Best Tactical indie games under $20
These are the best tactical indie games you can buy for under $20. indielist lists 59 paid tactical games with a list price at or below $20, ranked by Steam review count so the most-validated picks lead. The average list price here is $16.24, and the cheapest is Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition at $4.99. The most reviewed is Phasmophobia with 683,416 Steam reviews. Beyond the budget end, this wider list adds 50 mid-price picks between $10 and $20 that a stricter under-$10 list leaves out. Every price is the tracked Steam list price, not an estimate, and each game links to a white-box sales estimate you can open and audit rather than a black-box number. This is a value list: a sensible price crossed with real player validation, so you can find a tactical game that is actually good, not just affordable. Free-to-play titles are excluded here; this is about paid games that punch above their price.
Games
59
Avg list price
$16.24
Cheapest
$4.99
- P
Phasmophobia
2020 · Action
$19.99 683,416 reviews · 94% positive
- P
Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition
2009 · Strategy
$4.99 141,936 reviews · 98% positive
- R
Ravenfield
2017 · Action
$17.99 76,405 reviews · 97% positive
- F
FTL: Faster Than Light
2012 · Indie
$9.99 62,676 reviews · 95% positive
- P
Plague Inc: Evolved
2016 · Casual
$14.99 59,090 reviews · 94% positive
- C
Crosshair X
2020 · Action
$9.99 42,970 reviews · 93% positive
- L
Loop Hero
2021 · Indie
$14.99 33,804 reviews · 93% positive
- F
Forts
2017 · Action
$14.99 21,172 reviews · 92% positive
- B
Backpack Battles
2025 · Strategy
$14.99 20,489 reviews · 91% positive
- I
Into the Breach
2018 · Indie
$14.99 18,909 reviews · 94% positive
- D
Demonologist
2023 · Action
$19.99 18,859 reviews · 85% positive
- C
Call to Arms
2018 · Action
$14.99 17,421 reviews · 79% positive
- 9
911 Operator
2017 · Casual
$14.99 14,417 reviews · 89% positive
- S
Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga
2022 · Adventure
$19.99 12,827 reviews · 94% positive
- D
Dungeon Defenders
2011 · Action
$14.99 12,137 reviews · 93% positive
- T
Tactical Breach Wizards
2024 · Adventure
$19.99 11,466 reviews · 98% positive
- S
SYNTHETIK: Legion Rising
2018 · Action
$19.99 10,112 reviews · 94% positive
- N
Natural Selection 2
2012 · Action
$4.99 8,632 reviews · 85% positive
- O
OPERATOR
2023 · Action
$19.99 8,363 reviews · 87% positive
- K
Kingdom Rush Origins - Tower Defense
2018 · Indie
$14.99 7,448 reviews · 96% positive
- T
Tales of Maj'Eyal
2013 · Adventure
$6.99 6,315 reviews · 94% positive
- B
Becastled
2025 · Indie
$19.99 5,340 reviews · 82% positive
- S
Sol Cesto
2026 · Indie
$13.99 4,783 reviews · 91% positive
- W
Warpips
2022 · Action
$16.99 4,328 reviews · 87% positive
- E
Esports Godfather
2024 · Casual
$19.99 4,315 reviews · 91% positive
- S
Strike Force Heroes
2023 · Action
$19.99 4,181 reviews · 80% positive
- S
Shadow Tactics: Aiko's Choice
2021 · Indie
$19.99 3,958 reviews · 93% positive
- A
Angels Fall First
2026 · Action
$17.99 3,822 reviews · 81% positive
- G
Gladiator Guild Manager
2024 · Indie
$14.99 3,798 reviews · 81% positive
- E
Emberward
2024 · Action
$19.99 3,746 reviews · 97% positive
- P
Perfect Heist 2
2021 · Action
$9.99 3,700 reviews · 93% positive
- G
GemCraft - Chasing Shadows
2015 · Action
$9.99 3,654 reviews · 95% positive
- S
Shadowrun: Hong Kong - Extended Edition
2015 · Adventure
$19.99 3,585 reviews · 87% positive
- O
Our Adventurer Guild
2024 · Indie
$14.99 3,378 reviews · 95% positive
- A
At Dead Of Night
2020 · Action
$15.99 3,281 reviews · 94% positive
- C
Cepheus Protocol
2020 · Action
$19.99 2,977 reviews · 75% positive
- E
Element TD 2 - Tower Defense
2021 · Indie
$14.99 2,875 reviews · 90% positive
- N
Nordhold
2025 · Indie
$19.99 2,862 reviews · 87% positive
- I
Intravenous
2021 · Action
$19.99 2,861 reviews · 90% positive
- T
The Last Flame
2025 · Adventure
$19.99 2,717 reviews · 85% positive
- G
GemCraft - Frostborn Wrath
2020 · Action
$12.99 2,687 reviews · 89% positive
- C
Crystal Project
2022 · Adventure
$13.99 2,501 reviews · 92% positive
- C
Children of the Sun
2024 · Action
$14.99 1,996 reviews · 93% positive
- H
House of the Dying Sun
2016 · Action
$19.99 1,938 reviews · 89% positive
- T
Timelie
2020 · Adventure
$17.99 1,782 reviews · 94% positive
- B
BRUTALISTICK VR
2024 · Action
$9.99 1,764 reviews · 95% positive
- S
Skin Deep
2025 · Action
$19.99 1,662 reviews · 94% positive
- S
Space Hulk (Classic)
2013 · Indie
$19.99 1,576 reviews · 71% positive
- G
Granny 3
2021 · Adventure
$7.99 1,355 reviews · 92% positive
- I
Infectonator 3: Apocalypse
2018 · Indie
$12.99 1,247 reviews · 83% positive
- T
Those Who Rule
2025 · Indie
$17.99 1,108 reviews · 90% positive
- S
Spellmasons
2023 · Indie
$19.99 1,101 reviews · 92% positive
- N
None Shall Intrude
2025 · Indie
$14.99 931 reviews · 73% positive
- B
Beat Hazard 3
2024 · Action
$19.99 583 reviews · 83% positive
- I
Infinite Tournament Paintball
2020 · Action
$14.99 572 reviews · 85% positive
- S
Space Reign
2026 · Action
$19.99 445 reviews · 74% positive
- E
EXFIL
2024 · Action
$19.99 301 reviews · 50% positive
- M
MEMOLITH: Forsaken by Light
2026 · Indie
$19.99 219 reviews · 77% positive
- T
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown
2025 · Indie
$19.99 161 reviews · 90% positive
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best tactical indie games under $20?
- indielist lists 59 paid tactical indie games priced at or below $20, ranked by Steam reviews, led by Phasmophobia (683,416 reviews). The cheapest is Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition at $4.99.
- How is this "under $20" list built?
- By a data filter, not opinion: a paid tactical game qualifies if its tracked Steam list price is at or below $20. The list is ranked by review count and updates as prices and the catalog change. Free-to-play games are excluded.