Indie Game Highlights/Hidden Gems 2024

We’re closing in on the end of the year and while I know there’s still December and some releases to go, I thought it would be worthwhile putting together a thread of the indie games people want to shout out from this year, be these hidden gems that don’t seem to have gained much traction or some of the bigger releases that we think more people should play. If it’s an indie game that released between January 1st 2024 and is landing before December 31st 2024 and you want to shout it out and point more people towards it, then go ahead. The more games, the merrier. Let’s add to those backlogs for people.So, what indies have really struck a chord with you this year? Which do you feel stood out for you in an otherwise packed year for indie releases? And which do you feel deserve more attention as we head into GotY territory?I’ll start by highlighting a bunch of releases from the year that I think are worth pointing out. Available on PC – PuzzleThis one was brought to my attention here on Era and is a puzzle game with a great gameplay gimmick and best of all, it’s free to own on Steam. It’s a puzzle game that will see you collecting and rearranging tiles on a 3×3 grid. But the twist is that this grid is the world you’re walking through. As you slide pieces of the world around, you’ll see them whip past the one you’re standing on and hear a satisfying clunk as they slide into place. It’s a simple premise but used extremely well. To the point that it begs the question: Why for free? In this case, best to not ask and just try out a great puzzle game. Available on PC – First Person ShooterThis is the new release from the developers of Severed Steel. A high octane and fast paced FPS title that takes the base gameplay from their previous title and puts the foot down on the accelerator and sends it off at blistering pace. You’ll grapple, hoverboard and propel your way across a massive open world made up of small islands taking down increasingly difficult waves of enemies and colossal bosses with all manner of weapons. And while it’s a hell of a ride in single player, this one is playable in up to 4 player coop. Available on PC and Nintendo Switch – RPGPerhaps overshadowed by another tactical game involving wizards and defenestrations, this is a fantastic Mesoamerican tactical RPG that blends turn based and real time combat in such a way that it feels like each encounter is a puzzle that needs to be solved. It’s got a fantastic pixel art style, great narrative and a great soundtrack too. There’s also llamas. I know the Switch release was a bit spotty on launch but I believe the devs have been hard at work remedying things to help performance there. Definitely one to check out. Available on PC , PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and Xbox – PlatformerA 2D platformer that I’ve seen likened to Super Mario Odyssey in its approach to collectibles and objectives. And it largely hits those notes. You’ll go through areas and complete a variety of objectives, in any order at all, to collect gear pieces to unlock the next level on the elevator, in turn unlocking new areas and new objectives to complete. Don’t let its visuals put you off, it initially appears as a rather simplistic platformer with a small set of moves but there’s a hidden depth that comes out in later areas that requires stringing together the moves in such a way to make for some really deep and fluid platforming. Available on PC , PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and Xbox – Action/MetroidvaniaA metroidvania based on the Turbo Kid film, this one sees you playing a lone survivor trawling the a wasteland laying waste to any and all who get in your way, in gory fashion. You’ll hack and slash your way through foes on foot and then take to your trusty BMX to navigate the world, pull off sick tricks and maybe even throw your BMX at enemies getting in your way. It’s a game that has a great style about it and plays extremely well. Available on PC , PlayStation And Xbox – Action-AdventureA 3rd person stealth game that sees you in control of the last of a long forgotten race as you search for the truth about your race in the ruins of lifeless cities being combed over by a robotic force that sees you as a threat. You’ll utilise shadow powers, allowing you to merge with the shadows to scale walls and further delve into cities and ruins to uncover the truth that is being hidden from you. This isn’t an action game, confronting enemies head on will usually end with you being taken out so you’ll have to plan your routes and time them well, resurfacing from the shadows to stealthily take down enemies before merging once again to slink off. Available on PC , Nintendo Switch and Xbox – Narrative/AdventureA narrative adventure that sees you on a journey as Chesley the border collie who returns to the Scottish Isles with his owner, reliving memories past and restoring colour to the world. This is one of a handful of games that have come from Scottish developers this year and it’s been great to see that the Scottish indie scene is going strong and producing a variety of different experiences (the other games being Judero and Daemonologie). It’s also one of the few games this year that’s really affected me. It left me home sick for the Scottish islands I’ve been too, that simpler life that comes with it and for having to say farewell. It’s a really lovely little game that I feel deserves some more attention. Available on PC – PuzzleThis is essentially a non-VR version of The Last Clockwinder. You control a blue yeti and work backwards to plan out the necessary steps to successfully create and deposit the necessary items in the drop box as quickly as possible. It starts out simply but very quickly adds layers with multiple characters to set up to achieve your goals. It’s largely gone under the radar but it’s a really neat idea executed really well and worth a look.This only begins to scratch the surface of indie releases this year. A reminder that Black Friday sales are currently on going on some storefronts and platforms and the Steam Autumn sale begins tomorrow so some of these may be on sale/go on sale in the coming days.So post away about some of the indie games that you think stand out in this packed year of releases.