This is in no way meant to be a "best of" list or any kind of indie gaming canon, although every game in this list is recommended highly. The purpose of this list is to aggregate a diverse collection of high quality independent games, and say a little about the significance of each one. As you will see, the themes and inspiration behind the games are really broad, as are the presentation and technical complexity. The hope is that both newcomers and those familiar with independent gaming will find something new and interesting to play or think about!
The list was pared down from a bigger list of over a hundred favorite independent titles from the TIGForums community. The List (1-10)
Cave Story invariably gets mentioned whenever independent games are discussed, and for good reason: it's a sublime video game. Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya has paired finely tuned game mechanics with a sad but sweet tale involving an amnesiac robot soldier, a power-hungry mad scientist, and a race of rabbit-like creatures called Mimigas. The graphics and music are decidedly retro, but serve the simple elegance of the game. Cave Story is a true classic that takes a beloved genre to a near-perfect excellence. Darwinia ($20)
Winner of the 2006 IGF Grand Prize, Darwinia deftly combines action, strategy, and puzzle elements. In the game, the player is charged with saving a virtual world from a terrible virus. Darwinia was one of the first independent titles to achieve true mainstream critical acclaim, and rightfully so: its unique blend of game mechanics and striking visual style bring classic gaming back in a very new way.
Also by this developer: Defcon, UplinkflOw (FREE)
Born from Jenova Chen's undergraduate thesis on dynamic difficulty adjustment ("DDA") in video games, flOw is a landmark experiment in game development. Whereas most games rely on tension and forced challenges to keep you interested, flOw draws the player in by allowing them to adjust the challenge themselves through actions performed during the game. With crystalline graphics and soothing, ambient music, the result is an experience you can truly get lost in.
Also by this developer: CloudDwarf Fortress (FREE)
The depth and complexity of Dwarf Fortress couldn't be described in a hundred pages, let alone a paragraph, but suffice it to say this is probably the most detailed simulation ever created! Zach Adams, an ancient history major and aspiring writer, crafts fantasy yarns which little brother Tarn, a math PhD, makes possible within Dwarf Fortress's massive game engine. The result is a Roguelike game where unscripted drama and storytelling arises from the real life concepts that are as varied as emotional attachment and soil erosion. Gish ($20)
Before Loco Roco, there was Gish, the story of a ball of tar in search of his girlfriend. The physical properties of the main character were ground-breaking for the time - Gish was able to roll, squeeze, hop, harden, and stickify himself in order to save the day. Defeating enemies and making your way through each level required clever usage of all of Gish's physical arsenal. The game's one-of-a-kind theme was more than enough to make it the Grand Prize winner of the 2005 Independent Games Festival. Varicella (FREE)
Adam Cadre's Varicella is a seminal Interactive Fiction game that mixes wit and history with equal amounts of aplomb. As Primo Varicella, the Palace Minister at the Palazzo del Piemonte, you must engage in a vicious power struggle with the other ministers of the court, as well as contend with other interesting palace residents, such as Charlotte, the insane wife of your dead younger brother. This is truly a game where nothing as it seems and every event must be considered and reconsidered.
Also by this developer: Photopia (same link as above) The Shivah ($5)
A cynical, down-on-his-luck rabbi is the main character in this independent adventure game. The Shivah, named after a Jewish mourning ritual, is an engrossing, well-written detective mystery that touches upon questions of faith and morality. PC Gamer exclaimed that it's in games like The Shivah that "gaming really starts to measure up to conventional literature for emotional and intellectual integrity." Toribash ($20)
Toribash is a unique physics-based game that does a better job of capturing the improvisation and grittiness of unarmed combat better than most other fighting games. And yet it's turn-based! But therein lies the beauty of the game, where, instead of using preset moves, you are allowed to tweak and turn your fighter's joints at various intervals in order to attack or defend. When all is said and done, the results can either be laughably awkward or graceful and grisly.
Check out: (YouTube) Knytt (FREE)
Knytt sets you in an alien landscape as the titular hero, seeking pieces of your broken spaceship so that you can return home. It is a lonely world, full of mysterious creatures and people whom you cannot interact with, forcing you to imagine what their lives are like, or what their purpose is. All of Nifflas's games are imbued with an incredible atmosphere (and a certain longing), but this is arguably his strongest.
Also by this developer: Within a Deep Forest
Also try: SeiklusWarning Forever (FREE)
Warning Forever is a shoot 'em up game that pits you against a constant stream of battles against a singular foe that gets stronger as you progress, its evolution steered by how you choose to attack it. Because of its bold central theme and intense gameplay, it's considered to be one of the canonical indie shooters and a great addition to the genre overall.
Check out: An Introduction to Doujin Shmups
Also try: Fraxy
__________________ It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But the half-wit remains a half-wit, and the emperor remains an emperor.
--Neil Gaiman
I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.
--Michael Jordan
Don't recognize a lot of the list, but what I do recognize is superb. And the description of the games are spot on.
Cave Story is a great old school side scroller. As the review says it's really simple. You can jump, run, jetpack, and shoot things. That's really it. But it's suprisingly fun even after that.
Warning Forever is a series of boss fights. You will move your ship around the bosses, as well as position your ship in different angles to hit different points on the bosses.
They only mentioned 1 Kenta Cho game, Tumiki Fighter. But his other games are also worth playing. Just google Kenta Cho.
And Craig how did you not hear of Darwinia? The game was one of the first non-Valve games to get offered on Steam. Go grab the demo, also get the demo for Defcon while you are at it.
Oh Coffee? **** off. Try it before you knock it. It's not that hard, several of those games are only a few megs in size. Cave Story, Warning Forever, and any Kenta Cho for starters. Not to mention Warning Forever and Kenta Cho games are schmups. You only need to put a few minutes of your time into them to have fun.
Oh Coffee? **** off. Try it before you knock it. It's not that hard, several of those games are only a few megs in size. Cave Story, Warning Forever, and any Kenta Cho for starters. Not to mention Warning Forever and Kenta Cho games are schmups. You only need to put a few minutes of your time into them to have fun.
chill the **** out, z. it's just a ****ing comment. grab a tampon and call me next week when your period is over.
