We’ve seen plenty of successful AAA releases this year, but the indie gaming scene has quietly been as active and vibrant as ever. We’re always pleased to see small developers succeed as they bring their vision to life, and some tinier titles have rapidly shot to stardom despite smaller scopes. Here are some recent indie games that gained immediate traction, and deserve a special mention.
Twelve Minutes
How do you like a classic time loop conundrum? Twelve Minutes was released on Steam this August, and it piqued the interest of many a mystery lover. The story’s simple enough: You’re enjoying a romantic dinner with your wife when inexplicably, a detective breaks into your house and accuses her of murder. He then proceeds to beat you to death.
And thus, the time loop begins. You have twelve minutes to interact with the environment, solving all kinds of puzzles in a desperate attempt to make sense of everything that’s happening around you. The game can be frustrating at times, but that’s just part of its charm.
Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
Disco Elysium is almost two years old by now, but developer ZA/UM has some pretty big updates lined up for the game’s definitive edition. The final version of this fan-favorite murder mystery comes with some neat additions.
There are plenty of new quests and mysteries to solve in Revachol, and all characters that appear in the game will now have voiced lines. Do you like a challenge? ZA/UM is bringing Disco Elysium back into the spotlight with a truly nerve-racking hardcore mode.
Cookie Clicker
Cookie Clicker isn’t a new game, of course. It was released back in 2013, and in many ways, it defined the idle genre as we know it today. The game’s official Steam launch was this September, reaching almost 70,000 concurrent players at one point!
Cookie Clicker speaks for itself. You collect cookies by clicking on them, enlisting the help of friendly grandmas as you slowly build your cookie empire from the ground up. The community is still very active, and new mods and updates keep the game alive.
Even if you’re not a big fan of cookies (but who isn’t), there’s plenty of fun to be had here. You’ve been warned: The gameplay is beyond addictive.
Over the Alps
Over the Alps is a captivating narrative adventure told through interactive postcards. The game was released in 2020, and it was immediately met with overwhelmingly positive reviews.
Since then, the game has seen numerous updates, expanding the existing stories and throwing new ones into the mix. The Devil’s Quill (Over the Alps’ third and final chapter) will launch on Steam later this year. Aside from providing a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, the new update features new locations, stamps, and character art.
Lord Winklebottom Investigates
Lord Winklebottom Investigates won’t be coming out until early 2022, but it has already entered the indie point-and-click adventure scene with a bang. It crushed its Kickstarter goals and gained global recognition after being featured in popular game shows and events, time and time again.
Inspired by classic murder mystery novels, the game’s 1920s setting is entirely populated by anthropomophic animals. Your mission is to help Lord Winklebottom make good use of his investigative and interrogative skills as he attempts to solve the murder of his close friend, Admiral Gilfrey.