Every once in a while, a game comes along that makes you stop and ask: what am I even playing? Indika is one of those games. It just landed on Xbox Game Pass this february 2026, and if you have a subscription, you owe it to yourself to give this one a shot. It won’t cost you a penny beyond what you’re already paying, and it might be the most memorable four hours of gaming you have all month.
What Is Indika?
Indika is a third-person narrative adventure from Odd Meter, a small independent studio that was originally based in Moscow before relocating to Kazakhstan after the invasion of Ukraine. Published by 11 bit studios (the folks behind Frostpunk and This War of Mine), it released in May 2024 to strong critical acclaim — sitting at roughly 75-80 on Metacritic with some outlets scoring it a perfect 10/10.
The game is set in an alternative version of 19th-century Russia, and you play as the titular Indika, a young Orthodox nun who hears a voice in her head. That voice? It’s the Devil. And honestly, he’s making some pretty good points.
The Setup
Life in the monastery isn’t great for Indika. The other nuns shun her, barely making eye contact, refusing even a thank-you as she trudges through mindless chores. Something happened — something the game slowly reveals — and Indika doesn’t fit in here. She never really did.
When she’s tasked with delivering a letter to a distant monastery, it becomes her ticket out. What follows is a journey through one of the bleakest, most visually striking game worlds in recent memory. This is 19th-century Russia reimagined through a surrealist lens — ramshackle buildings perched on crumbling ruins, absurdly massive dogs sleeping behind fences, cans of fish the size of a human, and steam-powered cranes hauling chunks of bridge like it’s nothing.
Is any of this real? Is it a manifestation of Indika’s crumbling faith and fractured mental state? The game never fully commits to an answer, and that ambiguity is one of its greatest strengths.
The Devil in the Details
The Devil isn’t some red-skinned cartoon villain with a pitchfork. He’s a voice — dry, witty, uncomfortably logical. He pokes holes in Indika’s beliefs with the casual precision of someone who’s been doing this for millennia. He doesn’t scream or threaten. He just asks questions. Why do you believe what you believe? If God is good, why is your life this miserable? If faith is rewarded, where’s the reward?
These aren’t shallow gotcha moments. The writing in Indika is genuinely thoughtful, drawing on the philosophical tradition of Dostoevsky and Bulgakov. It’s the kind of game that treats its subject matter — faith, doubt, morality, the nature of the soul — with real intelligence and respect, even while wrapping it in pitch-black humor.
The Gameplay
Let’s be upfront: Indika is closer to a walking simulator than an action game. You walk, you explore environments, you solve light puzzles, and you engage in philosophical conversations. If you need combat or fast-paced action to stay engaged, this one isn’t for you.
But what’s here is more interesting than it sounds. The puzzle elements, while not especially difficult, are woven into the world in ways that feel thematic rather than tacked on. You’ll manipulate machinery, navigate environmental obstacles, and occasionally deal with sequences where the Devil warps reality around Indika, turning the world into a hellish, distorted nightmare before snapping back to the oppressive normality of Russia.
There’s also a brilliantly meta RPG system running in the background. You collect points that the game itself describes as pointless. You can level up and unlock nodes like +3 Shame that promise to multiply future points. It’s a scathing little commentary on how we mindlessly grind in games — and the kicker is, you’ll probably still compulsively collect everything anyway. I did.
Flashbacks to Indika’s past are presented as 2D pixel art mini-games, a jarring stylistic shift that somehow works perfectly. These retro sequences provide context for who Indika was before the monastery, filling in the gaps of her troubled history while contrasting the main game’s photorealistic bleakness with something almost playful.
The Companion
Indika doesn’t travel alone for long. She encounters Ilya, an escaped convict with an infected arm who is absolutely convinced that God has spoken to him and laid out a plan for his healing. He’s earnest, stubborn, and certain in a way that Indika can’t help but challenge.
The dynamic between them is fantastic. Indika, who is losing her faith, keeps poking holes in Ilya’s unwavering conviction. She finds logical inconsistencies in what he says, questions why his actions don’t match his professed beliefs, all while the Devil in her ear keeps up a running commentary. It’s like a buddy road trip through existential despair, and the voice acting carries it beautifully — particularly the Russian audio track, which is the way to go if you don’t mind subtitles.
How It Looks
Indika is gorgeous in a way that makes you feel cold. The environments are meticulously detailed — snow-covered ruins, dimly lit interiors, vast industrial landscapes that feel both historically grounded and completely alien. Built on Unreal Engine 5, the lighting and atmosphere are exceptional, creating a world that feels oppressively real even when things get surreal.
The character models are equally impressive, with small details that speak volumes. The way Indika clutches her rosary beads, walks with her head bowed, her nervous darting eyes when you spin the camera around — these aren’t just animations, they’re character development without a single line of dialogue.
How Long Is It?
Indika runs about 4-5 hours, and that’s about right. The story doesn’t overstay its welcome, building to a conclusion that’s satisfyingly dark without feeling rushed. There are multiple endings based on your choices, giving you a reason to replay if the story hooks you (and it probably will).
For a Game Pass inclusion, this is ideal. It’s the kind of game you can start and finish in a single evening or across a couple of sessions. No 80-hour time commitment. No grind. Just a tight, focused narrative experience.
Who Is This For?
If you enjoyed games like What Remains of Edith Finch, Firewatch, or even the more contemplative moments of Disco Elysium, Indika is in your wheelhouse. It’s for people who want games to make them think and feel something beyond that was a cool headshot.
It’s also genuinely funny in a way that most games aren’t. The humor is dry, dark, and often absurd — the kind that sneaks up on you and makes you laugh uncomfortably because you’re not sure if you should be laughing.
If you need action, if you want clear-cut good-vs-evil storytelling, or if the idea of a game that’s mostly walking and talking sounds like torture, skip it. There’s no shame in knowing what you like.
Is It worth claiming on Game Pass?
Absolutely. This is exactly the kind of game that subscription services were made for — something you’d maybe never buy at $25, but once it’s right there in your library at no extra cost, you discover something genuinely special. Indika is a game that sticks with you. The questions it raises about faith, morality, and what we choose to believe don’t have easy answers, and the game is smart enough not to pretend they do.
It’s available now on Game Pass for Xbox Series X|S and PC. Download it tonight, put on some headphones, and let a 19th-century Russian nun and the actual Devil take you on one of the most unusual journeys in gaming.
The Verdict
Play it if: You love narrative-driven games, philosophical storytelling, dark humor, and visually stunning indie experiences.
Skip it if: You need combat, fast-paced gameplay, or prefer your games without existential crises about the nature of faith.
Time to beat: 4-5 hours
Price: Free with Game Pass (normally $24.99)
Available on: Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC
