The top independent games of 2024
If you're searching for a new game, we have a ton of suggestions. Check out our selection of the top free Switch games, great gacha games, and games like Minecraft for reasonably priced entertainment.
Let's examine the top independent games available on the Switch:Sennaar's Chants
Chants of Sennaar, a game in which you must ascend a mystery tower while interpreting extinct languages, is one of the most imaginative and thought-provoking games of 2023. You are unable to speak verbally and must decipher symbols in order to navigate the environment.
Even while you may not be able to read conversations straight away, the game's vibrant, vivid setting and wonderful music will quickly draw you in and have you interacting with the inhabitants.
A Night in the WoodsInfinite Fall has created a fantastic sidescrolling tale game called Night in the Woods. You accompany Mae Borowski as she struggles to adjust to adulthood and visits her childhood pals in her hometown, but there's a peculiar and unsettling element to what's occurring.
Personally, I think this game's graphic style is pretty great, and the writing's comedy is what really elevates the experience. Loveable characters and a laid-back atmosphere devoid of demanding fighting or problem solving characterize the game.
The Lamb's Cult
James Stephanie Sterling has referred to Cult of the Lamb, a charmingly terrifying roguelike slash colony sim, as "a world of sh*t." As the cutest little possessed lamb in town, you play a menacing stranger who saves the village from certain death. Now it's your responsibility to pay him back by establishing a devoted following in his honor. That's right, you form your own cult, go to scary and enigmatic places, and gather a devoted group of believers in the woods while you preach the Word in an effort to become the one real cult.
Establish your colony like a well-oiled, poop-fueled machine, build your (very literal) flock, and eliminate the skeptics. Wonderful! See our complete review of the Cult of the Lamb here.
Dredge
Dredge is a fishing game, which makes it fantastic. Fishing games are awesome. This isn't just ordinary reel-em-in game, however; as you catch new fish, sell it, improve your boat, and explore other islands, you'll uncover a sanity meter and other eerie happenings. Discover an abundance of fish in both rivers and reefs with this captivating gameplay loop that is encased in a beautiful artistic style.
For a closer look at this maritime journey, check out our Dredge review and our story on the wonder of the deep blue in video games.
Hades
I apologize, but every item on this list is simply a fanboy's gushing over the games—after all, that is the purpose of a best-of list. We now go to Hades. The music video? Fantastic. Excellent character design. Setting: ethereal and divine. The gameplay is amazing.
As Zagreus, the son of Hades, you want to be freed. However, in order to escape, you have to battle several legendary creatures and, well, gods. In Hades's corridors of hell, you will come across a number of well-known Greek mythological names, like BOSS and BOSS. You have buddies you can chat to, weapons you can improve, and a pet you can pat named Cerberus. All of it is beautifully packaged with an exquisitely rendered artwork that flawlessly embodies each character.
Ooblets
Ooblets is a wonderful year-round farming, critter gathering, and life simulation game that will make you smile endlessly. It's a really healthy, entertaining experience that delivers a ton of fun for anybody searching for some relaxed feelings after a busy day, with its brilliant colors, stylized visuals, silly-sounding lyrics, and huge critter dance fights.
To learn more, booble over to our Ooblets review.
Permission to Pose
Allow yourself to savor a wonderfully strong concoction in Potion Permit, an ingenious mash-up of classic JRPGs sprinkled with engaging minigames and puzzles to keep things interesting. Sack up your briefcase and go to Moonbury to become the town's new pharmacist, helping the locals get well again.
Despite its adorable and comfortable veneer, we say that the Potion Permit review has a "surprisingly poignant message about discrimination, generalization, and fear of change."
Spiritfarer
Spiritfarer, as endearing as it is poignant, follows Stella and her cat Daffodil on a journey of love, grief, and friendship. You take on the role of Stella, who transports spirits over the ocean to the Everdoor, where they say their last goodbyes. You have to give in to their dying wishes and get to know them while you sail, before they die away. There are several animal-shaped spirits that represent people you knew in their human lifetimes, such as Uncle Atul, the large blue frog, Alice the hedgehog, and many more.
Although this game may make you depressed, there are plenty of happy moments to be had as you outfit your spacecraft with fields, machinery, and other comforts. See our Spiritfarer review for a more thorough analysis of this endearing game.
Beverly Hills
I beg you to peruse our thoughtful Stardew Valley review if you haven't already, since it encapsulates everything perfectly. Let me give you an even more condensed summary if you're pressed for time.Stardew Valley is perhaps the greatest farming simulator that has been converted to a game. In order to keep you occupied all the while, it offers a buddy system, a multitude of possible romantic partners, fishing, crafting, decorating, mining, and, of course, a comprehensive inventory of seeds, trees, and bushes for every season. Although there is a ton to do and you will undoubtedly be occupied for hours on end, there is also a ton of replayability here because of the many farm kinds and layouts.
Undertale
As soon as Undertale was launched, gamers were enthralled with the strange, beautiful, and emotionally charged adventure that it is. Three years after its original release, in 2018, its creator Toby Fox decided to bring it on the Switch in order to expand its user base.
How even to sum up Undertale's plot and environment? As a little, pixelated youngster who fell into the subterranean, you have to navigate obstacles, traps, and fights to find the path out and return to your house. You have three options: you can be kind and stay out of trouble, you can be evil and kill everyone, or you can combine the two. Whatever you do, search for hidden areas and pay attention to the conversation; these elements, along with the music, are what give Undertale its quirky and hilarious cast of people life.
We're OFK
.We Are OFK is an original and experimental title about four friends dreaming, dating, and attempting to scrape together enough money to pay rent in Los Angeles. It is an interactive electronic music product.
We Are OFK, which describes itself as "a story of making art, what we risk, and what thrives for it," is a stunningly beautiful, poignant, and realistic experience based on reality and featuring a really endearing ensemble of LGBTQ people.
Wylde Flowers
A charmingly ethereal farming and living sim, Wylde Flowers is chock-full of cool moods, endearing people, and enchantment around every corner. You assume the character of Tara, who relocates to the country to assist her aging grandmother with farm management. But you too are affected by some of your grandmother's secrets—you are, of course, a witch!
In this enchanted adventure, tend to the crops and animals, make friends with the locals, and develop your magic. See our Wylde Flowers interview and Wylde Flowers review for further information.
Check out our lists of the best Switch games and the best mobile games for more of our top choices from the last 12 months if these amazing independent games aren't enough for you.