2025 has been the most incredible year for indie gaming. Rather than one ultra-standout game, like last year’s Balatro (15 percent off), we’ve been treated to a wide array of small-team, small-budget creations that have broken through to wider attention. And right now, nearly all of them are available at a decent discount in Steam’s Winter Sale.
This is not a comprehensive list—like I said, it’s been an incredible year—and I want to make room for enormously accomplished games that haven’t had quite so much attention too. (Oh, and you won’t find that multi-million dollar game developed by hundreds of people here, even though all the so-called “indie” awards have abandoned all meaning and sense and allowed one such game to unfairly dominate attention and accolades.) Every one of these games is well worth your attention over the Christmas break, and now you don’t have to pay as much.
Every year seems to have an indie climbing hit, and this year it’s the wonderful Peak. Ideally played in co-op, you and some buddies attempt to climb a mountain with the constant risk of making a mistake and pulling all your friends into disaster. And earlier this year it added cannibalism!
Peak is currently 38 percent off, making it only $5.
One of the most striking and astonishing games in 2025, Eclipsium takes the walking simulator and turns it into a breathtaking work of horror and surrealism, with artwork like nothing else that’s ever existed. I spoke to the developer about how it was created here. At 20 percent off, it’s yours this holiday for just $10.
One of the most popular indie games of 2025, roguelite beat ’em up Absolum is absolutely drowning in incredible reviews. It comes from the same team that brought us 2020’s Streets of Rage 4 (65 percent off), and likely would have scooped a bunch of awards this year if a certain other game hadn’t stolen them. Its already bargain price is now 20 percent lower, at $20.
No one really knows for sure who developer Vedinad is, but it’s certainly very suspicious that the name spells “Danidev” backwards, which just happens to be the name of a YouTuber and developer who famously vanished a few years back. Anyway, whoever they may be, they had the integrity to withdraw Megabonk, their fantastic 3D reimagining of Vampire Survivors, from contention for Best Debut Indie Game in this year’s Game Awards, on the basis that it’s not their debut game. (DaniDev made Crab Game). Anyway, it’s brilliant, it’s ludicrously moreish, and now it’s 25 percent cheaper at just $7.49.
Urban Myth Dissolution Center
Pixel horror visual novel Urban Myth Dissolution Center came out all the way back in February, and as such hasn’t been all that well remembered in end-of-year lists. So put that right! You’re investigating supernatural cases, untangling conspiracies, and collecting evidence, in order to bring about the dissolution of, well, urban myths. A 15 percent discount brings it down to just $15.
Well, this one certainly hasn’t suffered for attention! A massive breakthrough hit, The Séance of Blake Manor is a 19th-century supernatural detective game in which you investigate the spooky disappearance of Evelyn Deane. Is it 2025’s The Case of the Golden Idol? Yeah, that sounds about right. And despite only coming out less than two months ago, it’s already offering a 25 percent discount, making it now $15 for the holidays.
One of my absolutely favorite games of 2025, Öoo is a game about using bombs to explore a puzzle platform world. It’s called Öoo because you’re little round blob dude who can drop two bombs at a time, and that spells “ooo.” It’s so damned smart, with constantly innovative puzzles, a so-called metroidbrania in which progress is only gated by ideas you haven’t had yet. It’s sublime, and now super cheap, discounted 20 percent to $8.
Another game that I’m delighted to say has received a huge amount of attention this year, The Drifter is one of the best point-and-click adventures of 2025, and that’s facing strong competition. This tale of an Australian itinerant returning to his home town for his mother’s funeral is a compelling mystery and stunningly put together. Its ending is…silly, but it’s a brilliant time. It’s 15 percent off, yours for $17.
Old Skies
Talking of stunning point-and-click adventures from this year, there’s also the incredible Old Skies. From stalwart adventure creator Wadjet Eye, this follow-up to Unavowed tells the tale of a time-travelling agent, Fia Quinn, taking clients on “vacations” to points in the past, with its episodic story slowly weaving itself into a larger conspiracy. It’s superb stuff, now down 20 percent to $16.
Here’s why I love video games: One of the most well-respected and well-loved video games of 2025 is an exploration of the love of soccer as it was felt in Quito, Ecuador in 2001. And it obviously goes far deeper than that, telling a semi-autobiographical story that allows you a window into one kid’s world in a way only video games can offer. Incredible, moving stuff. It’s down a hefty 35 percent, now under $10.
Mario von Rickenbach has been making fantastically interesting games as Playables for many years, each a minimalist experiment in art and interaction. The likes of Kids, Plug & Play, My Exercise and Cars have all been joyful, but failed to get wider attention. Time Flies appears to be the well-deserved breakthrough, a slightly more game-like game in which you play as a fly trying to achieve all the items on a bucket list before its brief life is over. It’s an interactive toy, a wonderful piece of animation, and just all-round amazing entertainment. 35 percent off, it’s now $10.
