Xbox picks top six indies
Source | Xbox Games |
Date | 1/30/2025 |
Summary | ID@Xbox has picked their top six indies of 2024, and Xbox is offering these and other Indie Selects games for Xbox are now on sale through February 3rd. |
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From Xbox Games: | |
Happy new year to all and happy first birthday to Indie Selects! A year ago, we set up the Indie Selects program with the goal of highlighting and recommending indie games found on the Xbox Store that aren’t necessarily part of the Xbox Game Pass service, so that great games and great teams never go uncelebrated. Think of Indie Selects as the “Staff Picks” shelf at a Blockbuster Video or Tower Records. And now you think I am 80 years old. Ah well. Today, we’re celebrating the one-year anniversary of this program with a 2024 Anniversary Collection featuring our six top Indie Selects titles from 2024 that we believe you need to play – they will be enshrined for all time (or until the Xbox Store team tells us to stop). So, without further ado, here are the six titles we picked for our first Yearly Selects line-up: Balatro, Animal Well, The Plucky Squire, Neva, Crow Country, and Hypercharge: Unboxed. Whether you come home from a rough day and need to unwind, or you’re just looking for the right adventure that can connect you with a family member, games like these six matter – and so do the teams that make them. These contributions to the industry deserve attention, celebration, and enjoyment. The Anniversary Collection can be found in the Indie Selects row on Xbox Store Games home from January 29 to February 11. Here’s how to find it: · From Xbox Home, select Store
Each of these titles are a great representation of what our industry strives to achieve. To celebrate and thank each of these developers for creating such beloved pieces of work, we asked each of them if they would be gracious enough to reflect and share their thoughts with us on the following question: “Looking back at the entire development process, what does it mean to your game studio to launch this project and receive so much high praise from both the gaming audience and critics alike?“ Balatro – Developed by LocalThunk Inc.
Animal Well – Developed by Billy Basso
The Plucky Squire – Developed by All Possible Futures
Neva – Developed by Nomada Studio
“Our biggest fear was living up to the expectations of our fans and critics. After the huge and unexpected success of Gris, we felt the pressure of both external expectations and our own ambitions. Every element of Neva, from its storytelling to its art and gameplay, was crafted with the hope of creating a meaningful connection with players. This is the kind of game we aspire to create as a studio. “Seeing both critics and players enjoy and praise Neva has been incredibly fulfilling—a perfect final gift to its long development journey and a transformative milestone for our studio. It has proven that players are truly eager for games capable of evoking powerful emotions and telling unique, meaningful stories that resonate with them; and for us, this recognition has provided the strength and motivation to continue pursuing this goal for as long as we can.” – Conrad Roset, Creative Director, Nomada Studio Crow Country – Developed by SFB Games
Hypercharge Unboxed – Developed by Digital Cybercherries Limited
“Seeing parents and children laughing and working together to overcome challenges in Hypercharge has been truly heart-warming. That shared experience, playing together in the same room, on their Xbox – that’s something really special, where memories will last a lifetime. We’re immensely grateful to Xbox for helping make our dream come true and for allowing players to join us on this journey! The overwhelmingly positive response to Hypercharge has been truly inspiring. To everyone who has played and supported our game, thank you!” – Joe Henson, Creative Gameplay & Marketing Director, Digital Cybercherries On top of the Collection itself, we’re running an Indie Selects Anniversary Sale from January 28 to February 3, featuring over 200 indie titles that launched in 2024. This is the perfect opportunity to save on titles we recommended, including Balatro, Phasmophobia, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Rounds, and more. | |
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