6 Indie Games Reviewed Better Than Undertale

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Undertale is a beloved indie game, and for good reason. It’s brilliantly written, features engaging gameplay, and has a charming, retro art style.

Undertale is a game that will truly captivate you – you’ll experience a full range of emotions and before you know it, you’ll have finished it! I wish I hadn’t waited so long to play it; it was a mistake. Luckily, the creator, Toby Fox, has now released the first four chapters of the highly awaited sequel, Deltarune.

If you’re eager for a new game while waiting for the next Deltarune chapter (and many people are!), you might be searching for other excellent indie titles. You’ve probably already enjoyed popular ones like Balatro, Cuphead, or Animal Well, but none of them received quite as much critical acclaim as Undertale.

These six games, however, did.

We’re using Metacritic as the barometer for this list.

6. Braid

Metascore: 93

The independent game scene has changed a lot since 2008. Today, many indie games are serious contenders for Game of the Year awards. But back in the days of the Xbox 360, big-budget, or ‘AAA,’ games consistently felt like the high-quality experiences they promised.

Braid first appeared on Xbox Live Arcade and quickly became influential, demonstrating the potential of independent game development.

Braid, created by Jonathan Blow, revolutionized platforming games by adding clever puzzles and the unique ability to rewind time. It’s also famous for its surprising ending, proving that independent games could offer both memorable gameplay and compelling stories.

Braid’s success really sparked a boom in independent game development. It’s fair to say that games like Undertale wouldn’t have been possible without it.

5. Inside

Metascore: 93

Okay, so PlayDead, the guys who made the awesome game Limbo, have done it again with Inside. Honestly, it’s not just a game – it’s something else entirely. It really pushes what video games can be.

Inside is a visually striking puzzle-platformer that looks like an art house film. Its beautiful graphics immediately capture your attention, but it’s the compelling story and deeper themes that truly draw you in.

These ideas have contributed to Inside becoming a highly acclaimed game. Players have spent a lot of time developing theories about the game’s deeper meanings, considering both the standard and hidden endings.

The idea that indie games can be art was gaining traction before 2016, but Inside really solidified that argument. Indie games are unique in their ability to demonstrate true artistry within the gaming world. It’s a remarkable achievement in entertainment and has rightfully earned all the acclaim it’s received.

4. Dwarf Fortress

Metascore: 93

When I first started playing Dwarf Fortress, it was wildly different than it is now. It wasn’t the graphical game you see today – it was all text-based, kinda like those old MUDs we used to play. Everything was ASCII art, and let me tell you, it was hard. Seriously, the learning curve was brutal!

The game is still challenging, but the updated pixel graphics help make it a bit easier to pick up and play.

What makes Dwarf Fortress so compelling is actually losing – and you will lose, frequently. It’s a bit like that Futurama episode with Bender becoming a god and accidentally destroying a whole civilization.

Okay, so Dwarf Fortress… it’s basically a building game, but a really intense one. It’s a ‘roguelike,’ which means things are unpredictable and you’re always on the edge. You’re constantly building and managing, and it feels amazing when things are going well… until, inevitably, everything falls apart and everyone dies. It can be super frustrating to watch your fortress crumble, honestly. But the game has this motto – ‘Losing is Fun!’ – and it kinda sticks with you. It’s about the story of the disaster, not just the success.

3. Minecraft

Metascore: 93

Minecraft started as a truly independent game. While Microsoft now owns it, meaning it’s no longer indie, that wasn’t always true. Back in the late 2000s and early 2010s, it was a classic example of an indie success story.

I first encountered the early version of the game when I was a college student. It was amazing to watch how quickly it became popular. While I was intensely focused on finishing the challenging ‘Legendary’ campaign of Halo: Reach at my university’s student center, everyone around me was completely absorbed in Minecraft. They were creating these incredible virtual worlds, showing them off to each other, and excitedly sharing their discoveries. Even the content creators I loved were starting to feature it – it felt like it was taking over everything!

These days, everyone’s into the latest trends – like whatever’s popular with younger generations. But when Minecraft first came out, it was really special. It let people finally build anything they could imagine, just like with LEGOs.

2. Hades

Metascore: 93

When Supergiant Games released Hades, their incredibly engaging roguelike game, they were already known as one of the best independent game developers around.

I first discovered Supergiant Games with Bastion, and it totally blew me away. Then they kept delivering with amazing games like Transistor and Pyre, proving they weren’t just a one-hit wonder. They built a reputation for consistently releasing incredible indie titles every few years, which made me really pay attention. So, when I heard they were tackling a roguelike with Hades, I was instantly hooked and wanted to see what they’d do.

I’d played some roguelike games before, but Hades really stood out. Its beautiful art style and presentation immediately caught my attention, and the gameplay was both complex and easy to pick up. Most importantly, it was addictive – I kept wanting to play more and could feel myself getting better with each attempt.

I could rave about how satisfying it is to develop your character, master every weapon, and become incredibly powerful, but let’s focus on the music instead. It’s absolutely phenomenal – reminiscent of the incredible soundtrack from the 2016 Doom reboot – and it pushes you forward even when things seem hopeless.

1. Hades 2

Metascore: 95

Often, a sequel can surpass the original, and that’s definitely true with Hades 2. It’s a fantastic follow-up!

Now fully released, this game is a strong contender for the best of the year. As our review puts it, Supergiant Games successfully surpassed their acclaimed original, Hades. Hades 2 builds on the strengths of the first game with improved combat, a richer world, and more content, making the story of Melinoe truly special, though it retains some of the same accessibility challenges.

Many sequels miss the mark by changing too much of what people loved about the original, and I’ve seen this happen a lot with independent games. But Hades 2 shows that it’s a smart move to stay true to a winning formula, especially when it’s done with such incredible quality and attention to detail.

Hades 2 doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it delivers more of the fantastic gameplay that made the first Hades so great – and that’s a huge plus.

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2025-11-02 23:10