Indie Games: Jonesing For More

I think there used to be a time when I saw an indie game and thought, “Oh, it’s good…for an indie game”. Nowadays, I can easily and simply say, “Oh, it’s a good game”. The negative stigma I had for the indie scene has quickly dissipated because there is such a great track record from indie developers.

It’s safe to say that many peoples’ first exposure to indie gaming was with Braid. It was easily one of the first popular indie titles that drew considerable attention and critical praise. It was simple in its concept, but brought in some interesting mechanics (time manipulation) as well as a good plot twist.

Games like Limbo took the puzzle/platformer genre just like Braid had but added some amazing atmosphere to draw the gamer in—another critically acclaimed game.

Fez might have changed the industry more so than the previously-mentioned games. It brought a nostalgic, 8-bit vibe, yet adds an extra dimension to its 2D platforming. It forced the gamer to think much more than most games we saw at the time, and looked gorgeous while doing so.

Again, Bastion was great in its visual presentation; looking like an artist’s canvas. The game was much more fast-paced than other games I’ve mentioned, being an action-RPG. The animations of the world coming together as you move were a nice touch, and everyone praised the amazing narrative.

Hotline Miami broke the mold since it was a top-down shooter. Its cruder, dirtier-looking 8-bit graphics nicely contrast the clean and colourful palettes found in Fez and Bastion,  helping to distinguish Hotline Miami as a game. By this I mean that Hotline Miami was bloody, addictive and crazy. The 80’s Miami tone is pitch perfect too; this game feels like a drug trip. Oh, and the music was impeccable.

Now, Child of Light and Transistor are brand new indie games, but they feel to be much more than their predecessors in the indie game scene. They seem to be much more complete games, which makes me believe these are great games, indie or otherwise.

Note: While there are tons of other great indie games, I had to exclude games I haven’t played (sorry to the fans of Sang-Froid: Tales of Werewolves).