Video Game Review - Indie Games

You could say that this is the third in my series of Virtual Console games review, but then I would be lying as these are games that were made by independent developers, hence the name Indie games. These are not triple A titles like Assassin's Creed and GTA. No, these are games made by developers that explores different concepts and provides a great experience with some beautiful graphics to behold. So aside from thatgamecompany and Minecraft (both of which I have reviewed previously), let's take a look at not all, but some of these many games:



Indie Game: The Movie

So before we look at the games, let's first of all look at the film that shows how these games are made. So through the power that is a Kick Starter campaign, a couple of film makers decided to create this documentary about how game development works and why it can be more stressful than you think. Everyone in the film is real. They are not actors. The film follows the development of the Indie games Fez (made by Phil Fish) and Super Meat Boy (made by Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes) while reflecting on the success of the game Braid (made by Jonathan Blow) with a few mentions of other indie games too. The film shows how hard development of a game can be and how the developers react to things not going their way. Despite how serious the film is, there are a few cheerful moments like one of the developers is married when you'd expect them to not be because of their dedication to their work and the fact that unlike some of the more main stream developers, all these games are made by very caring people who put their heart and soul into them and don't rush them, unlike some people (*ahem* Activison, EA and Microsoft to name just a few). It is a great documentary that describes the work of game development well without going into too much detail to the point that none of us will understand it and I like that the film gets itself a Steam app with achievements and even an Easter egg of a game in it. If you think game development is easy, think again as this film will tell you how hard it is. 9/10

Braid

In a funny attempt to rip off Mario, this game sees a guy called Tim trying to find and rescue a princess who was captured by an unseen monster and he does this using things that Mario has done, with the exception of the power of time and I'm not just talking about stopping time. Oh no. There's going back in time and forward in time which can be used to solve puzzles and to get Tim out of sticky situations. Its a very clever and well thought out game and I like the art style that the game follows. It just makes the game a good one and I'm glad it got the success that it deserves because its a game that needs all the praise that it can get. Though I do think the story could be less of a Mario rip off. 9/10

Fez

So of the two games in Indie Game: The Movie that the film focused on, Fez is the one that to me, looked like it was in some form of development hell which really hit the developer and affected him in so many ways. However despite that, the game was a huge hit. Its basically a retro take on a world where you can explore it by shifting things around so that you can explore all sides of an otherwise 3D model which is actually pretty cool. Its basically like any other platformer, but unlike say Super Paper Mario, using 3D is limitless and you can use it to complete puzzles, find objects and many other things too. All things considered, its actually pretty fun after a while, though I wouldn't be the first to say that there are some technical issues, but for me, there was very little of them which is fine in my books. 9/10

Super Meatboy

The other game that played a part in the film, is this one and I wouldn't be the first to say that its really hard. Its once again a platformer which once again is about a guy who goes to save a princess, but must survive a whole array of obstacles along the way, many of which require time and patience and careful gameplay. Only the most hardcore of gamers would be able to attempt such a game like this and all that, makes this game a worthy game. Whenever I play a video game, I always want it to test me and give me a challenge and this game does just that and I like it. The story has been used before, but the gameplay makes this platformer one of the best and one of the hardest to be around. 9/10

DLC Quest

Now its time to break the 4th wall once again as one indie developer who is fed up of all these DLC stuff, makes this game to mock everything to do with DLC which has you rescue a girl from the bad guy in a platforming style, but as its name implies, you need to get coins to buy DLC to get going because otherwise, you're pretty much stuck. I think compared to the previous platformers I've mentioned thus far, this one does do exactly as its name implies, but I would prefer to play a game that does let you go from the moment you start and then get things gradually as you progress which I guess this game tries to do, but you can get stopped almost instantly which just goes to show how bad DLC can get so that part the game got right. 8/10

Limbo

Now some of these indie games are known for their originality and for how weird each one can be. Unlike big name games, these games are generally given no deadline and when they are released to the world, they are actually better than what you'd think. Sure they may not be the next Assassin's Creed or Call of Duty, but just give them a try and you might be surprised by what you're given. But enough about that, let's talk about Limbo. So of all the games on this list, this one is dark. You play as this nameless boy who journeys into a forest to seek out his elder sister. However as you'll journey on, you realise that you start to see things as you go deeper, some being harmless. Others being quite deadly. So yeah, its a very odd, but twisted and in a way, psychological game that messes your head and as the name implies, has you possibly go into Limbo. What else can I say? I like it. 9/10

Octodad series

So there are 2 games that have you control things in a way that it makes things more difficult and kind of frustrating. The first is a game called I Am Bread which as its name implies, has you control bread and its actually pretty hard to move it about. The other one, is this very game, Octodad. In my eyes, Octodad and its sequel Deadliest Catch are less difficult to play that Bread because even though you are controlling effectively an octopus, its less frustrating despite him moving like an octopus and walking like no human being can which is what makes the game interesting, but also challenging and I like it. Both the game and its sequel. Though I do question why his children and full on human and don't have octopus parts in addition to the former. 9/10

World of Goo

One of the most bizarre of Indie games that are out there, is this one. World of Goo is a puzzler and was one of the first Indie games that I played. I first played it in its WiiWare form and for what it is, it is very challenging, but I like challenges so this was a great fit for me. The general idea is that you have to get as much goo as you can into the pipe in order to proceed. There are different varieties of goo with some having special abilities that can help in certain situations. You just attach each one together and then try to get to the pipe using different methods. The story is a bit all over the place so that's one of the game's weak spots, but at the end of the day, is the art style and the gameplay that make the game challenging, gorgeous and great. There is no other game quite like it. 9/10

So that's just the tip of the iceberg of the many indie games that are out there and honestly, they are all really good. The one thing that you have to understand is that all these games are made by people who are self-employed with their own company and they don't specialise in triple A games. They specialise in just games that have a creative aspect and show that not every game has to be like the big ones. In fact, no game needs to be big unless there is a necessary need for it which is why indie games are in a league of their own. Completely separate from bigger games, but still games nevertheless.