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[Bartski]

This year was packed with massive AAA blockbusters that pulled much of the deserved spotlight from the indie scene, which was also full of amazing releases, some of which you might have missed.
Some of which I might have missed as well so let this be a thread of tips and recommendations of smaller, lesser-known games you enjoyed that might have gone under the radar for most fellow GAFers. How about that!
And not a single word about Cyberpunk or TLOU2 and alike.

Here are 3 I played tons of this year and highly recommend, in order of appearance.

CARRION - Metroidvania inspired "reverse-horror game" where you are the alien flesh-eating monster trying to escape the maze of a human research facility.






platforms: Steam, Switch, Xbox Gamepass.

STAR RENEGADES - awesome turn-based strategic combat rogue-lite RPG. A single bad decision can cost you hours worth of a run as a failed battle resets almost all of your progress. Relies on careful planning of your every move per round across all your units (and sometimes doing some math...) as opposed to RNG like most other turn-based games.







platforms: Steam, Switch, Xbox Gamepass, Ps4 coming soon.

UNTO THE END - short but insanely well-crafted 2D action-adventure inspired by Another World with a deep and brutally challenging combat system.






platforms: Steam, Switch, Xbox Gamepass, Ps4.

 

[Danjin44]

 

[Tickle My Tendies]

Hades

Hades

Hades

/thread



One of the best games I have played this gen, easily.



edit

OP, I am with you on Carrion, great game too

 

[Bartski]

Hades

yeah that one would be hard to miss

 

[Guilty_AI]

Haven't played a lot of new games, so i'll just post the ones from 2020 i played

Spoiler: BONUS MENTION (EARLY ACCESS)

 

[Bartski]

now that you mention early access, Prodeus is out and looks damn great, not sure if I want to wait for the final version or just dive in

 

[Romulus]

SuperHot VR

 

[TintoConCasera]

Haven't played many indies released this year, and I always have trouble with the definition of "AA". For example, Yakuza 7 is AAA or is it AA?

 

[abstract alien]

Carrion was pretty wild, and felt like I was legitimately playing as an alien. The lack of a map was an issue, though it had to have been a design choice (not one I agreed with). Having the creature be able to do more with it's sensing abilities could have helped, as I think they left the map out because "why would an abominable creature be carrying a damn map", but I get it. In the end, the game was a pretty damn cool, and recommend if you are into metroidvania types.

 

[Captain Toad]

Hades
The Pathless
Bugsnax

 

[SinDelta]

13 Sentinels
Hades

Two of the best games in recent memory. 13 Sentinels in particular is one of the best games I've ever played.

 

[TintoConCasera]

now that you mention early access, Prodeus is out and looks damn great, not sure if I want to wait for the final version or just dive in

I'm waiting for the final release, but some people here on GAF said it has a lot of community made content, as the game features a map creator.

So yeah, if you concern is related to the lack of content I think you'll be fine. Game has already a lot of maps and so many weapons they had to patch a better way of swapping between them.

 

[RedVIper]

This game stands far and above any other for me.

 

[swarley64]

 

[Bartski]

Haven't played many indies released this year, and I always have trouble with the definition of "AA". For example, Yakuza 7 is AAA or is it AA?

Haven't played Yakuza but yeah it's really vague... aka "low budget AAA" but what's the cutoff point? I always thought of it as games with production values somewhere above indie but of narrower scope and way smaller sales goals, like Ancestors or Hellblade.

 

[TriSuit666]

Murder by Numbers

Murder by Numbers

HADES

Dicey Dungeons

Murder by Numbers

 

[The Cockatrice]

Like a Dragon is borderline AAA but I dont think it reaches that status.

 

[Jethalal]

1. Hades
2. Carrion
Didn't play any other indie from 2020 itself.

 

[K.S v2.0]

 

[Jethalal]

Katana Zero is not 2020 as far as I remember. Great game though, hope it was longer.

 

[K.S v2.0]

Katana Zero is not 2020 as far as I remember. Great game though, hope it was longer.

That's all I can actually remember of any indies legitimately memorable this year, sadly.

 

[Bartski]

Katana Zero definitely in my top 3 of 2019, amazing game

 

[Mhmmm 2077]

Ghostrunner, Yakuza: Like a Dragon - or are these too big?

Third one would probably be Hades, but I didn't start it yet (own it since Early Access...).

 

[Starlight Lotice]

Only have one game in mind.

Dicey Dungeons

Still trying to finish every chapter and is my second most played game on the Switch.