If you are giving a video game gift later this year, there’s a chance you’ll be wrapping up a copy of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla or Super Mario 3D All-Stars. You may be dutifully satisfying a request for Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales or doling out for Cyberpunk 2077. This is what people will ask for. Maybe you’d like to toss in a surprise?
The following games are all very good, but for various reasons aren’t likely to be on many people’s holiday wishlist. Trust us, though, if you give these games you might first get a quizzical look, but that will be followed a few days later with hearty gratitude.
This article has been updated since its original publication.
Moving Out ($47)
If you know someone who is a big fan of Overcooked and want to get them something that’s similar but different, Moving Out will make for a great gift. It’s a co-op puzzle game that perfectly captures the chaos of moving house. You’ll be trying to see how far you can chuck all of your furniture in no time. It’s also made by Australian developers SMG Studio, so you’ll be supporting some local talent too.
No Straight Roads ($49)
I’m at the beat’em up. I’m at the rhythm game. I’m at the combination beat’em up-rhythm game. No Straight Roads is a lot of fun. In it, you play as Mayday and Zuke, two rockers who are rebelling against the evil EDM-powered rules of Vinyl City, by taking them on through a series of boss battles.
In her review for No Straight Roads, Leah Williams had this to say:
The game’s sense of personality and flair comes to life in these battles as the catchy soundtrack, gorgeous character designs and fun combat combine to create epic, toe-tapping spectaculars. No two boss stage is the same, making every encounter a pleasant (but often challenging) surprise.
Hotshot Racing ($29.95)
Depending on your age, there’s a specific type of nostalgia that’s created by low-poly arcade racers. You probably have memories of your parents giving you a couple dollars at the RSL to go play Daytona USA, so they can have some peace and quiet for a couple minutes. If you know someone who yearns for those days, they need to try Hotshot Racing. The game includes 16 fun courses to play through with an aesthetic that’s a good, modern riff on the low-poly graphics of the 1990s.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps ($59)
As far as art styles go, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is one of the most gorgeous looking games of 2020. A sequel to 2015’s Ori and the Blind Forest, Will of the Wisps is a fun Metroidvania. If you know someone who was a fan of the original, or someone who loves a good platformer (you can still get into it without playing Blind Forest), this is
In Kotaku’s review for it, Mike Fahey described the game as being:
Will of the Wisps is bigger than Blind Forest in almost every way. The world is bigger. The cast is bigger. The list of abilities and items Ori can collect is bigger. With the addition of more speaking characters, the emotional moments are bigger. The frogs? Bigger. Bears? Same.
The Pathless ($79)
If you’re buying for someone who was lucky enough to get a PS5 before Christmas, give them something they might not expect, The Pathless. You play as an archer who is tasked with clearing a curse from an island. It’s an open world adventure with an emphasis on exploration (there’s a lot of secrets to uncover). You also have an eagle companion that can pick you up, which brings in some fun gameplay elements.
More than anything, The Pathless look great. The environments are beautiful and full of unique monster designs. It’s a real treat to submerge yourself into.
Comments
9 responses to “The Indie Game Gift Guide For Those Who Want To Be Unique”
I’d put Titanfall 2 on this list as well. Best FPS single player campaign I have played for a long time.
Totally agree. Going to play through it again as soon as time allows.
Check their Steam account and if they don’t have Portal, wait for it to be like… two bucks on a Steam sale and get them a copy. Because everyone needs to have experienced Portal.
I agree. Both of them. Some of the best integrated (and just plain best) writing ever put into a video game.
And then if you finish both of them, you can get Warp.
I sent my sister a copy of The Witness for christmas while it was on special during the Game Awards, interested to see when she actually gets it though as I tried using Steam’s gift scheduling system which seems rubbish.
Seems like another random game most people would enjoy for a while even if they haven’t heard of it – price might be a little high for some though (which is where Steam sales are handy)
Why was their not Rhythm Heaven/ Paradise 3DS on this list, super underrated!
People underestimate the power of prepaid cards at this time of year. If you’re stuck for what game to buy, then buy some prepaid steam, Xbox Live, PSN or Nintendo store credit and let the gamer decide. Or give Xbox Live or PlayStation Plus credit to save on those fees for another 3, 6, or 12 months.
This title bothers me.