10 Best Indie Games That Money Can Buy
Aptly defined as games created by individuals or small teams without any backing of mainstream publishers, Indie Games have started a revolution in gaming circuit that was previously unfound. Testimony to this is exponential rise in sales in the mainstream market through digital distribution alone. Their low cost further fuel there sales factor. But despite their low cost and low production budget, some of these games even manage to surpass big budget AAA releases of today with their simple yet complex gameplay mechanism, close to heart story or addictive new concept.
Indie games prove that Developers are only limited by their creativity, and not the size of their wallet. Gamersmint brings you ten such memorial games that warrants a must play for those of you who have been glued to Call of Duty or Halo. For others, it demands another playthrough.
1.) Minecraft
Developers: Mojang
Release date: Classic: May 17, 2009, Beta: December 20, 2010
Genre: Sandbox
Official Site: http://www.minecraft.net/
Taking the gaming industry by Storm, this simple Java game by creator Markus “Notch” Persson riveted a standard in Indie Gaming Scenario. Quickly passing a million unit sales on January 12, 2011, it’s quite shocking to believe that the game is still currently in development and Beta is the only continuously updated version of the game. The game oozes creative freedom with the simple concept of allowing players to build constructions out of textured cubes in a 3D world. The game is ground breaking in the sense that it denotes the Indie Game Circuit on the main arena, competing and decimating many other commercial games. Highly addictive, totally creative and winner of several awards including “Game of the Year” by PC Gamer UK, Minecraft denotes the jewel crown in representing the potential that simple Indie Games can create.
2.) And Yet it Moves
Developers: Broken Rules
Release date: April 2, 2009, Wiiware: August 23, 2010
Genre: Platform/Puzzle
Official Site: http://www.andyetitmoves.net/
While there are many puzzle platforming indie games in the market, And Yet it Moves developers Broken Rules reimagines the puzzle universe in quite an astounding sense. Like other platformers, players can move left or right, but the central concept of the game lies in the fact that the player can also spin the entire world either 90 or 180 degrees around their character as they move while retaining the physical momentum. Couple that with the heavily stylized graphics, the game goes on to offer a plethora of options and severe addictiveness to a complete new style of platforming experience. A must play game for any self-respecting platforming fan.
3.) Beat Hazard
Developers: Cold Beam Games
Release Date: 15 Apr 2010
Genre: Casual Action
Official site: http://www.coldbeamgames.com/
There are many musical indie games in the market, but perhaps none can match the visual grandeur that is Beat Hazard! (Literally). Famous for its seizure inducing gameplay, developers Cold Beam Games have developed an amazing way to enjoy your favourite music. Using the classic arkanoid style gameplay, the USP of the game lies in the fact that your weapons are the beats of the music itself! Quite simply put, beat of the music boosts your firepower and the spawn rate of the enemies. Complete with powerups and bosses, Beat Hazard is an addictive game with a gameplay value as vast as your music collection. Add the ever addictive “survival modeâ€, and you’ve got a game which very few in the genre can match.
