The Best Indie Games That Deserve Your Attention
Where big-budget, AAA games may fail to move the medium forward with innovative ideas, indie games push the boundaries of creativity. The smaller budgets do not hinder bigger imaginations. For those who are not particularly attuned to the goings on in the massive world of indie games, here are some titles that absolutely deserve more notoriety.
Firewatch
Many indie games push far beyond the expected parameters of the industry. They’re not all just mindless violence like Paleozoic congress members would like you to believe. Developed by Campo Santo, 2016’s “Firewatch” puts you in the shoes of a man who is starting a new job manning a watchtower in a national forest.
“Firewatch” plays with the expectations of the protagonist, as well as the player themselves in tons of interesting ways. You don’t really know if what’s going on is really happening as is, or if it’s just being built up into something more than what it really is by the main character.
The art style and color palette are absolutely gorgeous, and the rapport between Henry and Dalilah is fascinating and evocative, thanks largely to the excellent performances from Rich Sommer and Cissy Jones.
Gameplay is incredibly simple, and the game can be completed in a single evening, but there is no doubt that the story will stick with you. It’s a great place to start for new gamers, as well as an engrossing and memorable experience for even the most seasoned gamers.
Disco Elysium
If you’re interested in trying out tabletop role playing games but don’t have any friends to play with and you’re looking for something that’s completely unhinged, then look no further than ZA/UM’s “Disco Elysium.”
It’s hard to describe just how bonkers this game is, but you’ll be spending a good chunk of your time reading dialogue from different parts of your brain. The whole thing feel like a watercolor fever dream. It functions much like a traditional pen and paper RPG, where the action is comprised of dialogue trees and probability skill checks. It is a ton of reading, but luckily “Disco Elysium – The Final Cut” just dropped on PC and consoles, adding so much more voice acting, making the experience far less lonely.
You play as an alcoholic detective who wakes up in a hotel room with no memory of the last few days. To get an accurate portrayal of the tone here, in just the opening moments, you may find yourself conversing with a sentient neck tie whose intentions are unknown. It’s an experience unlike any other. It may take some getting used to, but it is absolutely worth your trouble.
It Takes Two
Hazelight Studios is out to prove that co-op gaming isnit dead. Their previous co-op experiences, “Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons” and “A Way Out” were stepping stones on the path to their greatest and silliest achievement.
It puts you and a friend in the shoes of a couple on the verge of divorce. Their daughter’s tears magically trapped their souls into the bodies of two dolls, because it’s magic, don’t ask questions.
What follows is about 10 or so hours of the most creative platforming you’ll ever play in any game, let alone a co-op one. What makes it such a special experience is that it can only be played with another person, meaning everything was designed from the ground up for two people. All the puzzles and abilities are created to make you work together. It’ll challenge your relationship with whomever you’ve chosen to play.
While the story is questionable, and the love book, Dr. Hakim, is even more questionable, the gameplay is such a blast for the entirety of the game’s runtime. It’s constantly throwing new mechanics and ideas at you, and it jumps in and out of different genres at will. It is certainly the most fun I’ve ever had playing games with my partner, and if you want to play online with someone, only one of you needs to own the game. It’s a consumer-friendly, joyous thrill ride of a game, from start to finish.
Concrete Genie
This PS4 exclusive really tugs on the heart strings. You play as a lonely boy named Ash, whose only friends are the titular genies. You’ll spend your time navigating the town, using your magic paintbrush to bring color and excitement back to a struggling, mostly abandoned vista.
Its gameplay is far more relaxing and creatively stimulating than most other games, as you find yourself choosing from a variety of options to paint and utilizing the motion controls to bring your creations to life.
The genies are adorable and fun to mess around with, and even the bullies that harass you have more to them than meets the eye. Developer Pixelopus created a game that’s overflowing with heart and should not be missed.
The Unfinished Swan
While developer Giant Sparrow is known much better for the excellent “What Remains of Edith Finch,” their previous effort deserves more renown than it has received. Sticking with the theme of magic paintbrushes, “The Unfinished Swan” drops players into their own storybook, essentially.
It makes tremendous use of color, not only aesthetically, but with respect to game design as well. You’ll navigate the pages of this fairytale into extraordinary lands armed with your trusty brush. You’ll paint the world around you to reveal its true nature and to solve creative and fun puzzles. It’s a delightful and creative experience that foreshadowed the greatness that would follow it.
Afterparty
The objective is simple: outdrink Satan. If that sounds ridiculous, it’s because it is, but developer Night School’s most recent offering is a hilariously dark descent into the depths of Hell. The two protagonists, Milo and Lola, have found that they’ve mysteriously died and gone to Hell. The only way out is to vanquish the dark lord himself in a drinking contest.
The game uses this backdrop to immerse players in such a creative and silly depiction of eternal damnation. There are all kinds of biblical inside jokes, and even a social media platform just for demons.
The central mechanics are simple, yet effective. Certain drinks will unlock different dialogue options, and you’ll find yourself playing more than a few games of beer pong. What really matters here, though, is the art style. Everything is so stylized and wonderfully horrible to look at. It also boasts an incredible voice cast and soundtrack, so it’s an all-encompassing treat for the senses. Have a good, macabre laugh with “Afterparty.”
Tales From The Borderlands
Most gamers are probably already familiar with the ubiquitous stylings of Telltale Games. Their episodic choose-your-own narrative adventure games oversaturated their own market around the mid 2010’s. Most gamers are also probably familiar with the comedy looter shooter series, “Borderlands,” as well, but “Tales From The Borderlands” remains as one of the studio’s best yet least known games.
It’s perhaps the most genuinely and consistently funny game I’ve ever played. It’s a constant display of silly yet smart humor, yet is also surprisingly heartfelt at times. If you’re a fan of Telltale’s other games, or the “Life Is Strange” series, and you’ve never given this one a shot, then get your finger guns ready. It was unavailable on digital stores for quite some time, but was fortunately re-released this February.
A Plague Tale: Innocence
We’ve saved the bleakest for last! This gripping story from Asobo Studio focuses on a young noble French girl named Amicia as she attempts to lead her little brother Hugo to safety through the plague infested landscapes of 14th century Europe.
There’s something curiously supernatural about Hugo. You’ll unravel the mysteries of this fictionalized version of the bubonic plague as you use stealth and puzzle solving to evade soldiers and, most harrowingly, the rats.
The swarms of rats are a technical achievement for such a small studio. With so many on screen at one time, they are such an overwhelming and unnerving presence. Getting caught by the horde means certain death in such a nightmarish and visceral way.
Don’t be too put off by the depressing setup, though, as this game is also filled with tremendous beauty. How else could we appreciate such beauty without some ugliness?
