Indie Games Devel
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Creatures of Ava is a delightful yet imperfect surprise. While the game is undeniably enjoyable and features several commendable elements, it falls short of fully realizing the promising ideas envisioned by its developers. This feels like a missed opportunity, as the initial narrative appeal suggested the potential for a more impactful experience. With a bit more fine-tuning, the gameplay mechanics could have evolved into something truly exceptional.
Aarik and The Ruined Kingdom is certainly a good puzzle game with an attractive look that aims to embrace the philosophy of a “relaxing” game suitable for everyone. The fairy tale technique works well in this context and the narrative side is never neglected, indeed it is embellished with some particular events. Despite some technical flaws, Aarik and The Ruined Kingdom keeps what it promises, a relaxing story that stimulates the player’s lateral thinking and encourages him to go on. Too bad the longevity is really too short.
Shift 87, a first-person psychological horror game developed by Pixelsplit and published by Daedalic Entertainment, was released on July 23, 2024, for PC. The game places players in a disturbing industrial setting where they must identify and record anomalies.
Abathor is definitely a little gaming gem. A declaration of love from David and Javier Garay towards the arcade classics of the late 80s. The attention to detail makes the game impressive from a visual and sound point of view, embellishing the atmosphere of the title. Unfortunately Abathor has retained anachronistic elements and some naivety that can also be partly corrected. Although the difficulty and the perception of it is also subjective, some mechanics objectively only add artificial difficulty. All in all, Abathor is a good product that deserves to be played, which is mostly aimed at a specific niche. I invite you to at least try it even if you are not “old school” players because its aesthetics and old style gameplay might fascinate you.
I can say without a doubt that Cuphead leaves an indelible mark on gamers, particularly due to its distinctive style and combat system. Every game mechanic is meticulously crafted, giving players full freedom, although they must work hard to find the ideal equipment to reach the end credits. In my humble opinion, Cuphead is certainly one of the most successful indie games ever, but it does not achieve absolute excellence due to some excessively chaotic gameplay phases and a longevity that is sufficient but not exceptional.
Once Human is a title that won’t disappoint fans of the survival and open-world genres. With its exceptional graphics, rich and detailed gameplay mechanics, and a vast, immersive world, the game offers an engaging and ever-evolving experience. Whether you are a solo player or prefer group play, Once Human has something to offer everyone, representing a compelling and challenging adventure in a unique and fascinating post-apocalyptic setting.
Wéko The Mask Gatherer is a good action-adventure game that is easy to learn and equally simple to master, offering an intuitive and straightforward experience. It adeptly combines the intriguing concept of masks with core features that have made other action-adventures popular. However, despite its strengths, it falls short of the genre’s elite due to some inherent naivety, a byproduct of inexperience. The soundtrack, while well-suited to the game’s narrative and setting with its atmospheric tracks, lacks a distinctive flair and fails to make a memorable impact. Nevertheless, the game is enjoyable and pleasant, making it an ideal choice for those new to the action-adventure genre or anyone seeking a relaxing experience without too much complexity. However, don’t be too quick to dismiss it if you’re an older gamer. Wéko The Mask Gatherer has its own unique charm and may pleasantly surprise you with its engaging gameplay from start to finish.
Developed by Tiny Roar and published by Daedalic Entertainment, this indie title has won the hearts of PC gamers since June 19, 2024. In Into the Emberlands, players take on the role of an explorer called the “Light Bearer,” and embark on a unique adventure. Their noble and challenging task is to rescue the lost, rebuild the village, and keep the mysterious miasma threatening their hometown at bay.
Crawling on a precarious beam with a thirty-meter drop to the sea below, swimming in a flooded duct, climbing a damaged ladder battered by storm winds, making our way through a destroyed and completely dark compartment… The mental assault on the player is continuous, relentless, and unforgiving. Still Wakes The Deep grips us in an oppressive hold and refuses to let go until the end. The story’s rhythm is heart-pounding; we will have no peace or respite throughout the adventure.
In the beginning, the vast majority of doors will be locked. Often we’ll know where to go, but it will be cryptic to understand how to get there. We’ll collect items and keys of dubious use, trying to make sense of them through the diaries and documents we find around, sometimes very well hidden. The homage to the early Resident Evil chapters was greatly appreciated. Personally, the game managed to take me back in time, making me feel disoriented and confused again. Hats off.
SCHiM is a small gem, original, intelligent, and engaging, with evident care from the developers. The game stands out for its graphics and music, although replayability and variety may be limited. Despite these minor flaws, SCHiM offers a relaxing and captivating adventure, with moments requiring timing and precision worthy of a challenging platformer.
3D Realms missed a great opportunity with Phantom Fury. Serious gameplay and technical problems drastically lowered the quality of a title that had the potential to be a good shooter. Luckily the plot and the artistic level save the title from a complete and much more serious rejection. Although Phantom Fury is a courageous title, it shows the consequences of the incorrect balance between graphics, narrative, level design and gameplay.
Homestead Arcana, born from the minds of Serenity Forge developers and published by Skybound Games on April 21, 2023, presents itself as a bucolic adventure infused with magical elements. Available on PC and Xbox, the game invites players to take on the role of a witch grappling with the challenging task of rebuilding a farm in a land corrupted by a mysterious miasma.
The puzzles are well-designed, the controls are responsive and precise, and the environments are always extremely well-crafted, colorful, and rich in detail. Music and sound also does well, especially the ambient sounds. My impression was that of playing a sort of Limbo, which we have discussed before, or Another World, an old glory for the Atari ST, but with less dark atmospheres and much more inspired by sci-fi like Star Wars.
Combat and exploration are entirely automated in Loop Hero. We need to be able to influence the world and the enemies around us to turn the challenges the game throws at us against itself. And this cannot be achieved without a good dose of tactics, courage, and adaptability against the whims of Lady Luck.
Little Witch in the Woods, developed by Sunnyside Up and published by Dear Villager, is a magical life simulation game that captivates players with its bucolic charm and relaxing pace. Released in early access on May 17, 2022, for Project xCloud, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Classic Mac OS. This title catapults players into an enchanted world, where they take on the role of a young witch dealing with everyday life in a village lost in the woods.
The Land Beneath Us presents itself with an almost chess-like tone where the strategic element is predominant and increases considerably as the experience progresses. The game is not free from flaws. You can replay the old areas by increasing the difficulty, but the replayability is not very high. The Boss fights are well characterized and well done, with very original and never frustrating patterns. It’s a shame that the mid-bosses are a bit repetitive even in the creatures. The balance, especially in the fourth area, can create serious problems for the player. Despite these solvable little things, The Land Beneath Us doesn’t have any huge critical issues, even if it comes down hard on the player, it is almost never “dishonest” towards them. If you like challenges, you will find something for you.
Life of Delta is a captivating point-and-click adventure where a small robot, Delta, navigates a dystopian hostile world to save his friend. The game is light, fun, and enjoyable, featuring stimulating and engaging puzzles. The storyline delves into philosophical themes such as the consciousness and morality of artificial intelligences, and the urgent need to escape from a state of oppression and unbearable slavery at the hands of evil creatures. With original and flawless graphics, accompanied by well-integrated music, Life of Delta offers an immersive experience enriched with nostalgic references and tributes to the video game past.
The game makes its storyline its main strength throughout its short but intense duration. Although anyone who has played BioShock will undoubtedly notice the similarities, such as the isolated location in the middle of the sea where scientific research knows no bounds, a brilliant and revolutionary experiment gone awry, and the protagonist’s connection to one of the minds behind the experiment, Close To The Sun manages to establish its own identity within minutes, distinguishing itself from the giant created by Irrational Games and showcasing the developers’ great creativity.
Lightyear Frontier is an open-world farming simulator with exploration and adventure elements, released on March 19, 2024, in Early Access on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Developed by FRAME BREAK and published by Amplifier Studios, the game invites players to take on the role of a space pioneer tasked with cultivating alien resources and building a thriving farm on a remote planet.