Indie games are titles that are independently developed by individuals or a small team of creators. They don’t have the funding for AAA games like Shadow of the Tomb Raider or Elden Ring, but they make up for it with their ingenuity. Indie developers have a lot of creative freedom to work with, so their games often turn out to be better than most popular titles.
By better, we mean the lore, art style, music, and animations are always much more entertaining than their AAA counterparts. Other benefits of indie games over big-budget titles are:
- Indie developers are fuelled by their passion, not money.
- The games are usually experimental, so expect tons of plot twists.
- Indie games are usually cheaper than AAA titles.
- Bug fixes are released at a faster pace, as are DLCs and other expansion packs.
Also Related: 4 Unforgettable Little Nightmares Characters Before Playing Little Nightmares 3
The 7 Darkest Indie Games
These are the seven darkest indie games to date. They’re as evil as the Resident Evil games, but they were developed by small teams, hence their lack of popularity. Thankfully, the indie game genre is chock-full of horror games that feel like the brainchild of Stephen King and Howard Phillips Lovecraft. So, we promise you that you’ll be clenching your jaw once you run into one of the monsters in these games. Dive into our list of the darkest indie games now.
#1: Little Nightmares | Supported Platforms: PC, PlayStation, and Xbox
Little Nightmares might just be the most popular dark indie title on the list because it targets your inner child. Ignore a person’s hard exterior because, in their alone time, they still sing while showering like they’re nine. So, in Little Nightmares, you’re a tiny child in a massive sandbox, so you feel extra small. Hence, it’s one of the darkest indie games we’ve played recently.
You’ll explore The Maw, a dark and mischievous land, as Six, and yes, evil is a prevalent theme. The more you explore your surroundings, the bigger your urge to escape the realm grows. It’s not exactly easy to escape the monsters in Little Nightmares, so you must always be careful of your environment. That said, there are still many other incentives for playing the game, such as:
- Characters and the multiple settings of the game are distinctly grotesque.
- Many of your childhood fears are brought to life, such as your fear of the dark and what’s lurking inside it.
- Curiosity and spatial awareness are the keys to escaping your prison.
#2: Amnesia: The Bunker | Supported Platforms: PC, PlayStation, and Xbox
A survival horror indie game, Amnesia: The Bunker, was developed and published by Frictional Games. It follows a French soldier who is trapped in a bunker with monsters from an excavation project gone wrong. For one, the reason why this is one of the darkest indie games ever is because of the grit and gore. Psychological torment is the recurring theme for the soldier, Henri Clément.
As Henri, you’ll go on a rescue mission to save your friend, Augustine Lambert. Your mission soon goes totally wrong when you’re ambushed by the Germans and knocked down by an artillery blast. You’ll soon wake up in a French garrison that’s terrorised by a beast. We needn’t spoil the game, but fans of action-packed horror games will love this title. Your search for an exit in Amnesia: The Bunker is adrenaline-packed. Not to mention, the suspense is exciting.
#3: Sons of the Forest | Supported Platforms: PC, PlayStation, and PC
Sons of the Forest is a survival horror game from Endnight Games that throws you into the shoes of a castaway whose survival depends on your efforts during the day. At night, cannibalistic humanoids come out to eat and guess who’s dinner? Naturally, the game is a mix of betrayal, crafting, and resource management. In Sons of the Forest, time is the most important resource, so you have to manage it properly or the mutants won’t let you see the next sunrise.
After you’ve explored and adapted to the nightly attacks, you soon discover bunkers all over the island. Investigating these bunkers helps you piece together the incidents that led to the creation of mutant cannibals. Eventually, you learn that the mutants chasing you are the same people you came to rescue. That is, your company’s CEO and his family. You’ll soon meet up with Virginia, the CEO’s daughter with infinite ammo.
You’re referred to as the Contractor throughout the game but despite the lack of intimacy with your character, the nightly attacks that you survive are surreal. For one, you’ll experience many jump scares in Sons of Forest. You’ll enjoy exploring the lore behind the Cube, a mysterious occultic item that shows visions, amongst many others. To conclude, Sons of the Forest isn’t cross-platform but you can still play with other players online.
#4: Dredge | Supported Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch
Dredge is an indie fishing game from Black Salt Games, that follows the adventures of a fisherman who’s hunting for a good catch. He will soon encounter Lovecraftian creatures as he ventures out into the huge sandbox of Dredge. If you’re a fan of the ocean and you understand it’s an unknown territory, this game feeds on your curiosity.
You’ll encounter eldritch beasts and confront your fears and depression on your way to salvation. Eventually, players are given two choices: Save the world or burn it all down in madness. The last decision concludes the game, making Black Salt’s Indie game one of the darkest indie games we’ve played. The game shines because of its supernatural vibes because a Book of the Deep and relic rings exist. It can allegedly cast spells that are ocean-themed. It’s like a Pirates of the Caribbean game but more unsettling because the horrific creatures from the deep can pop up like ghosts.
#5: The Outlast Trials | Supported Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows)
The Outlast Trials is a lot more horrifying than it sounds and the best part is that it offers a multiplayer experience too. Sure, you can play individually but the experience is even better when you play with friends. Luckily, players can form a team of up to four players to gain an edge in combat.
In terms of lore, The Outlast Trials also shines. It’s the Cold War era and experiments on humans is the theme of the day. You have to escape Murkoff Corporation, a company that tests methods of brainwashing and mind control. Every encounter with the enemies of the facility boils down to two decisions: Flight or fight. Other reasons why it’s a good game are:
- You’re only exposed to enemies during your trials.
- You’ll earn different tools that’ll let you see through walls, blind enemies, stun opponents, or heal yourself and your companions.
- You can only escape the trials by completing the objectives.
- Character customisation is at the centre of the game, as you’ll be able to choose a play style, upgrades, and perks.
#6: Barotrauma | Supported Platforms: PC Including Microsoft Windows, macOS
In short, Barotrauma is a side-scrolling video game that takes place in the future. You’re in a submarine that’s travelling through the hostile oceans of Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons. You’re a worker on the submarine and your job ranges from hunting wildlife in the ocean to the recovery of alien technology and artefacts. Besides that, you’ll also haul cargo from one outpost to the other.
Besides the detailed art style that highlights the submarine’s oxygen levels, weapons, and crew’s health, your voyage will also be interrupted many times. Hostile fauna, player-controlled traitors, and occasional parasite outbreaks will occur. Throughout this dark voyage, you’ll notice that the theme centres around crisis management and player competence. Sure it’s one of the darkest indie games we’ve seen but there’s still co-op mode. So, you can play together with your friends online. Other features of the game that we love are:
- The danger never announces itself in Barotrauma.
- There are six classes, which are Captain, Mechanic, Engineer, Medic, Security Officer, and Assistant.
- The crafting system is deceptively simple: gather resources and craft everything from weapons and tools to medicines.
- The faction system is complex since you can choose your allies and enemies.
- Your character has three customisation trees so build your play style from the ground up.
- Up to 16 players can team up on a submarine, and you can supplement your needs with a bot in both the single-player and co-op modes.
#7: Escape the Backrooms | Supported Platforms: PC Including Microsoft Windows and macOS
In Escape the Backrooms, you’re literally making your escape from hostile territories. This is why it’s a contender for the darkest indie game at Player.com. In the game, you’re not alone and your enemies don’t exactly want you to leave. These creatures lurk in the dark, waiting for an unlucky soul to trespass on their territories. The highlight is that Escape the Backrooms taps into fears you didn’t know you had. Luckily for players, you can play the game with a friend, though that doesn’t guarantee your survival rate.
Besides all that, the graphics of the game are impressive as heck! It’s not a cartoonish title with disproportionate in-game elements like the ones in Little Nightmares. Instead, the game’s visuals are lifelike and super realistic, though levels feel repetitive. So, you can say the game earned its position on our list of the darkest indie games. Other reasons why you should consider picking this game up are:
- Its online mode supports up to four players.
- A minimal user interface ensures that the experience is immersive.
- There are 20+ levels in the game, though they tend to get repetitive later on.
- There are 12 entities in Escape the Backrooms but only one is present in a level.
- There’s proximity voice chat so you can talk to your teammates. On the flip side, entities can also hear you talk so be sure to confirm that no one’s listening in before speaking.
- The game takes up around 10 GB of space on your PC.
- You can enjoy the game on SteamVR.