Indie games have routinely changed the landscape for studios and the gaming industry in general, and that remained true in 2018. What used to be a small section of the industry reserved for talented developers attempting to break through into the mainstream consciousness has quickly become a burgeoning and lucrative element of video gaming.
Indie games are no longer characterized by being shorter adventures or graphically inferior to triple-A titles and, in truth, haven't been for some time. 2018 saw some of the best indie games ever created arrive to push the narrative of indie studios rising to meet the challenges laid out for them by bigger developers even further.
Related: Fallout 76 Is The Most Disappointing Game Of 2018
Some of the best experiences in gaming regardless of studio size came out of the indie scene, and we've compiled our list for the 10 best indie games of 2018 (in no particular order) to recognize just some of the titles that helped make it such a great year for fans. If you haven't given these games a shot, perhaps the lull in the holiday season will be the perfect time to dive in.
10. Insurgency: Sandstorm
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Insurgency: Sandstorm emerged to change the way we view the military simulation genre. Developer New World Interactive put a priority on team-based, tactical gameplay that was meant to mimic the way that soldiers in real life might attempt to achieve the objectives given to them by the chain of command. In the past, this has been a dicey proposition, often creating games with a pace that is too slow or combat that falls short of the mark.
Neither of those problems plagued Insurgency: Sandstorm, however. It might not be the most attractive shooter from a graphical standpoint, but it featured arguably the best gunplay available in games that debuted in 2018, and it had a deep roster of weapons to choose from as well. Better still, the pacing of the game was frenetic and enjoyable, making the FPS combat exciting in a way that many military sims can only dream of. Insurgency: Sandstorm was criminally underplayed this year despite excellent review showings, and its still evolving, making it well worth a look for those who might have missed it earlier.
9. Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Speaking of immersive, realistic gameplay, Kingdom Come: Deliverance delivered that in a big way when it released in early 2018. Developer Warhorse Studios had promised a game that focused on historically accurate content while still providing a compelling play experience. Somehow, in a game that makes you bathe your character so they're more presentable to the nobility that will then ridicule them anyway, the balance between those two design philosophies was struck in a pitch perfect manner.
A combination of great characters, strong storytelling, and one of the best first-person melee combat systems ever designed helped buoy Kingdom Come: Deliverance through the dry periods of its historical accuracy. Even then, the history was part of the selling point, as it was told in a way that was easy to get invested in. The kind of attention to detail present in Kingdom Come: Deliverance is an indie marvel, and its the type of game that could be the progenitor of even more historically-accurate period pieces in the future.
8. The Banner Saga 3
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Stoic Studio's The Banner Saga 3 hit hard and didn't hold anything back when it released this past summer. The climatic finale to The Banner Saga trilogy saw protagonists players had spent years familiarizing themselves with make the toughest choices imaginable. While the game's open-ended narrative means that player experience will vary, it's safe to say that The Banner Saga 3 left its mark on everyone who played it, good or bad.
That emotional storytelling was accompanied by some of the finest tactical RPG combat available this year, and the same gorgeous animation style that had won over fans of the previous two entries in the trilogy. We may never get a series of games quite like The Banner Saga again, and The Banner Saga 3 was an excellent feather in the cap of Stoic Studio, who proved that cinematic storytelling and engrossing gameplay doesn't always come from the biggest names in gaming.
7. Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire
Sometimes it feels a little disingenuous to refer to developer Obsidian Entertainment as an indie studio. The consistent quality that Obsidian delivers is on-par with the most famous AAA developers, and what the studio is able to do given its relative size and funding is nothing short of incredible. Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire continued that tradition in 2018, providing a worthy sequel to its award-winning predecessor.
It's hard to find a major flaw in Pillars of Eternity II. Its story, like so many others in this collection of indie titles, was nothing short of sublime. The combat depth and customization was detailed without ever feeling overwhelming. The cRPG graphics were done with the kind of finesse we've come to expect from some of the best in the business. Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire even featured a whole lot of swashbuckling, infusing it with the kind of charm that keeps players coming back for more. It was a triumph and wouldn't be out of place on any best of 2018 list.
6. Sunless Skies
Sunless Skies exudes "cool." The sequel to 2015's Sunless Sea returns to a familiar blend of mechanics and storytelling that serve developer Failbetter Games well, focusing on exploration and narrative rather than any particularly deep gameplay innovations. That style works here, though, as it helps accentuate the Gothic moodiness that permeates ever corner of Sunless Skies' world.
"SAIL THE STARS. BETRAY YOUR QUEEN. MURDER A SUN." That's how Sunless Skies is marketed online, and if that tagline isn't enough to persuade you to give it a shot, perhaps the knowledge that the protagonist is the captain of an interplanetary locomotive will? Sunless Skies is bizarre, beautiful, and will stick with you long after you've retired from its Victorian-inspired world.
Page 2 of 2: Subnautica, Dead Cells, and More
5. Subnautica
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Subnautica launched very early into 2018 and, as such, has been a little under the radar when it comes to the best indie titles of 2018. Unknown Worlds Entertainment developed a beautiful mixture of survival and adventure in Subnautica, which sees players exploring the ocean of the planet 4564B, uncovering its aquatic secrets while also accumulating the resources needed to survive its various challenges.
Subnautica is positively gorgeous to look at, popping with color and life wherever the player looks. Its gameplay begins light-hearted but can quickly border on survival horror as players make their way to the murky depths of 4564B's ocean. Getting drawn into the world of Subnautica is as easy as booting the game up, and its open-world nature means players can keep returning whenever they like to try and find something new. That sense of exploration and wonder was a welcome refresher in a trying year for many, and it makes Subnautica easy to recommend to people looking for a distraction heading into 2019.
4. Donut County
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Donut County is weird. Players control a hole across varying levels, moving it to swallow objects and increase its size. Described as something like an inverted Katamari Damacy, Donut County features puzzles, a colorful world, and a story that seems like it was ripped straight out of a fairy tale.
Donut County follows a human named Mina and her friend BK, who is a raccoon. They eventually uncover a plot hatched by the Raccoon King to collect more trash and, as it negatively impacts the residents of Donut County, they move to stop him. It's a wild ride into an imaginative narrative that could have just as easily gone completely unexplained, but Donut County's charm and appeal wouldn't have been the same if developer Ben Esposito hadn't been so willing to embrace its quirkiness. The gameplay is addictive and the game is available on mobile devices as well as consoles and PC, meaning it is an excellent companion for those with a daily commute looking for a little brightness and fancy on their way to work.
3. Celeste
Celeste was originally created in four day during a game jam session before later being expanded into a full release. Developers Matt Makes Games and Noel Berry must have realized they were onto something with the title, and they were right - Celeste is one of the most immediately recognizable 2018 indie titles and has won a number of year-end awards already.
Celeste is a platforming game that sees players control a girl named Madeline as she attempts to make her way up a mountain. The story is an emotional look at mental health as Madeline learns how to cope with the parts of her she doesn't like, and it is a refreshing take on a subject that has only just started to make its way into mainstream gaming. On top of that, the game's soundtrack is one of the best of 2018, and Celeste's platforming gameplay is challenging and skill intensive. Celeste ticks all the boxes for what makes an indie game one of the best releases of the year, and the title comes highly recommended as a must-own - although lucky Xbox owners can snag it in January 2019's Games With Gold.
2. Into the Breach
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Into the Breach is the second effort from developer Subset Games, who first made a name for itself with FTL: Faster Than Light. Into the Breach is a bit of a different animal, though, tasking players with controlling a team of mechas from the future as they attempt to vanquish an alien invasion. The game uses a turn-based combat system that places a heavy emphasis on coordination, allowing teams to respond to enemy moves and employ combinations to beat them.
Into the Breach has been compared to chess, and with good reason. It's a complicated game that doesn't really hold the player's hand at any point after the introduction, and it can be a bit overwhelming for those who are new to the strategy genre. All of that melts away once the moment comes where Into the Breach's intricately designed mechanics click into place, though. The end result is immense satisfaction and the knowledge that more challenges await, and Into the Breach is now available on the Switch as well, making it an ideal indie title for travel.
1. Dead Cells
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Dead Cells is a rogue-like, Metroidvania title, which basically means it is tough, compelling, and has callbacks to some of gaming's iconic classics. The game was actually available in early access for about a year, including some time in 2017, but its official release happened in the summer of 2018 and was followed by a period in which Dead Cells cultivated a following of fans who saw it played on popular streaming service Twitch.
Dead Cells was developed by Motion Twin, and is based around power-up collection, deft ability use, and trying to find the best weapons and armor available. Dead Cells also procedurally generates each of its level by combining pre-designed sections in a random configuration while also randomly inserting enemies and items into areas. That, plus a combat system that has been compared favorably to the Souls series, keeps Dead Cells from ever feeling like it is getting old. Dead Cells also wisely included Twitch integration into its functionality, allowing viewers to influence the streamers' decisions by voting on upgrade paths and other similar decisions.
Dead Cells feels like the indie title of the future, combining excellent gameplay with a focus on presenting a compelling stream. Whether or not that holds true, Motion Twin's ambition and execution of that concept makes Dead Cells one of the best indie titles of 2018.
