Games have never looked better now, thanks to the capabilities of high-end PCs, the Xbox Series X/S, and the PS5. It’s hard to believe that games like Pong ever existed next to something breathtaking like Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. That said, as great as these AAA games are, sometimes they can blend together too much, which is why indie games tend to trend.
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These games may not look as visually stunning as others, but they more than make up for it in the gameplay department.
Not only can indie games experiment more with mechanics, but the small teams have a lot more agency with how their worlds are created. Because so much time is spent on color, animations, and the fluidity of combat, these pixel art games are gorgeous and can even rival 3D games. They harken to the past, but surpass it in every way thanks to dedicated craftsmen.
Sea Of Stars
Chrono Trigger’s Spiritual Successor
Sea of Stars
- Released
- August 29, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Sabotage
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One
Sea of Stars is a spiritual successor to great RPGs of the 90s like Chrono Trigger, and it has some excellent designs. The world map is full of life, even though the playable party is so tiny.
All NPCs and monsters are well-designed, from their color schemes to their animations, and it all sounds good, too. In battle, there is an active element like the Mario RPG games, and the animations on these special abilities look mesmerizing for a 2D RPG.
Shovel Knight Dig
Dig Deep
Shovel Knight Dig
- Released
- September 23, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Platformer, Indie
Shovel Knight is one of the best-looking games that tries to emulate the NES, and its sequel/spinoff, Shovel Knight Dig, tries to go for a more advanced SNES look. Instead of an action platformer, this game is all about digging vertically below the surface as a roguelike.
Players will try to collect gems to get temporary items and upgrades, all while trying to tackle bosses in each biome. It may not be as well-known as the original game, but Shovel Knight Dig is a great roguelike with satisfying digging mechanics and an amazing art design.
Mullet Madjack
Anime Doom
Mullet Madjack
- Released
- May 15, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Violence
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Mullet Madjack is a roguelike first-person shooter with a killer 80s anime vibe. On runs, players need to keep their adrenaline above a certain level, as shown on their phone, or else they will die, so time is of the essence.
The color scheme is almost hypotonic with how bright everything is, and each room is detailed with various ways to kill each and every large, sprite-based enemy. Players can simply shoot or slash them, but it’s more fun to be creative, like by kicking them into fans, nudging them into electrified walls, or hurling them into vending machines.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
Who Smells Feet?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge
- Released
- June 16, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence
- Genre(s)
- Beat 'Em Up
When it comes to expressive sprite-based models, there is no better team than Tribute Games, and every one of their indie titles could make the list. Nostalgic 80s players perhaps have it the best with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, one of the best TMNT games in decades.
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Players can choose from a wide variety of characters, from the tubular turtles to Master Splinter and even April O’Neil, and each one is fully animated in battle, from moves to expressions. Even though this is a sprite-based brawler, players may mistake it for an interactive episode of the original cartoon series, as it looks that impressive.
Eastward
EarthBound Plus Zelda
Eastward
- Released
- September 16, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Eastward is an homage to the strangeness of EarthBound, but it is an action-adventure game more akin to a Zelda title. Players will begin as a miner, John, who then finds a little girl, Sam, and the two soon embark on an adventure to find her true past.
In each village they go to, players will find the wildest character models and intricately detailed backgrounds almost too good for an indie game. Eastward is the type of game where each frame could be taken as a screenshot, framed, and then hung on the wall as a fine piece of art.
Children Of Morta
A Family Business
Children of Morta
- Released
- September 3, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Dead Mage
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Children of Morta has less detailed models than a lot of pixel-based indie games, as the developer went for a more exaggerated look that still looks good. The story follows The Bergsons, a family sworn to protect the world from an evil that lies beneath their family home.
It’s an action-based roguelike wherein most family members are playable and belong to typical RPG classes like rangers, warriors, and monks. The fluidity of combat and the special abilities are what help make this roguelike stand out, along with the caring family dynamic.
Dead Cells
Fluid Animation
Dead Cells
- Released
- August 7, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Motion Twin
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One
Dead Cells is another good example of a roguelike with fluid animation that pops in motion. The game has a hybrid style to its design with some sprite work drawn over more polygonal models, which does help make the animations look more alive.
This is one roguelike where speed is everything, and zipping between areas and attacking enemies is easy once players get the hang of the controls. Plus, with all of the crossovers, including Castlevania, there are a lot of different art styles to admire.
Hyper Light Drifter
A Silent Zelda Clone
Hyper Light Drifter
- Released
- March 31, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood and Gore, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Hyper Light Drifter is one of the most haunting top-down Zelda-like experiences that came out of the indie scene. In a post-apocalyptic world, the hero and all NPCs will not utter a single word of English.
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Instead, players have to interpret words through motions, and the game is expressive enough that this type of storytelling works. Also, the world has a wild color palette as if it were drenched in acid with a lot of neon, which really pops on a TV.
Blasphemous 2
2D Bloodborne
Blasphemous 2
- Released
- August 24, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Soulslike, Metroidvania, Platformer
Blasphemous 2 can be likened to a 2D version of Bloodborne, and while it is challenging, it is a Metroidvania and not a Soulslike. The gothic design of the world is creepy, but inventive, which pushes players forward to see the next messed-up boss or NPC.
From giant women who disrobe their skin to lingering hands that come out of chests, the art team had a ball coming up with these designs. The original game’s art style is great too, but as a game, Blasphemous 2 is the overall better experience.
Owlboy
Almost A Decade In The Making
Owlboy
- Released
- November 1, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
Owlboy took a long time for D-Pad Studio to put out, as it was announced in 2007 and it was released in 2016. From an artistic standpoint, it was all worth it because every NPC and background is pixel-perfect.
The titular Owlboy is not a fighter, and instead, players will solve a lot of dungeon puzzles in this Metroidvania Zelda-like hybrid through passive means. They could squeeze a cloud to make water come out, for example, but there are companions that can be carried for combat purposes, too. There really is no other game like it.
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