Neat Indie Games On The PlayStation 5 You Should Not Avoid

While the PlayStation 5’s start to its life cycle has been fairly lukewarm with a glaring lack of enough first-party exclusives, there’s no doubting that this is a fantastic console all around, built with its own magic, features, and quirks that set it apart from the competition day in and day out. However, and let me tell you this with the utmost confidence, not every game has to be AAA or first-party for you to have fun on your PS5.

As a matter of fact, this article puts together some of the most praiseworthy PlayStation 5 indies that you should be looking into on your console. There’s nothing quite like these out there, I’ll promise you that, as you delve into the games in question using the element of surprise. Oh, and make sure you know what PS5 titles to look forward to down the road side by side.

No AAA Production, No Problem

With that said, let’s dive right into the forthcoming entries with no further ado, and as you go along the write-up, do post a comment down below if you’d like to share a like-minded experience.

1. Disco Elysium

One of the most profound RPGs of all time, and a game that I genuinely regret not playing sooner, Disco Elysium is something that you do not see coming. Trust me. It’s got a plotline so insane, that you go from solving relatively mysterious crime cases to … well … let’s not get into the spoilers department now, shall we?

Look, Disco Elysium deserves a lot more recognition than it actually gets is all I’m trying to say here, and if you haven’t gone through the game yet, I highly recommend that you do so ASAP. It’s something that will make you realize how gaming is art, and how you should push for exploring more indies more often.

2. Death’s Door

Gathering more than 100,000 players in its first week of release back in 2021, you’ll be hard-pressed to find an indie title more engaging and gorgeously drawn as Death’s Door. The game puts the spotlight on an adorable little protagonist called Crow, a soul reaper tasked with the arduous job of collecting the souls of the dead. In the words of the game’s developer,

Reaping souls of the dead and punching a clock might get monotonous but it’s honest work for a Crow.”

If you’re running out of games to play, this is a recommendation that’s as solid as it gets, really.

3. What Remains Of Edith Finch

If you’ve grown weary of games that have you resorting to violence in a fixed pattern, try What Remains of Edith Finch for a change, and I assure you, you’re going to thank me for it. It’s a heartfelt story-driven game that tells the tale of a tragically unlucky family, and take it from me: It will make you teary-eyed more times than you’d like to admit.

If I’d like to put it more clearly, What Remains of Edith Finch puts you in the shoes of the protagonist, takes your hand, and guides you along a journey that tells multiple stories within a story. At the end of it all, though, you’re going to wish everyone in the world would be able to play this game.

4. Crow Country

You don’t get games as special and unique as Crow Country in 2024, even if the scope is indie, because that’s where the most innovation seems to be in the gaming industry these days. This one poses with such a heavy atmosphere, that you can’t help but feel Resident Evil vibes coming straight from it, which makes the gameplay even more enthralling. Don’t sleep on it, I’m telling you beforehand.

5. Dredge

Another hidden gem that has sailed past the radar of so many on the PlayStation 5 is Dredge, featuring an unsettling vibe that just presents itself perfectly without going too much over the edge. Fans of cosmic horror should pick this one up straight away, because Dredge has a remarkable way of breaking down what’s coming at you, the player, not to mention its fairly enticing gameplay, catchy visuals, and amazing UI.

I’ve seen it said a couple times, but Dredge is really fantastic. I love the fishing setting, the Lovecraftian atmosphere, and the gameplay loop is pretty engaging,” says one u/GodKamnitDenny.

6. Gris

An indie platformer as breathtaking as Gris does not come along every other day, given how relaxing and non-conventional it is. The graphics and the art direction simply blow me away every time I sit down to fire this one up, and I’ll even go as far as to call every in-game frame a work of art. I won’t call it underrated, because the title’s sold over a million copies to date, surpassing developer Nomada Studio’s expectations.