# The 10 Best Indie Games Ever Made

> ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini, asked 5 times each, rank Hades as the #1 of the best indie games ever made, followed by Outer Wilds and Disco Elysium. Hades (Supergiant, 2020). Claude put it first; the combined vote across all 15 answers made it #1.

Source: https://clankerlists.com/lists/best-indie-games-ever-made · Collected 2026-11-02 · Games

| Rank | Pick | ChatGPT | Claude | Gemini |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Hades](https://clankerlists.com/items/hades-video-game) (Supergiant, 2020) | #4 | #1 | #4 |
| 2 | [Outer Wilds](https://clankerlists.com/items/outer-wilds) (Mobius Digital, 2019) | #7 | #2 | #1 |
| 3 | [Disco Elysium](https://clankerlists.com/items/disco-elysium) (ZA/UM, 2019) | #2 | #5 | #3 |
| 4 | [Hollow Knight](https://clankerlists.com/items/hollow-knight) (Team Cherry, 2017) | #6 | #4 | #2 |
| 5 | [Stardew Valley](https://clankerlists.com/items/stardew-valley) (ConcernedApe, 2016) | #5 | #6 | #5 |
| 6 | [Minecraft](https://clankerlists.com/items/minecraft) (Mojang, 2011) | #1 | #8 | #8 |
| 7 | [Undertale](https://clankerlists.com/items/undertale) (Toby Fox, 2015) | #3 | #7 | #6 |
| 8 | [Celeste](https://clankerlists.com/items/celeste-video-game) (Maddy Makes Games, 2018) | #8 | #3 | #7 |
| 9 | [Return of the Obra Dinn](https://clankerlists.com/items/return-of-the-obra-dinn) (Lucas Pope, 2018) | #10 | #9 | — |
| 10 | [Slay the Spire](https://clankerlists.com/items/slay-the-spire) (Mega Crit, 2019) | — | #10 | #9 |

## 1. Hades

Supergiant's roguelike turns every death into story, as Zagreus fights out of the Underworld with slick combat and a charming Greek cast. Claude had it as its #1, and it never dropped out of anyone's top ten.

## 2. Outer Wilds

A tiny solar system, a 22-minute time loop, and one of gaming's great mysteries. Pure curiosity is the only upgrade you get. Gemini had it as its #1, and Claude kept it right behind Hades.

## 3. Disco Elysium

A washed-up detective, a broken mind, and a skill system where your own thoughts argue back. It's the best-written RPG ever made, with almost no combat. Every engine kept it in its top five.

## 4. Hollow Knight

Team Cherry's hand-drawn bug kingdom of Hallownest is vast, haunting and brutally fair. Its tight combat and lonely atmosphere made it the metroidvania benchmark. Gemini had it as high as #2.

## 5. Stardew Valley

One developer, a farm and endless cozy days. Stardew Valley turned a Harvest Moon love letter into a comfort-gaming phenomenon. It's remarkably steady: it sat near the middle of every engine's list.

## 6. Minecraft

The best-selling game ever began as an indie project, and its block-built sandbox still defines creative play. ChatGPT had it as its #1; Claude was far cooler on it, which is why it lands here.

## 7. Undertale

Toby Fox's RPG lets you spare every monster, and it rewards you with jokes, heartbreak and a killer soundtrack. A cult hit that became a landmark. ChatGPT ranked it far higher than Claude did.

## 8. Celeste

A punishing mountain climb that doubles as a sensitive story about anxiety. Celeste's precise platforming and generous assist options make it both brutal and welcoming. Claude rated it especially high.

## 9. Return of the Obra Dinn

Lucas Pope's monochrome murder puzzle has you deduce the fate of a ship's crew from frozen moments of death. Claude and ChatGPT loved it, though Gemini never named it.

## 10. Slay the Spire

The deckbuilding roguelike that launched a whole genre. Every run is a puzzle of synergies and risk, and it's dangerously replayable. Gemini loved it; ChatGPT never listed it.

## Lone wolves

- Terraria: only ChatGPT
- Braid: only Gemini

## Questions

**What indie game should I play right now?**

Start with Hades (Supergiant, 2020). Already played it? Try Outer Wilds or, for something less obvious, Slay the Spire.

**According to AI, what is #1 of the best indie games ever made?**

Hades (Supergiant, 2020). Claude put it first; the combined vote across all 15 answers made it #1.

**Do ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini agree on the best indie games ever made?**

Partly. 8 of the 10 picks made all 3 AIs' lists. The biggest split was Minecraft: ChatGPT #1, Claude #8, Gemini #8.

**Which best indie games ever made did only one AI pick?**

Terraria (only ChatGPT); Braid (only Gemini).

**How was this ranking of the best indie games ever made made?**

We asked ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini "What are the 10 best indie games ever made? Rank them from 1 to 10, best first." 5 times each, every time in a fresh chat, in 2026-11. A #1 earns 10 points and a #10 earns 1; each AI's points are averaged over its runs and each AI gets an equal say.