I just finished playing Hollow Knight and absolutely loved its atmosphere, challenging combat, and deep exploration. I'm looking for indie game recommendations that capture a similar feeling of getting lost in a beautifully crafted, mysterious world. I've already played Celeste and Dead Cells, which were great but felt different. I'm specifically interested in games with a strong sense of place, maybe some light Metroidvania elements, and a compelling art style. I'm open to any platform, but I primarily play on PC and Nintendo Switch. What are some hidden gems that might scratch this itch?
Hyper Light Drifter nails that moody, mysterious vibe with tight combat and exploration. It’s a compact world that rewards exploration and has a gorgeous, pixel-art style that feels timeless on PC and Switch. If you want something a bit more narrative-forward, Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights matches Hollow Knight’s atmosphere with a haunting, hand-drawn look and tight metroidvania progression on both PC and Switch.
Blasphemous goes darker and more grotesque, but it nails the sense of place and dense world-building. It’s a chunky metroidvania with heavy combat and a striking art style that’s still indie. Sundered is another strong pick—hand-drawn art, big boss fights, and a leaning towards exploration and atmosphere over pure challenge, available on PC and Switch.
Axiom Verge leans into retro sci-fi Metroidvania vibes with a strong sense of discovery and a lot of secrets to uncover, and it plays nicely on PC and Switch. If you want something a bit lighter but still with a distinctive look, Greak: Memories of Azur is charming, with clear level design and cooperative or single-player pacing, also on PC/Switch.
Chasm offers an interesting spin with procedurally generated floors and classic metroidvania pace, and Moonlighter blends exploration with light RPG progression and shop sim vibes. Both are solid fits for a ‘lost world’ feeling and are available on PC and Switch.
If you want two more options that keep the focus on atmosphere and world-building, La-Mulana 2 is a challenging but incredibly rewarding retro-inspired adventure (great if you like tough puzzles and ancient ruins) and The Swords of Ditto gives a lighter, cooperative-friendly take on dungeon exploration. All are on PC/Switch and offer strong visuals and memorable worlds.