30 PS5, PS4 Indie Games to Watch Out for in 2024

Animal Well (PS5)

The first game to be published by Bigmode, videogamedunkey's new indie label, Animal Well has always looked super intriguing. The game places you inside a mysterious, non-linear labyrinth, and it's up to you to explore it and uncover its myriad secrets. You'll meet lots of unusual creatures along the way, and not all of them are friendly. It blends pixel art with modern lighting and rendering techniques, resulting in a gorgeous visual style. Its unsettling atmosphere and strange world are what have us most excited to delve deep into this one.

As Dusk Falls (PS5)

Initially released as an Xbox console exclusive in 2022, As Dusk Falls is making the leap to PS5 and PS4, and it looks like it'll be well worth checking out. This is an interactive drama adventure in a similar vein to the work of Quantic Dream or Supermassive Games. Telling the interweaving stories of two families across 30 years, this is a game where your choices steer the story. Released to strong reviews and playable solo or in co-op, this one looks to be a sure-fire winner.

Baby Steps (PS5)

Another oddity from Devolver Digital, Baby Steps looks brilliantly bonkers. Telling the story of a slacker forced to get moving, you control the character's legs independently as you traverse tricky terrain. If you're not laughing at all the slips and falls you'll undoubtedly make, the dialogue may do the trick — seemingly heavily improvised nonsense chatter in cutscenes that break up the action. We can't wait to be equally bemused, frustrated, and delighted by this strange game.

Cat Quest: Pirates of the Purribean (PS5)

The Cat Quest series is quietly very good, and very popular. The announcement of a furred third entry comes as no real surprise, but it'll almost certainly be a delightful experience. These games are simple but engaging action RPGs, and this threequel puts a pirate-themed spin on things, letting you sail the waters between land masses and fire cannons at your foes. If you want a breezy, fun RPG to tackle (and love cats), we can't think of a game more guaranteed to deliver.

Crow Country (PS5)

From the makers of Tangle Tower comes something quite different in Crow Country. Inspired by early survival horror games (and the eerie atmosphere of PS1-era, low-poly visuals), this dimly lit adventure looks suitably atmospheric. Much like Resident Evil, it appears there's a combination of environmental puzzles to solve and nightmarish creatures to dispatch. You can actually give it a try right now with a playable demo on PS Store.

Despelote (PS5)

Despelote is a truly unique and fascinating-looking game. Set in early noughties Ecuador, the country's love for football drives this narrative adventure in a period where it's building up to qualifying for the World Cup. With its stylish aesthetic combining real photos of the country's capital, Quito, with black and white illustrations, you can freely explore the city, interacting with its people and kicking around a ball in first-person. Whether you're interested in the sport or not, Despelote looks like it'll have an interesting and human tale to tell.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (PS5)

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes enjoyed one of Kickstarter's most successful video game campaigns ever, and although it feels like we've been waiting an age for this adventure to finally arrive, there's real reason to be excited if you're a fan of traditional Japanese RPGs. Billed as a spiritual successor to the classic Suikoden games, Hundred Heroes has turn-based battles and a huge cast of characters. This one's got a bit of a legacy to live up to, then, but everything we've seen of the project so far has looked tip top.

Flock (PS5)

If you're after something chill, Flock looks like it'll be perfect for that. Developed by the team that brought us Hohokum and I Am Dead, this gentle solo/co-op adventure has you flying through an open world on the back of a giant bird, finding strange creatures, and bringing them into your flock. Floating sheep can also be found, and you can use their wool to create new customisation items. It's a game all about cataloguing and befriending weird and wonderful animals, and all delivered with a colourful, picture book aesthetic. This will be lovely.

Ghost Bike (PS5)

We don't know a whole lot about Ghost Bike yet, but what we do know is that it's the next game from Messhof, the team behind the Nidhogg series. It looks like a huge departure for the studio, judging by the announcement trailer. You play as a cyclist on a mission to bring back the titular Ghost Bikes, a gang of couriers who could ride between the lands of the living and the dead. It's a great premise, and we're really into the style shown in the trailer. Hopefully we'll see more soon.

Harold Halibut (PS5)

There's a timelessness and tactility to claymation that means it's nearly always appealing, but it's rare to see much of it in video games. In steps Harold Halibut, a game created using hand-built sets and clay models, all 3D-scanned into the digital realm to give this unusual sci-fi adventure an incredible visual flair. Trapped in a fallen spacecraft at the bottom of an alien ocean, this game combines its great presentation with a unique premise, and we can't wait to dive in and see what mysteries lurk in its depths.

Hauntii (PS5)

You'll not have seen a twin-stick shooter quite like Hauntii before. It swaps out the usual frantic pace for something much more mellow. Playing as a ghost in the afterlife, you'll be engaging in some combat, but there's a whole illustrated world to explore, lots of puzzles to solve, and plenty of characters to meet. With its great presentation and plenty of secrets to uncover about the protagonist's past life, there's a lot of promise here.

Hollow Knight: Silksong (PS5)

Now, obviously, this has been hotly anticipated for a long time, and there's technically no confirmation it'll be out in 2024, but we couldn't exclude Hollow Knight: Silksong, right? The follow-up to one of the most beloved indie games in recent memory, we've seen precious little of this side-scrolling action title, but it'll almost certainly be fantastic. Team Cherry earned a lot of love and trust with the original Hollow Knight, and we've little doubt it'll deliver another brilliant and brutal Metroidvania to master. Surely it'll be out this year?

Holstin (PS5)

Horror is a space in which we're always seeing innovative new ideas, and Holstin's perspective-switching goodness gives it a unique hook. Most of the time, the game has a top-down viewpoint as you explore its 90s Poland setting, but when you're engaging in combat, aiming your weapon brings the camera right into a third-person, over-the-shoulder view. It's a seamless transition, too — impressive given the meticulous pixel art in both perspectives. If you're into survival horror, this will be one to watch.

Mina the Hollower (PS5)

Yacht Club Games made a huge splash with Shovel Knight, and while it's been busy publishing a handful of other games in the years since, Mina the Hollower is its next major effort. Inspired by action adventures on the Game Boy Color, this cute, gothic-themed title has you playing as a mouse that can burrow beneath the ground and much more in her fight against evil. It looks to be authentic to its inspiration, albeit with modern touches, in much the same way as Shovel Knight, and will no doubt be just as responsive and charming too.

Neva (PS5)

Neva is the next game from the creators of GRIS, and looks to be similarly emotive. Gorgeous, painterly visuals and no doubt a heartbreaking soundtrack will frame this side-scrolling adventure. Even the reveal trailer, which depicts a struggle against an unknown corruption, is enough to put lumps in throats. We're ready to be devastated by this one.

No Rest for the Wicked (PS5)

Moon Studios previously made the Ori games, a pair of beloved and beautiful action platformers that never made it to PlayStation. Its next game, No Rest for the Wicked, will be making it to Sony's consoles, though it appears to be something very different. Described as a "precision" action RPG, the game casts you as a warrior fighting against a plague that's devastating the kingdom. With political unrest boiling in the background, this game looks to tell a mature story while testing your skills in brutal combat.

Open Roads (PS5)

This one's been cooking for a while. Announced just over three years ago, Open Roads is a narrative-focused adventure game about a mother-daughter road trip. Developed by the makers of Gone Home, this title explores the pair's relationship as they seek out their family's history. With Hollywood talent involved and a lovely illustrated look, this has all the ingredients to deliver something great. Thankfully, there's not much longer to wait.

Pacific Drive (PS5)

Pacific Drive is a really unique concoction that we're dying to take for a spin. Set within an exclusion zone full of supernatural oddities, you have only your trusty, banged-up station wagon for company (and protection). Roguelike elements mean you'll be venturing out into the dangerous unknown in search of materials and spare parts, then making repairs and upgrades to your car in the garage. The gameplay loop seems tight, the world looks delightfully spooky, and we can't wait to uncover all this game's secrets.

Paper Trail (PS5)

One look at this game's trailer and you'll see its entire concept unfold. Paper Trail is a puzzle adventure in which you guide your character through a paper world, folding it in on itself to create new pathways. We're quite taken by this game's peaceful atmosphere and inventive design — hopefully it can keep evolving the idea throughout its duration.

Parcel Corps (PS5)

If you can't wait for SEGA's revival of Jet Set Radio or Crazy Taxi, there's always the upcoming Parcel Corps. This game looks like it's combining the two, sort of; playing as a bike courier, you're tasked with cycling through a stylised city, pulling off sick tricks and aiming to deliver packages to your clients. We've not seen much gameplay so far, but if it can pull off what it's trying to do, this could be a real charmer, especially for those with a soft spot for old school SEGA.

Penny's Big Breakaway (PS5)

While the team behind Sonic Mania delivered a fantastic 2D platformer for SEGA, many of them are now working on Penny's Big Breakaway — a three-dimensional original IP. This colourful platformer has you using a sentient yo-yo to get around and ward off legions of enemy penguins, and while it sounds mad, it really does look delightful in motion. If fluid movement and old school charm are your cup of tea, this should be high on your list.

Planet of Lana (PS5)

Another Xbox console exclusive making the jump to PlayStation, Planet of Lana looks like a wonderful adventure. As the world faces a hostile alien invasion, it's up to you to rescue Lana's abducted sibling, and that means exploring the gorgeous world and solving environmental puzzles with feline companion Mui. Highly acclaimed and evoking strong Playdead vibes, we're keen to see what all the fuss is about with this picturesque adventure.

PlateUp! (PS5)

A cult hit on PC, PlateUp! is a roguelite cooking/restaurant-running game playable alone or in co-op. Preparing meals in the kitchen is only half the battle here — you'll also need to deliver food to your customers in good time, keep the place clean, and most importantly, upgrade your equipment as your eatery grows steadily more successful. This looks like it should be lots of fun, especially with a couple of pals, and it's just around the corner on consoles.

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Plate Up! (PS5)

• $39.99
• £29.95
• Amazon (UK)

Still Wakes the Deep (PS5)

The Chinese Room, the team that brought us Dear Esther and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, is lining up another creepy first-person adventure with Still Wakes the Deep. Set entirely on an oil rig in the North Sea, an otherworldly horror is wreaking havoc, and you'll need to survive as the structure falls apart around you. It looks incredibly atmospheric, and frankly, we're surprised a spooky game on an oil rig hasn't been done like this before. There's no shortage of good horror these days, but this has the potential to stand out.

Sword of the Sea (PS5)

Technically not confirmed for 2024, but it's our list, and Sword of the Sea looks excellent. Developed by Giant Squid of ABZÛ and The Pathless fame, this looks to be very much in the same vein. You'll be riding the Hoversword over endless sand dunes as you aim to restore life to the world — but you can also pull off cool tricks along the way. It looks super fluid and fun to play, and when paired with a soundtrack from Austin Wintory, we expect this to be fantastic. Here's hoping it does emerge this year.

Thank Goodness You're Here! (PS5)

Any game that's announced with a trailer set to Lily the Pink will certainly get our attention, and fortunately, Thank Goodness You're Here is looking brilliant. Starring a little man visiting an English town on business, he arrives early and so gets involved with all the locals. Full of bonkers British humour, the game is all about interacting with the residents and helping them with their tasks, which look to only get more outlandish as the game goes on. If it can keep the laughs coming throughout, this could be a corker.

The Mermaid's Tongue (PS5)

Tangle Tower is an enjoyable puzzle adventure, and its dual protagonists return with another mystery on their hands in The Mermaid's Tongue. Following a similar gameplay template to the last game, this is all about exploring a strange submarine, going from room to room in search of clues to a murder. As you go, you'll be solving puzzles and talking to people in your quest for the truth. We imagine this will be just as fun as Grimoire and Sally's last case when it launches on PS5 and PS4.

The Plucky Squire (PS5)

We'd have been perfectly happy if The Plucky Squire was simply a side-scrolling storybook action adventure, as it appears to be as its debut trailer begins, but it quickly shifts gears to become something more. While you'll spend some of the game within the pages of protagonist Jot's flat world, he can also pop out of it at set points and explore a fully 3D environment in the "real" world. This combination is something we've not seen much of before, if ever, and it's all delivered with oodles of charm. We're excited to see how this creative idea manifests in the finished game.

The Rise of the Golden Idol (PS5)

The Rise of the Golden Idol is the sequel to The Case of the Golden Idol. It's worth mentioning this because the first game actually isn't on PlayStation at all — but the follow-up is confirmed for Sony's systems. What you're getting here is a string of mysteries to solve, piecing together what happened using words and clues from the environment. The original is highly acclaimed, and we expect The Rise of the Golden Idol will be just as good.

Ultros (PS5)

Artist El Huervo contributed to the trippy visuals of Hotline Miami, and has delved even deeper for Ultros. This psychedelic sci-fi adventure looks amazing, with vivid colours and unusual shapes giving the game's setting, The Sarcophagus, a truly alien feel. You'll explore this space station to solve all its mysteries, defending yourself in combat and growing plant life to aid your adventures. If it can back up those striking visuals with snappy gameplay, this could be something special.

Ultros: Deluxe Edition (PS5)

• $39.99
• £34.99 £30.95
• Amazon (UK)