Indies and AA titles have pleasantly surprised gamers throughout the year, and they are no longer to be ignored. This year has been quite good for gamers, with the release of highly anticipated games such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Baldur’s Gate 3, aiming to become the GOTY 2023. However, there are other very interesting proposals that have pleasantly surprised but haven't received the recognition they deserve.
Because of this, we've compiled a list that includes 10 excellent games that nobody is talking about, and you should try them as soon as possible. So, it's better to take a look at them.
DAVE THE DIVER
Let's start with DAVE THE DIVER, an interesting adventure with RPG elements for a single player. In this game, you take on the role of Dave, who explores the ocean floor during the day to uncover the secrets of the Blue Trench and collect materials. This will help him manage his exotic and popular sushi restaurant during the night. The game unfolds with 2D/3D animations, combining a comedic story, side quests, equipment upgrades, mini-games, and over 200 types of animals.
PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
This title is an interesting visual novel of horror and adventure that takes you to Japan, where you step into the shoes of Shogo Okiie to investigate a ghost legend: the 7 mysteries of Honjo. Here, you explore 360° environments, talk to strange and suspicious people, gather clues, and delve into a story full of twists to discover the desires, dreams, and fears of characters living under the burden of lethal curses.
Blanc
Blanc is an emotional local and online cooperative adventure that follows the journey of a small wolf and deer through a snowy field. They got lost due to a storm and must help each other follow the tracks their families left behind. This proposal focuses on the animals' experience through simple gameplay and narration, set in a beautiful and stunning black-and-white world that was hand-drawn before being animated in 3D.
Blasphemous 2
Another great game that premiered this year is Blasphemous 2, where the Penitent awakens in a new and strange land that must be explored to uncover its secrets. This adventure confronts you with hordes of enemies and bosses lurking in the darkness to end you. The game offers the ability to customize and upgrade your skills and weapons to delve into a completely unknown world, with characters offering or seeking your help, extending your penance.
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons
This roguelite installment has pleasantly surprised fans of Double Dragon, as it takes place in a time when nuclear war devastated New York, and citizens fight to survive while crime consumes the streets. However, the brothers Billy and Jimmy Lee will expel the gangs from the city and restore order, facing familiar and new enemies in an alternate story that includes up to 13 playable characters, dynamic level structure, and local cooperative mode.
Pizza Tower
Pizza Tower is a 2D game with fast-paced movement that emphasizes exploration and scoring, with a style reminiscent of early 90s cartoons. The game puts you in the apron of Peppino Spaghetti, an Italian chef on a mission to destroy the Pizza Tower to save his restaurant. You'll guide him through the tower's floors, facing different enemies while collecting ingredients.
SLUDGE LIFE 2
This interesting sequel to SLUDGE LIFE invites you to explore a larger, stranger, and more inappropriate open world full of secrets, humor, and unusual characters. Big Mud, the most popular rap frog, has disappeared, and you take on the role of his friend Ghost to find her. SLUDGE LIFE 2 takes you to Ciggy City Suites, a huge hotel full of secrets, places to leave your mark, and even to send a message to the odious GLUG corporation. The game has a larger cast than its predecessor, a vast catalog of objects, and new music, making it an option you must try.
[img id_image="817069"SLUDGE LIFE 2" caption="Available on PC" width="?" height="?" crop="false" alignment="gif" target_url="null"][/img]
A Space for The Unbound
A Space For The Unbound is a narrative adventure with a beautiful pixelated style and scenarios set in rural Indonesia in the late '90s. It tells a story about overcoming anxiety and depression and showcases the relationship between a boy and a girl with special abilities. The mission is to accompany Raya and Atma on a self-discovery journey in their last year of school, all while a mysterious power is unleashed, threatening their existence. They must investigate to discover what is happening, face the end of the world, and learn from each other.
Planet of Lana
We can't forget Planet of Lana, an interesting story where a young girl and her friend embark on a journey in a colorful world with strange beings. The game is a cinematic science fiction adventure full of puzzles in an area where nature coexisted in harmony with humans but turned into a place full of dangers. The proposal offers unique gameplay based on cooperation, plot twists, and the option to sneakily advance to discover an epic story you shouldn't miss.
Have a Nice Death
Finally, let's talk about Have a Nice Death, an action roguelike where you step into the bones of a Reaper overloaded with work, having to fix the mess created by their rebellious employees. Our protagonist must restore order and show how things are done. It's worth mentioning that you'll have to explore dark areas to meet a varied cast of characters, polish your skills in stylish hack & slash combat, and use over 70 weapons and spells to defeat the bosses in each area.
As you can see, the video game industry has seen several indie and AA releases so far this year that still haven't received the recognition they deserve. We invite you to try them out and dedicate some of your time to them. We assure you that you won't regret it.
What other games of this kind do you think deserve to be included in the list? Tell us in the comments.
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