All right! Been wanting to do an indie game rec video for awhile, so here it is finally. Hopefully there is something in here that is new to you and that you really enjoy. If not, I am sorry that I failed you.

Me: "I have too many video games to play and it's kinda overwhelming!" Also me: *clicks on this video*

Razbuten said CrossCode was a game everyone would gush about when mentioned. Half of the comments are gushing about CrossCode

Im glad so many people are talking about crosscode but kinda feels like its overshadowing the rest of the games on the list! All of these games deserves some love im sure!

Return of The Obra Dinn is a stunning game, with absolutely amazing music

For real though, everyone reading this comment, please please please play CrossCode. Raz is absolutely right and it should be talked about the same way we talk about other indie masterpieces.

You're right, I'm constantly begging the universe to have someone ask me about crosscode so I can gush about it

Crosscode is a game with my favourite elements combined: 1) An open world with tons of secrets to find 2) Puzzles that incorporate well the mechanics of the game, and are pretty much just the right difficulty 3) Awesome fluid combat 4) That sweet sweet pixel art

"It also has a lot of cats." I'm sold.

Glad you mentioned Before Your Eyes, that game truly hits different.

I'm so glad you talked about CrossCode, it's so good. It was the only game I played for a good two weeks in the summer last year.

its so good to see momodora being recomended, as an brazilian its really makes me happy to see national games being acknowledge by others, especially because you are one of my favorite youtubers

i don´t know if you are aware, what power you hold, Razbuten... i literally put every single game in this video on my Steam wishlist. it´s incredible how passionate you talk about the things you love. if i ever make my own game, i´ll have to make sure you play it :D

I'm happy with how much love Crosscode is getting in the comments, I didn't think this many people were into it! Thanks for bringing more attention to it, I completely agree that it should be mentioned along with all the other Indie darlings.

I saw this and immidiately thought, "if crosscode isn't on this list, I'm going to be really, REALLY disappointed." Needless to say, I am not disappointed

I haven’t actually played any of these, so looks like I have plenty to do, I had the intention of playing Obra Dinn after hearing you talk about it on stream before but I had no idea half these existed, so thanks raz.

May I add “What Remains of Edith Finch”. it’s a game you can just play over and over again and everytime you play you start to find ways that all the stories tie together. seriously an amazing play

I remember Joseph Anderson saying CrossCode is one of his few 10/10 and since that exact second I've been wanting to play it

I'm definitely guilty of gushing about how great CrossCode is to all my friends. Since its story is really the core, one can say only so much without spoiling the experience tho. Can't really be streamed or let's played. I feel this is a part of why it seems to be a bit of a hidden gem.

It's painful that CrossCode doesn't get more recognition since it's got some of the best puzzle design I've seen in any video game ever and deserves dissection just for that alone.

I've been loving indie games recently, partly due to the fact that the mainstream studios really aren't doing much and partly because the indie genre has some of the most creative ideas I've ever seen in a videogame

I supported CrossCode as soon as it way in early access and its truly a masterpiece. I can recommend it to anyone.

100% agree on CrossCode! I'd also recommend Iconoclasts! Still thinking of that game months after finishing in.

I almost cried when i saw someone actually talking about crosscode. Its literally my favorite game!

Hell yeah, Crosscode! One of my absolute favourite indie games, it truly deserves to be considered an indie classic I bought a limited steelcase physical copy of it because I fell that much in love. It's got some of my favourite music in gaming, not to mention characters, lore, and one of my all-time favourite protagonists and stories.

nice seeing someone appreciating crosscode

Yes! The Sexy Brutale is so great and I feel like no one else played it. Years later, I still think about possibly making some of the masks from the game to hang up on my walls.

Crosscode also has one of the best OSTs ever put in a game in my opinion. Absolutely stunning music throughout. It was one of the main reasons I kept playing and exploring the game!

crosscode is one of the best indie rpgs and rpg in general, I've ever played, so hyped for the dlc also obra dinn is amazing, if you like to feel like a detective, that game is for you

I'd also recommend Supraland, a puzzle platformer with unbelievably many hidden secrets.

I got back into CrossCode when the DLC came out, and yeah, it's still amazing.

Crosscode is something I recommend wholeheartedly too! I admit that I still haven't finished the game, albeit just played a few hours of it and not anymore. Why I quit? Idk. I just did. I gotta get back to it!

I have a recommend! Ender Lilies! A beautiful japanese metroidvania where you, a white priestess, explore a kingdom corrupted by blight while saving/purifying lost souls that you find along the way. People have been comparing it to Hollow Knight, but I've see more connections with games like Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, in that not only do you gather blighted souls for use as new abilities, but gameplay and traversal just feel a lot more like that game. Not to mention, this games art is freaking beautiful and the music is something I would absolutely consider to listen to on its own.

Game recommandations : - Metaware Highschool demo : inspired by DDLC, it's actually better ! A lot of méta, a lot of humor and émotions and the only game that made me cry. - Omori : if you liked Undertale or like psychological horror, it's a must-play !! A vast RPG with funny, dark, émotionnal, scary, whacky, epic stuff. - Underhero : the turn based RPG... Without turns ! Not happy with the last Paper Marios ? This is the game you need ! Compelling and incredibly original story (a bit méta too) and original gameplay ! - OFF : the belgian RPG that inspired Undertale. Very myterious, very unique, very very unsettling. Nothing like you ever seen. - One Shot : yes, I like RPGs XD This one is charming, you'll get attached to the characters pretty easily and... They'll get attached to you. Yep, it's méta. No fighting but exceptionnaly original puzzles and concept : you have one shot to beat the game.

seeing crosscode first on this list has made my day

Literally started CrossCode last month, and it's my favorite game now. Though I haven't finished it yet, so no spoilers.

Bro seeing crosscode at the start got me so happy I have to go back and finish that game now love the art love the gameplay love the soundtrack. Thank you for reminding me of it

As someone who, apparently unlike most people, actually LOVES pinball, Yoku’s Island Express sounds like an absolute must-play for me! And Momodora!! So glad to see it on the list! I actually bought it on a complete whim a few months ago and still haven’t even started it up yet, so I’m glad to see it gets your recommendation. I’ll have to finally play it!

I was NOT expecting Sexy Brutale to be on this list but I am so glad it is! I was OBSESSED when I finally got to play it, I stayed awake for far too long to finish it. This game got me into a new genre of jazzy music Id never heard before. The costumes and characters are really fun to learn about. Seriously, this game is so worth it!

Yes! Return of the Obra Dinn was one of the coolest games I have ever played. I remember my friend and I played til like 5 in the morning cause we were so invested in figuring out how everyone died😂

I'm so happy you've included return of the obra dinn. It's been my favorite video game for a while and is incredibly underrated.

Before your eyes seems like such an interesting concept for a game, I need to check it out.

I *loved* Momodora when I played it. It’s like Dark Souls meets Hollow Knight with a beautiful pixel art style. It’s incredible.

Ahh all this love CrossCode is getting in these comments brings a smile to my face

This was great! Yoku and CrossCode have been on my long wishlist for awhile. This definitely moved them up. Other indie games I would plug are Gris and BroForce

Obra Dinn is hands down the most creative game I've played in a long time. I highly recommend you play it with a party of friends, bouncing ideas off each other and having an extra set of eyes to catch things that you may miss.

Great list took plenty of notes for the future. I’d recommend Wondersong to a list like this but I understand that these are all games that went by without much press coverage.

Phenotopia awakening really really needs more love. Honestly it's top 10 for me and I think should be held up there with Stardew valley, cave story Undertale and all the other games made by small teams.

Extra, play kathana Zero, trust a Rando on the Internet, its great

Started playing Crosscode a few days ago and holy shit thank you Shyguymask

Something about Crosscode made me instantly add it to my list of games to play. I'm also adding this entire video to my list.

Crosscode!!!!!!! Huge recommend, that game was amazing

Momodora reverie under the moonlight is definitely one of my top 3 metroidvanias under hollow knight and the latest bloodstained. The combat feels nice to me and I really just love the atmosphere the game gives you accompanied with its music.

CrossCode (as with nearly all of the titles mentioned here) have been in my Steam Wishlist Purgatory for a while, and this video has given me enough of a push to actually get off my ass and buy them. So for that I thank you, but my wallet curses you! Also I'd like to offer a couple of recommendations of my own: - Jet Lancer: An awesome twin-stick shooter with aerial dogfighting and bullet hell elements. The prog rock/math rock soundtrack is on point too. - Going Under: A really endearing roguelike that's a well-written satire of the tech industry, as all the dungeons are the ruins of failed tech startups. It even parodies the Corporate Memphis art style that people make fun of big tech companies for using. The dialogue doesn't miss, and all of the characters are really funny and likeable.

Return of the Obra Dinn is hands down the best detective game I’ve ever played. Literally never felt better figuring mysteries out in a game before

Thank you so much for this video! Just started the playing crosscode and I love it! Looking forward to trying Wildermyth as well.

Looking good dude

I'm a bit disappointed that Wandersong wasn't mentioned. It's actually so underated, it's such a fun and wholesomely cute game as well as having a good ost

Thanks for highlighting these indie games! This is actually one of those rare moments where I’m actually looking for a game to play, and this list came in at the right time. Can’t wait to try some of these out!

I've had this video in my watch later for a while now. I'm so glad I put it there, I love these recommendations a lot, they're exactly my cup of tea. Tysm!

Yoku's Island is amazing.

Two indie games I'd also recommend are Everhood and Katana Zero. Everhood is like a bullet hell combined with a rhythm game-- a rhythm hell, if you will. It's characters, weirdness, and look are very Undertale/Deltarune inspired, so if you liked those games, I think you'll enjoy this one too. The gameplay is super satisfying, the story is weird and funny with solid emotional beats, and the music is fantastic. Katana Zero is like Hotline Miami, with it's fast paced, bloody, one hit kill action, except it's about a samurai dude on drugs. The game's action is super satisfying, it's story is intriguing, and it has a beautiful neo noir pixel art aesthetic and a great soundtrack to boot. It's also getting a free dlc at some point, so that's pretty cool.

So glad you shouted out the Sexy Brutale as I don't see nearly enough people talking about it. It's one of my all time favourites and deserves way more recognition!

I’m not sure if it’s niche enough to be relevant here, but I would absolutely recommend The Company Of Myself to just about anyone. It’s short enough to not be a huge investment, but the story is amazing and the ending hits you like a ton of bricks. The main gameplay features are really interesting, and tie into the story really well. It may be hard to access due to it being a flash game, but I would absolutely say it’s worth playing and I’m surprised nobody really talks about it.

Thanks for this list! I really want to check out before your eyes, that sounds awesome. And I actually just started Return of the Obra Dinn so I was happy to see that there. Indies tend to have the best ideas since AAA will go with whats proven and therefore not new, whereas you end up with these small guys taking the risk on doing something amazing.

I've just completed Obra Dinn and at times it made me feel like a genius which is not something any other game achieves, as they either hold your hand or don't give you the right clues to make the conclusions. Absolutely Brilliant (wink)

Great video, loved playing CrossCode and Momodora (bought it right after the video). One indie i also loved playing so much but never gets mentioned that much is Ikenfell.

As always, great video Raz! Gonna have to try these out POG

all of these look great, and I can guarantee you before your eyes is an absolute masterpiece, but I thought that maybe adding a couple of games to the pile could be useful to some. i've got a whole lot more recommendations than the ones i'll give, but it should do. Rain world: a game about exploration in which you're a cute little slugcat in a not so cute, yet absolutely gorgeous, world. nature is not by your side, but you can get some creatures to be by feeding them, full on manhandling them to jump higher or swim faster, or trading to up your reputation with a specific species. this game's environment might be pretty brutal, but trust me when i say that getting your first kill makes you feel like a giant. no spoilers, but the game does have an ending, just in case since people do seem to get confused and might put the game down because of that being a turn off. Also trust me when I tell you not to look at reviews, you want to go in as blind as you can. Have in mind this is not a game for casual players, since the AI hunts and moves while being offscreen which means they'll never be where you expect the creatures to be. Oneshot: a more story based game, that i can't really dig into without spoiling a but of its story, so be warned. you wake up in a bedroom without knowing anything about your surroundings, and end up with the responsability of carrying the sun of this new world you know nothing about, and taking it _somewhere_ to make one final decision. However, if you really want to get the most of this game, you'll esnt to play it twice. thrice if you genuinely loved your first playthrough. just know that there's a route called solstice that you can only do once, so you might want the playthrough of said route to be the last time you play the game for... reasons. Sally face: batshit crazy story. engaging from the start to the very end. again, not much to say unless you want spoilers, so get out and play the game you loser. Everhood: stylish as fuck and absolutely great soundtrack. gameplay is just so incredibly fun and anyone can try it out since there are many difficulties for every kind of player. a lot, and i mean a lot, of trial and error but it doesn't really mean anything since you just get to keep on hearing its ost. enemies are fun, have a lot of charm, and honestly aren't that tough to work around... which is actually nothing but a huge lie. Fran bow: psychological horror. same as sally face, play the damn thing. it's a huge must. go in blind. shoo. you might want to check these out, too: omori, lisa the painful, gris, papers please, night in the woods, journey and blahblahblah i'm going to stop myself right there. just check some of these out and i'll be very happy.

so while every one is talking about cross code, I would like to recommend another indie game called everhood, I don't know if it's somewhat popular, but I haven't heard anyone talk about it, which is a shame, it's a really good mesh of RPG with rhythm games

These all sound really cool, thank you for the recs!!

I second you, Raz! APE OUT is one HELL of a game. It gets a lot of mileage out of its simple gameplay, and it never gets old. The style and music is just PHENOMENAL. Plus, it easily has one of my favorite endings to any video game EVER.

crosscode is SUCH a good game. holy shit its amazing. i like wildermyth to but havent played all that much of it. crosscode is a masterpiece in its genre. finally a good "silent" protagonist

Another interesting silent protagonist: Georgio from Roundabout. She's an absolute legend.

Momodora sounds intriguing from your description, but what has me hooked is its adorable art style

Raz: Mentions Wildermyth And here I am just about to explode about how much I love that game, god that game needs more recognition, despite occasionally weird dialogue it is a fantastic, wonderful game

Great title (maybe? idk your opinions)

Im shocked that you have not included Everhood, that game is still so unknown even though everyone who played it believes it can gain as much popularity as undertale

Raz, I'm going to be binging your channel for the next few days. I just watched this one and picked up some nice reccomends. But recently I saw your video on roleplaying choices and the disconnect between player and character. Maybe try kenshi! It's an indie game and should challenge you on "the game cannot change the player" mainly through necessity.

Thx bro alot of these are on my radar now that wouldn't be otherwise, I really appreciate your content.

Razbuten: That one guy that didn’t miss any of these indie games: exists

i have actually missed all of these tyvm

oh man every single one of these looks amazing. I'm getting Wildermyth right now, thank you for showing me these!

i played a short hike after you mentioned it in a previous video and completely fell in love, it's such a good game

For what a random comment on a video is worth, PLEASE play OMORI, it is a role-playing game but it has the best depiction of things like depression and psychological horror that I've ever seen in a videogame, the story is nothing short of stellar and the gameplay is fun

OMORI!!! YOU MISSED OMORI!! that was the first game to make me cry, if you haven't played it, please do so without any spoilers and while being alone, as being in a call with friends can really be detrimental to the experience

I am SOOO grateful that u mentioned Crosscode. I stumbled over it by accident, played it as "early access" to the point where the story suddenly stopped because it wasnt finished yet. This game gave me such a good time, and took me way back to my childhood playing SNES games. If Zelda ALTTP, Secret of Mana and Lufia II had a child, it would be this game!! extremely satisfying combat, insanely good puzzles and a very compelling story with very well written characters! 9.5/10 love this game!!

I watched this and saw Yokus island express and instantly fell in love with the mere concept you pitched. I hoped on my switch and bought it right away, which I very rarely do. I finished the game in a few days and then after some days got it to 100%. I LOVED IT. I can't wait for the university year to start again and show my girlfriend who has started getting into games, it's such a lovley fun game with enough challenge to be interesting and invigorating without it being frustrating or become old. Thank you so much for the recommendation. I'm sure I'll try a replay at some point and see of I can do a low spike run. Thank you

I want to try Crosscode after really enjoying Trials of Mana (not so much Secret of Mana). It looks like a really solid action RPG.

CrossCode looks a lot like an old NES game called Crystalis.

Glad to know I have heard or played half of them, and glad to know I have more to play thanks to you now

I found CrossCode through this video, and it has become my favorite ARPG I've ever played. Thank you so much for bringing attention to it!

I want to play CrossCode now. Mission accomplished 😂

"dungeons that make you feel smart and talented for solving them" - looks at zelda - me: you mean dumb for having to look it up?

I would like to also bring a fairly small title to attention: Hyoer Light Drifter. A pixel art, action adventure rpg. A relatively short game full of mystery and sound effects and visuals that gave me chills. The combat system is smooth and challenging. The story of this game is told through the world and npc dialog. Npcs however speak with beautiful pixel art images leaving some meanings up to interpretation. This game is very beautiful and I find myself coming back to it time and time again. (Btw best upgrade imo is the chain dash :p )

On top of the fact that your voice in this space is valued and insightful, I have the added benefit that what we look for in a good game experience is very similar, more so than most critics I listen to. I’ve played a good portion of your recommendations now and loved them, and I can trust that every future suggestion you have will at least hit for me. Thank you :)

Return of the Obra Dinn, holy hell, what a game

I love the title haha “maybe? idk your life”

I'm glad to see CrossCode getting some love. It has always surprised me how few people have actually played it. :(

I agree with everything you said about Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight. It's so underappreciated while being one of the only games I've ever loved 100%ing. Incredible game that needs more attention.