Which 2022 indie game was the best?
The indie games released in 2022 were very entertaining and addicting, each with their own unique gameplay and visuals that set them apart from other games. Furthermore, they provide more variety in the gaming industry, which is especially important given that certain triple A publishers focus their efforts on a specific genre that will bring in the most profit for them.
We've compiled a list of the 15 best indie games worth playing!
15. Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga - June 10, 2022 (Nintendo Switch, PC)
Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga is a fantasy tactical RPG with a strong focus on the narrative of a civil war and an excellent combat system.
What I mean is that it has a squad-based system in which you can create squads within your own army and watch them fight the enemies. This leads to a more intimate army building experience in which you must strategize how to build each squad in order for it to become powerful.
It is unquestionably one-of-a-kind, and that alone makes this game worthwhile to play.
Choose Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga if you like:
- Playing Tactical RPG with squad-based combat system
- Trying out variety of classes to find out the best match for your squad
- A great narrative of a civil war and succession wars
Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga Feature:
- Enjoy around 40 hours of story mode
- With over 50 classes available for you to mix and match with your squad.
- 2D tactical RPG with squad-based army
Fun Factor: 80/100
A Tactical RPG with nostalgic visuals
14. Signalis - October 27, 2022 (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Xbox Series X and Series S)
Signalis is a survival horror game set in a dystopian future in which you play as Elster, a cryostasis-awakened Android or Replika. Your mission is to find your partner, but the doomed facility is not without danger.
The game takes survival horror too seriously, as enemies are difficult to defeat and ammo is scarce, and it also draws inspiration from classic games, as it heavily relies on puzzles to progress.
Choose Signalis if you like:
- Survival horror games with scarcity in ammo
- Puzzle-oriented games to progress in the game
- Visuals that have classic feel to it due to the low-poly design of the game.
Signalis Feature:
- Feel the chill of terror as you navigate unusual monsters, carefully manage limited supplies, and puzzle through perplexing puzzles.
- Find out what's hiding in the shadows of a deserted starship, investigate the mystery fate of the people who formerly inhabited a doomed facility, and more.
- Explore a brutalist nightmare brought to life with cinematic sci-fi anime storytelling, fully animated 3D characters, moving lighting and shadows, and intricate transparency effects.
Fun Factor: 82/100
Classic horror feel in 2022
13. Nightmare Reaper - March 29, 2022 (PC)
Nightmare Reaper is an Early Access game that got its version 1.0 released in 2022. It is a game inspired by classic games, with a focus on retro-FPS, and its mini-games are inspired by classic platformer games and more.
The game can get crazy because it has open-ended levels with tons of enemies and loot as you progress through them. You can upgrade your character by playing mini-games, which are platformers. It's a nice way to relax after a while of killing enemies.
Choose Nightmare Reaper if you like:
- Retro-FPS games that is gory and chaotic, full of surprises and secrets.
- Looter shooter with 80 different weapons to be used with several enhancements available.
- Amazing music and audio design
Nightmare Reaper Feature:
- Open-ended levels teeming with opponents, surprises, and geysers of blood and riches.
- Minigames can be played to upgrade your characters
- There are 80 different weapons that can be found as loot, and they can have a diverse assortment of over 30 different kinds of enchantment.
Fun Factor: 83/100
It pays homage to great classic games while modernizing it
12. Nobody Saves the World - January 18, 2022 (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Xbox Series X and Series S)
Nobody Saves the World is a unique game about saving the world! It is an action RPG in which you can unlock various transformations such as rat, robot, and many more. Each has its own transformation, which you can combine to create your own customized build.
Solve the problems of the world's strange inhabitants, and as you unlock more transformations, more quests will be available for these transformations. Dungeons are generated procedurally, which is always a lot of fun, and you can play with friends for local or online co-op.
Choose Nobody Saves the World if you like:
- Playing Action RPG with plenty of combos and abilities with each transformation
- Like going through procedurally generated dungeons to complete quests and raids
- Local and co-op online play
- New Game+ is fun, which means endless fun!
Nobody Saves the World Feature:
- Unlock 15+ various Forms, ranging from a Rat to a Rogue to a Robot, each with their own set of advantages and disadvantages.
- Procedurally generated dungeons will keep you on your toes by gradually increasing in difficulty as your character levels up.
- Recruit a buddy to join you for all, or a portion of, your adventure!
- Assist the odd locals with solving their problems. The quests for each Shape are unique and can be completed in a variety of ways.
Fun Factor: 85/100
You can be a horse or a dinosaur, and mix and match their abilities to create powerful builds.
11. PlateUp! - August 4, 2022 (PC)
PlateUp! is a chaotic management game with roguelite elements that can be both addictive and frustrating, especially when played with friends.
Create your own restaurant using the random upgrades you receive after a day in the restaurant. Serve your customers a variety of dishes prepared in unique ways. Every restaurant is procedurally generated, with its own customers and problems, and you level up every time you complete a run, unlocking permanent restaurant upgrades.
Choose PlateUp !if you like:
- Chaotic fun with friends and enjoy managing a restaurant
- Set up your own upgrades in the restaurant to become more efficient
- Roguelite elements that will keep you on your toes.
PlateUp! Feature:
- Classic co-op game with a plethora of dishes to choose from and serve to your customers.
- Build your own restaurant every run and make the ideal one for efficiency, and expand and upgrade it as you complete each run
- Play with friends on online or local co-op and become a chaotic restaurant
Fun Factor: 87/100
PlateUp! is just chaotic fun and addicting roguelite management game.
10. Neon White - June 16, 2022 (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC)
Neon White is a fast-paced speedrunning FPS in which platforming plays an important role in completing each level. You take on the role of White, an assassin from hell, competing against other demon slayers for the chance to live in Heaven.
As you progress through each level, you will be moving quickly from platform to platform while collecting Soul Cards to defeat your enemies or using unique abilities to move faster. You are encouraged to replay levels in order to achieve the quickest time possible.
Choose Neon White if you like:
- Speedrunning levels, get the fastest time and finding shortcuts
- FPS with platformer gameplay with smooth animations to complete levels
- Beautifully created level design to keep you on replaying the levels
Neon White Feature:
- You take on the role of Neon White, an assassin dragged out of Hell to compete against other demon hunters for the chance to redeem yourself.
- The player can use the collected "Soul Cards" to either attack their opponents or to use special movement abilities.
- Use your cards to your advantage and race to the fastest times by figuring out ingenious ways to combine them.
Fun Factor: 88/100
Beautiful level design to traverse and get the fastest time!
9. Potionomics - October 17, 2022 (PC)
Potionomics focuses on the creation of potions, the gathering of ingredients, and the sale of these potions to adventurers. You play as Sylvia, and you inherit your uncle's potion shop, which is in debt.
Improve your negotiating skills and outsell your competition by bargaining more effectively with your customers to obtain a better price. Befriend and recruit adventurers to help you level up your potion game, and customize the decor of your shop to improve your potion-making efficiency and sales.
Choose Potionomics if you like:
- Selling your own potions to adventurers and bargain to get a better price.
- Choosing the best ingredients to satisfy any customers with your potions, even the simplest ones can be great.
- Customize your shop with decor, which can improve your shop’s prices, and better potions.
Potionomics Feature:
- When every coin counts, negotiations can be tense, but playing your cards right will ease Sylvia's stress. Make friends with Rafta's adventurers and shopkeepers to learn more advanced negotiation tactics.
- Choose the best ingredients to make even simple potions taste and smell great for your pickiest customers. Beware—you'll get gross results if you're not careful!
- Rafta, home to powerful magic, is full of big RPG characters looking for an edge. Befriend and recruit them to boost your potion game, but don't expect everyone to be friendly.
- Custom decor makes your shop stand out. Decorating your shop can boost sales, potions, and more!
Fun Factor: 89/100
Sell potions and better your bargaining skills
8. Prodeus - September 23, 2022 (PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Prodeus is an Early Access game that also had its 1.0 version come out in 2022. It's a fun game that takes inspiration from retro-FPS games and modernizes them with new techniques and gameplay mechanics.
The game's campaign was handcrafted by FPS veterans. It also has cooperative and competitive multiplayer against friends or anyone in the world. Most importantly, it includes a built-in community map browser, a level builder, and instant action with an almost infinite number of levels to play.
Choose Prodeus if you like:
- Playing modernized retro-FPS that are gory and chaotic
- Utilize plenty of weapons and wreak havoc with over-the-top weapons and dismember enemies.
- Play community-created maps, and you can play multiplayer with friends and strangers with either co-op or deathmatch
Prodeus Feature:
- Retro and modern shooters collide with high-quality 3D graphics. Fight the Prodeans and Chaos with lo-fi pixels and high-tech particle effects.
- Prepare for fast-paced action. Blast and burn through chaos-spawned creatures with over-the-top weapons.
- Splash enemy blood on steel walls and alien halls. Prodeus's demented dismemberment system amps up elder shooters' gore.
- Prodeus's powerful but easy-to-use level editor lets you unleash your inner map designer, and a built-in browser of community-created maps keeps the visceral combat fresh.
Fun Factor: 90/100
Defeat enemies with your powerful arsenal in this chaotic and brutal game
7. Sifu - February 6, 2022 (PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, PC)
Sifu is a realistic beat 'em up with difficult levels and enemies. You play as the sole survivor of your clan after assassins destroy it, but you are magically resurrected with the help of an amulet.
Fight your way through levels, fighting multiple enemies at once while taking advantage of your surroundings. If you die, your life is not over; you will be resurrected and grow stronger with age. However, there is a catch: every time you die, you will lose health as you age.
Choose Sifu if you like:
- Beat ‘em up game that is challenging and about Kung Fu
- A good story that has twists and turns with you aging every time you die and becoming more powerful.
- Unlocking more powerful techniques and skills to defeat more challenging enemies
Sifu Feature:
- Hunt down your family’s assassins as the lone survivor of your clan. Play as a male or female.
- Dodge, parry, strike, and use combos to defeat challenging enemies.
- Use your environment, weapons, and throwable objects to gain advantage in battles
- Learn from your blunders, acquire unique skills, and discover the strength to master Pak Mei Kung Fu's lethal techniques.
Fun Factor: 91/100
Become the best Kung Fu fighter and adapt against the enemies.
6. Stray - July 19, 2022 (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC)
Stray is an independent adventure game set in a cyberpunk city. You take on the role of a stray cat who meets and befriends a drone along the way.
It is a third-person adventure game in which you progress by exploring the alleys and finding ways to progress to the next level. You can interact with NPCs by meowing, which usually results in a response. However, it is not enjoyable in games because there are dangers lurking around every corner.
Choose Stray if you like:
- Cats and see the world from their perspective
- Cyberpunk-themed game where you are able to explore the cities and alleys
- Solving problems and platforming to progress in the game
Stray Feature:
- Stray is a third-person cat adventure game set in the neon-lit alleys and murky underbelly of a decaying cybercity.
- Jumping across platforms and climbing obstacles, the player can interact with the environment to open new paths.
- They solve moving-obstacle puzzles to advance the story. Sleeping, meowing, and nuzzling non-player characters often get responses.
Fun Factor: 93/100
Befriend a drone and travel together as a cat!
5. Vampire Survivors - October 21, 2022 (Android, iOS, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, PC)
The goal of Vampire Survivors is to survive as long as possible while fighting waves of enemies. Unlock upgrades for your character as you progress, making you stronger until your untimely demise.
Choose from a variety of available characters, which can also be unlocked as you progress through the game. Defeat hordes of enemies and complete levels to gain access to randomized weapons and passive power-ups.
Choose Vampire Survivors if you like:
- Endless roguelite game where waves of enemies are after you every single second.
- Mixing and matching with the upgrade tree to create the ultimate build.
- Surviving the longest until you meet your untimely demise.
Vampire Survivors Feature:
- Defeat endless waves of enemies and gather gems and items to upgrade your character.
- Get several weapons to defeat the enemies and protect you from getting damaged.
- Select one of the multiple characters with different weapons
Fun Factor: 94/100
Vampire Survivors can get crazy with all projectiles on the screen.
4. Rogue Legacy 2 - April 28, 2022 (Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC, Xbox Series X and Series S)
Rogue Legacy 2 is the series' second installment. It is essentially an improvement over the first game in terms of new classes and traits, improved visuals, and improved accessibility for those who prefer a more casual approach to the game.
There will be new monsters to encounter in new biomes, which are unique randomly-generated regions that will put your battle and platforming skills to the test. Collect relics to gain stat modifiers that will be lost if you die in combat.
Choose Rogue Legacy 2 if you like:
- Platformer, fast-paced action, and rougelite elements
- Playing with randomized characters with unique classes and traits
- the first Rogue Legacy game as it is improved in every way.
Rogue Legacy 2 Feature:
- Rogue Legacy 2 has 15 new classes and 15 playstyles.
- The sequel is 2.5D with 3D characters and hand-drawn backgrounds. To maintain RL aesthetics, all animations use stepping techniques and strong shading.
- Biome generation made each region in RL2 feel new. Each biome uses unique "build strategies" to generate random regions.
- Relic and Resolve is the new feature for Rogue Legacy 2 which are stats modifiers throughout your run.
Fun Factor: 95/100
Rogue Legacy 2 back at it again with new traits to make each run enjoyable and unique!
3. Chained Echoes - December 8, 2022 (PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Chained Echoes is a turn-based RPG masterpiece that pays homage to the great classics of SNES and PSX JRPGs. It has pixel-art 16-bit graphics and a fantastic narrative that promises to be a thrilling adventure.
With nearly 40 hours of story, there is plenty of lore to absorb while playing the game. Enemies can be seen on the map, and approaching them will result in an encounter. Even for a turn-based RPG with a complex skill and equipment system, the combat is fast-paced enough. Finally, you can personalize your airship.
Choose Chained Echoes if you like:
- Turn-based RPG that pays homage to classic RPGs from SNES and PSX.
- Follow a group of heroes and experience a captivating story
- 16-bit style visuals
Chained Echoes Feature:
- Over 30 hours of play time
- Turn-based battles with enemies as you encounter them.
- Tons of item to be looted, crafted, and stolen
- Customize your own airshop and travel the world on foot or with your mech
- 16-bit SNES graphics and classic JRPGs music inspired
Fun Factor: 96/100
Love classic fantasy JRPGs? Chained Echoes will remove that itch!
2. Cult of the Lamb - August 11, 2022 (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Cult of the Lamb is one of the year's best indie games. It combines roguelike gameplay with base construction, strategy, and character customization.
As a possessed lamb, you are tasked with establishing a cult to appease the menacing deity who saved your life. In this rogue-like crusade, the player must defeat enemies in order to grow your cult's following and become more powerful. The world is generated at random and contains resources, perks, and weapons. You will have to fight monsters and non-believers.
Choose Cult of the Lamb if you like:
- Building your own community - a cult - and dominate other cults as well
- Exploring randomly-generated world where you fight plenty of enemies
- Training your flocks and performing rituals to become more powerful
Cult of the Lamb Feature:
- Build new structures, perform dark rituals to placate the gods, and preach to your flock.
- Navigate a vast, randomly generated world, vanquish swarms of opponents, and absorb competing cult leaders' power to dominate.
- Train your flock and uncover four mysterious regions. Cleanse non-believers, spread knowledge, and undertake mystical rites to become the powerful lamb god.
Fun Factor: 97/100
Look at all these cute cultists!
1. Tunic - March 16, 2022 (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5)
Tunic is a video game that combines action and adventure. You play as an anthropomorphic fox, and the game is played in an isometric view, allowing you to enjoy the game's cutesy visuals.
As you progress through the game, you will encounter enemies and obstacles that you must overcome in order to advance. Also, discovering new items can help you progress. It's a fantastic action-adventure game that doesn't hold the player's hand the entire time, making it quite challenging.
Choose Tunic if you like:
- Isometric action game filled with puzzles and action
- Solving puzzles to progress in the game and battle bosses
- Discover useful new items to help you on your journey
- Play on your own pace and learn the techniques and story on your own
Tunic Feature:
- Explore a world filled with amazing game level design, full of different biomes such as shady forests, ruins, and labyrinthine catacombs.
- Fight mighty bosses in these different locations such as beneath the Earth or even above the skies.
- Discover hidden treasures, secret relics, techniques, and puzzles!
Fun Factor: 98/100
A cute isometric action game!
