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One of the biggest topics at the end of 2023 was WHAT just makes an indie game. Can an indie game be an indie game just because it looks like one? Does it have to have been made for under a certain amount of money? Does it need to have been self-published? Although we here at Explosion Network agreed that a particularly topical game wasn’t indie, we didn’t draw down the eligibility to a dollar figure. All of these games on this list were made by a handful to a few people, and although some got help from bigger publishers and others smaller ones, they were all indie games developed, at least initially, by a small number of people making them, for the most part, independent projects with a small amount of money invested into them in comparison to the bigger world of video games.
Here are our picks for the Top 5 Indie Games of 2023.
5. Tchia (Awaceb, Kepler Interactive)
Tchia brings you into the culture of New Caledonia, a small island in the Pacific Ocean. The game introduces you and expands upon the landscape of the homeland, the music, and the folklore; as you play as Tchia, you can jump into the soul of over 30 creatures and objects and then control them to solve puzzles and get around the island. Fly into the sky as a bird, dig holes as a dog, or even jump into a barrel and launch yourself down a hill. Tchia does have a narrative about bringing together the people of New Caledonia. Still, the game is the most fun when you’re exploring and just feeling the island’s culture, sounds and music and discovering it for yourself.
– Dylan
4. Dredge (Black Salt Games, Team17)
It has become a consistent source of pride to see Australian and New Zealand developers succeed on the world gaming stage. Dredge is a perfect example of this, who knew that eldritch horror would be the perfect companion for a fishing game? The low poly art style provides beautiful landscapes but it is the thrilling and mysterious story that keeps players going for that next trip onto the oceans filled with sea monsters. Dredge is a must-play and another shining light for the growing oceanic games development scene.
– Ciaran
3. Sea of Stars (Sabotage Studio)
Sabotage Studio’s new title is a beautiful love letter to retro turn-based RPGs like Chronotrigger and Golden Sun while also being a fantastic entry in that genre. Sea of Stars looks, sounds like and plays like a game of that era but with great modern iterations for all those aspects. With a great story, likable characters and an interesting world, Seas of Stars is worth playing for anyone who looks back at those now retro-RPGs fondly.
– Ashley
2. Gubbins (Studio Folly)
Studio Folly’s minimalistic word game is very simple to pick up and play but also very addicting with an easy replay loop and a daily challenge. Described as solitaire crossed with Scrabble, players use tiles to create words while also dealing with the grubbins who can either help you are make things harder for you. The game also has fantastic social integration with my timeline regularly featuring a Grubbins post where someone has been able to play a funny word. A better Australian Wordle.
– Ashley
1. Cocoon (Geometric Interactive, Annapurna Interactive)
If you like puzzle games and have yet to play Cocoon, you need to fix that ASAP. The game is a psychedelic trip inside a world, inside another world, that sometimes lets you carry that first world inside a third world, and then you can teleport back to the second world. I promise it all makes sense when you’re playing the game. But that’s what’s so special about Cocoon. It slowly introduces the mechanics, adds one extra ball to your juggling act, and by the last hour, you’re thinking with your third eye and seeing into another dimension.
– Dylan
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