12 Unbelievable Indie Games That Deserved Your Attention In 2013

It's been an interesting year for the gaming industry: while we've seen massive AAA titles like Grand Theft Auto V smash all records, other big name titles have somewhat struggled compared with their expectations, such as Call Of Duty's 19% sales drop year-on-year. In a year where most game developers have admitted that they've been focusing more on getting ready for the PS4 and XB1, it's been the perfect moment for indie developers to try and steal some thunder €“ and they've really not disappointed. 2013 has seen more ways than ever for developers to get their games out on to the public scene with genuine sales success; Steam Greenlight has led to some great new releases standing tall next to established franchises on the storefront. With promotion also coming through avenues such as the Humble Bundle and a wealth of YouTube coverage, indie games have definitely taken 2013 by storm. If you've missed any of the following games so far this year, then you'd better make sure you get them before we see in 2014.

12. Sanctum 2 (PS3, X360, PC)

The sequel to the underrated 2011 original, Sanctum 2 took a step further than its predecessor and branched out on to the PS3 and Xbox 360 as well, making it one of the widest reaching indie games of the year. Boasting the fairly unique trait of being part FPS, part tower defense strategy, the game also makes good use of its impressive multiplayer system. Through leveling up with XP as the game progresses, different members of your team (up to four people playing online) are able to use different towers in order to help take out the enemies that you face. With lovely level design and a great eye for graphics, developers Coffee Stain Studios amped up the standard from the original to make Sanctum 2 a strong sequel. Though at times the levels and the enemies who you face can sometimes seem a little unbalanced €“ at times much too difficult, at times far too easy €“ the elements are all there that can make it an enjoyable experience to either grind through or just play through with a level at a time.