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Indie Games [June] Now Voting - Post 666

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
In this thread, we are currently prototype-testing a program to rate Indie games and write impressions that can be read out and analysed with that program. For more information, see this post:http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=57495778&postcount=364
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| 1. Header Information |
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GAF Indie Steam Group (For announcing votings, contests and Greenlight collections):
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/NeoGAFIndie

Older threads[ (which are by no means "outdated" and still contain awesome games to check out and/or look forward to):


As before, voting going to happen in the last week of the month.

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| 2. Overview |
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Post 1:
1. Header Information
2. Overview
3. Introductory Blurb
4. Voting Results "Best of March"
5. Contests for the current month (You can win games! And have fun!)

Post 2:
6. Recently released Indies to check out!

Post 3:
7. Upcoming Indies to look forward to!

Post 4:
8. Screenshot Saturday Posts (Peeking into ongoing Indie game design via weekly screenshots)

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| 3. Introductory Blurb |
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June now actually obliterates may in terms of game numbers and probably is also a contender for the best month quality wise. I am sure we'll have a ton of fun with these games this month. Thanks to everyone participating, especially CzarTim and Hoffman for helping out with the thread :)

We will also have a vote on the best games of the month in the last week of the thread. The results for the last thread can be seen below. For some first time readers that wonder about my definition of "recent": We didnt have any major Indie thread in 2012 on GAF, so we are also catching all the titles that slipped through our net last year. Anyway, have fun with the games from this month!

We also managed to get 26 more non-Toma posts in the april thread than in march. Now thats a trend I'd like to see improving ;p

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| 4. Voting Results "Best of May" |
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Hey! I assume you are new in this thread series and want to see what we were up to? Or you didnt have enough time to play through all of the games from the last month but still want to catch up with the best ones? Then this list is for YOU! These were the games we enjoyed the most in the previous thread, voted on by the community (More thorough descriptions and impressions in the previous thread, especially the last few pages with the voting):

1. FEZ (5 votes) - $9,99 (PC, XBLA)
ss_3ca0c443b1c7e7b76da98daaf2065ab1f982d7ae.600x338.jpg

http://store.steampowered.com/app/224760/?snr=1_7_15__13
Phil Fish's doucheyness aside, this game sets a new bar for what puzzle games can be. Its a tremendous effort in creating true mystique and curiosity in the players head. Considering it is probably the best and most spectacular game in its genre, you owe it to yourself to check it out at one point, even though you might already have been afflicted with Puzzle Platforming fatigue.
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2. La-Mulana 4 (4 votes) - $14,99 (PC, Wii)
ss_2d124a9d5f740da6a97bf3caa3fe37d362dbc819.600x338.jpg

http://store.steampowered.com/app/230700/?snr=1_7_15__13
Its an impressively deep Metroidvania game that will surprise you if you go into it blind. The setup and upgrade mechanics are damn well made and certainly worth the praise the game gets. The game is quite hard however, so you might want to be a bit careful and take that into consideration before using 15 bucks for it. If you dive in, you are in for a treat.
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2. Souvenir (4 votes) - Free (PC)
ijdE1QXVryoTv.gif

http://souvenirgame.com/
Surreal trip through someone else memories. You know the Milkman level in Psychonauts? Topsy turvy Inception style levels. Imagine that in first person with Dead Space-like magnetic boot jumping around except with free camera. Like Psychonauts, this is also about memories where you collect souvenirs of your past and understand your backstory.
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2. Burn & Turn (4 votes) - Free (PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android)
sAJhIp5.jpg

http://robotbear.org/index.html
Fantastic arcade style action highscore game.
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2. Out there somewhere (4 votes) - Free Demo/ $4,99 (PC)
CFfyvnO.jpg

http://www.desura.com/games/out-there-somewhere
Surprisingly fun puzzle platformer with a very interesting teleport mechanic.
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2. 2x0ng (4 votes) - Free (PC, Mac, Linux)
swzmQAg.jpg

http://blocky.io/2x0ng.html/
BLEEP, BOP. BLEEP, BOP. SHRSHRSHR. DEWEWEW.
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7.-25.
7. 7 Grand Steps (3 votes)
7. Katabasis (3 votes)
7. Memories of a broken dimension (3 votes)
7. Monaco (3 votes)
11. DreadOut (2 votes)
11. Kairo (2 votes)
11. Pulse (2 votes)
11. TowerClimb (2 votes)
15. Kenshi (1 vote)
15. Shadow Era (1 vote)
15. Mayhem Triple (1 vote)
15. The Aurora Wager (1 vote)
15. Boredom (1 vote)
15. 18 Cadence (1 vote)
15. Remembering (1 vote)
15. Risk of Rain (1 vote)
15. Pioneers (1 vote)
15. Draconian Wars (1 vote)
15. Music of the Spheres (1 vote)
15. Remembering (1 vote)
15. Gretel and Hanse (1 vote)

*The 5 entries on rank 2 are all weighted the same, the spotlight with the big pictures was a personal decision of the thread creator to not mess with the layout.

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| 5. Contests for the current month |
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We might add contests later if the demand/gifts allow it.

TBA

Gift pile:
Bientot
Gnomoria x2
Titan Quest
Binding of Isaac + Wrath of the Lamb DLC
Cave Story+
Mark of the Ninja
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
The Adventures of Shuggy
Tobe's Vertical Adventure
Geneforge Saga
Pid
Cargo Commander
Back to the Future
Dungeon Hearts
Alan Wake American Nightmare
Dear Esther
Capsized
Thomas was alone
Awesomenauts
Hotline Miami
Proteus
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
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| 6. Recently released Indies! |
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99 Spirits - Free Demo/ $15 (PC)
qFtjv7a.png

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=59824845

The idea is that you initially do not know the identity of the enemies you are fighting, and can only defeat them once you uncover it. You have a special attack which reveals either letters contained in the name (UPPERCASE) or descriptions (lowercase), and another special move which allows you to make a guess. Only if you correctly identify an enemy using these mechanics can you actually really start to battle them. If you defeat them, you can also use their skills in battle or to solve field puzzles.

Among the Sleep - Free playable Alpha (PC, Mac, Linux)
iFVobHXSTbMRU.gif

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=542661

Among the Sleep is a first person horror adventure, in which you play a two year old child. What happens when you mix a child's perspective and imagination, with the surreal nature of dreams? Quite a lot, I guess, but we think one of those things is an interesting premise for a horror adventure.

Ballpoint Universe - Free Browser Demo/ $5 (PC)
zGB0uGj.jpg

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=602751

And an incredibly cool looking sidescrolling action adventure/ Shmup that got funded via Kickstarter. Definitely a gem of a game, the ballpoint drawn graphics are simply gorgeous. Definitely deserves more love.

Candy Box - Free (PC, Browser)
candy%20box.png

http://candies.aniwey.net/

Genius and addicting little time waster with an inventive UI/gameplay progress.t's a really fantastic use of time gated gameplay with smart discovery of mechanics. Great little webgame, even if it has a few annoying balance issues.

Chasm - Free Demo (PC, Mac, Linux)
V4r7WPm.png

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=539304

Expansive procedurally-generated Metroid-like dungeons in six diverse areas. Lots of features planned like Hardcore modes, leaderboards, special abilities, equipment. And geez, those graphics. Sweet.

Cry of Fear - Free (PC)
xEsSn5H.jpg

http://www.moddb.com/games/cry-of-fear

Free horror game in the HL1 engine that seems to be pretty good: You wake up in a dark alley, not knowing anything. What has happened anyway? You struggle after the truth and answers. Answers you want to know in the darkness and fear, which makes your heartbeat race like violent blows against your head.

Data Hacker - Initiation - Free Demo/ $4,99 (PC)
d1qnzEk.png

http://www.desura.com/games/data-hacker-initiation

I guess a few guys here know .Hack? There is an Indie RPG that got recently released for now 4,99$ that has the same basic concepts (about you being a player in an online world). Free Demo here: http://www.studio69games.com/#!shop/cld6

Delver - $5 for alpha access (PC, Android)
IoFrTIB.png

http://www.delvergame.com/

Pretty cool game. The music is very good, and does that DQ1 thing of changing as you get deeper into the dungeon which is neat and underused in these kinds of games. Combat is fun as well, more Doom than Dungeon Master, a lot of the enemies have projectile attacks and they work in much the same way as an imp's fireball, your wand works in the same manner which is nice.

Dust: An Elysian Tail - $15 (PC, XBLA)
dustearlycombo7mbgoj4i.gif

http://store.steampowered.com/app/236090/?snr=1_7_15__13

A platforming and adventure game in the vein of Castlevania and Metroid with a surprisingly wonderful story and highly satisfying combat. The scenery is gorgeous too, but if someone has more to say about it please say it here.

Fibrillation - Free Demo/ €2 (PC)
A6FVqT7.jpg

http://www.desura.com/games/fibrillation

Fibrillation is a first person philosophic horror with elements of mysticism for a run-through in one breath. You’ve got only one chance to play through the whole game with no savings. The main character is called Ewan. He is wandering about mysterious places trying to find a way out. Hallucinations? A trap of mind? Life in the balance? Haunted by his own fears, the main character has to make sense of it all and find a way out. Passing through all of these obstacles a player will face a choice that will influence the end of the whole game and Ewan’s destiny.

Four Scepters - Free (PC, Browser)
AiKq7i5.png

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5708192/LD26/index.html

Really smart simplification of the roguelike mechanics. Short and sweet time waster.

Fragment - Free (PC)
GD27_Fragment_SH01.jpg

https://projects.myvfs.com/games/GD27_fragment/

A sci-fi, first person stealth action game developed by four students using the Unity Engine.

Fragments of Him - Free (PC, Browser)
0fUilga.jpg

http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-26/?action=preview&uid=15100

I think it may be my favourite Ludum Dare game I tried this time. It's about how we deal with a loss of someone dear to us, how we deal with grief and despair by removing all the things from our lives that might remind us of that person. It's a great concept, that I hope, will be continued in the future.

Gallery - Free (PC, Browser)
22249-shot0.png

http://andrewshouldice.com/

Really well designed puzzle game with simple yet deep mechanics and some dark undertones. Ludum Dare entry.

Game Dev Tycoon - $8 (PC)
im4onBmq99R77.gif

http://www.greenheartgames.com/

Business sim where you go from developing games alone in your garage to owning a studio with many employees. PC GameDevStory clone.

Gunpoint - Free Demo/ $9 (PC)
ibfIlP6Mfo1c3X.gif

http://www.gunpointgame.com/

Super awesome stealth action game. The dev really nailed the controls here, which made me replay the demo a few dozen times because its just so stupidly fun. Another game that is going to be a contender for my GOTY list. The game isnt that long, but has lots of replayability and apparently contains a level editor too. Try the demo, this game is SO good. SO GOOD. It feels how I wanted Monaco to feel.

Heroine Dusk - Free Demo (PC, Browser)
heroine.png

http://heroinedusk.com/demo/

Minimalistic, striped down to skulls and bones dungeon crawling RPG, and a huge stick to - who would have thought - beat the shit out of all evil.

Hope: The other side of adventure - Free (PC, Browser)
UOryhHu.png

http://mr.roboto.es/roboto/hope/

Cool little twist on the "Save the princess" platforming games. It overexplains the concept a bit instead of letting you realize it, but certainly worth a look.

Icefishing V - Free (PC, Mac)
1j8pehK.jpg

http://v.icefishingmusic.com/

It's an exploratory experience through the abstract sound driven world - according to dev it sounds like Aphex Twin, Oval, Merzbow, Lustmord, Sunn 0))), etc. You may find similarities to games such as FRACT for example, but there're no artificial puzzles and other annoying fillers, just interaction with the surroundings - more like sound oriented Memory of a Broken Dimension.

ilamentia - Free Demo/ $7 (PC)
QsHpr2e.png

http://caiysware.com/ilamentia

Mechanics shifting First Person Everything. There're 72 challenges and you have to find a right approach to overcome each of them - some involving only a logic and others depending on your skills. Even though the platforming is solid, the myriad of puzzles are much more intriguing and the steady compounding of skills are its best aspect. There’s brilliance in Ilamentia that will keep your brain in a vicegrip until you solve it."Demo can be found here: https://www.box.com/s/yj4c4o20ghl5jz60mp1p

Leaf Me Alone - Free (PC, Browser)
sC0W3kj.jpg

http://bartbonte.com/portal/leafmealone.html

“A “minimalist” metroidvania (if there is such a thing). We tried to focus on the feel of the world and the ambience to make it seem like a nice place to wander around.” Lovely world and abilities that are based on the setting. Fabulous little game that got created from LD, reminds me a bit of Treasure Adventure Island.

Little Inferno - $10 (PC)
B1a5spv.jpg

http://store.steampowered.com/app/221260/?snr=1_7_15__13

You burn all kind of things in a fireplace, which gives coins to buy more things to burn. Don't know why, but it's extremely fun, really. It's not really a game - more like a nightmarish toy for adults, with some dark and disturbing elements thrown under the hood of a fun mindless activity.

Lumière - Free (PC, Mac)
Zs2JY6d.jpg

http://noctuelles.info/

Short exploration game from the creator of Cesure and AEON made in two days for Ludum Dare. You can download it and try for yourself.

Mono - Free (PC, Browser)
LnlEej0.jpg

http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-26/?action=preview&uid=15341

Cute little puzzle game with some original level ideas. Nothing that will land in the voting at the end of the month, but worth a mention.

Moon Rising - Free Beta (PC, Mac)
i4uxePS.jpg

http://www.moonrisingthegame.com/

Well, it's a turn-based strategy based on the Moon in a numerically satisfying year (2099, most likely), much in the mold of Advanced Wars & Laser Squad and other such seminal works. Fully asynchronous MP too. Certainly interested in the Beta, will check it out during june.

Mr. Rescue - Free (PC, Mac, Linux)
M6BGqr2.png

http://tangramgames.dk/games/mrrescue/

Super arcadey, cute and fun to play 2D sidescrolling rescuing mission. Very charming and free too, certainly deserves some more attention.

No one has to die - Free (PC,Browser)
OyFYmek.gif

http://die.clay.io/

Cute free and short Adventure/Puzzle game, 999/VLR story style. Definitely worth checking out. Make sure to click the ARROWS, not the faces. The UI is a bit weird.

Nowhere - €15 for alpha access (PC, Mac, Linux)
Screenshot+from+2013-04-15+21:41:34.png

http://www.duangle.com/nowhere

Very ambitious futuristic single player sandbox game. From what the devs wrote, it looks like they drew some inspirations from Omikron and its ''soul'' jumping mechanics. This post explains it better: http://blog.duangle.com/2013/04/what...-about_22.html

Patchwork - Free (PC)
yAZirVo.jpg

http://gamejolt.com/games/adventure/patchwork/12724/

Patchwork is a short fantasy point-and-click adventure in which you take control of a scientist and a young student mage as they struggle to close the rift between their two worlds that they themselves inadvertently caused. Lovely art.

Potato Dungeon - Free (PC, Browser)
r2M8fsr.gif

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5573960/potatodungeon/index.html

Totally caught me off guard, but this game is surprisingly fun. The combat mechanics were rather unique and they used it in some rather smart ways.

Pulse Shift - Free Demo/ Currently 65% off for €3 until June 7th (PC)
EpPpZgg.png

http://www.desura.com/games/pulse-shift

It is this gravity shifting platformer type thing that reminded me of Kula World spliced with a bit of Mirror's Edge. It isn't without some flaws, controls can be a little floaty and given how often you rotate gravity it can feel a little unstable. But despite these issues, I am still finding the game fairly cool and an interesting take on the 'navigable this area' sub genre of puzzle games. Definitely check out to demo to grab it for cheap within the first week of june if you like it.

Residue - Free Demo/$5.99 (PC)
XTBoKbW.jpg

http://www.desura.com/games/residue

In the form of a platform adventure game, taking place around the dried out Aral Sea in Uzbekistan, switching between characters with very different abilities, Residue tells the story of the people who tried to change everything, and how it ended up changing them.

Reus - €9,99 (PC)
pq4hFZI.jpg

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=558684

In Reus, you control powerful giants that help you shape the planet to your will. You can create mountains and oceans, forests and more. Enrich your planet with plants, minerals and animal life. There is only one thing on the planet that you do not control: mankind, with all their virtues and and all their vices. You can shape their world, but not their will.

Rogue Legacy - Free Demo/ $10 preorder (PC)
9ozMjwF.png

http://www.cellardoorgames.com/roguelegacy.html

The mechanics are very similar to Symphony of the Night, and they were pretty solid on a 360 controller, which the game supports natively (pretty sure it's an XNA game). Controls are simple, although you can expand them later with upgrades to your character. The difficulty is hard-ish, although you get upgrades that make it easier. I still died a lot. The game definitely has some shmup type elements to it. Overall, if you like Metroidvanias, challenging platformers, and games with progression systems, I highly recommend it. I definitely feel that I will get $10 worth of gaming.

Save the Date - Free (PC, Mac, Linux)
f0WKpij.png

http://paperdino.com/games/save-the-date/

A Text and Click adventure on which you need to make sure you see out your date successfully! Turns out its more intriguing than the description makes it out to be, give it a shot!

Sentinel - Free Browser Demo/ $10 (PC, Linux)
YZ1aXyp.jpg

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=596791

Its an interactive audio tower defense game. The game takes place on a sequencer-like grid. As you add defenses, collect resources and destroy enemies, musical elements are triggered in time to the music. The game is a mixture of standard wave based levels and puzzle levels where the player must defend the core using limited defenses and resources.

Skyward Collapse - €5 (PC)
3VK8eXu.jpg

http://store.steampowered.com/app/238890/

You are god, and your task is to make sure to balance the world of man. You have several warring factions and you need to build buildings each turn for each civilization (which have different strengths and weaknesses) and YOUR task is to make sure that the balance between all the nations is upheld so they wont destroy each other. You need to balance ressource creation, ressource usage, military power, random enemy spawns, mythical creatures, powerful items etc, which makes it rather tasking.

The Perfidious Petrol Station - €3,49 (PC)
W18Fv4B.png

http://www.desura.com/games/the-perfidious-petrol-station

The timeless story of a young woman needing gasoline, and nowhere near the giant leap backwards for women's rights you may think it is! Coming from a tradition of naughty humour and dodgy puns in adventure stretching back as far as “Leisure Suit Larry”, Nancy’s first adventure is a nostalgic romp into the kind of surreal story that only exists within adventure games.

The Queen of Snakes - Free (PC, Browser)
2exg12u.png

http://www.jo99.fr/the-queen-of-snakes/

Short adventure game with an awesome style and some mildly challenging puzzles. Very evocative style.

The Swapper - ??? (PC)
JZtrU1z.jpg

http://facepalmgames.com/the-swapper/

Players wield an experimental device able to clone the user and swap control between them.Dropped into a character and world as mysterious as the workings of the device itself,The Swapper is a game of exploration of a very personal nature.

The Yawhg - $10 (PC)
sGHTWCI.jpg

http://www.theyawhg.com/

It's an RPG-lite in that every choice you make you get points into stats which help get you out of sticky situations you'll find yourself in during rounds and after the game ends. In Single Player it works as a neat little CYOA but with friends it becomes a race to see who can make the most outrageous thing happen, laughing when someone blows up a building, or being the guy who picks The Looter or Town Drunk jobs and watching the city crumble because of you.

Toom - Free (PC, Browser)
U73nxix.png

http://sykhronics.com/toom/ld48/

Awesome style for a short adventure game with only an implied narrative. Doesnt take too long (Ludum Dare), worth checking out since its really well made and ... well, you'll see.

Undertale - Free Demo (PC)
XxO8eer.png

http://undertale.com/

A quirky, experimental RPG with interesting action-command battle mechanics that can make battles entertaining without fighting. The characters and scenario also have a very Earthbound-like charm to them.

Voxel Runner - Free Demo/ €2,49 (PC)
1woBVYx.png

http://www.desura.com/games/voxel-runner

Bit.Trip.Runner style game with good music and some challenging level design. Its obviously a clone of the Runner series and the jump sounds dont time in with the music unfortunately, but for people craving more of that style of game, this is certainly not a bad choice. The game got downvoted on Desura for being a clone, the rating is not representative of the actual quality. If you are interested, check the demo.
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
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| 7. Upcoming Indies! (Not yet released) |
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wGUtKPh.jpg


A Hat in Time - PC
KVjUfZG.jpg

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jonaskaerlev/a-hat-in-time-3d-collect-a-thon-platformer

A Hat in Time is a 3D collect-a-thon platformer in the spirit of the beloved Nintendo and Rare games from the Nintendo 64 era. Think Banjo-Kazooie, The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario 64 all in one!

Arcane Worlds - ???
XSQUwOz.png

http://ranmantaru.com/games/arcane-worlds

Inspired by Magic Carpet exploration game, where you play as a sorcerer discovering ancient secrets, learning spells and fighting other mages.

A Shepard in Dark Times - ???
fCAPH1f.jpg

http://www.thebignic.com/music.php

Not too much info, except that it's an adventure game, but I've got a good feeling about this one.

Crypt of the NecroDancer - PLAT
ikZsBkC.jpg

http://braceyourselfgames.com/

Roguelike Rhythm game, check the video on the website.

Demise of Nations: Rome - PC, Mac, Linux
n4z2tCC.jpg

http://www.noblemaster.com/

Turn based strategy game that will take place during the Roman times, featuring over 30 factions: Germans, Goths, Slavs, Brits, etc.

Dragon's Den II: The Terranic Empire - ???
YnUyc9i.jpg

-

A love letter to the Dragon Quest series. Hopefully releasing until end of the year.

Echoes of the Wilds - ???
AJ1XjVC.png

http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=33571.0

Fresh caught fish tastes the best in the wilderness, especially when your survival depends on it.

else { Heart.break() } - ???
ZNlKpZC.jpg

http://eriksvedang.com/

It’s an interactive drama about love, youth and technology set in a city kind of similar to Gothenburg – the place where I live. It’s also a serious attempt to improve my understanding of how to tell personal stories through software.

Ephemerid - ???
R63L39T.gif

http://superchopgames.com/ephemerid/

Joyful musical adventure game where you play as a mayfly seeking its own fate inside a beautiful handcrafted world.

Fleish & Cherry in Crazy Hotel - PC, Mac, Linux
2ryoo7T.jpg

http://www.redlittlehousestudios.com/

Wacky isometric adventure game set in an alternate 30's, inspired by a classic cartoons. Gaffer participation.

Frontiers - ???
Mnb45oS.jpg

http://www.indiedb.com/games/frontiers

“Frontiers blends the feel of first-person RPG classics like Daggerfall with the relaxing tempo and simplicity of a point-and-click adventure. Discover ancient mysteries, live off the land, and fight deadly creatures, all in a beautiful & massive open world.”

Hate Plus - PC
762766487.png

http://loveconquersallgam.es/

Christine.Love.Hate.Analogue.Plus.Sequel.

Havencall - PC, Mac, Linux
noKgziq.jpg

http://www.indiedb.com/games/havencall

Charming Point n Click full of puzzles, challenges and some fighting.

Hero of Many - ???
MAnppwQ.gif

http://heroofmany.com/

Atmospheric action adventure game where you lead a swarm of water-beings through fierce battles to freedom.

Heroes of Loot - ???
ashhOmb.png

http://www.indiedb.com/games/heroes-of-loot

Heroes of Loot is an action roguelike in Orangepixel style. We stripped out all the fluff we don't like about rogue-likes or dungeon crawlers, and took the awesome stuff like loot, leveling, magic, setting, and added our own twisted challenging action

Jazzpunk - PC, Mac
TfgYwhK.jpg

http://necrophonegames.com/games/jazzpunk/

Comedy has been a genre largely overlooked by gaming. But a lot of these are puzzle games, adventure games, shooters or platformers first and foremost, with a dash of humor for flavor. I can’t say I’d ever played a game where comedy was the major, defining dynamic, where triggering jokes was a mechanic in itself, and where you actually had a significant interaction with, a role, in the telling. That was before I’d played Jazzpunk.

Kachina - PC, Mac, iOS
5Njd8IM.png

https://www.scrollkit.com/s/DBqqzHo/

You control a hole in the ground, hole that gets bigger with each object you stick in it – from ants to mountains. Later on you get the ability to spit out those things, which introduce us to a more puzzle like part of the game. Add some Katamari cuteness and North American mythology into the mix and the result is Kachina.

KonCraft - PC, Mac, Linux
2ypoEy7.jpg

KonCraft

A voxel-based game where you supposedly make RPG dungeons for other people to play through, using the voxel system. So far they only seem to have the creation system in place and not the actual RPG side, so I'm interested to see how it turns out.

Legendum - PC
rcIdDE5.jpg

http://www.indiedb.com/games/legendum

A dungeon crawler in the vein of Diablo 2, made on a deadline supposedly for mid June. Certainly seems interesting.

lifeless: ECHRO - PC
BJh1yp4CIAAsjQ-.png:large

http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=33015.0

Pixelated metroidvania focused on fighting bosses. Explore the world, search for items and grow stronger. You have to be cautious, because every enemy can kill you, if you don't find its weakness.

LIT - ???
pPgRlNC.png

http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=521663f601bd48d8c2e84770a0cd657a&topic=33007.0

As for the style of gameplay, i'm aiming for a flavor platforming along the lines of Abe's Exodus with the requirement of some classic SCUMM styled thinking. Lots of emphasis on exploration and problem solving rather than actually traversing platforms or killing and junk. Oddworld is sort of my bible in terms of game development.

Luxuria Superbia - PC
luxuria.png

http://taleoftales.tumblr.com/post/51737105114/a-new-tale-of-tales-selected-for-indiecade-e3-showcase

The player travels through twelve tunnels in search of pleasure. Lust and Pride. The sensual and spiritual. Casual or strategic. Luxuria Superbia pushes the envelope by introducing an abstract erotic game which explores the connection between religious and sexual ecstasy, the exchange of pleasure between game and player, and the sexiness of flowers. Tale of Tales game.

MALEBOLGIA - ???
BJ79wT8CcAEJYhr.png:large

https://twitter.com/DascuMaru/status/332982428891246592

We don't know much about it other than being a cel-shaded Horror game by our very own Dascu, but considering the awesome style, it certainly deserves a mention here. More info here: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=57465084&postcount=340

Massive Chalice - PC, Mac, Linux
spNIS6b.jpg

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/doublefine/double-fines-massive-chalice

If turn-based tactics and feudal fantasy had a lovechild, and that offspring founded a mighty century-spanning dynasty, it would be MASSIVE CHALICE. Double Fine, currently on Kickstarter.

Operation Smash - ???

Prisonscape - ???
byS043X.png

http://www.prisonscape.com/

Looks like there's incoming wave of prison placed games. This time it's a RPG/Adventure hybrid. Decide which strategy to take – to become a tough guy or a clever behind the scenes manipulator. You can expect some turf wars with your inmates; creating weapons – knifes from toothbrushes, etc., and of course some relaxing showers at the end of the day. Ok, the last part is only my imagination going wild.

Pulsar: The Lost Colony - PC
BJZyu_ECMAA0l3W.jpg:large

http://pulsarthegame.com/

Fast-paced team-based strategic Shoot Shoot, Bang Bang.

[BRed Rover[/B] - PC, Mac, Linux
6ca8ZCg.png

http://www.flyredrover.com/

Experimental Mars exploration game. The teaser evokes some associations of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Rehearsals and Returns - PC, Mac
sFnpQty.jpg

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1231818830/rehearsals-and-returns

The core mechanic of Rehearsals and Returns involves saying something explicitly nice, mean, or wise to various people alive and dead such as Mao Tse Tung, Richard Pryor, Margaret Thatcher, The Pope, Hillary Clinton, Nikola Tesla, Leni Reifenstahl, Tiger Woods, and Rosa Parks.

Remnant - ???
UN02u.jpg

http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=29217.0

Remnant is a sidescroller adventure game where you explore, craft, survive, and research.

Rooks Keep - PC
v3JveiM.jpg

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=101812044&searchtext=

Multiplayer deathmatch swordslashing. And chess. Set to release this month.

Signs of Life - PC
v3mPbaW.png

http://www.indiedb.com/games/signs-of-life

Survival sandbox platformer. ''It is designed from the ground up to support drop in/drop out online co-op.''

Scheherazade Machine - PLAT
wKeTW4S.png

http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=24640.msg695643#msg695643

A non-interactive, procedural painting. A narrative machine. A woman, to some degree, continuously relives walks with her sister as various narrative elements come in and out.

Stephen's Sausage Roll - ???
A9CZgDD.jpg

http://www.stephenssausageroll.com/

New puzzle game fron Stephen Lavelle (Slave of God), including state of the art rotating fork and a sausage made out of finest pigs.

Tangiers - PC
ibceTxUQnZsXFV.gif

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=559252

Mechanically, Tangiers sounds similar to Dishonored with an emphasis on staying out of sight, setting traps, climbing rooftops, and stabbing foes in the back. Intriguingly, you'll be able to "collect discarded conversations" while eavesdropping on enemies, then use their words as diversions by "hurling" them down the road.

Terror Okkulta - ???
VbfdQum.jpg

http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=27026.0

Terror Okkulta is a single player action/adventure game with an emphasis on exploring and horror elements.

Tessalation - ???
vt9Dzhw.png

http://www.christopherwalterklein.com/tessa

'Single player Co-Op'' time traveling adventure game set in an elementary school. Set to release this month.

The Bulletromancer - PC,Mac
brnv4XP.png

http://www.rottentater.com/bulletromancer/

Romantic Bullet Hell Shmup, with no game over screen, but still exciting for everyone - from wussies to pros.

The Maker's Eden - PC
4uSs5QQ.jpg

http://makerseden.screwylightbulb.com/

Fans of Point & Clicks shouldn't be disappointed. This one is a hand painted first person adventure game, presented in a style of a motion comic, with some perspective tricks used to create depth and immersion. Check out the cool lookin' interactive art.

The Novelist - PC
NfSE80f.jpg

http://www.thenovelistgame.com/

VERY interested in that one: The Novelist asks one central question: can you achieve your dreams without pushing away the people you love? The game focuses on Dan Kaplan, a novelist struggling to write the most important book of his career while trying to be the best husband and father he can be. The Kaplans have come to a remote coastal home for the summer, unaware that they're sharing the house with a mysterious ghostly presence: you.

The Way of Yiji - PC
x6gSwU7.jpg

http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=30664.0

It reminds me of Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP set in feudal Japan.

The Wild West - ???
2013_02_09_teaser.gif

http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=29224.0

The game features day/night cycles (with heat effect), dynamic clouds, life packages, stars, enemy creation points, particles, basic physics for some objects, ...

Trash TV - PC, Mac, Linux
TrashTVAnimationPickUp.gif

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=93760163

I like Rock Paper Shotgun's description, so I just repost it. ''Trash TV appears to be a platform game at first but is really more of a puzzler, although a puzzler in which the solution to everything is GUNS.''

Ultima Ratio Regum - PC
oDzcbzM.png

http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=22176.0

Ultima Ratio Regum is a middle-ground between roguelikes, RPGs and strategy games. It has no fantasy elements and seeks instead to be closer to a realistic history simulator, and a strategy/4x game which just happens to be in ASCII. Combat is rare and deadly – whilst these mechanics are modeled in detail, exploration, trade and diplomacy factors will have just as much effort put into them.

Voyager3 - ???
vG5o8AL.png

http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=24977.0

Think Minecraft mixed with Proteus and Zelda, with Tolkien, Miyazaki and Hiroshige in there as well. Think of a world that exists despite of the player and is on the whole indifferent to their existence.
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
Thread is now open! But to save us (and our wallets) all, I should just not post it and delete the Indie Games file for june so that we can all live our un-indie gaming life happily ever after :p

 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
Sooo, whats up everyone? :p
 

CheesecakeRecipe

Stormy Grey
In case the thread gets buried, Kentucky Route Zero's second act has finally been released. A strong start on top of an already huge avalanche of indie goodness. As it is I still have to pick up Dust and The Swapper, Gunpoint is making a fairly strong place for itself in my libary... guh.
 

Avallon

Member
I noted yesterday, after my fiance set a bus full of screaming children ablaze, that she seems to be a very good candidate for indie games. I can't get her to play games like Valkyria Chronicles, Ni No Kuni, Uncharted, etc, but she loves Little Inferno and actually finished To the Moon.

I wonder what exactly it is about indies that differentiate themselves so much in her mind; she doesn't know the difference between the two, she just gravitates towards indies.
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
I noted yesterday, after my fiance set a bus full of screaming children ablaze, that she seems to be a very good candidate for indie games. I can't get her to play games like Valkyria Chronicles, Ni No Kuni, Uncharted, etc, but she loves Little Inferno and actually finished To the Moon.

I wonder what exactly it is about indies that differentiate themselves so much in her mind; she doesn't know the difference between the two, she just gravitates towards indies.

They are more "personal" experiences, to me at least. They also usually focus on one single aspect and explore that in ways that big budget games usually cant or dont want to. Most Indies also dont seem to "drag" on too much when exploring these ideas, so that they feel like more diverse, bite sized and to me also more ... lively because developers dont try to force me to stick with something.
 

Noogy

Member
You dont want to lose money on all these great games right? Gotta protect you, man.

You're the hero we deserve, but not the one we need right now. But we can take it, because you are not our hero. You're a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A blank OP.
 

Avallon

Member
Didn't we get Dust, Fez, and the Swapper (which I personally can't bring myself to be interested in) in May? How do you possibly beat that???
 

Satch

Banned
In case the thread gets buried, Kentucky Route Zero's second act has finally been released. A strong start on top of an already huge avalanche of indie goodness. As it is I still have to pick up Dust and The Swapper, Gunpoint is making a fairly strong place for itself in my libary... guh.

i was just about to ask about this

thank you!!!
 

Dusk Golem

A 21st Century Rockefeller
I noted yesterday, after my fiance set a bus full of screaming children ablaze, that she seems to be a very good candidate for indie games. I can't get her to play games like Valkyria Chronicles, Ni No Kuni, Uncharted, etc, but she loves Little Inferno and actually finished To the Moon.

I wonder what exactly it is about indies that differentiate themselves so much in her mind; she doesn't know the difference between the two, she just gravitates towards indies.

Personal tastes. I have a balanced diet when it comes to AAA and Indie titles, but I do make the observation they feel quite a bit different. I'm not trying to say all AAA or all Indie games feel the same, but often while bigger games rely on bigger budgets and teams, indie games are far more likely in my opinion to have a certain charm about them. They may not have huge budgets or huge teams, but that's part of the reason they have to work with every bit they got through execution and charm, and usually they have a much more focused vision due to the smaller team size. They also don't have to worry about selling millions, so they are much more likely to try something for the niche and take more creative risks.

I'm guessing your wife enjoys that sort of indie charm I'm speaking of. It's not because it's indie, but it is more likely to happen with indie games as the games feel personal. I haven't played Little Inferno yet, but To The Moon was a wonderful little story that moved me quite a bit more than almost any other game has emotionally. I'm the type of person who can cry during sad moments in movies, but games rarely ever get that sort of reaction out of me. To The Moon made me shed a few tears once, and almost got me a second time.
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
You're the hero we deserve, but not the one we need right now. But we can take it, because you are not our hero. You're a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A blank OP.

Tsk, I swear people are never satisfied. Sigh, oh well, there are your fancy pictures. :p
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
Didn't we get Dust, Fez, and the Swapper (which I personally can't bring myself to be interested in) in May? How do you possibly beat that???

We operate on GAF Indie Games thread time™ Out of those, only Fez was in may. Amongst others, Gunpoint and Reus are a VERY strong argument for this month too.
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
In other words, Fez came out in April. But Fez came out in May...

That game was amazing.

It came out in early may, so I snuck it in due to thread participant requests. And yeah, its great. Thats why it deservedly got the first rank in the may thread voting. Stick around here and play some of the smaller Indies too :) People are missing out on a lot by just playing the big stuff.
 

Bebpo

Banned
I noted yesterday, after my fiance set a bus full of screaming children ablaze, that she seems to be a very good candidate for indie games. I can't get her to play games like Valkyria Chronicles, Ni No Kuni, Uncharted, etc, but she loves Little Inferno and actually finished To the Moon.

I wonder what exactly it is about indies that differentiate themselves so much in her mind; she doesn't know the difference between the two, she just gravitates towards indies.

I like Indie games because they're short (1-4 hours usually; most being 1-2 hours) and now that I'm older I don't have a lot of free time for gaming at a desk. So I save the 30-60 hour rpgs for handhelds and stick to 1-4 hour indie games on consoles/pc.

Plus because they're short they have a number of advantages over $40-60 games:

-Lack of useless handholding first few hours (aka, game gets good at 40 hours in)
-Game ends before repetition sits in
-Devs tend to not feel the need to pad out parts to meet 8-12 hour quota; better paced feel
 

Vorundor

Member
Sweet list of games. I love indies and I do agree that they do have a more personal experience than AAA games.

thanks for this thread :)
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
Still cleaning up some formatting stuff, but if you notice a full game entry missing or something (broken tags etc), let me know.
 

Avallon

Member
What would you say constitutes an Indie game?

It's a question that has been on my mind a lot recently. It can't be lack of a publisher, because several indies have had publishers. It can't be length because many AAA titles are just as short as indie games. It can't be It can't be audience, can it? Is Minecraft still "indie?" It can't be production values, because a lot of indie games now a days have very high production values (Monaco, Dust, etc.)

Argh... can it even be defined? I feel like when something is an "indie game" you just know.
 
Indie games are like porn, you can't describe them but you know them when you see one.

And some people disagree whether some border cases are indie or not :p
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
What would you say constitutes an Indie game?

It's a question that has been on my mind a lot recently. It can't be lack of a publisher, because several indies have had publishers. It can't be length because many AAA titles are just as short as indie games. It can't be It can't be audience, can it? Is Minecraft still "indie?" It can't be production values, because a lot of indie games now a days have very high production values (Monaco, Dust, etc.)

Argh... can it even be defined? I feel like when something is an "indie game" you just know.

I think we discuss that once every thread for about 1-2 pages and the consensus is... nope. There is not a real definition. "Independent Development" is a very concise concept, but the term "Indie" basically took on a life of its own that can mean almost anything between "low budget" and a "design philosophy". You can certainly make a case for 2x0ng because its very obvious and manages to fulfill both of those criteria, but some might include games like Journey as well and I think thats fine. I am more towards leaning the design philosophy thing myself, but its definitely nothing clear cut and there is no point in arguing whether a game is Indie or not. Last month I included Cities in Motion 2 in this thread, even though its published by Paradox. Its an umbrella term for basically everything that isnt high profile or mid-level game development and gets the point across in casual conversations I guess.
 

thetrin

Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
What would you say constitutes an Indie game?

It's a question that has been on my mind a lot recently. It can't be lack of a publisher, because several indies have had publishers. It can't be length because many AAA titles are just as short as indie games. It can't be It can't be audience, can it? Is Minecraft still "indie?" It can't be production values, because a lot of indie games now a days have very high production values (Monaco, Dust, etc.)

Argh... can it even be defined? I feel like when something is an "indie game" you just know.

It's actually something we struggle with on a regular basis, and the topic of much internal discussion at Playism. My boss defines it as a small team of people, but I don't think that's always the case, nor is it the defining aspect of indie gaming.

I've always gone by the idea that an independently owned team that does not have publicly traded shares, and doesn't have an ongoing publishing agreement with a large publisher.

For example, NIGORO has an ongoing publishing agreement with us, but they're still technically indie. They're internally owned, and we're not a large publisher.

By definition, Falcom is still independent, even though they're not considered so in Japan.

Btw, thanks to everyone that voted La Mulana into the #2 spot for last month. The NIGORO guys will be delighted. :)
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
It's actually something we struggle with on a regular basis, and the topic of much internal discussion at Playism. My boss defines it as a small team of people, but I don't think that's always the case, nor is it the defining aspect of indie gaming.

I've always gone by the idea that an independently owned team that does not have publicly traded shares, and doesn't have an ongoing publishing agreement with a large publisher.

For example, NIGORO has an ongoing publishing agreement with us, but they're still technically indie. They're internally owned, and we're not a large publisher.

By definition, Falcom is still independent, even though they're not considered so in Japan.

Btw, thanks to everyone that voted La Mulana into the #2 spot for last month. The NIGORO guys will be delighted. :)

I really think the "publishing" or no publishing deal isnt really a defining feature anymore. Despite having the same roots, "Independently developed" and "Indie" are two terms that fell apart at one point. "Independently developed" still means what it says, but "Indie" got way broader. Sometimes the meaning of a word or certain term changes in a language if a big group of people starts to use it in another context, and I think many people havent realized yet that that happened here. Maybe we'll use some certain defining features of some Indies at one point to categorize Indies again or make up some entirely new categories, but we'll see about that I guess.
 

Avallon

Member
By definition, Falcom is still independent, even though they're not considered so in Japan.

Even if Falcom is independent, I don't really consider them indie at all. I'll just have to accept the fact that is a nebulous term at this point.
 
For me an indie game is not defined by the budget, team size or quality of the game.

An indie game is a game where the team developing the game has the creative freedom of the project. The more hierarchical the structure, the less indie. If there are stakeholders that dictates the game design outside of the core team, then that's not indie for me.

If DICE were to develop Mirror's Edge 2 however they wanted, and publish it whenever they wanted they would be indie in my book. In that sense I guess Blizzard is some kind of indie developer for me.
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
Some games are missing platform tags as well. La Mulana is on WiiWare and Little Inferno is on the WiiU.

There are probably a million mistakes/missing info in the OP since its so fucking time intensive to find everything myself. If you name something that is missing or wrong, I'll correct it though. Definitely not claiming to be 100% perfect on my posts ;)
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
I believe C-Wars constitutes as an indie release, right? The future release list could use that game. (Platforms are PC, 3DS, Vita and Wii U)

And every time someone recommends something, you should post a link and a screenshot. Saves me a LOT of time and helps to convince others to check out a game.
 
There are probably a million mistakes/missing info in the OP since its so fucking time intensive to find everything myself. If you name something that is missing or wrong, I'll correct it though. Definitely not claiming to be 100% perfect on my posts ;)
Just throwing it out there, didn't mean any disrespect to your OP.

It's a good list too, a lot of these I didn't know even existed.

Edit: A link to C Wars' kickstarter.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1054244612/c-wars-roguelike-pixel-art-pc-game
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...

thetrin

Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
I really think the "publishing" or no publishing deal isnt really a defining feature anymore. Despite having the same roots, "Independently developed" and "Indie" are two terms that fell apart at one point. "Independently developed" still means what it says, but "Indie" got way broader. Sometimes the meaning of a word or certain term changes in a language if a big group of people starts to use it in another context, and I think many people havent realized yet that that happened here. Maybe we'll use some certain defining features of some Indies at one point to categorize Indies again or make up some entirely new categories, but we'll see about that I guess.

I think this whole conversation is a symptom of the rapidly changing landscape in regards to "indie gaming" and gaming in general. It's an exciting time!
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
Also, I am super, SUPER hyped for Gunpoint. Check out the free demo on steam.
i7MTKxA9ZHo1W.gif
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
Yeah, he posted that one in the RPS comments

Speaking of which... I just tried it myself before putting it in the thread... any hint on that part? The platforms on all sides are too high too reach
http://i.imgur.com/Rg1b8mx.jpg

I guess I am missing something and this game is kind of a metroidvania, so I need to go back and grab an item I missed? Just dont want to backtrack all the way if someone tells me I am overlooking something there.
 

eot

Banned
Speaking of which... I just tried it myself before putting it in the thread... any hint on that part? The platforms on all sides are too high too reach
http://i.imgur.com/Rg1b8mx.jpg

I guess I am missing something and this game is kind of a metroidvania, so I need to go back and grab an item I missed? Just dont want to backtrack all the way if someone tells me I am overlooking something there.

The momentum from the fan flowers stacks, so you need to zig-zag through all three of them
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
The momentum from the fan flowers stacks, so you need to zig-zag through all three of them

Ah, I tried that a few times but probably didnt do it properly. Thanks.
 
I love the smell of new monthly thread! xD

Lot of games to appreciate and have fun, and at least this time there are games that I alread played!
 
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