Indie video games have become one of my greatest fascinations in the last couple of yearsdue to their identity, charisma, and passion.
However, lacking large budgets, wide teams, or long-standing work backgrounds, these masterful adventures often end up with lesser defects that somewhat tarnish them.
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Regarding the finest indies, most of their weaknesses aren’t enough to prevent them from being masterpieces, but they are enough to point out where the experience could have been better.
Therefore, to acknowledge these practically flawless titles and even appreciate the humanity of their problems, I introduce you to this list often minor issues that ruin near-perfect indie games.
10Ghostrunner
Collectibles
Ghostrunner
Ghostrunneris among the recent video games that have surprised me the most, as it combinesDishonored,Mirror’s Edge, andCyberpunk 2077with truly incredible ease.
The only reason I consider the title less than perfect is because of the way it handles its secondary content—specifically, the collectibles, giventhey interrupt the rest of the gameplay loop.
While everything in the campaign encourages you to run quickly, plot routes on the fly, and take out enemies at remarkable speeds, these lore items and skins are hidden in areas that completely disrupt the game’s flow.
If you want to fully understand the universe you’re in or complete the game 100%, you have to play in a way that’s counterintuitive toGhostrunner’s core mechanics, so it underutilizes its refined third-person platforming.
9Have a Nice Death
Replayability
Have a Nice Death
I’m a massive fan of roguelikes and their ability to create gameplay systems with hundreds of hours of entertainment, and that’s the only thing I miss aboutHave a Nice Death.
It has to be by far one of the most refined, spectacular, and polished titles in the genre I’ve ever seen, butthe experience runs out of much to do once you beat the actual final boss.
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Of course, reaching said fight is quite demanding and can take dozens of hours, but the game sacrifices a lot of mechanical variety to make the modest number of weapons and powers available feel extraordinarily satisfying.
It’s a trade-off some players might see as positive, and I understand it, but given the gameplay heritage permeatingHave a Nice Death, its lack of replayability is disappointing.
8Sayonara Wild Hearts
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Having playedSayonara Wild Heartsonly recently, I’m still very fresh in my mind what an absolute audiovisual marvel it is.
I finally understood why I’d read so much online about it being a masterpiece, butI didn’t think I’d be left feeling empty because of how quickly it all ended.
I’m all for short video games, as many of my favorite titles are over in a couple of hours, but I feel likeSayonara Wild Hearts' rhythm mechanics provide much more content potential than the title actually delivers.
It’s still wonderful, and maybe it lasts exactly as long as it’s meant to, but I would love the chance to hear moreSayonara Wild Heartssongs while watching its magical choreography on screen.
7Faith: The Unholy Trinity
Faith: The Unholy Trinity
While the horror genre isn’t my particular expertise, I know a strong indie when I see one, which makes me highly valueFaith: The Unholy Trinity.
With its iconic aesthetic, terrifying cinematics, perfect level design, and intriguing story, it’s a chilling wonder I’m grateful to have had the chance to play.
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These once-in-a-lifetime experiences are impossible to rcreate on a second playthrough.
Yet, exploring is a tremendous hassle becausethe characters are extremely slow, something that becomes very evident when you die and have to navigate large sections of the map again due to the inconsistent save system.
I understand it’s a horror title, and being slow increases the feeling of vulnerability, though I think it crosses the line and becomes an unnecessary nuisance, as fear comes from the rest of the factors that the game executes flawlessly.
6Hyper Light Drifter
Exploration
Hyper Light Drifter
Speaking of complicated explorations, I recognize getting lost inHyper Light Drifteris among the most frustrating things I’ve ever experienced in the indie scene.
Although I adore the game, as it was my first indie title and the one responsible for my introduction to the ecosystem,it’s so committed to its cryptic language and sense of spontaneous adventure that it can be annoying.
From the start, you have a more or less clear direction, but the lack of explanations regarding objectives is so serious that you need an overly intuitive design to compensate, something the game lacks.
I still think it’s among the most special titles in history, among those essentials everyone should play at least once in their lives, but do so knowing thatHyper Light Driftercan be unforgiving when you get disoriented.
5Blasphemous
Platforming
Blasphemous
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Blasphemousis a game that does everything excellently well, except for one key factor for aMetroidvaniaof this style: platforming.
I can’t count the number of times I fell on spikes because of poor controls or inadequate speed, which might not be such a problem if it weren’t for the fact that they mean instant death.
Fortunately, The Game Kitchen learned its lesson and improved the platforming considerably for the sequel, but everything related to movement in the first game in the franchise is poor at best.
Besides, for some boss fights like Tres Angustias, the platforming’s inconsistency can be very frustrating, which becomes even more painful when you consider thatBlasphemousas a whole is outstanding.
As one of the best indie games of the last couple of years,Cocoonis an overly creative marvel that demonstrates how amazing the puzzle genre can be.
The inventiveness with which it designs its levels and the fluid way it gradually introduces you to more challenging objectives is tremendous, especially due to the superb atmosphere and aesthetics.
My only problem with the entire adventure is that, just when you’ve gotten the hang of the gameplay systems and feel ready to continue enjoying more mind-blowing puzzles,the game abruptly ends.
While I understand that maintaining the cadence of such complex dimension-shifting can’t be a straightforward task, I was truly left blank when the credits rolled.
It doesn’t tarnish the experience at all, butCocoonends when it’s feeling its best and doesn’t try further to offer more risky gameplay combinations.
Blue Stake
Before the popularity it gathered thanks to its nominations at The Game Awards, I was already pouring hours and hours intoBalatro, the most addictive game I’ve ever played.
With its engaging design and perfectly aligned gameplay systems, we’re talking abouta timeless title that only ends when you get bored by its excellence, or when you reach the Blue Stake.
Of all the game’s difficulty modes, the only one that doesn’t feel truly compelling or fair is precisely the one that takes away a Discard, which considerably limits your options and forces you to play too conservatively.
The most entertaining builds are only possible in the initial difficulties because of the Blue Stake, which takesthe funout of the game while not giving the players any feedback to improve their skills.
Even eternal or rental Jokers are more fun in concept than losing one ofBalatro’s most essential tools, so I hope one day it will change for the sake ofone of the best indies of 2024.
2Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights
Few games have made me shed tears, butEnder Lilies: Quietus of the Knightsproudly ranks among the adventures that have most touched my heartstrings.
As an heir toHollow Knight, it’s abeautifulmetroidvania that truly captivated me. Yet, it always had one pointless issue I still don’t understand to this day: the leveling system.
With 100 levels at your disposal, each one brings very minor changes to the gameplay, primarily since upgrades are distributed automatically, andyou have no agency to create builds beyond relics.
Although it’s common for games in this genre to lean less toward an RPG style, a leveling system feels unrewarding and unnecessary, as if it’s adhering to a role that doesn’t need to be fulfilled.
It’s a misleading gameplay structure and can incentivize you to farm enemies when, in reality, the impact is minimal and not worth the waste of time.
1Inscryption
Consistency
Inscryption
Inscryptionis asubversivework of art whose standards are quite high, but it’s still a creation that falls short of perfection.
Theroguelikeis divided into three acts, each representing a significant portion of the adventure, both gameplay-wise and thematically, butthe three are not on the same level.
While the first portion sets mind-boggling expectations, the second maintains them due to surprise rather than quality, and the third rises thanks to its tone but not so much its gameplay.
Inscryptionstrikes me as a clear example of an imperfect video game that, nevertheless, makes you feel you’re witnessing something revolutionary that will change your life.
Regardless,Daniel Mullins' masterpiece is inconsistent, and if it were as good as it was at the beginning, it would be difficult to oppose it for the title of best indie game in history.
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