2021 proved to be a solid year for indie games, as we got a little bit of everything--tough turn-based RPG Cris Tales, artistic journey Chicory: A Colorful Tale, frantic dodgeball extravaganza Dodgeball Academia, haunting and layered deck-builder Inscryption, and so much more. Two indies in particular, Before Your Eyes and The Forgotten City, are, in our humble opinion, some of the Best Games of 2021. But 2021 is officially over; it's about time we started looking forward to 2022 and a whole new batch of indie games.

There's an obscene number of indie games already scheduled to launch in 2022, but these 27 have managed to really catch our eye as the year kicks off. We're getting quite the variety of protagonists and stories this year, from Thanatos' daughter struggling to escape the Land of the Dead to a group of dinosaurs grappling with their future as they graduate high school. We've included a handful of follow-up efforts from indie studios that have already made their mark, but we made sure to note plenty of cool-looking titles from lesser-known developers making their debut as well. The 27 games are listed alphabetically.

Afterlove EP

In Afterlove EP, you play as Rama, a musician whose girlfriend, Cinta, has passed away. Except, she seemingly hasn't fully left, as Cinta's voice now lives in Rama's head. The story that follows is one of music, grief, and relationships that mixes together the mechanics of dating simulators and rhythm games--as Rama, you'll explore the city, make music, and maybe fall in love again. The game features an original soundtrack, a charming manga-inspired art style, and multiple endings based on your choices. Afterlove EP is coming to Switch and PC in Summer 2022.