Valheim, with couple of friends it is one of the best games in decade. Done by swedish team iron gate and published by coffee stain which is also swedish.
I would also add HellDivers 2 , by Arrowhead Game Studios, although the Publisher is a Japanese corporation (Sony Interactive Entertainment) and it is not an indie game at all.
Remedy is a Finnish studio, but the Publisher for Alan Wake is Epic Games, one of the least consumer-friendly companies in the Industry.
Interesting question, here are some EU-made indie games I've enjoyed, in no particular order. I've had to look all of these up, I didn't play them because they were European or anything.
I kind of hate how comfy their position as a new CEO is. Firebreak was horrible for the company and it was not made by the main dev team. Remedy is now finishing the Control 2 and there is talk about remastering Max Payne 1&2. Those projects are pretty much unfuckable at this point, so the new CEO gets all the praise how after the horrible launch of Firebreak they came amd saved the company. Only thing they need to do is to not torpedo the projects that are allready underwork.
The current state of that dev team is...contentious to say the least. If I recall correctly three different studios have spawned, none on good terms with the others. Good game, though.
BeamNG.Drive is German 👌
It's a softbody physics vehicle sim/sandbox game thing.
My favorite thing to do in it is to pair it with Automation: The Car Company Tycoon Game (NZ-based dev) where you can design vehicles and then export them to BeamNG to drive them.
I have done literally nothing with Automation except build stuff for Beam and I still consider it to be an excellent purchase. Best standalone third party DLC ever
Casette Beasts, a Creature collecting (pokemon like) game, is by a UK studio, and Yooka Replaylee which is also British only released last year and I still think it's the most slept-on game of 2025!
MENACE is a great sci-fi tactical RPG I’ve been playing a ton recently. It’s still in early access though so beware of that but its by a german studio who made Battle Brothers and they seem to be knocking it out of the park with updates so far.
The Midnight Walk is made by Swedish studio Moonhood with game assets sculptured in clay and scanned and animated. It won "Best VR Game" in the recent Steam awards but works really well as a regular game. A very beautiful and artful story
I'm not sure if it counts as indie, but I played Eriksholm in December and enjoyed it quite a bit. I'm also playing TR-49 at the moment that's scratching my Roottree itch.
It's a Cartoon Action RPG from ex-Cartoon Network devs now based in Spain. Feels like a cartoon show. Great voice cast. Fun adventure with some comedy. And optional co-op.
Factorio is nice
Understatement of the decade
i can stop anytime i want! ...i just don't want to stop...
there's a reason the community calls it cracktorio, lol
Lead dev of Ultrakill is Finnish and he said it's okay to pirate the game if you can't afford it
Soundtrack has some amazing tracks, too. Shame I get motion sickness from (fast) FPS.
I can second the soundtrack, which by the way you can get on Bandcamp.
I think this game has now an accessibility setting to slow it down? I'll have to verify it later
Kingdom Come Deliverance 1 and 2 by Warhorse Studios - Czech
No Man’s Sky by Hello Games - UK
Planet Coaster 1 and 2 and Planet Zoo by Frontier Development - UK
I wouldn't call any of those indie.
None of them are AAA, so what would you call them?
AA?
Valheim, with couple of friends it is one of the best games in decade. Done by swedish team iron gate and published by coffee stain which is also swedish.
And I think they're about to hit 1.0 with the Deep North update. Will be great to get back in then with my friends.
There are so many! What kind of games do you like? For example Spilled! Was made by a Dutch solo dev while living on her houseboat.
Wow new life goal
Not indie but still good:
I would also add HellDivers 2 , by Arrowhead Game Studios, although the Publisher is a Japanese corporation (Sony Interactive Entertainment) and it is not an indie game at all.
Remedy is a Finnish studio, but the Publisher for Alan Wake is Epic Games, one of the least consumer-friendly companies in the Industry.
No one has mentioned S.T.A.L.K.E.R. yet?
I was just about to say, how is it that I had to scroll this fucking far down to find S.T.A.L.K.E.R.?
Add Metro series to it. THQ, afaik, doesn't own rights to it anymore. Austrian publisher has rights now.
Don't know if it qualifies as an indie game but Clair Obscur Expedition 33.
I’d say it does. It’s an independent studio, half the cast had never even made a game before. And they’re French too.
I'm biased because I go to the same school these guys went to but check out Wrong Organ: https://www.wrongorgan.com/
They made Mouthwashing and How Fish is Made, both are weird as fuck
Interesting question, here are some EU-made indie games I've enjoyed, in no particular order. I've had to look all of these up, I didn't play them because they were European or anything.
Not so indie:
Control Alan Wake games. Max Payne 1&2 (Remedy, Finland)
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall, France)
Satisfactory (Coffee Stain studios, Sweden)
Valheim (Iron gate, Sweden)
Get it before the new (ex-EA) CEO turns the company into a husk of what it was becoming :\
I kind of hate how comfy their position as a new CEO is. Firebreak was horrible for the company and it was not made by the main dev team. Remedy is now finishing the Control 2 and there is talk about remastering Max Payne 1&2. Those projects are pretty much unfuckable at this point, so the new CEO gets all the praise how after the horrible launch of Firebreak they came amd saved the company. Only thing they need to do is to not torpedo the projects that are allready underwork.
The current state of that dev team is...contentious to say the least. If I recall correctly three different studios have spawned, none on good terms with the others. Good game, though.
#eestimentioned
I suppose that they would still count even though their first game has been running for over a decade.
I love Keen Software House, and their games Space Engineers and the new Space Engineers 2 that is in early access.
(They are based in the Czech Republic)
Tactical Breach Wizards has been a lot of fun lately
Deep Rock Galactic is still awesome, made by the Danish dev studio Ghost Ship Games.
Even if you don't like DRG for whatever reason, everyone should appreciate how awesome they are.
Arc Raiders: it was produce by Embark Studios located at Stockholm
Add to that, The Finals is also Embark. Very solid arena shooter.
BeamNG.Drive is German 👌
It's a softbody physics vehicle sim/sandbox game thing.
My favorite thing to do in it is to pair it with Automation: The Car Company Tycoon Game (NZ-based dev) where you can design vehicles and then export them to BeamNG to drive them.
I have done literally nothing with Automation except build stuff for Beam and I still consider it to be an excellent purchase. Best standalone third party DLC ever
Yeah, i don't think I've ever even clicked the career mode button. lmao
Hempuli is a Finnish indie dev, best known for Baba is You
idk wtf is going on with Finland, but gamedevs from over there make absolutely crazy lovecraftian-level-of-incomprehensiveness games
Like, wtf is going on there?
cold
terrible weather
nearby to Russia
Of course, how did I miss that?
Habbo Hotel is by a Finnish indie dev, best known for Habbo Hotel
Alwa's Awakening and Alwa's Legacy, by Elden Pixels, a Swedish studio.
While you're at it, buy from GOG, a Polish store that sells DRM-free games for PC.
This War of Mine is made by a Ukranian team, and part of the proceeds go to helping with the war effort.
Isn't the Horizon franchise made by a Dutch studio?
Yes, Gorilla Games is a Dutch company
Lol It’s Guerrilla Games
But I wouldn't say they're indie. They're published by Sony.
Stray, A Plague Tale, Noita
How about the fartastical Diarrhea 4? Not only by a European indie dev, but also inspired by a Lemmy comment!
This is stoopid; I love it!
Warhorse studios (KCD2) in a bit big for real indie but it's not AAA either. They are pretty European afaik.
Edit: correct spelling
Not warehouse
Thank you.
Gotta plug the games my IRL friends have made, all Swedish:
Dennaton Games:
Hotline Miami
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
YCJY Games:
Keep Driving
Post Void
Sea Salt
The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human
Wriks: nothing completely made by him on steam, but he's done work for several games and other stuff, most of it is on the website.
Intravenous
Casette Beasts, a Creature collecting (pokemon like) game, is by a UK studio, and Yooka Replaylee which is also British only released last year and I still think it's the most slept-on game of 2025!
Limbo and Inside, by danish dev company Playdead
Little Nightmares and the new game Reanimal, which is looking amazing, are also by swedish studio Tarsier.
Town to City is a very cute and cozy city builder with a very calm pace, from a small studio in the Netherlands.
EGOSOFT (the X series of space empire simulators) is based in Germany.
Inkle studios - UK - Heaven's Vault, A Highland Sing
Abbey Games - Netherlands - Reus, Renowned Explorers: International Society
Dimfrost Studio - Sweden - Bramble: The Mountain King
Strange Horticulture and Strange Antiquities by the British studio Bad Viking
Both excellent games
MENACE is a great sci-fi tactical RPG I’ve been playing a ton recently. It’s still in early access though so beware of that but its by a german studio who made Battle Brothers and they seem to be knocking it out of the park with updates so far.
Tiny Glade
Hidden Folks
Falconeer
Bulwark
Thronefall
Kingdom: New Lands
Nuclear Throne
Vampire Survivor
Monument Valley
Dome Keeper
Dungeon Clawler
Buckshot Roulette
CloverPit
Slots & Daggers
Townscaper
Bad North
Drone Perspective (Sweden) - good tactics about the modern war.
The Midnight Walk is made by Swedish studio Moonhood with game assets sculptured in clay and scanned and animated. It won "Best VR Game" in the recent Steam awards but works really well as a regular game. A very beautiful and artful story
I'm not sure if it counts as indie, but I played Eriksholm in December and enjoyed it quite a bit. I'm also playing TR-49 at the moment that's scratching my Roottree itch.
What about Tri: Of Friendship and Madness
It's a puzzle FPS kinda reminding me of Portal.
Satisfactory is excellent. Like 3D Factorio.
I've been playing a lot of The Last Caretaker too. It's early access but there's already 20hrs+ of good content. Seriously relaxing game too.
Does Darkwood sound good ??
Or X1-X4 by EgoSoft ? Or Intravenous ?
I’ve been saying this for over a decade now, but, fucking Starbound. It’s so good. Play Starbound. Play it now.
No one mentioning Kenshi in this thread should be considered a crime against humanity.
free software shooter is cooking here https://gitlab.com/open-fpsz/open-fpsz
this thread is about to make my bank account cry 😭
I'm playing Haiku the Robot right now and loving it. It was developed in Estonia.
Ink Inside
It's a Cartoon Action RPG from ex-Cartoon Network devs now based in Spain. Feels like a cartoon show. Great voice cast. Fun adventure with some comedy. And optional co-op.
Only $10!
Personally, the game also needs to be sold on gog, Nintendo, or PlayStation to avoid giving a cut to a us company.