The diversity of games available on the Xbox Game Pass library is a true delight for all who subscribe to the service. And while flashy, triple-A titles are major draws, understated indie games should also garner attention from the masses. These titles provide experiences that are innovative and daring, showcasing what a small studio of dedicated developers can do with passion and hard work.
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It is truly gratifying to see these indie games shine like diamonds within the treasure trove of the Xbox Game Pass collection. Read on if you want to see which are the best indie games most deserving of your time.
10 Celeste
- Approximate Game Length: 11 Hours
- Genre: 2D Platform Adventure
- Developer: Matt Makes Games
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 1 GB (July 2021)
Celeste is a game about overcoming obstacles, whether they be facing your personal anxieties or scaling a snowy mountain. This platformer might look like your average, pixelated indie title, but its themes carry the narrative straight into the hearts of players. As a matter of fact, the difficulty of facing these platforming challenges ties in to the difficulty of fighting your inner demons. Celeste gained widespread recognition, even winning Best Independent Game at the 2018 Game Awards. Though its trials might be daunting, seeing your way through to its conclusion is a reward that goes beyond simply completing a game.
9 What Remains Of Edith Finch
- Approximate Game Length: 2 Hours
- Genre: First-Person Exploration
- Developer: Giant Sparrow
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 3 GB (July 2021)
A walking simulator depends heavily on two elements in order to pull itself off: narrative and emotional impact. What Remains of Edith Finch offers both in spades. Slipping into the shoes of the eponymous Edith Finch, players explore the whimsical, bizarre, and oft-times haunting locale of her family’s ancestral home.
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Edith fills out a journal describing the lives and times of her many deceased family members, each one having allegedly been claimed by a deadly family curse — the nature of each relative’s passing is related through unique gameplay vignettes, ranging from morose gallows humor to heart wrenching tales of childhood lost. The emotional catharsis Edith feels as she walks the halls of the Finch home is palpable, and though the expression tends toward cliché, What Remains of Edith Finch truly needs to be experienced in order to be appreciated.
8 Darkest Dungeon
- Approximate Game Length: 70 Hours
- Genre: Roguelike RPG
- Developer: Red Hook Studios
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 2 GB (July 2021)
Darkest Dungeon can be summed up quite tersely — it’s Lovecraftian horror as seen through a hardcore roguelike RPG with a killer artistic aesthetic, but that does it a criminal level of injustice. Though RNG can have a heavy hand in dictating its thrills, Darkest Dungeon’s incorporation of a “stress” mechanic that reflects the psychological toll of facing the extraplanar horrors of its dark fantasy world is quite ingenious.
The game’s roster of recruitable heroes can develop fears and phobias stemming from their encounters, or fall to outright madness should their mental threshold be crossed. One needs to weigh the costs and benefits of sending out a well-worn hero not only in terms of blood and gold, but the very sanity of their semi-stalwart adventurers.
7 Subnautica
- Approximate Game Length: 30 Hours
- Genre: Open-World Survival
- Developer: Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 8 GB (July 2021)
Though survival has been covered by countless indie games before, Subnautica provides a new take on the genre. The entire game takes place on a planet that is composed mainly of ocean. Not only do your thirst and hunger have to be managed, but forays into the deep waters require you to keep an eye on your oxygen levels. Instead of constructing a fortress on land, you are given the materials to build an underwater base. Instead of crafting cars or carts, you fabricate submarine-type vehicles. However, with all the highlights of working underwater come a few mighty detriments. Players will have to brave Leviathan-class sea monsters if they want to unravel all the mysteries of Planet 4546B.
6 Five Nights At Freddy’s
- Approximate Game Length: 3 Hours
- Genre: Point-And-Click Survival Horror
- Developer: Scott Cawthon
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 307 MB (July 2021)
Five Nights At Freddy’s is one of the major success stories when it comes to indie titles. Created by one person, Five Nights At Freddy’s reached unprecedented levels of popularity thanks in large part to a robust presence on platforms like YouTube and Twitch. However, this indie game is also a study in how brilliant simplistic, straightforward game design can be. Players are stuck in a single room, with access to two door controls, two light controls, and a camera monitor. They must then survive a set period of time as overly active animatronics attempt to gain access to their room. Throw in a few jump scares if you fail, and you have a recipe for a gripping horror game.
5 Undertale
- Approximate Game Length: 8 Hours
- Genre: RPG Adventure
- Developer: Toby Fox
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 275 MB (July 2021)
It’ll be a precious few that haven’t heard of this indie sensation’s explosion onto the gaming scene, but those that haven’t would be doing themselves a massive service in checking it out. It’s a difficult one to nail down in terms of gameplay elements — bits of JRPG, puzzle-solving, and even bullet hell stylings all make contributions, but Undertale doesn’t exactly maintain an amicable relationship with convention. The narrative is as heartfelt as it is hilarious, weaving a story concerning friendship and morality around playful jabs at common gaming tropes as one winds their way through its subterranean world of misfit monsters.
4 Deep Rock Galactic
- Approximate Game Length: N/A
- Genre: Co-Op First-Person Shooter
- Developer: Ghost Ship Games
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 2 GB (July 2021)
Space dwarves stripping various intergalactic caves of their precious resources for fun and profit makes for an incredibly enjoyable cooperative multiplayer experience in Deep Rock Galactic. Simply put, this game is a blast — each of up to four players selects an entirely unique character class and plunges into a procedurally generated dungeon alongside their bearded comrades to accomplish a variety of objectives for their corporate overlords while fending off waves of arachnid aliens hellbent on eating them alive. It’s a good time.
3 Goat Simulator
- Approximate Game Length: 5 Hours
- Genre: Casual Goat Simulation
- Developer: Coffee Stain Studios
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 3 GB (July 2021)
Goat Simulator takes the wild proposition of playing as a goat and just runs with it. While it is most definitely not an accurate depiction of what a real goat’s life is like, it is one of the most entertaining “simulator” games available, and it is an utter joy to see it as part of the Xbox Game Pass’ library.
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In Goat Simulator, being a goat means wreaking absolute havoc wherever you go. Bleat people into oblivion, lick random objects and carry them with you with your prehensile tongue, or headbutt cars until they explode. All of these activities are valid.
2 Slime Rancher
- Approximate Game Length: 16 Hours
- Genre: First-Person Simulation Adventure
- Developer: Monomi Park
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 1 GB (July 2021)
A quiet farming game is to the indie genre as feathers are to birds. Slime Rancher does not particularly innovate on this popular type of game, but it is a delightful experience regardless. Taking care of adorable Slimes and procuring new amenities for them by selling their Plorts (poops) is a rewarding gameplay loop that stays fresh hours into the game. Though Slime Rancher is an indie title, it pulls off its mechanics with triple-A perfection. And the Vacpack is the most satisfying tool ever encountered in a farming simulator game to date.
1 Hollow Knight
- Approximate Game Length: 30 Hours
- Genre: 2D Platform Exploration (Metroidvania)
- Developer: Team Cherry
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 7 GB (July 2021)
Hollow Knight is what happens when a Soulslike meets a Metroidvania and wraps itself up with an adorably gothic art style — magic, in a word. Exploring the world of Hallownest and meeting its surprisingly charming insectoid inhabitants is a remarkably Zen experience, the combat is tense and satisfying, and the setting is entirely compelling. How happily the light Soulslike features marry into this side-scrolling action-RPG adventure can’t be overstated, and it’s entirely worth a whirl for gamers of all stripes.