11 Of This Year’s Best Indie Games That Are Deeply Discounted In The Steam Winter Sale

2025 has been the most incredible year for indie gaming. Rather than one ultra-standout game, like last year’s Balatro ( 15 percent off ), we’ve been treated to a wide array of small-team, small-budget creations that have broken through to wider attention. And right now, nearly all of them are available at a decent discount in Steam’s Winter Sale. This is not a comprehensive list-like I said, it’s been an incredible year-and I want to make room for enormously accomplished games that haven’t had quite so much attention too. (Oh, and you won’t find that multi-million dollar game developed by hundreds of people here, even though all the so-called “indie” awards have abandoned all meaning and sense and allowed one such game to unfairly dominate attention and accolades.) Every one of these games is well worth your attention over the Christmas break, and now you don’t have to pay as much. Peak Every year seems to have an indie climbing hit, and this year it’s the wonderful Peak . Ideally played in co-op, you and some buddies attempt to climb a mountain with the constant risk of making a mistake and pulling all your friends into disaster. And earlier this year it added cannibalism ! Peak is currently 38 percent off, making it only $5 . Eclipsium One of the most striking and astonishing games in 2025, Eclipsium takes the walking simulator and turns it into a breathtaking work of horror and surrealism, with artwork like nothing else that’s ever existed. I spoke to the developer about how it was created here . At 20 percent off, it’s yours this holiday for just $10 . Absolum One of the most popular indie games of 2025, roguelite beat ’em up Absolum is absolutely drowning in incredible reviews . It comes from the same team that brought us 2020’s Streets of Rage 4 ( 65 percent off ), and likely would have scooped a bunch of awards this year if a certain other game hadn’t stolen them. Its already bargain price is now 20 percent lower, at $20 . Megabonk No one really knows for sure who developer Vedinad is, but it’s certainly very suspicious that the name spells “Danidev” backwards, which just happens to be the name of a YouTuber and developer who famously vanished a few years back. Anyway, whoever they may be, they had the integrity to withdraw Megabonk , their fantastic 3D reimagining of Vampire Survivors , from contention for Best Debut Indie Game in this year’s Game Awards, on the basis that it’s not their debut game. (DaniDev made Crab Game ). Anyway, it’s brilliant, it’s ludicrously moreish, and now it’s 25 percent cheaper at just $7.49 . Urban Myth Dissolution Center Pixel horror visual novel Urban Myth Dissolution Center came out all the way back in February, and as such hasn’t been all that well remembered in end-of-year lists. So put that right! You’re investigating supernatural cases, untangling conspiracies, and collecting evidence, in order to bring...

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