With the rate at which Indie and AAA games are released, and the rising prices of the latter, I'd guess that most of us have growing backlogs and wishlists that we always intend to get around to, but don't for one reason or another.

Beyond that, though, sometimes the unfortunate fact is that great games often get overshadowed by a heavily anticipated release or lack enough marketing to compete with that month's biggest game. I mean, why do you think every other game releasing in the latter half of 2026 is doing its best to separate itself from November when GTA 6 launches?

For that reason, we've put together a list of games that might have flown under your radar. Maybe you were too young when it was released, or maybe you were so focused on another release that you missed it. Whatever the reason, here are some highly rated games you may not have played, but should definitely add to the list.

All games on this list are ranked by their average score across Critic and User Ratings, as reported by Metacritic.

10 UFO 50

Metascore 93 | User Rating 8.9

Despite being well-received at launch, UFO 50 had the bad luck of releasing in the same month as 2024's Game of the Year winner, Astro Bot. Granted, they were on different platforms, with UFO 50 only on Nintendo Switch and PC, but in the grand scheme, it was still difficult to compete with Sony's mascot, who was dominating marketing and news that month.

That said, it's worth coming back to take a look at, as UFO 50 is a unique little indie that's actually 50 games in one. Whether you're looking for single-player, multiplayer, roguelikes, RPGs, or platformers, this little game has it all, and more. Between the low price, great quality, and variety, it's hard to beat.

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9 OneShot

Metascore 80 | User Rating 8.9

After originally appearing as a free indie game on PC, OneShot was eventually formally released on Steam in 2016 as a completely remade experience. There, it developed a small following that grew when the World Machine Edition also brought the game to consoles in 2022. Of course, still nothing compared to what it should have been.

Despite being highly rated, reasonably priced, and available on all modern platforms, this adventure puzzle game remains mostly overlooked by players, and there's no reason for it. If you've been endlessly searching for a new cozy, story-heavy indie that'll challenge you, it's been right here all along.

8 The Wolf Among Us

Metascore 85 | User Rating 8.9

Considering how much The Wolf Among Us 2 was delayed and made headlines because of it, you've likely heard of this franchise but maybe never got around to the original. Since The Wolf Among Us was released episodically, there's also a chance you planned to return to it once all the episodes were out, then entirely forgot about it once they were.

Whatever the reason was, The Wolf Among Us 2 is finally on track to release next year, so now is a great time to hop into the first one if you haven't already. Critics and players have rated it highly, and all the episodes are out, meaning you won't have to wait for more content to be released.

7 Pizza Tower

Metascore 89 | User Rating 8.9

Pizza Tower, like UFO 50, is another somewhat recent indie release that managed to get overlooked by many. Unfortunately, this is likely due to the fact that the game was only available on PC, but it has since come to Nintendo Switch, making it available for Nintendo console players.

This 2D platformer features overly emotive characters and an art style that looks like it was ripped right out of a 90s cartoon. That said, what really sold Pizza Tower for most players was the phenomenal soundtrack that accompanies the game's chaotic gameplay. If you haven't tried it out yet, there's a strong chance you won't be disappointed.

6 Ori And The Blind Forest

Metascore 88 | User Rating 8.6

While Ori and the Will of the Wisps technically has a higher rating than The Blind Forest, with a Metascore of 90 and a User Rating of 8.9, you really shouldn't play it without playing this one first. You don't technically need to play Blind Forest to understand Will of the Wisps, but it's also phenomenal, adds context, and offers a better overall experience with both games if you play it first.

Both are action platformers featuring beautiful, dreamy atmospheres and unique characters available on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox. Unfortunately, neither game is available on PlayStation at this time, and it's unlikely they will be anytime soon.

5 Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries Of Honjo

Metascore 85 | User Rating 9.0

You've definitely heard of Square Enix, even if you've never played any of their games, but what you may not have heard of is Paranormasight. Yes, Square Enix makes other highly rated games other than Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts.

These horror-adventure visual-novel-style games are a series, but The Seven Mysteries of Honjo specifically has the highest ratings and is available on both PC and Nintendo Switch. So if you've been looking for a new mystery to solve with a spooky premise, then be sure to check out this underrated game from a legendary publisher.

4 Omori

Metascore 88 | User Rating 9.0

Speaking of horror, although this one is more psychological horror than traditional scares, another game that tends to be forgotten is Omori. Despite its bright and colorful pixel art, Omori is as unsettling as it is heartbreaking, and most who have sat down to play it can't seem to forget the impact the game had on them the first time they played it.

Unfortunately, the fact that this game was originally released at the tail end of 2020 means we were starving to get back out into the world again and away from the games we'd been trapped with during quarantine. For that reason, new releases weren't as attention-grabbing as they had been just months earlier, when we were all looking for anything to occupy us, and Omori likely saw an effect of that.

Of course, it's still widely beloved by those who have discovered it since then, so if you've never heard of it or just haven't picked it up yet, now is your chance.

3 Baldur's Gate

Metascore 91 | User Rating 8.8

Yes, I know you've heard of Baldur's Gate 3. If you haven't, I'm convinced you just started playing video games for the first time today because BG3 is virtually unavoidable in this space. It's on every major recommended game list, it's a GOTY winner, and players are still putting thousands of hours into it over numerous replays.

However, and this might shock you, the 3 at the end of BG3 means there are two other games before it, Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2, both of which are also highly rated by critics and players. They are older, of course, but the stories and gameplay are just as good, and you'll likely recognize some faces from BG3 if you've already played it.

So, if you're one of the many who just can't let go of Baldur's Gate 3, I highly recommend checking out the previous two games. Despite BG3's success, very few players have taken the time to experience these stories, even though they're equally enjoyable in their own ways.

2 Conker's Bad Fur Day

Metascore 92 | User Rating 8.8

If you don't know what this is, boy, do I have a treat for you, and if you do know, then I bet you're thinking this game is far more popular than it actually was. Like many of us, I grew up in a rather strict household where a game like this never would've crossed my path, but since reaching adulthood, I've been blessed with an introduction to this hidden gem thanks to some questionable friends.

So, whether you had strict parents like me or simply weren't lucky enough to stumble upon this game yourself, Conker's Bad Fur Day is a chaotically mature game about a drunk squirrel. No, that's not a joke. And yes, this does actually have a 92 on Metacritic.

Believe me when I tell you there's no way I could describe this game to do it justice, and that you have to experience it first-hand. I honestly think it's probably best if you know as little as possible before playing it. Unfortunately, it is a Nintendo 64 game, so you'll need to get creative if you're determined to play it. But for those on Xbox, it is included in the Rare Replay collection on Xbox Game Pass.

1 Okami

Metascore 93 | User Rating 8.9

This is one of the few on this list that I'd be surprised if you hadn't heard of, considering it's regarded as a gaming masterpiece, but not enough people have actually played it. At the 2024 Game Awards, we found out that a sequel was officially in production with the same director as the original, Hideki Kamiya. While we don't know much beyond that, it seems to be maintaining what made the original special.

For those who haven't heard of it, Okami is a story-heavy Japanese mythology adventure game made by Capcom that features a beautiful Sumi-e ink art style. I won't share much more beyond that because it's something you should experience for yourself, and, thankfully, you can on just about every platform, as an HD remaster was released for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox back in 2017.

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