The Case For Smaller Studio Games

The charts reward noise, and noise costs money. That means a lot of thoughtful games from tiny teams never surface, even when they're better than the big names above them.

Hollow Tide Expedition is a good example of the type: quiet, atmospheric, clearly made by people who cared. It isn't long, and it won't dominate a top-ten list, but it left an impression. Big-budget games rarely manage that.

Smaller games also tend to be lighter on your phone. Fewer flashy effects usually means less heat and better battery life, which suits mobile perfectly.

We make a point of covering these titles alongside the obvious ones. If you've found a small game you love, send it our way. Half the fun of this site is digging up things nobody's shouting about.