by Coco Shepard ’27
March 7, 2025
In recent years, the landscape of video games has shifted away from larger corporations and towards independent game studios and developers. There are an abundance of reasons for this shift. Indie games offer more unique experiences, emotional connections, and a creative quality that is often missed in AAA games, those developed by larger teams and corporations like Fortnite, The Sims, or Grand Theft Auto. Independent games offer their fan bases and players a connection to the creators of the games themselves and a sense of community that large companies cannot make.
Indie games lead a wave of consumer engagement, promoting the idea that anyone can make a video game, even without expensive equipment or the highest quality graphics. Many games that we now call essential staples of video game history started as indie, like Minecraft, Stardew Valley, Rocket League, and Undertale, proving that just because a game is indie doesn’t mean it can’t have a monumental impact on pop culture.
There are hundreds of indie games set to be released in 2025, but some stand out more than others. Here are the top ten that video game enthusiasts and casual players looking for some fun should look out for this year. Many of these games have demos or early versions available on their websites, so you can take them for a short spin before they release.
Deer & Boy: a wholesome story and creative puzzles
Deer & Boy is a charming platformer with beautiful visuals and an emphasis on its story of grief, family, and connecting to nature. After a young boy runs away from home, he meets a small fawn, and the pair hones their teamwork as the fawn grows to overcome puzzles and hide from enemies in creative ways. The art style is simple but detailed, perfect for capturing shots of nature, from rocky rivers to tall grass fields. The trailer showcases platforming puzzles that can be solved with the player’s creativity and teamwork with their deer companion.
Deer & Boy can be wishlisted on Steam with no firm release date other than sometime this year.
Sword of the Sea: exciting gameplay and meaningful themes
Sword of the Sea is a skateboarding game with an artistic twist, where players glide through sand dunes as they explore the ancient ruins of a lost civilization. The player’s quest is to restore the sea and rescue schools of fish and other sea creatures. The visuals perfectly capture the beauty of both the constantly shifting desert and sea. Sword of the Sea is being developed by Giant Squid Studios, a small team that also developed The Pathless and ABZÛ, two artistic experiences that utilize a flowing and smooth aesthetic to capture scenes of nature and animals.
Sword of the Sea is available to add to your wishlist on Steam and PS5 and is predicted to release in 2025.
We Harvest Shadows: exciting premise and realistic graphics
We Harvest Shadows is one of the smaller, lesser known games on this list, but one that shines like a hidden gem. WHS is a first person farming simulator with an undertone of horror being developed by David Whele, who shared on social media that the game would “Probably [release in] late 2025, but the wait will be worth it!” The gameplay features daily farm tasks such as taking care of your livestock, repairing your home, and monitoring the growth of the crops, and exploring the acres that surround the farm. The game features a relaxed and narrative focused experience rather than constant jumpscares and monsters, perfect for fans of slow burn and psychological horror.
We Harvest Shadows can be found and wishlisted on Steam.
Slay the Spire 2: satisfying mechanics and fun atmosphere
Slay the Spire 2, confirmed by their gameplay trailer to release in 2025, is the highly anticipated sequel to Slay the Spire, which was released in 2019. The series is an easy to learn and hard to master deck building rogue-like fusion, where players can battle their way to the top of the spire through relics and abilities they discover and add to their decks. Slay the Spire was characterized by a cute but not overly adorable art style and an array of strategies to discover, so that both seasoned and casual players can have an enjoyable experience.
The first game gained overwhelming support and community, garnering over 1.5 million downloads worldwide and overwhelming support from the gaming community. The sequel promises new characters to play as, new cards to find, and new enemies to battle, while bringing back more of the same addictive and satisfying gameplay. The current online hype for Slay the Spire 2 proves that more of the same isn’t always boring, due to the nearly perfect formula Mega Crit has created.
You an find and wishlist Slay the Spire 2 on Steam.
Wanderstop: comforting narrative and calm gameplay
Wanderstop is a cozy tea making game produced by Ivy Road and the creator of The Stanley Parable, an iconic indie game with over 3 million downloads. Wanderstop is a relaxing game that features a main character called Atla, a young woman working at a tea shop who desperately wants to get back to her old life as a fighter and leave the small and cozy tea business behind. The gameplay entails brewing and serving tea to your customers while learning their stories and helping them along their journeys. The game shines narratively, promising an emotional and fulfilling experience focused on the story over gameplay.
Wanderstop will be released on March 25 on Steam.
Tenjutsu: fluid combat and flexible plot
Tenjutsu is a combat focused pixel game based on the Japanese yakuza, or mafia. The game features an array of different ways to play, ensuring that every player will have a unique experience as they slash and dash their way through taking down the big crime syndicates in Secret Garden City. Each of the four syndicates have different strengths and weaknesses, and the order in which you take them down will influence how the others act. In addition to enemies, you’ll find shops and restaurants to help rebuild, and shortcuts all through the town. This means that the game will stay fresh and entertaining for maximum replayability. The combat is fluid and fast, with a variety of unlockable abilities and weapons.
Tenjutsu will be available in 2025 on Steam and PS5.
Reanimal: horrifying monsters and difficult puzzles
Reanimal is a cooperative horror game, supporting both single player and two player online or local gameplay. Reanimal is being developed by the same creators as Little Nightmares 1 and 2, but promises a darker and more horror focused experience where you play as a brother and sister duo trying to rescue their missing friends. Reanimal fits into the same genre as the Little Nightmares series, not just a horror game about running from giant monsters, but also a horror game about childhood hope and the evils of humanity. Reanimal is different from Little Nightmares in that Tarsier Studios isn’t holding anything back in the category of gruesome monsters and a terrifying world filled with traps around every corner.
Reanimal will be available in 2025 on Steam, PS5, and XBox.
Cairn: stunning environments and puzzling strategy
Cairn is a climbing simulator game with a unique touch. Instead of simply climbing a cliff to finish a level, you’ll have to plan your route beforehand, manage your food, climbing supplies, and natural resources while making difficult sacrifices to survive the long journey as you ascend Mount Kami. Players will have to deal with storms, wildlife, and even other climbers along the way, choosing where to help others and where to save their resources. The climbing itself is difficult and realistic and requires a good bit of strategy and planning. Cairn’s graphics are perfectly suited for capturing the beauty of nature in an inhospitable environment.
Cairn is planned to release on Steam and PS5 in 2025.
In the past few years, games have become more accessible for more people, creating more niches and highly specific experiences. In the span of a few hours, players can become tea brewers, farmers, rock climbers, and warriors. There are games made by and made for every group of people, so no matter who you are or what kind of experience you’re looking for, you’ll be able to find it in an indie game.
