Top Picks 2025 – 10 Favourite Indie Games from 2025!

“We don’t need to have just one favorite. We keep adding favorites. Our favorite book is always the book that speaks most directly to us at a particular stage in our lives. And our lives change. We have other favorites that give us what we most need at that particular time. But we never lose the old favorites. They’re always with us. We just sort of accumulate them.” – Lloyd Alexander

Introduction

This year has been another great one for indie games, and we’ve been privileged enough to have the opportunity to review some truly brilliant new titles. Here are Indie Hive’s ten favourite indie games compiled into a top picks 2025 list, complete with mini reviews! There are so many more games that we reviewed this year that we could have easily included in this list, but it would have been a very long article!

Rachael’s Top Picks 2025

Strange Antiquities

Strange Antiquities is a brand new game from Bad Viking, creators of Strange Horticulture. This new game sees players become the custodian of a shop full of arcane antiques and occult curiosities, based in the town of Undermere. Tasks include finding and identifying different objects and helping local residents with their various needs. As the days go by, an eclectic bunch of people visit the shop, and a darker narrative begins to reveal itself.

This is a very enjoyable game, and even manages to improve on the fantastic experience provided by the previous title. The subtly spooky aesthetic and occult themes, engrossing interwoven narrative, varied and satisfying gameplay, as well as the ability to influence the outcome of the game, all work together perfectly to create an exceptional experience. The different aspects of playing allow the player to immerse themselves fully and get lost in the game world. Despite the generally casual nature of the experience, it is highly involved and intricate and will enrapture a wide range of players.

I was most impressed with Strange Antiquities. Having played the previous game, I went in with high expectations, which were easily surpassed. It is a fantastic game, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who likes puzzle games, casual gameplay, or sinister occult narratives!

Full review available HERE.

Without a Dawn

Without a Dawn is a new game from solo developer Jesse Makkonen, creator of Distraint 1 & 2, Heal, and Afterdream. It is a uniquely stylised visual novel and a potent exploration of a young woman’s psyche that manifests in an engrossing and unsettling experience.

It is a phenomenal example of a visual novel; it does all the key things right, whilst maintaining originality and some unique elements. The narrative dives deeply into the protagonist’s mental health with a strong sense of understanding, and the horror aspects are a perfect blend of psychological and situational. The aesthetics, both audio and visual, are immersive and emotive, emphasising the emotive nature of the experience. I challenge anyone to play this game and not feel tangibly affected by doing so. It is thought-provoking and has the power to instil a nervous energy in those who engage with the experience. This is the best visual novel I have played in a long time; I thoroughly enjoyed Without a Dawn and highly recommend it.

Full review available HERE.

Kathy Rain 2

Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer is the long-awaited sequel to the 2016 game Kathy Rain. The titular detective returns with a sinister serial murder case to solve. Can she find the killer in time, and does this sequel live up to its predecessor?

It certainly does! Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer is a fantastic sequel and an excellent example of a point-and-click detective adventure, earning a well-deserved place in our top picks 2025. It will take around 10-14 hours to play, and it really lives up to the first game. Subtle improvements are well implemented without being detrimental to the original tone and style of the series. As with the earlier instalment, Kathy’s character, her sceptical nature, wit, and energy give the game a modern noir feel and a distinct personality that make it stand out amongst similar titles. Additionally, the game boasts stunningly detailed pixel art, immersive sound design, stellar voice acting, varied and satisfying gameplay, and a twisting narrative that will have players intrigued and engaged from the very beginning. I thoroughly enjoyed returning to the Kathy Rain series, and I would highly recommend both games to fans of both point-and-click titles and detective games.

Full review available HERE.

Murder is Game Over: Murder Otaku

Murder is Game Over: Murder Otaku is the fifth game in the series by HitherYon Games. Following Murder is Game Over, Murder is Game Over: Streaming Death, and Murder is Game Over: Deal Killer, and Murder is Game Over: The Blackinton Curse, this game sees the familiar Detective Guy and his dog Cleo solve another thrilling crime mystery!

Murder Otaku is another riveting murder mystery game from HitherYon Games. It is enjoyable as a standalone title but also makes a great addition to the expanding series. It will take around two to three hours to play and offers a lot of value for the price. While the gameplay itself is relatively straightforward, the story is more complex, full of twists, turns, and red herrings. The narrative design is superb, and the mystery is intriguing, well-constructed and delivered at a good pace. This allows the player space to explore and gather information, building suspense throughout the investigation. The mix of its traditional detective story with light supernatural elements is a gripping combination with plenty of misdirection to keep players interested. The retro styling is in keeping with the previous games and is well-suited to the narrative and gameplay.

Detective Guy and Cleo are a charming and captivating pair, and are fast becoming a well-established murder-mystery-solving team. Each of the games in the Murder is Game Over series seems to offer something new and be made with a little more finesse, with the narrative design becoming more intricate and enthralling. This new instalment is no exception. The developers’ hard work, dedication, and love for the characters and series shine through when playing all of the games, but perhaps become even more apparent with each new story. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Murder Otaku, and I highly recommend it (and its prequels) to fans of casual interactive murder mysteries and detective games.

Full review available HERE.

I Don’t Want to be a Good Woman

I Don’t Want To Be A Good Woman is an interactive, museum-like experience that immerses the player in the real lives of women living in Iran under Islamic law. Players can connect with stories heard by, gathered by, or experienced directly by the developers, who wish to remain anonymous for safety reasons, simply going by ‘We Remember’ and maintaining no online presence. More than just a game, this has been designed as a space to witness and understand oppression, and stand in solidarity with an ongoing struggle for autonomy and freedom.

I Don’t Want to Be a Good Woman is an important game that has a strong place in our list of top picks 2025. It belies its simplistic appearance and, in fact, sits amongst some of the most powerful indie games out there. It is informative, moving, and inspirational. It raises awareness of the level of repressive discrimination inflicted on women in Iran. Discrimination that allows marital rape, considers a woman on a bicycle indecent, that allows the enforcement of religious laws without restriction, and that segregates all aspects of society from weddings to beaches, and even schools. Discrimination that led to female football fan, Sahar Khodayari, committing suicide by self-immolation in 2019 after she was arrested and faced a six-month prison sentence for attempting to gain entry to a football match at a male-only stadium in protest against laws forbidding women to attend sporting events. All masked by manipulative oppression tactics that censor media and internet content to the point that most people feel the need to use a VPN, which shuts off internet access for days at a time.

The information provided by the game is disturbing and upsetting, and probably quite incomprehensible to those not living under such despotism. The extreme nature of many of the stories highlights not only the bravery of those sharing their experiences and the developers producing the game, but also how important it is for those with the freedom to have an unimpeded voice and speak out without the risk of persecution to do so – loudly!

Full review available HERE.

The Beekeeper’s Picnic

The Beekeeper’s Picnic is a delightful point-and-click game that follows apiarist and retired detective Sherlock Holmes on a new heart-warming adventure. Players must help him put together a picnic for his longstanding companion, Watson and solve the various mini-mysteries that crop up in the process.

It is a wonderful experience that will provide 4-6 hours of gameplay at a very reasonable price. Its point-and-click gameplay is a lot of fun, with satisfying puzzles that have a good level of variety. There is some thought involved, but the level of challenge is moderate; it is not so difficult that it becomes frustrating. The narrative, a sincere and endearing sequence of capers featuring two well-known and loved characters, is engrossing and emotive. I had a lot of fun playing this game, and I’d highly recommend it to fans of the game genre, Sherlock Holmes literature, and those who enjoy more light-hearted mystery games.

Full review available HERE.

Vlad Circus: Curse of Asmodeus

Vlad Circus: Curse of Asmodeus is the new prequel to Vlad Circus: Descend into Madness (2022). It recounts events alluded to in the first game, another dark and sinister tale, this time following Josef Petrescu, co-heir to the circus.

Indiesruption’s second instalment in this series is a fantastic game that expands on the first one whilst bringing something new to the table. It will take 4-6 hours to play and features the best elements from a range of game genres, blending them seamlessly to create a unique and atmospheric experience. Horror is delivered through creepy narrative elements, disturbing hospital exploration, gruesome imagery and tension-building sound design. The story is both engaging and intriguing, keeping the player on their toes with unexpected progressions and well-constructed characters. The pixel art is top-notch and depicts the various aspects of the narrative perfectly. Overall, this is a brilliant example of a horror-adventure; the point-and-click style of gameplay suits the game and narrative very well. I believe this game will appeal to a wide range of players, and I highly recommend it and the previous title, which also made our top picks list in 2023!

Full review available HERE.

Karma

Karma: The Dark World is a cinematic walking simulator and psychological thriller. Set in a dystopian East Germany where the authoritarian and omnipresent Leviathan Corporation oversees everything, players take on the role of one of the Thought Bureau’s Roam Agents to investigate crimes.

This game is a fantastic example of a walking simulator and a wonderful addition to the genre. It boasts stunning, realistic visuals, exceptional sound design, particularly with the evocative OST, challenging puzzles, thrilling enemy encounters that will raise the heart rate, and above all, an unsettling and immersive psychological narrative that draws on a range of genres, including dystopia, sci-fi, and horror. It will take around 8 hours to complete and entirely justifies its price tag with both playtime and quality. I thoroughly enjoyed this game and would consider it a must-play for all walking simulator fans.

Full review available HERE.

1998: The Toll Keeper Story

1998: The Toll Keeper Story is a narrative-focused toll booth attendant simulator. Players take on the role of Dewi and must navigate a series of choices both at work and in her personal life, culminating in one of multiple available endings.

It is a fantastic game with a lot to offer; a single playthrough will take around 4-5 hours. The gameplay is engaging and satisfying with its puzzle-like investigation. The choices presented do not always have clear consequences, but they do really matter and can affect the ending. This is refreshing compared to some games that offer choices that have little to no impact. The emotive narrative has a political and a personal side that will interest a broad audience, and the multiple endings mean that the game has good replay value and can be enjoyed multiple times. The artwork is delightful and presented in a way that really suits the gameplay and the sometimes harrowing narrative. I think this game is brilliant. I would especially recommend it to anyone looking for a slightly less intense Papers, Please, but it will also appeal to fans of multiple genres. It has more than earned its place on our list of top picks 2025.

Full review available HERE.

Tamaster’s Top Picks 2025

Citizen Sleeper 2

Citizen Sleeper 2 doubles down on the space-punk dystopian atmosphere that made the first one so great. Carve your path through difficult decisions, always on the edge between survival and certain doom. An almost straight improvement compared to the first chapter, except for the survival aspect, which is instead more tame and forgiving. Nevertheless, it’s still a thrilling, engaging, and unique blend between tabletop game and narrative adventure that works very well, and isn’t like anything else on the market.

Full review available HERE.

Summary

A fun mix of games made it into our top picks 2025 list, from a host of different developers and spanning a range of genres. Slightly spooky point-and-click games do seem to be slightly prominent, but we’ve also included an occult-themed puzzle game, a dystopian walking simulator, an emotional working simulator, and a sci-fi RPG! They were all an absolute joy to play, but it was a tricky task to choose just ten from all the great games we’ve had the opportunity to review throughout 2025.

Thank you to all the developers and publishers who have worked with us in 2025, but also a huge thank you to everyone who reads our reviews and motivates us to keep writing. Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

Want to know what our top picks have been in previous years? Check out these lists:
2024 – 2023 – 2022 – 2021 – 2020 – 2019