Sloclap is another indie dev founded by former Ubisoft employees - this time from Ubisoft Paris. Most Known For: Previous employees at Ubisoft Paris.In Outlast, players had to investigate the strange goings-on in Mount Massive, a dilapidated asylum filled with dangerous inhabitants. With interesting mechanics and spine-chilling atmosphere, Outlast 2 is a game for horror fans to look forward to this year. Red Barrels’ first game, Outlast, goes back to the horror genre’s roots by putting a protagonist into situations where they are virtually helpless against frightening foes Outlast 2 will do the same, while adding new wrinkles to the formula, such as providing Blake Langermann with a dependency on prescription glasses to help him see. Gameplay will be similar to that of the first game, with Langermann hiding from enemies and making use of his high-end camera’s night vision feature to find his way in the dark. In Outlast 2, players will take on the role of journalist Blake Langermann as he searches for his wife in the Arizona desert. Red Barrels’ next game is a sequel to their first game. Clearly, the decision to make horror games has turned out to be a good one for them. Their first horror game, Outlast, received widespread praise upon release, and has sold over four million copies as of October, 2016. But, David Chateauneuf has stated that he and Philippe Morin had discussed making horror games way back when they were still working at Ubisoft. It might seem surprising that the team went to the horror genre for its first game, especially after a background mainly in action/adventure games. Red Barrels was founded by Philippe Morin, David Chateauneuf, and Hugo Dallaire - all three of whom previously worked at Ubisoft Montreal, on such games as Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Four million copies sold as of October 2016.

Senua’s struggle with mental illness is at the forefront of Hellblade’s story 9) Red Barrels There are not too many more details available yet, as the game is still in the early stages of development, but Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice will certainly be something to keep an eye on as the year progresses. Senua’s mental illness takes the form of literal monsters and demons that must be fought both within her mind and without. Ninja Theory’s current project is Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, which mixes Celtic mythology with the human psyche, by pitting the game’s main character, Senua, against her own psychosis. Ninja Theory doesn’t shy away from hiring help from outside the industry either - actor Andy Serkis (Gollum from Lord of the Rings) lent his voice talents to both Heavenly Sword and Enslaved, while writer Alex Garland (Ex Machina, 28 Days Later) was brought in to work on Enslaved. The NT team has 6 games under their belt currently, including games such as Heavenly Sword, DmC: Devil May Cry, and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. Ninja Theory consistently puts out games featuring graphics that equal or even rival those of many triple-A developers. But perhaps it is this larger workforce that accounts for the measure of quality present in their games.

Ninja Theory is a bit large for an indie studio, having well over 100 employees on staff.

Most Known For: Enslaved: Odyssey to the West.

Upcoming Game: Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice.

Without a doubt, these will be development studios to keep an eye on this year, starting with number ten: 10) Ninja Theory We’ve put together a list of the best independent game developers who are passionate about their games and who will soon be releasing new ones onto the market. Not as beholden to the whims of a publisher and a deadline, an indie dev has the chance to make the game they want to make. From story-driven masterpieces like Undertale or Life is Strange to action games with intuitive and unique gameplay like Hyper Light Drifter or Spelunky, indie devs utilize creativity and freedom to push the limits of the video game medium. The independent gaming industry continues to produce fantastic games of all genres, proving that you don’t need tons of funding and a gigantic development team (looking at you, Ubisoft) to create incredible interactive experiences.

Best indie games on steam 2017