Top 5: Early 2026 Indie Gems

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20 February 2026 no comments

The full potential of developers and infinite freedom. Today we’re talking about the best indie games already released this year. These are top-tier games that provide hours of fun without having to cost €60. You may not have heard of these games yet, but that’s because there’s hardly any money in marketing—instead, everything is in the gameplay.

Early 2026 Indie Gems

Expect fresh ideas from the Top 5 Early 2026 Indie Gems that big studios often don’t dare to try. Some of these titles also went completely through the roof on Steam simply because they were good. The motto for indie is: small projects with a huge addiction factor. Let’s dive right in.

#1: MewGenics – Turn-based strategy, roguelike, and cat breeding

MewGenics was developed by Edmund McMillen (The Binding of Isaac, Super Meat Boy) together with Tyler Glaiel. A game with a long development time and multiple reboots. The setting is dark, quirky, and classic McMillen. You have your cats going on a roguelike adventure, each with its own stats and abilities, featuring permadeath during the journeys. The focus is on team synergies, and each cat can only be used once.

The combat is tactical and turn-based. You have to position yourself well in battle to hit several enemies at once. Between fights, random events appear to keep things fresh. You can also breed your cats after runs, passing on inheritable traits. This allows you to make permanent progress over generations. In total, there are hundreds of items, skills, and modifiers that you unlock over time. Every run is different, offering extreme replay value.

#2: Cairn – Realistic climbing simulation and survival adventure

Cairn is an indie game from The Game Bakers. Instead of classic action or hero stories, the game focuses on a realistic climbing simulation with survival mechanics. You play as Aava, a professional climber who wants to scale the hard-to-reach Mount Kami. The gameplay is quite unusual; you have to plan every move—route planning, balance, and resource management are central. You have to place your hand and foot grips manually while paying attention to fatigue and external conditions like weather and time of day.

In addition to pure simulation, Cairn offers exploration, story elements, and environmental lore. This reveals Aava’s motivation and sheds light on the mountain’s secrets. The climbing system requires patience and precise timing, as every grip can decide between progress and a fall. You have equipment like pitons, chalk, food, and water to survive. Cairn offers multiple routes and paths to the summit, making every ascent unique. In addition to the story mode, there is an expedition mode that allows for alternative styles and starting conditions.

#3: MIO: Memories in Orbit – Sci-Fi Metroidvania & Joy of Exploration

MIO: Memories in Orbit is a Metroidvania platformer developed by Douze Dixièmes. In the game, you control MIO, an agile android protagonist who awakens on the decaying spaceship “The Vessel.” The ship has been abandoned for ages, causing it to be overgrown with vegetation, broken machinery, and mysterious remains of the past. Your task is to restore the ship’s memories and prevent its imminent shutdown. The story is conveyed through the environment and exploration without many cutscenes. Atmospherically, MIO aesthetically combines hand-drawn biomes with futuristic, sometimes eerie designs.

The focus is on classic Metroidvania elements such as exploration, ability unlocking, level unlocks, and backtracking. Over time, MIO unlocks new movement abilities like double jumps or grappling hooks. This allows you to reach new areas. The world of The Vessel is highly interconnected with locked paths, hidden routes, and optional secrets. In addition to platforming challenges, there are combat sequences against machine creatures that require skill and timing. Exploration is rewarding, as you can find hidden rewards or story details in many areas. The game’s difficulty is in the medium range, with precise platforming sections and challenging enemies that demand concentration.

#4 Escape from Ever After: Fairy Tales, Bureaucracy, and RPG Charm

Escape from Ever After is an adventurous RPG heavily inspired by classic Paper Mario games. The game was developed by the indie team Sleepy Castle Studios. The story takes place in fairy tale and picture-book worlds that have been taken over by the capitalist megacorp Ever After Inc. You step into the role of Flynt Buckler, a classic adventurer who initially tries to defeat the evil dragon Tinder. But instead of a dragon, Flynt now finds a world full of corporate offices, reports, and paperwork. The villain is not just a dragon, but a corporate boss who exploits fairy tale characters. Flynt must team up with old enemies, rise through the corporate hierarchy, and fight Ever After Inc. The game is full of humorous and satirical elements.

Escape from Ever After offers a turn-based combat system with timing elements. Battles reward properly timed interactions with higher damage or better defense. You build a party of fairy tale characters, each with their own abilities and stats. You can level up your characters and unlock new equipment and special abilities. In the world, there are many quests, secrets, side tasks, and a colorful environment. There is much to explore in the game, with humorous dialogue and charming graphic designs that emphasize the fairy-tale atmosphere. You can find new allies, optimize your party, and fight strategically with them.

#5 Starsand Island: Cozy 3D Life-Simulation & Farming Adventure

Starsand Island is a 3D life simulation and farming game from Seed Sparkle Lab. You start your new life on a tropical island, far away from urban daily life, where you can work as a farmer, rancher, fisherman, or craftsman. Through NPC relationships, the world feels alive; you can build friendships and romantic connections with islanders. Every character has an individual story with quests that help you get to know the community better. You can freely design your house and build and decorate it according to your ideas. The atmosphere is relaxed and cozy, inspired by classics like Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing.

The gameplay combines farming, crafting, exploration, and social building into an open experience. You start small with your farm, growing fruits and vegetables. Later, you build tools and further develop your skills. An extensive crafting system allows you to create production chains and items according to your wishes. On your farm, you can also keep pets like dogs, cats, or even capybaras. There is fishing, gathering, light combat, and exploration missions that bring variety to daily life. The controls are accessible and intended to appeal to fans of classic cozy games.

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Hey, I’m Kilian, but online you’ll probably know me as “Tux1243.” I've been part of the team for almost two years now, always trying to keep you in the loop with the latest and coolest gaming news. I also have a huge passion for doing deep dives and detailed analyses of entire game series and franchises. I love getting to the bottom of things and exploring the little details and backstories that make game worlds so fascinating.

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