5 Indie Games You NEED To Play Right Now

The indie gaming scene is absolutely on fire in 2025, and we’re here to showcase the best of the best! From mind-bending puzzlers to spine-tingling horror experiences, these five indie games are making massive waves in the gaming community, offering fresh perspectives that prove the future of gaming lies in creative independence.

1. Peak – The Co-op Climbing Sensation That’s Taking Over

Developer: Aggro Crab & Landfall (as Landcrab)
Price: £5.49 (currently on sale)
Platforms: PC (Steam)

What started as a game jam project in February 2025 has become the year’s most unexpected success story. Peak has sold over 1 million copies in just six days, leaving even its developers stunned. This co-op climbing game combines the studios behind Another Crab’s Treasure and Content Warning to create something truly special.

What Makes It Stand Out:

• Brutal yet hilarious co-op gameplay – Up to four players must work together to climb a treacherous mountain, but one wrong move sends you plummeting
• Daily rotating biomes – The mountain changes every 24 hours, keeping the experience fresh
• Perfect balance of tension and comedy – Watching your mate fall whilst hearing their desperate “Noooo!” fade into the distance never gets old
• Accessible price point – At just £5.49, it’s cheaper than a pint and infinitely more entertaining

The beauty of Peak lies in its simplicity. You climb, you fall, you laugh, you try again. It’s the ultimate team-building exercise that will either strengthen your friendships or destroy them entirely.

2. Blue Prince – This Year’s Mind-Melting Puzzle Masterpiece

Developer: Dogubomb
Publisher: Raw Fury
Price: £25.49 (15% off)
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S (Game Pass & PS Plus)

Currently sitting as 2025’s highest-rated game on Metacritic with a 92 score, Blue Prince is the puzzle game that’s driving players delightfully mad. Eight years in development, this roguelike mansion-builder has players searching for the mysterious Room 46.

What Makes It Stand Out:

• Innovative mansion-building mechanics – You construct the manor as you explore it, choosing which rooms appear behind each door
• Layers upon layers of mysteries – Finding Room 46 is just the beginning; the real game starts after
• Notebook-required gameplay – Players report filling entire notebooks with theories and room layouts
• The “Tetris Effect” in full force – Players report seeing room layouts in their dreams

Blue Prince has been compared to puzzle greats like Outer Wilds and Return of the Obra Dinn, and it absolutely earns those comparisons. Just be warned: once you start, you won’t be able to stop thinking about it.

3. Dead Letter Dept. – Typing Has Never Been This Terrifying

Developer: Belief Engine
Price: £11.99
Platforms: PC (Steam)

In a year packed with horror games, Dead Letter Dept. stands out as something genuinely unique. This psychological horror typing game turns data entry into nightmare fuel, creating what reviewers are calling “Silent Hill meets Severance.”

What Makes It Stand Out:

• Mundane work becomes horror – You’re just typing addresses from undelivered mail… until you’re not
• Incredible atmosphere – The sound design alone will have you questioning every creak and click
• Multiple endings and mysteries – The mail tells disturbing stories that gradually reveal a larger horror
• Flow state manipulation – The game cleverly uses typing to lull you into comfort before pulling the rug out

Dead Letter Dept. proves that you don’t need jump scares or monsters to create effective horror. Sometimes, the most terrifying thing is being trapped in a job that’s slowly consuming your sanity.

4. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – The French Indie That Conquered The World

Developer: Sandfall Interactive
Publisher: Kepler Interactive
Price: £44.99
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

While technically at the higher end of indie pricing, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has earned every penny with its breathtaking Belle Époque-inspired world and innovative combat system. Having sold 3.3 million copies in 33 days, this French studio’s debut has become 2025’s breakout indie sensation.

What Makes It Stand Out:

• Revolutionary combat system – Turn-based battles with real-time dodging, parrying, and free-aim shooting
• Stunning art direction – A dark fantasy world inspired by Belle Époque France that’s unlike anything else
• Star-studded voice cast – Features Charlie Cox, Jennifer English, Ben Starr, and Andy Serkis
• Emotional storytelling – A melancholy tale about fighting against inevitable death that will stay with you

Even President Macron celebrated this game’s success, calling it “a shining example of French audacity and creativity.” With a 92 Metacritic score and the highest user score in the site’s history, Expedition 33 proves that indie studios can compete with the biggest names in gaming.

5. The Alters – When You’re Your Own Worst Enemy

Developer: 11 bit studios
Price: £24.99
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

From the creators of Frostpunk and This War of Mine comes The Alters, a survival game where you create alternate versions of yourself to survive on an alien planet. It’s a mind-bending exploration of choice and consequence.

What Makes It Stand Out:

• Unique “what if” mechanic – Create alternate versions of yourself based on different life choices
• Base-building meets existential crisis – Manage resources whilst confronting your life decisions
• Thought-provoking narrative – Each “Alter” represents a path not taken in your life
• Classic 11 bit studios emotional weight – Expect to question your own life choices

The Alters takes the survival genre and adds a layer of psychological depth that few games dare to explore. It’s not just about surviving on an alien world; it’s about confronting who you could have been.

These five games represent everything brilliant about indie gaming in 2025. From Peak’s pure multiplayer joy to Blue Prince’s notebook-filling mysteries, from Dead Letter Dept.’s psychological horror to Expedition 33’s artistic triumph, and The Alters’ existential exploration – each offers something you simply won’t find in mainstream gaming.

The best part? Most of these are available on subscription services like Game Pass or PS Plus, making them incredibly accessible. So what are you waiting for? Your next gaming obsession is just a download away.

Remember to support indie developers – they’re the ones pushing gaming forward, one brilliant idea at a time.