Mainstream games lost their appeal? Need something more niche? Check out these cool less-known games.
When the market is full of amazing AAA games, high-budget productions, and viral indie titles that make their way to the front pages, it’s easy to miss some hidden gems that don’t get deserved recognition and attention.
Read on and learn more about some of the best games you’ve never heard of before.
| Game | Release | Genre | Developer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Children Of The Sun | 2024-04-09 | puzzle-shooter | René Rother |
 | Snufkin Melody Of Moominvalley | 2024-03-07 | adventure | Hyper Games |
 | Indika | 2024-05-02 | Horror | Odd Meter |
 | Mullet Madjack | 2024-05-15 | Shooter | HAMMER95 |
 | Balatro | 2024-02-20 | Card game | LocalThunk |
 | Crow Country | 2024-05-09 | Horror | SFB Games |
 | Coral Island | 2022-10-11 | Adventure | Stairway Games |
 | Gravity Circuit | 2023-07-21 | Indie | Domesticated Ant Games |
 | Halls Of Torment | 2023-05-24 | Bullet Hell | Chasing Carrots |
 | Jusant | 2023-10-31 | Action-Adventure | DON'T NOD |
 | Lethal Company | 2023-10-23 | Horror Co-op | Zeekerss |
 | Moonstone Island | 2023-09-20 | Indie | Studio Supersoft |
 | Nova Lands | 2023-06-22 | Indie | BEHEMUTT |
 | Unavowed | 2018-08-08 | Adventure | Wadjet Eye Games |
Gravity Circuit
| Release date: | 2023-07-21 |
| Genre: | Indie |
| Developer: | Domesticated Ant Games |
Old-school 2D platformers were incredibly charming. As such, it’s not surprising to see modern developers trying to follow in their footsteps.
Gravity Circuit is a 2D platformer focused on action and getting in one piece through increasingly difficult levels filled with enemies, traps, and obstacles. Upgrade your character, obtain new abilities, and face powerful bosses who will test your skills to the absolute limit. It’s certainly not the easiest game around, but successfully completing each new mission and solving a new puzzle feels rewarding.
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Halls of Torment
| Release date: | 2023-05-24 |
| Genre: | Bullet Hell |
| Developer: | Chasing Carrots |
If you played and liked Vampire Survivors, you may fall in love with this one.
Halls of Torment is an example of a game that would come to life if Diablo had a baby with Vampire Survivors. The game loop is simple but very addictive. As you begin a new game, you enter the dungeon, where hordes of enemies start coming from all directions. Your objective is to survive as long as possible. Level up, upgrade your abilities as you progress further, and don’t be afraid of death – dying allows you to unlock more perks that should make future attempts easier.
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Jusant
| Release date: | 2023-10-31 |
| Genre: | Action-Adventure |
| Developer: | DON'T NOD |
Even things like climbing can be turned into an exciting video game.
On the list of hidden gem video games, one can’t forget about Jusant, a combination of platform and puzzle, where you’ll spend most of the time climbing a desolate tower full of mysteries to discover. As such, Jusant offers quite a novel experience – climbing can be found in certain video games as one of the options for world exploration, but it’s very rarely made the main focus. It’s also worth pointing out that it’s more of a piece of art meant to be savored, compared to a regular game.
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Moonstone Island
| Release date: | 2023-09-20 |
| Genre: | Indie |
| Developer: | Studio Supersoft |
A small and simple game, but don’t let its appearance fool you, as it has much more to offer than first meets the eye.
Inspired by games like Stardew Valley, Moonstone Island adds or changes enough to be worthy considered a game of its own. Collect dozens of creatures and participate in turn-based card battles. Create relationships with the townsfolk, build a cozy home to return to, explore the open world, craft useful items, and conquer the dungeons to reveal hidden secrets.
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Unavowed
| Release date: | 2018-08-08 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Wadjet Eye Games |
Lastly, a real treat for the fans of good old point-and-click adventures, an underrated genre focused on telling compelling stories.
One can argue that the golden era of point-and-click adventure games is long gone, but it doesn’t mean we don’t get an occasional jewel that’s worth to be cherished. Unawoved is a perfect example of that. Join the crew and help them investigate a case that involves ghosts, evil spirits, forbidden rituals, and other paranormal phenomena. Choose your companions, meet fantasy creatures, and listen to light-hearted dialogues in between the more tense parts of the investigation.
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Conclusion
Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t take much budget to make an outstanding game. A passion for the project and a clear artistic vision are far more important. Sadly, smaller games often end up being buried under a pile of titles that can afford to spend more on marketing. The low popularity of smaller games may lead players to believe that the game is not worth their time, but there’s quite a lot of hidden gems to choose from – you just need to know where to look.