Indika Reviews
Indika is a bold take on a memorable story that feels original to its core. Via unconventional story elements, it challenges players to question faith, authority, and the nature of good and evil. However, it struggles in gameplay due to uninspired puzzles which are partly redeemed by its sweet yet short 8-bit platformer sequences.
Indika is uniquely brilliant in its own peculiar way, with the bizarre yet enthralling narrative unlike any that I’ve seen in a game before. It’s suspenseful, thought-provoking, and bizarre in equal measure, yet it had me utterly enthralled from start to end. It looks absolutely gorgeous too, and whilst the slower pace of the gameplay won’t be for everyone, it has enough ideas on show with its interactivity and puzzling to keep players engaged. It’s just a compelling experience that I adored being a part of. I don’t want to give too much about Indika away because its constant surprises are one of its greatest strengths, but believe me, you wouldn’t have played anything quite like this before.
As an existential piece peppered with surrealist agitprop, Indika feels successfully distinct. There’s even something convincingly personal about the story that ably cuts a path through its weirdness, a core built around toxic romantic relationships. None of its decisions and ideas seem beholden to interference, but like an original concept produced with integrity and personality. Even if stretches of Indika may not be “fun” in the conventional sense, it’s an intimate and stimulating experience that sticks around long after it's over.
INDIKA presents an intriguing narrative that features complex ideas and critical thinking complimented with amazing visuals.
INDIKA grounds intrigue with its arthouse cinematic flair and satire. It engages curiosity and entertainment. Its world is shrouded in emptiness and questions that mirror Indika’s internal struggles.
INDIKA is an utterly unique, psychedelic, and strange title, telling a wonderful, thought-provoking story filled with striking imagery and wonderfully bleak humor.
Short and sweet, INDIKA uses the third-person adventure game medium to tell a compelling story of a young nun struggling with life, good and evil, and the voice of the devil in her head. The influence of both serious cinema and Russian philosophical novels come together to form the most compelling game I've played so far this year. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll feel weird, and you'll wonder what the word "evil" really means anyway.
While the ending is rather anticlimactic and doesn’t really resolve anything (perhaps being set aside for a sequel), the journey across snow swept alternate 19th Century Russia in the shoes of a struggling nun was a memorable and worthwhile one. The writing is consistently interesting as Indika vacillates between her own concepts of good and evil, those of the Russian Orthodox Church, and those temptations and evil thoughts whispered into her mind by the Devil metaphorically on her shoulder. While she always tries to do the right thing, society and the establishment don’t necessarily see it that way. If you’re looking for a narrative adventure which is stylishly pushing the genre forward, Indika absolutely delivers.
INDIKA's story is really interesting and the main idea is very well realised. You can solve platform puzzles or play mini-games in this game with a strong cinematic narrative. However, the short length of the game destroyed my sense of satisfaction.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Indika is more than a game. It’s a fascinating, one-of-a-kind experience, playing with conventions and instilling disturbing thoughts in our heads. If only developers didn’t desperately try to avoid sticking a “walking sim” label to their work…
Indika is an odd, wonderful title. Mixing 3D photo-realistic art with 2D-pixel graphics makes some bold choices. Excellent writing and voice acting help carry mediocre gameplay and created an experience I will never forget.
While INDIKA is otherwise a unique, compelling and well-designed narrative puzzle game, its abrupt ending left a sour taste in my mouth. This tale of a nun's journey of self discovery is memorable for all the wrong reasons.
INDIKA is a game that, with its specific themes, can intrigue the player and attract for a longer time. This was the case for me, especially since I am a huge fan of the directors who inspired the story. I am wholeheartedly able to recommend the game to people who like specific and unusual story experiences. I will look forward with curiosity to the next game from Odd Meter.
Review in Polish | Read full review