The gaming industry saw a number of big ones this year, but there were many that didn't get the spotlight. Now that doesn't mean these weren't good. There's a good chance that you missed some of the very good ones. So, here's an attempt at getting them the spotlight they deserve.
Endless Legend
Fans of Civilization should take a look at this innovative game featuring interesting, asymmetric gameplay. Each faction requires a different approach to gameplay. You play as one of many races, each with a unique skillset; the Broken Lords are energy beings and cannot be bothered with food, the Cultists can have only one city, and the Necrophages have no concept of diplomacy, and so on.
Hexcells infinite
The final game in the hexcells series, this mind-bending puzzle game will leave you scratching your head for hours. Invest in a hat if you’d rather not go bald. Imagine Minesweeper but with hexes instead of square, and puzzle design that shuns guessing. The final comes with all new puzzles, a system to import user made puzzles and even a random puzzle mode that will keep you occupied for life.
Unrest
The number of games that are set in India are few and this Kickstarter-backed India RPG is a breath of fresh air. It features a fresh Indian setting and some interesting game mechanics. It’s a short game, focussing on building and setting and story rather than pad the gameplay with unnecessary and contrived battles.
Neo Scavenger
Do you want to die repeatedly of something as trivial as minor cut that’s been bandaged with an improperly sterilized rag? Or how about from excessive diphtheria from consuming suspect berries? Despite the simple 2D graphics, this is a deep RPG survival game with strong mechanics and a penchant for murdering the protagonist.
Crea
Another Kickstarted game that take the Terraria / Minecraft style of gameplay to heart, Crea features a cute art style and a sandbox with a modding system unlike any other. You can not only create quick and simple mods without any programming knowledge, but also brush up on Python and make mos that tap deep into core of the game engine.
Blackwell Epiphany
This decidedly retro-looking game feels like it might have been released in the 90s, but creativity never ages. The Blackwell series of adventure game is about an odd coupling of the ghost of a man from the 1930s with a woman who’s just found out she’s a medium. The long-running series ends with this charming and heartwarming fifth chapter.
Sokobond
Start with the good old Sokoban puzzle game, mix in some chemistry and you get this clever and interesting gem of a game. In a surprize twist you’ll suddenly discover that you’ve loved chemistry all along! Who says that games can’t be educational?
Tabletop Simulator
We’ve always loved playing tabletop games as kids, but now that very same table space comes at a premium, what with all our PC’s and other device hogging that space. Tabletop Simulator attempts to remedy that by giving you a virtual tabletop inside your computer, allowing you to simulate almost any kind of board game with ease.
The Floor is Jelly
Few games get across their gimmick as clearly in their title as this game does. Bounce around in this unique platformer where the floor is literally Jelly,Yes, We’re serious. We’re not pulling your leg.
Eidolon
Explore a beautiful open world while uncovering stories told by the remnants of the human civilization. Find letter, newspapers, journals and sketchbooks that give you pieces of what brought the world to its current state.