Best games
Best Indie games of 2023
The 12 best Indie games released in 2023, ranked from 1,398 critic and player ratings.
The best Indie game of 2023 is Planet of Lana, with a critic score of 93/100 — 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: 2023.
- 12 games are listed on this page, carrying 1,398 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 29 September 2026.
Top 12
01
Planet of Lana
A young girl and her loyal friend embark on a rescue mission through a colorful world full of cold machines and unfamiliar creatures. Planet of Lana is a cinematic puzzle adventure framed by an epic sci-fi saga that stretches across centuries and galaxies.
93
/100
02
Sea of Stars
Sea of Stars is a turn-based RPG inspired by the classics. Promising the Sabotage touch in every system, Sea of Stars aims to modernize the classic RPG in terms of turn-based combat, storytelling, exploration and interactions with the environment, while still offering a hearty slice of nostalgia and good old, simple fun.
90
/100
03
Cocoon
Cocoon is a puzzle adventure game developed by Geometric Interactive and published by Annapurna Interactive. Players control a small insect-like creature navigating interconnected worlds contained within orbs, solving environmental puzzles by carrying and using these orbs to manipulate space and progression.
89
/100
Planet of Lana
A young girl and her loyal friend embark on a rescue mission through a colorful world full of cold machines and unfamiliar creatures. Planet of Lana is a cinematic puzzle adventure framed by an epic sci-fi saga that stretches across centuries and galaxies.
93
/100
02
Sea of Stars
Sea of Stars is a turn-based RPG inspired by the classics. Promising the Sabotage touch in every system, Sea of Stars aims to modernize the classic RPG in terms of turn-based combat, storytelling, exploration and interactions with the environment, while still offering a hearty slice of nostalgia and good old, simple fun.
90
/100
03
Cocoon
Cocoon is a puzzle adventure game developed by Geometric Interactive and published by Annapurna Interactive. Players control a small insect-like creature navigating interconnected worlds contained within orbs, solving environmental puzzles by carrying and using these orbs to manipulate space and progression.
89
/100
04
Viewfinder
Viewfinder is a puzzle game where you can reshape the world around you by taking photos with an instant camera.
89
/100
05
Blasphemous II
The Penitent One awakens as Blasphemous 2 joins him once again in an endless struggle against The Miracle. Dive into a perilous new world filled with mysteries and secrets to discover, and tear your way through monstrous foes that stand between you and your quest to end the cycle one and for all.
89
/100
06
Jusant
Enjoy meditative vibes in Jusant, an action-puzzle climbing game. Scale an immeasurably tall tower and ascend to new heights alongside your watery companion. Master your climbing tools, find your way up through diverse biomes, and piece together the tower's past.
86
/100
07
Buckshot Roulette
Buckshot Roulette is a tabletop horror game that attempts to re-design the infamous game of Russian Roulette, replacing the traditional revolver with a proper 12-gauge pump-action shotgun. This extra firepower, and more importantly the different mechanics in handling a shotgun compared to a revolver, offers a fresh take on the classic and deadly game of chance. The game takes place at the top of an underground nightclub, where the metal railings tremble to the pulse of long lost drum machines. A crooked AI dealer is waiting for you. Will you meet them?
80
/100
08
Chants of Sennaar
In this game of adventure and enigmas where ancient languages are both the lock and the key, travel the endless steps of a prodigious labyrinth, multiply unexpected encounters and unveil the mysteries of a fantastic world inspired by the myth of Babel.
80
/100
09
S
Lethal Company
Lethal Company is a co-op horror roguelite game about scavenging at abandoned moons to sell scrap to the Company.
76
/100
10
Brotato
Brotato is a top-down arena shooter roguelite where you play a potato wielding up to 6 weapons at a time to fight off hordes of aliens.
74
/100
11
Bramble: The Mountain King
68
/100
12
20 Minutes Till Dawn
66
/100
Viewfinder
Viewfinder is a puzzle game where you can reshape the world around you by taking photos with an instant camera.
89
/100
05
Blasphemous II
The Penitent One awakens as Blasphemous 2 joins him once again in an endless struggle against The Miracle. Dive into a perilous new world filled with mysteries and secrets to discover, and tear your way through monstrous foes that stand between you and your quest to end the cycle one and for all.
89
/100
06
Jusant
Enjoy meditative vibes in Jusant, an action-puzzle climbing game. Scale an immeasurably tall tower and ascend to new heights alongside your watery companion. Master your climbing tools, find your way up through diverse biomes, and piece together the tower's past.
86
/100
07
Buckshot Roulette
Buckshot Roulette is a tabletop horror game that attempts to re-design the infamous game of Russian Roulette, replacing the traditional revolver with a proper 12-gauge pump-action shotgun. This extra firepower, and more importantly the different mechanics in handling a shotgun compared to a revolver, offers a fresh take on the classic and deadly game of chance. The game takes place at the top of an underground nightclub, where the metal railings tremble to the pulse of long lost drum machines. A crooked AI dealer is waiting for you. Will you meet them?
80
/100
08
Chants of Sennaar
In this game of adventure and enigmas where ancient languages are both the lock and the key, travel the endless steps of a prodigious labyrinth, multiply unexpected encounters and unveil the mysteries of a fantastic world inspired by the myth of Babel.
80
/100
09
S
Lethal Company
Lethal Company is a co-op horror roguelite game about scavenging at abandoned moons to sell scrap to the Company.
76
/100
10
Brotato
Brotato is a top-down arena shooter roguelite where you play a potato wielding up to 6 weapons at a time to fight off hordes of aliens.
74
/100
11
Bramble: The Mountain King
68
/100
12
20 Minutes Till Dawn
66
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Indie game of 2023?
Planet of Lana currently tops the ranking with a score of 93/100 across 138 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.