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[Toma]

Voting thread up!
Link to the Voting Thread: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=734961

In short:
Rank your top 20 PC Indie Games you played last year (check the previous monthly threads if you want to remember what we played here), feel free to give the same rank to multiple games, like:

1. Game XY
2. Game ÖZ
2. Game GA
2. Game XD
5. Game XT
6. Game HT

Feel free to include a second list with the ranks 21-50 in the same manner, but the second list is not needed for the voting.

Also, make sure to post about why you think certain games deserve the votes, to convince others to try a game or to remind them of a certain game. We covered ~500 games last year, so its easy to miss one or two great ones. I would also suggest subscribing to the voting thread to be informed about others writing up their impressions/why this game was awesome-posts.

.

 

[Gazoinks]

You having issues finding 20 titles? Have you looked at the suggested games by the other users in the voting thread? Dozens of great recommendations in there. (Try the Factorio demo).

It's less about finding stuff and more taking the time to sit down and play through them all. Too many options!

 

[Toma]

I played the demo at the start of this thread. Oozes style, combat is kinda clunky and kinda simple, but solid. Worth checking out if you like dungeon crawlers.

I need to hurry up and play enough games to fill up a 20 game list so I can vote for One Way Heroics. xP

Speaking of which, anyone else here play Blade Symphony? Got it when it went on flash sale and have been having a lot of fun with it.

You having issues finding 20 titles? Have you looked at the suggested games by the other users in the voting thread? Dozens of great recommendations in there. (Try the Factorio demo).

Just bought Stanley Parable. How long is it? Gotta play it before I give in the GOTY votes. That and Shadow Warrior and finishing Metro Last Light.

2-5 hours depending on how completionist you are feeling. You will be able to appreciate the idea and execution even if you are not 100% completing it (though you might miss the best parts).

 

[Gazoinks]

Uh oh time paradox. O:

 

[Toma]

Uh oh time paradox. O:

Man, you can reply to me before I even post. I am flabbergasted. (Subliminal message: Try the Factorio demo)

 

[NihonTiger90]

Anyone hear back on the Strike Vector beta yet? I e-mailed them, just wondering if they got a ton of e-mails to sort through

 

[SapientWolf]

Could you make a properly formatted post then please so I can add it next month?

Fair enough.

[/B]- Free prototype demo (PC)
[quote] [img]http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/558737771850539588/91B5E149AE9408E37AD4013C10561F856C0673B4/[/img]
Greenlight Link: [url]http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=189380917[/url]
Demo link: [url]http://kermanizadeh.com/ram/gameBuilds/codeOnline.html[/url]


[code] is a game of exploration and puzzle solving where the player takes on the role of our hero, the @ symbol. They travel from level to level solving puzzles by using logic and computer science principles that they have learned. The evil garbage collector sends its minions to try to stop @ from thwarting his evil plans while he ravages the World of Code and free up its memory. All of this takes place in actual code and allows players to experience a drastically different side of games. 
[/quote]

 

[phantomspiker]

Man, I put up my preliminary Top 20 list and only came up with 10...and 3 of those aren't even finished products.

 

[daydream]

(aka 'I wish it was a short story')

I'm playing Evoland at the moment, trying to cross it off my backlog, and MAN IS IT INFURIATING. So much squandered potential.

It definitely works as an homage to classic RPGs in some respects, but everything else is friggin' rough. First of all, there's too many random encounters and the battle system is the most barebones ATB imagineable. When you enter a dungeon, it becomes a poor Zelda clone that is just about functional. Oh, and right now, I'm playing a terrible

Spoiler

Diablo

knock-off.

On top of that, there is a minor or major annoyance around every corner, like the walking speed, the world design, and one thing I REALLY need to mention: So there's these treasure chests lying around and when you open them, you unlock some feature that is part of the evolution of RPGs (and games) over the decades, e.g. the graphics and the music change, you unlock shops, the ability to talk, etc.

Problem is, they chose to be all cheeky with that and you start unlocking pointless things like random NPCs that weren't there before, enemies, random items and other "jokes" that I blocked out. So when you start out, every chest is meaningful and you're excited to open every single one. Then they start straying from that core idea of "chest = new mechanic that is important in the context of the genre's history" and, yeah, it's just depressing.

Because the (audiovisual) foundation was there - they even created a simple little card game to pay tribute to the PS1 FFs - but they dropped the ball in the gameplay department (and the writing is not stellar, either). Bummer.

I need to hurry up and play enough games to fill up a 20 game list so I can vote for One Way Heroics. xP

If you're renting out spots on your list, I'll gladly take some.

 

[Toma]

Man, I put up my preliminary Top 20 list and only came up with 10...and 3 of those aren't even finished products.

You still got about 25 days left, just play some of the games that others were recommending in their lists
You shouldnt have too many issues scraping a few more together.

On a different note: Paper Sorcerer is incredibly, incredibly pretty. Didnt know it had a demo, so I am playing the demo atm. I think I'll need to buy this as well. It also seems surprisingly well written with a good amount of wit:
"You stole a book that teaches the reader not to steal."

 

[Messofanego]

2-5 hours depending on how completionist you are feeling. You will be able to appreciate the idea and execution even if you are not 100% completing it (though you might miss the best parts).

Thanks.

 

[Toma]

On a different note: Paper Sorcerer is incredibly, incredibly pretty. Didnt know it had a demo, so I am playing the demo atm. I think I'll need to buy this as well. It also seems surprisingly well written with a good amount of wit:
"You stole a book that teaches the reader not to steal."

Just finished the demo, the game is so bought. Expect full version impressions in the coming days.

Calling dibs on the Paper Sorcerer thread, anyone else creating it before me shall feel my wrath. Yes, this game deserves a thread. I just noticed that I found 2 possible contenders for my GOTY list just in the december thread. Didnt quite expect that.

Come to think of it, Fjords deserves a thread too, but those games are almost impossible to sell. Another reminder:
Its currently on sale for $1,31 instead of $7 and definitely worth it. Repost of my impressions:

Guys, Fjords.

https://gumroad.com/l/FJORDS

Anyone of you liked Starseed Pilgrim? Same basic premise, you are exploring this game but dont know ANYTHING and need to find out what to do, where to do it and how the game reacts to your actions. Its mysterious and can be considered a big "puzzle" where you are tasked with finding out how to navigate/progress through this world. Everything is held simple, from graphics to sounds, but the dev put enough polish into it so it doesnt feel "cheap" by any means. Surprisingly mystifying animations, really well done soundtrack design and the dev fully succeeded in giving the players several tools to explore the world, which feel rewarding to figure out.

Currently on sale for 1.31 instead of 7$ (though it might only be buyable with credit card, didnt look too closely into that yet), but this game seems fabulous. If you have any means of grabbing it, it likely wont disappoint at the current price.

Seriously, pick it up if you can. Its not somehing you can enjoy if you cant sit down for an hour and just dive into an unknown realm and just... figure things out. But I wish there were more games like this.

Edit: I just found a Paypal purchase option:
http://moonmagic.itch.io/fjords

 

[Qvoth]

sent a mail to strike vector beta, let's see how this goes

 

[More_Badass]

Just finished the demo, the game is so bought. Expect full version impressions in the coming days.

Calling dibs on the Paper Sorcerer thread, anyone else creating it before me shall feel my wrath. Yes, this game deserves a thread. I just noticed that I found 2 possible contenders for my GOTY list just in the december thread. Didnt quite expect that.

Come to think of it, Fjords deserves a thread too, but those games are almost impossible to sell. Another reminder:
Its currently on sale for $1,31 instead of $7 and definitely worth it. Repost of my impressions:

Might as well as post my Fjords impressions too, reviewed the game back in November

Fjords is the kind of game that makes you pause for a second when you first see it. The retro style and abstract trailer don't easily provide a clear idea of what Fjords is. What it is a platformer where the world is at your command, able to be molded and manipulated to suit your needs,

You play a simple delivery man, tasked with bringing pizza to a group of scientists. Not so easy, when these scientists have destroyed the world, creating a glitched fractured landscape to traverse. You can move left and right and use a grapple hook to ascend; you're not able to jump. The world is completely open. There's no set paths and you can puzzle your way around obstacles using various methods. Now those methods are what sets Fjords apart from other retro-styled platformers; from a computer terminal, you're able to hack into the world and change its variables true or false. Choosing the best variables at the best time opens up a range of options. Waterfall false will disable the life-ending waterfalls that block your path, while bombs true cause you to leave explosives that blow through the levels, opening up new paths. Warp around the levels, materialize boats to cross expanses of water, fast-travel between different hubs, and more. The world is at your fingertips.

Fjords isn't the prettiest game or the longest and the graphics and gameplay may not appeal to everyone, but it's certainly different, innovative, and fun.

 

[More_Badass]

Rogue Legacy or Super House of Dead Ninjas?
I'm also saving for Dark Souls so that's why it's one or the other. I've played the browser version of SHDN and the RL demo, but both were great so it's tough to decide between them

 

[JumpJeff84]

Rogue Legacy or Super House of Dead Ninjas?
I'm also saving for Dark Souls so that's why it's one or the other. I've played the browser version of SHDN and the RL demo, but both were great so it's tough to decide between them

Rogue Legacy!

 

[Deputy Dangle]

Rogue Legacy or Super House of Dead Ninjas?
I'm also saving for Dark Souls so that's why it's one or the other. I've played the browser version of SHDN and the RL demo, but both were great so it's tough to decide between them

As much as I like score chasing games, SHoDN's main concept wore thin for me fairly quickly, but admittedly, I didn't play it that much to fully elaborate why. I enjoyed Rogue Legacy much more, personally.

 

[Toma]

7 Grand Steps is currently in the community choice vote for the next deal. Chances of it winning: 0%

Oh and Eldritch is currently a flash sale for the next 2 hours.

 

[PandaPedinte]

7 Grand Steps is currently in the community choice vote for the next deal. Chances of it winning: 0%

Oh and Eldritch is currently a flash sale for the next 2 hours.

I did my part and voted for 7 Grand Steps.

 

[Funky Functionality]

I've been eyeing Fjords for a few weeks--may pick that up now and give it a go after I finish Antichamber, which kept me up until 2 this morning. I'm also well overdue to check out SpaceChem. Seems right up my alley.

*hugs pc*

 

[Toma]

I've been eyeing Fjords for a few weeks--may pick that up now and give it a go after I finish Antichamber, which kept me up until 2 this morning. I'm also well overdue to check out SpaceChem. Seems right up my alley.

*hugs pc*

Make sure to pick it up as soon as possible, since its currently on sale and I dont know for how long.

Oh and I guess I dont need to mention SpaceChem again

Buuuut, check out this thread:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=527028

 

[phantomspiker]

Excellent deal for Eldritch.

 

[r3n4ud]

Make sure to pick it up as soon as possible, since its currently on sale and I dont know for how long.

this is what it said when I picked it up with Paypal just now

Buy 'F J O R D S'
This game is on sale!
All purchases are 81% off until Tomorrow at 7:59 AM

Download this game by purchasing it for $7.00 $1.33 USD or more.

 

[Toma]

this is what it said when I picked it up with Paypal just now

Gogo pick it up guys. Gooooooooooooooooooooooo.

 

[rybrad]

Anyone tried Paper Sorcerer?

Late replying to this but I picked it up when it first came out and I love it. A lot of people seem to hate the artstyle but I am fine with it. My big complaint was UI clunkiness but I have been talking to the dev about some suggestions and he is actively working on making the UI less clunky. I tend to be a sucker for party based RPGs and the class variety available really adds to the options you have for building your team however you want.

 

[Toma]

Late replying to this but I picked it up when it first came out and I love it. A lot of people seem to hate the artstyle but I am fine with it.

Does not compute. The game looks fabulous.

My big complaint was UI clunkiness but I have been talking to the dev about some suggestions and he is actively working on making the UI less clunky. I tend to be a sucker for party based RPGs and the class variety available really adds to the options you have for building your team however you want.

Good to hear. I put in a bit of time, but needed to replay some parts of the demo. I really like what they have here, but cant judge the gameplay after the demo much yet. Will definitely play some more and post some more coherent impressions, but at first glance this looks like a great game.

 

[Funky Functionality]

this is what it said when I picked it up with Paypal just now

Gogo pick it up guys. Gooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Bless you, went ahead and grabbed it for enough to get the SCIENCE!! propaganda; I already know I'll enjoy this one.

 

[More_Badass]

Titan Souls - Free (PC, Browser)

http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-28/?action=preview&uid=7984

Open World.
Destroy 4 Titans.
One hit to each Titan's weakness.
One arrow with which to do it.

 

[Deputy Dangle]

I played a little through one level(?) of Eldritch late at night while I could. Admittedly, it's a bit easy, but that's only because the game loves placing as many weapons, meat, and artifacts as possible. However, that didn't bother me in the moment because the game has some seriously well done minimalistic sound design. The ambient music coupled with the sounds coming from the enemies was very unnerving to me while playing it so late at night. I think that made it compelling enough for me to want to keep playing.

I hear enemies do get harder as you progress with a bit more variety, which I hope livens up the combat aspect of it. But as it stands, I like what's in this package so far, especially at that sale price. Also, I dig the PS1 low polygon aesthetic.

 

[phantomspiker]

I played a little through one level(?) of Eldritch late at night while I could. Admittedly, it's a bit easy, but that's only because the game loves placing as many weapons, meat, and artifacts as possible. However, that didn't bother me in the moment because the game has some seriously well done minimalistic sound design. The ambient music coupled with the sounds coming from the enemies was very unnerving to me while playing it so late at night. I think that made it compelling enough for me to want to keep playing.

I hear enemies do get harder as you progress with a bit more variety, which I hope livens up the combat aspect of it. But as it stands, I like what's in this package so far, especially at that sale price. Also, I dig the PS1 low polygon aesthetic.

Mountains of Madness is a dungeon that was recently added and it's quite a bit more difficult that the main dungeons. There is also a NG+ that is supposed to make the game harder, but I haven't really messed with that yet.

 

[Deputy Dangle]

Mountains of Madness is a dungeon that was recently added and it's quite a bit more difficult that the main dungeons. There is also a NG+ that is supposed to make the game harder, but I haven't really messed with that yet.

I can only assume that it's one of the books in that first introductory room. I'll make sure to try to play more soon. I was glad to see that there appears to be a healthy amount of content.

 

[Wok]

Best Upcoming Indie Game of 2013 Players Choice

http://www.indiedb.com/features/best-upcoming-indie-game-of-2013-players-choice

 

[More_Badass]

Proven Lands KS is coming soon. Here's the new website

Love the art, I think I found my new wallpaper

 

[More_Badass]

Reset got funded on Indiegogo, still has 8 hours left

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/reset--4

 

[Toma]

OP impressions: Paper Sorcerer

This game is so goddamn pretty, I made myself a few new wallpapers:

The game is a dungeon crawler in which you travel in a party of four and beat several dungeon levels, which get incrementally bigger and more perilous. Since its very similar to traditional dungeon crawlers (with the exception of having a tradition jrpg turn based combat system), I'll just get right down to the specifics.

The good:

- The art style looks amazing, and is actually one of the main reasons I am playing this game for since I want to see what other levels might look like.
- Varied classes to pick from which play fundamentally different and allow for lots of strategy and depth in the combat situations
- 4 difficulty levels for a lot of replayability
- puzzles in the dungeons
- hidden areas, items, bonus/challenge dungeons
- seems to have quite a bit of content, I assume one playthrough would take around 20 hours
- lots of loot
- Easily worth the $5 asking price

The bad:

- so far, the puzzles are ridiculously easy as they mostly require you to look for very easy to spot buttons on the wall. This might change later and is not too bothersome for the begginning, but this could hold down the overall potential of the game
- Although I got used to it by now, the combat UI is notably clunky and combats in general feel rather slow.
- No "back" option if you already entered the order of char a and are currently at char b's orders.
- No mapping function seems a bit jarring

Conclusion:
I really like it. It oozes with charme, it has plenty of content in the campaign, especially considering the difficulty levels and it seems to be an overall very competent dungeon crawler with some deductions for the puzzles, but overall its a joy to play even it probably wont kick Legend of Grimrock from its recent & pretty Dungeon crawler throne. Still, Paper Sorcerer is a bit easier to play and easier accessible and I will definitely go back to explore some more. Definitely recommended.

 

[daydream]

OP impressions: Paper Sorcerer

Thanks, I had my eye on this game since I saw it on Klepek's Worth Playing a couple of weeks ago. Noted for a future purchase.

 

[rybrad]

Thanks, I had my eye on this game since I saw it on Klepek's Worth Playing a couple of weeks ago. Noted for a future purchase.

In case anyone doesn't know, the game was Greenlit in the last batch and all buyers will get a Steam key when it releases.

 

[More_Badass]

Probably my most anticipated IOS release ever is finally coming out January 2nd

Jet Car Stunts 2
http://trueaxis.com/jetcarstunts2.html

 

[Gazoinks]

Probably my most anticipated IOS release ever is finally coming out January 2nd

Jet Car Stunts 2
http://trueaxis.com/jetcarstunts2.html

Is this a game about stunts... in a jet car?

 

[Toma]

Is this a game about stunts... in a jet car?

Your deductive abilities never cease to amaze me, Sherlock.

 

[Toma]

Voting during Voting Inception!

RULES THIS MONTH IN SHORT: Up to 10 games, at least 4.

Why?
Because we want to offer people who first step into the thread an easy go-to list for great games. Plus it gives more attention to the titles that really deserve it.

How?
Everyone votes on his top 10 games out of the ones that already have been released AND are mentioned in the OP (So everything in Post 2). I'll tally the results and put the best 5 in the next thread. A minimum voting count of 4 is required. Feel free to vote for games that you deem "important" or the ones that you enjoyed the most. Since this is a rather communicative thread, feel free to include a short description why these games ended up on your list or a "honorable" mention if you feel that one game deserves another mention even though it wont count for your list. That way it would also make it interesting to read which games we should check out that others might have enjoyed. You dont need to "rank" the 10 games. Every list entry gets 1 point for the overall ranking.

When?
This thread is still open until the end of the month, so you can drop your list in here whenever you want. You can also change your list up to the last day. I wont start the count before the last day of the month, so everyone has still time to revise their lists and play some games. Speaking of which, if you dont even KNOW 7 games to vote for, there are plenty free games in the OP to check out. Most of which are rather short too. Use the remaining week to catch up with 1 or 2 titles you didnt get around to yet!

Which?
Since the list got rather long, here is the complete list of games to vote for for this month:

Another Perspective - $5 (PC)
Apexicon - Free Demo (PC)
Blade Rush - Free (PC, Browser)
CATDAMMIT! - Free (PC, Mac)
Coin Crypt - $4,99 (PC, Mac)
Creeper World 3 - Free Demo/ $13,99 (PC, Mac)
DataJack - Free (PC)
Deadly 30 - $5 (PC, Mac, Linux)
Didgery - $2,99 (PC)
Don't Make Me Turn This Car Around - Free (Browser)
Don't Move - Free (PC)
DreadChase - Free Demo/ $8,99 (PC)
Dungeon of Elements - $19,99 (PC)
Game about Vehicles - Free Alpha (PC, Mac, Linux)
Ex Amante - Free (PC, Mac)
Fjords - Min. 7$ (PC)
Infection: Last Rites - DNA - 50% off at $4,99 during Alpha (PC, Mac, Linux)
Lens - Free Demo (PC, Mac)
Lily Looking Through - Free Demo/$9,99 (PC)
Lumen - Free (PC)
Meatballphobia - $2,99 (PC, Linux)
Micro Dude - Free (PC)
Mr. Bree+ - Free Demo/$9,99 (PC, Mac)
Olav & the Lute - Free (PC)
One Way Heroics - $1,99 (PC)
Paper Sorcerer - Free Demo/ $5 (PC, Mac, Linux)
Path of Shadows - Free (PC)
Pixel Piracy - Free Alpha (PC)
Rain Blood Chronicles: Mirage - $14,99 (PC)
RIP - Free (PC)
Risk of Rain - Free Alpha/$9,99 (PC)
Secret of Escape - Free Demo (PC, Mac, Linux)
Sentris - Free Debut Prototype (PC, Mac)
Serendipity - Free Demo (PC)
Silence in the Mist - Free Demo (PC)
Skinwalker - Free (PC, Mac)
Space - The Return Of The Pixxelfrazzer - $3,99 (PC)
Stasis - Free Demo (PC)
Sym - Free Demo/50% off at $1.49 (PC, Mac)
The Consuming Shadow - Free (PC)
The very organized Thief - Free (PC, Mac, Browser)
Two Brothers - $15 (PC)
Vertiginous Golf - $5 (PC, Mac)
Westerado - Free (Browser)

This month, we did a good job of covering most games tangentially at least, so make sure to grab/try some recommended stuff that might be up your alley or try some of the rest games no one mentioned so far

We also managed to raise our posts up to this point slightly again compared to last month. Good, good.

 

[Toma]

Thanks for the rename

Edit: Can anyone still find the openly accessible version of Pixel Piracy? The link carousel is redirecting me to steam and there I can only buy it.

 

[More_Badass]

1) Westerado

Easiest voting list inclusion ever. Everyone should give this game a try. Westerado takes one of my favorite genres, the western, and gives it an atmospheric pixel art look, with gorgeous sunsets and windswept cemeteries. The game revolves around a randomly generated murder mystery as you search for your family's killer across an open world, slowly piecing together the identity and location of the killer through clues from NPCs and quests. Poker in the saloon, bandits in the mines, buffalo roaming the fields, Westerado is a fun and engaging experience worth playing.

2) Creeper World 3

Creeper World 3 has a massive amount of content and combines tower defense with aggressive offensive tactics. On each map, you face the Creeper threat: a liquid menace that flows across the landscape and destroys everything it touches. The only way to stop this enemy is to disable the emitters peppered across each map; this simple change shifts the whole focus from simple defense to going on the offensive. Set your base in a strategic location and build a network of reactors and energy collectors (but don't go overboard or you'll strain your ammo and power production). You'll need to set up a defensive fortifications, lest the Creeper flows in from an unprotected angle and ruins your plan, and then go on an aggressive offense. Set up beachheads with mortars and cannons, leapfrog your energy relays and guns, take back higher ground or terraform the area to build barriers and gain a height advantage. You can even build anti-Creeper turrets and remote drones for aerial assaults. With each level, new map formations and dangers will test your strategic planning.

3) Fjords
4) Another Perspective
Risk of Rain
Path of Shadows
Vertiginous Golf
Blade Rush
Mr. Bree+

 

[More_Badass]

Remember MTB Freeride? Getting Oculus Rift support and Kickstarter/Indiegogo campaigns in January

Frst month of 2014 and already two KS campaigns to anticipate

 

[daydream]

Gah, voting always creeps up on me.

I probably won't have the time to play through Lilly which is a shame. The best thing about that demo I played a few months ago was the cliffhanger ending.

 

[Wok]

In case you want to try your luck in this raffle. The conditions are pretty strict though.

 

[More_Badass]

First time playing Braid

Wanted to thank Woo again for Braid.

I'm about 30 minutes in and I've been nothing less than absolutely impressed by the game. Every aspect of the experience is perfectly crafted. The art style is wonderful and painterly. The story is mysterious and engaging. The controls are tight and responsive. The game has, by far, the best time-based puzzles I've ever played. Better than Prince of Persia, or Ethan Meteor Hunter, or any of the game I've played that involve time control. Now only are the mechanics just ingenious, the way they're seamlessly combined with the platforming is fantastic.

Braid and Hotline Miami are my posthumous GOTYs/honorable mentions.

 

[PandaPedinte]

Not the kind of news that I like to read during Christmas:

Hello Games office was flooded.

Here's the linked tweet:

I presume the loss is limited to 'hard' assets - that their software is backed up somewhere safe etc. Still crappy.

 

[More_Badass]

Not the kind of news that I like to read during Christmas:

Hello Games office was flooded

Damn, hope they can recover their data.

 

[Wok]

Is there any indie game which you are expecting for the first quarter of 2014?

So far, I have only three for sure in my list:

• Broken Age (Jan 14)
• Pix the Cat (unknown for now, but pretty cool, and coming to Steam as well)
• Tengami (preorder already possible)

I would have added Owlboy or Gorogoa or Escape Goat 2, but these games are always postponed. I am not even confident they would be released in 2014.

Or Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, Cradle, FaeVerse Solitaire, Mushroom 11, The Witness, etc. At least, the dev of Miegakure has never announced a release date.