Thanks to the number of podcasts I've been listening to lately I have picked up a couple of really great indie games that I probably never would have looked at before. Indie has never been a genre of game that interested me and the only indie game I could claim I'd played was Braid. I've come to embrace these lovely little games and found some to be some of the best games I've played in a while. So, I give you a sampling of these games for your viewing and, hopefully, playing pleasure.
Spelunky
As the old saying goes 'lead with your best foot', so it is that I'm starting this off with my favorite of the bunch. Spelunky. The best way to describe this game is to say it's like Castlevania mixed with a "rouge-like" and more than a little Indiana Jones. The game consists of 2d platformer gameplay where in you are attempting to gather up treasure from the areas around you. This task it made difficult by the various traps, monsters and just general dangers associated with diving into a deep underworld. The absolute best part of all this comes from the fact that every time you start the game you get a random new level. Believe me, with something like 100 deaths under my belt I can say, you won't be seeing the same level twice. Which brings up the next point, difficulty. This game is HARD. You're going to die and you're going to restart so many times but this is made to be a joy rather than a tedium as you will enjoy seeing the new area that will be generated in your next life.
You'll find all sorts of things underground from robable-shops (Though I have yet to successfully rob one) full of extra equipment and items to damsels in distress who will reward you for rescuing them with a kiss (Which grants a point of life back). You'll make use of tools such as the rope, which allows you to reach higher ground, and the bomb, which allows you to blow holes in the ground and walls.
This is a game that is more than worth your time and it's free so you can hardly say it isn't worth the price of entry.
Eversion
Next on the list is Eversion. What can you say about this game? You play as a happy little flower in a Mario-style game where you are progressing through in an attempt to reach the castle.... except that's not really what this game is about. Without spoiling the game it's hard to tell you exactly why this is such an awesome play through. I'll try my best anyway. The game is very happy and sunny when you begin but it isn't long before you discover the "Eversion"'s which change the world around you, altering various points in the game (Clouds that are transparent become solid and therefor used to reach higher places) as well as the aesthetic of the game. Things become so much darker as you delve deeper into the Eversions and eventually you'll be wondering what the hell is going on with this thing?
Eversion is a true mind-fuck with entertaining gameplay. It wasn't enough to make me want to play it through multiple times but a single play through and this game will stick with you in all it's strange and somewhat disturbing glory.
Gravity Bone
Finally there's Gravity Bone. Shortest of all these, this game can be completed in about 20-30 minutes. Despite this rather short play time you'll find a rather entertaining little game. This is a game that requires even more discretion then Everison, as it's so damn short. But to describe the gameplay would be a simple 3D platfomer (I guess) where in you move around accomplishing the objectives set out to you. This is done on the Quake 2 engine but despite this the art style does a nice job of giving you an interesting world to play in. It's not too long before you'll adjust to the box headed inhabitants. Really to say anything else is to give away the game and it's uniqueness and that would be a shame as there is no reason you shouldn't pick this up and give it a shot. It's short, it's interesting and you'll surely get a bit a fun from this very blocky title.
So there we have it, my shout-out to these well made and entertaining games. Their free. Their Fun. Their available to anyone who wants them. Go and download one or all of them and see for yourselves.
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