Steam Greenlight is an initiative by Valve to try to get more independently produced games through to the official marketplace. It’s such a big deal because, while indie developers can sell games themselves, it is on Steam where they will tend to make the most money (except in very rare circumstances). Although Greenlight is far from perfect, it has gotten a handful of really cool games well-deserved attention.

Greenlight’s first anniversary has come and now Valve has selected fifty Greenlight successes for a sale. But what games should you actually check out? If you’re unsure, take a look at the list of our recommendations below!

• Anodyne – This is an incredibly cool like Zelda-like title. It isn’t entirely serious, although it isn’t all farce like Ittle Dew is either. Also, the music and graphics are excellent!
• Gnomoria – The game is a seriously tough nut to crack… but getting into it provides an experience of town creation/subsistence that is easy to obsess over. ($2.72)
• Incredipede – If you feel like games just don’t put enough effort into creative visuals anymore then grab this one. It is a gorgeous title where you can create your own insect blob thing and utilize physics/momentum to traverse puzzling stages. ($3.40)
• La-Mulana – Quite the difficult but seriously entertaining exploration/platforming game. If you like Spelunky then you might enjoy this unforgiving title too. ($5.10)
• Kentucky Route Zero – An episodic game that actually seems worth continued play. So far, I have only gone through the first episode but it was an intriguing mix of text adventure and point and click. ($12.49)
• Miasmata – Do you enjoy feeling like an explorer as you traverse digital landscapes? Do you also want to feel pursued by a nightmarish beast while doing so? This is the game for exactly that if gorgeous, creepy, and vast wolds are what you seek. ($5.10)
• Rogue Legacy – Here’s one title that no one likely needs recommended to them anymore, but it’s so much fun! I still can’t figure out why they decided to name certain traits the way they did, though. ($11.24)
• Papers, Please – A very ponderous simulation game would typically draw no attention but this one does so. How? It’s due to making the player feel awful for having to participate in enforcing unfair and cruel bureaucratic measures. ($7.99)
• Surgeon Simulator 2013 – Don’t play this if you’re squeamish! Otherwise, dig in with a super icky (but somehow entertaining) game of operating on a patient with an incredibly awkward control scheme. ($3.40)
• Waking Mars – I will never be able to stop recommending this game. It takes puzzle platformers into a new dimension where your main goal is to create life rather than destroy it. ($4.90)

Of course, I’ve not played every game of the 50 on sale. However, the percentage of games I’ve played from it is somewhere around 75% so you can hopefully trust none of these titles are 100% garbage. We’ve provided a smattering of indies at varied prices so hopefully at least one of them is enticing to you!