Best 2017 indie games you may have missed

Making a list of the best underappreciated indie games of 2017 is no easy task; it will never be an easy task, in fact. One is most likely to neglect a particular gem, considering that a huge number of high-quality titles have been released this year.

It goes without saying that “Cuphead” is one of this year's bests, but the Studio MDHR offering will not be included here. The list contains only five out of hundreds of games that did not get the same amount of love elsewhere but truly deserve it. These are the unrecognised heroes, perhaps the diamonds in the rough—you get the point.

Listed below, in no particular order, are five of the best 2017 indie games you may have missed. In pursuit of a diverse lineup, the writer has looked at different genres. Here you have an action-RPG, a point-and-click adventure, a story-based tear-jerker and more.

‘Hidden Folks,’ because Wally has long been found

Hand-drawn interactive images take centre stage in this addictive game developed by Adriaan de Jongh and Sylvain Tegroeg. Fans of “Where’s Wally” can relive those days of straining their eyes to find what seems like a needle in a haystack.

In “Hidden Folks,” things are taken a step further. Doors can be pushed open, and items can be interacted with. With more than a hundred targets to find, this game might swallow a whole lot of your time. Still having second thoughts? Check it out on Steam, where it currently has an Overwhelmingly Positive rating.

‘Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom,’ playable anime

Yes, a game with anthropomorphic animal characters. Developed by indie studio Enigami, “Shiness” tells the usual tale of heroes saving a world embroiled in political conflict. But what makes this action RPG stand out is its one-vs-one battles. You may use a single character to fight an enemy as companions offer assistance nearby.

Those who’ve played it have reservations regarding the ending, but such is forgivable considering what the game offers. “Shiness” doesn’t pretend to be a 100-hour RPG with bloated side quests and forgettable subplots. Good old-fashioned fun’s what you want, that’s exactly what you get.

Shiness_Screenshot_12 — 'Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom' Press

‘Four Last Things’ because memes

Huge chance you’ve never heard of this game, and huger chance this is what you’ve always wanted in your life. “Four Last Things” is a point-and-click adventure by developer Joe Richardson. Renaissance paintings serve as backgrounds, while public domain music envelope the ears to provide the proper atmosphere.

Looking at the screenshots, one gets the feel of Monty Python classics. Indeed, “Four Last Things” is not recommended for those who’d rather play something that takes itself too seriously.

‘Rakuen,’ if you love ‘To the Moon’

A boy lives in the hospital. Boy travels with mom to fantasy world. Fantasy world is parallel to real world. Real world is filled with secrets… You get the point.

“Rakuen” is a narrative-driven story told through cute and colourful artwork. Progress the tale by solving puzzles and making new friends in order to fulfil the boy’s wish. Without heading into spoiler territory, let’s just say that this game will destroy your tear ducts. Plenty has compared this with “To the Moon,” but without a doubt, “Rakuen” is more than capable of standing on its own.

‘ECHO,’ echo, echo, echo

The most terrifying enemy in “ECHO” is… yourself. How’s that for an intro?

Main character En is on a journey to resurrect a beloved. Her quest leads her to a place where the biggest obstacle is her own actions. What’s amazing about this game is that every movement has a consequence. The AI learns from you, then creates replicas of the character (called Echoes) to behave and mimic your behaviour. Trying to sneak around? They’ll do the same. Guns ablazing? They’re ready to shoot as well.

“Echo” is a thinking man’s adventure game. It may appear simple from the outset, but you’ll be proven wrong as soon as the first “blackout” occurs.