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Tired of killing? Let's recommend and play indie!!

I think we are in a golden age of gaming, indie gaming that is!


Are you tired of killing people? Of your system not being able to run your game? Of hollow characters and senseless plots? Of worn out gameplay mechanics?

Let's play indie games then!

Don't know what to play? Well, this is a recommendation thread of sort.

Ask what kind of game you would like to play, and we'll see if we can find a game that satiates the void in your heart!


Trivia question:What is the best game made by only two persons released after World of Goo? It is Fran Bow, silly!
 
if you're NOT tired of killing, check out aragami. great stealth action game with some gorgeous visuals. on both consoles and pc

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Inuhanyou

Believes Dragon Quest is a franchise managed by Sony
That loaded, very generalizing and not bitter at all OP is going to cause more controversy than simply having an indie recommendation thread.
 

Neptonic

Member
Let me tell you about this cute little indie game called Hotline Miami...


Everyone should play The Witness I think. Probably the greatest puzzle game I've ever touched. The sense of accomplishment is amazing and unlike anything I've ever experienced.
 
I'm playing Alone With You on Vita (also available on ps4) right now. A very good exploration / story focused game, with very neat pixel art that makes me think of Flashback for some reason.
 
Let me tell you about this cute little indie game called Hotline Miami...


Everyone should play The Witness I think. Probably the greatest puzzle game I've ever touched. The sense of accomplishment is amazing and unlike anything I've ever experienced.
Haha Yeah. Well, I thought there are certainly many indie games that involve killing, but few nin-indie games that don't, so it makes sense to go to indie for the latter games. So a thread without too much violence.


Anyway.

I really like to play Witness. There is also another puzzle game I remember I really wanted to play, Talos?
 

Permanently A

Junior Member
Is it bad if all of the indie games I like involve killing?

Furi, Hotline Miami, Mark of the Ninja, they're so good!

On non killing... Inside was pretty good! Puzzle platformer from the Limbo guys that OOZES atmosphere.

also really enjoyed SteamWorld Heist, which has killing, but you're killing robots so its different. Fun twist on turn based tactical gameplay by including an aiming mechanic and trickshots.
 

Blizzard

Banned
That loaded, very generalizing and not bitter at all OP is going to cause more controversy than simply having an indie recommendation thread.
The OP seemed pretty mild and tongue in cheek to me. I really don't think it's very controversial or offensive to take a break from killing, for example. :p

On-topic, I also really liked The Witness. The Talos Principle had no killing and was another good puzzle game, more story-focused than The Witness.

Mostly recently I have gotten back into FRACT OSC. I got stuck at some point in the past, but this time I think I am to the final level. It's unfortunately pretty involved and you have to redo it if you screw up, but it's a pretty interesting abstract exploration / music synth game.
 
Anyone know any good indie games for 3DS? I've got Shovel Knight, Gunvolt 2, OlliOlli, Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, SteamWorld Dig, and Liberation Maiden.
 
I just noticed that Soma and Talos Principle are both on sale at Steam for $12 and $10. Really tempted to grab both. There was another game I saw on sale for $5 that also looked good. All that's holding me back is I'm not sure when I'll ever get to them because my PS3/PC backlog is tits up at the moment.
Also dat Vita backlog :(
 
That loaded, very generalizing and not bitter at all OP is going to cause more controversy than simply having an indie recommendation thread.

Hmm, I sense a lot more bitterness from this post than the OP.

Anyway, people should play The Fall, if they haven't already. Although I think you might have to kill an alien monster or two... No people though.
 
Anyone know any good indie games for 3DS? I've got Shovel Knight, Gunvolt 2, OlliOlli, Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, SteamWorld Dig, and Liberation Maiden.
I am playing Antipole right now. It is a DSi game, but the graphics is simple and should look well on 3DS. It is a platformer where you need to clear the obstacles by inversing the gravity. Level design is tight, which allows for fun speed runs.
 
The way this thread title and OP sounds reminds me a lot of why it took me so long to start playing indie games in the first place... For me the only indie game that was able to pull this "no killing" concept without sounding pedantic was Undertale.

I guess on the non-killing side VVVVVV and VA-11 HALL-A are pretty good.

But if I could recomend indie games that you end up... erm... killing, I'd say my favorite ones are Shovel Knight and Crypt of the Necrodancer (which needs a lot more love)
 

HotHamBoy

Member
Anyone know any good indie games for 3DS? I've got Shovel Knight, Gunvolt 2, OlliOlli, Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, SteamWorld Dig, and Liberation Maiden.

In addition to the others mentioned...

Cave Story
Gotta Protectors
Crimson Shroud
The Keep
Gunman Clive 2

Not indie but Pushmo, Pocket Card Jockey and BoxBoy 1 & 2 are cheap and fun little experiences from Big N.

Tbh, Vita is the handheld indie king. My preferred indie machine.
 
The way this thread title and OP sounds reminds me a lot of why it took me so long to start playing indie games in the first place... For me the only indie game that was able to pull this "no killing" concept without sounding pedantic was Undertale.

I guess on the non-killing side VVVVVV and VA-11 HALL-A are pretty good.

But if I could recomend indie games that you end up... erm... killing, I'd say my favorite ones are Shovel Knight and Crypt of the Necrodancer (which needs a lot more love)
I meant no killing as in, say, Volgar the Viking. You know,lots of tension. I think Shovel Knight is fine! (And even then, I think a game like Bindings of Isaac also is fine, as its treatment of violence is so symbolic. But still I would prefer games with minimal killing)

Valhalla is a very peculiar one. I don't quite understand it!

Dose Journey count?
Yes!

NMS doesn't though lol
 

poodaddy

Member
In addition to the others mentioned...

Cave Story
Gotta Protectors
Crimson Shroud
The Keep
Gunman Clive 2

Not indie but Pushmo, Pocket Card Jockey and BoxBoy 1 & 2 are cheap and fun little experiences from Big N.

Tbh, Vita is the handheld indie king. My preferred indie machine.

This is nothing but truth here. I know he already said it but I've gotta echo Pushmo's recommendation in a big way. The game just oozes charm.
 

BorkBork

The Legend of BorkBork: BorkBorkity Borking
Been playing The Curious Expedition, a procedurally generated exploration "rogue-like" that has you using some of 19th century's most famous people, also made by two people. Super fun with a great artstyle - I've plugged about 30 hours into it thus far.

Rock Paper Shotgun's look at it

You can hunt animals if you want, but you can get by without killing.
 

TheMoon

Member
Anyone know any good indie games for 3DS? I've got Shovel Knight, Gunvolt 2, OlliOlli, Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, SteamWorld Dig, and Liberation Maiden.

SteamWorld Heist
Severed
Attack of the Friday Monsters
A-Train 3D: City Simulator
Biker Rider DX2: Galaxy
BOXBOY!
BOXBOXBOY!
Cave Story
Crimson Shroud
Pushmo/Pullblox
Crashmo/Fallblox
Stretchmo/Fullblox
Gunman Clive 1 + 2
Hazumi
The Keep
Mighty Switch Force 1 + 2
Mutant Mudds
Noitu Love: Devolution
Proun+
Retro City Rampage: DX
Siesta Fiesta
VVVVVV
The Legend of Dark Witch 1 + 2

some of them aren't indies but I wasn't sure if you only wanted indies and were already aware of the rest.
 
SteamWorld Heist
Severed
Attack of the Friday Monsters
A-Train 3D: City Simulator
Biker Rider DX2: Galaxy
BOXBOY!
BOXBOXBOY!
Cave Story
Crimson Shroud
Pushmo/Pullblox
Crashmo/Fallblox
Stretchmo/Fullblox
Gunman Clive 1 + 2
Hazumi
The Keep
Mighty Switch Force 1 + 2
Mutant Mudds
Noitu Love: Devolution
Proun+
Retro City Rampage: DX
Siesta Fiesta
VVVVVV
The Legend of Dark Witch 1 + 2

some of them aren't indies but I wasn't sure if you only wanted indies and were already aware of the rest.
I would add anything from Shin'en and Fractured Soul.
 

PokéKong

Member
This topic relates to a conundrum I've pondered for a while. I am indeed tired of killing things, but non-combative games tend to make me way too antsy. My free time is short these days and I don't have the patience anymore for just being told a story, I crave a quick responsive feedback loop between me and the game and instant gratification. But unfortunately combat has always been the easy answer to scratching this itch, but games are starting to lose variety because of this.

And so in my mind I have started reducing all games down into my three important categories: Combat-focused, glorified point-and-click adventures, and skateboarding games.

Honestly, the Tony Hawk series at its height of quality scratched the same itch for me as Bayonetta. But where now is my go-to game for when I just want to pulling off mad tricks and keep and combo going as long as I can, but without the pressures of aggression and balancing offense/defense? Has any indie tried to pick up the torch? OlliOlli and 2 have it covered on the 2D plane at least. Dustforce also comes close.

Goat Simulator would be amazing if they took the concept but actually worked hard to give it highly polished and well balanced gameplay mechanics.

Mirror's Edge-inspired momentum-based games like Clustertruck and The Valley have some real good ideas, but I wish they didn't all default to first-person. Is there not a Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time spiritual successor indie game?
 

Simbabbad

Member
This thread is already full of games where you kill, or where you can be killed. Excluding this sort of mechanics from video games is completely arbitrary and even nonsensical given the nature of video games (overcoming an opposing force).
 

Humdinger

Member
Some of my favorites:

  • Journey
  • The Unfinished Swan
  • Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
  • Papa & Yo
  • Oxenfree
  • Bound
  • Inside
 

nbraun80

Member
Something I've been playing recently is Turmoil It's a pretty fun sim management/strategy game. Took me about 10 hours to do the campaign and unluck expert mode and getting ready to jump into that. Easy enough first half of the game and adds tougher stuff to work with and work around later on. Very fun game.
 
serious sam 3 is a fantastic indie game where you kill a shitload of aliens

it is a bit hardware-intensive, but the goofy senseless plot is enjoyable despite the hollow characters and you can't go wrong with the tried and true gameplay mechanics
 
play the best tycoon game on steam

MAD Games Tycoon..

it's simply wonderful and no killing required :) (unless winning all the goty awards with your creations)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXMZyyltvBU

As a huge fan of Game Dev Tycoon, is it better?

One of my main complaint with it was that we couldn't expend that much like making several games at the same time and that it was a bit to simple in terms of mechanic.

Does it address any of that?
 

UCBooties

Member
Anyone know any good indie games for 3DS? I've got Shovel Knight, Gunvolt 2, OlliOlli, Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, SteamWorld Dig, and Liberation Maiden.

Seconding Crimson Shroud.

It's amazing, I wish it had been followed up by a fullrelease or another episodic sequel. By far my favorite of the Guild releases.
 

Neiteio

Member
Even if you're not killing people or monsters...

*puts on aviators over his aviators*

...you're still killing time.

*cut to Miami skyline*
 
Refunct - A mellow jump-about, clicking switches to raise more sections to jump about in. Recently added a time-trial mode for speedrunners but i just play it to unwind after work with no timer. No tutorial but if you've played any FPS game you know the keys and actions instinctively and exploring them is a part of the game i feel.
 

Blizzard

Banned
I forgot to mention Firewatch, another interesting adventure story that came out this year. The characters and voice acting are pretty interesting, and there's no combat.
 
One of my most anticipated games is Planet Coaster. Developed by Frontier, devs of RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, and it's basically a "proper" iteration of RCT3 will all the modern trimmings. Game is looking amazing visually and it releases next month.

 
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