There are many ways a game can be memorable – either with its impactful storytelling, perfectly polished gameplay, or powerful (and/or catchy) soundtrack that we still keep humming to ourselves decades later. Or... it could have an art style or visual direction that makes it truly stand out from the crowd. And that’s precisely what our current list focuses on: a handful of memorable indie titles that aren’t just good games – they manage to look really good on your screen, too.
Nine Sols
What if we had Sekiro, except with a cute – but nonetheless deadly – animal as the protagonist? Nine Sols sports an effortlessly cool art direction that mixes Taoism with far eastern mythology and cyberpunk, creating a visual style that serves as the perfect backdrop to the game’s relentlessly fast-paced, counter-based combat system.

Paper Beast
Created by Éric Chahi of Another World fame, Paper Beast is a unique exploration/adventure game set deep within the internet, where strangely enough... life has formed. By which I mean: you meet cute origami animals. The game places a heavy emphasis on its physics system, and has you interacting with the environment and its paper-based inhabitants to solve puzzles and experiment with what you’re capable of. It’s artistic and dreamy, which is precisely why it deserves a spot on our list.

Blasphemous
The art of Blasphemous is both brutal and gorgeous. It is undoubtedly one of the most impressive pixel art games I’ve ever played, and it masterfully incorporates the stunning beauty of Spanish architecture into its vision. And then you see its monsters: hulking, grotesque abominations that often defy logic, and begin to truly feel the incredible duality of the game’s art direction.

Othercide
Brought to life with black, white and splashes of red, Othercide is quite a visual treat. Players command their Daughters in battle, utilizing a combat system based on actions, counters and advance planning. The game also has you make some pretty tough choices – you see, in order to heal one Daughter, another has to be sacrificed for good. Everything has a price, I suppose.

Yuppie Psycho
Set in a dystopian 90s society, Yuppie Psycho stars Brian Pasternack, a young worker starting his new job at the company Sintracorp. As it turns out, though, his job involves a bit more than what you’d expect from the average salaryman – Brian has to find and hunt down a mysterious witch who was once responsible for the success of the company, but is now tormenting its employees.

Death of the Reprobate
Mixing absurdist comedy with a visual style inspired by classical art, this unique take on point & click adventures stars a wealthy nobleman on a misguided quest to perform good deeds – but as you might imagine, things don’t exactly go as you might expect. Death of the Reprobate is outrageously and unapologetically funny, and every time you think it can’t get any more ridiculous, it does. The game is the third part of a series that began with Four Last Things and The Procession to Calvary, but it can be enjoyed as a standalone experience, too. It’s what I did, at any rate.

Afterimage
Afterimage is a gorgeous metroidvania with visually diverse locations, an absolutely colossal world map and oodles of optional secrets to uncover. It’s a game that embraces its metroidvania-ness, placing a satisfying amount of emphasis on backtracking – but it’s also just a fun little action game with tight controls and numerous different weapon types to master.

The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
Set in a world where people must accept the Lot they’re born with (commoners are destined to suffer and serve, while nobles are encouraged to aspire for greatness), the game recounts the life of its titular hero from the moment of his birth right until his death. Sir Brante is a game with a multitude of choices and consequences, presented with a wonderfully grim art style that makes the whole thing feel a bit like a classic gamebook.

Ender Magnolia
Okay, so technically this one is still in Early Access, but the full version is right around the corner (January 23), which is all the more reason for me to give you a bit of a reminder that yeah, Ender Magnolia is actually pretty cool. Which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise if you’ve played its predecessor, Ender Lilies, but still. The game itself is just as bittersweet and melancholic as Lilies, which is a good sign. You can read my initial impressions/Early Access review of it over here.

Bad Dream: Coma
Developer Desert Fox’s Bad Dream: Coma is characterized by a highly minimalistic but hauntingly memorable art style – the game invites you to a nightmare you can’t wake up from, and lets you explore its grisly, disturbing landscapes as you see fit. Everything can change with your choices, but be warned: even a single bad decision could spell your doom.

Monument Valley
Monument Valley originally debuted on mobile platforms in 2014 and has since remained one of the most visually unique games out there. Sporting a visual style that’s often likened to the works of Dutch artist M.C. Escher, the game took the world by storm, inviting players on a journey of forgiveness across a variety of gorgeous, surreal landscapes.
