As someone who has played almost every game developed by Thunder Lotus, I wasn’t sure how to quantify Spiritfarer at first. Sure, it’s another gorgeous and memorable adventure, but it was very different from the likes of Sundered and Jotun, which are very combat-focused affairs.
Spiritfarer is also an adventure where accepting death is a prevalent theme. Yet despite that, it’s still an uplifting and memorable indie adventure.
Thankfully, there are other games in a similar vein to Spiritfarer. Specifically, indies with several of the following attributes — themes of loss, sometimes non-linear, and featuring eye-catching and memorable artwork.
So grab a box of tissues, get comfortable, and let’s explore some incredible indies that will hit you in the feels and will stay with you for quite some time afterward.
10 Planet of Lana
Save a World Out of Balance
Generally speaking, I’m not all that fond of puzzle platformers, especially when they also rely on communication between two entities. Despite that, Planet of Lana was a remarkably well-made and emotional adventure.
Lana and her animal friend Mui don’t seem like much, with neither boasting much in the way of ferocity or strength. But they’re able to work masterfully together, which they’ll need to avoid infuriated alien creatures and dangerous robots.
It’s all brought together by a minimalist and emotional soundtrack that will make you feel all the emotional highs and lows of the journey. The only thing holding the game back is that sometimes the technical aspects of Lana working with Mui can be frustrating. Still a great indie adventure, though.
9 A Mortician’s Tale
Death Is Unavoidable
Sometimes games are just short and sweet, but that doesn’t make them any less memorable. As an example, let’s talk about an indie adventure called A Mortician’s Tale, where death isn’t something to be feared, but a natural part of life.
You play Charlie, a graduate who wants to learn the business of preparing dead bodies. Despite that, the game isn’t all doom and gloom, and there are surprising moments of levity to round things out.
Most of the time, you’ll be preparing bodies, as well as interacting with grief-stricken loved ones and your co-workers. It’s all brought together by a simplistic but attractive aesthetic, with a color palette of grays, purples, and reds.
Really, the only downside is that you can beat the game in around an hour, but that shouldn’t deter fans from trying this uplifting adventure.
8 LISA: The Painful
Visit the Wasteland of Olathe!
Try to imagine a world without women. A world where all men are allowed to make their own deranged kingdoms, and where selfish horror and violence are part and parcel of an apocalyptic, mutant-ridden hellscape.
Now imagine there’s one woman left, and all these psychos want her for themselves. This is the world of LISA: The Painful. And it’s a totally unhinged, mournful tale of a man named Brad and his journey to find Lisa.
This is not a game that’s for those with a soft heart or weak stomach. It’s a crazed RPG that looks a bit like Earthbound if it were on Meth. You’ll face disgusting monsters, psychotic fighters, and constantly be forced to make horrible, permanent decisions to survive just a while longer.
Sure, you can find a lot of allies to join your quest, but don’t count on keeping them for long. Whether they die by chance or due to a horrific game of Russian Roulette, bad things are going to happen no matter what you do. Which is part of why both LISA games are so unforgettable.
7 I am Setsuna
The Ultimate Sacrifice
Though many games have been inspired by the likes of Chrono Trigger, very few are as heart-wrenching as I am Setsuna.
The titular character is a brave young woman who knows from the very beginning of the game that she’ll have to sacrifice herself for the good of the world. And yet somehow, she has the courage and resolve to continue, no matter what the stakes.
Mix that with lush, painterly artwork, challenging combat, and a wonderful soundtrack, and you have a great JRPG adventure that will make you think. If you’re a fan of the classic adventures from back in the day, this is one you should add to your collection.
6 The Last Campfire
Light the Way Home
Being a light in the darkness isn’t just an uplifting concept. It’s the literal premise of The Last Campfire, where you play a lost Ember trying to find their way forward.
It’s a bit like a mix of The Legend of Zelda and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, though there’s no combat here. Instead, you make your way through mysterious ruins and forests, and free caged flames along the way.
These aren’t just regular flames, either. They can inhabit lost souls called Forlorn, bringing them to spectacular life.
The Last Campfire is supported by a storybook style, where an unseen narrator provides context and occasionally moral support for the lost Ember. It’s a wonderful, sad journey.
5 Night in the Woods
Return To Possum Springs
At first glance, it might seem that Night in the Woods doesn’t fit here. After all, the art style is cartoony and cheerful-looking.
You’d never know at first glance that behind the sarcastic exterior, there lurks some truly moody emotional revelations. Specifically, how painful it is to grow up and the struggles of the working class.
Into this mix is thrown Mae, a delinquent and troublemaker who just moved back home to Possum Springs. Night in the Woods is full of memorable, anthropomorphic animal characters, and you’ll have control over the arc of Mae’s life and personality by choosing her responses to various questions.
You’re also free to explore, play silly mini-games, and even contend with some platforming challenges in Mae’s dream sequences. The game has a lot of what I consider Stranger Things energy, just wrapped up into a story that’s less about the supernatural (other than Mae’s obsession with ghosts).
4 GRIS
A World of Stunning Emotion
I’ll admit I took a very long time before I finally played GRIS. I bought it on sale once it came to the eShop, played a little, and then waited a couple of years before picking it back up. The reason being, everybody kept calling it a Metroidvania, and I didn’t feel it met those criteria when I first played it.
Still, after finally playing through the stunning adventure, I’ll admit I don’t care what genre it is. GRIS is a game that’s too good not to play, even though I couldn’t tell you exactly what it’s about. This is a visually-minded, almost mystical experience about a woman weighed down by despair.
As you progress, you’ll gain new powers and abilities that help you explore this strange, undeniably beautiful world. You’ll even avoid some terrifying threats when you aren’t exploring and solving mind-bending puzzles.
Even though I highly recommend everybody play this short and sweet adventure, I would have ranked it higher if it were a bit less obtuse. Still, there’s always a place for abstract themes, and I’m glad Nomada Studio created it.
3 Omori
No Tears Left to Cry
Part of the reason I backed Omori back in the day was because it mixed an incredible visual style with Earthbound-inspired combat and also juggled some horror themes. It’s an unusual mix, but one that proved quite heady for fans.
Whereas Spiritfarer is about accepting death, Omori is more about facing the things you fear most. Including some things so dark that perhaps you look past them at first.
As you explore the game, you’ll relive your idyllic past and survive a haunted present. It’s also a surprisingly lengthy adventure, with multiple endings thrown in for good measure.
2 Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Save Ku At All Costs
As someone who’s been almost exclusively a Nintendo console owner since the PS2 era of gaming, I’ve gotten pretty used to waiting on games. One that was particularly difficult to wait for was Ori and the Will of the Wisps, as well as the original adventure.
Put simply, both Ori games are visually stunning masterpieces that tell emotional stories about loss and moving forward despite it. In the sequel, Ori and the owlet Ku have to find a way to work together and survive some truly harrowing dangers.
Unlike the first game, this sequel has several challenging bosses to overcome. You’ll also find ways for Ori and Ku to work together to solve puzzles and explore. It’s an incredible adventure, and it would have taken the gold if not for our final nominee.
1 Celeste
One Hell of a Climb
I’m not always a fan of hardcore gaming experiences. But when they’re done properly, I not only fall in love, but I remember them forever. And Celeste is one of those unforgettable adventures.
Yes, it’s a platformer, but it’s one with a touching story to tell. It’s all about Madeline and her climb up the inhospitable Celeste Mountain, but it’s also about her struggle with some very real and fierce inner demons.
This is a game where every mistake is a lesson on how to proceed, and you’ll need to be a good student to make it to the top. For those who feel exceptionally confident, besides collecting all the strawberries, you can also tackle the B sides of stages, which are not for the faint of heart.
Not content to have a gorgeous style and memorable story, Celeste also features emotional music and pitch-perfect platforming. Now that I’ve written about it, I’m considering climbing that mountain one more time…
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Author: 360 Technology Group
