Like any thriving industry, video games rely on the innovation and fresh perspectives of indie developers. Established companies are all well and good, but sometimes these gaming juggernauts lack the capacity for a more personal touch. With their smaller teams, more targeted scope, and sheer passion behind the project, indie games connect with audiences in ways that AAA studios cannot emulate.
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Something that indie games often do well is their stories. Mechanics and design are meaningless without a compelling narrative to drive the player forward. As many indie games start off as one key project in the mind of the developer, their storylines are rich with years of careful thought and love. And, the good news is, there are plenty of indie games out there with unparalleled storytelling.
12Spiritfarer
Spiritfareris a sweetmanagement simulation gameset within a beautifully designed sandbox setting. Players control the protagonist, Stella, who is tasked with the role of the Spiritfarer - a mystical ferry master responsible for helping souls pass on to the afterlife.
The world ofSpiritfareris rich with unique characters that Stella will form a close bond with. Players will also slowly unravel the truth behind Stella’s own history and how she came to be a guide for lost souls. The game deals with the complex theme of death in a graceful and compassionate way.
11Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons
Released in 2013,Brothers: A Tale of Two Sonsis a little older than many of the other entries in this list. However, this indie game is often used as a key example of compelling video game narratives.Brothers: A Tale of Two Sonssees players take control of Naiee and Naia – two brothers on a journey to find the cure to their father’s illness.
As each brother has their own key skills, they must work together on their journey and overcome many challenges along the way. Players will also meet other characters throughout the game, which will help them overcome challenges of their own. Without spoiling the ending, the game closes its emotional tale with a gut punch that players will find hard to forget.
10SOMA
Developed by thehorror game expertsat Frictional Games,SOMAis an eerie narrative-driven title set in a complex post-apocalyptic world. Players take control of the protagonist Simon, who wakes up in a dilapidated undersea research facility with no memory of how he got there.
Though the gameplay itself is interesting enough, if a little formulaic, it is the story ofSOMAthat makes it such an engaging and popular game. As players explore more of this chilling underwater world, they will encounter characters that make them question what it truly means to be human.
9Oxenfree
Inspired by the coming-of-age story genre,Oxenfreeis a supernatural horror game set on an abandoned and mysterious island. Players assume the role of Alex, a young teenager camping on the island for a weekend with a group of her friends. While exploring nearby caves, Alex inadvertently opens a dimensional rift using her radio.
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The group finds themselves waking up in different parts of the island and begin to be plagued by supernatural occurrences. Though the game has many enthralling events, there is a heartfelt focus on relationships and organic communication that helps to unravel the story.
8Disco Elysium
Disco Elysiumis a surreal RPG with a unique oil painting design and a wide range of complex themes at its core. Asking the central question of “what kind of cop are you?”, the game allows for any number of answers as players are free to mold their protagonist how they wish.
Waking up in a trashed hotel room, players take control of the protagonist ofDisco Elysium,who is revealed to be a detective with drug-induced amnesia.Piecing together his pastwill reveal the complexity of the human experience in all its hilarious, sorrowful, and eccentric glory.
7Night In The Woods
As a single-player adventure game,Night in the Woodsis predominantly a story-first experience. Players will witness the journey ofthe protagonist, Mae, as she returns to her hometown after dropping out of college due to her declining mental state.
Mae and her childhood friends begin to unravel a mystery within their town involving disappearances and a strange cult in the woods. Featuring themes of mental illness, financial stagnancy, and the death of small towns,Night in the Woodsis a wonderful narrative experience.
6Gone Home
Another adventure game that features a strong central story isGone Home, which was released by The Fullbright Company in 2013. Players control Katie, a young woman who returns home from overseas to visit her family only to find their home deserted.
Interestingly, the game featureslittle in the way of actionor specific events and instead reveals itself through interaction with various items around the house. Players will slowly piece together the story of what happened to Katie’s family in this more artistic interpretation of gaming.
5Inside
Sometimes the best stories are ones that can be hard for audiences to grasp, andInsidecertainly delivers. Thispopular puzzle platformerfeatures an unnamed child protagonist who moves through a strange and dystopian world. Where he is going or what his goal is remains unknown and players must simply keep moving forward.
As more of this eerie world is revealed, players will have to decide what it means for themselves.Insidehas many plausible narrative interpretations and the game is widely believed to be one of the greatest video games of all time.
4Life Is Strange
Life is Strangeis a graphic adventure game that takes place over several episodic installments. The protagonist of the narrative is a young girl named Max, who develops the ability to rewind time when she witnesses her childhood friend being shot.
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The narrative plays with the butterfly effect concept, in which every choice Max makes can shape and reshape reality. Players will be required to solve puzzles, make difficult decisions, and watch as their choices unfold into unintended consequences.
3What Remains Of Edith Finch
Though it takes the form of the oft-criticized “walking simulator” games,What Remains of Edith Finchis an award-winning game that focuses heavily on narrative storytelling. Players explore the mysterious Finch house and its surroundings as Edith Finch, the last surviving member of her family.
As players uncover more of Edith’s family home, they will reveal details of a strange curse that struck down her relatives before their time. These untimely deaths are revealed through a series of vignettes in which Edith offers her own thoughts upon. The game will make playersquestion the authenticityof what they’re being told and expose them to a compellingly dark narrative.
