"I had enormous expectations for Dust: An Elysian Tail that I never thought would be met, but somehow all my expectations were not only met but exceeded in most cases." - Marc Kusnierz, Pixelated Sausage
It's right that we recognize the 12 best indie games of the eight generation of gaming. It would be remiss to ignore the impact they've had.
Hollow Knight was a masterpiece. I cared less for the arena combat (Gods, not in the in-game arena) but everything was tight and the exploration was extremely enjoyable. Absolute masters of their craft in level design. I hope Silk Song gives the bees a second chance since their area was only a short subsection.
Mick Doherty has put together a list of indie games that, in his humble opinion, you need to play at least once in your life.
These are games made by a single developer. Serving as proof that you don't need millions of dollars and a team of people to make a amazing game.