If you’re looking for the latest in the independent game scene then look no further than these 10 most successful coolest new indie games of 2016. In the past few years, indie games and developers have been getting a lot of exposure thanks to new accessible platforms such as Steam. Crowdfunding websites such as Kickstarter have also helped create several successful games that only lacked funding during development. This year, we see more independent games getting acclaim and establishing new possible franchises.
Even AAA publishers have gone out of their way to take notice of some independent game developments due to the success of recent indie games. Over the past decade, we’ve seen a lot of successful titles and a lot of the games we enjoy today were originally indie games trying to break through the market. If you want to look at a more comprehensive list outside this year, you can check out the 11 most successful indie games of all time.
magicinfoto / Shutterstock.com
What constitutes a successful game? While there are many possible factors to consider, two of the main aspects that people look into in terms of success are their commercial and critical acclaim. Since most independent games are available through the Steam platform, we can check out the statistics at Steam Spy to get a better idea of how many copies have been sold digitally. The more copies that have been sold, the more money the game company earns and sales equals to commercial success.
One other factor we look into is the reception from critics. While there are numerous critiques on the web today, we have websites such as Metacritic, which essentially compiles online reviews and gives the game an appropriate score based on various algorithms. Do take note that some of these games on the list have been released previously but now have newer versions or platforms giving them eligibility for this year. We can also ascertain that the more critical and commercial success a game receives, the more it bodes well for the general gaming audience, making the game subsequently “cooler” as compared to others. Without any more delay, let’s look into the 10 most successful coolest new indie games of 2016:
10. Enter the Gungeon
Copies Sold: 419,000
Metacritic Rating: 83
Enter the Gungeon is classified as a bullet hell dungeon crawler which you have to survive numerous levels of enemies, bullets, dodge rolling, table flipping, and shooting. The game really goes over-the-top, giving players access to numerous types of guns for all out madness. The game features numerous bosses, items, NPCs, traps, and a lot of unforgiving moments.
9. The Witness
Copies Sold: 118,000
Metacritic Rating: 86.5
We are continuing our list of most successful coolest new indie games of 2016 with The Witness, that is a 3D puzzle solving game in which you play a character trying to solve the mystery of an island filled with man-made structures. Instead of the usual hand-holding segments from a lot of mainstream video games, you have to rely on visual and audio clues to come up with the solution for each part of the island. The game was developed by Thekla, Inc., the same company responsible for the video game Braid.
8. Kentucky Route Zero
Copies Sold: 106,000
Metacritic Rating: 89
Kentucky Route Zero ranks 8th in our list of most successful coolest new indie games of 2016. It is a point and click adventure game about a fictional secret highway beneath the caves of Kentucky. In the game, you control a truck driver named Conway, whose goal is to make a delivery for the antique company he works for. Along his travels, he meets mysterious people as he tries to cross Route Zero. The game is split into five acts with the fourth released this year. The game was successfully funded via Kickstarter.
7. Gone Home
Copies Sold: 425,000
Metacritic Rating: 85.5
Gone home is a first person exploration game created by The Fullbright Company. The game is set in 1995 in Portland, Oregon, and the player arrives home after a year abroad only to find that no one is home. You are then set to explore the house and figure out the mystery of what happened. There is no set goal in the game, but as you explore, more areas of the house open up, and messages give you a better idea of what happened.
6. Grim Dawn
Copies Sold: 554,000
Metacritic Rating: 83
Grim Dawn is an action role-playing game which was made using the same engine of Titan Quest. Its gameplay is similar to that of Diablo or Path to Exile, and is set in a dark fictional world based on the Victorian Era. Humanity has lost against otherworldly forces, and it’s up to the player to explore, rebuild, and make the tough choices. The game is made with character development in mind, meaning there are numerous aspects to upgrade as one gets further in the game. The game proved to be a success both in sales and reviews easily making the 10 most successful coolest new indie games of 2016.
5. Crypt of the Necrodancer
Copies Sold: 485,000
Metacritic Rating: 86
Crypt of the Necrodancer ranks 5th in our list of most successful coolest new indie games of 2016. It is an unusual dungeon exploration game being a mix of a dungeon crawl, roguelike, and rhythm games. In order to explore the dungeon effectively, players have to move according to the beat of the current song which is also followed by the monsters in the dungeon. The game is co-published by Klei Entertainment which is responsible for many indie game hits.
4. Darkest Dungeon
Copies Sold: 850,000
Metacritic Rating: 85
Another roguelike dungeon crawling game, the Darkest Dungeon uses its unforgiving nature to great effect. In the game, you manage a town and a small roster of heroes that explore dungeons in hopes of restoring a cursed mansion and the nearby homestead. The game uses turn-based combat and features stress, which affects how characters interact in the dungeon, possibly hampering the player’s efforts. Characters can die easily due to the difficult nature of the dungeons. The game received a lot of great reviews and nominations. And now, let’s see the top three entries in our list of most successful coolest new indie games of 2016.
3. INSIDE
Copies Sold: 160,000
Metacritic Rating: 90
Inside is the second game released by developer Playdead and is a spiritual successor to the highly successful Limbo. The game was partially funded thanks to a grant from the Danish Film Institute and is a puzzle platformer video game. In the game, you control a young boy who tries to overcome each environment presented to him. Much like Limbo, the story is not given up front and players will have to progress through the game to understand the plot.
2. Ori and the Blind Forest
Copies Sold: 550,000
Metacritic Rating: 88
Highly praised for its impressive and artistic graphics, Ori and the Blind Forest is a platform adventure game released in 2015. A definitive edition was released in 2016 with further improvements to the game. Players control the character Ori, a guardian spirit whose goal is to save the forest. The game received critical acclaim and was praised on numerous aspects.
1. Stardew Valley
Copies Sold: 1,400,000
Metacritic Rating: 88
Stardew Valley is a farming simulation game that takes a lot of inspiration from the highly successful Harvest Moon series. In the game, you take the role of a character who inherits his/her grandfather’s dilapidated farm in Stardew Valley. It’s up to the player to manage their time and energy in order to make a successful farm. The game also features a local community, romances, social activity, and other mysteries. The game became very successful, becoming one of the highest selling titles on Steam just within a few months of its release. Going leaps and bounds beyond any indie game this year, Stardew Valley sits at the top of the 10 most successful coolest new indie games of 2016.
