Industry News

Best Of Indie Games: It's a Piece of Cake

2010-01-30T18:15:00Z

This week on 'Best Of Indie Games', we take a look at some of the top independent PC Flash/downloadable titles released over this last week.

The delights in this edition include an action game that redefines rocket jumps, a platformer that will test your patience and skills, a first-person roguelike game that lets you take control of nine party members at the same time, a 2D platform game that features cakes prominently, and a browser-based remake of the old arcade classic Qix.

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/26981/Best_Of_Indie_Games_Its_a_Piece_of_Cake.php

The Indie Game Movement

2010-01-15T05:53:00Z

Indiegames.com asks several Indie game developers why they think their games are so successful:

"The power of independent games are undeniable, but what are indie games, and what makes them so important right now? The rise of the Web and digital downloads, both on PC and console, has unlocked a hive of creativity from independent game creators - leading to innovation in a multitude of game genres, the revitalization of classic game styles and the creation of entirely new blends of art and playability."

Check out the highlighted games at: http://www.indiegames.com/what.php

Best Of Indie Games: It Came in a Dream

2010-01-07T05:54:00Z

I've been following the 'Best of Indie Games' series at Gamasutra for several months now and wanted to share the latest with the IMGDC community. With 2009 wrapped up and 2010 looking to be a fantastic year for IMGDC, we look forward to what the new year will bring us in the best of indie games: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/26653/Best_Of_Indie_Games_It_Came_in_a_Dream.php

"The delights in this edition include a shooter that pays tribute to classic and modern day shoot 'em ups, an action-oriented platformer where you play as a blaster-toting secret agent, a new submission for the Experimental Gameplay Project's art game theme, a procedurally-generated arena shooter that took inspiration from Warning Forever, and a retro-style platform game that involves destroying robots and collecting coffee."

Indie Game Mag Issue 4

2009-04-15T14:07:00Z

The May/June Issue of the Indie Game Magazine hits news stands everywhere today. In Issue 4: We have some new features and layouts in our new issue to coincide with our new website. We have some fantastic Indie Games in this issue: we relax with PSN's flower, dash and blast our way through Caster, Adventure in the City of Malathedra, scheme away in Mayhem Intergalactic, manage an airport in Now Boarding, and more!

Wilmington, DE – April 15, 2009 – The May/June Issue of the Indie Game Magazine hits news stands everywhere today. The Indie Game Mag is the only magazine focused on the creative and unique indie game community. We have a brand new website with tons of new features. We are happy to announce that you can now purchase the magazine via Amazon Kindle (works with the iPhone) and that digital subscribers have access to our entire back catalog of issues.

In Issue 4: We have some new features and layouts in our new issue to coincide with our new website. We have some fantastic Indie Games in this issue: we relax with PSN's flower, dash and blast our way through Caster, Adventure in the City of Malathedra, scheme away in Mayhem Intergalactic, manage an airport in Now Boarding, and more!

You can order subscriptions, single copies both digital and physical from the magazine’s website:
www.indiegamemag.com

Support the little guy by reading reviews about the small independent games that the big game publishers don’t want you to know about. If you’re a game developer support IGM and others like you by submitting your very own game for review. You can also subscribe, write, advertise, link or submit news to the magazine. Help spread the word about the indie game community!

About the Indie Game Mag
Based in Wilmington, DE, The Indie Game Mag is a small independent company with a passion for video games and specifically the indie game community. The magazine was started in October of 2008 and has already grown to include more writers and passionate gamers. The Indie Game Mag strives to highlight the artists and community behind the most creative video games. For more information on the Indie Game Magazine, please visit the magazine’s homepage at www.indiegamemag.com. We are always looking for passionate gamers to write and review indie games. For more information on advertising in the magazine or online please visit:
http://www.indiegamemag.com/?page_id=79

Best Of Indie Games: Mind the Path

2009-04-02T03:03:00Z

Source: Gamasutra

[Every week, IndieGames.com: The Weblog editor Tim W. will be summing up some of the top free-to-download and commercial indie games from the last seven days, as well as any notable features on his sister 'state of indie' weblog.]

This week on 'Best Of Indie Games', we take a look at some of the top independent PC Flash/downloadable titles released over this last week.

The goodies in this edition include a commercial release of the long-awaited horror game from Tale of Tales, an unlikely casual hack and slash game, a short interactive fiction work, a rather unique roguelike, a Flash wonderful creation from Kenta Cho, and a cool psychedelic puzzler that will literally blow your brains away.

Best Of Indie Games: Going Back and Forth

2009-03-08T21:29:00Z

This week on 'Best Of Indie Games', we take a look at some of the top independent PC Flash/downloadable titles released over this last week.

The delights in this edition include a new game from Flashbang Studios, a platformer featuring wizardry and magic, a sports game by Cactus, a historical civilization simulator, a rather unique 'LoFi' take on RPGs, and 2D adventure game centered around the theme of dimensional travel.

Here are this week's highlights: Gamasutra Source

Opinion: The Evolution Of Indie

2009-03-01T17:11:00Z

Source: Gamasutra

[Have independent games finally "come of age"? Venture Arctic creator and indie veteran Andy Schatz looks at the recent history of the scene to examine why this decade is "defined by the rise of the casual game and the subsequent birth of the modern indie game."]

We always knew "indie" meant something. But no one could ever define what it was.

With the success of high-wattage Independent Games Festival winners, the divorce of the casual gaming market from the indie gaming market, and the continued commoditization of free-to-play flash games, the beast has finally emerged from the mud. It has become clear what indie games are.

How has indie games distribution evolved, and how has it shaped the content and helped to finally define what indie means as a genre of game? Let's discuss.

The 80s were defined by the golden age of computer games, the rise of the console, and the apex of the arcade. The 90s will probably be remembered best for the move to 3D. And it is becoming clear that the 2000s are defined by the rise of the casual game and the subsequent birth of the modern indie game.

More...

Best of Indie Games: You Probably Will Read This

2009-02-16T00:43:00Z

Each week on Gamasutra Tim W. summarizes the best in Indie game development. I thought this week's was particularly interesting:

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=22262

Game Pick: 'Twin Shot' (Nitrome, browser)
"A single or 2-player platformer in which strange cat-like angels jump and fly around simple arenas destroying all the enemies with use of a bow and arrow. It's very reminiscent of the classic Bubble Bobble... but with arrow-firing angel blobs instead of cute little dinosaurs."

Game Pick: 'You Probably Won't Make It' (Jesse Venbrux, freeware)
"Following on from his original title You Made It, You Probably Won't Make It is an extremely difficult platformer which involves spikes, double jumps and recorded deaths. When you lose a life, not only must you restart the level again, but your spilt blood and previously attempted path are shown as well."

Game Pick: 'The Black Yeti' (Stephen Lavelle, browser)
"A simple puzzler by the developer of Rara Racer and Mirror Stage, increpare's latest work tells the story of a large ape creature who has to devour all intruders to the cave without them noticing its presence. The game was originally created in under a weekend for a friendly Mini Ludum Dare competition."

Game Pick: 'A to B Basset' (Adam Lobacz, freeware)
"An arcade game created for a friendly TDC competition, where players get to drag a Basset Hound around the rooms of an old house in an attempt to reunite the puppy with its favorite red ball."

Game Pick: 'Din' (Team Bill, freeware)
"A short experimental work which uses audio in a novel manner. The story is centered around a laid-back character named Bill who is having a quiet walk in the park, but is soon followed by his friends and family who harasses him with their troubles, concerns and opinions. Being the friendly guy that he is, Bill must be attentive to their requests or risk upsetting and losing a couple of close buddies."

Gamasutra's Best of 2008: Top 5 Indie Games

2008-12-12T15:36:00Z

Here is a fascinating Gamasutra article that goes through their Top 5 picks for the most innovative and popular Indie Games of 2008:
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21369

Previously, we tallied up 2008's top disappointments, downloadable titles, overlooked games, and gameplay mechanics.

Now, we're going we take a look at the top five indie games released in 2008, with information from Gamasutra sister site IndieGames.com - and ten other 'honorable mentions' also included.

The games picked are the editors' choice, and span PC free-to-play titles released during 2008's calendar year to date, with a mixture of Flash and Windows executable games. (Many other fine pay-to-download games for console and PC that might be considered 'indie' were ranked in the Top 5 Downloadable Games earlier this week.)

5. You Have To Burn The Rope (Kian Bashiri) [video]
IndieGames.com's description: "Possibly inspired by Valve's Portal, You Have to Burn the Rope is an extremely short game that features good pixel art and sound production using DrPetter's sfxr tool. There is only one solution to the problem, though the credits will be remembered long after you've managed to beat the final boss."

From the creator of the newer, and equally tart Metro: Rules Of Conduct, You Have To... is a gorgeously cheeky tweak on the nose for games as a medium. It's silly, sure, but if you haven't played it before, it'll make you grin.

4 Rom Check Fail (Farbs) [video]

IndieGames.com's description: "ROM CHECK FAIL is a new action game from the developer of Fishie Fishie and Polychromatic Funk Monkey. Players have to clear the screen of all enemies to complete each level, but the task is made a little more difficult by the random switching of gameplay rules where ideas are recycled and remastered as an odd mix of arcade or console classics from the past."

The mashup has been a popular concept in music for some time, further popularized by tremendously complex, skilled practitioners like Girl Talk. Farbs' Rom Check Fail is a dazzling example of this - in no way could the Pac-Man vs. Space Invaders vs. everything mashup ever exist in a world ruled by copyright... but yet it does anyhow. Delightful.

3. Cursor*10 (Nekogames) [video]

IndieGames.com's description: "Cursor*10 is a puzzler which involves directing the actions of all ten cursors and clicks, one at a time. Events will loop, but it will take at least a couple of tries to figure out a solution for all sixteen floors."

Another example of the kind of experimental freeware wonder that makes us happy that games exist, this Flash wonder has you playing a cursor, acting on top of your previous actions to explore multiple levels of a stark isometric dungeon. It's difficult to explain, but it's wholly worth trying.

2. Everybody Dies (Jim Munroe/Michael Cho)

IndieGames.com's description: "Everybody Dies is an interactive fiction work written by Jim Munroe, with Michael Cho contributing illustrations for the game. The story is centered around three employees who happens to work in the same Cost Cutters grocery store building."

From the creator of the Artsy Game Incubator project, this illustrated text adventure is contemporary, thoughtful, and, as author Emily Short points out in her review: "...one of the best cases I’ve seen for the potential of illustrated IF not as a poor man’s version of a graphical game. but as its own thing."

1. I Wish I Were The Moon (Daniel Benmergui) [video - includes spoilers]

IndieGames.com's description: "I Wish I Were The Moon is a short puzzle game designed by Daniel Benmergui, where players must figure out the correct solution to achieve any of the five possible endings in this story. Use the camera frame to take pictures and relocate objects onscreen, or press the R key to reset the scene for another attempt."

Actually, there's now an updated version with even more endings, but this indie title goes to the core of what is fascinating about independent games today. At its best, they're different, they're evocative, they're poignant, and they make you think differently about yourself and your life. Why do you care? Who do you care about? Make your choice in this micro-game, and sink or swim accordingly.

Finally, honorable mentions for some of our favorite indie games in 2008 that didn't quite reach the top five go to: Knytt Nano, Incredibots, Chronotron, Dyson, Nanobots, Shift 3, Barkley Shut Up And Jam: Gaiden, Gravitation, Mighty Jill Off, Iji.