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Looking at the contenders for this year's fight for Christmas money, I'm thoroughly convinced that the paradigm for game development has shifted from engaging the player's mind into the game's universe, into funneling the player through an interactive cinematic experience. The big guys will continue this trend while they vie for billion-dollar pay days. But the little guys? Well they don't have the fleets of animators, artists, voice actors and grunt coders at their disposal. So they have to rely on good ol' charm and imagination. They don't have the piles of money to shove massive marketing campaigns down our throats, so unfortunately, their creations will never get the audience they deserve. With my gaming budget being tight these days, I've found a bit tough to justify 20 bucks on a totally unknown quantity. Well, this should help...
I've rounded up a batch of games from smaller developers. Unfortunately, they're seen as "arcade" titles. something of a novelty. Well think back to games like Lemmings, Bomberman, Earthworm Jim, Donkey Kong Country, Monkey Island. These are games, just like those classics, that seem to craft an experience together with a few bright ideas, much like Valve does, even with its insane budget.
World of Goo - Is my favorite of the lot. This is a puzzle game, building semi-stable structures. As you progress through the levels, you'll piece together clues and clever commentary. This is the most "charming" game I've played since Portal.
Lugaru - This 3D beat-em-up takes me back to the N64 days when 3D environments were brand new. By today's standards, the modeling is bland and the controls are... sparse. But this game re-visits "challenge" by forcing the player to use perfect timing and planning out fights before they happen. Forget Devil May Cry tactics with flooding the screen with enemies, uber long combos and lots of shiny. Oh yeah, and it's bunnies beating the crap out of each other. Win.
Penumbra - A very well done first-person adventure title. Automatic props for taking on a game in comatose genre. The puzzles, interactivity and plot make for an outstanding experience despite the clunky controls.
Gish - A nifty take on 2D platforming. You control a blob around ledges, crevices and walls. But mind your physics, folks, this game's got plenty in store for you. And hey, the soundtrack ain't half bad, eh?
Samorost - A straight up puzzle game. This one reminds me of Gobliiins. The maps are vibrant and full of eccentricity. Yes the controls are nothing more than point-and-click, but you will NOT be putting this one down. Be warned.
Super Mario Crossover - A new take on the old. This guy has done an outstanding job of throwing nostalgia into a blender and making a wonder 8-bit soup. This isn't "indie" per se, but this shows what the mind and will of one man can do. Also you'll need to run this via a browser.
So there you have it. There are quite a bit more games out there, but I was able to rustle these up for free via a promotion. These are very engaging works and really take me back to the 8 and 16-bit eras. These and other games are on steam and I encourage you to support them. Help get these guys noticed and may the go the way of the creators of Team Fortress, Portal, Counter-Strike and Left 4 Dead: absorbed by Valve and handsomely rewarded for making a good game.
Here's your link
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