2021 is shaping up to be quite a spectacular year for gaming. Both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are expected to have a variety of breathtaking, triple-A titles releasing this year, hitting their stride as the new generation of console gaming.
However, that's not all that players can expect. This year is also shaping up to be absolutely captivating for fans of indie games. There's a plethora of gems planned to come out on PC and consoles by small developers with ambitious visions and stories to tell. Here are a few indie games to keep your eyes peeled for in 2021.
10 Hollow Knight: Silksong
The original Hollow Knight was the product of a small group of talented developers called Team Cherry, released in 2017. It was met with acclaim and was a massive success, with its hauntingly beautiful environments, iconic character design, and impressive gameplay.
Now, Team Cherry is set to release the sequel, titled Hollow Knight: Silksong. This time, players will control a character called Hornet who uses a needle to fight. The gameplay is expected to be more of the same, but with some twists, and that's hardly unwelcome, given how incredible the original game was.
9 Garden Story
In Garden Story, players control an adorable little grape, aptly named Concord, and work to restore an island despite the skeptical attitude of the island's inhabitants. Concord must repair relationships, gather materials, and defend the island as players work to revitalize the charming community.
The pixel art is cute, and the backdrops feel like home. The game's music is also relaxing and should serve well to players looking to chill out in the game and explore. Garden Story has a demo out on Steam for anyone curious to see how it feels, and it seems to focus on progression and exploration in equal parts.
8 She Dreams Elsewhere
She Dreams Elsewhere is a game that fans of the RPG genre should look out for. The game has a very interesting premise, taking place in the dreams of a comatose woman named Thalia, who wanders her dreams to understand what it is that's preventing her from waking up in the real world.
As players progress, they can begin to unravel the mystery behind how Thalia ended up in this state. The combat system offers satisfying, turn based combat with some refreshing twists. She Dreams Elsewhere also has a demo, so those curious about the game can run through a little preview.
7 Boyfriend Dungeon
For fans of top down action combat and dating sims, or just curious gamers looking to try something new, Boyfriend Dungeon combines the aforementioned genres in what looks to be a perfect match. The gameplay involves frenetic and exciting action fights in a dungeon.
The fun really begins when you find weapons that transform into various characters who are easy on the eyes and, of course, single. Players can spend the money earned by clearing out the dungeon to go on dates with the anthropomorphized weapons and get to know them better.
6 Lake
Lake takes you back to the 1980s and puts players in the shoes of Merideth, the protagonist who is in her 40s. She temporarily takes over her father's position in her small hometown as a mail carrier. Players get to experience Merideth's return to her home for a few weeks and meet faces both new and old.
This indie game promises to let players escape once again, this time to a small town, in a time before cell phones and internet. Players can explore the town and pick from a variety of activities to engage in after work.
5 Anno: Mutationem
Combining cyberpunk aesthetics and an anime style with pixel art, Anno: Mutationem is dressed to impress. An action adventure RPG filled with corporations with ulterior motives, strange creatures, and mysterious inhabitants, the world looks to be a blast to explore.
Players control the main character, Ann, as she fights all sorts of enemies using a massive and varied arsenal of moves in slick 2D combat. Her gear and stats can be upgrades as you progress, letting players build the game around their combat style and preferences. Plus, there's a demo available on Steam so you can try before you plan on buying it.
4 Eastward
At first glance, Eastward might look like a farming or exploration game like Stardew Valley, but there's a lot more to it than that. Made by a new indie developer team from Shanghai, called Pixpil, Eastward is about two characters in a world where everything is dying to a deadly toxin.
Players control John and Sam as they discover strange locales while travelling, fighting monsters, and searching for hope. There's plenty of ways for players to customize their combat and strategy, such as through cooking.
3 Cooking Companions
If you're a fan of games that aren't quite what they seem, Cooking Companions may be worth keeping on your radar. Combining psychological horror and dating sim mechanics, this game is about a group of people trapped in the woods.
The tension builds as time passes, with supplies running out and chances of survival becoming increasingly slim. This game promises to deliver "true" horror, without heaps of gore or jump scares. It's all about setting the dreadful atmosphere, and finding romance, in this tantalizing genre crossover.
2 Open Roads
In Open Roads, there's a mystery to solve. It's an adventure kicked off by Tess and her mother, Opal, finding strange notes and ominous documents about their family, suggesting something sinister happened in the past.
Players will get to explore abandoned locations and slowly piece together Tess's family mystery through a dialogue system with realistic and evocative writing. Fans of mystery and adventure games should be confident in the quality and writing of this title, as it's being created by the developers behind Gone Home.
1 Gestalt: Steam & Cinder
Gestalt: Steam & Cinder looks like pixel perfect side-scroller with tight combat. The colors are vibrant and the art is excellent as well. Players will meet a varied cast of interesting characters and explore a massive, steampunk inspired city as they fight to survive, battling against the city's twisted overlords.
The visuals are sharp and clean, and the backgrounds of this game look spectacular too. There's lots of ways to play around with the flow of combat, letting players mix up ranged and melee attacks in a way that best suits them. The game's world looks lived in and alive, with plenty of character interactions to go through.