Summary
The indie scene continues to be the most innovative and creative area of the gaming industry. Year after year, gamers are spoiled with unique titles that manage to rub shoulders with theever-increasing budgetsand high-fidelity obsession of AAA games.
Nowhere is that truer than in thehorror genre.It feels like every month, a new indie horror gem hits the market and shakes up the gaming world with its dark stories and interesting spins on well-established mechanics. Barely halfway through, and this decade has already delivered a number of games that will remain as all-timers in the years to come. Rotten with choice, the list below attempts to highlightthe best indie horror games of the 2020s so far.
David Szymanski’s knack for horror was made apparent back in 2018 with the release of his boomer shooter,DUSK. The game’s levels were possessed with an eerie atmosphere andoccupied by enemiesthat would feel at home in any survival horror game, especially the Wendigos.
Szymanski’s ability to scare and disturb players truly shined, however, with the release of his deep sea nightmare,Iron Lung. In the game, players assume the role of an unnamed convict as they are sealed into a claustrophobic sub-marine and tasked with exploring an ocean of blood. With no view of their surroundings bar brief snapshots, players explore this alien ocean blind but with the growing realization that they’re not alone. The concept is terrifying enough on its own, but Syzmanski dials things up with some excellent world-building, letting players access a terminal that tells them about the starless and planetless universe they inhabit.
On the surface,Dredge’s idyllic scenes paint a picture of a relaxing fishing game that belongs among the likes ofStardew ValleyandAnimal Crossing. Half ofDredgedoes deliver that cozy fantasy, but it works to conceal a dark reality underneath. During players' voyages across the ocean, they’ll come across increasingly twisted game ripped straight from the pages of Lovecraftian stories, all the while uncovering supernatural mysteries.
Developer Black Salt Games balances these conflicting identities to craft an experience that feels simultaneously terrifying and delightful to play, acting as theperfect cozy gamefor a horror veteran or an excellent introduction to the genre for the uninitiated.
8My Friendly Neighborhood
Mascot Horror Done Right
Depending on a player’s aptitudefor mascot horror,My Friendly Neighborhoodis a bit lacking in the scare department compared to other games on this list, but it still earns its place here with its stellar survival horror mechanics. Brothers John and Evan Szymanski deliver a fine-tuned modernization of classics likeResident Evilalongside a silly but intriguing story.
With mascot horror games becoming a dime a dozen in the gaming world, often being bogged down with superficial scares and little innovation, too,My Friendly Neighborhoodacts as both a refreshing take on the sub-genre and an excellent addition to the overall horror canon.
In a la mode games’Sorry We’re Closed, players take control of Michelle as she works to remove a curse placed on her by a powerful, lovesick demon. The game acts as a balanced hybridization of many genre elements. It combines fixed-camera angles with arcade-style first-person shooting, industrial environments with bursts of neon, and survival horror gameplay with RPG-like storytelling.
The story, perhaps besides the game’s visuals, is whereSorry We’re Closedshines. Michelle and the rest of the cast’s experience with love and heartache feels emotional and real, despite a setting filled with angels and demons, delivering a story that easily resonates with players.
Daniel Mullins’Inscryptionis one of those games that are best played blind. It may seem strange to avoid trailers and look at as few screenshots as possible, especially when some players have a more limited budget than others when it comes to deciding what game to pick up next, but it’s true. Part of the delight of playingInscryptionfor the first time is falling down its rabbit hole and simply seeing where the game goes.
So, this list will leave readers with this instead: trapped in a cabin by the mysterious figure sitting across from them, players must master a deadly game of cards in order to survive. Built around a roguelike loop, players will unravel more of the mystery of their captivity with each new run.
LikeInscryption,Wrong Organ’sMouthwashingis a game players should avoid learning much about. After the captain of the Tuplar damages the ship in an attempt to crash it, the rest of the crew are stranded in space, with the arrival of help being nothing but a fanciful notion.
On the surface,Mouthwashing’s psychological horror story may seem like a satire of corporate culture and capitalism, and while those themes are definitely there,Mouthwashinggoes beyond them to tell one of the darkest and best-written stories in indie horror games.
Rose-engine’sSignalishas some of the best world-building, not just in horror but gaming as a whole. It drops players in a dystopian cyberpunk world where humanity, though it has conquered stars, is stomped down by its own heel of fascism. The setting is rich in lore and visual style, combining retro visuals with an industrial interpretation of futuristic architecture, and entirely secondary to the plot.
Even with this incredibly detailed backdrop,Signalisis more concerned with the personal journey of Elster, an android or Replika, looking forher lost partner.Her journey is layered with flashbacks, psychological horror, and shifting timelines, delivering a nonlinear story of tragedy that will keep players hooked from beginning to end.
Guided by a narrator, similarly toThe Stanley Parable, Black Tabby Games’Slay the Princesstasks players with one simple task - to kill the princess in the basement of a lonely cabin. Readers will be rolling their eyes at this point, but players should - again - go into this one blind.
Slay the Princessis another one-of-a-kind experience. With the game emphasizing player choices and their consequences, the many narrative avenues players can get lost following is a delight to experience. Upon completing the game, no doubt many players will place this game on their list of ‘play again if I ever lose my memory.’
Like many games on this list, OMOCAT’sOmoriis a deceptive title. The game players like a colorful JRPG, filled with cute character designs and popping environments, but the further players delve into the world, the less real and certain it feels.
Headspace, this colorful location, is gradually invaded by the dark thoughts of the game’s titular protagonist in a story that exploresdepression and the impacts of trauma.Players looking to braveOmori’s story should come prepared.
SFB Games’Crow Countryis the ultimate survival horror experience. Taking control of Mara Forest, players explore the titular abandoned theme park in search of its creator, Edward Crow. Compared to other titles on this list,Crow Country’s story can be a bit predictable, but it still manages to lure players in with a sense of mystery in its opening minutes.
Crow Country’s true strength lies in its refined and modernized survival horror mechanics, spinning things like fixed camera angles on their heads by allowing players to rotate the camera around a room, as well as its atmosphere. The game lovingly recreates PS1 graphics and audio, delivering immaculate vibes all throughout its runtime.
