Journey, because its end is etched in my mind on fire.

Hollow Knight, because of it's amazing artwork and nail biting difficulty. Not only that, the world of Hollow Knight was so good it made my sister fall in love with it. She spent 3x longer than me playing the game to collect everything! That's the power of the Hollow Knight!

The choice Is simple.
My favorite indie game has become Hollow Knight. Why?
Because Is incredibile the level of skill and mastery demonstreted by a little team of 3 people. Such quality in a first work Is, i repart myself, simply incredibile.
Hollow Knight Is one of the most beatiful game ever made in metroidvania genre and in general in the whole gaming industry.
Last but not least, how not to mention the beautiful artistic section: simply wonderful.

My favorite indie, and by playtime second most played game I own, is Desktop Dungeons Enhanced Edition.

It uses generated floors for most the dungeons meaning it doesn't get boring, has rpg like elements... or maybe rogue like elements... or that might just be puzzle like elements.

With various classes & races it stays fairly interesting, is low on system requirements, is 2D so is unlikely to bother people with motion sickness, can be played without audio & has a freeware version (non-enhanced) people can play for... uhh... free.

I end up playing it when I only want a few minutes of game time with out having to worry about saving or learning new mechanics... but it's still challenging as I've yet to beat the last 2 main challenges.

Transistor. Aside from be being a great game story- and gameplay-wise, the presentation just blows my mind every single time, mostly thanks to Darren Korb's utterly and completely mind-boggingly brilliant music. That man is a legend.

The banner saga. The whole trilogy is absolutely amazing. It's basically ab people trying to save the world (and for that they literally need to kill the gods). Also there are Dredge (race who at the beginning is featured as an enemy but by the end you realize they are the same as humans).

I tried to make peace with Dredge. Got shot by my own people.

Also there is a moment where people are fighting over the crown while the end of the world is next door and they all could die tomorrow.

Also mechanics are interesting. Attack=health so when character is on the deathdoor they barely do any damage. And combat is turn-based. Generally first there are turns or Team A then Team B. However, when in one of the Teams only one member is alive it's like one turn of said character, one turn of the other team.

Stasis.

Tense atmosphere, well drawn game world, great sound and a decent story. Loved it!

The Banner Saga Trilogy

Apart from the exceptional art and music it also presents an empathetic narrative of struggling against and overcoming near impossible odds, not on your own, but with the help and support of others.

Haven

Ah! mayst thou ever be what now thou art,
Nor unbeseem the promise of thy spring,
As fair in form, as warm yet pure in heart,
Love's image upon earth without his wing,
And guileless beyond Hope's imagining!
And surely she who now so fondly rears
Thy youth, in thee, thus hourly brightening,
Beholds the rainbow of her future years,
Before whose heavenly hues all sorrow disappears.

I would have to say Dead Cells is still my favorite, the team continues to add updates and its a monstrously hard game that I continue to crawl through the difficulties, the replay value is great. Being able to go back to it over and over, I have gamed for a long time, far more then what I paid for the games. I wish I could get more games with this much value.

A short hike.
No game better to take you away from everything else in the world.
Completly at your own pace can you explore the world listen to chill sounds and just relax.
There are few if not no games like it and there is no reason there can't be.
No action or intense violence just bliss to take your time with on an afternoon.
No time westing not needlessly dragged out.
What a peaceful afternoon with this game anyone could have.

Fez, amazing implementation of the projected geometrical puzzle concept

What Remains of Edith Finch, hands down! A short story with a deep and lasting message, told in a brilliant and entertaining way. Amazing attention to detail and even a few secrets make sure it's a game that I will continue to revisit agan and again. The variety of gameplay and intuitive controls don't hurt either. Truly a work of Art!

Stardew Valley - the game does something more than "just" great music and graphics. There are overreaching goals, good gameplay loops and many mechanics to suit everyone. But that's not why I love it. I love it because it gives me a sense of affirmation of the world. I become happy playing it and the feeling stays with me after I am done playing, and I accept my life as it is and begin to enjoy it.
This title improves my life experience even when I do not play it. Few things can do that, and only this one among all video games.

So many superb games to choose from...

I'm going with Disco Elysium. The game has some of the best writing I've ever seen, and it masterfully toys with different philosophies and world views. Add to that an insane (in the most positive way) skill check system, that constantly determines what you notice, and what solutions and answers you can come up with and thus creates a tremendously fluid and dynamic story flow.
Absolute masterpiece, but of course only for people not afraid of huge amounts of text.