Best Indie Video Game Franchise, Ranked

Summary

  • Chzo Mythos has four classic horror adventure games that are free to download and offer classic point-and-click gameplay.

  • Known for its horror and gore, the Outlast series offers players a shocking and immersive gaming experience in nightmarish institutions.

  • Five Nights at Freddy's is a detailed franchise with lore and animatronics that haunt players, making it a jumpscare fest loved by many devoted fans.

Indie video games have become all the rage, allowing startup developers with limited resources to showcase creative titles that fans will love for their novelty. Some of the best indie games have state-of-the-art gameplay that has even influenced games in the AAA realm.

Sometimes some indie games are such a joy to play through that they spawn some beloved franchises within games. No matter how popular these franchises may be, fans will have a great time experiencing these series' brilliant stories and gameplay loops.

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Franchises will be ranked based on their overall quality and popularity.

8

Chzo Mythos

Horror, point-and-click adventure series with incredible lore

  • Notable Posts: 5 Days a Stranger, 7 days a skeptic, Trilby's notes, 6 days a skeptic

Before Yahtzee became famous for his work with Zero punctuation and Totally ramblomatiche developed his fair share of video games that fans loved. This includes Chzo Mythos series, featuring four of the best horror adventure games that deserve more attention.

From Trilby's adventures to satanic rituals in these titles, it's easy to see why fans love it Chzo Mythos look forward to this indie series. All four games are free to download, allowing players to enjoy classic point-and-click gameplay as they solve puzzles and escape terrifying monsters.

7

Survive

Terrifying images and uncomfortable misery

Released

November 4, 2013

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

  • Notable entries: Survive, Survive 2, The Outlast Trials

A series known for its horror and misery, the first game in the Survive the series went viral for its immersive gameplay and shocking moments. The players did everything in their power to outrun the many hideous enemies that shot at them as they tried to escape nightmarish institutions at every turn.

Every match in Survive franchise is full of gory and uncomfortable moments that some people might not be able to get past. But gamers who know what they're in for will love the delicious horror found in this series.

6

Five Nights at Freddy's

A Jumpscare Fest that kick-started a phenomenon

Released

August 8, 2014

Developer

Scott Cawthon

  • Notable entries: Five Nights at Freddy's, Five Nights at Freddy's 2, Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted

While some people may not appreciate how you called in some of them Five Nights at Freddy's game is, there's no denying that the franchise itself is detailed and handled with tons of care. Players love being invested in the series' lore and its many animatronics that follow players every step of the way.

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The original games involved players tracking the haunted animatronics and trying to hunt them down at night, while later titles featured the classic horror gameplay of solving puzzles while outrunning monsters. Players who want to understand why the fans love Five Nights at Freddy's have such a devoted fan base should give these games a chance.

5

Class of '09

Fun visual novels with surprisingly deep themes

  • Notable entries: Class of '09, Class of '09: The Re-up, Class of '09: The back

It's a shame that The back side failed to live up to the quality of the last two games, however Class of '09 is worth checking out for fans of unique visual novels. It tries to flip the script on the genre by letting players control edgy teenage girls who play with men and commit some heinous acts in the process.

The writing is fun and surprisingly poignant when it needs to be. Gamers who want to enjoy simple visual novels that don't overstay their welcome and allow players to discover multiple endings will love what each game in Class of '09 the trilogy comes to the table.

4

The Banner Saga

Strategy RPG with enticing story

Released

January 14, 2014

Developer

Stoic studio

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

  • Notable entries: The Banner Saga, The Banner Saga 2, The Banner Saga 3

Gamers looking to enjoy a stunning hand-drawn art style along with some engaging tactical combat will love what The Banner Saga takes to the table. Each battle is spread out with Oregon Trail-like sequences as the caravan moves from one location to another and finds more enemies to engage in battle.

The story is as epic as they come, and the later titles are worth sticking with if players resonate with the first game's strengths. This indie trilogy is amazing to play through and one of the most beautiful games gamers can check out.

3

Amnesia

Full of immersive and terrifying experiences

System

PlayStation-1 Xbox-1

Released

May 16, 2023

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

  • Notable entries: Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, Amnesia: Rebirth, Amnesia: The Bunker

The dark ancestry went viral for its focus on immersive first-person horror and leveraged the popularity of Let's Plays at the time to attract more fans than ever before. Players loved the fun storytelling and effective scares of these games, which have aged like fine wine.

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Every match in Amnesia series is worth checking out. The bunker uses a unique rescue system to scare players who will do everything in their power to avoid the beast and reach a safe room after a long time of exploration. It is a good example of how Amnesia the series has evolved and continues to be one of the best horror games fans can check out.

2

Lisa

A unique version of the post-apocalypse with a lot of dark humor

Released

December 15, 2014

  • Notable Posts: Lisa: The first one, Lisa: The painful, Lisa: The happy one

Lisa: The painful introduced players to a post-apocalyptic world where all women have disappeared, only for Brad to find a girl he chooses to raise. It is the sequel to a title where players control Brad's sister in a game inspired by Yume Nikki, where their father's atrocities are rife for all to see.

After players control Brad's journey, they can control Buddy in The Joyful as she chases targets while remembering fragments of her past. The trilogy is an enticing one that showcases Dingaling's strengths as an indie developer.

1

Divinity

Kickstarted Larian Studio's journey

Divinity: Original Sin

System

PlayStation-1 Xbox-1

Released

June 30, 2014

OpenCritic Rating

Powerful

  • Notable Posts: Divinity: Original Sin, Divinity: Original Sin 2

While the first Divinity games had publisher, the Original sin duology saw Larian self-publish the games in an effort not to be overrun by unfair trades. Considering how successful these games were, it's easy to see why going down the indie route was perfect Divinity franchise.

It planted the seeds for Larian to trust Baldur's Gate IP, leading them to develop one of the best modern RPGs of all time. Players who love Baldur's Gate 3 should check out Original sin game. Both titles are a joy to play through thanks to their intense combat and fun stories.

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