8 Amazing Indie Games With No Story

Summary

Indie games often prioritize gameplay over narrative due to budget constraints.
Maximum Action and Balatro are among indie games focusing on action and mechanics.
Ravenswatch and Streets of Rogue excel in immersive gameplay without heavy narratives.

As a gamer, I’ve found myself deeply engrossed in indie masterpieces like Kentucky Route Zero and Night in the Woods. These games, predominantly narrative-focused, offer immersive experiences that resonate long after the credits roll. Yet, it’s not uncommon for these indie titles to face budgetary and time constraints, leading them to prioritize gameplay over story. This choice often results in a lack of a cohesive narrative arc.

Games like Hollow Knight do a great job balancing both, but many other games opt for more innovative strategies or provide open-ended gameplay instead of strong narratives. Such choices present numerous chances for creative game development, showcasing the mechanics effectively.

8. Maximum Action

An Action Sandbox With Cinematic Style

Platform(s): PC
Released: 2018
Developer(s): George Mandell
Genre: FPS

Maximum Action is an open-ended game that emphasizes on thrilling, cinematic shootouts rather than having a storyline. It’s filled with bullet-time and slow-motion stunts, making it an exciting choice for fans of Hong Kong action films and ’80s action movies, who will undoubtedly enjoy this independent production.

As a fan, I’d say even though Maximum Action might not offer much in terms of challenging narratives, it more than makes up for it with its diverse selection of weapons, tools, and environments. These elements let players showcase their unique playing style. The fast-paced gunplay, frequent weapon switches, and level designs that pay tribute to classics create an exhilarating action experience where the gameplay takes center stage over a deep storyline. Maximum Action is clearly designed with a specific audience in mind, catering to those who appreciate intense, skill-based gameplay.

7. Kenshi

An Open-Ended Sandbox That Champions Player Agency

Kenshi is a role-playing game (RPG) set in an open world, offering players the liberty to traverse its harsh and unforgiving landscape. Designed with diversity and player choice at its core, Kenshi lets you forge your own journey through intricate RPG systems and engaging mechanics, leading to unexpected gameplay experiences due to emergent gameplay.

In Kenshi, there’s an abundance of choices presented to the player, eliminating the necessity for a central storyline. Instead, the game inspires players to craft their unique narrative, immersing themselves in the intriguingly bizarre landscape of this post-apocalyptic world.

6. Thronefall

A Minimalist RTS

This base-defending game stands out due to its well-structured tower-defense setup and simplified real-time strategy elements, offering a strategically rich yet user-friendly experience. The mechanical design leaves ample space for Thronefall’s multifarious, finely crafted systems to be showcased without the distraction of an advancing narrative.

Instead of advancing a storyline, Thronefall presents players with challenging missions that grow in difficulty. These missions can be repeated for improved scores and offer numerous unlocks. With its distinctive roguelike gameplay, Thronefall becomes an extremely replayable and mechanically engaging experience.

5. Post Void

A Frantic, Bite-Sized FPS

Post Void” is an exhilarating first-person shooter with a fast-paced, unpredictable vibe, shunning traditional storylines and defined settings for pure mayhem and heart-pounding gameplay. Featuring rapid-fire combat, lightning-fast movement, and confined passageways, “Post Void” offers an adrenaline-fueled FPS experience that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout, making each moment a thrilling rollercoaster ride.

This game’s appeal largely stems from two key factors: the player’s health depleting consistently and the fast-paced gameplay. However, what truly sets Post Void apart might be its unique feature – an absence of storyline or setting. This streamlined focus and the stripped-down design of its roguelike runs make the game simple to grasp, challenging to conquer, and hence, incredibly enjoyable from the get-go.

4. RimWorld

Sandbox Survival & Accessible Management Gameplay

RimWorld is a versatile and intricate game that simulates the building and management of colonies, with an intuitive interface and multiple difficulty levels for easy access. Its sandbox design grants players significant freedom in crafting and governing their colony, while the absence of a linear storyline encourages the creation of unique narratives within its futuristic universe.

Drawing inspiration from the intricate gameplay of Dwarf Fortress and the grandeur of settings like Dune and Firefly, this indie game positions itself as a tool for creating captivating narratives. Instead of following a traditional main storyline, it offers an emergent narrative centered around the player’s colony, providing a uniquely engaging gaming experience.

3. Balatro

Poker-Infused Roguelike Deckbuilding

As a gamer, I find that Balatro leans more towards the intricate mechanics and interconnected gameplay systems that are characteristic of roguelike games, rather than focusing on dramatic storylines or linear narratives. In fact, it seems Balatro veers closer to being an abstract game, opting for a score-attack structure instead of traditional enemy designs, which could potentially attract a broader player base.

Balatro stands out not just for its engaging gameplay and tactile design, but also its distinctive slot-machine style and captivating music. Consequently, Balatro gives off an authentic arcade feel, devoid of any resemblance to narrative-based gaming.

2. Ravenswatch

A Stylish & Co-Operative Action Roguelike

Ravenswatch is a dynamic action game with an emphasis on cooperative play and time constraints. Unlike many roguelikes, it subtly incorporates elements of storytelling and character development through dialogue and optional texts, while focusing primarily on the intricate mechanics of its ARPG-style combat system.

In the game known as Ravenswatch, you have several characters to choose from, each possessing unique abilities and upgrades. This means the combat is highly dependent on your skills, not just luck. This skill-based gameplay aligns perfectly with the continuous timer that’s always counting down during each playthrough, creating a tense, pressure-filled experience that wouldn’t be suitable for a conventional narrative adventure.

1. Streets Of Rogue

A Sandbox Action Roguelite

In simpler terms, Streets Of Rogue isn’t heavily focused on storyline, instead offering a minimal backdrop for players to unleash chaos across various settings. This allows the game’s objective-driven structure, influences from immersive sims, and action sandbox design style to fully unfold.

In the world of “Streets of Rogue”, I’ve found an incredible amount of freedom in the diverse cast of characters and one-of-a-kind loot. This game doesn’t hold my hand, instead, it invites me to tackle objectives in a way that feels uniquely mine, be it with stealth, brute force, or clever trickery. It’s this open-ended design that makes every playthrough feel fresh and rewarding, pushing me to think creatively and adapt on the fly.

2025-02-26 18:37