Steam is one of the biggest gaming platforms of today’s generation. It has well over 50,000 games on the platform, and that number is bound to increase as time goes by. With over 50,000 games available on Steam, not every game on it is appreciated and played, especially when the game comes from smaller studios. That said, there are a lot of hidden gems on Steam, particularly in the Indie Games section. So, for today’s articles, we’re going to go through some of our favorites.
Indie games often offer innovative gameplay mechanics, unique art styles, compelling stories, and engaging characters. They often have small teams of developers that are passionate about their projects, and they tend to have a more personal and indie atmosphere than more commercial, triple-A games. With that in mind, we’ve listed nine hidden gems on Steam that you have to check out!
Top 9 Hidden Gems on Steam (Indie Games)
Below, we’ve listed some of our favorite hidden indie game gems.
Ib
Photo Credits to Steam
Release Date: February 27, 2012
Developer/Publisher: kouri/PLAYISM
Genre: Puzzle, Horror, Adventure Game
Platform/s: Android, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch
Ib was initially released in 2012 and is one of the most fascinating and underrated horror games. It is a freeware horror game that blends psychological and horror elements in a really atmospheric and captivating universe.
Ib, a young girl who gets lost in an enormous collection of paintings and finds herself in a bizarre realm full of mysteries, secrets, and odd monsters, is the main character of this underrated horror game title.
The game has a hand-drawn art style, a richly detailed universe, and enjoyable and challenging puzzles. The eerie mood that the music and sound design generate enhances the game’s terror and psychological components.
Ib is an absolute must-play game that is definitely worth playing if you’re a big fan of lowkey horror games.
Illuminaria
Photo Credits to Steam
Release Date: August 5, 2022
Developer/Publisher: Selva Interactive/Selva Interactive, Wings
Genre: Base-building, Simulation, Strategy Game
Platform/s: Microsoft Windows, Linux, macOS
Illuminaria is a fun, unique, and atmospheric point-and-click strategy game that offers a unique gameplay experience.
You must go through a number of underground caverns in the game’s dark and spooky setting in pursuit of getting to know what happened on the planet. The five regions that make up Illuminaria’s world are the Forest, Tundra, Desert, Volcano, and the Dark Dimension.
Your characters’ journey starts in the Forest, the continent’s most southern portion, a large area once filled with species that coexisted peacefully with the Illumi (the inhabitants of Illuminaria). However, monsters and evil creatures have taken over the areas. In an effort to combat the darkness that has engulfed the regions of Illuminaria, the Illumi constructed robots.
Darkness overtook Illuminaria’s entire universe. As you clear and conquer the five zones by igniting beacons and sending your army of golems to battle, unravel the history of what transpired on the planet.
The gameplay is straightforward but entertaining; it is an immersive game that really piqued my interest when I tried it out.
Devil Spire
Photo Credits to Steam
Release Date: February 2, 2022
Developer/Publisher: Ithiro Sumi, Lucas Perdomo, Lucas Bressan/Ithiro Sumi
Genre: Roguelite, Dark Fantasy, Action, RPG Game
Platform/s: Microsoft Windows
With permadeath, arbitrarily produced dungeons, and little to no meta progression, Devil Spire is an interesting classic real-time dungeon crawler. After completing every quest, you earn “souls” that may be used to unlock additional game modes and challenges.
The story is seldom the main draw for dungeon crawlers, but in Devil Spire, it is severely lacking. The opening and closing cutscenes are the only places in the game where you will find any kind of information. Some players find that the lack of information is what piques their interest; it doesn’t spoil the game and leaves a little bit for imagination, unlike other games that shove the story up in your face.
Moreover, being a roguelite, chance, and randomness have a big impact on your path. If you’re fortunate, you may come across a ton of health potions and powerful weapons early on, allowing you to easily take down some of the following floors.
Devil Spire is, overall, a very fun and entertaining game title that is filled with mystery, challenges, and an atmospheric vibe.
Deceit
Photo Credits to Steam
Release Date: March 4, 2017
Developer/Publisher: World Makers/World Makers
Genre: Action, First-person shooter, Survival, Horror Game
Platform/s: GeForce Now, Microsoft Windows
Another underrated horror title on the list is Deceit.
Deceit places a lot of emphasis on communication. However, the game is intended to evaluate a player’s ability to trick their fellow players, as its name implies, rather than working together. It’s more of a mental game than an actual horror title, but there are still a lot of horror elements in it. Deceit is actually quite similar to “Among Us,” which is quite cool in my opinion.
You wake up in an unfamiliar environment to the sound of the ame master’s strange voice at the beginning of the game. About one-third of your group of five people was given a lethal virus that was developed by the evil game master. As the infected (enemies) attempt to eliminate you one by one, innocents must remain vigilant, navigate the three zones, and flee through the safety hatch.
Players control who they play, either humans, who must cooperate to combat the game’s monsters, or those infected, who have to deceive and sabotage the human players in order to win in this fast-paced, compelling game.
Deceit has gorgeous visuals that are both terrifying and compelling; it’s like you’re looking at a visual novel. Deceit is a highly addictive and rewarding multiplayer game that combines stealth, deception, and teamwork to create an unforgettable gameplay experience.
Go check out our Among Us review here.
Beyond the Long Night
Photo Credits to Steam
Release Date: February 8, 2022
Developer/Publisher: Noisy Head Games/The Yogscast
Genre: Adventure, Shooter Game
Platform/s: Microsoft Windows, macOS, Mac operating systems
You float through a wonderful pixelated landscape in Beyond The Long Night, a twin-stick roguelite with what appear to be some very intriguing moves. The mission is straightforward: battle through numerous rooms in the Dark Mountain until you reach the overworld. Despite the conflicting opinions, I think it’s a fun game to play if you’re not seeking anything too serious. You solve puzzles, take on various enemies, and take in the laid-back soundtrack.
The game has captivating pixel art and animation, and I particularly admire how likable the characters are. Overall, it’s a fun, underrated game that you should try.
NeverAwake
Photo Credits to Steam
Release Date: September 28, 2022
Developer/Publisher: Neotro Inc./Phoenixx Inc.
Genre: Action, Arcade, Twin Stick Shooter Game
Platform/s: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S, Nintendo Switch
NeverAwake is another great, underrated indie game that is set inside a child’s nightmares. Your character plays a girl who “never wakes up,” hence the title of the game.
In this game, you take on different battles by fighting different monsters that look like mutated vegetables, mean schoolmates, and a lot more inside her dreams. You explore the world of dreams, and getting through the loops of the game is quite easy. Simply collect shining soul fragments. Although the soul system is quite bizarre because you can skip the second half of boss fights if you’re able to collect every soul item they release, nonetheless, it’s still one of my top underrated titles.
The superb use of visual graphic design conveys both the horrors of the character’s thoughts and the hope that she endures. Each visual component has a narrative that draws you in and entices you to look deeper, reading the next diary entry as you investigate what is really going on in this universe.
It’s a phenomenal game with an equally compelling soundtrack, mechanics, and visuals. It even has a surprising amount of content that deserves to be seen by most people. This game ranks right up there with some of my favorites.
The Room
Photo Credits to Steam
Release Date: July 28, 2014
Developer/Publisher: Fireproof Games/Fireproof Games
Genre: Point-and-Click, Mystery, Puzzle Game
Platform/s: Android, Microsoft Windows, iOS, Nintendo Switch
Yet another of the best-underrated horror titles is The Room. The mystery and ominous setting of this point-and-click game keeps players on the edge of their seats. It features a lot of eerie elements, but fans will also be amazed by how cleverly crafted the game is overall.
Since its first release, The Room has been remastered, and the PC version is now phenomenal. It’s a quick and short game to play, with only five chapters worth of puzzles to solve. But it’s worth the time, especially considering how affordable the game is.
The Room has a fantastic design. The sound composition is perfect, and the visuals are vivid. Overall, it’s a satisfyingly short indie horror title that we highly recommend.
Stardeus
Photo Credits to Steam
Release Date: October 12, 2022
Developer/Publisher: Kodo Linija/Paradox Arc
Genre: Simulation, RPG, Strategy, Early Access Game
Platform/s: Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac operating systems
Stardeus, a deep colony simulation video game, takes place on a wrecked starship with drones and human survivors hibernating. The video game was influenced by Rimworld and Factorio, so you’ll see a lot of similarities within the game.
In this gorgeously intricate simulation of a randomly generated space, as the immortal AI, you will command your drones to repair your starship, protect or take advantage of your human crew, and explore the stars.
The game has an unexpected depth that you’ll instantly feel and is well-balanced, and engaging. However, not everyone will enjoy the game because the gameplay resembles a slower-moving and safer version of Rimworld. So, if you’re not into that, then this game might not be for you. Overall, it’s a very entertaining and well-thought game that you should definitely try.
Game Dev Tycoon
Photo Credits to Steam
Release Date: August 13, 2013
Developer/Publisher: Greenheart Games 💚/Greenheart Games 💚
Genre: Casual, Strategy, Business Simulation Game
Platform/s: Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac operating systems, Classic Mac OS, Nintendo Switch
In Game Dev Tycoon, you can relive the history of gaming by starting your own company to develop video games.
The game’s gameplay is incredibly captivating and encourages players to create profitable enterprises while fostering creativity. Additionally, you can play the game as often as you like and test out innovative strategies that you haven’t tried before.
However, some players may find that the game’s concepts and mechanisms are not as intricate or difficult as they would like for a game that is simple to play again and again. So, it’s clear that not everyone will enjoy the game. Despite that, it’s an incredibly engaging game that is worth trying!
Final Thoughts
All of the games that we’ve listed are just a few examples of highly-rated indie games that deserve more attention and recognition.
So, if you’re looking for something new to play, I’d highly recommend checking out some of these underrated and lesser-known indie games we’ve listed above. They will offer a refreshing take on gaming and provide a unique and memorable gameplay experience that’s sure to keep you coming back for more.
If you want to check out more well-known indie games, you can go ahead and check out our article, “Best Indie Games of All Time” for more!
That’s a wrap! Happy gaming! We hope you try out these hidden gems!
0 Comments