10 Best PlayStation Vita Indie Games

Indie games are a joy to discover and the PlayStation Vita was no exception, this small device was uplifted by indie titles, presenting a huge selection of games that appeal to all kinds of gamers. Small game devs offered some great and fresh ideas away from the typical AAA experience, offering great games of all genres with affordable prices, and a chance to play them on the go.

A lot of these following titles here are one of my absolute favorites, presenting both good art style, an outstanding atmosphere, exciting gameplay, and even sometimes a story-driven experience. To my surprise, some of these games can even surpass a lot of the Triple-A titles on the system.

While some of these games might be famous, many more may have gone under your radar, so keep up with me as i introduce you to my absolute best indie games to play on your beloved PlayStation Vita.

Deadbolt 2016

About
	Release Date March 14, 2016
	Developer Hopoo Games
	Publisher Hopoo Games
	Genre Stealth
	Concepts Dark Fantasy, Fantasy Creatures, Vampire
	Players Single Player
	Monetization Buy to Play
	Country of Origin United States

PS Vita Releases
2018-02-20

Deadbolt is a 2d side-scrolling action stealth game. You play as a mysterious individual known as the reaper, he takes on various missions to break out on several gang’s headquarters.  The objective varies from one mission to the other, sometimes the reaper just has to kill the gang leader, in others, he is ordered to leave no survivors.

The game mix between stealth and action, you make your way either by killing your enemies the stealth way or forcing your way up. Deadbolt can be very unforgivable, as one small mistake can cost you your whole progress on the level. The game is definitely challenging but in a good way offering a very fun trial and error experience.

Bastion 2011

About
	Release Date July 20, 2011
	Developer Supergiant Games
	Publisher Warner Bros Games
	Genre Action RPG
	Concept Fantasy
	Players Single Player
	Monetization Buy to Play
	Country of Origin United States

PS Vita Releases
2015-12-05

Bastion might seem like a typical Action Rpg, but the game can offer so much more presenting fresh ideas and a stunning hand-drawn visual art direction. You take control of The Kid a mysterious silent protagonist, as he takes on a journey in a fractured and mysterious apocalyptic world.

The gameplay consists of several levels seen in an isometric view. You take control of The Kid as he overcomes various enemies and challenges, after each stage, you get an object called Shards, as a result, the level starts to fall apart forcing you to retreat. What makes this game so different is the additional narrator that narrates every action you make on the game which gives the game a very different feel.

Undertale 2015

About
	Release Date September 15, 2015
	Developer Toby Fox
	Publisher Toby Fox
	Genre Action RPG
	Concepts Fantasy, Fantasy Creatures
	Players Single Player
	Monetization Buy to Play
	Country of Origin United States

PS Vita Releases
2017-08-15

Undertale is a classic 2d RPG with its own style and some crazy new idea. The game was a surprise for me and surely it was for many. You play as a mysterious human child who falls into a pit leading him to a mysterious world inhabited by monsters, your goal is to search for a way to get back to the human world. This adventure will lead you into meeting different characters and friends,  these encounters will force you to make choices that will surely affect the story of the game.

What makes this game so different is that you have the choice to play it completely as you like, you can kill the monsters or spare them, you can even avoid killing main bosses, and as i said every choice you make impacts the ending you will get. Also, the game has very fun and different combat mechanics that vary from monsters to others.

Axiom Verge 2015

About
	Release Date March 31, 2015
	Developer Thomas Happ Games
	Publisher Thomas Happ Games
	Genre Metroidvania
	Concept Sci-Fi
	Players Single Player
	Monetization Buy to Play
	Country of Origin United States

PS Vita Releases
2016-04-19

Axiom Verge is a 2d Metroidvania game mixed with some crazy and complex story elements. You play as Trace a scientist who awakens in a mysterious world. After getting in a lab explosion, a mysterious voice reaches to him guiding him to this new mysterious alien world filled with mutants.

Your goal is to uncover the truth of this new mysterious world through exploring new locations and challenging various bosses, each of these locations has many powerups to discover, varying from health upgrades to weapon modification and many more.

Shovel Knight 2014

About
	Release Date June 26, 2014
	Developer Yacht Club Games
	Publisher Yacht Club Games
	Genre 2D Platformer
	Concepts Dragon, Fantasy, Fantasy Creatures
	Players Single Player
	Monetization Buy to Play
	Country of Origin United States

PS Vita Releases
2015-04-21

Shovel Knight is an 8-bit like 2d action platformer game that will take you back to the classic NES era. You play as a Shovel Knight who fights his way with a shovel defeating monsters and collecting treasures, the knight’s goal is to find his long lost companion Shield Knight.

The game consists of several levels, as you make your way through them you get to collect various treasures which can be used later to buy different relics, these objects will help you on your adventure making it a little bit easier. Shovel Knight is a very fun and challenging game bringing the old 8-bit era to life on modern handheld and consoles.

Stardew Valley 2016

About
	Release Date February 26, 2016
	Developer ConcernedApe
	Publisher ConcernedApe
	Concept Realistic
	Players Single Player
	Monetization Buy to Play
	Country of Origin United States

PS Vita Releases
2018-05-22

Stardew Valley is a farm simulation game with some RPGs elements, you get to create your own character and start in Pelican Town, you take over your grandfather’s old forgotten farm as you aim to get the farm back to business just like the old days.

As you start the game, your farm is mainly overrun by boulders and weeds, you need to take your time to clean the land and make it possible to farm. The game has a season system that allows you to grow specific seeds in each season. You have an energy bar that can be decreased after each task is done, these tasks consist of several activities such as using your tools or fishing, further in the game the player can eat food to replenish his energy bar allowing him to take on more tasks during the day. This is definitely worth a try for fans of Harvest Moon or farming games in general.

Hotline Miami 2012

About
	Release Date October 23, 2012
	Developer Dennaton Games
	Publisher Devolver Digital
	Genre Action Adventure
	Concept Modern
	Players Single Player
	Monetization Buy to Play
	Country of Origin Sweden

PS Vita Releases
2013-06-25

Hotline Miami is an extremely violent and challenging top-down 2d shooter. You take control of a mysterious silent protagonist, after receiving coded messages on his answer machine ordering him to annihilate several local Russian mafia headquarters, he decides to answer the call and massacre them.

Your goal on each stage is to kill every member you find on your way, this is done by using several guns or even using melee weapons. The game blends stealth and fast-paced action shooting in a very smooth and fun way, but just bear in mind that the game’s difficulty is brutal, making finishing every game’s stage a very fulfilling and rewarding experience.

Papers, Please 2013

About
	Release Date August 08, 2013
	Developer 3909 LLC
	Publisher 3909 LLC
	Genre Puzzle
	Concept Dystopian
	Players Single Player
	Monetization Buy to Play
	Country of Origin United States

PS Vita Releases
2017-12-12

Paper Please is a puzzle simulation game, but the game is more of a story-driven experience in my opinion. You play as a border immigration officer, where you spend your work time checking and investing several individuals crossing the borders. The game takes place in a dystopian city where people are suffering from the regime’s oppression.

Your goal is checking their papers and allowing only the people with the proper papers to cross the borders, but that’s not all of it, you have the freedom to do it your way but bear in mind that there are consequences of your choices. You can take bribes, overlook paper flaws such as forgery or stolen documents, making these choices will lead to some interesting events that will surely affect your game’s ending. This is a brilliant game with simple mechanics yet very fun gameplay and awesome storytelling.

Don't Starve 2013

About
	Release Date April 23, 2013
	Developer Klei Entertainment
	Publisher Klei Entertainment
	Genre Survival
	Concept Steampunk
	Players Single Player
	Monetization Buy to Play
	Country of Origin Canada

Don’t Starve is a 2d top-down sandbox survival game. You have the choice at the beginning of every game to choose between several selections of characters, each one of them with its own abilities. For example, Wilson can grow a beard with time it can protect him from the cold winter, Willow has a unique lighter that she can use at any time to light object or even light it up when night comes.

The game offers a mix of survival and roguelike games offering a fresh and new experience. Your goal is to survive for the longest time as a day counter is appearing on your screen, you can survive by collecting items and crafting several tools, further up you can even build shelters, machines, and many more. Don’t Starve might be very difficult if you’re willing to approach it solo, food can spoil, nights are brutal especially if you are not in a safe and warm place, dehydration and hunger is no joke either, but if you’re into a challenge this is definitely worth it.

Velocity 2X 2014

About
	Release Date September 02, 2014
	Developer FuturLab
	Publisher FuturLab
	Genre Shoot 'Em Up
	Concepts Sci-Fi, Space
	Players Single Player
	Monetization Buy to Play
	Country of Origin United Kingdom

PS Vita Releases
2014-09-02
2014-09-03

Velocity 2X is an outstanding shoot’em up game that combines several genre elements into an awesome mix, you take control of Tana a young cyborg woman who is looking to find a way back to her home planet.

The gameplay consists of two parts, in ship gameplay where the game plays just like a shmup with a few additional elements such as warp through solid objects and more, the second part is one foot where it plays just like a 2d Metroidvania game. The game is very challenging and can test your patience but the flow and speed run feel make every try worth it.