Top 10 Chill Indie Games To Play
Nowadays we are literally spoiled for choice on what chill indie games to play. There are so many out there, sometimes it’s hard to choose! This list gives you some of the best picks over recent years that you may or may not have heard of!
Spiritfarer (2020)
Thunder Lotus Games reminds the player to cherish the simple things in life. Spiritfarer is a management and sandbox game where friends, memories and adventure are the most precious values. Ferrymaster Stella guides and befriends deceased spirits on their journey to the other side. You can build, cook, mine, farm and craft and visit many magical places. This wholesome game takes you through acceptance and gently letting go of those you care about. Many have described Spiritfarer to be soothing and emotionally healing. Certainly worth a play if you’re feeling a little gloomy. This game is available for Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One and PC.
Sky: Children of the Light (2019)
You may know of the success of adventure game Journey but Thatgamecompany introduced us to the open world social adventure of Sky: Children of the Light. It’s free to play from Google Play and the App Store and is heading to the Nintendo Switch very soon! You can take flight as a Skychild and explore wondrous and beautiful realms. The best thing about this game is that there are no time limits, no urgent quests, just you roaming free collecting candles to upgrade your flying skills, interactions and customise your Skychild. I personally love the social aspect, holding hands with my friends and flying with them in-game is one of the most heart-warming things about it!
ABZÛ (2016)
Yet another artistic offspring of Journey but developed by Giant Squid is Abzû. This exploration title has you discovering the gorgeous deep sea, uncovering the mysteries of forgotten ruins and swimming side by side with whales, dolphins and schools of vibrant fish. You also have the rewarding task of turning abandoned areas of the ocean spaces teaming with life! A vast underwater experience is just at your fingertips, available on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One and Steam. I don’t know about you but that sounds like a game to play on those cosy nights in!
A Short Hike (2019)
This game brings the outdoors indoors! Developer Adamgyru creates an experience where you can hike, climb and fly through serene mountain ranges. You play as a cute bird who can meet other friendly animal hikers on their journey as well as find secret treasures in this open world. The art style is really adorable and simplistic and reminds me of the charming nature of Animal Crossing. The best part is, you can explore, swim and fish at your own pace. This stress-relieving and tranquil adventure is available on Nintendo Switch and PC.
RiME (2017)
Exploring wildlife and nature without strictures of time certainly helps you to wind down from a busy day. RiME is a single-player adventure puzzler. You wake up on a mysterious island after getting caught up in a storm and now you must venture through the Mediterranean-inspired region, solve its many intricate puzzles and unlock its ancient secrets. All of this paired with a colourful artwork and a breath-taking soundtrack by David García Díaz just makes it feel epic yet soothing. This Zelda-esque experience by Tequila Works is available to play on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One and Steam.
Stardew Valley (2016)
Do you enjoy gardening, organising a farm or just the idea of a rural lifestyle? Then this choice of chill indie games might just be your cup of tea! Stardew Valley by ConcernedApe is a management RPG that lets you live a peaceful life away from the busy city from which you arrived. You can develop an abundant farm, start your own family, interact with locals, adventure out to discover new places and gather treasures and immerse yourself in simplistic but satisfying tasks like fishing and caring for animals. If you thought that sounded super wholesome, you can also customise your home and character. This opportunity to build your own paradise is playable on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC, Android and iOS.
GNOG (2017)
An award-winning toy-box puzzler with a quirky and colourful artstyle, GNOG sees you manipulating and solving musically-driven puzzles. The soundtrack is composed by Marsyke and each level introduces a new tune to bop along to. It’s playable on PS4, Steam and available on the App Store and there’s also the option to play in VR on the Playstation! The incorporation of the wacky and wonderful monster faces makes it all the more charming and eye-catching. It’s a creatively out-of-this-world playthrough to get lost in!
House Flipper (2018)
As far as chill indie games go, this one certainly brings the vibe. There’s nothing more satisfying than tidying a place up and decorating its interior. House Flipper allows you to materialise your dream house through cleaning, renovating, and eventually selling it to a client to help your business grow. You can implement everything from paint to electrics. It’s a blank canvas that you can turn into your own masterpiece. With downloadable content you can also renovate gardens, become a TV sensation (in-game of course!), create a Cyberpunk space and more! You can play this on PS4, Xbox One and Steam.
Cheeky Chooks (2018)
There can never be too many chickens. In Cheeky Chooks you must be the best chicken farmer you can be! You can organise your farm, upgrade production, hatch new chooks and watch them interact and socialise with each other. Let’s not forget the chook dance parties. They look like a lot of fun! It’s a light-hearted game from TrilumStudios with a nice slice of humour to it. It’s free to play from Steam, Google Play, the App Store and on PC.
Slime Rancher (2016)
I took one look at this game and loved the adorable, colourful and sci-fi vibes it had going on! This first-person, sandbox adventure sees you discovering all the weird and wonderful slimes from different biomes and habitats. Beatrix can collect the slimes, stock up on resources and farm crops to be the best in the slime ranching business. There are friendly slime, hostile slime, cat slime and utterly extraordinary slime! Its cuteness overload alone just makes it fun and cheerful. Slime Rancher is available to play on PS4, Xbox One and PC.
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