With the Steam Summer Sale in full bloom, there’s definitely no lack of choice when it comes to games. Vaunted titles like Elden Ring, Resident Evil 4, and Dead Space stand mighty and tall in many people’s Steam carts, and it’s no wonder! With discounts that are good and quality this high, the price point for their quality and content is hard to match. If you’re ever wondering what game you should play next, these 3 titles are an easy recommendation, as they show off some of the best Triple-A gaming available in 2024.

But big developers aren’t the only ones stepping up. Indie games and indie developers have proven to be no slouches, and a ton of good quality indie games have recently proved their worth. While they’re still in Early Access, the quality they present can’t be denied.

Join me as we take a look at some stand-out indie games and explore some of the best that indie developers have to offer.

Supplice

Supplice might seem like the punchline of an old meme, but this Doom-inspired game is anything but. I’ve spent a whole weekend digging through its three episodes and have nothing but praise for what it has to offer. From its kick-ass, upbeat soundtrack to its interesting array of weapons, it’s got the quintessential elements of a good boomer shooter condensed into a high-octane package.  True, Supplice might expect you to thwart off hordes of aliens, zombies, and mutants, but you’re going in well armed, with shotguns, miniguns, and plasma weaponry to turn the tide of battle.

Supplice

In many ways, Supplice is a game that understands its roots while being unafraid to add a little more spice to its formula. There are permanent upgrades to find, many secrets to explore, and a surprisingly interesting backstory hidden in a plethora of terminal entries scattered across the levels. All this is interspersed with classic side-strafing action. At times, it might get a little difficult with how aggressive and plentiful enemies can be, but one thing’s for sure - it’ll have you going “Supplice mothertrucker,” every time you blow an alien away! 

Supplice

Fallen Aces

If you’re in the mood for a mix of sneaking, melee, and shooting, then Fallen Aces might just be what you’re looking for. Part 90s comic, part crime noir drama, and all gameplay perfection, Fallen Aces manages to be the new immersive sim that’s taken the world by storm. To say I was engrossed would be an understatement; I was captivated by what it had to offer.

Fallen Aces

While its aesthetics may fool the unwary, Fallen Aces is truly a game that pushes the limits of player freedom. While it IS a game about mobsters and gang bosses, fighting isn’t always the answer, and there are plenty of options to use for the wary player. 

Fallen Aces

You can sneak around them and find alternative paths. You can knock them out in stealth or blow them up with what Molotovs and explosives you can find. You lure them away to secluded spots with noises or throw them to environmental hazards like crushers. You kick them off ledges or toss them to the sharks. Honestly, the sky’s the limit for how you approach every confrontation, and while ammunition is scarce, fighting is swift, brutal, and FUN in a satisfying, visceral approach that few games have managed to capture well.

Fallen Aces

There’s a joke about how immersive sims often fail due to ambition, whereas games like Deus Ex, Thief, and Prey have flown for the sun just like Icarus and fallen to their doom. Could that be Fallen Aces’ fate? I certainly hope not because this inventive, enjoyable game deserves all the love and support the gaming crowd can afford. As gamers, we love good games, don’t we? So let’s band together and make sure Fallen Aces never falls.

Manor Lords

If we’re talking all about ambition, Manor Lords has it in spades. While still in early access, Greg Styczeń of studio Slavic Magic seeks to make the best medieval city builder he can, and it shows. While other historical city builders exist, the likes of Settlers and Anno fail to capture the scope that Manor Lords seeks to offer.

Manor Lords

From fully realized towns and life cycles to on-map battles, Manor Lords is a city builder that wants to be as immersive as possible. Your citizens wander the town, doing jobs, collecting food, and mingling. You build houses to give your citizens a home, farms to provide them with food, and bakeries to cook the wheat and make bread. Eventually, you’re threatened by bandits and must pay them off, eventually assembling an army to throw them off your land.

Manor Lords

While its scope still remains limited and development is slow, the ambition of this game cannot be denied. As it is, Manor Lords might be a little rough around the edges, but it’s a visual treat to enjoy, and any city builder fan should keep their eyes on it. Big dreams come from this 1 man developer studio, and with luck, patience, and support, it’s a dream that looks to be coming true.

Selaco

If I had to pick a game that wow-ed me, it would have to be Selaco. Like Supplice, Selaco was built on the foundations of Doom on the GZDoom engine. Unlike Supplice, Selaco isn’t aiming for the tried-and-true Boomer Shooter formula. Instead, it set its sights higher, mimicking the gameplay and presentation of titles like Half-LIfe and F.E.A.R. And you know what? It did a fantastic job.

Selaco

I’ve put over 19 hours in Selaco, and every one of them has been a blast. Combat is short but visceral, with short bursts of gunfire echoing amidst a plethora of destructible objects. Glass shatters, cars explode, enemies get torn to shreds, and explosions tear the levels apart as you battle your way through the alien hordes to be humanity’s last remaining hope of stemming the tide.

Selaco

Enemy variety might be low, sure, but their attacks are deadly, and their assault forces you to keep on the move and stay aggressive. Health and ammunition can run, but a wealth of upgrades are scattered around the different levels, encouraging you to look around and explore. Some are hidden in simple nooks and crannies, supply caches that can top you off and give you some much-needed resupply. Others require unlocking locked doors with codes or breaking open walls to expose the goodies within. And the upgrades you can find? Simply magical. From being able to put down nail turrets to getting to lift objects with your plasma gun, ala Half-Life’s gravity gun, Selaco’s upgrades are the perfect way to reward an attentive player.

Selaco

To say I enjoyed it would be lying. I didn’t enjoy it - I loved it, and I’m looking forward to the new things the Selaco team has in store for me.

Hades II

Indie darling Supergiant Games have always been putting out banger titles. From their 2011 game Bastion to the much beloved Transistor, Supergiant Games has had a good track record and a better understanding of what makes games great. Nowhere can it be seen more than their roguelike Hades. So what if you got what made Hades good - and released a sequel?

Hades II

Hades II is what happens when a developer wants to outdo their last success. Combat is faster, movement is more fluid, and characters are just as enjoyable as ever. There are far more builds to make and far more ways to customize your experience with new boons and upgrades and new zones to enjoy that look visually distinct but feel right at home to veteran Hades players.

Hades II

Honestly, what more is there to say? It is Hades, but II. It is bigger, it is better, and it is an extension of the original game, but enhanced in every way possible. It may still be in Early Access, but what it has to offer already puts most other games to shame.

ZPF

Kickstarter games don’t often get funded, but the ZPF Team’s ZPF is more for than hit their goal for a good reason. They aren’t getting funding for a game looking to make a quick buck; if anything, ZPF is a passion project meant to emulate a classic 90’s arcade game. It’s an appeal to the fans of an often-ignored genre. The Shoot-em-up.

ZPF

Inspired by classic arcade games like Gradius and Galaga, ZPF’s a game that takes its lessons from the best. Movement is fluid, combat is fun, and objectives are simple. Fight off aliens, fend off bosses, and dodge projectiles while aiming for that elusive high score. It’s a simple experience, but it’s mesmerizing, filled to the brim with retro inspirations and classic gameplay that no true SHMUP fan should ever miss.

ZPF

And honestly, why would you want to? With a soundtrack that is this catchy and gameplay that is this smooth, it’s an experience chock full of retro goodness. Playable on your Sega Genesis, ZPF is a title that seeks to emulate the bygone days of old-time gaming. 

ZPF

If you’re ever a fan of SHMUPs or simply love your retro games, consider taking a look at ZPF. There’s a wealth of goodies for you, from the digital soundtrack to some limited-time goodies like the LE cart, posters, artbooks, and more. Support the Kickstarter now, and secure your own copy of the game to enjoy! 

There are more indie games to cover, but for now, these will have to do. Heaven knows, more indie games will come, and with luck, they’ll be just as good as these ones are.