I’m a big fan of Indie Games, these games play a much larger role in our industry than most give them credit for. The video game industry grew tremendously and very quickly in the last few decades, it is a legitimate and profitable business for a lot of people now. Those people tend to be the ones with the money to spend on new games development and it’s no surprise that they like to play it safe with their millions and only pay for the development of games that they feel are the most likely to turn a profit. This is business, this is how it works. There are counter example for every example of course, but in general, publishers are going to take the safe bet over the risky move just about every time.
Back to the importance of Indie Games; they represent a hope that the video game industry and society in general will become more acceptable of the new. So I’m going to link to some of my current favorite Indie Games so you guys can try them out. If you’ve got an Indie Game that you think I must try, please feel free to leave a link in the comments.
Crayon Physics Deluxe – A very stylish and interesting puzzle game, this version of the game isn’t out yet, but you can try out the first demo version for free.
Chalk – A shooter, of sorts, where you use the mouse to draw and interact with the enemies. Play it to the end, it has some very clever and interesting bosses.
Tower of Goo Unlimited – Part puzzle game, part construction game, the goal is to build the tallest tower of goo you can in this physics based building game.
Synaesthete – I’m always a fan of rhythm game elements married with other game design disciplines, an action game in this case.
This is a great site for interesting and new ideas in game design, I recommend just tooling around there for awhile, trying out any game that catches your eye.
I’m going to go to the Independent Games Festival this year to help show support for these guys and everyone else like them. Sound off if you’re going to be there too!
