Best games
Best Indie games of 2012
The 55 best Indie games released in 2012, ranked from 14,849 critic and player ratings.
The best Indie game of 2012 is Journey, with a critic score of 94/100 — 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: 2012.
- 50 games are listed on this page, carrying 14,849 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 29 September 2026.
Top 50
01
Journey
A third-person adventure game in which the player, controlling a robed figure, makes a pilgrimage through a desert landscape to a rugged mountain with a beacon of light in the distance while uncovering the history of their people, rescuing and cooperating with friendly creatures, avoiding predatory ones and communicating with other travelers.
94
/100
02
Mark of the Ninja
Mark of the Ninja is a side-scrolling action stealth video game developed by Klei Entertainment and published by Microsoft Studios. It was announced on February 28, 2012 and later released for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade on September 7, 2012. A Microsoft Windows version was released on October 16, 2012. It follows the story of a nameless ninja in the present day, and features a themed conflict between ancient ninja tradition and modern technology. Cutscenes for the game are rendered in Saturday morning cartoon animation style.
91
/100
03
Spelunky
Spelunky (also known as Spelunky HD) is a remake of Spelunky (now known as Spelunky Classic), an open source indie platformer video game created by Derek Yu and originally released as freeware for Microsoft Windows. The player controls a spelunker who explores a series of caves while collecting treasure, saving damsels, fighting enemies and dodging traps. The caves are procedurally generated, making each run through the game unique. Spelunky is one of the first examples of a roguelike-like, borrowing concepts from the roguelike genre, and was the influence for many later roguelike-like games.
90
/100
Journey
A third-person adventure game in which the player, controlling a robed figure, makes a pilgrimage through a desert landscape to a rugged mountain with a beacon of light in the distance while uncovering the history of their people, rescuing and cooperating with friendly creatures, avoiding predatory ones and communicating with other travelers.
94
/100
02
Mark of the Ninja
Mark of the Ninja is a side-scrolling action stealth video game developed by Klei Entertainment and published by Microsoft Studios. It was announced on February 28, 2012 and later released for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade on September 7, 2012. A Microsoft Windows version was released on October 16, 2012. It follows the story of a nameless ninja in the present day, and features a themed conflict between ancient ninja tradition and modern technology. Cutscenes for the game are rendered in Saturday morning cartoon animation style.
91
/100
03
Spelunky
Spelunky (also known as Spelunky HD) is a remake of Spelunky (now known as Spelunky Classic), an open source indie platformer video game created by Derek Yu and originally released as freeware for Microsoft Windows. The player controls a spelunker who explores a series of caves while collecting treasure, saving damsels, fighting enemies and dodging traps. The caves are procedurally generated, making each run through the game unique. Spelunky is one of the first examples of a roguelike-like, borrowing concepts from the roguelike genre, and was the influence for many later roguelike-like games.
90
/100
04
Thirty Flights of Loving
Explore the world of Thirty Flights of Loving through a first-person short story. In this sequel to Gravity Bone, take a deep dive with high-flying schemers, lovelorn criminals, and more stray kittens than you can shake a stick at. Saddle up, gunslinger.
88
/100
05
S
Euro Truck Simulator 2
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is a vehicle simulation game and a direct sequel to the 2008 game Euro Truck Simulator. Travel across Europe as king of the road, a trucker who delivers important cargo across impressive distances! With dozens of cities to explore from the UK, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and many more, your endurance, skill and speed will all be pushed to their limits. If you’ve got what it takes to be part of an elite trucking force, get behind the wheel and prove it!
88
/100
06
A
Hotline Miami
A top-down slasher/shooter with unlockable gameplay-altering masks and weapons, featuring a neon-flavoured electronic aesthetic, in which a hitman receives anonymous calls ordering him to travel to certain residences and crime dens and massacre those within, as he stumbles through unreal visions and inconsistencies without any answers to how, why or who.
86
/100
07
Torchlight II
Torchlight II features randomly generated dungeons and numerous types of monsters to fight for loot. Torchlight II is an action RPG as its predecessor, but features overland areas with multiple hub towns, and a longer campaign. Players are able to customize character appearance with choice of sex, face, hair style and hair color. Additionally, several elements from the first game return, such as pets and fishing. The game features four playable character classes. Each class has 3 skill trees to choose from which enable customization within each class.
86
/100
08
Fez
Gomez is a 2D creature living in a 2D world. Or is he? When the existence of a mysterious 3rd dimension is revealed to him, Gomez is sent out on a journey that will take him to the very end of time and space. Use your ability to navigate 3D structures from 4 distinct classic 2D perspectives. Explore a serene and beautiful open-ended world full of secrets, puzzles and hidden treasures. Unearth the mysteries of the past and discover the truth about reality and perception. Change your perspective and look at the world in a different way.
86
/100
09
FTL: Faster Than Light
In FTL you experience the atmosphere of running a spaceship trying to save the galaxy. It's a dangerous mission, with every encounter presenting a unique challenge with multiple solutions. What will you do if a heavy missile barrage shuts down your shields? Reroute all power to the engines in an attempt to escape, power up additional weapons to blow your enemy out of the sky, or take the fight to them with a boarding party? This "spaceship simulation roguelike-like" allows you to take your ship and crew on an adventure through a randomly generated galaxy filled with glory and bitter defeat.
84
/100
10
Super Hexagon
Super Hexagon is a minimal action game by Terry Cavanagh, with music by Chipzel.
83
/100
11
Orcs Must Die! 2
83
/100
12
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
82
/100
13
Legend of Grimrock
82
/100
14
Botanicula
82
/100
15
Realm of the Mad God
82
/100
16
Dust: An Elysian Tail
82
/100
17
Joe Danger 2: The Movie
82
/100
18
The Cat Lady
81
/100
19
Game Dev Tycoon
80
/100
20
Natural Selection 2
80
/100
21
Chaos on Deponia
80
/100
22
Cry of Fear
80
/100
23
Chivalry: Medieval Warfare
79
/100
24
Cook, Serve, Delicious!
79
/100
25
Skullgirls
79
/100
26
Deadlight
78
/100
27
Awesomenauts
78
/100
28
Thomas Was Alone
77
/100
29
Sine Mora
77
/100
30
The Unfinished Swan
77
/100
31
Katawa Shoujo
76
/100
32
McPixel
76
/100
33
Super MNC
76
/100
34
Shoot Many Robots
75
/100
35
The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav
75
/100
36
Nihilumbra
75
/100
37
Deponia
74
/100
38
They Bleed Pixels
74
/100
39
Organ Trail: Director's Cut
73
/100
40
The Room
73
/100
41
Hard Reset Extended Edition
73
/100
42
Titan Attacks!
73
/100
43
Dear Esther
72
/100
44
A New Beginning - Final Cut
72
/100
45
Double Dragon: Neon
71
/100
46
King Oddball
71
/100
47
Papo & Yo
70
/100
48
Home
69
/100
49
Receiver
69
/100
50
Long Live The Queen
67
/100
Thirty Flights of Loving
Explore the world of Thirty Flights of Loving through a first-person short story. In this sequel to Gravity Bone, take a deep dive with high-flying schemers, lovelorn criminals, and more stray kittens than you can shake a stick at. Saddle up, gunslinger.
88
/100
05
S
Euro Truck Simulator 2
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is a vehicle simulation game and a direct sequel to the 2008 game Euro Truck Simulator. Travel across Europe as king of the road, a trucker who delivers important cargo across impressive distances! With dozens of cities to explore from the UK, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and many more, your endurance, skill and speed will all be pushed to their limits. If you’ve got what it takes to be part of an elite trucking force, get behind the wheel and prove it!
88
/100
06
A
Hotline Miami
A top-down slasher/shooter with unlockable gameplay-altering masks and weapons, featuring a neon-flavoured electronic aesthetic, in which a hitman receives anonymous calls ordering him to travel to certain residences and crime dens and massacre those within, as he stumbles through unreal visions and inconsistencies without any answers to how, why or who.
86
/100
07
Torchlight II
Torchlight II features randomly generated dungeons and numerous types of monsters to fight for loot. Torchlight II is an action RPG as its predecessor, but features overland areas with multiple hub towns, and a longer campaign. Players are able to customize character appearance with choice of sex, face, hair style and hair color. Additionally, several elements from the first game return, such as pets and fishing. The game features four playable character classes. Each class has 3 skill trees to choose from which enable customization within each class.
86
/100
08
Fez
Gomez is a 2D creature living in a 2D world. Or is he? When the existence of a mysterious 3rd dimension is revealed to him, Gomez is sent out on a journey that will take him to the very end of time and space. Use your ability to navigate 3D structures from 4 distinct classic 2D perspectives. Explore a serene and beautiful open-ended world full of secrets, puzzles and hidden treasures. Unearth the mysteries of the past and discover the truth about reality and perception. Change your perspective and look at the world in a different way.
86
/100
09
FTL: Faster Than Light
In FTL you experience the atmosphere of running a spaceship trying to save the galaxy. It's a dangerous mission, with every encounter presenting a unique challenge with multiple solutions. What will you do if a heavy missile barrage shuts down your shields? Reroute all power to the engines in an attempt to escape, power up additional weapons to blow your enemy out of the sky, or take the fight to them with a boarding party? This "spaceship simulation roguelike-like" allows you to take your ship and crew on an adventure through a randomly generated galaxy filled with glory and bitter defeat.
84
/100
10
Super Hexagon
Super Hexagon is a minimal action game by Terry Cavanagh, with music by Chipzel.
83
/100
11
Orcs Must Die! 2
83
/100
12
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
82
/100
13
Legend of Grimrock
82
/100
14
Botanicula
82
/100
15
Realm of the Mad God
82
/100
16
Dust: An Elysian Tail
82
/100
17
Joe Danger 2: The Movie
82
/100
18
The Cat Lady
81
/100
19
Game Dev Tycoon
80
/100
20
Natural Selection 2
80
/100
21
Chaos on Deponia
80
/100
22
Cry of Fear
80
/100
23
Chivalry: Medieval Warfare
79
/100
24
Cook, Serve, Delicious!
79
/100
25
Skullgirls
79
/100
26
Deadlight
78
/100
27
Awesomenauts
78
/100
28
Thomas Was Alone
77
/100
29
Sine Mora
77
/100
30
The Unfinished Swan
77
/100
31
Katawa Shoujo
76
/100
32
McPixel
76
/100
33
Super MNC
76
/100
34
Shoot Many Robots
75
/100
35
The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav
75
/100
36
Nihilumbra
75
/100
37
Deponia
74
/100
38
They Bleed Pixels
74
/100
39
Organ Trail: Director's Cut
73
/100
40
The Room
73
/100
41
Hard Reset Extended Edition
73
/100
42
Titan Attacks!
73
/100
43
Dear Esther
72
/100
44
A New Beginning - Final Cut
72
/100
45
Double Dragon: Neon
71
/100
46
King Oddball
71
/100
47
Papo & Yo
70
/100
48
Home
69
/100
49
Receiver
69
/100
50
Long Live The Queen
67
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Indie game of 2012?
Journey currently tops the ranking with a score of 94/100 across 1,142 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.