There are a lot of great options for finding indie games on PC. There's Steam, which has been a longtime storefront for those in the indie space. There's also the Epic Games Store, which has gone as far as to encourage indies to sell exclusively on their service.
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But then there is Itch.io. Since 2013, the marketplace has gone on a mission to help indie developers get their games noticed by providing a solid place to host and sell their products. Because of how easy it is to get set up on there, lots of games have come out of Itch.io. But a few notable titles have stood out over the years of its existence.
Updated February 7, 2023, by Chris Birsner: While many of the biggest titles have made the leap from Itch.io to bigger platforms like Steam and Epic Games Store, Itch.Io serves as the perfect hub for indie developers who are interested in getting started with releasing a game they worked on. Not only can indie developers set a price themselves, but they also can reap most of the profit since Itch.Io takes only 10 percent of the sale. On the brink of its 10th anniversary, Itch.io continues to be the place to find some of the best under-the-radar indies, but also serves as a museum for indies that have gone on to bigger and better things elsewhere.
30 We Become What We Behold
The best thing about online storefronts like Itch.io is that they'll happily invite developers of incredibly short games to have a platform to showcase their work. One of the best short titles on the platform is a five-minute game called We Become What We Behold.
Developed by Nicky Case, the game takes a look at humans in the age of social media and how people tend to act in horrible ways thanks to negativity being at the forefront constantly. The gameplay revolves around taking photos of some sort of action in order to get an interesting story to put on the news.
29 Goodbye Doggy
A lot of the games on Itch.io's platform were created in various game jams around the world. Goodbye Doggy is a game that was made for Global Game Jam 2019 and has one over the hearts of many players who have given it a try.
Players take on the role of a dog who has recently passed on. In ghostly form, they roam around the house and help the family left behind grieve over the passing. The game was made by Picogram and the music is by Graham Nesbitt.
28 Sort The Court
Those growing up in the 2000s may remember what it was like to play browser games that were addicting to pick up and play. Sort The Court has that energy, and it packs hours of intriguing simulation gameplay.
Players take on the role of a king who is tasked with saying yes or no to certain proposals that are presented to him as his kingdom is building. Players will need to manage the total population, the happiness of their citizens, and the amount of gold they have at all times. While there are plenty of straightforward decisions, others take some time to mull over.
27 Franken
It is rare for RPGs to be shorter than 10 hours, let alone an RPG that can be beaten in less than an hour. But that is what Franken is, a colorful top-down RPG by splendidland that was released on Itch.io in 2022. It is reminiscent of classic RPGs on the Game Boy.
The story of the game revolves around a hero who is exploring the open world with a focus on learning about and defeating monsters along the way. The goal of the game is to find three orbs that can be used to save the world from these monsters. It is a silly game, but one that has more depth than its play time may suggest.
26 Blooming Panic
Being involved with fandoms can always be a rather hit-or-miss experience. Sometimes, you end up surrounded by individuals who are a bit toxic about the piece of media that it's no longer fun to be around them. But then you get communities as displayed in Blooming Panic.
The chat simulation game puts players in the middle of a fan server for a fantasy novel they have enjoyed. There, players will meet four individuals that are interested in getting to know the player. The game can be played by going down multiple routes and has a handful of different endings.
25 Backpack Hero
Many indie titles start their lives on Itch.io, with developers publishing early builds of their game for people to try before putting it up for sale on other platforms. One of the games that is in the process of this right now is Backpack Hero.
Described as an "inventory management roguelike," Backpack Hero has players go through dungeons to take on different enemies. Along the way, players collect items that they must strategically place in their backpacks, as certain placement will determine how effectively they can be used.
24 OneShot
Learning about the world and why things are happening is part of having a great gaming experience. But what if that world knew that you were controlling the protagonist and is actively going to pay for every action that you make? That is the premise of OneShot.
The top-down puzzle adventure game has you take control of a child who is trying to restore the sun, which has been dead for a long time. Meanwhile, decisions made in the game and understanding that it is important to look even beyond the game itself to find answers are key to how the adventure will turn out.
23 BloodbornePSX
While video games have evolved immensely over the last few decades, many are nostalgic about they want video games used to look and feel. That's why the fan project of BloodbornePSX has gotten the attention of Bloodborne and PlayStation 1 fans everywhere.
Visit the city of Yharnam in a world that may bring back the nostalgia of old school consoles but provoke the same feelings of excitement of playing a FromSoftware title. For many people without a PlayStation, this project may be the only way they can experience the game while for many others, it's a new way of experiencing a classic.
22 Raft
Itch.io is a starter platform for many indie developers using it as the testing ground for their games before attempting to launch on more popular storefronts. Because of this, some of the best indie games out there have early versions of their game available to play on the indie platform.
That is the case for Raft, a popular survival game that has gone on to blossom on Steam and other platforms. The game revolves around attempting to surviving on a floating piece of wood and building a structure around it that actually makes life sustainable. While the newest version of the game can be purchased elsewhere, an early build is available for free on Itch.Io.
21 Project Kat
Itch.io has plenty of horror titles on its platform. One of the highest-rated horror games in the store is Project Kat: Paper Lily Prologue by Leef6010. This RPG puzzle game follows the story of Kat as she attempts to meander her way through a mystery revolving around a strange letter she received.
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The core concept revolves around the idea that the puzzles in the game can be solved in different ways if players look hard enough. This version of the game is only the opening sequence of a longer game that is still in development.
20 Adventures With Anxiety
Nicky Case was already brought up once on this list, but another one of their games is near the top of Itch.io's top-rated games. Adventures With Anxiety is another short interactive story that has players take on the role of anxiety. Specifically, Case made the game for people with anxiety to see how it works in a humorous way.
Anxiety is manifested as a wolf that is tasked with "protecting the human" from the world around them. Players are given prompts to warn them about different things they should be nervous about, with hilarious dialogue that follows.
19 Doki Doki Literature Club
Continuing on the horror trend, one of the biggest cult hits in the indie space is easily Doki Doki Literature Club. From the mind of Dan Salvato, the game revolves around a boy joining a literature club with four girls who each form a connection with him.
It's the player's job to interact and get to know them in a dating sim-like experience, but then the game does take a turn into something a lot more sinister. The Itch.io version of the game was its first before moving to other platforms and eventually getting an expanded edition.
18 You Left Me
Keeping in line with games that provide off-putting vibes, You Left Me is a surreal game that actually tells a deeper story than the unique art may initially give off. The experience takes a short time to get through, with different endings that can be achieved anywhere between five and 30 minutes into a playthrough.
The game focuses on an individual who wakes up in a world they are not familiar with. The goal is to try to escape by talking to characters before nighttime arrives. Some of the more surreal art in the game include a cat with one eye and an individual in a suit that appears to have multiple heads and an eye on their neck.
17 Six Cats Under
While Goodbye Doggy is about losing a pet, Six Cats Under is about losing an owner. This adorable point-and-click puzzle game tasks the player with rescuing their cats after their owner was accidentally killed when a bookshelf fell on them. Luckily, the now-ghostly lady has powers that can guide the cats.
The goal is to listen to the clues the owner gives as to how to get the cats' attention. Then, by exploring the environment, players will be able to interact with objects that could lead them to freeing the cats from being stuck in the house once and for all. Much like many games on Itch.io, this game was first made in a game jam.
16 Baldi's Basics
Sometimes, there is just the absurd game on Itch.io that takes the gaming community by storm. A game that has been the subject of many blind reaction videos is Baldi's Basics, a horror game that promotes itself as a educational game for children.
Despite being a horror game, it is clearly not meant to be taken seriously. The gameplay is similar to that of Slender: The Eight Pages, another cult classic indie horror game. The true evil side of the game comes out when players are forced to answer questions that are impossible to answer, leading to Baldi and his friends getting quicker at each incorrect response.
15 Butterfly Soup
Visual novels tend to get a bad rap for being clickbait, but there are some truly charming entries in the genre. One of the top visual novels on the Itch.io platform is a game called Butterfly Soup. The story revolves around four gay freshmen girls who are part of the high school baseball club and the blossoming relationship between two of them — Diya and Min-seo.
While the game's plot is linear, players do get to make some choices in the game. The game was made by Brianna Lei, who drew inspiration from her time growing up in predominately Asian-American neighborhoods.
14 When The Night Comes
Those looking for something a bit more supernatural should look into When The Night Comes. Led by a fully LGBTQ+ cast, this adventure puts players in the shoes of a creature slayer who comes to the town of Lunaris to look into suspicious murders that seem particularly abnormal.
The game revolves around the mystery that lies within the society, but it also offers the chance to bond with various individuals that you meet along the way. While there is a dating element to the game, it is not a requirement to beat it. The narrative takes place over 11 chapters and is well north of 490,000 words long.
13 Andromeda Six
Opting for a science-fiction space setting always tends to be a crowd-pleasing move, but Andromeda Six brings the story-driven vibes of a Mass Effect and blends it with the gameplay of a visual novel. It is the year 3025, and a lost traveler awakens on a spaceship to find that they have no memories of the past.
Luckily, the traveler isn't alone as they have a crew of characters who are here to help achieve a common goal. However, players will have a chance to get to know these characters better (including the lost traveler) as they try to put together the pieces of who they are and what happened prior to the events of the game.
12 Deltarune
In terms of the biggest indie hits of all time, Undertale is among the greatest. So when developer Toby Fox decided to release a prototype of a new game, fans were all in. Set in an alternative universe from Undertale, Deltarune revolves around a kid named Kris who is paired up with notorious bully Susie for a project.
However, things take a turn when a trip to the school supply closet gets them sent to the dark world. Unlike its spiritual predecessor, Deltarune makes it clear the player's choices do not matter. The first two chapters of the game are out now, with up to seven chapters expected in the full game.
11 Friday Night Funkin'
Those who were on the internet in the early 2000s will know about the popularity of Newgrounds, a site dedicated to providing entertainment options such as animations and games. While the website isn't as popular nowadays, four users teamed up to create a game that has brought some people back to the website.
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Friday Night Funkin' is a rhythm game about a boy who kissed his girlfriend and now has her rockstar dad furious with him. Similar to other games in the genre, players must use the WASD keys to hit the right note at the right time.
