So, it's December. I figure on the lead up to the new year I would honour my favourite games of the year. Sure, I might do a Game of the Year award but there are so many good games it's a disservice to just list the very best. For each week in December I'll write a blog listing some of the best games this year, starting with the top 5 Indie games.
These are 5 games I think you should play, not in any order. You decide for yourself which of these you like most. I'll decide in my game of the year picks.
1. Nelson Tethers: Puzzle Agent
Why should you play this?
The story, characters, voice acting and general writing of the dialogue is very compelling as it swings from comedic to tense as you are trying to figure out just what is going on. The puzzles themselves vary in difficulty and feels largely based on the Professor Layton games where you have hints and the puzzle is abstracted from the world. I really enjoyed Nelson as a character, and while it's a shame that this game is very short (couldn't haven taken me more than a couple of hours) I enjoyed the time I spent listening to him report on his tape recorder and questioning the townsfolk. The Puzzle stuff is an experience you can get from Professor Layton and other games, but the real appeal lies in the framing of Puzzle Agent.2. Super Meat Boy
Why should you play this?
This game has a great sense of style, from the menus, to the music and overall game graphical style. The sparse animated cutscenes are filled with videogame references/parodys and humour. There are over 200 levels, and team Meat promising free updates through 'Teh Internets' (an unlockable world). While levels might only last 10 seconds the game is so hard that you won't finish a level on the first time. I am stuck right now but I still don't regret my purchase because the wind up to the final stage where I am at has been a blast.3. Comic Jumper
Why should you play this?
Despite my negative points about this 'game's gameplay', almost everything else about this game is fantastic. It excels as a piece of entertainment, not as a game playing experience. The characters and dialogue are hilarious, along with all the of the live action video they shot (and a particularly funny motion graphics sequence at the end of the game). The settings are also fantastic. You'll jump in to 5 different comics across the game (including Captain Smiley's own comic) all featuring different storylines and art styles. if you dig the humour then it's a must. Don't come here for gameplay.4. Monday Night Combat
Why should you play this?
It's very easy to recommend this to anyone who appreciates some team based shooting. The concepts in this game are pretty safe; shoot the other guys, storm their base, but the execution here is very good with a decent variety in presentation between the classes, the art style, the feeling of the shooting. It's light hearted action and while not 'funny' it doesn't take itself seriously. Very easy to get in to, very limited progression so you don't feel like you're being gimped with unlocks and for a low price it will last you for a lot longer than the price tag suggests.5. Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale
Why should you play this?
This game pleasantly surprised me. It's so unique in it's premise and while the execution of the gameplay system feels very much 'Indie' it has decent ambition. The art style consists of old school 2D sprites on a 3D world and looks very appealing. All the characters are based on a good Anime art style and the original Japanese voice acting has been left in so no awkward American voices to ruin this wholly Japanese experience. They did a great job on the localisation, as the translations are often quite funny and surreal. It spices up what would otherwise be bland dialogue. Getting used to the seemingly dense and complex gameplay systems is incredibly addictive, as you soon see the fruits of your labour when you go from raking in hundreds a day to ten thousand. Try the demo on steam and you might be presently surprised too.Honourable Mentions
Here are some games that didn't make the list because I didn't play enough of them or only played a demo version of but feel (to me at least) like significant releases.
Conclusion
So there you go. My top 5 Indie games of this year. Most of my favourite Indie games that I played this year were in fact made in 2008 - 2009 (like machinarium, go play that game, seriously) so it's a shame I couldn't give them a shout out in this list but there are still some very good games this year and I think my list is as diverse as it can get. There's something for everyone here.if you have played any of these games let me know in the comments what experiences you had. Not sure what I'll do next week, but if people read this one stay tuned for more.
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