Best games
Best Indie games of 2011
The 32 best Indie games released in 2011, ranked from 10,511 critic and player ratings.
The best Indie game of 2011 is Bastion, with a critic score of 90/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 2011.
- 32 games are listed on this page, carrying 10,511 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 32
01
C
Bastion
A hack-and-slash RPG featuring a reactive narrator, various unlockable weapons, weapon upgrades, practice mini-games and optional difficulty modifiers, set in an imaginary world in the aftermath of an uncertain apocalypse, in which the player embodies a teenager with a troubled past as he and the narrator work together to rebuild the world out of a persisting hub called the Bastion.
90
/100
02
Frozen Synapse
Frozen Synapse is a thrilling PC, Mac, Linux and tablet (iOS/Android) strategy game. It brings the simultaneous turn-based strategy genre bang up-to-date and lets you give detailed, accurate orders to your squad. Classic gameplay with a modern interface!
85
/100
03
D
The Binding of Isaac
The Binding of Isaac is a randomly generated action RPG shooter with heavy rogue-like elements. Following Isaac on his journey players will find bizarre treasures that change Isaac's form giving him super human abilities and enabling him to fight off droves of mysterious creatures, discover secrets and fight his way to safety.
84
/100
C
Bastion
A hack-and-slash RPG featuring a reactive narrator, various unlockable weapons, weapon upgrades, practice mini-games and optional difficulty modifiers, set in an imaginary world in the aftermath of an uncertain apocalypse, in which the player embodies a teenager with a troubled past as he and the narrator work together to rebuild the world out of a persisting hub called the Bastion.
90
/100
02
Frozen Synapse
Frozen Synapse is a thrilling PC, Mac, Linux and tablet (iOS/Android) strategy game. It brings the simultaneous turn-based strategy genre bang up-to-date and lets you give detailed, accurate orders to your squad. Classic gameplay with a modern interface!
85
/100
03
D
The Binding of Isaac
The Binding of Isaac is a randomly generated action RPG shooter with heavy rogue-like elements. Following Isaac on his journey players will find bizarre treasures that change Isaac's form giving him super human abilities and enabling him to fight off droves of mysterious creatures, discover secrets and fight his way to safety.
84
/100
04
Orcs Must Die!
Orcs Must Die! is a strategy video game developed by Robot Entertainment. It is a Tower defense game that eschews the traditional top-down view of similar games, instead using a third-person action-oriented viewpoint.
83
/100
05
Universe Sandbox
83
/100
06
To the Moon
Join Dr. Rosalene and Dr. Watts as they enter a patient named Johnny's mind on his death bed to grant his final request. Watch, interact, and change the past as Johnny's life unfolds before you and takes you on a magical journey inside one's head that asks the greatest question of all: "What if...?" If you had the chance to relive your life, would you change things? Would you try to achieve some grand goal? Could you find love? Fame? Fortune? Or would you realize that sometimes the past is meant to stay the same. Join Dr. Rosalene and Watts on their journey and travel To The Moon.
83
/100
07
A
Terraria
Dig, Fight, Explore, Build: The very world is at your fingertips as you fight for survival, fortune, and glory. Will you delve deep into cavernous expanses in search of treasure and raw materials with which to craft ever-evolving gear, machinery, and aesthetics? Perhaps you will choose instead to seek out ever-greater foes to test your mettle in combat? Maybe you will decide to construct your own city to house the host of mysterious allies you may encounter along your travels? In the World of Terraria, the choice is yours!
81
/100
08
Rochard
Rochard is a game where manipulating gravity and using the G-Lifter (a gravity device used to easily move weighty objects around) are crucial elements for success. With the help of his sci-fi mining tools and taking advantage of the laws of physics, the protagonist John Rochard will carry you through a game packed with puzzles, action, humor, great music, excellent level design and a story rich of twists.
81
/100
09
Capsized
Capsized is a fast paced 2D platformer focused on intense action and exploration. As a intrepid space traveler, your ship has crash landed on a mysterious alien planet. You must navigate through the perilous environment and fight off blood-thirsty creatures to save your crewmates and escape with your lives!
80
/100
10
Dungeons of Dredmor
The roguelike games are back! Enter in this amazing adventure as an giant eyebrow boy or girl, your quest is defeat the Lord Dredmor and save the kingdom from the forces of dark! Each level is a floor randomly generate made of interconnected rooms, filled with monsters, traps, loot, and various objects. The game is based in turns and have a huge skill tree! u can combine 7 different skills to make your own combos and strategies, the resistance and damage systems are really great. The quest system is a bit different than the other games, u can pray to (approximate) 3 shiny statues per floor and they will give u missions (like defeating a boss of the same level of the floor or searching for secret items) and when u finish a quest you will get an artifact (special item).
79
/100
11
E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy
78
/100
12
Cthulhu Saves the World
78
/100
13
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP
77
/100
14
B
Kingdom Rush
75
/100
15
Atom Zombie Smasher
75
/100
16
Magicka
74
/100
17
Rock of Ages
74
/100
18
Edge
74
/100
19
Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken
74
/100
20
Space Pirates and Zombies
74
/100
21
Serious Sam 3: BFE
72
/100
22
DC Universe Online
72
/100
23
Sanctum
70
/100
24
Q.U.B.E.
69
/100
25
BEEP
68
/100
26
Serious Sam Double D XXL
67
/100
27
Gemini Rue
65
/100
28
Spiral Knights
64
/100
29
Serious Sam: The Random Encounter
64
/100
30
Hydrophobia: Prophecy
64
/100
31
Really Big Sky
60
/100
32
Dino D-Day
53
/100
Orcs Must Die!
Orcs Must Die! is a strategy video game developed by Robot Entertainment. It is a Tower defense game that eschews the traditional top-down view of similar games, instead using a third-person action-oriented viewpoint.
83
/100
05
Universe Sandbox
83
/100
06
To the Moon
Join Dr. Rosalene and Dr. Watts as they enter a patient named Johnny's mind on his death bed to grant his final request. Watch, interact, and change the past as Johnny's life unfolds before you and takes you on a magical journey inside one's head that asks the greatest question of all: "What if...?" If you had the chance to relive your life, would you change things? Would you try to achieve some grand goal? Could you find love? Fame? Fortune? Or would you realize that sometimes the past is meant to stay the same. Join Dr. Rosalene and Watts on their journey and travel To The Moon.
83
/100
07
A
Terraria
Dig, Fight, Explore, Build: The very world is at your fingertips as you fight for survival, fortune, and glory. Will you delve deep into cavernous expanses in search of treasure and raw materials with which to craft ever-evolving gear, machinery, and aesthetics? Perhaps you will choose instead to seek out ever-greater foes to test your mettle in combat? Maybe you will decide to construct your own city to house the host of mysterious allies you may encounter along your travels? In the World of Terraria, the choice is yours!
81
/100
08
Rochard
Rochard is a game where manipulating gravity and using the G-Lifter (a gravity device used to easily move weighty objects around) are crucial elements for success. With the help of his sci-fi mining tools and taking advantage of the laws of physics, the protagonist John Rochard will carry you through a game packed with puzzles, action, humor, great music, excellent level design and a story rich of twists.
81
/100
09
Capsized
Capsized is a fast paced 2D platformer focused on intense action and exploration. As a intrepid space traveler, your ship has crash landed on a mysterious alien planet. You must navigate through the perilous environment and fight off blood-thirsty creatures to save your crewmates and escape with your lives!
80
/100
10
Dungeons of Dredmor
The roguelike games are back! Enter in this amazing adventure as an giant eyebrow boy or girl, your quest is defeat the Lord Dredmor and save the kingdom from the forces of dark! Each level is a floor randomly generate made of interconnected rooms, filled with monsters, traps, loot, and various objects. The game is based in turns and have a huge skill tree! u can combine 7 different skills to make your own combos and strategies, the resistance and damage systems are really great. The quest system is a bit different than the other games, u can pray to (approximate) 3 shiny statues per floor and they will give u missions (like defeating a boss of the same level of the floor or searching for secret items) and when u finish a quest you will get an artifact (special item).
79
/100
11
E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy
78
/100
12
Cthulhu Saves the World
78
/100
13
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP
77
/100
14
B
Kingdom Rush
75
/100
15
Atom Zombie Smasher
75
/100
16
Magicka
74
/100
17
Rock of Ages
74
/100
18
Edge
74
/100
19
Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken
74
/100
20
Space Pirates and Zombies
74
/100
21
Serious Sam 3: BFE
72
/100
22
DC Universe Online
72
/100
23
Sanctum
70
/100
24
Q.U.B.E.
69
/100
25
BEEP
68
/100
26
Serious Sam Double D XXL
67
/100
27
Gemini Rue
65
/100
28
Spiral Knights
64
/100
29
Serious Sam: The Random Encounter
64
/100
30
Hydrophobia: Prophecy
64
/100
31
Really Big Sky
60
/100
32
Dino D-Day
53
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Indie game of 2011?
Bastion currently tops the ranking with a score of 90/100 across 742 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.