Tonight, I’m planning on buying a little gem of a game on the PlayStation 4 developed by Yacht Club Games, called Shovel Knight, a 2D side-scrolling game that remembers a time when gaming was all about pure, unadulterated fun. Whilst waiting, I thought it would be nice to share my thoughts on the impact of indie games on the industry and why I absolutely love them.
I would say that at least 80% of my games library is now filled with indie games that cover a variety of different genres, emblazoned with vibrantly detailed level design and gameplay that pushes the boundaries of how a video game should be. I’m a massive supporter of indie games. I wasn’t always though; I knew of their existence but I chose to ignore them in favour of the big blockbuster titles that were getting so much praise in the mainstream. Thankfully to the power of social media and advanced media distribution, I started listening to podcasts and reading articles that would talk about these games and their developers and really praise the creativity and passion involved with them, going into great detail about the game mechanics and plot points that sounded nothing like I had really played before. As you grow up, you get comfortable with certain patterns and habits and in gaming—for me at least, my expectations were firmly rooted in the triple A variety. I’ll just put this out there: there are excellent triple A titles on the market—there always has been. The only issue with triple A games as of late is that for every great release, there comes a handful of weak releases and I’ve been looking to these smaller, smarter games to provide new entertainment for me.
These indie games are made my small teams of developers, programmers, artists and musicians that are passionate about creating unique gaming experiences without the enormous pressure put upon them by publishers like Square Enix, Ubisoft and Sony Computer Entertainment to simply regurgitate yet another game in an IP that has seemingly worn thin or lost its momentum in the market. Now, I don’t doubt that the huge, million dollar companies have passion running through them but I just can’t seem to find much out there at the moment and this has been the case for at least a year or two. The best game out at the minute is Bloodborne and I’m seriously obsessed but for the life of me, I can’t remember the last great AAA title that was original or different in both concept and mechanic.
Of course, these small devs have their own deadlines and like any job, they have their own pressure but at the heart of these small games companies are friends or individuals that want to tell the story they want to tell and do that in an environment that they have created organically. They build games with their own money and have to take more risks, meaning they have more to lose. It is in this simple yet remarkable concept that everyone should step back from the yearly Assassin’s Creed or Call of Duty (just an example—don’t shoot!)and invest a little time into the wealth of digital only games created by a vast range of small games developers with gallons of youthful zeal flowing through their veins.
I’m not looking to argue whether or not indie rules over the triple A market. They are both equal in most cases. I only want to share my love of this pocket of the gaming industry that bleeds originality and personality through exciting ideas you get to enjoy every time you turn on your console. They don’t ask for praise or a pat on the back; they just want to make you enjoy a game that offers something new in a market saturated with remakes, re-masters and rushed entries in run-down series. Below is a list of five games that have been released in the last five years by the kinds of developers I want to herald. I hope you give them a go and learn to feel as passionate about indie gaming as I do because there is so much out there—you just have to be willing to open your eyes.
Game: Hotline Miami
Developers: Dennation Games
Year released: 2012
Available on: PC, PS3, PS4, PS Vita
The first time I played Hotline Miami, I knew that what I was involved in was something dissimilar to anything else I had played before. A 2D top-down shooter, a game relentless and supremely violent in nature that follows the main protagonist as he traverses through level after level of brutal punishment, all brought on by a mystery phone call that leads him to specific places for no correlating reason. With a filthy electro soundtrack bleeding through the speakers and a hugely original plot, Hotline Miami is a prime example of satisfaction through perseverance at such a primitive level, indulging the player in deeply gratifying fun despite the games dark subject matter. As the game progresses, you die a lot more but you don’t stop playing—it was like a drug to me. I would play right through till the early hours of the morning—determined to wipe out all those thugs and corrupt police officers on whatever hellish level I was trapped in. As soon as I’d finished the game, all I wanted to do was go straight back in to repeat the same sadistically trippy milieu I’d just put myself through. It also has a sequel (Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number) which is out now and it is as equally messed up and as brilliant as the first.
Game: The Walking Dead: Season One
Developers: Telltale Games
Year released: 2012
Available on: PC, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, iOS, Android
Gripping, emotionally exhausting and hauntingly beautiful at times, The Walking Dead is a great example of making the most out of the resources you have. Released in episodes and based on Robert Kirkman’s comic book series, The Walking Dead follows the story of Lee and Clementine, two lost souls brought together in the wake of a zombie apocalypse. Although there is a real lack of freedom to move, explore and interact, the real charm lies in the story itself. You are essentially progressing the plot by pressing a couple of buttons at a time or moving your character towards the next interaction point; however, it is in the dialogue and decisions you are forced to make (and in a really limited time to make them) that really pack that emotional punch. You are tasked with deciding who lives and who dies and if you’re like me, those choices can haunt you for some time. A second season followed in 2013, with a third currently in development. Seriously, if you want a story like no other, buy this game.
Game: Papers, Please
Developer: Lucas Pope
Year released: 201
Available on: PC, iOS, PS Vita (TBC)
Papers, Please is a game whereby the player is an immigrations officer at the airport of a fictional country called Arstotzka. It is your choice to let whoever you want in but be warned: make the wrong decision and it won’t just affect your job but yourself as a human as well. Although it is a relatively simple game in build, the true excellence of it lies in the way you choose to play. Like in life, you could be having a bad day and every choice can either crush the dreams of one of the fictional citizens or equally make them come true. At the end of each day, you are rewarded for your efficiency but make too many mistakes and you could face the consequences. Papers, Please is a perfect example of such a simply designed game holding so much ingenuity, integrity and detail.
Game: Fez
Developers: Polytron
Year released: 2012
Available on: PC, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox 360
Fez is a sweetheart of a game. It is vivacious, fun and incredibly re-playable diversion to other games. You are this little guy called Gomez who finds a Fez and is told that the 2D world he has lived in his whole life is actually part of a 3D one. From this reveal, you can manipulate the environment to make sure Gomez can collect all the necessary golden cubes to restore order to his world. A game so basic in gameplay makes up for it in the clever concept of manoeuvring four separate sides of the newly-discovered 3D world to change the landscape—meaning areas Gomez couldn’t reach on one side can now be reached when the player rotates the world to meet his needs. Make sure you pick this up because of all the games mentioned, Fez is easily the most accessible and comparable to the great platformers of old.
Game: Titan Souls
Developers: Acid Nerve
Year released: 2015
Available on: PC, PS4, PS Vita
I hated Titan Souls with a passion. It was possibly the hardest game I’ve ever played before (possibly second to Dark Souls) and the only relief came was when the final arrow was fired deep into the heart of the final boss. Why am I putting this in here? Well, Titan Souls is a truly unique experience. I played it on my PS Vita and carried it around with me for four gruelling hours, trying desperately hard to reach the end by finding the one unique weakness in every cruel, heartless boss I faced. 295 deaths later and I did it. I wrote the review (still full of rage at that point) and really laid in to it. I stand by the review but looking back, I feel that I truly accomplished something which was not visible at the time of completion. I fought incredibly hard to finish that game and I didn’t give up—I beat it—I beat that evil, evil game and I lived to tell the tale.
So, there are five picks that show some diversity on what is out there but I couldn’t finish the article without reeling off another handful you should also check out:
- The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth (Nicalis, 2014) PC, PS4, PS Vita, Wii U (TBC), 3DS (TBC), Xbox One (TBC)
- Transistor (Supergiant Games, 2014) PC, PS4
- The Stanley Parable (Galactic Café, 2013) PC
- Journey (Thatgamecompany, 2012) PS3, PS4 (TBC)
- Minecraft (Mojang, 2011) Everything of course
- The Unfinished Swan (Giant Sparrow, 2012) PS3, PS4, PS Vita
- Outlast (Red Barrels, 2013) PC, PS4, Xbox One
- Limbo (Playdead, 2010) Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, PC, iOS, Android
- Monument Valley (Ustwo, 2014) iOS, Android
- Rogue Legacy (Cellar Door Games, 2013) PC, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One (TBC)
It can be somewhat divisive as to what constitutes an indie game but for me, it is one that comes from a small studio that charges next to nothing to play but gives you so much value for money and never asks for anything in return. It would be nice though that once you’ve played any of these games mentioned and you’ve thoroughly enjoyed them, to go and say thank you to them on Twitter and Facebook because without them, I believe the gaming industry would be a dark place without them. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy playing some of the games mentioned above and from them, you will go on to play hundreds more and find those moments that every gamer craves: the ones you will share with your friends for years to come—the ones that give you a great sense of achievement and joy in a gloriously twinned harmony.
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