Everyone knows Hollow Knight, Hades, and Stardew Valley—and for good reason. But beyond these well-trodden hits lies a treasure trove of innovative, breathtaking, and criminally overlooked indie masterpieces.

We're diving into the shadows to spotlight the unsung heroes of the indie world. These are the games that may not dominate your social media feed, but they absolutely deserve a spot in your library.

Here are the top 5 most underrated indie games you need to play.

5: Owlboy – A Hand-Drawn Pixel Art Masterpiece

Let's start with a love letter to pixel art. Owlboy is a visual masterpiece, developed over nearly a decade with every frame meticulously hand-drawn.

You play as Otus, a mute owl-hybrid living in a floating sky world, who must defend his home from sky pirates. The game explores themes of identity, courage, and belonging against a backdrop of some of the most beautiful 2D art ever seen in a video game.

Why It's Underrated: Launched during a peak of indie game releases, Owlboy was a gem that, despite its quality, got buried in the oversaturated market. It’s a must-play for fans of emotional storytelling and classic platforming. If Studio Ghibli made a platformer, it would feel a lot like this.

 4: The Messenger – The Ninja Gaiden Love Letter That Breaks the Mold

At first glance, The Messenger appears to be a faithful and challenging homage to classic 8-bit ninja games like Ninja Gaiden. It's fast, tough, and packed with retro charm. But then, halfway through, it completely flips the script.

The game brilliantly evolves from a linear action-platformer into a full-blown, time-traveling Metroidvania. This surprising shift is complemented by razor-sharp controls, a hilarious and self-aware script, and an incredible chiptune soundtrack that evolves with the time periods.

Why It's Underrated: Many wrote it off as "just another retro throwback," but The Messenger is one of the smartest and most inventive action-platformers of the last decade.

 3: Katana Zero – A Stylish, Neo-Noir Thriller

Katana Zero is the definition of style meeting substance. This neo-noir action game casts you as a samurai assassin with the ability to manipulate time. Combat is a brutal, one-hit-kill ballet where you slice through enemies with precision, dodging bullets and planning your path in slow motion.

Beneath the hyper-stylish, fast-paced action lies a dark and complex narrative dealing with trauma, memory, and morality. The story unfolds like a psychological thriller, using dream sequences and branching dialogue choices to pull you into its grim world.

Why It's Underrated: Its sleek presentation can mask its emotional depth. Katana Zero is a rare triple threat: stylish, smart, and emotionally heavy, making it a standout in indie storytelling.

2: Disco Elysium – The Revolutionary Detective RPG

Few games have ever taken narrative as seriously as Disco Elysium. This isn't just a game; it's a philosophical deep-dive disguised as a detective RPG. You play an amnesiac detective tasked with solving a murder in a crumbling, politically volatile city, but the real mystery is the one inside your own head.

The game features no traditional combat. Instead, you progress by talking, thinking, and making skill checks influenced by 24 different aspects of your character's psyche. You can be a genius, a superstar cop, a drug-addled mess, or all of the above. The world and its inhabitants react to your every choice.

Why It's Underrated: While it has a cult following and critical acclaim, its text-heavy, slow-burn nature means it's often overlooked by a mainstream audience. For those who crave writing that challenges the very nature of the medium, Disco Elysium is a masterpiece hiding in plain sight.

1: Return of the Obra Dinn – The Ultimate Deduction Puzzle

Our number one pick is perhaps the most unique and brilliant detective game ever made: Return of the Obra Dinn. From Lucas Pope, the creator of Papers, Please, this game puts you in the shoes of an insurance investigator in the 1800s, boarding a ghost ship whose crew has either vanished or died.

Armed with a pocket watch that lets you witness moments of a person's death, your job is to deduce the fate of all 60 souls on board. The game offers no hand-holding, just your own logic, observation, and deduction skills. It's rendered in a striking, haunting 1-bit art style that feels like a Macintosh game from the 1980s.

Why It's Underrated: Its minimalist presentation and demanding puzzle mechanics make it a niche title. However, for those who embrace its challenge, Return of the Obra Dinn provides one of the most satisfying and intelligent experiences in all of gaming.

What's Your Hidden Gem?

So, there you have it—five incredible indie games that flew under the radar but deserve a place in gaming history.

Now we want to hear from you: which underrated indie gem do you think belongs on this list? Let us know in the comments