Indie Games; post some of your favorites!

And when I say indie, I MEAN THAT. I'm talking about games that are/were developed by a few people or less.

These next few games are from Teknopants, a great indie games developer who has made a few gems that I absolutely ADORE.

Action Fist!

An excellent game that takes it's cues from Contra, you play one of two characters. Each enemy has a certain color (red, blue, green, yellow) and you can change your gunfire to the same color for extra damage, along with a few other gun upgrades. LOADS of fun!

Shoot First

An awesome roguelike/dungeon crawler with a twist. You gain upgrades and levels just like in most roguelike RPG style games, but instead of attacking directly you shoot a gun. Also has a sick co-op 2 player mode. AWESOME.

Grid Shock

A wicked overhead tank game. Used WASD and the mouse to gun down enemies and bosses. Multiple characters.


Next up are just some randoms...

Excavatorrr

A fun little mining/adventure game made by Hempuli. Resembles an old school computer game.

Action 52 OWNS!

This is a link to the games launcher for Action 52 OWNS!, a large scale remake collab by a bunch of well respected indie developers. My personal favorites are Non Human, Illuminator, Rocket Jockey, STREEMERZ, City Of Doom, and Sombreros.

Ninja Senki

A wicked little platformer resembling Mega Man, LOADS of fun. Quite difficult!



Those are just a few, may add more later... Check them out! Post your own favorites!

 

I have two separate favourite indie games, one singleplayer, one multiplayer.

Best singleplayer indie game (in my opinion)!: I Wanna Be The Guy: The Movie: The Game created by Kayin http://kayin.pyoko.org/iwbtg/

This game is a 2D platformer where the megaman-esque protagonist wants to replace his grandfather's former spot as "The Guy". To do so, he must pass through countless, nail-bitingly hard levels/bosses whilst inadvertently exploring video game history. This game brings you back to the days when video games didn't hold your hand. If anyone is a self-proclaimed "pro gamer", or some may just enjoy trying the challenge, I suggest this game.​

Note: In the video of gameplay I am going to supply, the guy playing is a pro, I guarantee that he spent hours upon hours memorizing the individual screens and despite his skill, the good level design and challenge should still be visible.​

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Best multiplayer indie game (in my opinion)!: Teeworlds created by Landil https://www.teeworlds.com/?page=news&id=7602​

This is a side-view 2D shooter with a very retro vibe. You play as a customisable kirby-esque character but instead of eating your enemies, you shoot them. When you begin a game, you are equipped with a grappling hook, mallet and pistol but scattered throughout each map are a variety of weapons including a shotgun, grenade launcher, laser rifle, ninja sword. Teeworlds runs very smoothly and has a number of awesome additions to the game such as a friendslist, the ability to see if one's friends are playing (and which server) and spectator mode for full games which allows one to enter a full server, and wait, then once a space is open join the team with less numbers (KAG needs this in my opinion, if possible). Its hard to put into words how awesome this game is, as you can probably see but check out the gameplay video and if you like it, give it a go.​

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Well, there's the top indie games I have played off the top of my head and they're both free which is a plus. So, I look forward to seeing some people on Teeworlds (what I currently play) or reading some frustrating situations around IWBTG.​

 

Dwarf fortress
Damn, how i love these little drunk psychopaths, that can haul a boulder as heavvy as a building as if it were nothing, and magically make a unbreakable and unbendable material into a sword.
But dont get too greedy on the cotton candy tough, else the clowns will punish you!

 

Dustforce is a game developped by 4 guys that ressembles Super Meat Boy, but you play the role of a janitor, and the goal is to clean each level as fast as possible. It got wall-jumping, dash, double jumps, wall-glinding, running on ceilings...

At the end of each level you're given a ranking, and you can see the entire ranking along with the video of each player's best run!

I've been playing the game for 20 hours and still haven't completed most of the "gold" levels, the hardest ones. So if you like challenging games, you've got plenty of fun for $10! :D

EDIT : it's on Steam btw

 

I'm going to go out on a limb, and mention some ones that you've DEFINITELY never heard of, but are still DEFINITELY worth playing.

First up, a game being developed here in Australia!
The team's lead artist is actually a good friend of mine: It was from him that I first received a copy of Triplane Turmoil, which is one of my favourite games to this day! In later years, I spent much time being pwned by him at LAN parties. -_-
But enough about me, let's get to the game!
Automation is, quite frankly, a game by car-nuts for car-nuts. You could just call it a car company tycoon game, but that doesn't really sum up the depth of realism and quality of technicality this game presents. Not being a car-nut myself, I was unsure whether I'd really be able to play this game. Turns out, not only is designing an engine without knowing what the hell you're doing very educational (I now know what a cam profile is, and how it affects engine performance and lifespan!), but also damned fun! I've only actually played with the engine editor, but my guess the rest is just as awesome!


Unfortunately, having written this, it occurs to me that I have homework to do; The rest shall have to wait.
Enjoy!

 

Ooh, sounds intresting, i may try this some time. But only if you can actually drive the cars around on popular test circuits (like james may's favorite, the nurburgring! ;D).
Also, excuses to ej for "trying to be monsteri" with the dwarf fortress

 

Well, since no one got my last post, here is one of my favorite indie games:

Spoiler

A freeware JRPG starring Charles Barkley (the basketball player) in a post-apocalyptic New York.

 

I'd be lying if I said KAG wasn't one of my favourites atm. However, for the sake of not being a suck-up, I will omit it from this topic.
I put links in front of every game, following with the name of the game and then a small commentary about them. Feel free to click the links, don't worry, they aren't rick rolls or something that will make you lose the game... whoops!

Edit: Oh shit, how did I forget to add Bastion to the list.

http://www.minecraft.net/ - Minecraft is definitely somewhere in the list.
http://www.terrariaonline.com/ - Terraria is worth playing through once or twice.
http://www.hotud.org/component/content/article/43-action/24804 - Nikujin, this game is tough as balls.
http://www.clonk.de/ - I'm not sure if Clonk is an independent title, but it's hella fun, I think of it like a spiritual predecessor of Terraria.
http://www.defendersquest.com/ - I definitely had my share of fun with Defender's Quest.
http://www.elastomania.com/ - Elasto Mania, 'nuff said.
http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/ - Dwarf Fortress, difficult, but very in-depth. Perhaps too in-depth.
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/118826 - Madness Interactive, I don't think I actually played through the game without using cheats, but it was a lot of fun.
http://www.liero.be/ - Liero, nothing more needs to be said.
http://zarat.us/tra/offline-games/eversion.html - Eversion, definitely recommend playing this one.
http://bit-blot.com/aquaria/ - Aquaria, very fluid gameplay (pun not intended), interesting setting.
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/544332 - Tower of Heaven (A must play, seriously, the music is simply godlike) (The composer is "FlashyGoodness")

 

I suggest checking out Lone Survivor, a psychological horror game that's very reminiscent to survival-horror titles such as the earlier Silent Hill and Resident Evil games. It was created almost completely single-handedly by Jasper Byrne, who has done a few other, mainly freeware games. He even did the music himself. He spent over four years developing the game. I've played through it once so far, and enjoyed it a lot. The game is very atmospheric, and does a good job of capturing a sense of loneliness and mystery. I think it's fantastic to see so much effort put into a game that I would consider a testament to the survival of a dying genre. The fact that it was made by an indie developer makes it all the more satisfying.



You can buy it here for $10, and try a demo of it. It's also available on steam for the same price.

Also, in case anyone's wondering.. that's a surgical mask on his face, not a big, disproportionate smile. Although picturing it as a smile makes the game even creepier...
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Thanks for sharing that.. I actually noticed that game on my steam recommendations a while ago, but didn't give it much attention. I never would have guessed the game would be anything like that. The soundtrack is interesting as well. I'm definitely going to check that out.

 

Teknopants is awesome, best freeware developer there is, he even puts Cactus to shame.

I might as well mention another freeware developer who I love: Hempuli, or as he is also known, Arvi Teikari.

As for favourite games, I'd have to say World of Goo, Knytt, Spelunky and Crayon Physics.

According to Jasper Byrne, the developer, it's supposed to be ambiguous and can be distinguished as one or the other (despite the fact that we know it's a mask from the opening), which is understandable given the theme of the game.

 

Coneqest of elysium 3 it's a turn based strategy games and i love it :)

 

Due to resource limitations, they aren't going to be making the cars drivable in Automation, as much as they'd definitely love to! D:
One of their ideas is to make the cars exportable, and then, if Automation is a success, creating the driving part afterwards! Or just exporting it to another game or something; Not sure on the details. ^_^

 

Hm, if they manage to get a community going, alot is possible.
Exportable cars sounds very neat.
But to what format?
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Minecraft? A indie game?
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!
Oh thats a good joke!
Minecraft hasnt been indie in a long time imo. (no offense)

 

Well, Minecraft is an indie game since it's still developed by only one person.


Yes, I mean Jeb.

 

And it was an indie game when it started, and was an indie game a big chunk through it's development phases.

 

For what it's worth, minecraft has ALWAYS been an indie game, even by the definition outlined in the OP. There is no way that even the smallest AAA development team is even twice the size of the entirety of Mojang.
To add a little perspective, for the production of Mirror's Edge, Dice had seventy-six different positions, with many of those having somewhat more than one person. This isn't even including Voice Actors or EA people!
Meanwhile, Mojang measures in with, what, sixteen? :P

 

- Amnesia - The Dark Descent
- Bastion
- Breath of Death VII & Cthulhu Saves the World
- Cave Story
- Desktop Dungeons
- Dungeons of Dredmor (my favorite on this list)
- Edna & Harvey - The Breakout
- Frayed Knights - The Skull of Smakh-Daon
- Hector - Badge of Carnage
- Iji
- Legend of Grimrock
- Lone Survivor
- Magicka
- Mark Leung - Revenge of the Bitch
- Pathologic
- Project Zomboid
- Rock of Ages
- Super Meat Boy
- The Binding of Isaac
- The Void
- To the Moon
- Unepic
- Every Wadjet Eye Games' productions (especially the Blackwell saga and Emerald City Confidential)
- Zeno Clash

And here's one more link for all of you indie game lovers out there: the amazing IndieGames weblog! Make sure you check this once in a while, it's updated everyday ;)

 

How did I forget this truly magnificent diamond off my personal list. Edited it now. Bastion was a really great game with very beautiful graphics, fluent gameplay and a very sexy voice actor.

 

Terraria and KAG are my top favourites right now. I haven't played too much indie games but I like ones like these two. Other co-op/pvp indie games are ones I also like.

 

Cave Story, Within a deep forest, Bastion, Magicka.... :D

And I cannot belive no one has mentioned Soldat already....