External Discovery
926 indie games in this list, released 2014–2021, from developers such as Spotlightor Interactive, Sunhead Games, The Gentlebros. Pick one to read our editorial note and jump to its store page.
These are editorial pages. The developers and publishers are not affiliated with The Gaming Nest unless explicitly stated.
By Spotlightor Interactive · China
Candleman is a 3D puzzle platformer from the Chinese studio Spotlightor Interactive, which began as a Ludum Dare game jam prototype. You play a small candle that can only burn for ten seconds in total, so every moment of light has to be spent carefully while you find your way through the dark. It is a gentle, atmospheric game built around one memorable constraint.
By Sunhead Games · Taiwan
Carto is a puzzle adventure from the Taiwanese studio Sunhead Games about a girl named Carto trying to find her way back to her family. Its central idea is that you rearrange the map itself, moving and rotating pieces of the world to open new paths and solve problems. A calm, friendly game with a genuinely original core mechanic.
By The Gentlebros · Singapore
Cat Quest is a light action RPG from the Singapore studio The Gentlebros, set in an open world full of cats, puns and loot. You explore the map, take on quests and fight with a mix of melee attacks and magic, all at a brisk pace that suits short sessions. It was well received by critics and is an easy RPG to recommend to newcomers.
By Dead Mage · Iran
Children of Morta is a story-driven action RPG with roguelike elements about the Bergson family, the guardians of Mount Morta, who must hold back a spreading evil called the Corruption. Rather than a lone hero, you lead the whole family, each member with their own flaws, strengths and part to play in the story. It was developed by Dead Mage, a studio with roots in Iran.
By Moyuwan Games · China
Chinese Parents is a child-raising life simulation from the Beijing-based studio Moyuwan Games. You live a kid's life in China from birth to the end of high school, balancing study, friendships and family pressure on the way to the Gaokao exam. It became a bestseller on Steam and a notable success for the Chinese indie scene.
By Toge Productions · Indonesia
Coffee Talk is a cozy visual novel from the Indonesian studio Toge Productions. You run a late-night coffee shop in a fantasy version of Seattle, listening to the problems of your customers and serving them drinks while their stories unfold. With pixel art inspired by 1990s anime, it is about conversation and warmth rather than challenge.
By Zoetrope Interactive · Turkey
Conarium is a first-person Lovecraftian horror adventure from the Turkish studio Zoetrope Interactive, inspired by H. P. Lovecraft's novella At the Mountains of Madness. It follows a group of scientists who try to push past what they believe are the limits of nature, and it favors atmosphere, exploration and puzzles over combat. A good pick for fans of slow-burn cosmic horror.
By Dreams Uncorporated and SYCK · Colombia
Cris Tales is a role-playing game from the Colombian indie studios Dreams Uncorporated and SYCK, made as a love letter to classic JRPGs. Its signature idea splits the screen into past, present and future at the same time, so your choices visibly reshape what comes next. A colorful, hand-drawn take on a traditional genre.
By Sonoshee · Morocco
Critters for Sale is an unusual adventure by the Moroccan independent developer Sonoshee, described as a hybrid of point-and-click adventure and visual novel. It is an episodic collection of five short stories tied together by themes such as time travel, black magic and immortality. Its striking, experimental presentation makes it one of the more distinctive indie releases from North Africa.
By Acid Wizard Studio · Poland
Darkwood is a survival horror game from the Polish studio Acid Wizard Studio. By day you scavenge and explore a strange, ever-changing forest, and by night you barricade your hideout and try to survive until morning. It builds dread through sound, limited vision and uncertainty rather than cheap scares.
By Motion Twin · France
Dead Cells is a roguelike Metroidvania action game from the French independent developer Motion Twin. You play a strange creature fighting its way out of a diseased island, with levels that change on every run and no checkpoints to fall back on. Fast, fluid combat and a huge variety of weapons keep each attempt feeling fresh.
By Red Candle Games · Taiwan
Detention is a 2D atmospheric horror adventure from the Taiwanese studio Red Candle Games, set in 1960s Taiwan under martial law. It weaves religious elements from Taiwanese culture and mythology into a story about fear, guilt and memory. The game is widely admired for using horror to explore a real and painful period of history.
By Digital Happiness · Indonesia
DreadOut is a third-person supernatural horror game from the Indonesian independent developer Digital Happiness. A group of high school students find an abandoned town, and Linda has to face its ghosts armed mostly with her smartphone camera. Its Indonesian setting and supernatural themes make it a distinctive entry in the survival horror genre.
By Youthcat Studio · China
Dyson Sphere Program is a factory-building simulation from the Chinese studio Youthcat Studio, in which you grow a small workshop into an industrial network spanning a whole galaxy. You gather resources, design production lines and eventually harness the power of entire stars. It launched in early access in 2021 and quickly became a standout in the automation genre.
By Pixpil · China
Eastward is an action-adventure RPG from the Chinese studio Pixpil, set in a society slowly falling apart. You travel east through towns full of strange characters, fighting with a frying pan and other improvised tools alongside a companion with mysterious powers. Its detailed pixel art and warm, bittersweet story are what most players remember.
By Mahdi Bahrami · Iran
Engare is a puzzle game about motion and geometry by Iranian designer Mahdi Bahrami. You trace the path of a point on a moving object to recreate a target shape, a little like a Spirograph, and a separate free-form mode turns the same idea into a drawing tool. Its design draws on Islamic art and sacred geometry, which makes every solved puzzle look like a pattern.
By SebaGamesDev · Uruguay
Fight'N Rage is a side-scrolling beat 'em up from the Uruguayan developer SebaGamesDev, inspired by the arcade classics of the 1990s and styled to match them. It is often cited as one of the best modern beat 'em ups, with deep combat and plenty of secrets for players who dig into it.
By HopFrog · Argentina
Forager is a 2D open-world adventure from the Argentine studio HopFrog in which you gather resources, craft tools and build your base from nothing. Earned gold buys new pieces of land to explore, each hiding puzzles, dungeons and secrets. Its constant sense of progress makes it hard to put down.
By The Game Bakers · France
Furi is a fast action game from the French indie studio The Game Bakers that consists entirely of boss fights. Each guardian stands between you and your freedom, and battles mix close sword fighting with twin-stick shooting in a colorful, retro science-fiction setting. It rewards learning patterns and reacting precisely.
By Lazy Bear Games · Russia
Graveyard Keeper is a darkly comic management sim from the independent Russian studio Lazy Bear Games. An ordinary man wakes up in a medieval fantasy world and is put in charge of the village graveyard while he searches for a way home. Between crafting, farming and tending graves, the game keeps nudging you toward morally questionable shortcuts.
By Nomada Studio · Spain
Gris is a platform adventure from the Spanish developer Nomada Studio about a young girl working through a painful experience. As her journey continues, her dress grants new abilities that open up her faded world, and color gradually returns to the screen. It is a quiet, reflective game that has sold over three million copies.
By Yggdrazil Group · Thailand
Home Sweet Home is a first-person survival horror game from the Thai developer Yggdrazil Group, built on Thai myths and beliefs. The focus is on storytelling and stealth as you hide from dangerous spirits, with puzzles adding variety along the way. It is a good way to experience horror shaped by Thai folklore rather than Western tropes.
By Studio Pixel · Japan
Kero Blaster is a side-scrolling action platformer by Daisuke Amaya, better known as Pixel, and his first major release since Cave Story. You play a frog working for a company whose teleporters keep breaking down, blasting your way through levels to fix the problem. It is compact, precise and charming, a clear showcase of one developer's craft.
By Ironhide Game Studio · Uruguay
Kingdom Rush is a tower defense game from the Uruguayan studio Ironhide Game Studio, set in a medieval fantasy kingdom under attack. You place and upgrade towers along fixed roads to stop waves of monsters, earning gold with every defeated enemy. It is a polished, approachable classic of the tower defense genre and a good introduction to the Uruguayan games scene.