Works that I found interesting and memorable on this website. They're usually titles you are unlikely to find readily available on other platforms. Not all are itch.io exclusives, but they do convey some indie spirit that I really enjoy.
A sweet, short incremental game where you simply hover to get your currency and upgrades.
A visual novel that hits on the hypocrisy of people who champion anti-stereotypical causes only to be a self-righteous racist. The art direction is also quite stellar.
An accurate, surrealistic take of what it means to experience solidarity.
A short story in the form of a pushy Buzzfeed quiz that somehow drags the worst out of us.
Surprisingly engaging "roguelike" take on hex-grid tactical games.
This episodic-ish visual novel made me laugh and get depressed in the same time. The kind of stuff that makes me glad I'm checking out game jams since they can be so creative. Holy shit.
Toxic yuri animal experimentation game. It's as good as it sounds. Highly underrated.
A beautifully crafted visual novel using embroidery to explore the decline of an island town through a messy love triangle.
A SatoJun anime meta fanfic game about the meaning of fiction and life without it. It's like English Suisenka or something. Wow.
This is the kind of game that I relate to, especially when it talks about boredom. The CGs are all fantastic, and the character writing is intoxicating. It's so easy to lose myself in this game and resonate with what the characters are feeling.
An excellent visual novel exploring characters with a lack of self-preservation and dubcon.
One of the best examples of what you can do in a short visual novel.
A kinda horror kinda bad romance visual novel that uses instant messaging and blogging to ground the story in a very specific time period. Really compelling until the end.
One of the best mystery games, and it just happens to be free. A work that is not only building on the shoulders of great mystery titles but also innovating and having its own twist on the genre.
A charming little "safari" game where you meet creatures that can only spawn in unique conditions. The procedurally generated worlds and getting the remaining animals to appear can get silly, but the strong aesthetic, music, and sound effect directions are more than enough for me to ignore the jank.
And I also just like the message of the game. It resonates with me.
A fascinating incremental procedurally generated narrative game that was the centerpiece of an interesting talk about "gardening games".
A narrative rogue-like game where a ship AI (you) searches for the ideal planet. It's a bit bare-bones, but I find it quite inspiring.
A short incremental game about counting sheep with some fun mechanics. Strange jumpscare at the end though.
A poetic collage of forms and dynamics exploring the cycle of violence and abuse.
An amusing beginner-friendly parser game with a feline twist.
An essay on a truly forgotten Game Maker game inspired by GTA.
An introspective reflection on what it means to see your cardiograms.
A nice manifesto about seeing video games in different lights including HRT.
An innovative puzzle with only one map. Every step of the way is a joy to solve. Highly recommended.
An interactive poem about rural isolation and trains that will never connect with you.
Alien porn. In an alien language.
A classic plundercore game about brothers and Luigi's Mansion.
A moody Bitsy game with great graphics and melancholic writing set in the outer edges of space.
