David-D--NelsonThe rise of the new consoles comes with a dramatic boost in indie gaming.
Everything from the emerging digital market to the ease of developing on new hardware has combined to bring these interesting bites of originality to the forefront.
Not all turn out to be the clever hits advertised but as long as the store doesn't become as flooded as the mobile market I think it's good for the industry. I admit I feel awash in these games but that's probably just because of all the delays on big games. In the mean time I end up catching coverage of these indie titles and generally ignore them.
The thing is I already went through the period where games were played like that, the only difference is people have found out how to be much more clever than the developers of the past. Every now and then though something grabs my attention from that pool and I wind up having fun just because it scratches an itch or presents something that shouldn't be missed.
Journey was something that just couldn't be missed, and I think No Man's Sky is looking like the next one like that. I'm interested in that title. Another one grabbed my attention today that looks unique, Valiant Hearts: The Great War . I had heard of it before and wrote it off but now I'm going to look into it a bit more. I'll likely wait for a price drop but it's still rare to find things that just gel with you.
Maybe that's how we should consider this big indie push; it provides access to specialized experiences. Which indie titles in the current wave have your interest, approval, or high recommendation?.
Transistor was my only indie playthrough I can think of, aside from Journey. Well worth my time.
I tried the Dustforce demo. That was cool.
The one I'm looking forward to trying is Nidhogg.
..and yah, No Man's Sky looks neato in a sci-fi Discovery channel sort of way.
Last edited by Temjin001 on 6/24/2014 11:18:54 PM
Guacamelee was good fun on the Vita. Loved playing Terreria on the PS3. Currently playing Valient Hearts, not sure if it qualifies as indie but it's sure got the feel, and it's really solid. Also enjoyed Fez for a bit on the Vita but I definitely lost interest as the game went on, same for Knytt Underground & Stealth Inc. Haven't given Escape Plan, Machinarium, and Thomas Was Alone much of a chance yet but I'll get on it. Also, I really disliked LIMBO. Lastly, I LOVED Hotline Miami on the Vita.
As for indies I'm looking forward to, No Man's Sky is my number one. I hope it's not lifeless, it can really turn into a gem. Others are N+, Nidhogg, and Axiom Verge.
Last edited by JLB1 on 6/24/2014 11:45:55 PM
No Man's Sky
This.
Or Star Citizen.
Does Star Citizen count as an indie? Cause if it does then sure, it's just one of the slickest looking *and* most ambitious game I've seen so far.
It technically is since it has no publisher. However, in addition to the $47 million its gotten from crowdfunding, I believe they've also received funds and resources from a few companies too, so I'm not entirely sure if it counts.
No Man's Sky is what we need the indie scene for, a place where ideas like that can get a chance to be realized.
It wouldn't been an interesting E3 if we had found out what ThatGameCompany is up to.
Axiom Verge, The Witness, Gone Home, Rogue Legacy, Everybody's Gone to The Rapture, No Man's Sky, Papers Please. Sure there are more that's slipping my mind right now.
Last edited by cLoudou on 6/25/2014 1:47:20 AM
None. I'm sorry, but I have given some of them my time, the most notable Journey & Limbo but both experience left me feeling unfulfilled.
For me, this new era of indie games is worse than the rise of the FPS last gen – at least they offered spectacle and were pushing the industry forward. If anything indie games are setting the industry back. More often we hear of developers from big production teams going off to form indie teams to make a quick buck.
I have yet to be convinced of any real quality from this 'genre'. It seems just a catch to pull in people who are compulsive and don't admire the spectacle and production value put into top tier games. I don't want to buy a PS4 for Angry Birds or Putty Squad, I want games that will push the consoles abilities and deliver experiences we've not seen. I want games with strong narratives and interesting characters with depth – Which is why I am buying a PS4 for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. The game has so much to offer in gameplay, story and I want to experience the spectacle first hand on PS4 in the best way possible.
I feel ya.
none really.
at least for next gen systems.
whole point of next gen is to give us experiences last gen could not, and im just not convinced indies are willing to put in the massive budget to do this.
even no mans sky probably the most ambitious indie game does not make me go wow now thats next gen!
It's hit or miss with the indi games. But that's how it works. There actually is a margin for error. Sometimes you get just another semi colorful side scroller and sometimes you get a Journey, No Man's Sky, or maybe not everyone likes to hear, but Minecraft. These are all games that take advatage of there lack of resources.
My greatest fear for the indi games genre isn't the lack of innovation, it's seeing the games becoming so simple they all wind up being ported to smartphones and tablets. Even the slimmest budget can make use of the analog sticks and Vram that a console offers.
I wonder what the PS+ would look like without all the current indie titles out there. We would either have nothing or Sony would have to charge more.
Really home No Man's Sky breached the Indie limit like the other few indie gems out there.
I'm going to say now I don't even know what an indie is nowadays. Is it anything not put out by a major publisher? Is it a game made by a small team? What constitutes "small"?
I see Worms under the Indie games title on the PSN. When the Hell did Worms become an indie game? It's only been around for a million years on every platform known to man with 89 sequels and the flagship franchise for team 17. How does that fall into anything "indie"?
I think it's just become a cool word to use now as it's always had a negative connotation but now everybody wants to be "an indie developer" because then if your game sells anything at all you can beat your chest. Games are games. You can have big budget games or licensed games but after that it's all just games.
Journey tops my list, followed by Limbo, Flower, Trine, Braid, Transistor and Escape Plan.
I don't care for a lot of indies but No Man's Sky is looking like a must play.
And Resogun was awesome, kind of like Defender remake.
"The thing is I already went through the period where games were played like that, the only difference is people have found out how to be much more clever than the developers of the past. Every now and then though something grabs my attention from that pool and I wind up having fun just because it scratches an itch or presents something that shouldn't be missed."
Thing is, indie isn't the same as retro. Sure, Mercenary Kings, Broforce and a bunch of others are retro, but No Man's Sky is anything but! Don't Starve is another that pushes design forward. Thomas Was Alone is both very simple and brilliant at the same time, in a way no other game has been.
Ignoring indie games all up because a few pixelated marketing shots turned you off is closing yourself to a lot of great, creative and forward-thinking games (indeed, the best indie games imo are more forward-thinking than the big games you gravitate to). Of course, play what you enjoy, that's what it's all about, but don't let preconceptions blind you to the depth of entertainment available from the smaller studios :).
Sony please less indie's more AAA games!