IndieDex launches a free search engine for Steam hidden gems you can query by feeling, not just tags

Players can search by vibe, theme, or “games like X” with no account; ranking favors small studios and memorable finds over games that already dominated the spotlight

IndieDex, a player-focused game discovery and tracking site at [indiedex.gg](https://indiedex.gg), is opening its catalog search to everyone with a homepage built around one idea: the best games are often the ones you have never heard of, and you should be able to ask for them the way you would ask a friend.

Visitors land on a working search panel. They can type natural-language queries such as “games that feel like a vacation,” “rich story games that are deep and philosophical,” or “papers, please, but without time pressure,” or name a game they already love to surface similar titles. Search is free and does not require sign-in. An optional free account exists for lists, backlog, ratings, and reviews when someone finds something worth keeping.

IndieDex describes itself as **a search engine for hidden gems**, with recommendations tuned for **awe and memorable finds** rather than repeating storefront bestsellers. Its **indie-friendly ranking** gives indie and small-studio games a boost and softens titles that already had their moment in the spotlight, so discovery room opens for the next earnest release. The full Steam catalog remains searchable; studio size shapes ranking, not a hard filter.

### What early users are saying

IndieDex highlights reactions from players who try the search for the first time. One Redditor, after searching **“games that feel like a vacation,”** wrote:

> “Wow, honestly, a search engine for hidden indie gems that can sort games based on feeling, genre, etc… that sounds like a gamer dream come true.
> Dude that is AWESOME!! I checked out the link and I’m already seeing games I’ve never heard of before, like Pocket Watch, and all these games look fantastic. I think that’s one of the most exciting things I’ve discovered from this post today. I will definitely be checking out your site again, thanks for the link!”

### Built for games without a marketing budget

IndieDex states its mission on the homepage in plain terms: great games go unplayed when nobody sees the trailer; the product reads what players say about each game and turns it into something searchable by **feeling, theme, or comparison**; small studios are ranked on **merit**, not ad spend; and the goal is to surface **the best games you haven’t heard of yet**. Founder Nico Sartor describes IndieDex on the About page as a side project that grew into a **free search engine for games the front page tends to bury**.

The homepage also offers example searches, an **I’m Feeling Weird** path for unexpected picks, and a **Fresh discoveries** section featuring new Steam releases rated Very Positive or better that are still under the radar.

### How IndieDex positions itself vs. storefront search

IndieDex contrasts storefront search, which it says matches tags and reinforces what already sells, with a engine that **reads the sentence you typed** and treats **small studios as a feature**, not an accident.

### About IndieDex

IndieDex helps players find hidden gems that fit them. The product invests in catalog quality and fair ranking so recommendations stay useful, not a thin wrapper around a single store.