Indie Games | Unsung Heroes of a bygone Era (Beware of Gifs)

[Gabbo]

----------------------

Super Man Or Monster
Steam ($9.74 )

Super Man Or Monster is an explosive monsterfilled action game. Protect or destroy the world, as MAN or
MONSTER! Build your army, jetpack around, blast monsters and kick ass. OR... bring the chaos as you
bash, stomp and wreck cities. Your choice!​

Click to shrink...

Holy shit it's Earth Defense Force: Minecraft edition. I usually hate that block-y art style, but this.... This i must have.

 

[Toma]

Holy shit it's Earth Defense Force: Minecraft edition. I usually hate that block-y art style, but this.... This i must have.

Click to shrink...

Looks super crazy, do post some impressions :)

 

[Toma]

Also: this is... beautiful:

 

[More_Badass]

My Friend Pedro is looking good

 

[Manik]

Also: this is... beautiful:

Click to shrink...

Is this Opus Magnum? If so, how are you finding it? I loved SpaceChem, but never actuslly got around to playing any of Zachtronics' other games though I came very close to buying Infinifactory a while back. Quite fancy picking up a game to test myself with, especially if there's a few people from here playing it.

 

[More_Badass]

Is this Opus Magnum? If so, how are you finding it? I loved SpaceChem, but never actuslly got around to playing any of Zachtronics' other games though I came very close to buying Infinifactory a while back. Quite fancy picking up a game to test myself with, especially if there's a few people from here playing it.

Click to shrink...

Opus Magnum is a more open and freeform but also more complex and involved SpaceChem. If you liked SpaceChem, you'll probably like Opus

 

[Toma]

Is this Opus Magnum? If so, how are you finding it? I loved SpaceChem, but never actuslly got around to playing any of Zachtronics' other games though I came very close to buying Infinifactory a while back. Quite fancy picking up a game to test myself with, especially if there's a few people from here playing it.

Click to shrink...

Opus is a great game and quite a few people playing it atm, but I kinda disagree on it being more complex and involved. I wrote something up about that here:

I was actually thinking about this earlier. Its actually the worst "offender" in that regard, while at the same time being the best application of that focus. I currently lean towards Opus being the easiest Zachtronics game (previously Infini), due to the fact that it has 2 layers of infinity, one for the endless amount of commands and one for the actual space to build stuff on.

However, as I just alluded to, it actually lends itself very well to optimization due to many QOL additions, like easily moving commands. I still get that old school Zachtronics feeling if I try to stay on top of my friends leaderboards. Its a bit easy if you just push through, but if you set yourself a goal like being at least even on the friend leaderboards, you'll see plenty of brilliance for each individual level component, be that the aforementioned 50 cost requirement in a certain level, which seemed outright insane, yet it was almost simple! This game is brilliant and the structure allows it for more people to be appreciated at all kinds of different levels, which I cant fault Zach for, but the Zachtronics Genius is still in here, you just need to set yourself higher goals and Opus makes it more feasible to do that than all other games before.

If you are in need of a friend list highscore goal, feel free to poke me. My scores arent perfect, but high enough to probably pose a challenge for you. ;)

Click to shrink...

I might actually recommend checking out Infinifactory before, as it is rather special, even by Zachtronics games. The 3D angle makes for some rather unique levels.

 

[Toma]

New Dwarf Fortress version soon, question to everyone: why havent you not tried it yet?

 

[More_Badass]

Blasphemous - 2019, PC/Mac/Linux/PS4/Xbox/Switch
Journey through a nightmarish universe full of hellish, bloodthirsty creatures. Exploration, intense combat and a very twisted religious world awaits you in this action platformer, by the studio that brought you The Last Door.

Itta - PC
A bullet-hell adventure about a little girl and her cat as they wander a broken earth.


Wizard of Legend - Late 2017, PC/Mac/Linux
Wizard of Legend is a fast paced 2D dungeon crawler where you assume the role of a powerful wizard on his quest for fame and glory! Combine powerful spells and quick reflexes to overcome all of the challenges and become a Wizard of Legend!

Sinner - PC
Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption is a boss battler action-RPG. Face eight abhorrent bosses, the first seven each based on one of the deadly sins. Before each epic clash, you must sacrifice a stat and level down to enter combat. Each fight will be tougher than the last as you wage war against sin itself.


Manifold Garden - PC/Mac/Linux/PS4
Manifold Garden is an exploration-puzzle game that imagines a universe with a different set of physical laws. Set in an Escher-esque world filled with secrets and mysteries, you utilize a unique gravity-manipulation mechanic to turn walls into floors. Learn to see the world through whole new perspectives as you navigate mindboggling architecture and solve seemingly impossible puzzles.

 

[More_Badass]

Toma, did you see that Guns, Gore, and Cannoli 2 is a thing?

Click to shrink...

 

[Manik]

New Dwarf Fortress version soon, question to everyone: why havent you not tried it yet?

Click to shrink...

If anyone is wanting to try it, but feels put off by the UI / complexity then I really urge you to reconsider. It might be slightly awkward at first but you do eventually develop a muscle memory for it.

There are loads of great starter guides out there and, if you use the Lazy Newb Pack,then there's so many great Quality of Life add-ons (including tilesets and 3D visualisers) that make it much more accessible than you've probably been led to believe.

 

[MattWilsonCSS]

Some games not mentioned yet:

Copy Kitty - A combination of Megaman and Kirby, and my pick for best indie game of 2016. Don't let the weirdly ugly splash image fool you, this game is great.

Khimera: Destroy All Monster Girls - Free game that takes a lot of cues from Shovel Knight, Megaman, and Mario 3. Deserves to be a commercial game!!

RIVE - The final game from Two Tribes (Toki Tori) goes in a completely different direction, a pedal to the metal action game in the vein of Blaster Master.

Defunct - The best way I can describe this is to imagine a 3D Sonic in vast sprawling plains rather than tiny narrow lanes.

THOTH - Minimalist, brutal, oppressive twin stick shooter.

Echoes of Aetheria - One of the top RPG Maker games on Steam, with a battle system that combines Suikoden with Grandia.

Bot Vice - Intense shooting gallery game similar to Wild Guns from the SNES. Apparently the dev is struggling because they've dropped the price of all their games (including this, Super Star Path, and Strikey Sisters) to $2 each, so give them your support!

Creepy Castle - Overlooked game of the decade. Irresistably cute action RPG with quirky characters, WarioWare-style combat, Ultima-influenced aesthetic (but cute), and multiple completely different campaigns.

The Next Penelope - Top down F-Zero with action elements and bosses.

Rungunjumpgun - Merciless one button runner with a wicked difficulty curve.

The Eyes of Ara - Similar to The Room series of games but with inventory puzzling and Myst-style node movement (but in realtime 3D). (has a demo)

Virginia - Inspired by Thirty Flights of Loving, a dialogue-free interactive movie about detectives searching for a missing kid, but naturally there's way more going on than that. IT IS NOT TWIN PEAKS INSPIRED, it is BLENDO GAMES INSPIRED, if you go in expecting the former you'll be disappointed. (has a demo)

Splasher - Inventive platformer from the designer of Rayman Legends. (has a demo)

Milkmaid of the Milky Way - Charming, short point n click adventure with rhyming couplets.

A Normal Lost Phone - Break into a phone and uncover the mystery of the person who left it behind.

 

[Toma]

Toma, did you see that Guns, Gore, and Cannoli 2 is a thing?

Click to shrink...

Oooh, nice catch. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[BluWacky]

Blasphemous - 2019, PC/Mac/Linux/PS4/Xbox/Switch
Journey through a nightmarish universe full of hellish, bloodthirsty creatures. Exploration, intense combat and a very twisted religious world awaits you in this action platformer, by the studio that brought you The Last Door.

Click to shrink...

2019??? Blooming heck that feels like a very long way away...

 

[RM8]

Any love for Help! I'm Haunted?





It's a Kero Blaster-inspired run and gun platformer "coming soon" to PC, Mac, and iOS.

 

[Ickerday]

Holy crap, I didn't know about most of the games listed. Cheers OP!

 

[Toma]

Holy crap, I didn't know about most of the games listed. Cheers OP!

Click to shrink...

Do share your impressions if you end up buying and playing one of the games! :) Anything you are particularly interested in?

 

[Toma]

Also super random: I just played a game on Switch that was worse in a certain aspect than my first ever try at game programming, which just might have motivated me to give it another try.

 

[kaicooper87]

The Mummy Demastered
Steam ($19.99)

A powerful ancient evil has arisen, and the war to save humanity has begun! As an elite agent in the
monster-hunting Prodigium organization, you must use a variety of weapons, upgrades, and mysterious
artifacts to defend mankind against the supernatural hordes of Princess Ahmanet.
------------------------------------------------------

just finished the game..fantastic Metroidvania from the makers of Shantae and the Pirate's Curse
its like the new Metroid and Caslevania we waited for long time, imagin when u die in this game,
u turn into a Zombie!! then u centinue as another soldier and u have to kill the zombie to get ur gears back,
solid..the levels Soundtracks are the best..what a game​

 

[More_Badass]

Just remembered that Hand of Fate 2 releases this Tuesday

The first one was so good, hope the sequel is better

 

[DrArchon]

Just remembered that Hand of Fate 2 releases this Tuesday

The first one was so good, hope the sequel is better

Click to shrink...

How does the player character look this time?

Oddly enough one of the biggest problems I had with the first game was how ugly the main character was. And for a game all about mimicking role-playing, having no character creator was a weird omission.

 

[-COOLIO-]

My Friend Pedro is looking good

Click to shrink...

that art style is incredible.

 

[RM8]

The Mummy game looks fantastic and I really want to play it, but I really wish I had a Switch to play it :( I know I'll cave in and play it on PC, but it looks like the kind of game I would have played on my DS years ago.

 

[MattWilsonCSS]

I guess it doesn't really matter to anyone but here was my top 50 indies for 2016:

#1: Copy Kitty
#2: Khimera: Destroy All Monster Girls
#3: Wuppo
#4: RIVE
#5: Stardew Valley
#6: The Witness
#7: Creepy Castle
#8: THOTH
#9: Oxenfree
#10: Epistory Typing Chronicles
#11: Firewatch
#12: Defunct
#13: Seraph
#14: Steins;gate
#15: Bot Vice
#16: Echoes of Aetheria
#17: Princess Remedy in a World of Hurt
#18: Goetia
#19: Pony Island
#20: Event[0]
#21: Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor
#22: Earthlock: Festival of Magic
#23: 1979 Revolution: Black Friday
#24: Switch 'n' Shoot
#25: Rusty Lake Roots
#26: Abzu
#27: Featherpunk Prime
#28: Slayaway Camp
#29: Song of the Deep
#30: Kathy Rain
#31: The Turing Test
#32: Orwell
#33: Killing Time at Lightspeed
#34: Cubotrox
#35: Virginia
#36: Handsome Mr. Frog
#37: Tiny Guardians
#38: Highrise Heroes
#39: The Little Acre
#40: The ABC Murders
#41: Poi
#42: Blitz Breaker
#43: Kick Ass Commandos
#44: Relic Hunters Zero
#45: Rusty Lake Hotel
#46: Four Sided Fantasy
#47: Klocki
#48: Arigami
#49: Dead End Road
#50: Factotum 90

I unfortunately have played nowhere near enough 2017 indie games to put together a real list but this is what I've got so far:

#1: Hollow Knight (I've only played a small bit of it however!)
#2: Alwa's Awakening
#3: Slime-San
#4: Dead Cells
#5: HoPiKo
#6: A Robot Named Fight
#7: Splasher (only played a press demo)
#8: HackyZack
#9: Stories Untold
#10: Standby
#11: Milkmaid of the Milky Way
#12: Mini-Ghost
#13: Mainlining
#14: CrossCells
#15: Rise & Shine
#16: A Normal Lost Phone
#17: Gunmetal Arcadia
#18: Unbox: Newbie's Adventure
#??: Doki Doki Literature Club

I need to play so many more before I can compile a real list because that list is very incomplete. I own but have not played: The Sexy Brutale, Shadow Tactics, Morphblade, Tiny Echo, Brigador, The Tenth Line, 20001 A Space Felony, Volantia Kingdom in the Sky, unWorded, Scanner Sombre, Tacoma, Pocket Kingdom, The End is Nigh, Strikey Sisters, A Tale of Caos: Overture, World to the West.

And I don't own but recognize that the following games are very good: Night in the Woods, Monolith, Hidden Folks, Bleed 2, West of Loathing, Detention, Flinthook, Paradigm, Cosmic Star Heroine, Blackwood Crossing, Wonder Boy the Dragon's Trap, Pyre, Cuphead, Snake Pass, Nex Machina, Little Nightmares, Thimbleweed Park, What Remains of Edith Finch, Steamworld Dig 2, Dusk

It just goes to show that indie games are in a major golden age in such a big way. I mean there are indie games from 2015-2016 that I still need to play that are very good, like Furi, Momodora Reverie, Obduction, Quern, Overcooked, Deadly Tower of Monsters, Jumpjet Rex, Subnautica, Nuclear Throne, Vermintide

 

[Toma]

Just remembered that Hand of Fate 2 releases this Tuesday

The first one was so good, hope the sequel is better

Click to shrink...

So day one for that one.

 

[More_Badass]

Some cool past 7DRL roguelikes from the developer of Golden Krone Hotel

Zurvivors - Manage your group's personalities, injuries, and survival while traversing a zombie-infested world
Dumuzid - A roguelike with a Tetris/Agar.io-esque element, with elements that range in tile size and you can absorb enemies to grow in size and defeat larger enemies
A False Saint - A wilderness survival roguelike
The Only Shadow That The Desert Knows - A roguelike that lets you time travel to any day and event in the world's history. Travel back to the time of a great hero to steal his legendary weapon when he died, travel forward in time to escape a monster, follow the life of a person from birth to death and maybe kill them before they become a threat. Travel back to learn about a famous artifact but be careful not to do be there when a infamous war breaks out

 

[Deleted member 1781]

@MattWilsonCSS That's a solid list of games.

 

[monstar]

I don't know why I didn't bought Hollow Knight when it launched, this game is so good, polished and charming. I only played for 2 hours and killed what I think was the first boss, but I'm already hooked in the game. I'm liking how the map system works, where you can buy the map for current area if you find a certain NPC.

Click to shrink...

It's the best game of its type released in the last ten years, at least. Unbelievably good.

 

[More_Badass]

It's the best game of its type released in the last ten years, at least. Unbelievably good.

Click to shrink...

It's at the top of my GOTY list so far

The first two are definitely 1 and 2, but the rest are tentative rankings

Hollow Knight
What Remains of Edith Finch
Uncharted 4: The Lost Legacy
Yakuza 0
Little Nightmares
Rain World
Yankai's Peak
Opus Magnum
Battle Brothers
Prey
Echo
Cogmind
Simulacra
Assassin's Creed Origins
Horizon Zero Dawn
Wolfenstein: The New Colossus

 

[Aeferis]

Just remembered that Hand of Fate 2 releases this Tuesday The first one was so good, hope the sequel is better

Click to shrink...

Hand of Fate 2 is very promising, I really enjoyed the first game and I wanted to go day one with the sequel but I'm so overwhelmed by the number of games I've bought and I've yet to even start that I'm not that sure anymore.

 

[titch]

MattWilsonCSS

Cheers Fav game lists are always appreciated - you never know when you might find a hidden gem you never know about!!!!

 

[More_Badass]

I believe this is the first review for Hand of Fate 2
https://www.finder.com.au/hand-of-fate-2-review

Defiant Development has proven that the first Hand of Fate was far from a fluke. Hand of Fate 2 one-ups its predecessor in every way, delivering a unique and enthralling role-playing adventure that easily sits among the best games this country has produced.

Click to shrink...

 

[erd]

I believe this is the first review for Hand of Fate 2
https://www.finder.com.au/hand-of-fate-2-review

Click to shrink...

This sounds really promising. I didn't care much for the first game, mostly because the core combat just did not feel good enough. The combat improvements, and especially the story focus make me pretty interested.

 

[justiceiro]

New Dwarf Fortress version soon, question to everyone: why havent you not tried it yet?

Click to shrink...

It's even worth It? Besides, english is not my first language and from what i saw a lot of the gameplay is text based, ritgh?

I feel like i can get about the same emjoyment from other games with better interfaces, pace and presentation, investing only 1/10 of the time.

 

[More_Badass]

It's even worth It? Besides, english is not my first language and from what i saw a lot of the gameplay is text based, ritgh?

I feel like i can get about the same emjoyment from other games with better interfaces, pace and presentation, investing only 1/10 of the time.

Click to shrink...

Other games certainly have better interface and UI, but none have the depth, complexity, or sheer ambitious scope of Dwarf Fortress. Rimworld is akin, but smaller scale, and Ultima Ratio Regum still has years of development

 

[Toma]

It's even worth It? Besides, english is not my first language and from what i saw a lot of the gameplay is text based, ritgh?

I feel like i can get about the same emjoyment from other games with better interfaces, pace and presentation, investing only 1/10 of the time.

Click to shrink...

Dwarf Fortress does require more time than almost any other game, I will need to admit that, but to put it in easy comparisons: If it takes 10 times longer to learn, it also rewards you with 100 times the unique and immersive experience. DF really cant be compared to any other game out there, even stuff like Rimworld and other "derivates" are only barely scratching the surface of what DF manages to accomplish and offer.

It is hands down the most impressive game experience ever created.

 

[hobblygobbly]

It's even worth It? Besides, english is not my first language and from what i saw a lot of the gameplay is text based, ritgh?

I feel like i can get about the same emjoyment from other games with better interfaces, pace and presentation, investing only 1/10 of the time.

Click to shrink...

I recommend when you have free time and interested even the slightest in DF to listen to this podcast episode, it goes over what makes DF great but also why so many games that try to do something like DF tend to fall short.

https://www.idlethumbs.net/3ma/episodes/dwarf-fortress-and-world-simulators/

What I love about DF (and even unrelated games like Crusader Kings II) is that failure is rewarding and entertaining, a lot of the time you will fail, in fact I think it's impossible to *win* in DF, the joy of games like DF is the stories your campaign generates. Nonetheless games like DF does require you to put more effort into learning the basics than most games but these sort of games create unique gaming experiences that other games can't match. Even a MMORPG like EVE is what it is and no one can replicate it, DF is very much the same in that regard. It's also because such games have also had such a long development history and commitment that the passage of time in itself makes these games like DF be ahead of something like Rimworld (nothing against Rimworld).

Also there's plenty of plugins/mods for DF so you don't need to play the game in ASCII either!

 

[spineduke]

I believe this is the first review for Hand of Fate 2
https://www.finder.com.au/hand-of-fate-2-review

Click to shrink...

Another review - they seemed to have loved it : https://techraptor.net/content/hand-of-fate-2-review

 

[KodeAndGame]

Late Shift
Steam ($12.99 )

Late Shift is a straightforward experience. It's an interactive film with a dozen or so choices you can make and 7 endings. The quality of this dark, Brit indie film makes the experience worth at least one playthrough. The replay options could be improved but the alternative scenarios are a fun watch so far. Highly recommended.​

 

[kaicooper87]

u guys really need to check out these..great games
--------

Hidden Folks
Steam ($7.99)

Search for hidden folks in hand-drawn, interactive, miniature landscapes. Unfurl tent flaps,
cut through bushes, slam doors, and poke some crocodiles! Rooooaaaarrrr!!!!!

---------------------

Get Even
Steam ($29.99)

Take a deep breath... Try to remember: a girl, a chair, a bomb. Just keep... calm. Follow the voice into
the depths of you memory. Relax... and search for the darkest memories in the deepest recesses of your
mind. Can you find her? The clock is ticking... And this is just a part of the treatment.​

 

[manchego obfuscator]

Haven't had a chance to play this yet, but Hollowed is a free 2.5D puzzle-platformer with a Brothers-style dual-character mechanic that's getting fairly good reviews.

 

[titch]

I recommend when you have free time and interested even the slightest in DF to listen to this podcast episode, it goes over what makes DF great but also why so many games that try to do something like DF tend to fall short.

https://www.idlethumbs.net/3ma/episodes/dwarf-fortress-and-world-simulators/

What I love about DF (and even unrelated games like Crusader Kings II) is that failure is rewarding and entertaining, a lot of the time you will fail, in fact I think it's impossible to *win* in DF, the joy of games like DF is the stories your campaign generates. Nonetheless games like DF does require you to put more effort into learning the basics than most games but these sort of games create unique gaming experiences that other games can't match. Even a MMORPG like EVE is what it is and no one can replicate it, DF is very much the same in that regard. It's also because such games have also had such a long development history and commitment that the passage of time in itself makes these games like DF be ahead of something like Rimworld (nothing against Rimworld).

Also there's plenty of plugins/mods for DF so you don't need to play the game in ASCII either!

Click to shrink...

Halfway through the podcast and my first idlethumbs - really enjoying it and have now subbed them so not only have you got me wanting to look further into but ive got a podcast network to keep listening too. I feel bad after all the work that baddie has put in to his podcast thread, especially so as idlethumbs was the first on his list in the gaming section...

 

[More_Badass]

Halfway through the podcast and my first idlethumbs - really enjoying it and have now subbed them so not only have you got me wanting to look further into but ive got a podcast network to keep listening too. I feel bad after all the work that baddie has put in to his podcast thread, especially so as idlethumbs was the first on his list in the gaming section...

Click to shrink...

If you like Three Moves Ahead, I'd also recommend Roguelike Radio and Script Lock; both have pretty specific focus and good discussion

 

[AbysmallyTall]

Late Shift
Steam ($12.99 )

Late Shift is a straightforward experience. It's an interactive film with a dozen or so choices you can make and 7 endings. The quality of this dark, Brit indie film makes the experience worth at least one playthrough. The replay options could be improved but the alternative scenarios are a fun watch so far. Highly recommended.​

Click to shrink...

Seconding this.

Came here to add Strikey Sisters http://store.steampowered.com/app/643880/Strikey_Sisters/, the followup to Bot Vice. Adored this one.

Also, not sure if it counts as unsung (I found it in a steam queue so I've not seen any coverage of it), but Echo http://store.steampowered.com/app/551770/ECHO/ is a flawed but very interesting game. The short sell is that there is a light/dark cycle and enemies learn what you do in the light and then have access to that in the next light cycle. (but don't remember things two light cycles back). It falls short for me in that it often devolves into me kiting a lot of enemies. It definitely hits on the intensity though, and the game is gorgeous throughout. Would love to see a game that takes this is a heavier 3rd person combat direction or something like an SRPG.

 

[titch]

If you like Three Moves Ahead, I'd also recommend Roguelike Radio and Script Lock; both have pretty specific focus and good discussion

Click to shrink...

Cheers i tried one of the RR podcasts but iirc one of the speakers had a slightly irritating vocal style which put me off - wasnt sure if it was one of the main speakers but will give them another go. Not tried script lock so will sub and have a listen

 

[More_Badass]

Saw this promising game on TIG

Bushidog
https://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=56508.0

 

[spineduke]

Oh my - Nuclear Throne Update 99 is here

It's a massive update since the last update was over 18 months ago. I'm not sure if it qualifies for a thread, but I posted it here for those who care

"While we want to stress that you shouldn't expect new content for this update, it is nevertheless significant: the game performs significantly better, is easier to mod, and a lot of quality of life and balance fixes have been introduced."

edit: a nice blog post detailing the changes: https://yal.cc/nuclear-throne-u99/

Click to shrink...

 

[titch]

Saw this promising game on TIG

Bushidog
https://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=56508.0

Click to shrink...

Really digging that art style

Oh my - Nuclear Throne Update 99 is here

It's a massive update since the last update was over 18 months ago. I'm not sure if it qualifies for a thread, but I posted it here for those who care

"While we want to stress that you shouldn't expect new content for this update, it is nevertheless significant: the game performs significantly better, is easier to mod, and a lot of quality of life and balance fixes have been introduced."

Click to shrink...

Nice will fire that up later

 

[Toma]

The jumping to the last unread post feature is such an amazing feature. So much easier to follow the threads on Reset.

 

[kaicooper87]

Nuclear Throne nailed it ..
and yea there's a game nobody talk about it..such a great overlooked gem

Astebreed: Definitive Edition
steam ($19.99)

Climb into the pilot's seat of an otherworldly war machine and take down a genocidal
alien race bent on eradicating humanity to preserve their own civilization.​