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GamesBeat’s year-end list put Undertale first, followed by Her Story and SOMA. Published on December 24, 2015, and updated June 18, 2025, it is an editorial ranking—not an award, sales chart, or score-based comparison. Its ten picks span RPGs, horror, arcade action, platforming, and narrative experiments.
What makes this a GamesBeat list
The ranking reflects GamesBeat’s appreciation for distinctive, focused experiences associated with small-team development. The article does not provide a formal scoring system or explain a shared rubric for ordering the games, so the positions should be read as the outlet’s editorial judgment. The descriptions and order below follow GamesBeat’s original 2015 list.
The 10 best indie games of 2015 on GamesBeat’s list
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Undertale
Developer: Toby Fox. GamesBeat’s number-one pick is an RPG that questions familiar genre conventions, including how combat works. The article’s central praise is for its ideas and its willingness to depart from expected RPG patterns. Its 2015 article listed PC and Mac.
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Her Story
Developer: Sam Barlow. Ranked second, this search-driven narrative uses clips from police interviews. Players search through fragments and assemble their own understanding of what happened. GamesBeat listed PC, iOS, and Mac in 2015.
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Indie Boards & Cards The Magnus Protocol Mysteries Blackout, Ages 14+- Investigate a chilling case through evidence, audio recordings, and visuals in a cooperative deduction game inspired by atmospheric horror storytelling
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- Collaborate with friends or family to piece together clues, share theories, and solve the mystery together in a fully cooperative format
- Ideal for players who enjoy narrative-driven games, escape room experiences, and mystery-solving with a supernatural twist
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SOMA
Developer: Frictional Games. In third place, this horror game directs unease toward unsettling ideas and story, rather than relying only on physical monsters. The article listed PC and PlayStation 4.
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Axiom Verge
Developer: Thomas Happ Games LLC. The fourth-place selection centers on interconnected exploration, secrets, and weapons, drawing on retro design influences. GamesBeat listed PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita.
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Indie Boards and Cards Pursuit of Happiness Experiences Expansion for 1-4 Players, Ages 13+- Visit popular destinations and events around the world
- Introduces “Dreams”
- Adds a new board
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Cibele
Developer: Star Maid Games. Ranked fifth, this brief, personal experience is presented through a computer desktop and an online game. GamesBeat also noted its mature subject matter. The article listed PC and Mac.
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The Beginner’s Guide
Developer: Everything Unlimited. At number six, this interactive criticism takes players through abandoned game projects and raises questions about the relationship between a creator and the person presenting their work. GamesBeat listed PC, Mac, and Linux.
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Clea: Complete Collection - Nintendo Switch- Features exclusive cover artwork only available on Amazon
- Includes two full skill-focused horror games: Clea and Clea 2
- Hunt down key items and solve puzzles designed to lock you from the outside world
- Find memory orbs and uncover your family secrets through bonus chapters
- Unlock costumes/galleries/difficulty modes, multiple endings and even an arcade feature
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N++
Developer: Metanet Software. The seventh-place game is a precision platformer built around momentum, difficult jumps, and repeated attempts. Its minimal presentation contrasts with the scale of its level collection. The article listed PlayStation 4.
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Sunset
Developer: Tale of Tales. Ranked eighth, this game places its story in a 1970s Latin American setting and explores political themes through the routine of an apartment cleaner. GamesBeat listed PC, Mac, and Linux.
Rank #4
Indie Boards & Cards Delve Board Games- Delve is a dungeon building adventure that combines tile laying, dice-driven combat, and an immersive narrative experience in a charming fantasy setting
- Delvers place dungeon tiles, explore the dangers Lurking around every corner, and search for loot
- Each dungeon-exploring adventure will offer a one-of-a-kind experience!
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Selfie: Sisters of the Amniotic Lens
Developer: Rail Slave Games. This ninth-place pick takes an experimental approach, combining different kinds of interaction and text with anonymous player confessions. The article listed PC.
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Downwell
Developer: Moppin. At number ten, this fast arcade game sends players falling through a well. GamesBeat highlighted its short bursts of play and listed PC, iOS, Android, and Mac.
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Clea: Complete Collection - PlayStation 4- Includes two full skill-focused horror games: Clea and Clea 2
- Hunt down key items and solve puzzles designed to lock you from the outside world
- Find memory orbs and uncover your family secrets through bonus chapters
- Unlock costumes/galleries/difficulty modes, multiple endings and even an arcade feature
- Fully-voiced cutscenes bring the experience to life
How to choose what to explore first
The list has no common scoring rubric, but its range makes it easier to pick by the kind of play or story you want:
- For arcade action: Downwell is the fast, falling-through-a-well option.
- For precise platforming: Try N++ for momentum-driven movement and demanding jumps.
- For an RPG that challenges convention: Start with Undertale.
- For exploration: Axiom Verge emphasizes connected spaces, secrets, and weapons.
- For fragmented storytelling: Her Story asks you to search through interview clips and connect them.
- For horror focused on unsettling ideas: Consider SOMA.
- For reflective or experimental narratives: The Beginner’s Guide, Cibele, Sunset, and Selfie: Sisters of the Amniotic Lens take markedly different approaches to presentation, perspective, or subject matter.
Historical prices and platform listings
The prices below are figures printed in GamesBeat’s 2015 article. They are historical snapshots, not current prices or confirmation that a game is presently available on every listed platform. Check a current storefront for today’s price and availability.
Quick Recap
| Rank | Game | 2015 article price | Platforms listed in 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Undertale | $2.99 | PC, Mac |
| 2 | Her Story | $5.99 | PC, iOS, Mac |
| 3 | SOMA | $19.99 | PC, PlayStation 4 |
| 4 | Axiom Verge | $19.99 | PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita |
| 5 | Cibele | $8.99 | PC, Mac |
| 6 | The Beginner’s Guide | $9.99 | PC, Mac, Linux |
| 7 | N++ | $19.99 | PlayStation 4 |
| 8 | Sunset | $19.99 | PC, Mac, Linux |
| 9 | Selfie: Sisters of the Amniotic Lens | $4.99 | PC |
| 10 | Downwell | $2.99 | PC, iOS, Android, Mac |
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
