Don't like indies? ITT NeoGAF helps find indies you may enjoy! Also: CONTEST

My issue with indie games isn't so much the content of the games themselves, as it is the distribution. Downloadable games don't really tickle my fancy. (That's totally on me though, I can't really fault independent developers for releasing digitally, of course.) You have some here and there though that get releases. Stuff like Minecraft and Terraria made it. Cave Story eventually made it. Journey made it. Apparently Teslagrad is getting a release too? I hope to see more making the jump to physical. (But can they still be classified as indie once they've found a publisher to print discs? *shrug*)
 
My issue with indie games isn't so much the content of the games themselves, as it is the distribution. Downloadable games don't really tickle my fancy. (That's totally on me though, I can't really fault independent developers for releasing digitally, of course.) You have some here and there though that get releases. Stuff like Minecraft and Terraria made it. Cave Story eventually made it. Journey made it. Apparently Teslagrad is getting a release too? I hope to see more making the jump to physical. (But can they still be classified as indie once they've found a publisher to print discs? *shrug*)

It seems to me to be honest that the opposite trend is going to get larger the more we go forward in time... less physical releases, not more :(

Anyway one more time for top of the page so people know:

AWESOME ANNOUNCEMENT

Thanks to the generosity of Lab Zero Games and Ravidrath, I have five codes for Skullgirls to give away - and these codes include all the DLC characters as well!

These codes will be open to anybody in this topic who actively engages in a back and forth on the subject of indies. That includes those of you who love indies, so everyone is invited! From here on out, all people who participate in this thread will be entered into the contest randomizer for selection by 14 August 2014 @ 4:30PM(EST).

Thanks again for all the recommendations and participation so far!
 
It seems to me to be honest that the opposite trend is going to get larger the more we go forward in time... less physical releases, not more :(
Yeah. That will be true for games as a whole too. :( I'm not a fan of the reality, but it makes sense.
 
I have and like endless space. Not sure about their ground 4x game. Is it released?

It's currently Early Access. While that may disqualify it as released to you, Amplitude is much better about their development schedule and patching than other companies that have tainted the Early Access name.
 
Adventure, space sim, action, strategy, rpg.
Stasis is an in-development sci if adventure game (well sci fi horror, but this isn't Dead Space), with an heavy Alien-esque atmosphere
http://www.stasisgame.com

Rings Runner is a space shooter RPG, a lot of customization and flashy combat
http://ringrunner.net

Limbs is a cool free game, like Papers Please but you're repairing bionic limbs
http://rezoner.itch.io/limbs-repair-station

Infested Planet is a tactical RTS where your small squad fends off hordes of hundreds and hundreds of aliens
http://www.rocketbeargames.com/infestedplanet/index.html

Wings of Saint Nazaire is a space combat game in the vein of X Wing. You can download the alpha here
http://www.wingsofstnazaire.com
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But can they still be classified as indie once they've found a publisher to print discs? *shrug*

In many cases, these are simply distribution deals and not publishing deals. Take Bandai Namco distributing the physical release of Project CARS.
 
I haven't had much luck with indie games. But, I loved Miner Dig Deep from the Xbox community games. I also like the android version Gem Miner: Dig Deeper. It's an itch I have not been able to scratch since. The game had the perfect balance of lootish type reward and mindless relaxing play. But I don't want people to confuse that with the pointless grind style F2P gameplay like Farmville and its ilk.

I played Don't Starve. I wasn't a fan of the art style, world or characters. The concept was cool. Spelunky is fun but far too unforgiving and not relaxing at all.
 
Stasis is an in-development sci if adventure game (well sci fi horror, but this isn't Dead Space), with an heavy Alien-esque atmosphere
http://www.stasisgame.com

Rings Runner is a space shooter RPG, a lot of customization and flashy combat
http://ringrunner.net

Limbs is a cool free game, like Papers Please but you're repairing bionic limbs
http://rezoner.itch.io/limbs-repair-station

Infested Planet is a tactical RTS where your small squad fends off hordes of hundreds and hundreds of aliens
http://www.rocketbeargames.com/infestedplanet/index.html

Wings of Saint Nazaire is a space combat game in the vein of X Wing. You can download the alpha here
http://www.wingsofstnazaire.com

first and last are alpha/early access (although i have backed stasis already loved the demo).

Next three have gameplay that does't interest me (rts i avoid usually except a couple of th em like total war and rebellion).

anyway thanks for the suggestions i know i have a particular taste. just hoped maybe there was a good sci-fi game i have missed.
 
I was trying to trace back where a friend and I first started actively looking for Indie Games. I just recently remembered that it was both of us playing Cave Story and Gravity Bone that set us off on a journey into the depths of looking for weird games to send to eachother.

That time of discovery and of .exe files flying back and forth through email was pretty fun.
 
I haven't had much luck with indie games. But, I loved Miner Dig Deep from the Xbox community games. I also like the android version Gem Miner: Dig Deeper. It's an itch I have not been able to scratch since. The game had the perfect balance of lootish type reward and mindless relaxing play. But I don't want people to confuse that with the pointless grind style F2P gameplay like Farmville and its ilk.

Delve Deeper is a fair bit like Miner Dig Deep, with some added depth involving what to do. I haven't played it myself, but looking around it seems received well enough for the $5 it asks for, even with its flaws.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/63800/

Also, if you're interested in a bit more action and battling with your mining, Terraria might be a good fit for you, too. It's often considered to be a '2D Minecraft', but Terraria puts much more of a focus on combat than Minecraft does. It also goes on sale all the time, so as long as you wait a little bit you can pick it up at a low price point.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/105600/

Other than mining titles, what other genres do you enjoy? It might be a little easier to get into indie games if you try some games from the same genres as your favorite commercial games.
 
I haven't had much luck with indie games. But, I loved Miner Dig Deep from the Xbox community games. I also like the android version Gem Miner: Dig Deeper. It's an itch I have not been able to scratch since. The game had the perfect balance of lootish type reward and mindless relaxing play. But I don't want people to confuse that with the pointless grind style F2P gameplay like Farmville and its ilk.

I played Don't Starve. I wasn't a fan of the art style, world or characters. The concept was cool. Spelunky is fun but far too unforgiving and not relaxing at all.

Try SteamWorld Dig!

SteamWorld-Dig-1041428M4.jpg
 
Any recommendations on indie arcade-y racing games on PC? I played Nitronic Rush and really enjoyed it. Is there anything remotely similar in the indie gaming world?
 
I'm a big fan of any sort of digging. My son and I remain addicted to Doug Dug, a simple 'endless digger', for lack of a better term, on iOS. The best part is how the terrain will cave in around you as you'd expect while you dig.

You should get Steamworld Dig immediately!
 
Lovely thread. Here are a few games that need more praise:

Orcs Must Die 2 - has been one of my favorite cooperative experiences in recent times. So many build/load out options. Give it a go if you like third person shooting or tower defense at all.

Rock of Ages - it's monkey ball meets monty python + RTS and a fighting game? I've never played anything quite like it. Great multiplayer modes as well.

Pixeljunk Eden - 2d platformer where you web swing to gather seeds to grow plants that allow you to reach new heights. Not retro/pixel graphics!

I will drop some more suggestions later. I'm on my phone at the moment.
 
Delve Deeper is a fair bit like Miner Dig Deep, with some added depth involving what to do. I haven't played it myself, but looking around it seems received well enough for the $5 it asks for, even with its flaws.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/63800/

Also, if you're interested in a bit more action and battling with your mining, Terraria might be a good fit for you, too. It's often considered to be a '2D Minecraft', but Terraria puts much more of a focus on combat than Minecraft does. It also goes on sale all the time, so as long as you wait a little bit you can pick it up at a low price point.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/105600/

Delve Deeper looks cool but I don't like that it's turn based. I tried Terraria once but couldn't get into it.


Try SteamWorld Dig!

SteamWorld-Dig-1041428M4.jpg

This looks great and it gives me a reason to dust off my vita. Ill try it this weekend.

Other than mining titles, what other genres do you enjoy? It might be a little easier to get into indie games if you try some games from the same genres as your favorite commercial games.

I'm all over the place with my gaming likes. I don't think it will be of much help. But I'll list my favorite games from the last few years.

Knack
Ryse
LBP PSP(best controls)>LBP1>>LBP2>>>>>>>LBPV
Project Spark -Dominating my play time atm
Skyrim
Dragon's Dogma
Too Human
Tomb Raider
Donkey Kong 2K - Intellivision
Walking Dead
Crackdown

In some of the more open games above I am able able to find a play style that fits me. I think the problem with indies for me is the games are more narrowly focused.
 
I'm really interested in finding more games like Syberia, Syberia II, Still Life, Dear Esther, Gone Home, AMNESIA, Blue Force, Indigo Prophecy (Fahrenheit), Fatal Frame, and Outlast just to give a wide selection.

*SIngle-player only please.

*Like point and click but it doesn't have to be point n click obviously.

*I strongly prefer 3D over 2D but if the 2D is done well and not in 8-bit that's better.

*Also love games that revolve around crime mystery, ghosts, supernatural, etc but not really too sci-fi. I don't really care for the alien/space wars type stuff that much.

*I like a rich story/atmosphere almost as much if not more than the gameplay in some games.

*I'd prefer games that have controller support, but again, not a must.

Any suggestions? Thanks.
 
Any recommendations on indie arcade-y racing games on PC? I played Nitronic Rush and really enjoyed it. Is there anything remotely similar in the indie gaming world?

Check out Distance (sequel to Nitronic Rush) and Trackmania (not indie).

I'm really interested in finding more games like Syberia, Syberia II, Still Life, Dear Esther, Gone Home, AMNESIA, Blue Force, Indigo Prophecy (Fahrenheit), Fatal Frame, and Outlast just to give a wide selection.

*SIngle-player only please.

*Like point and click but it doesn't have to be point n click obviously.

*I strongly prefer 3D over 2D but if the 2D is done well and not in 8-bit that's better.

*Also love games that revolve around crime mystery, ghosts, supernatural, etc but not really too sci-fi. I don't really care for the alien/space wars type stuff that much.

*I like a rich story/atmosphere almost as much if not more than the gameplay in some games.

*I'd prefer games that have controller support, but again, not a must.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

Try Grey Matter, Penumbra Trilogy and The Longest Journey series (the third one will be indie).
 
Check out Distance (sequel to Nitronic Rush) and Trackmania (not indie).



Try Grey Matter, Penumbra Trilogy and The Longest Journey series (the third one will be indie).

Grey Matter looks great, I'll definitely check out the Penumbra Games, since they are from the Amnesia guys, and I've played the Dreamfall/Longest Journey games but I'd forgotten about them. Great games.

Anything else? Especially real life crime drama type games? Just can't get enough of a good detective story. I loved L.A. Noire, the old Sierra Police Quest and SWAT games, etc. Are there any games like that on the indie scene?
 
Grey Matter looks great, I'll definitely check out the Penumbra Games, since they are from the Amnesia guys, and I've played the Dreamfall/Longest Journey games but I'd forgotten about them. Great games.

Anything else? Especially real life crime drama type games? Just can't get enough of a good detective story. I loved L.A. Noire, the old Sierra Police Quest and SWAT games, etc. Are there any games like that on the indie scene?
Door Kickers is a top down tactical SWAT game. I like it even better than Frozen Synapse
http://inthekillhouse.com/doorkickers/
http://youtu.be/TR6hb5WQVQg
So you might be thinking "Why do I need this game if I already have Frozen Synapse?". Now Door Kickers was one of the first PC games I bought, and while Frozen Synapse may be king in terms of multiplayer, I feel like Door Kickers is superior in other aspects. I enjoy the realistic SWAT setting and aesthetic far more than FS's sci-fi style. Frozen Synapse focuses on warfare; Door Kickers focuses on controlled planning and precise team work and meticulous assaults.

Go in loud or stealthy, rescue hostages, arrest bad guys, defuse bombs. There's a ton of content, modding, a level editor, a leveling-up system for your squad, and special challenges for each mission The controls are more intuitive than Frozen Synapse, and the emphasis is on efficiency. Unlike Rainbow Six, where you could use your FPS skills in a crutch, here if you don't plan well, if you forget to check your corners, if you don't have a guy covering your back while he picks a lock, you will pay for it.

Each level, you need to learn the best strategy and tools to use to succeed and you get better scores for faster times, not losing a trooper, etc. I find it all very satisfying. Split your team in two groups, stack up on doors, peer in with your snake cam. Enemy positions are randomized, they move throughout the level, and can be alerted by sounds. Coordinate simultaneous breaches with flashbangs or have your breacher blast through a locked door for a loud entrance. It's a lot of fun and like Prison Architect, each update is significant and adds a lot to the game.

Recent updates have added game changing features like sniper support, riot shields, non-lethal tactics such as arrests and using tasers, and more
 
I had some problem getting into The Last Federation but after after a while I got used to the game and thoroughly enjoyed it.

This game has excellent replayability.
 
I'll bite in this. Like a lot of people, I really am not a fan of 2D games. Also tend to dislike pixel art style but I can make an exception if it's very good. I own every console, but no PC, which is probably the kicker here. I enjoy most genres, with the exception of horror, RTSs, and SRPGs. My favorite are RPGs: Fallout, FFX, Persona 4, etc. Thoughts?
 
I love indies but I would still like recommendations. Is that fine?

I'm looking for some FFT/Tacgics Ogre SRPGs. It's my favorite genre by far. Note: I've already played and enjoyed Banner Saga.

While it may not be grid based (It's more of the Disgaea free movement type) I whole heartedly recommend Skulls of the Shogun. One of the most enjoyable turn based SRPG type games I've played in quite awhile.

Fun campaign and Async multiplayer as well.
 
may I ask what good indie games you can recommend (on steam preferably), which run on Mac OS and feature neither horror, platformer nor pixelgraphics?
 
I'm really interested in finding more games like Syberia, Syberia II, Still Life, Dear Esther, Gone Home, AMNESIA, Blue Force, Indigo Prophecy (Fahrenheit), Fatal Frame, and Outlast just to give a wide selection.

*SIngle-player only please.

*Like point and click but it doesn't have to be point n click obviously.

*I strongly prefer 3D over 2D but if the 2D is done well and not in 8-bit that's better.

*Also love games that revolve around crime mystery, ghosts, supernatural, etc but not really too sci-fi. I don't really care for the alien/space wars type stuff that much.

*I like a rich story/atmosphere almost as much if not more than the gameplay in some games.

*I'd prefer games that have controller support, but again, not a must.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

I think somebody mentioned it earlier in reply to another post but it would be worth checking out Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller. It seems to tick a lot of your boxes: point-and-click adventure, crime investigation, supernatural elements.

I've only played Part One so far but it was much stronger than I was expecting it to be. It's 33% off for the full season on Steam at the moment and there's a free demo too.

Also: thanks so much for mentioning Blue Force. I loved the Police Quest games when I was younger and had no idea this related game existed. I see it's ScummVM compatible, too. Perfect!
 
I absolutely love games that'll let me go nuts with stat points, with level-ups, all that jazz. Think Diablo 2 stat system with FFX's level system (dat sphere grid)

Any indies that really shine in that regard?

Also, have anyone tried something like Heroes 3, indie-style?
 
I'm really interested in finding more games like Syberia, Syberia II, Still Life, Dear Esther, Gone Home, AMNESIA, Blue Force, Indigo Prophecy (Fahrenheit), Fatal Frame, and Outlast just to give a wide selection.

*SIngle-player only please.

*Like point and click but it doesn't have to be point n click obviously.

*I strongly prefer 3D over 2D but if the 2D is done well and not in 8-bit that's better.

*Also love games that revolve around crime mystery, ghosts, supernatural, etc but not really too sci-fi. I don't really care for the alien/space wars type stuff that much.

*I like a rich story/atmosphere almost as much if not more than the gameplay in some games.

*I'd prefer games that have controller support, but again, not a must.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

I'll always recommend Master Reboot. A first-person sci-fi horror (in virtual reality, not in space) adventure game. Made my Top 10 for last year after I reviewed it here: http://www.gamersaurs.com/article/item/917-master-reboot-review

(The devs have since updated the game to fix most of the issues I raised there)
 
Grey Matter looks great, I'll definitely check out the Penumbra Games, since they are from the Amnesia guys, and I've played the Dreamfall/Longest Journey games but I'd forgotten about them. Great games.

Anything else? Especially real life crime drama type games? Just can't get enough of a good detective story. I loved L.A. Noire, the old Sierra Police Quest and SWAT games, etc. Are there any games like that on the indie scene?

Gemini Rue and other games from that developer. Also if you haven't already play the Gabriel Knight series.

I absolutely love games that'll let me go nuts with stat points, with level-ups, all that jazz. Think Diablo 2 stat system with FFX's level system (dat sphere grid)

Any indies that really shine in that regard?

Also, have anyone tried something like Heroes 3, indie-style?

Try Path of Exile for a cool stat system. In fact it's pretty much exactly what you described.

Check out Eador or Age of Wonders III.
 
What genre(s)?

There are hundreds, some information on the games you like would be helpful.

thanks for trying to help me, really appreciate that!

It's pretty hard to describe what I'm looking for, hmm.. but I really liked Don't Starve (+Reign of Giants).

I don't like minecraft (+ clones), "endless"/aimless/directionless games and first person view & horror things and it should be playable with the trackpad (i use a mbp 15"), because I don't use a mouse.
puzzles, visual novels and round based games are so-so.
other than that, I have no specific genre or artstyle I'm looking for.

to be honest I'm positively surprised that gaming has grown quite a bit on Mac OS, thought there would be... like... 10 good games only :3
 
Right, time for some random suggestions that haven't been mentioned yet, but go against the grain in one way or another. After this I'm off to sleep.

Cloudbuilt



I will start off by saying this game absolutely isn't for everyone. I recommend this to you if you are interested in intricate fast movement, speedrunning, and 3D platforming. Think of it as maybe a mixture of what Dustforce might be like in 3D, and a third person Mirror's Edge. That's not the best way of explaining it, but I'm struggling to come up with a better one.

Cloudbuilt is hard, very hard. When getting familiar with the game it might even feel unfair. There are some enemies that seemingly refuse to die, lasers where you least want them, and complex wall running maneuvers that require incredible precision. To enjoy the game you need to work with that, and you will need to see the enemies not as objects to kill, but as environmental hazards to avoid. Everything feeds into the one goal of the game: getting the best time as possible. Nothing else matters.

But boy, when you learn the game is it fun. I'm no Chezda, mind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26l1SndpfvE

Crimzon Clover



If you are a fan of bullet hell shooters, especially those by Cave, you should already know about and own this game. Simple as that. It is well made, with a good amount of difficulty, and incredibly fun break mechanic and scoring system.

Legend of Grimrock



You'll want to play this if you are a fan of first person dungeon crawlers. I personally wasn't much of a fan of the grid combat, but everything else was done really well.

AI War: Fleet Command

Not posting a screen of this one, because by my own admission the game looks like shit. If you want to play a very good and unique RTS though it is hard to go wrong.

Just expect difficulty, the game is hard as balls and I still don't feel like I understand it.

That Cloudbuilt game looks so rad. What are the controls like?
 
Grey Matter looks great, I'll definitely check out the Penumbra Games, since they are from the Amnesia guys, and I've played the Dreamfall/Longest Journey games but I'd forgotten about them. Great games.

Anything else? Especially real life crime drama type games? Just can't get enough of a good detective story. I loved L.A. Noire, the old Sierra Police Quest and SWAT games, etc. Are there any games like that on the indie scene?

Anything published by WadjetEye. Gemini Rue, Resonance and Primordia in particular, though their art style might not be your cup of tea.
 
That Cloudbuilt game looks so rad. What are the controls like?

I really like the controls, but they can take a little bit of getting used to. There's a few little things that can throw people off initially, like the direction you run along the wall being controlled by where you are pointing the camera. You also need to dedicate to your wallruns because you currently can't transition between vertical/horizontal runs unless you jump off the wall and "boost" back onto it.

They opened a beta channel yesterday which experiments with some new controls, seems like it could be better for newcomers but I've only spent a few minutes with it. It also adds wallrun transitions, but in my practice there's quite a lot of delay on it.
 
I've played a few indie games that I've liked - Papers Please, Hotline Miami, Cave Story, and Guacamelee but overall I'm not into indies.

I like RPG's and FPS's, but just finishing Project X Zone I don't want another 50 hour strategy RPG right now.
If there's anything like Ys that would be awesome - that kind of combat, not a brawler.
I just finished up A Link Between Worlds and really enjoyed it, so some light puzzles would be okay, but not the core of the game.
I'm okay with top down, first person (although not my favorite in RPG's), third person, and 8-bit, 16-bit, new old is all good
I don't care about stories or cutscenes, just gameplay
PC only
 
I've played a few indie games that I've liked - Papers Please, Hotline Miami, Cave Story, and Guacamelee but overall I'm not into indies.

I like RPG's and FPS's, but just finishing Project X Zone I don't want another 50 hour strategy RPG right now.
If there's anything like Ys that would be awesome - that kind of combat, not a brawler.
I just finished up A Link Between Worlds and really enjoyed it, so some light puzzles would be okay, but not the core of the game.
I'm okay with top down, first person (although not my favorite in RPG's), third person, and 8-bit, 16-bit, new old is all good
I don't care about stories or cutscenes, just gameplay
PC only

Have you tried Transistor? One of my favorite games released this year.

It is mainly played as more of a strategy RPG, but the combat system has a deceiving amount of depth. I played through in NG+ as purely an ARPG.
 
I still like the artsy fartsy Proteus. :)


Indy is kind of a fuzzy term, but I really like all sorts of games.

The Real Texas was the best indy game I played in 2012:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45ModrKO5vc

He also has a cute new game out called PARADISE PERFECT BOAT RESCUE:

http://paradiseperfectboatrescue.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI09lzfRiXw

This game is great, hope that the author expands on it sometime...
http://rymdkapsel.com/
 
Any suggestion for an indie rpg/jrpg (in the like of Final Fantasy, Tales of etc). I tried Dust and Elysian Tales, pretty cool game, couldn't grab my attention for some reasons. Edit: I played Transistor already too. That was a lot of fun.

Platform available:

PS3/PS4/PSV/PC (GTX 770) / 3DS / WiiU
 
There are very few Indie RPGs out there because of the manpower it requires to make them work. That being said, The Real Texas is kind of a mish-mash of Zelda and Ultima 8. Lots of puzzles but you have no party, just one guy. Check it out :)
 
I'm not really interested in indie games at all. I don't like how most of them look, and the ones I've tried have had underwhelming game design. I don't know how to explain what I would like except by listing what I already like.

Favorite developers:
-Nintendo
-Platinum Games
-G.rev
-Sega AM2
-Treasure
-Cave
-M2
-Older Sega/Konami/Capcom

Favorite games:
-Vanquish
-Final Fight
-Strania - The Stella Machina
-God Hand
-SMW2: Yoshi's Island
-After Burner Climax
-Mars Matrix
-Rhythm Heaven Fever
-Gotcha Force
-Sega Super GT
-Gunvalkyrie
-Phantasy Star Online
-Contra: Hard Corps

Sorry for the late answer but if you're into shooters, I'd recommend Jamestown (a charming 2D Cave-like shooter) and maybe Resogun. Resogun is published by Sony but made by an indie dev. I feel it's pretty much this gen's Geometry Wars.

On the side-scrolling shooter front, I've been enjoying Broforce a lot.
 
Any recommendations on indie arcade-y racing games on PC? I played Nitronic Rush and really enjoyed it. Is there anything remotely similar in the indie gaming world?

If you don't mind top-down racers I can't recommend Real World Racing enough. The tracks are based on satellite photos from real cities, and the racing feels unlike any other top-down racing game I've ever played, kinda simmish (there even are license tests like in Gran Turismo) but still an arcade racer at heart. You can powerslide around corners with some cars, slipstream behind other racers, and it can get pretty challenging when you're trying to get gold in all events. It's the only racing game I've super enjoyed in 2014.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/253470/

Speaking of which, I'm on the lookout for more indie racing games, doesn't matter if they're top-down or behind the car, etc. Just don't recommend me Little Racers Street. :P
 
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