Great selection of indie games *. Part one
* or how to take the whole weekend for half a year ahead.
In the definition of indie games, I am free to agree with the Google Knol encyclopedia (hello, Mio :):
A year and a half ago, I published a post-translation of " 50 really good indie games ."
This cycle of posts is, so to speak, "second edition, revised 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.
')
In articles a huge number of links and text, it is quite possible that I somewhere made a mistake. If you find one, please inform inbox or mail about it.
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, you can read in almost the same name article in Wikipedia.
Enjoy!
This game is a true example of Japanese art. A sad story honed to shine about cute rabbit-like creatures and a robot soldier suffering from amnesia. Daisuki Amaya aka Pixel, as if 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 leave it without starting. And after passing only once, you risk seeing not everything;)
Free
Windows ( Russian translation project ). Ports on Mac OS X, PSP, Linux, Xbox, Awaiting official version for Wii.
Once Derek Yu suffered a brilliant idea - to combine the seeming simplicity of platform arcades with the random generation of levels in the style of bagels. And this he more than succeeded. Believe me, in this game you will not be bored to die - just to die, because she is incredibly complicated. At the moment I have been buried 170 times and have never been congratulated on the victory. And this does not bother you at all - each subsequent game is unique and unlikely to others. To my joy and disappointment of the generation of the PlayStation One - old school music and graphics :)
Free
Windows, the expected version for Xbox 360, will cost money.
Post on Habré about Spelunky
You never imagined, what could be the virtual world? No, not the one that is WoW, but the one inside the computer. The guys from Introversion didn’t quite succeed, but bad luck - they also imagined a virus! And to deal with it, of course, the player will have to. Darwinia skillfully combines elements of action, strategy and puzzles, she became the first indie game to reach the masses. At one time, I was very surprised to learn that, from the graphic side, the game uses demoscene technologies - the main size of the game is its music files.
$ 16.60 .
Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.
True German quality - where else can you find a game in which you can arrange your life in this way (ok, Dwarf Fortress does not count)? Advanced landscape physics, industrial and military development chains, partial openness of code for add-ons - this and much more contributed to the extensive community’s love for the game.
$ 22, the free version of the game is full-featured, but does not contain a bunch of delicious mods .
Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.
Conceived as part of a thesis on the dynamic change of complexity in Enova Chen video games, this game is the first of the meditative games I have passed. Being, in fact, a very, very advanced snake, flOw captivates the most pleasant picture and soothing music. I assure you will get an unforgettable gaming experience.
Free flash version, $ 7.99 PS3 .
Flash, PS3.
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, have done a tremendous job, but despite this they think that their brainchild is far from being released. The graphics in the game, one might say, no - by genre, it belongs to bagels. Experts say that the gurus of the dwarf fortresses are like the characters of the “Matrix” - in the colorful symbols they see mountains, steppes, gnomes, walls, food ...
Free
Windows, Mac OS X.
Post on Habré about Dwarf Fortress
Domestic development. Fun game with an interesting story about the battle of pepelats fighting with swords, hammers, maces and a bunch of everything else that you will collect as you progress through the game. A unique physics engine allows you to feel the brunt of controlling a flying barrel with various weapons. The incomparable feeling of a successful strike bribed me from the first minute of the game and did not bother me during the whole adventure :)
$ 10
Windows
Waited for Hammerfall
Surprisingly, the story about the resin ball, looking for his girlfriend can be interesting. Especially when we are given to steer this ball. And when we find out that he knows how to spin, shrink, jump and stick to everything ... And when it turns out that it is not easy to do all this ... In general, all this is enough to be a winner of IGF'05 :)
$ 20
Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.
A simple action game that perfectly took over the spirit of its original sources (Tremors, Dune, Beatlejus, and others). As a result - the best (and only) sandworm simulator of all that you have ever played. You can play together with two worms :)
Free
Windows I will be very grateful to the finder of a good game link :)
Unique step-by-step fighting game with a good physics 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.
A magnificent silent trip across 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 long enough, but I would see it more as an advantage :)
Free
Windows
Mario is more alive than dead. This is also confirmed by indie developers who manage to add just one but significant feature to the concept of a simple platformer. In this case, we have a multidimensional clone of a well-known 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
Continued Knytt. The kind developer added a few goodies, changing the gameplay only for the better. If you like the original - do not pass by!
Free
Windows
A turn-based puzzle game in which you play an “extraordinary underground scum fighter”, burdened to clear King Dugan's dungeons from cockroaches, goblins and other evil spirits. With each move made, the monsters approach and, in order to defeat them, you must crush them with your Real Big Sword, which occupies a whole cage of the playing field. Oddly enough, but the turn-based mechanics of the game very well fit into the overall concept. Deadly Rooms of Death is considered one of the best (and underrated) indie games.
$ 20 for each episode .
Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.
Allegedly based on Nethack, ADOM and other bagels, the game boldly introduces innovations into the genre, offering an expanded set of primary 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 in it the main logic and tactical skill than memorizing all the special features and abilities.
Free of charge .
Windows, Linux, Mac OS X
Brutal hardcore game about nude ninja saboteur. Despite the trivial management, you will not even have a training session immediately, let alone a campaign. An interesting feature - the game Ikiki - author Nikujin - always turn out to be either hits or failures. And this game is definitely a hit.
Free
Windows
An amazing game in which you must defend against hordes of enemies from orbit, defending the vital brains needed to control your own units. Exceptionally everything here is drawn in the style of Pixel-Art, and each pixel is a separate object. This opens up a huge number of ways to kill enemies and distort the landscape. For example, your unit may die from bleeding, because his body is left with only a head, or you can crush a dozen enemies, dropping the landing craft on them. Advanced AI, group tactics and an unusual physics engine are the main points of a large list of features that continues to grow. The game is still in development, well, dozens of mods help the game to brighten up a long wait, changing the gameplay beyond recognition. There is the possibility of playing Hot-Seat (up to four players with one computer).
$ 18 .
Windows, Mac OS X.
Something reminiscent of the notorious N, Focus makes you learn to survive in the wildest conditions of your total destruction task. The only thing that is in your arsenal (except for jumps, of course) is the ability to teleport for a short distance. Like the heroes from the movie "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
Based on the game for SEGA Genesis Warsong (known in Japan as Langrisser), Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based strategy game that proves that loyal fans, united by a 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, created by the players. Also, the game is translated into many languages, including Russian. The development team includes co-founder of the Open Source Initiative, Eric S. Raymond, and other Open Source pioneers.
Free
Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.
A great old-school platformer action with the most convenient mouse control and endless drive. I recommend to all fans of old games and those who are just in awe of the constant fighting on the screen :)
$ 10
Windows
An incredibly beautiful platformer with a logical admixture, winner of many awards, Braid impresses with a colorful watercolor picture, calm and melodious music and the ability to fully manage time. Here you can not die. This is one of my favorite indie games, which I advise everyone to play, regardless of game preferences.
$ 10
Windows Xbox 360.
Post on Habré about Braid
It's amazing how creative game developers are. Well, who would come up with the idea of ​​making a fighting game for passing about a humanoid rabbit Turner? And not just how to do it, but one of the first among indie developers to apply ragdoll physics, and even attach to this a non-trivial combat system, which you cannot master from the first time. But, having learned everything, you will feel like a true kung-fu rabbit, to whom the wolf is not afraid :)
$ 20
Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.
Part Two .
Part Three
Part Four .
In the definition of indie games, I am free to agree with the Google Knol encyclopedia (hello, Mio :):
Indie games (eng. Indie games from eng. Independent - “independent”) are video games created independently of major publishers. Most of the original free games also fall into this category. Indie games are usually cheap or free, some of them being developed as open source. The developers of indie games are most often led by “non-commercial” motives — the desire for self-realization, the realization 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, clearance.
A year and a half ago, I published a post-translation of " 50 really good indie games ."
This cycle of posts is, so to speak, "second edition, revised 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.
')
In articles a huge number of links and text, it is quite possible that I somewhere made a mistake. If you find one, please inform inbox or mail about it.
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, you can read in almost the same name article in Wikipedia.
Enjoy!
Cave story
This game is a true example of Japanese art. A sad story honed to shine about cute rabbit-like creatures and a robot soldier suffering from amnesia. Daisuki Amaya aka Pixel, as if 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 leave it without starting. And after passing only once, you risk seeing not everything;)Free
Windows ( Russian translation project ). Ports on Mac OS X, PSP, Linux, Xbox, Awaiting official version for Wii.
Spelunky
Once Derek Yu suffered a brilliant idea - to combine the seeming simplicity of platform arcades with the random generation of levels in the style of bagels. And this he more than succeeded. Believe me, in this game you will not be bored to die - just to die, because she is incredibly complicated. At the moment I have been buried 170 times and have never been congratulated on the victory. And this does not bother you at all - each subsequent game is unique and unlikely to others. To my joy and disappointment of the generation of the PlayStation One - old school music and graphics :)Free
Windows, the expected version for Xbox 360, will cost money.
Post on Habré about Spelunky
Darwinia
You never imagined, what could be the virtual world? No, not the one that is WoW, but the one inside the computer. The guys from Introversion didn’t quite succeed, but bad luck - they also imagined a virus! And to deal with it, of course, the player will have to. Darwinia skillfully combines elements of action, strategy and puzzles, she became the first indie game to reach the masses. At one time, I was very surprised to learn that, from the graphic side, the game uses demoscene technologies - the main size of the game is its music files.$ 16.60 .
Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.
Clonk rage
True German quality - where else can you find a game in which you can arrange your life in this way (ok, Dwarf Fortress does not count)? Advanced landscape physics, industrial and military development chains, partial openness of code for add-ons - this and much more contributed to the extensive community’s love for the game.$ 22, the free version of the game is full-featured, but does not contain a bunch of delicious mods .
Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.
flOw
Conceived as part of a thesis on the dynamic change of complexity in Enova Chen video games, this game is the first of the meditative games I have passed. Being, in fact, a very, very advanced snake, flOw captivates the most pleasant picture and soothing music. I assure you will get an unforgettable gaming experience.Free flash version, $ 7.99 PS3 .
Flash, PS3.
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, have done a tremendous job, but despite this they think that their brainchild is far from being released. The graphics in the game, one might say, no - by genre, it belongs to bagels. Experts say that the gurus of the dwarf fortresses are like the characters of the “Matrix” - in the colorful symbols they see mountains, steppes, gnomes, walls, food ...Free
Windows, Mac OS X.
Post on Habré about Dwarf Fortress
Hammerfight
Domestic development. Fun game with an interesting story about the battle of pepelats fighting with swords, hammers, maces and a bunch of everything else that you will collect as you progress through the game. A unique physics engine allows you to feel the brunt of controlling a flying barrel with various weapons. The incomparable feeling of a successful strike bribed me from the first minute of the game and did not bother me during the whole adventure :)$ 10
Windows
Waited for Hammerfall
Gish
Surprisingly, the story about the resin ball, looking for his girlfriend can be interesting. Especially when we are given to steer this ball. And when we find out that he knows how to spin, shrink, jump and stick to everything ... And when it turns out that it is not easy to do all this ... In general, all this is enough to be a winner of IGF'05 :)$ 20
Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.
Death worm 2P
A simple action game that perfectly took over the spirit of its original sources (Tremors, Dune, Beatlejus, and others). As a result - the best (and only) sandworm simulator of all that you have ever played. You can play together with two worms :)Free
Windows I will be very grateful to the finder of a good game link :)
Toribash
Unique step-by-step fighting game with a good physics 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
A magnificent silent trip across 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 long enough, but I would see it more as an advantage :)Free
Windows
Eversion
Mario is more alive than dead. This is also confirmed by indie developers who manage to add just one but significant feature to the concept of a simple platformer. In this case, we have a multidimensional clone of a well-known 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
Continued Knytt. The kind developer added a few goodies, changing the gameplay only for the better. If you like the original - do not pass by!Free
Windows
Deadly Rooms of Death
A turn-based puzzle game in which you play an “extraordinary underground scum fighter”, burdened to clear King Dugan's dungeons from cockroaches, goblins and other evil spirits. With each move made, the monsters approach and, in order to defeat them, you must crush them with your Real Big Sword, which occupies a whole cage of the playing field. Oddly enough, but the turn-based mechanics of the game very well fit into the overall concept. Deadly Rooms of Death is considered one of the best (and underrated) indie games.$ 20 for each episode .
Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.
Dungeon crawl
Allegedly based on Nethack, ADOM and other bagels, the game boldly introduces innovations into the genre, offering an expanded set of primary 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 in it the main logic and tactical skill than memorizing all the special features and abilities.Free of charge .
Windows, Linux, Mac OS X
Nikujin
Brutal hardcore game about nude ninja saboteur. Despite the trivial management, you will not even have a training session immediately, let alone a campaign. An interesting feature - the game Ikiki - author Nikujin - always turn out to be either hits or failures. And this game is definitely a hit.Free
Windows
Cortex Command
An amazing game in which you must defend against hordes of enemies from orbit, defending the vital brains needed to control your own units. Exceptionally everything here is drawn in the style of Pixel-Art, and each pixel is a separate object. This opens up a huge number of ways to kill enemies and distort the landscape. For example, your unit may die from bleeding, because his body is left with only a head, or you can crush a dozen enemies, dropping the landing craft on them. Advanced AI, group tactics and an unusual physics engine are the main points of a large list of features that continues to grow. The game is still in development, well, dozens of mods help the game to brighten up a long wait, changing the gameplay beyond recognition. There is the possibility of playing Hot-Seat (up to four players with one computer).$ 18 .
Windows, Mac OS X.
Focus
Something reminiscent of the notorious N, Focus makes you learn to survive in the wildest conditions of your total destruction task. The only thing that is in your arsenal (except for jumps, of course) is the ability to teleport for a short distance. Like the heroes from the movie "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
Based on the game for SEGA Genesis Warsong (known in Japan as Langrisser), Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based strategy game that proves that loyal fans, united by a 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, created by the players. Also, the game is translated into many languages, including Russian. The development team includes co-founder of the Open Source Initiative, Eric S. Raymond, and other Open Source pioneers.Free
Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.
Noitu love 2
A great old-school platformer action with the most convenient mouse control and endless drive. I recommend to all fans of old games and those who are just in awe of the constant fighting on the screen :)$ 10
Windows
Braid
An incredibly beautiful platformer with a logical admixture, winner of many awards, Braid impresses with a colorful watercolor picture, calm and melodious music and the ability to fully manage time. Here you can not die. This is one of my favorite indie games, which I advise everyone to play, regardless of game preferences.$ 10
Windows Xbox 360.
Post on Habré about Braid
Lugaru
It's amazing how creative game developers are. Well, who would come up with the idea of ​​making a fighting game for passing about a humanoid rabbit Turner? And not just how to do it, but one of the first among indie developers to apply ragdoll physics, and even attach to this a non-trivial combat system, which you cannot master from the first time. But, having learned everything, you will feel like a true kung-fu rabbit, to whom the wolf is not afraid :)$ 20
Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.
Part Two .
Part Three
Part Four .
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/78674/
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