Summary
If this year has felt like a good year for indie games, that’s because it is. In fact, according toMetacritic, it’s the best, with more indie games scoring 90+ on the review aggregation site than in any other year.
Five different games scored 90+, earning them the ‘Metacritic Must Play’ badge, a feat that had never been achieved before.
2024 Was The Best Year Ever For Indies
This year, indies have shone, with the following five games achieving a 90+ on Metacritic:
Things started well when, in February,The Game Awards Game of the Year nomineeBalatro hooked players with its devilishly moreish Roguelike action. May came around, and Animal Well’s deep and mysterious Metroidvania dropped, gettinga perfect score from us at TheGamer.
Then, we were hit by a pair of indie greats in August and September, with Thank Goodness You’re Here and UFO 50 releasing. Finally, in October, the definitive edition of Slay The Princess was released, making it the best way to play one of last year’s highest-rated titles.
Four of these games made my end-of-year top ten, whichyou should totally go and read now.
Alongside those five, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes and Neva were both nominated for ‘Best Indie Game’ atThe Game Awards, and Manor Lords, The Plucky Squire, and Pacific Drive for ‘Best Debut Indie Game’, showing the strength in depth this year had.
It Was Close, Though
While 2024 was the first year five indie games hit 90+, four games have broken the mark in a couple of other years.
Last year,Baldur’s Gate 3(which istechnicallyan indie game),Against The Storm, Slay The Princess, andVideoverseall scored 90+. 2018, which is widely considered the best year for indie games, also saw four hit 90+, withHades,Celeste,Hollow Knight, andInto the Breachall doing so.
Who said you need big triple-A games to make a year good?
Balatro
WHERE TO PLAY
Balatro takes the classic card game of poker and adds roguelike gameplay, using Joker cards with various abilities to build your deck and attempt to defeat pesky blinds.
