Every Wednesday, dive into the Indie Select Hub — your gateway to a fresh, curated indie collection plus four themed spotlights that rotate weekly! You can always find this collection hub in the Xbox Store and on Xbox.com/IndieSelects.

The holiday season is here, and the ID@Xbox team is excited to share this month’s Indie Selects! Before we dive in, we want to express our sincere gratitude for your continued support of independent games on Xbox as we celebrate the second year of this program. Thank you for exploring our staff picks and for championing the incredible creators who make these experiences possible.

We’re also excited to bring back our annual Indie Select Highlights! Starting December 10 and through the end of the year, we’ll be showcasing and promoting some of our favorite titles from 2025. Don’t miss out!

Finally, mark your calendars! On January 28, 2026, the Indie Selects Anniversary Celebration returns. We’ll be curating six standout indie titles from the past year, our absolute must-play picks, and featuring them in our special Anniversary Collection to honor their lasting impact. We’re excited to share more details soon, but for now, let’s enjoy what’s here and now. Here’s what we’ve got for you this month (in no particular order):

Blood West

Blood West is a gritty, stealth-horror immersive sim that drops you boots-first into a cursed frontier where every shadow hides something sharp, hungry, or undead. Think cowboy survival but dipped in occult folklore and stitched together with classic immersive-sim decision making. It’s a slow-burn experience — one where every bullet matters, every footstep counts, and every encounter feels like it came straight out of a dusty nightmare.

Jumping into Blood West felt like stepping into a fever-dream remix of Thief, S.T.A.L.K.E.R., and a late-night spaghetti-western. What grabbed me first wasn’t the monsters — it was the silence. The game rewards patience, planning, and the quiet satisfaction of outthinking something that definitely wants to eat you. Before long, I was creeping through abandoned mines, scavenging for ammo, and learning how to turn the environment itself into a weapon. There’s a real sense of mastery as you start threading together stealth routes, landing perfect bow shots, and managing scarce resources like a frontier tactician.

If you’re someone who loves immersive stealth, tense exploration, and that unmistakable “I survived by this much” adrenaline, this will feel like home — well, the weird, haunted kind of home. Fans of slow-building tension, clever systems, and atmospheric worlds will find a lot to enjoy here. And if you’ve ever wanted a western that leans all the way into supernatural horror without losing its grit, Blood West rides tall in that space.

 – Steven Allen

Blood West

New Blood Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆
27

★★★★★

$24.99

Get it now

Weird West legends meet eldritch horror in BLOOD WEST, an immersive stealth FPS. Become the Undead Gunslinger, doomed to roam the barren lands until he manages to purge their curse, freeing his soul. 3 varied scenarios, perk-based character progression, and 20+ hours of gameplay await you!

Tormented Souls 2

A follow up to its award-winning predecessor, Tormented Souls 2 is a fixed camera survival horror game that embraces the atmosphere and direction of the classics, while tailoring the experience for a modern audience. Players take the role of Caroline Walker, who’s on a quest to save her sister from a sinister cult. Solve puzzles, fight monsters, and get lost a few times!

From the moment I fired it up, Tormented Souls 2 felt almost like a continuation of the original Resident Evil remaster – which I LOVE. It stays true to the roots of the early survival horror classics through fixed camera angles, puzzle design, limited resources, etc., while embracing features and unique concepts to make the experience feel modern. In other words – if you like the gameplay and tone of classic Resident Evil and Silent Hill but want something new with fresh visuals and no tank controls, then this game is for you!

It’s a wild, gothic horror, kinda lovecraftian story about saving your sister from a cult, filled with various enemies and bosses to fight, a few jump scares, gorgeous environments to explore, and of course, mind-boggling puzzles. I wouldn’t call myself a survival horror aficionado, but from what I’ve played, the 15-to-20-hour runtime really stood out to me — the genre usually leans tighter and faster, yet this one keeps growing in ways that stay engaging. You don’t need to play the predecessor to jump in, but I feel like I owe Dual Effect a thank you for re-igniting my forgotten love for the genre. This game had me hooked from start to finish and easily became one of my top picks this year!

– Deron Mann

The Jackbox Party Pack 11

The party pack is back baby! If you’ve never tried this game night favorite, call up some friends to come over, because this new pack delivers.  This pack has no repeats with 5 brand-new games, so it’s definitely a must-have for those of us regular partygoers gearing up for holiday get-togethers.  Per usual, no extra controllers needed — everyone joins the lobby on their phone, ready to prove they’re as clever as they claim!

Our friends started with Legends of Trivia and oh my god, the nerds in the room rejoiced.  This immediately set the bar high as it’s a freaking 6 player cooperative D&D style trivia game with classes, monsters, loot, and branching paths. Conquer the land of Tri-via with facts and wit!

We moved on to Suspectives, a new mafia/werewolf-style party game with surveys that really test your lie-detecting skills. After trust was shattered, the creative crowd jumped into Cookie Haus, a drawing game where you design cookies with wild textures, crazy requests, and tons of customization. The twist? You’re locked into your chosen shape, so think outside the box! Next was Hear Say, all about sound and visuals: get a prompt, mimic it with your mic, and watch the best interpretation play out. Mic required, laughter guaranteed. Finally, we hit Doominate, the most classic Jackbox-style game: start with a cheerful phrase and finish it with the funniest awful twist. The most “Debbie Downer” answer wins!  All in all, this made for a very dope game night.

This is probably my favorite Jackbox Party Pack in years.  If you’re looking to add something new to game night, this is it, regardless of whether you are new to the series or have a bunch of these packs in your library.

– Raymond Estrada

The Jackbox Party Pack 11

Jackbox Games, Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆
6

★★★★★

$29.99

$23.99

Get it now

The Party Pack is back!

The Jackbox Party Pack 11 catapults you and your crew into the best timeline of party game pandemonium. Whether you’re a trivia titan, a joke mastermind, or the resident undercover detective of your friend group, there’s something for everyone in this pack. No extra controllers needed – players simply join the game and play using phones, tablets or computers!

Five brand-new games will change the way you party this holiday season and beyond:

Doominate (Writing): Take a perfectly lovely situation and destroy it in this head-to-head joke game where it feels so good to be so bad. Doominate supports 3-8 players.

Hear Say (Sound Effects): Record sound effects and dialogue directly from your phone in a foley-inspired game where laughter is the soundtrack. Then, watch your voices come to life in a series of short movie clips! Hear Say supports 2-8 players.

Cookie Haus (Drawing): Play our coziest and kookiest drawing game yet by fulfilling cookie design orders for unusual clientele. Don’t play on an empty stomach! Cookie Haus supports 3-8 players.

Suspectives (Social Deduction): There’s been a crime, one player secretly did it, and the evidence comes from your own survey answers! Study the clues, defend your innocence (even if you’re lying), and put your friends on trial. Suspectives supports 4-8 players.

Legends of Trivia (Trivia): Assemble your team and put your trivia knowledge to the test in a fantastical world full of danger! Teamwork! Monsters! Do you dare take on one of the most challenging trivia games yet? Legends of Trivia supports 1-6 players.

Sedap! A Culinary Adventure

If you’re after chaotic fun with a distinctly Southeast Asian twist, Sedap! A Culinary Adventure by kopiforge is the co-op cooking-combat game for you. It’s a vibrant celebration of our region’s food culture, where you and a friend race to serve up classics like chicken rice, beef rendang, banh mi and more, to hungry customers, all while exploring the mystical, monster-filled Khaya Island.

The magic of Sedap! (“delicious” in Malay) is in its joyful mayhem: you’ll be chopping, frying, plating, and (inevitably) yelling at your partner as orders pile up and monsters crash the kitchen. Whether solo or in co-op, every moment is a hilarious test of coordination, timing, and your ability to keep cool as the proverbial chili hits the fan during Rush Hour mode.

Sedap! cleverly builds on the Overcooked formula with its unique two-role system: Som the Cooker and Gon the Hunter. This means teamwork is essential as each has a job to do, but hilarity ensues when one must stop chopping mangoes to help the other hunt a chicken, or the other must stop hunting to go make boba. There’s also weapon and utensil upgrades, a Makanomicon to fill up with all sorts of dishes, and biomes with unique challenges to navigate.

With its whimsically fresh Southeast Asian vibes, cheeky character banter, and riotous gameplay, Sedap! is full of personality that’ll leave you hungry for more.

– Jun Shen Chia

Master Lemon: The Quest for Iceland

Master Lemon: The Quest for Iceland is a whimsical indie adventure that blends cozy exploration with gentle, idea-driven puzzles and charming pixel-art aesthetics. You play as Lemon, a courageous polyglot navigating storybook versions of Iceland—windswept coasts, mossy trails, and quirky characters—while a warm, low-key narrative encourages curiosity over speed.

I started with a “quick play” and hours later realized it was well past midnight. The game layers new traversal tricks and puzzle concepts like friendly nudges: you learn, you smile, you try one more thing. What truly surprised me was how it sparked my love for languages. I found myself listening to Icelandic words (other languages too) and repeating them out loud. Those moments made Lemon’s world feel authentic and turned gameplay into a cultural adventure. It even reminds you that words carry power—something easy to forget in everyday life.

Knowing the backstory made the experience even more meaningful. This is a deeply personal project from founder Julio de Santi, inspired by his friend André Lima (“Limão”), a Brazilian polyglot who dreamed of learning Icelandic and visiting Iceland. After Limão fulfilled that dream, he tragically passed away. The game stands as a tribute to him and an invitation for players to chase their own dreams.

If you enjoy the calm exploration of A Short Hike, the playful mischief of Untitled Goose Game, or the quirky creativity of Donut County, you’ll feel right at home. It’s perfect for anyone seeking an imaginative space to unwind, learn by doing, and savor small discoveries. You’ll come for the charm, stay for the “aha” moments, and leave with a couple of new words rolling around your head.

– Jessica Ronnell

The Lonesome Guild

The opening music sets the tone immediately: lush, nostalgic, and evocative of epic tales. Paired with charming, cozy artwork, you know from the beginning that The Lonesome Guild is inviting you into an adventure with a heart. The story begins with Davinci, a quirky anthropomorphic rabbit inventor exploring the outdoors when the world is enveloped by a mysterious red mist that infects everything that it touches with Loneliness and turning them into evil beings. While escaping the chaos, you encounter a nameless ghost who fell from the sky without any memories.

Despite the title, as the story unfolds you recruit new guild members from all walks of life, each driven by their own reasons and motives but with the same goal of saving the world. The cast is wonderfully written, offering not only distinct combat styles but also charming personalities that genuinely balance one another. Before long, you’ll find a favorite character like the quiet archer, Mr. Fox or the stylish and spirited Capybara, Ran Tran Trum.

The combat is a top-down hack-and-slash RPG with each character possessing unique special abilities. You control up to 4 characters by using the ghost to “possess” the character you control, which adds an extra fun layer of charm and creativity for puzzle-solving and combat.

My favorite element were the campfire rest stops; these are memorable moments that serve not only to pause and reflect on the story so far but also to advance and progress your characters through Relationship Points. These moments feel warm and intimate giving you the space to bond with the characters, reminiscent of classics like Chrono Trigger where you feel invested in every storyline and ending.

If you’re looking for a cozy game with emotional depth to brighten and warm the winter days, or simply want a relaxing blend of puzzles, exploration and combat, The Lonesome Guild is an easy recommendation. Pull up a seat by the campfire and enjoy the company of its charming crew — you’ll be surprised how quickly the real foe, “Loneliness,” disappears.

– Oscar Polanco