5 best indie RPGs that will give AAA RPGs a run for their money

Role-playing games (indie RPGs or AAA releases) are a popular genre of video games, which allow players a large amount of agency in the unfolding of the narrative. This is done through a host of mechanics, such as in-game choices, character abilities, and skills chosen by the player as well as skill checks, which the game makes based on the attributes of the player's character.

Although the RPG genre is generally dominated by the AAA game industry, a few incredible indie RPG releases come along every now and then, managing to grow a tremendous following and garner quite the reputation. These are games developed by significantly smaller independent studios, generally not as famous as the AAA developers.

Often, such indie RPGs go unnoticed, although some break the mold in such an impactful way that it gains them the recognition that they deserve. Here are five such examples of indie RPG releases that could probably give AAA RPGs a serious run for their money.

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Five indie RPGs which are comparable in quality to AAA releases

1) Stardew Valley

Developed by a single person, Eric Barone, over the course of four years, Stardew Valley is a simulation indie RPG that was released on February 26, 2016 for Windows PCs. It was later ported to various other OS, consoles, and platforms over the course of the next few years.

As a farming simulator, this indie RPG had players take on the role of a character who inherited their deceased grandfather’s rundown farm in the region known as Stardew Valley. The game can be played solo or online (multiplayer) with up to 4 people playing together in a single server.

Essentially, a farming simulator player’s primary goal is to maintain and restore the farm to glory and start earning revenue. They can optionally interact with NPCs in the town and even pursue relationships that might end in marriage.

With a host of other activities to perform, the gameplay is rather open-ended and leaves it up to the player to decide where they want to invest their time. Interestingly, this indie RPG has been cited as one of the greatest video games of all time.

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2) Divinity: Original Sin II

A sequel to the original game, Divinity: Original Sin II is a fantasy RPG developed by Larian Studios, originally released for Windows PC, on September 15, 2017. This indie RPG title is played from a top-down perspective, letting players control their own character, along with their companions, across the open-world setting of the fictional land of Rivellon.

Players can create their own character at the beginning of the game, choosing their race, gender, stats, and origin story. They can take up to three other NPCs into their party, which they can control independently in the game, even splitting them up if the need ever arises.

Combat takes place in a traditional turn-based system and grants the player access to a whole bunch of abilities to use. Placement and lining up combos with teammates is crucial during fights, making combat a very tactical affair. This RPG also includes co-op and competitive multiplayer, where they can either play together in the main game or participate in PvP arena matches.

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3) Hades

Hades was 2020’s breakout indie game, featuring a great artstyle and interesting roguelike gameplay. Developed by Supergiant Games, this indie RPG saw players take on the role of Zagreus, the son of the Greek God Hades, Lord of the Underworld, from where Zagreus wishes to escape.

Featuring procedurally generated dungeon crawling levels, players battle their way through four different areas of the Underworld. With a fun hack and slash combat system, players need to avoid taking damage, defeat enemies, and progress as far as they can before they eventually die. However, any progress means that players can unlock new weapons and abilities that can definitely increase their chances of escaping in consecutive runs.

Throughout their travels, players will meet several famous characters in the Underworld, including various gods. Progressing bonds with friends they meet may reward players with some unique items while Gods can grant Boons, which impart unique buffs. Interestingly, players can select which Boons to equip and also have three different romance options in the game.

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4) Undertale

Yet another iconic title developed by a single person, Undertale was the result of the hard work of video game developer and composer Toby Fox. This is a 2D, side-scrolling indie RPG, which was originally released in September 2015 for Windows PC, but was later ported to PS4, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.

Telling the story of an unnamed child who falls into the mysterious world of the Underground, they meet many creatures as they try and find their way back to their world. Some creatures will help the player along the way, while others will attack the player, initiating a bullet hell-like combat scenario.

Normally played in a text adventure format, this indie RPG can be played in a few different ways based on the player's choices. Two common options are the Pacifist run, which sees the player spare every enemy, not killing anyone or the Genocide run, where the players murder any living thing they come across.

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5) Disco Elysium

Developed and published by ZA/UM, and written and designed by novelist Robert Kurvitz, Disco Elysium is a RPG that was originally released in 2019 for Windows PC. It is another indie title that has been cited as one of the greatest games of all time, receiving significant praise for its storytelling, artstyle, and gameplay mechanics.

Players get to create their own character at the beginning of the game by answering questions regarding their psyche. Eventually, they assume the role of a detective, suffering from amnesia and who is tasked with solving a murder mystery, along with their partner Kim Kitsuragi. This video game plays out in an isometric world, through which the player character is moved around, and where they get to interact with other NPCs and objects.

Interestingly, the game features no active combat and instead allows players to perform tasks based on skill checks, which they may clear based on their abilities and skills. The four main abilities include Intellect, Psyche, Physique, and Motorics, with each having 6 sub-skills under them. These can be increased as players level up, opening up different actions and dialog options.

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Note: This article reflects the writer's opinion.