Best games
Best Indie games of 2018
The 79 best Indie games released in 2018, ranked from 17,456 critic and player ratings.
The best Indie game of 2018 is Return of the Obra Dinn, with a critic score of 95/100 — 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: 2018.
- 50 games are listed on this page, carrying 17,456 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 50
01
Return of the Obra Dinn
In this 1-bit first-person mystery game, a merchant ship called the Obra Dinn has appeared at a London harbor, years after being declared lost at sea. As an insurance adjuster, the player must examine the ship for clues.
95
/100
02
Superfighters Deluxe
Superfighters Deluxe is a multiplayer 2D action game where little flat-headed men fight to the death in small and highly destructible arenas. Surviving each round takes skill, strategy and luck.
93
/100
03
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. G.A.M.M.A.
G.A.M.M.A. stands for Grok's Automated Modular Modpack for Anomaly. G.A.M.M.A. aims at providing a balanced survival, scavenging, cooking, crafting and repairing focused experience with a long progression and smooth gameplay. The main motivation behind this project is to provide an easy to install, automatically updated and modular modding platform for Stalker Anomaly, with base parameters and gameplay mechanics setup to create a meaningful and enjoyable sense of progression.
91
/100
Return of the Obra Dinn
In this 1-bit first-person mystery game, a merchant ship called the Obra Dinn has appeared at a London harbor, years after being declared lost at sea. As an insurance adjuster, the player must examine the ship for clues.
95
/100
02
Superfighters Deluxe
Superfighters Deluxe is a multiplayer 2D action game where little flat-headed men fight to the death in small and highly destructible arenas. Surviving each round takes skill, strategy and luck.
93
/100
03
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. G.A.M.M.A.
G.A.M.M.A. stands for Grok's Automated Modular Modpack for Anomaly. G.A.M.M.A. aims at providing a balanced survival, scavenging, cooking, crafting and repairing focused experience with a long progression and smooth gameplay. The main motivation behind this project is to provide an easy to install, automatically updated and modular modding platform for Stalker Anomaly, with base parameters and gameplay mechanics setup to create a meaningful and enjoyable sense of progression.
91
/100
04
A
Celeste
Help Madeline survive her inner demons on her journey to the top of Celeste Mountain, in this super-tight platformer from the creators of TowerFall. Brave hundreds of hand-crafted challenges, uncover devious secrets, and piece together the mystery of the mountain.
91
/100
05
Into the Breach
The remnants of human civilization are threatened by gigantic creatures breeding beneath the earth. You must control powerful mechs from the future to hold off this alien threat. Each attempt to save the world presents a new randomly generated challenge in this turn-based strategy game from the makers of FTL.
90
/100
06
Dusk
Battle through an onslaught of mystical backwater cultists, possessed militants and even darker forces as you attempt to discover just what lurks beneath the earth in this retro FPS inspired by all your 90's favorites. Featuring a full single player campaign, endless survival mode and classic arena multiplayer.
90
/100
07
Mark of the Ninja: Remastered
In Mark of the Ninja, you'll know what it is to truly be a ninja. You must be silent, agile and clever to outwit your opponents in a world of gorgeous scenery and flowing animation. Marked with cursed tattoos giving you heightened senses, every situation presents you with options. Will you be an unknown, invisible ghost, or a brutal, silent assassin? Upgrade new tools and techniques that suit your playstyle and complete optional objectives to unlock entirely new ways to approach the game. Finish the main story to unlock a New Game Plus mode with even more options and challenges.
89
/100
08
A
Dead Cells
Dead Cells is a rogue-lite, metroidvania inspired, action-platformer. You'll explore a sprawling, ever-changing castle... assuming you’re able to fight your way past its keepers in 2D souls-lite combat. No checkpoints. Kill, die, learn, repeat.
88
/100
09
Touhou Luna Nights
Touhou Luna Night's is a 2D search action (Metroidvania) video game. After creating many action games, this is a new project from Team Ladybug.
88
/100
10
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice VR Edition
The VR Edition of the critically acclaimed BAFTA award-winning Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. From the makers of Heavenly Sword, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and DmC: Devil May Cry, comes a warrior’s brutal journey into myth and madness. Set in the Viking age, a broken Celtic warrior embarks on a haunting vision quest into Viking Hell to fight for the soul of her dead lover.
87
/100
11
Two Point Hospital
87
/100
12
D
The Forest
86
/100
13
Iconoclasts
86
/100
14
Florence
86
/100
15
Frostpunk
85
/100
16
Beat Saber
85
/100
17
Yoku's Island Express
84
/100
18
The Messenger
84
/100
19
FAR: Lone Sails
84
/100
20
F1 2018
84
/100
21
Moss
84
/100
22
Guacamelee! 2
84
/100
23
A
Subnautica
83
/100
24
The Banner Saga 3
83
/100
25
Atom RPG
83
/100
26
Moonlighter
82
/100
27
Among Us
82
/100
28
Gris
81
/100
29
CrossCode
81
/100
30
Warhammer: Vermintide 2
81
/100
31
Overcooked! 2
80
/100
32
Donut County
80
/100
33
The Red Strings Club
80
/100
34
Regions Of Ruin
80
/100
35
Radical Heights
80
/100
36
Forgotton Anne
80
/100
37
Laser League
79
/100
38
Northgard
79
/100
39
Wreckfest
79
/100
40
The Gardens Between
79
/100
41
Horizon Chase Turbo
78
/100
42
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon
78
/100
43
Green Hell
78
/100
44
Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle
78
/100
45
Minit
78
/100
46
Wizard of Legend
77
/100
47
Ashen
77
/100
48
Ghost of a Tale
77
/100
49
Beholder 2
76
/100
50
Aegis Defenders
76
/100
A
Celeste
Help Madeline survive her inner demons on her journey to the top of Celeste Mountain, in this super-tight platformer from the creators of TowerFall. Brave hundreds of hand-crafted challenges, uncover devious secrets, and piece together the mystery of the mountain.
91
/100
05
Into the Breach
The remnants of human civilization are threatened by gigantic creatures breeding beneath the earth. You must control powerful mechs from the future to hold off this alien threat. Each attempt to save the world presents a new randomly generated challenge in this turn-based strategy game from the makers of FTL.
90
/100
06
Dusk
Battle through an onslaught of mystical backwater cultists, possessed militants and even darker forces as you attempt to discover just what lurks beneath the earth in this retro FPS inspired by all your 90's favorites. Featuring a full single player campaign, endless survival mode and classic arena multiplayer.
90
/100
07
Mark of the Ninja: Remastered
In Mark of the Ninja, you'll know what it is to truly be a ninja. You must be silent, agile and clever to outwit your opponents in a world of gorgeous scenery and flowing animation. Marked with cursed tattoos giving you heightened senses, every situation presents you with options. Will you be an unknown, invisible ghost, or a brutal, silent assassin? Upgrade new tools and techniques that suit your playstyle and complete optional objectives to unlock entirely new ways to approach the game. Finish the main story to unlock a New Game Plus mode with even more options and challenges.
89
/100
08
A
Dead Cells
Dead Cells is a rogue-lite, metroidvania inspired, action-platformer. You'll explore a sprawling, ever-changing castle... assuming you’re able to fight your way past its keepers in 2D souls-lite combat. No checkpoints. Kill, die, learn, repeat.
88
/100
09
Touhou Luna Nights
Touhou Luna Night's is a 2D search action (Metroidvania) video game. After creating many action games, this is a new project from Team Ladybug.
88
/100
10
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice VR Edition
The VR Edition of the critically acclaimed BAFTA award-winning Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. From the makers of Heavenly Sword, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and DmC: Devil May Cry, comes a warrior’s brutal journey into myth and madness. Set in the Viking age, a broken Celtic warrior embarks on a haunting vision quest into Viking Hell to fight for the soul of her dead lover.
87
/100
11
Two Point Hospital
87
/100
12
D
The Forest
86
/100
13
Iconoclasts
86
/100
14
Florence
86
/100
15
Frostpunk
85
/100
16
Beat Saber
85
/100
17
Yoku's Island Express
84
/100
18
The Messenger
84
/100
19
FAR: Lone Sails
84
/100
20
F1 2018
84
/100
21
Moss
84
/100
22
Guacamelee! 2
84
/100
23
A
Subnautica
83
/100
24
The Banner Saga 3
83
/100
25
Atom RPG
83
/100
26
Moonlighter
82
/100
27
Among Us
82
/100
28
Gris
81
/100
29
CrossCode
81
/100
30
Warhammer: Vermintide 2
81
/100
31
Overcooked! 2
80
/100
32
Donut County
80
/100
33
The Red Strings Club
80
/100
34
Regions Of Ruin
80
/100
35
Radical Heights
80
/100
36
Forgotton Anne
80
/100
37
Laser League
79
/100
38
Northgard
79
/100
39
Wreckfest
79
/100
40
The Gardens Between
79
/100
41
Horizon Chase Turbo
78
/100
42
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon
78
/100
43
Green Hell
78
/100
44
Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle
78
/100
45
Minit
78
/100
46
Wizard of Legend
77
/100
47
Ashen
77
/100
48
Ghost of a Tale
77
/100
49
Beholder 2
76
/100
50
Aegis Defenders
76
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Indie game of 2018?
Return of the Obra Dinn currently tops the ranking with a score of 95/100 across 476 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.