It’s important to us at Gamezebo to highlight indie games whenever we get the opportunity. So, that’s why we’ve created this Best Indie Games of 2023 feature! It can also be used as a sort of guide to what you should be playing over the Christmas break and beyond – trust us, we’ve picked some good ‘uns.
These games are our personal favourites from the year and they all fall under the indie category. Some were more popular than others, while some were a little more niche. Either way, we want to share these games with you guys – enjoy!
Lethal Company
If you’ve not played Lethal Company, you’ve definitely seen videos and memes of it floating around on the internet. I’ve got quite a few hours stacked up in the game at the moment, and it’s safe to say that it never gets old. With it being in Early Access, there are plenty of future updates in the works – we got one recently that added some new items! On the surface, Lethal Company looks like a simplistic game with very retro graphics. However, the game is filled to the brim with hilarity, scares, and downright diabolical happenings.
Adele
A Date With Death
I feel like this one has flown under the radar for some. Visual novel dating sims (or Otome games) aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I thought I’d put this one in our top picks purely because it deserves a spot here. The game is incredibly stylish and focuses heavily on the use of technology to communicate with a Grim Reaper – or Grimmy as MC likes to call him. One of the stand out features was the fact that you customise your character and bedroom, which I’m always a fan of in any video game.
To top it all off, the base game is completely free – which is an absolute bargain considering the amazing quality. You can purchase DLC for extra dialogue and customisation options, but even that won’t break the bank! It’s well worth a try if you like Otome games.
Adele
Spirittea
I had the pleasure of reviewing this game and I am SO glad I did! Spirittea blends Spirited Away with Stardew Valley into a little cosy concoction of a game. Now I’m a HUGE Studio Ghibli fan, but I struggled to mount the Stardew Valley hype, so I had serious FOMO until I got my hands on this game.
Spirittea is a game with direction. However, allows you to completely take things at your own pace which is ideal for me as someone who easily detours. I love low-commitment stories with sandbox-y elements. So it was only natural that I’d enjoy Spirittea for all that it is.
The game itself is so charming with hilarious and three-dimensional characters. I mentioned this in my review but Wonyan is my honourary cat (as a dog person and dog owner). Wonyan is such a hilarious guide, full of cheek and grumps. His dialogue alongside the other cast really made me fall in love with taking my time and actually absorbing the story rather than spam-clicking to skip.
Overall Spirittea earned its title as Indie Game Of The Year (in my opinion anyway). And if I convinced you to check it out, you can pick up this game from Steam and Switch.
Sho
Little Goody Two Shoes
It’s hard to sum up Little Goody Two Shoes in a short paragraph, but I can say for sure that it’s one of the most visually appealing indie games I’ve ever played. It’s got a mixture of 90s/early 2000s anime flair, pixel graphics, and an engaging world. Plus, it’s got romance – lovely!
Play fun mini-games to earn cash on the side and delve into eerie nightmares within the dark woods. our decisions matter in Little Goody Two Shoes, and it’s up to you to choose between the mundanity of real life or unpredictable adventure!
Adele
The Outlast Trials
The Outlast Trails is easily one of my favourite horror games from 2023. You’ve probably heard of the Outlast series – it was everywhere when it first came out, and for good reason! The Outlast Trials takes the best bits from the original titles whilst throwing you into a multiplayer setting.
You and your fellow teammates need to work together to complete certain tasks. Sound easy enough, right? Well, it gets a little more difficult when more enemies start to appear the longer it takes you to finish the task. You’ve got the adrenaline-pumping chases, the battery-draining night vision goggles, and a whole load of scares – it’s brilliant.
Adele
Chilla’s Art: Parasocial
We can’t highlight indie games of the year without mentioning Chilla’s Art. They arguably make some of the best horror games in the indie scene right now, and Parasocial was one of my favourites for 2023. It takes on a plotline that is incredibly relevant right now, especially with the overall rise in popularity of Vtubers.
It’s full of what you’d expect from a Chilla’s Art title, with the usual unsettling feeling, strange character models that add to the charm, and a story full of twists. Plus, their games are surprisingly affordable, so you can try out some of their other titles too (I recommend The Closing Shift and The Convenience Store!).
Adele
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk
Now this one completely took me by surprise when I got the chance to play it. I’ve been craving a more up-to-date version of Jet Set Radio for years – and Bomb Rush Cyberfunk ticks most of the boxes. It’s not exactly the same as the classic game, but it’s a ton of fun and allowed me to reminisce about the times I had with Jet Set Radio back in the day.
The fact that Bomb Rush Cyberfunk includes randomly dancing NPCs like JSR was the icing on the cake for me. Plus, the music is funky (as you’d expect by the game’s title). I’m a little shocked that it took this long for someone to make a JSR-inspired game that’s more or less true to the original.
Adele