Video games play a very important role in today’s world. The electronic media which manipulates or changes images in it continues to create a visual output which is played by a person or two using consoles is what we define as a video game. These games were a source of contentment for around a month on using it just once in olden days. But in this generation, this has been a source of constant requirement. Video games are used as stress busters, as a plan to kill boredom, a cheer up after a busy day and so on. The younger generation being more attracted to virtual gaming is also a part of it.
Most of us have a personal computer or a laptop with high technologies such as sound RAM, good graphics, a sound processor and so on. But only the typical gamers know the fun of playing those games in consoles such as the song PlayStation. There are different types of games prevailing in the market right now. Some required high monetary investment and were developed and published by well-off companies or gaming studios. But there are also a few, which were created just for the sake of fun by individuals or a small group of people as an intern to the gaming world. Such games are called indie games or say independent games. These gamers successfully create games that are recognized worldwide without taking any external financial support and completely from their own investment. Let’s have a look at some of them.
The game “A plague tale: innocence” was developed and published by Adobo studios and Focus home interactive, respectively. The horror stealth game was released on May 14, 2019, and received a really positive review from the critics due to its action-adventure genre. The plot of the game was set during the time of the bubonic plague being spread throughout when the protagonist’s younger brother was locked up and cursed. The game also received amazing ratings and reviews from well-to-do gamers.
The rogue-like video game “dead cells” was developed by Motion Twin and Evil empire and later published by Motion twin and Playdigious. This Metroidvania was finally released with early access on August 7, 2018. Motion twin developed the game which wasn’t possible without the help of “The binding of Isaac”. The story revolves around the protagonist who fights their way out by collecting weapons and cells.
3.Hellblade: Senua’s sacrifice:
The action-adventure game “Hellblade: Senua’s sacrifice” was developed and published by the Ninja theory. The dark fantasy game was released on August 8, 2017. This game is a simple player game which can be purely called as an independent AAA game with a core team of twelve developers, a writer and a director. The game can also be called a combination of several genres like psychological horror, puzzle-solving and so on. A million copies of the game were sold, and a sequel of the same was announced in the game awards 2019.
4.Hyper light drifter:
The game “Hyperlight drifter” being a two-dimensional game was developed and published by Heart Machine and Abylight studios. The role-playing game snatched great reviews from the critics due to its action genre. The game was released on July 26, 2016, and had both single-player and multiplayer option. The lead developer Alex Preston claimed it as a combination of two of his famous games, “The Legend of Zelda: A link to the past” and “Diablo”. It is also known to have paid homage to 8-bit and 16-bit games. The game also received an amazing rating and review from the well-to-do gamers and was appreciated a lot for the same.
5.Enter the Gungeon:
The rogue-like video game “Enter the Gungeon” was developed and published by Dodge roll and Devolver digital respectively. The shoot ’em up genre video game was released on April 5, 2016, and was highly appreciated by the critics. The game is an offshoot of “Exit the Gungeon”. The game revolves around four characters who enter into a gun themed Dungeon, also known as Gungeon and search for a gun which can kill their past. Different well-to-do gamers dropped down amazing ratings, and reviews for the game and a million copies of the same were sold.
6.Alienation:
The shooter game “Alienation” was released on April 26, 2016. It was developed and published by Housemarque and Sony interactive Entertainment respectively. The other details regarding its gameplay, graphics and others were launched in the market by the publishers in 2015 itself. The entire game revolves around the future in which the aliens have the rule over the earth. The genre of the game is about an isometric twin-stick shooter having both the single-player as well as the multiplayer mode.
7..Mark of the Ninja: Remastered:
The game “Mark of the Ninja: Remastered” is an action stealth video game that was developed and published by Klei Entertainment and Microsoft studios respectively. The highly popular game was launched on October 9, 2018, for the PlayStation 4 platform. The game also scored a 90% aggregate in the Metacritic website.
8.Gris:
The hyped game “Gris” was developed and published by Nomada Studios and Devolver digital respectively. It was launched on November 26, 2019, for the PlayStation 4 platform and gained appreciable popularity by the critics. The entire story revolves around a girl named Gris who wakes up on the palm of a statue of a woman and her struggles to escape the scenario.
9.Hotline Miami 2: Wrong number:
The popular shooter game “Hotline Miami 2: The wrong number” was released on 10th and 11th March 2015. The entire game was developed and published by Dennaton Games and Abstraction games together and Devolver digital respectively. The top-down shooter game is made for a single player platform. The story is set between October and December 1991 and the events of Hotline Miami.
10Spelunky:
“Spelunky” is a two-dimensional indie game that was developed and published by Mossmouth, LLC. The game was launched on 7th and 8th October 2014 for PlayStation 4 platform. The rogue-like game revolves around a spelunker who goes through a series of caves and fights and collects treasure. The survival simulator received a great appreciation by the critics and sold millions of copies in the first few weeks of the release.
11.A hat in time:
The hyped game “A hat in time” was developed and published by Gears for breakfast and Humble Bundle respectively. The action-adventure game was launched on 5th and 6th December 2017 for North America and Europe and received immense popularity in a few weeks after the release. The plot revolves around a small girl who on her way home on a spaceship, goes through a lot of planets.
12.Celeste:
The Canadian video game “Celeste” is a platform game that was developed and published by Matt makes games. The entire plot of the game revolves around a woman named Madeline who starts climbing Celeste mountain and her journey. The game received a good rating from the critics and the game makers.
13.Moss:
The virtual reality video game “Moss” was developed and published by Polyarc which got hyped in a few weeks after its release. The indie video game was launched February 27 2018. The gameplay appears in a combination of first-person and third-person perspectives and belongs to a story-fantasy genre. The plot revolves around a reader who visits a library and starts reading an old book when he/she gets themselves lost in the fantasy world.
14.Shovel knight: Treasure Trove:
The two-dimensional platform game “Shovel knight: Treasurer trove” was developed and published by Yacht club games and was launched on April 21, 2015, for the PlayStation 5 platform. The entire story revolves around shield king and his journey. The game comes in both single-player and multiplayer mode and stays an offshoot of the “Shovel knight: dig”. The action-adventure game received a good appreciation by the critics.
15.Owlboy:
The platform adventure based game “Owlboy” received great appreciation from the critics because of its outstanding gameplay. It was developed and published by D-pad studio. The game was released on April 10, 2018, for the PlayStation 4 platform and sold a large number of copies in a first few weeks itself. The entire plot of the story revolves around a boy named “Otus” who’s also a member of the Owl-like humanoid race and his journey along with his struggles when a gang of pirates attack his village. It was also awarded for its outstanding plot.
A final wind-up
Indie games or say, independent games are known for their outstanding coverage at low cost. Most of the indie games are known to have made with really low investment and has average graphics quality. These are mostly made by rookie gamers or developers with a just for fun purpose without anybody’s monetary or technical help. These games were initially not given any importance in the long run when they were compared with high quality highly invested games. There’s one thing about the recently made games. It’s that games can be made for and by everyone irrespective of the quality, genres and controls.
