-poly graphics and a fun time-bending first person shooter style it’s hard to go wrong with this incredible game. With hours of slow-motion shooting fun and the often necessary repeating of levels this title is a must have for any gamer.
#4 Below
If you’re a fan of top-down adventure games then Below is the indie experience you’ve been looking for. With open level designs and massive areas to discover and explore, Below is a great way to relax while travelling along on a wandering adventure. The artistic style of this game is incredible all while offering challenging and less-than-familiar rogue like rpg gameplay. If you’re wanting to sink countless hours into a game that makes you question what its purpose truly is, while pleasing your eyes and ears with beautiful art and masterful background tracks, then you have to check out Below.
#3 Outer Wilds
Even though it was only released this year, Outer Wilds has already created quite a buzz among the indie gaming community, and is even being loved by many gamers who wouldn’t normally flock to an indie title. Although the complex controls and unknown nature of a timed-death gameplay experience may seem challenging at first, the open solar system and stunning landscapes make it all worth it. In this beautiful indie game you are an adventurer in space with only 22 minutes before your star supernovas, causing you to spend every moment you have exploring as much as you can. If you find yourself drawn to space-based games and love exploring fun, new worlds then Outer Wilds should absolutely be on your shortlist this summer.
#2 Hello Neighbor
Although this game seemed to first come to attention due to its odd and often glitchy gameplay, it now has amassed a large following of devoted gamers. With cute cartoon-like graphics and the adrenaline filled gameplay of trying not to get caught, this game has a lot to offer for most casual gamers. While the developer, Dynamic Pixels, has come out with an expansion to this game and a separate game set in the same neighborhood, I personally feel that the original still has the most to offer. If you’ve been hearing or watching any of the fun surrounding this game in the past few months now’s the time to give it a shot!
#1 Ashen
While I love all the games mentioned before this dearly, my top choice for this list of indie games had to be Ashen. Even though this game was only released recently, it has been received extremely well among the gaming community. The low-poly and earthtone art style in this game makes you feel like you’ve been transported to a land that really exists somewhere, one that you have been able to become a part of. The combat in this game will surely immerse you as well. You’ll have to concentrate fairly hard and make sure you’ve prepared properly to make it through the more advanced fights you’ll find yourself in. As well as the immersive combat, a wealth of lore that can be discovered within the game by talking to npc’s, a beautiful world to explore, and an incredible story to play through make this game a work of art. With such a well-rounded game already adored by such a large community, competitive and casual gamers alike are sure to love this indie title.
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A Nintendo Switch trailer was also released.
According to SteamDB.
An announcement trailer was also released.