The 10 Best Indie Games for the Holiday Season

1. 1. Torchlight 2

   The fantasy-RPG sequel to the wildly popular 2009 game Torchlight, Runic Games' latest installment in the franchise, doesn't mess with its recipe too much. And in this case, that's a big positive.

   Part steam-punk treasure hunt, part magic-heavy flight of fancy, Torchlight 2 capitalizes on the fast-paced, action-filled environment crafted by the designers of Diablo, Diablo 2 and Fate. Expect a lot of loot-grabbing from this game, as a bulk of the fun takes place in expansive and randomly generated cave systems practically filled to the brim with treasure and fancy equipment for your specific character class.

   Torchlight 2 really gilds the lily with a long-awaited and happily embraced local LAN option — meaning you can raid dungeons with three of your closest friends. This makes the experience, for the first time, a cooperative one, and has been one of the best new features.

   This game is really a continuation of that old-school play style seen in the previous Diablo installments, so if solo (or small group) hunting is your thing, download away.

   Price: $19.99 on Steam

   Platform: Windows

   

2. 2. The Walking Dead: The Series

   Whether you're a rabid fan of this comic-turned-hit AMC series, Telltale Games' The Walking Dead is a satisfying turn in the story's apocalyptic universe.

   While there is some general problem solving and first-person shooting involved, The Walking Dead is mostly based upon the decisions you make with your small group of survivors, throughout the five "episodes" of the series. You start out in an abandoned cop car as Lee Everett, a convicted criminal now fighting to protect his life and others in a world ravaged with zombies. Taking place before the events of the comics and TV show, you must navigate the world and make big choices about how your group continues to move — choices that can help or hurt you in the long run.

   With this first series wrapped up, you can buy all five episodes together for a clean and uninterrupted play through (lucky you).This is definitely worth a pickup if you enjoy a fair bit of influence along with your gun-slinging.

   Price: $20-$25 for a "season pass" on Telltale Games and Steam

   Platform: Mac/PC, Xbox 360, PS3, iPhone/iPad

   

3. 3. Mark of the Ninja

   Lurking in the shadows, tossing smoke bombs and eliminating enemies under the cover of darkness. If these things make you squeal with some sort of malevolent glee, then you will be tickled pink with the calculating and smooth controls of stealth action side-scroller Mark of the Ninja.

   Spend your time playing a ninja assassin sent to uncover the secrets of the mystical tattoos that give him heightened powers but destroy his mind. The game can actually be played all the way through without a single drop of bloodshed, but if wielding your katana in fury is what you're after, then Mark of the Ninja doesn't disappoint. You can stealthily kill your enemies, or terrorize them to the point of speechless shock. But one false move and you could find yourself surrounded by angry guards looking for the kill.

   With slick graphics and smooth controls, Mark of the Ninja rewards the cunning and patient with an interesting story and plenty of choices.

   Price: $15 on XBLA and Steam

   Platform: Xbox 360, Windows

   

4. 4. Hotline Miami

   Speaking of killing foes, Hotline Miami has got the blood quotient covered. Impossibly difficult and full of trigger-happy antics, this top-down retro shooter requires superhuman speed and even faster thinking, in order to make it out of even the first few levels.

   The plotline of Hotline is shrouded in surreal and gore-covered mystery. Set in 1980s Miami, you play an unknown and unnamed assassin who gets his targets from vague characters on his answering machine, and who has a penchant of wearing animal masks to his murder scenes. You nearly always walk in unarmed to houses brimming with targets, so it's up to you to take down your kills as quickly and efficiently as possible.

   While there are some great weapons (love the shotgun) and special masks that give you powers, such as deadly doors and faster melee kills, thinking quickly is ultimately how you make it out alive. Oh, and did I mention that with one hit, you're dead? Difficult doesn't even begin to describe it, but it never becomes annoying enough for a rage quit.

   Gory, messy and filled with more plot twists than you can shake a stick at, Hotline Miami is equally satirical and sadistic. I mean, how many games can claim to gouge someone's eyes out while wearing a walrus mask? I think just this one.

   Price: $10 on Steam

   Platform: Windows

   

5. 5. Spelunky

   Ah, adventures. Running through caves, swinging on ropes and avoiding rattlesnakes and the occasional undead monster. Spelunky has all the makings of an Indiana Jones movie…well, except with more dying. And now, after a happy life as a free online game, you can live out your unfortunate adventures with better resolution.

   You will die in Spelunky, and you will die a lot. As an explorer who has stumbled across a cave pouring with treasure, it won't take long to realize you're in a pretty strange place. For one, every death results in transport back to the cave's entrance. Also, the caverns seem to shift randomly — meaning that no two levels are laid out the same way in a row. The result is a steep learning curve — and plenty of trial and error — before you can make it past the first level.

   Thankfully, the game is as humorous as it is challenging. Be prepared to spend some time in the belly of a giant worm and run frantically from a crazed shopkeeper who calls you a "terrorist."

   Price: $15 on XBLA

   Platform: Xbox 360

   

6. 6. Trine 2: Director's Cut

   If you plan on making the Wii U a fixture in your living room, do yourself a favor and pick up Trine 2: Director's Cut. Beautiful, epic and rich, this physics-based puzzle platformer is one of the most attractive pieces in the Wii U's eShop — and probably one of the best games present at launch.

   Trine, of course, stands for "three." Players have the option to switch among three heroes with very different skill sets combined into one body. Certain puzzles require the brawn of warrior Pontius, the flexibility of thief Zoya or the magical prowess of wizard Amadeus, and it's up to the player to explore the environment and figure out the best route.

   The Wii U gamepad really breathes life into this year-old title, offering conjuration at the tap of the touchpad and a full play experience within the controller. Developer Frozenbyte has also promised an exclusive "Magic Mayhem" online multiplayer mode, but that's still in the works. However, gamers can still co-op with their buddies in person or online if they so choose.

   Trine 2: Director's Cut is a nice repackaging of a well-loved game, and one that deserves a spot in your e-library.

   Price: $20 on the Wii U eShop

   Platform: Wii U

   

7. 7. Thomas Was Alone

   Who knew a poignant game about love and friendship could be illustrated with jumping rectangles? Thomas Was Alone does just that, offering some tricky platforming while telling a compelling and heartwarming story of people coming together.

   First, you begin as Thomas, a little red rectangle whose first thought is "I am alone." "Wow! A weird first thought to have," observes the narrator, played by British comedian Danny Wallace. Thus begins his search for friends. Along the way, Thomas meets a cast of characters all with different qualities, and he and his friends must work together to solve puzzles and get out of the maze. It's a poignant tale that also illustrates a conceptual birth of the first AI.

   Charming and exciting, Thomas Was Alone is one of the few gameplay experiences that brings more than a challenge. You'd be surprised at how much those little squares can portray.

   Price: $10 on Steam, Desura, IndieCity and the main site

   Platform: Mac/PC

   

8. 8. Forge

   Many MMOs have shied away from PvP action (it is what killed Ultima, after all), but Forge embraces good old-fashioned rowdy fun that makes it feel a little more like Team Fortress 2 than World of Warcraft.

   Dark Vale's fantasy-themed brawl-fest allows users to pick from several characters — including a defensive magic "Shaman" and a tank-like melee "Warden" — that suit a variety of play styles. Forge cuts through the noise of the typical MMO (the grinds and the fetches being the worst offenders) to bring as much high-octane action as possible. One of the best parts of the game is its FPS controls: Shying away from the standard tab system you see in other MMOs, the on-the-fly attacks make the kills visceral and satisfying.

   For anyone yearning for a more exciting MMO, look no further: Forge promises to be a valuable, late-year indie title to snap up.

   Price: $20 on Steam

   Platform: Windows

   

9. 9. Miasmata

   The survival horror genre has really taken a turn towards the survival aspect, and that's what perpetuates the fear in Miasmata. Alone on an island, you embody a doctor stricken with a deadly plague, who is desperately searching for rare plants that could cure his illness, while keeping an eye out for deadly creatures lurking anywhere.

   The key feature of Miasmata is that it stays as true to life as possible. You have to stay aware of in the subtleties of your breathing and the ebb and flow of your strength to stay alive and safe. One risky venture into a stream when you're weak and feverish, and the tide could take you under. Worse, you're completely without knowledge of your surroundings — the only way you can determine where you are or where you've found a key plant is by triangulating your map. And when you take the time to triangulate, there is no pause, so you're left vulnerable to whatever fauna that may happen your way.

   If being isolated, powerless and in danger is your idea of a good scare, then Miasmata is sure to give you the fright you want.

   Price: $20 on Steam

   Platform: Windows

   

10. 10. Don't Starve

    On that note, survival doesn't always need to be so grim. With Tim Burton-esque animation and a morbid sense of humor, Kiel Entertainment's Don't Starve is a safe and solid pre-order bet for a late spring gaming experience.

    You take on the character of cunning "Gentleman Scientist" Wilson, who is banished to an evil and harrowing wilderness by a demon. The key goal, of course, is not to starve — navigate around the wilderness and stay alive long enough to figure a way out of your natural hell. There's plenty that stands in your way: from over-aggressive pig people to terrifyingly giant pine trees. Part of the challenge is to avoid these hazards until you've crafted enough goodies to defend yourself.

    The game is a pre-order, but purchase grants immediate access to a beta version that will carry through to the final build. The beta community has plenty of say in the way the game evolves, so getting in early is a great way to make your voice heard.

    Price: $12 (pre-order price) on Steam

    Platform: Windows

    

You or someone you know is probably one of those fickle gamer types. While the regular masses would be awed by a freshly minted copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, you're searching for something deeper and more refined than the average franchise from your big box store.

Whether you want to be the "cool indie guy" who passes out sweet games to your friends, or you're looking to snag some new and interesting games to get you through that lull between Christmas and New Years, here are 10 indie games worth picking up.

From survival horror to puzzle platformers, there's a little bit of everything to satisfy all types of gamers. So, what are you waiting for? Get your download on, and happy holidays.

What's your must-play (or must-give) indie game this holiday season? Let us know in the comments.