244: The Best Indie Games of the 2020s

The votes are cast and counted, and it's time to unveil the results of the Gaming In The Wild patron GOTY vote 2025!This annual fixture has slowly eclipsed my own GOTY list as the most-hype podcast of GOTY season in my mind. We had a record-breaking 50 voters, selecting 88 games, and one final winner. And to help me go through the results, I had one special guest: Blinkoom aka Steve from Indie Quest podcast. Enjoy the show, folks, it was a blast to create.Find Blink on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Blinkoom See Blink’s GOTY stream: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2648247802 Find Blink's podcast Indie Quest: https://indiequest.buzzsprout.comIf you'd like to join the community, hit up Patreon — new patrons at any tier get a free game code for 1000xRESIST, Ultros, In Other Waters, or Citizen Sleeper (while they last) — and you can vote next year! http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild  Happy holidays folks — I'll be back before NYE with my personal GOTY episode in the final episode of the year.00:00 Intro04:30 Blink's Top Ten51:54 Patron vote: lower ten01:25:53 Patron vote: top tenAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week's show is me catching up on a couple of intriguing late-year indie releases. Skate Story is a fantastical skating game where we play a demon skating out of hell to eat the moon — it's a masterclass in both skating mechanics and aesthetic. DISPATCH is the blockbuster visual novel that takes an original spin on a superhero story, with very human themes.Join the Patreon to support the show, join the community, and get a free game code, a Discord invite, ad-free episodes, and more: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildSee my videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GamingInTheWildSteam curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/Special thanks to my Boss Tier Patrons: ShyGuy, KingChamp, Cerys, SusannaMaria, Nate, and Syd B. And thanks to you for listening :)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week's podcast is a GOTY roundup with Brad Gallaway from the excellent So Videogames podcast. Brad brings a mixture of big hitters and hidden gems, including at least four games I hadn't even heard of before, so open your wishlists, and enjoy his picks!You can find the So Videogames podcast here: https://gamecritics.com/podcasts/Hop into Patreon to support this show and join the listener community: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.See the YouTube videos here: http://youtube.com/gaminginthewild.And find me on Steam and social media via: http://gaminginthewild.com.Thanks for listening, folks!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

GOTY season is upon us! This year's special guest series kicks off with Ben from The Mimic's Veil, who dropped by to talk Silksong hot takes, Clair Obscur, The Game Awards, Consume Me, and some of the indie gems that he's hoping to squeeze in before year end.Find the Mimic's Veil on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/themimicsveil.bsky.social.Support this podcast on Patreon (and join the patron GOTY vote!): http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.See my videos: https://www.youtube.com/@GamingInTheWild.Steam curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/Peace!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week's episode has a big November indie game preview section, as well as some chat about PowerWash Simulator 2, Carimara: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs, Possessor(s), Kirby Air Riders global test, Battle Suit Aces, Turtle Beach's Atlas 200 headset, and more. Enjoy!Support on Patreon: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.November releases video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skEO-PmIadUSee the YouTube Shorts: https://www.youtube.com/@GamingInTheWild/shortsFollow on Bluesky, Insta, etc: http://linktr.ee/gaminginthewildSteam Curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/Thanks for listening!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week's episode is a an indie horror roundup, with mini-reviews of Buckshot Roulette and Clover Pit — the child (and grandchild) of Inscryption. The featured review is of Mouthwashing: a slowly unravelling space crew nightmare that's essential, but not for the faint of heart. Then finally, we have the community Next Fest roundup!Support on Patreon: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.Recent videos mentioned in the show:Indie Horror: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpBOmKk_BGgNext Fest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N5vpuyTs5gFollow on Bluesky, Insta, etc: http://linktr.ee/gaminginthewildSteam Curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/Thanks for listening!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

BALL X PIT is close to perfect. It mixes diverse influences, from '80s arcade games, to '90s twin-stick shooters, bullet heavens, Balatro-likes, and the very best of the 2020s roguelike trend — all of which results in a compelling, addictive, and satisfyingly contemporary shoot ‘em up experience that stands shoulder to shoulder with its influences.In the roundup: Next Fest community event, Hades 2, Ghost of Yotei, JS AUX Ally accessories.Please do hop in to support this podcast if you can afford $1 a month! You get some extra bonus stuff: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.See the videos: http://youtube.com/gaminginthewild.Find the show on social media: http://gaminginthewild.com. Check out this Steam curator page made by podcast supporter Dovetail: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/  And thanks for listening!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week's grab bag episode includes first thoughts on Hades II, mid-game thoughts on the charming turn-based cartoon battler Wander Stars, and (spoiler free) final thoughts on Death Standing 2: On The Beach. In the roundup: all the news from the Tokyo Games Show, including the Nintendo, Xbox, Sony, and Annapurna directs that happened this month, and a light review of some Switch 2 accessories that Snakebyte sent my way.Support the show on Patreon: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildFollow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GamingInTheWildFollow on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gaminginthewild.bsky.socialFollow the Steam curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/And thanks for listening!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hollow Knight: Silksong is here! Join me as I recount my fraught and torrid journey through the kingdom of Pharloom. It's a wondrous place — immersive, vast, absorbing — but it's held within a game that's ruthlessly difficult, and trolls the player in a way that I've found difficult to enjoy.In the roundup: Time Flies, Lumines Remastered, Snakebyte Switch 2 accessories.Support the show on Patreon: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildRead the Myrkur article: https://grapevine.is/mag/2025/09/15/echoes-of-the-end-inside-the-biggest-icelandic-video-game-of-2025/Read the VGC Silksong review: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/review/hollow-knight-silksong/Follow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GamingInTheWildFollow on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gaminginthewild.bsky.socialFollow the Steam curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/And thanks for listening!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Herdling is another vibey journey through a forlorn world from the young Okomotive studio. The shepherding gameplay is alternatively fun, clumsy, endearing, and frustrating, but overall, it’s a three-hour journey that is a must for indie game fans.In the roundup: Hollow Knight, and Silksong pre-game!Support the show on Patreon: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildFollow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GamingInTheWildFollow on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gaminginthewild.bsky.socialFollow the Steam curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/And thanks for listening!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy