E3 has always traditionally been a show where the AAA game reigns supreme. After all it's the place where Sony, Microsoft, and publishers like EA and Ubisoft showcase the biggest games currently in development. Where in most cases they'll work for months fine-tuning specific E3 builds to show off the latest post-apocalyptic survival thing. This year was no different, but behind the bright lights and pretend explosions lie a number of fascinating indie titles also on display.

And here's a few of them.

In terms of flying under the raider We Happy Few actually got to take center stage at Microsoft's E3 conference alongside the likes of Gears of War and Forza Horizon, so it's a game that a lot of people are now familiar with. Taking place in a 1960's version of London where prescription medication and lifeless masks hide a disturbing reality, We Happy Few looks incredible. In the following demonstration we see the protagonist stop taking his pills and becoming a 'Downer', leading to some pretty intense imagery.



If ABZU looks a little bit like the indie classic Journey that's because developer Giant Squid is led by Matt Nava, the art director behind Journey and Flower. But visual similarities aside, ABZU looks as beautiful as any underwater photography we've ever seen. And with a release date of August 2 for PC and PS4, we won't have to wait too long to dive into this one.



When you think about the term indie game you probably conjure up images of a wide variety of games. In a sense it's very much a catch all term to represent non-traditional games, where developers are given free reign to bring their artistic vision to life. But then again, an abstract puzzle game with visuals that are both perplexing and mesmerising in their simplistic beauty, just about screams 'indie'. Which brings us to Manifold Garden.



With the success of Pillars of Eternity, and much deserved so, developer Obsidian Entertainment is experiencing a bit of a renaissance of late. Obsidian's latest RPG effort may look a lot like Pillars, and in terms of presentation it's very much an extension of, but Tyranny looks to be more ambitious in its approach. In the game, players take their part in a story where the bad guys won. That part at the end of every RPG where instead of being able to reload an earlier save after taking on the final boss for the first time and losing, you have to live with the consequences.



Inside, from the developer that brought us the brilliant Limbo, has been in development for a number of years now. Usually that could be cause for concern but in the world of indie games, longer development cycles are usually a good thing. With a minimalist visual style, a world where fascism rules society, and stealth, puzzles, and platforming, Inside is looking better than ever. And better yet, will be out June 29 on Xbox One and July 7 for PC.



Announced only a month ago, this stylish new online melee combat game from developer Sloclap and publisher Devolver Digital looks like the lovechild of Jade Empire, Dark Souls, and any number of of great visually arresting indie games. With the first gameplay footage of Absolver making its debut at E3, the game certainly looks to be living up to its potential, with fantastic animation and a slow measured approach to combat that should please fans of the genre, and martial arts in general. Plus, it looks amazing.



In terms of percentage, once could confidently state that the majority of the retro-inspired indie titles out there take their inspiration from either the 8 and 16-bit eras of gaming. The early days of 3D polygons usually doesn't get much love, but with Yooka Laylee we get to see a 2016 version of a classic Nintendo 64-era 3D platformer. With a development team made up of ex-Rare employees, many of which worked on the seminal Banjo Kazooie, Yooka Laylee not only looks like a blast from the past, but a sequel that also takes into consideration the long passage of time that brings us to 2016.



Developer Dontnod Entertainment is a bit of a critical darling now thanks to the success of its popular adventure game series Life is Strange. The studio's next title however looks to be the furthest thing from an adventure game where you take on the role of a teenager, as Vampyr is an action role-playing game set in the blood-soaked streets of Victorian-era London. The premise which allows for the game to be completed without the player taking an innocent life leads to a situation where your character can't level up or obtain any cool vampire skills. Which sounds pretty cool.