2024 was a great year for indie games, but 2025 could prove to be an even bigger one with the likes ofHollow Knight: SilksongandCitizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vectorset to come out throughout the year. For those who are looking for the next innovative indie experience or simply another cozy game to get stuck into, 2025 has plenty on offer.
2024’s best indie gamesgave players a diverse range of experiences, and 2025 looks set to offer the same. From huge sprawling Metroidvanias to subversive farming sims,there are so many incredible titles releasing in 2025. While it may be a lot for people to add to their backlog, each one of these games is worth checking out when they eventually launch.
10Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector (Jump Over The Age)
A Sequel To One Of The Best Indies
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vectoris the highly-anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimedindie smash-hitCitizen Sleeper.It expands upon the original game in drastic ways while retaining the complexity of its dice-driven RPG gameplay loop, excellent writing, and focus on multilayered characters. For example, players now have a ship that they’ll need to upgrade, as well as a crew to manage.
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Citizen Sleeper 2is launching at the end of January, making it one of the first indie games fans will get their hands on. It’s a great way to start 2025, although it is launching as an Xbox console exclusive, as well as on PC. For those who love strong narrative-focused RPGs with great art, music, and characters,Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vectorseems like the perfect indie to play.
9Slay The Spire 2 (Mega Crit)
One Of The Best Roguelike Deckbuilders Returns
Slay the Spire 2is the sequel to the deckbuilding roguelike that every other deckbuilder aspires to be, Slay the Spire.It is launching into Early Access on PC in 2025, giving the community a chance to shape its future. Fortunately, it’s set to release with a plethora of content on day one, giving players access to a whole new suite of cards, characters, and abilities to play around with.
Slay the Spire 2expands upon the original in the only way a good deckbuilder can.It is introducing a lot of new cards for players to experiment with while also seeing the return of familiar charactersto tie the two entries together.Slay the Spireis still one of the most-played deckbuilders to this day and hopefully the sequel can live up to the lofty expectations it has set.
8Hollow Knight: Silksong (Team Cherry)
It Could Finally Release In 2025
Fans have beenwaiting a long time forSilksongand many of them have given hope of it ever releasing. However, for those who have remained patient, giving Team Cherry the respect and time it deserves, it looks like it may all finally pay off in 2025. AfterHollow Knightpractically set the bar for all Metroidvanias,Silksongis expected to once again show how it is done with over 150 enemies to face and a whole new world to explore.
Silksongis also set to feature new abilities, characters to meet, and, of course, a whole new protagonist. If 2025 does see the launch ofSilksong- bearing in mind it was announced all the way back in 2019 - it would almost certainly make it the best year for indie game fans. Fortunately, players have plenty of other titles to enjoy while waiting for its release.
7Hyper Light Breaker (Heart Machine)
A Stylish Co-Op Indie
Hyper Light Breakeris yet another indie sequel - 2025 seems like the year for long-awaited indie game sequels - this time for the gameHyper Light Drifter. However, while that game was an isometric 2D pixel-art RPG,Hyper Light Breakeris a 3D third-person action title with procedurally generated worlds. It’s also designed as a co-op experience, much like the first game, although fans can play it solo.Hyper Light Breaker’sglowing previewshave already labeled it as one of the best games of 2025.
InHyper Light Breaker, players explore these vast procedurally generated worlds utilizing the various movement abilitieswhile taking on hordes of enemies. To help them, there is an array of weapons and abilities to unlock and use. However, each run will get progressively harder, meaning players will need to adapt to the new challenges that face them. There’s still a story to unfold as well, much like in the original game, makingHyper Light Breakeran ambitious roguelike experience.
6Wanderstop (Ivy Road)
From The Folks Behind The Stanley Parable
Wanderstopis putting a unique spin on the farming sim genreby placing players in the role of Alta, a former champion warrior who is now running a tea shop. She’ll need to gather the ingredients to make the tea, put it all together, and then serve it to her customers, all of whom have their own stories to tell. Of course, Alta has a past she has to contend with and a future she’s chasing, all of which are preventing her from settling down completely.
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Wanderstopis being developed by Ivy Road, a team made up of some of the most talented creatives in the indie game space. The team consists of Davey Wreden, who createdThe Stanley Parable, Karla Zimonja, who developedGone Home, and Daniel “C418” Rosenfeld, who most notably made the iconic music forMinecraft.Wanderstopcould be the subversive farming sim that helps refresh the genreand make it as memorable as some of thebest cozy games ever made.
5Reanimal (Tarsier Studios)
A Little Horror Indie
Reanimalis the next horrifying adventure from Tarsier Studios, the masterminds behind theLittle Nightmaresseries.It is a co-op horror game about a brother and sister who must embark on a terrifying journey across a twisted world full of monstersas they attempt to rescue their friends and ultimately escape. It is being labeled as the developer’s darkest game yet, and the haunting visuals certainly speak to that.
For those who enjoy thebest horror games, especially indie ones,Reanimalwill likely offer the perfect experience. With a larger scope and more scares to put players at the edge of their seats,Reanimallooks set to be Tarsier Studios' most ambitious game yet. Of course, those who aren’t too fond of horror games should probably stay away from this one.
4Tails Of Iron 2: Whiskers Of Winter (Odd Bug Studio)
A Gorgeous 2D Action RPG
Yet another indie sequel,Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter, is the follow-up to the handcrafted 2D action RPGTails of Iron. Famous for featuring Geralt of Rivia’s voice actor, Doug Cockle, as the game’s narrator,Tails of Ironwas a critically acclaimed indie that was absolutely deserving of a sequel. Luckily, not only is the team at Odd Bug Studio back with another bold and expansive adventure, but so too is Doug Cockle as the narrator.
Tails of Iron 2features settlement management, epic boss fights, and more of its predecessors' excellent soulslike combat. For fans of frantic action RPGs or those who grew up on theRedwallbooks,Tails of Iron 2’sblend of narrative and combat is sure to please. This is definitely an indie worth keeping an eye on in 2025 and one that will likely clutch the Indie Game of the Year.
3Wheel World (Messhof Games)
An Open-World Biking Indie
Wheel World, formerly known asGhost Bike, is a stylish open-world cycling gamethat sees players embark on an epic quest to save the titular Wheel World from destruction. To do that, they need to hunt down the Legendary parts, but, along the way, they can also take part in races as well as a light bit of exploration. This is definitely a cozy indie game, one for fans of cycling and gorgeous picturesque vistas.
Players can also customize their bike with a plethora of fun parts, although they’ll need to hunt them down by cycling across the vast open world.Wheel Worldis being developed by Messhof Games which is perhaps best known for theNidhoggseries. Of course,Wheel Worldis quite different from theNidhogggames, but it still retains a lot of the charm that made those games so great in the first place.
2Windblown (Motion Twin)
Windblownis the newest indie game from developer Motion Twin, the talented team behindDead Cells.It is a lightning-fast roguelike game in which players take on the role of Leaperswho need to save their peaceful village from being destroyed by the Vortex. to do that, they must go time and time again into the Vortex and take down its challenging sentinels. This involves brutally difficult yet always fair fights that players will need to master.
Of course, this is a roguelike, and players can gradually unlock new skills and weapons by absorbing the memories of legendary Leapers who came before them.Windblownis available in Early Access right now, buta full release is planned for Q4 2025. There’s a lot more content coming to this already expansive game that’s doing incredibly well on PC.
1Morsels (Furcula)
A Unique Creature Collecting Roguelike
Morselscaught people’s attention with its initial reveal trailer, showcasing a surreal art style and unique premise that helps it stand out from the rest of 2025’s already impressive roster of indies. It’s a roguelike creature collecting game in which players start off as a mouse that unlocks the ability to transform intoMorsels. As players explore the weird and wonderful worlds of Morsels,they can transform at will into other beings to use their powers to overcome whatever challenge is thrown their way.
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Morselsis definitely one of the more unique indie entries coming in 2025 and well worth adding to people’s wishlist. Of course, this means that, alongside all the 100-hour-long triple-A releases launching in 2025, players also now need to add a swathe of incredible-looking indies to their backlogs too. Fortunately, there is such a variety of experiences, that players are sure to find something that matches their interests, whether that’s an epic Metroidvania likeHollow Knight: Silksongor a roguelike such asMorsels.
