Underrated PS5 Indie Games That Look Like Full-Blown AAA Blockbusters

We’ve all seen the amazing graphics in those huge, blockbuster games on the PS5, but something else has been happening too. There’s this really inspiring group of smaller, independent studios who’ve been quietly pushing the console to its limits. They didn’t have massive teams or big marketing budgets – they just wanted to show everyone that an indie game could be just as visually impressive and engaging as the biggest titles out there, and I think they’re succeeding!

These games didn’t revolutionize the industry, but they proved that small development teams could create something truly special when given the freedom to be creative. Some focused on fast-paced, challenging combat, while others prioritized unique visuals or innovative ways to move within the game. Regardless of their approach, they all had a certain spark that made players realize just how impressive independent games could be.

The Ascent

Neon-Lit, Isometric Cyberpunk Shooter

Cyberpunk shooter where players fight through a collapsing megacity run by greedy corporations.
Fast action mixed with RPG upgrades that let characters hit harder and survive longer.

Players are immediately struck by the detailed world of The Ascent. Its narrow streets overflow with gritty details like rusty pipes, flickering neon lights, and bustling markets filled with steam. This level of detail creates the impression that a large team worked on the game, but it’s actually a standout achievement for an indie title. In fact, The Ascent is easily one of the best cyberpunk games developed by an independent studio today.

While the tasks can feel a little samey, the game’s music and sound effects really build tension and immerse you in its vibrant, neon-lit city. The way characters and enemies move feels impactful during fights. If you enjoy games with complex mechanics and a striking visual style, The Ascent delivers a short but impressive cyberpunk adventure that feels more polished than its price tag suggests.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits

Studio-Quality Animation Wrapped Around Action-Adventure Beats

A story-driven adventure built around guiding lost spirits and solving small environmental puzzles.
Smooth combat and Pixar-level animation give it a big-studio feel.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits feels a lot like a beautifully made animated movie that’s been cleverly transformed into a game. It features well-designed puzzles and easy-to-learn combat. This is thanks to the developers, Ember Lab, who have a strong background in animation – you can really see it in the characters’ expressions, how they move, and the game’s impressive visuals.

The game’s environments strike a beautiful balance between peaceful, artistic scenes and moments filled with intricate detail. The little forest creatures, called Rots, add a lot of charm and personality to both exploring the world and fighting enemies, with a level of quality you’d expect from a major animation studio. Many players might find the art style similar to that of Pixar films.

Bright Memory: Infinite

One-Developer Technical Showcase With Explosive, Cinematic Combat

A short, intense mix of gunplay and sword combat made by one person.
Tight corridors, flashy moves, and studio-level effects create a blockbuster mood.

Bright Memory: Infinite is a remarkable achievement, demonstrating what a small, dedicated team can accomplish with today’s game development tools. The game’s stunning visuals – including its realistic lighting, reflections, animations, and effects – give the impression it was created by a large, experienced studio.

Bright Memory: Infinite combines fast-paced first-person shooting with exciting close-combat and spectacular scenes, creating action sequences that feel like they’re straight out of a big-budget movie. The game’s story is a little short and the overall experience is brief, but that’s a reasonable trade-off.

The Pathless

Explore A Mysterious, Cursed Island

Open landscapes made for fast movement as the hunter glides, shoots talismans, and avoids giant cursed beasts.
Exploration feels smooth and steady thanks to momentum-based traversal.

Despite not receiving as much attention as other indie games on the PS5, The Pathless is a hidden gem that many players haven’t discovered. Once you start exploring, the game’s beautiful world quickly proves that this small development team created something visually stunning, rivaling much larger studios.

Giant Squid has created a vast and immersive world that evokes a sense of history and exploration. Players will traverse sprawling landscapes, discover lost temples, and speed across expansive terrain. The game cleverly uses camera work during fast-paced sections to reveal breathtaking, large-scale vistas, which is particularly impressive for an independent game.

Tchia

Open-World Tropical Adventure Inspired By New Caledonia

Island-themed adventure inspired by New Caledonia’s culture, music, and scenery.
Players can “soul-jump” into animals or objects to move around the world in creative ways.

Tchia is a unique game that combines a beautiful, tropical open world with the ability to take control of animals and objects. This possession mechanic lets you explore and solve puzzles in creative ways. Inspired by the islands of New Caledonia, Tchia strives to authentically capture the local culture and sounds, making exploration feel truly genuine.

The game centers around a gameplay cycle of sailing, climbing, and a unique ability called “soul-jumping” – letting you inhabit animals and objects to overcome challenges. It’s a playful and engaging experience, especially for those who enjoy exploration and experimentation.

Somerville

Silent Sci-Fi With Great Visual Storytelling

Quiet sci-fi tale where a family tries to survive an alien event and cross ruined towns.
Focuses on mood, small discoveries, and physical puzzles instead of dialogue.

I was completely captivated by Somerville. It’s a game that tells its story without a single line of dialogue – instead, the way things are filmed, the lighting, and the incredible animation do all the work. It creates this really intense, almost oppressive atmosphere, like one of those serious sci-fi movies, but everything unfolds at a slower pace, letting you really absorb all the little details and feel the weight of the world.

Somerville boasts beautifully detailed environments with a crisp, artistic style, giving the game a high-quality look and feel. Even simple actions, like scrambling over wreckage or wading through water, feel impactful and dramatic.

Haven

Intimate Sci-Fi Romance With Tactical, Minimalist Combat

A couple escapes to a distant planet and gathers resources to survive together.
Battles use a timing-based system that mixes light strategy with smooth movement.

Haven is a charming indie game that beautifully blends a love story with simple, enjoyable combat. It follows two partners who escape to a vibrant, isolated planet to create a new life for themselves, and the game immediately focuses on their close relationship.

This isn’t an action-packed sci-fi adventure. It’s more like a quiet story about two people learning to live together as the world around them changes in a subtle and lovely way. The creators, The Game Bakers, really focused on the details – things like the gentle lighting, fluid movements, and a soundtrack that makes every moment feel special.

Solar Ash

A High-Speed Platformer Through A Dying World Filled With Giant Remnants

Fast traversal game where a voidrunner glides across strange floating zones.
Huge creatures serve as moving platforms and boss fights rolled into one.

Solar Ash prioritizes fast-paced movement and a smooth experience over complicated gameplay, resulting in a platformer that feels as refined as larger, more expensive titles. The developers successfully transitioned from 2D pixel art to a vibrant, 3D world that resembles a moving science-fiction painting.

While the story and battles could be more complex, Solar Ash boasts impressive movement, stunning visuals, and a great sense of scope, making it look like a much bigger-budget game. This shows that focusing on smooth movement and a strong atmosphere can make an indie game feel as polished as a top-tier AAA title.

Eternal Strands

A Modern Action-Adventure With Ambitious World Tools and Magic Systems

Fantasy action game built around spell tools that let players melt ice, freeze water, or burn obstacles during fights.
Large creatures shape each battle, turning terrain into part of the strategy.

From the very beginning, Eternal Strands feels like a major studio production. The lighting is impressive, the scenery is expansive, and details like dust motes and flowing hair look incredibly realistic – all achieved despite a modest budget. The game’s graphics are strong enough to rival those of many larger, more expensive titles, and its unique way of handling elements like fire and water gives it a dynamic quality that some AAA games are missing.

The way the environment changes during battles makes each fight feel like a spectacular event, not just a simple clash. Spells look amazing with vibrant visuals, objects realistically shatter and break, and enemies react convincingly when hit, really emphasizing the force of the attacks. This level of visual polish is typically seen in games made by studios with large art teams.

Trepang2

Brutal, Kinetic FPS That Channels Classic Action Shooters With Modern Polish

High-speed gunfights, sliding attacks, and supernatural powers create wild combat moments.
Slow-motion moves and heavy weapons make the action look bigger than its indie budget.

Trepang2 feels like a return to the fast-paced, action-packed shooters of the early 2000s, but it plays with a modern smoothness that makes it surprisingly intense. You play as a powerful, amnesiac soldier who awakens in a facility with deadly skills. From the start, the game emphasizes chaotic, fast-paced combat. Trepang2 offers polished, quick, and impactful action that rivals many larger, more established shooters.

As a critic, I have to say the environments in this game really struck me. They feel like a blend of abandoned military installations, gritty industrial zones, remote snowy bases, and places touched by something… else. It’s not overly cluttered with details, but what is there is sharp and clear, which is crucial during the fast-paced action. And when the shooting starts, the destruction feels incredibly realistic. Furniture breaks apart convincingly, glass shatters, and the smoke lingers just the right amount of time to really immerse you in the chaos. It all adds up to a believable and engaging world.

2025-12-03 11:36