Enter The Gungeon (Xbox One)

What list of the very best indie games on any platform would be complete without mention of Dave Crooks' superlative bullet hell roguelike adventure?

Enter the Gungeon first released all the way back in 2016 and it is still one of the most highly entertaining and addictive roguelikes out there. Traversing "gungeons" as a "gungeoneer" involves plenty of yes, you guessed it, guns, and the action here is as brutal, bombastic and thoroughly moreish as we could have ever asked for.

This is a surprisingly strategic, slick and snazzy shooter too, it's packed full of tactics and powerups and loot and all the bells and whistles required to keep you playing it for a very, very long time indeed. A must-play!

  • Xbox Game Pass? No

Firewatch (Xbox One)

If you want a narrative driven experience with a little less weight than What Remains of Edith Finch, then Firewatch seems like pretty much the perfect alternative. Not only is this game gorgeous, with its highly evocative and instantly recognisable aesthetic, it has some incredible voice acting and writing to boot. There's very little 'plot' in the traditional sense here, but what makes it all work so wonderfully well is the core relationship between its two central characters, and how you see this relationship grow and develop throughout the story. The actions you take, the events that occur...it all shapes who they are and who they become, giving you some level of agency over how it all plays out. Once the credits roll, you'll find you miss these characters and may want to experience it all over again.

  • Xbox Game Pass? No

Genesis Noir (Xbox Series X|S)

Feral Cat Den spent six years working on this four hour long point and click adventure, and you can see and hear every one of those years on your screen as you play through the magnificent madness that is Genesis Noir.

A magical realist jazz trip that explores the cosmos, music and more through some stunning imagery and an excellent soundtrack, you're funnelled through a series of minigames here, working out how you interact with what's set before you, solving the task and hand and then settling back to enjoy wherever you're whisked off to next. It really is sensory overload, a truly unique and magical experience that you should absolutely seek out and enjoy - which shouldn't be too hard to do as it's on Game Pass. Enjoy the ride!

  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes

Hades (Xbox Series X|S)

Supergiant Games has already popped up on this list thanks to the excellent Bastion, but it's Hades that really feels like this amazing developer fully reaching its potential.

This is quite possibly the very best roguelike we've played to date, an adventure that's been polished to perfection, featuring exquisite visuals, top-notch writing, a cleverly evolving narrative that keeps you hooked in to the end and silky smooth combat that expands and evolves to suit your chosen playstyle.

Zagreus' journey through the underworld is critically acclaimed for good reason, it's a slick and stylish romp that can't fail to put a big fat smile on your face. If you've ever been tempted to jump into the roguelike genre but were afraid you might not completely jive with it, this is the game to get you in the mix. Hades is a modern classic.

  • Xbox Game Pass? No

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (Xbox One)

We couldn't have an indie game list without one of the all-time greats. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice raised the bar on what indie games can achieve when it first launched, with impressive visuals and sound design alongside a truly compelling story. Tackling heavy subject matter such as mental health, it truly puts players in the shoes of Senua, as she uncovers the dark tale ahead of her. With the sequel not far away, now is the perfect time to brush up on the story before Senua's adventure continues.

  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes

Hollow Knight (Xbox One)

What is there left to say about the superlative Hollow Knight? A game that many consider to be one of the quintessential Metroidvania experiences, it absolutely oozes charm, matching stunningly evocative visuals with tight combat controls and slick platforming action.

As you explore more and more of the world here, inching slowly forward through some surprisingly tough encounters whilst slowly piecing together its wonderful little mysteries, your appreciation for what Team Cherry have achieved only grows. It's devilishly difficult stuff at times, but oh-so rewarding in all the best ways once you overcome a challenge, best a boss or pass a brutal platforming sequence. We really can't recommend this one enough.

  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes

Hotline Miami Collection (Xbox Series X|S)

Dennaton Games' superb Hotline Miami Collection needs little introduction at this point, it's one of the very best, most stylish and intense arcade experiences in recent memory.

However, just because it's old news don't mean it ain't still good news, especially if you've yet to experience the trippy, brutal action on offer here. Heck it's worth the price of admission just for the soundtrack alone, never mind the tight, addictive combat and mind-bending storyline.

This collection also serves up the second game, a slightly less successful sequel that made things feel a tad messy by adding a few too many options, but taken as a package this is still one of the finest arcade experiences out there.

  • Xbox Game Pass? No

Hyper Light Drifter (Xbox One)

Heart Machine's 2016 action RPG is a neon-drenched masterpiece, a pixelated hack and slash thing of beauty that sucks you into its vibrant, tragedy-tinged world and fully absorbs you for its duration.

With incredible visuals, Dark Souls-style interconnected areas, tough but extremely slick and clever combat, and plenty of obscure lore to pore over for the studious gamer, this is one of our absolute favourite indies of the last few years.

The focus here is on going your own way, choosing which direction to head off in search of one of the game's bosses, wading through baddies in combat that's designed to encourage you to go on the offensive - reloading your gun requires you damage foes - and taking in the full majesty of this glorious little world.

If you've yet to play Hyper Light Drifter, now is exactly the right time!

  • Xbox Game Pass? No

Iconoclasts (Xbox One)

Iconoclasts is, quite simply, one of the most vibrant metroidvanias currently available on consoles, one that marries sublime world design with an engaging story, resulting in a game that we rank that above a lot of the competition in its genre.

This is a superb action adventure in which it's just as exciting to uncover the next story beat as it is to find the next hidden secret. It uses its clever narrative to funnel you through its core metroidvania gameplay in unique ways, as you use your trusty wrench to solve a variety of excellent puzzles. Joakim Sandberg's creation really is a great example of gameplay and narrative uniting perfectly to create a unique and compelling indie experience that you really ought to take for a spin.

  • Xbox Game Pass? No

Immortality (Xbox Series X|S)

Sam Barlow had already given us the superb Telling Lies and Her Story, but with Immortality he's truly outdone himself, delivering one of the best games of 2022 and a new high bar for the interactive movie genre.

We knew Immortality was gonna be good stuff long before we got our hands on it, but it still managed to completely blow us away with its twisting, turning delight of a narrative. As we said in our 10/10 review, "it's a dazzling display from any angle you to choose to admire it; top-notch acting, brilliant writing, a core mechanic that's complex but carried off with style and grace, intuitive controls that draw you into your role...you're in for one of the most exquisite gaming experiences of this year, or any other, by quite some distance."

Just remember to go into this one unspoiled for maximum effect.

  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes

Infernax (Xbox Series X|S)

Infernax proved to be a surprise hit of the February 2022 batch of Xbox Game Pass titles, scoring an "Excellent" 9/10 in our review, in which we called it "a super-satisfying love letter to the glory days of Castlevania and an excellent and addictive little game in its own right."

The game's creators describe it as a "2D splatterfest homage to NES action games but with... so much blood", so if you like old-school retro games and you're looking for something Castlevania-like on Xbox Game Pass, we think you're going to have an amazing time with this one. Most will overlook it, but it's a hidden gem for sure.

  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes

Inside (Xbox One)

Following on from 2010's exquisite Limbo, Playdead returned in 2016 with Inside, a puzzle-platformer in much the same vein as its predecessor that delivered up yet more of the studio's signature environmental puzzles and brutal, bloody death.

Yes, this time around you play as a frightened child, clawing and stumbling your way through terrifying darkness, only ever just evading the clutches of your enemies, but here the art direction, the puzzles, the platforming, the stealth...it all surpasses what came before, making for a short, sharp shock of a game that is, quite simply, an essential experience.

  • Xbox Game Pass? No

It Takes Two (Xbox Series X|S)

After the excellent co-operative jailbreak adventure, A Way Out, Hazelight Studios delivered us the incredible It Takes Two, which feels like the culmination of years of experimentation in the genre finally paying off big time.

This Honey, I Shrunk the Kids style adventure was designed and built entirely around two players co-operating - there is no single player here - and sees you and a pal assume the roles of Cody and May, two miniaturised parents who need to seek out their daughter, Rose, and return to their full-sized forms.

Crammed full of fun and inventive gameplay mechanics, clever puzzles, brilliant minigames and featuring a wonderfully colourful art style, It Takes Two was one of the very best games of 2021 and a proper gem that fans of co-op games need to get stuck into ASAP.

  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes (via EA Play)

Kentucky Route Zero (Xbox One)

Cardboard Computer's 2103 masterpiece, Kentucky Route Zero is a sublime magical realist point-and-click adventure that takes you on a beguiling journey to a place that exists both below and beyond.

This really is a trip to be savoured, ruminated on; no need to rush. Each beautifully illustrated act here brings with it some new perspective, new places and people to forge deep connections with. You may be confused, even bewildered by your initial steps down into the subterranea that exists somewhere beneath this version of Kentucky but, by the end of your journey, you'll have made friends and memories and been escorted through a rich and beautiful experience that will stay with you much longer than you may expect.

We don't want to give anything away about this one here in all honesty, just get it downloaded and dive in!

  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes

Lonely Mountains: Downhill (Xbox One)

Megagon Industries have served us up a supreme slice of arcade action in the form of Lonely Mountains: Downhill, a Trials-style biking game where you thunder down tricksy mountain courses whilst attempting to remain in your saddle (spoiler: you will not remain in your saddle).

The big difference between this game and Trials is the serene style and atmosphere of the thing, this is all about enjoying the views, soaking in the calm of nature, as much as it is about breaking every bone in your body as fly over your handlebars and into a tree. There are exploration courses mixed into the regular fast-paced challenges here, allowing you to slowly wind down mountain tracks, and you'll even get to indulge in night-time as a reward for besting tricky challenges.

Lonely Mountains: Downhill is a superb arcade game, a monumentally challenging and fast-paced effort with a wonderfully chill vibe, and a game you should absolutely check out ASAP.

  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes