The 25 Best Indie Games of 2012

It's been a good year for indies, but it's time to celebrate the best of them!

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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It's been a pretty exciting year for the independent games scene. Kickstarter revolutionized what games get funded, Steam Greenlight allowed players to choose which titles got a shake on the marketplace, and we saw some truly fantastic games make their way to our PCs, consoles, and handhelds.

Picking the best of the best from this past year wasn't easy, and this list could have easily turned into a top 50 or top 100, but we've got to draw a line somewhere. There's no doubt you've got your own pecking order and we'd love to hear it in the comments below. Tell us who we forgot, what you think was overrated, and why your favorite indie games deserve to be at the top.

However, each and every one of the following games deserves their time in the spotlight for the innovation, creativity, and fun they brought us this year. Their creators did the impossible and released a game they believed in all on their own and we've fallen in love with them for it. Without further ado, these are the 25 best independent games of 2012.

Natural Selection 2

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Dust: An Elysian Tail

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Dear Esther

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Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition

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Pid

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Dustforce

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Spelunky

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Orcs Must Die! 2

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Quantum Conundrum

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FTL: Faster Than Light

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Super Hexagon

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Mark of the Ninja

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Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack!!!

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Sound Shapes

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They Bleed Pixels

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FEZ

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Papo & Yo

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Sine Mora

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Torchlight II

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Chivalry: Medieval Warfare

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Journey

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Hotline Miami

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DYAD

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Retro City Rampage

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The Unfinished Swan

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