3 More Wonderful Indie Games You’ve Already Missed In 2023

The biggest games of 2023 have already proved to be wildly unpredictable, dominating headlines. For every lovely surprise, like Dead Island 2, there’s an insufferably bad day-one launch like Redfall. You mighht get a carefully crafted title like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, only to suffer a mishandled big idea like Atomic Heart.

All the while, indie games are once again crowded out by AAAs, even though there are some absolute treats in store for those with more inquisitive minds–or less disposable cash. For under $15, you can have one of three games well worth hours of your time–by my reckoning, at least.

Killbug

Developer: Samurai Punk, Nicholas McDonnell

Platforms: PC

Price: $6.99

In the U.K., “it does exactly what it says on the tin” is such a common phrase–thanks to wood stain manufacturer Ronseal–that it has its own Wikipedia page. No game in recent memory is as true to this saying as Killbug, a game in which you, well, kill bugs. Combining skill, pressure, and straightforward simplicity, it’s as glorious as indie games get.

Killbug is the brainchild of Nicholas McDonnell, from Australian indie studio Samurai Punk–the same person behind the shockingly underrated Screencheat. It Killbug places you in an endless arena to slaughter a whole host of insects, who become increasingly difficult and surprise you with ever-evolving attacks and powers. All you have is a gun and a melee blade, and your timing is critical to a successful offense.

The only frustration is that you can’t remap controls; left-handers like me who prefer WASD controls can’t change bindings. Still, the game is simple enough to adapt to–besides, it’s nice to blame this technical issue for my own inability to get into the leaderboard’s top 400. Guess I’ll just have to have another run. And another. And another.

OTXO

Developer: Lateralis Heavy Industries

Platforms: PC

Price: $14.99

OTXO takes more than a pinch of inspiration from Hotline Miami, but it’s still very much its own beast–to the point that a huge HM fan like me actually prefers it. OTXO is simultaneously more forgiving but extra brutal, perfecting a formula by applying a more palatable story that draws on inspiration as diverse as The Shining and MadWorld.

At first, OTXO feels easier than Hotline Miami due to its time dilation and dodging mechanics, alongside roguelike buffs and a greater range of weapons. However, you’re rewarded for your skill and speed; OTXO lavishes riches on you for quick, efficient, chained kills, making this approach top priority. Then there are the bosses, which are brilliantly designed and push you to the absolute limit (and, more often than not, send you packing right back to the start).

It’d be criminal for OTXO to languish on PC alone; like Nuclear Throne and HyperParasite before it, it’s a repetitive, easy-to-learn, and hard-to-master game that deserves every possible platform to give the world another utterly frustrating but tantalizingly savage experience.

Maki’s Adventure

Developer: Zoroarts

Platforms: PC

Price: $9.99

As the purest indie game on this list, Maki’s Adventure–the debut creation of 20-year-old German developer Mateo Covic–is a delightful platformer with an incredible amount of heart. It’s also deceptive; Maki’s Adventure initially plays out like a platformer you’ll clear in 90 minutes, but it soon unfurls into a surprisingly diverse and challenging experience that rewards inquisitive players.

For the most part, it’s not the most demanding platformer you’ll play in 2023, and the combat could do with a little refinement–specifically its hitboxes–but Covic is actively evolving the game, introducing a multiplayer mode last month and promising more to come, even as he actively explores new ideas on his Twitter account.

Maki’s Adventure always has something new and different lurking around each corner, combining variety, minigames, and entirely new perspectives. Covic is the definition of an indie dev you need to keep an eye on–someone who’s committed to self-improvement, with passion and excitement for every personal breakthrough.

If these three games don’t tickle your fancy, be sure to catch up on my rundown of 2022’s best indie games–a veritable treasure trove of absolute bangers. Not enough for you? Take a look at my lists for 2021 and 2020.

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