It’s been a great year for the gaming industry. From Arrowhead’s Helldivers 2 to the much-anticipated release of Stellar Blade and Rise of the Ronin, gamers around the world have a lot of ground to cover.

But while these big releases have garnered a lot of attention, both positive and negative (all of us remember the controversy surrounding Stellar Blade), there are a few games that have slipped under the mainstream radar but have gathered a fan base that swears by them.

There Are Some Truly Unique Indie Games in 2024’s Roster

There are a lot of excellent indie games to check out that have been released over the past few months. As we approach the halfway point for 2024, here are some of the ones that stood out and have us wondering what the rest of the year is about to bring to the table.

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In no particular order, here are 5 of our top picks for the best indie games that we played this year.

5. Sons of the Forest

Endnight Games follows up its original horror survival title The Forest with a truly horrifying sequel that builds on the original while retaining what made it great in the first place. With a new story and setting opening up the path to new and terrifying locations filled with bloodthirsty enemies, Sons of the Forest quickly builds on a simple premise to deliver an astounding experience.

There are a lot of things to discover, mysteries to solve, and enemies to terrorize you in this exquisite experience, making this forest one that you should visit if a great horror game appeals to you.

4. Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story

From Digital Eclipse, the makers of Atari 50, comes a collection of games from one of the most popular creators on the indie circuit: Jeff Minter. Combining a collection of his best games that have been lovingly remastered for modern consoles along with a sort of documentary of his work, this is a title that fans of psychedelic games will surely enjoy.

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Known for its trademark difficulty, Minter’s work is a showcase of how difficult games do have a market among gamers, a detail that is especially relevant considering the recent debate around FromSoftware’s latest expansion to its action RPG Elden Ring.

3. Tales of Kenzera: Zau

For those of you who like a good old-fashioned Metroidvania-style game, this title is one that you should not miss. It is a heartfelt exploration of the grief a young shaman named Zau feels at his father’s passing, and the story that follows is poignant and riveting. Surgent Studios has created something truly unique, tackling a topic that many games have tried to explore with varying levels of success.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau takes on its delicate subject matter with ease, mixing fast-paced gameplay with moments that tug on the heartstrings in ways you cannot anticipate. It’s definitely worth diving into!

2. Children of the Sun

While this game from René Rother may seem like a generic revenge trip, Children of the Sun quickly introduces a very unique mechanic to its gameplay: you only get one bullet to take out every member of the titular cult in each level. With telekinetic powers at your assassin’s disposal, this game encourages creativity with a host of psychic powers, allowing you to use a single bullet to spread mayhem among the ranks of the cult that wronged your protagonist.

This title is definitely among the most unique indie games to be released this year and can get very entertaining if you decide to try different approaches to each of its expansive levels.

1. Manor Lords

Manor Lords is a city-building strategy title from solo developer Greg Styczeń (or Slavic Magic as he is better known) that combines historical accuracy with an addictive gameplay loop that is sure to keep its players coming back for more. As a simulation of life before industrial manufacturing and mass production, it takes patience and diligence to progress in this game.

However, that’s precisely what makes Manor Lords a very rewarding experience that is elevated by gorgeous vistas and real-time combat against other factions vying for control of your lands. This is a game that makes the most of its setting and premise to deliver an experience like no other.

And that wraps up our picks for the best indie games that we played in 2024. We look forward to what the rest of the year has to offer and hope that we get to play more gems like these as we go!