VIDEO: Much like with movies and music, the indie game scene is where it’s often at
Matt Hawkins Because there comes a point in which you begin to realize, those big budget flicks, super produced album, and ESPECIALLY that game from some supposed AAA developer ain’t worth the hype and hoopla (plus cost of admission).
While lacking in size and scope, comparatively speaking, many indie game offers are pretty awesome nonetheless. Actually, it’s because of those reasons why they’re often so superior. Don’t know about your folks, but I have way too much on my plate; a 100+ hour odyssey would have been great if I was still living at home and going to high school, with no women to please, and no job to toil away at. But these days? Give me something short, snappy, and to the point. Though still awesome as well.
And to be totally honest, many big time offerings are fairly meager and have low aspirations as well. Something that is perfectly illustrated by the Independent Games Festival, which each year celebrates the best that the indie set has to offer. The official IGF website has the entire rundown of all the games in competition this year; there’s 568 in all. Not all of them are playable to the public, but a good deal are.
Standouts include The Iconoclasts. If you’re a fan of old school platforming, especially Bionic Commando back in the day, this will be music to your eyes…
LIFE/DEATH/ISLAND is all about getting the hell of an ultra low fi (we’re talking Commodore 64-level graphics) zombie-infested island (or at least I think its zombies)…
Lone Survivor shares a similar scenario, but presents it with slightly more detailed graphics (we’re talking more 16-bit here) and really emphasizes the not so pleasant aspects of dealing with a zombie holocaust, like there being nothing good to eat, anywhere…
Home is also similar to the game above; it’s also a side-scroller that takes place in the dark a lot. But this one is less about fighting zombies and more about solving a mystery. Including, how in the hell are you going to get home…
Speaking of solving stuff, Kairo is all about solving puzzles, but in a first person view. Sorta like Myst, but again, there’s something just not right going on…
English Country Tune is another puzzler that plays around with perspective, but isn’t all dark and moody (thank God)…
The premise ofSuper T.I.M.E Force, as described on the IGF website, deserves to be passed along: “THE YEAR: 198X… LOCATION: OUTER-SPACE… THE PROBLEM: EVERYTHING’S GONE TO SH*T”…
BTW, a good place to keep abreast of indie game happenings would have to be The Indie Game Source. It’s where many of the people who make all that you see above hang out and swap demos.
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