15 Video Games That Were Not AAA, But Still Managed To Make Players’ Jaws Drop

As the games industry grows exponentially larger and more lucrative, the big publishers and developers out there have injected massive funds into their projects to deliver some truly outstanding experiences, and there is, of course, no denying the fact that with AAA development and the financial backing and pool of resources and manpower that comes with it, developers can make some amazing games. But as more than a few games have proven over the years, you don’t need massive budgets to do that. What you need above all else is good ideas and smart execution, and as long as you have that, you don’t need blockbuster budgets. Here, we’re going to talk about a few games that took players by storm even with their limited production scopes. Given the vast pool of options that was available to us for our picks, there will obviously be many games that we won’t be talking about here, so if any omissions stand out to you, fire off in the comments sections.

HOLLOW KNIGHT

Let’s start with what is probably the most obvious pick for a feature such as this one. Common wisdom would dictate that making what is arguably the greatest game of all time wouldn’t be possible with a team numbering in the single digits, but Hollow Knight defies that common wisdom. The game exudes polish and quality from top to bottom, from its challenging combat and devilishly challenging boss fights to its massive, intricately designed world and the gorgeous art style that world exhibits across a variety of locations. Hollow Knight is one of the best games ever made, and the fact that it was made by a tiny team on a tiny crowd-funded budget makes its accomplishments stand out that much more.