Great selection of indie games *. Part one

    * or what to do all weekend for six months in advance.

    In defining indie games, I am free to agree with the Google Knol encyclopedia (hello, Mio :):
    Indie games (English indie games from English independent - "independent") - video games created independently of major publishers. Most initially free games also fall into this category. Indie games are usually cheap or free, some of which are developed as open source. The developers of indie games are most often led by “non-profit” motives - the desire for self-realization, the embodiment of their ideas and fantasies, some fame, etc. It can take years to create such a game or it can be completed in a few days or even hours, depending on its complexity , participants, design.


    A year and a half ago, I published a post-translation of “ 50 Really Good Indie Games .”
    The present cycle of posts is, so to speak, "the second edition, corrected and supplemented." I sincerely hope that after reading you will find for yourself from two or more favorite games that you will always enjoy playing.

    The articles have a huge amount of links and text, it is quite possible that I made a mistake somewhere. If you find one, please report it inbox or by mail.

    It is worth saying that in some descriptions I use the slightly slang word “bagel” - it turned out to be the most convenient. What it means can be found in a nearly Wikipedia article of the same name .

    Enjoy it!

    Cave story

    Cave story

    This game is an authentic example of Japanese art. A sadly honed story about cute rabbit-like creatures and a robot soldier suffering from amnesia. Daisuki Amaya aka Pixel, like a true wizard, brought me back to childhood when an eight-bit processor worked wonders. Actually, for the same reason, some young players do not understand the whole charm of the game and abandon it without starting. And having passed only once, you risk seeing far from everything;)

    Free .
    Windows ( translation project into Russian ). Ports on Mac OS X, PSP, Linux, Xbox, The official version for Wii is expected.



    Spelunky

    Spelunky

    Once Derek Yu got a brilliant idea - to combine the seeming simplicity of platform arcades with the random generation of levels in the style of bagels. And he more than succeeded. Believe me, in this game it will not be boring for you to die - it is to die, because she is incredibly complex. At the moment, I have been buried 170 times already and have never been congratulated on their victory. And this does not tire at all - each next batch is unique and unlike the others. To my joy and disappointment, the PlayStation One generation is old-school music and graphics :)

    Free .
    Windows, the expected version for the Xbox 360, will cost money.
    Post on Habré about Spelunky



    Darwinia

    Darwinia

    Have you ever imagined what a virtual world could be? No, not the one that WoW, but the one inside the computer. The guys from Introversion did quite well, but bad luck - they also imagined a virus! And of course, the player will have to deal with him. Darwinia skillfully combines action elements, strategies and puzzles, it was the first indie game to reach the masses. At one time, I was very surprised to learn that on the graphic side the game uses demoscene technology - the main size of the game is its music files.

    $ 16.60 .
    Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.



    Clonk rage

    Clonk rage

    True German quality - where else can you find a game in which life can be arranged in this way (ok, Dwarf Fortress doesn’t count)? Advanced landscape physics, industrial and military development chains, partial openness of code for additions - this and much more contributed to the love of the vast community for the game.

    $ 22, the free version of the game is fully functional, but does not contain a bunch of delicious mods .
    Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.



    flOw

    flOw

    Conceived as part of a dissertation on the dynamic change of complexity in Enova Chen's video games, this game is the first of the meditative games I have completed. Being, in fact, a very, very advanced snake, flOw captivates with a pleasant picture and soothing music. I assure you, you will get an unforgettable gaming experience.

    Free flash version, $ 7.99 PS3 .
    Flash, PS3.



    Dwarf fortress

    Dwarf fortress

    The depth and complexity of this game is simply amazing. Most likely, Dwarf Fortress is the most detailed simulator on this planet. The creators of the game, two brothers, did a tremendous job, but despite this they believe that their brainchild is far from release. There are no graphics in the game, by the genre it refers to bagels. Experts say that the gurus of gnome fortresses are similar to the characters of the "Matrix" - in multi-colored symbols they see mountains, steppes, gnomes, walls, food ...

    Free .
    Windows, Mac OS X. A
    post on Habré about Dwarf Fortress



    Hammeright

    Hammeright

    Domestic development. A fun game with an interesting story about the battles of the Pepelians fighting with swords, hammers, maces and a bunch of other things that you will collect as you progress through the game. A unique physical engine allows you to feel the brunt of controlling a flying barrel with various weapons. The incomparable feeling of a successful strike impressed me from the first minute of the game and did not bother me throughout the adventure :)

    $ 10 .
    Windows
    Waited for Hammerfall



    Gish

    Gish

    Surprisingly, the story of a resin ball looking for his girlfriend can be interesting. Especially when we are given the chance to steer this ball. And when we learn that he knows how to spin, shrink, jump and stick to everything ... And when it turns out that doing all this oh how difficult ... In general, all this is enough to be a winner of IGF'05 :)

    $ 20 .
    Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.



    Death Worm 2P

    Death Worm 2P

    A simple action game that perfectly takes over the spirit of its original sources (Tremors, Dune, Beetlejuice and others). As a result - the best (and only) sand worm simulator of all that you have ever played. You can play together with two worms :)

    Free .
    Windows Finding a good link to the game will be very grateful :)



    Toribash

    Toribash

    A unique turn-based fighting game with a good physical engine and the ability to control any joint of your protege. I sincerely respect the comrades who have learned to play this game, because I really like to watch their graceful fights and admire the cunning of the winner.

    Free .
    Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.



    Knytt

    Knytt

    A magnificent silent journey through the expanses of an alien planet in search of parts of a crashed teleporter, filled with soothing music and an incredible atmosphere. The game is quite long, but I would rather consider this as an advantage :)

    Free .
    Windows



    Eversion

    Eversion

    Mario is more likely alive than dead. This is also confirmed by indie developers who manage to add only one, but significant feature to the concept of a simple platformer. In this case, we have a multidimensional clone of a famous game that adds a bit of logic to the classic gameplay. And why in my eight-bit childhood there was no such game?

    Free .
    Windows



    Knytt stories

    Knytt stories

    Continuation of Knytt. The good developer added some goodies, changing the gameplay only for the better. If you like the original - do not pass by!

    Free .
    Windows



    Deadly rooms of death

    Deadly rooms of death

    A turn-based puzzle game in which you play "an extraordinary fighter of underground evil spirits," burdened with clearing the dungeons of King Dugan from cockroaches, goblins, and other evil spirits. With each move made, the monsters come closer and in order to defeat them, you must crush them with your Really Big Sword, which occupies a whole cell of the playing field. Oddly enough, but the turn-based mechanics of the game very successfully fit into the overall concept. Deadly Rooms of Death is considered one of the best (and underestimated) indie games.

    $ 20 per episode .
    Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.



    Dungeon crawl

    Dungeon crawl

    Allegedly based on Nethack, ADOM, and other bagels, the game boldly innovates in the genre, offering an expanded set of initial races and classes, as well as a diverse pantheon of gods that you can worship regardless of initial abilities. Dungeon Crawl is more flexible and balanced than its predecessors, and it is more important logic and tactical skill than remembering all the special capabilities and abilities.

    For free .
    Windows, Linux, Mac OS X



    Nikujin

    Nikujin

    Brutal hardcore game about a naked ninja saboteur. Despite the trivial management, even training you will not go immediately, not to mention the campaign. An interesting feature - the games of Ikiki - created by Nikujin - always turn out to be either hits or failures. And this game is definitely a hit.

    Free .
    Windows



    Cortex command

    Cortex command

    An amazing game in which you must defend yourself from hordes of enemies from orbit, protecting the vital brains needed to control your own units. Exceptionally everything here is drawn in the style of Pixel-Art, with each pixel being a separate object. This opens up a huge number of ways to kill enemies and deform the landscape. For example, your unit may die from bleeding because he only has a head left from his body, or you can crush a dozen enemies by dropping a landing ship on them. Advanced AI, group tactics and an unusual physics engine are the main points of a large list of features, which continues to grow. The game is still under development, but dozens of mods help to brighten up the long wait, changing the gameplay of the game beyond recognition.

    $ 18 .
    Windows, Mac OS X.



    Focus

    Focus

    Something reminiscent of the notorious N, Focus makes you learn to survive in the most wild conditions of the task of your total destruction. The only thing in your arsenal (except for jumping, of course) is the ability to teleport to short distances. Like the heroes from the films “X-Men” 2 and “Jumper”, you will disappear being on the verge of death. But do not think that it will be easy - it will be terrible, terribly difficult!

    Free .
    Windows



    Battle for wesnoth

    Battle for wesnoth

    Based on the game for SEGA Genesis Warsong (known in Japan as Langrisser), Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based strategy game proving that loyal fans united by a common strong desire can create great games. Battle for Wesnoth is an open-source cross-platform project in which anyone can add a new map, unit or even a whole company. Most of the works included in the official release are created by players. The game is also translated into many languages, including Russian. The development team includes co-founder of the Open Source Initiative Eric S. Raymond and other pioneers of Open Source.

    Free .
    Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.



    Noitu love 2

    Noitu love 2

    Great old-school action platformer with the most convenient mouse control and endless drive. I recommend it to all lovers of old games and those who are simply delighted with the constant fighting on the screen :)

    $ 10 .
    Windows



    Braid

    Braid

    Incredibly beautiful platformer with a logical admixture, winner of many awards, Braid captivates with a colorful watercolor picture, calm and melodic music and the ability to fully manage time. Here you cannot die. This is one of my favorite indie games, which I advise everyone to play, regardless of game preferences.

    $ 10 .
    Windows, Xbox 360. A
    post on Habré about Braid



    Lugaru

    Lugaru

    It's amazing how inventive game developers are. Well, who would have the idea to make a fighting game for the passage about the humanoid Turner rabbit? And it’s not anyhow how to do it, but one of the first among indie developers to use ragdoll physics, and even tie a non-trivial combat system to it, which cannot be mastered the first time. But, having learned everything, you will feel like a real kung fu rabbit, which the wolf is not afraid of :)

    $ 20 .
    Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.



    Part Two .
    Part three .
    Part Four .

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