Indie Game Reviews

Strangely enough, the ending of my second college semester and the long awaited beginning of summer has not resulted in the anticipated time to chill and get started on my final project. I have never been so busy this last while which has left little time for serious gaming and of course, the time to blog about it. What gaming time I have had is usually consumed by Minecraft, however I have managed to find some time to try some interesting indie games. Indie games are something I only became really aware of since beginning my masters and now that I am about to begin the complicated process of making one, I have a new level of appreciation for them. They are exciting examples of clever gameplay mechanics, interesting visuals and of people unafraid to experiment with new concepts. Digital distribution is the way forward and I went from reading about to playing several games in a matter of minutes. Steam is a great way to find these games, they are usually cheap and quick to download and dont require a dilithium based quantum computer core to play. Most of these games I found in the 'under €10' section.

Sanctum - Coffee Stained Studios

Sanctum was an interesting find. The game is from the Swedish developer Coffee Stained Studios. It was created in the Unreal Development Kit and is an excellent example of a new take on a traditional style of gameplay. This is a tower defense game played from a first person perspective. The player needs to build up defenses between waves of attacking aliens. Surviving each wave results in a reward of currency which can be used to build new defensive structures and upgrade the players personal arsenal. Each successive wave is also larger and often incorporates different types of enemies. Certain defensive structures are more effective than others against certain types of aliens.

The game is set in 3 different futuristic settings. Each world has a central power core that must be defended. The attacking waves all start from the same area and will take the quickest route towards the core. The player basically needs to channel the aliens into the longest route possible, meanwhile setting up weapon emplacements along the way. The levels have buildable squares where the player can place 'blocks', which act like walls. These can be upgraded to incorporate weapons while still blocking the aliens progress. Certain aliens are vulnerable to certain weapons and the player needs to balance the weapon placement to be as effective as possible against waves consisting of different types of enemies.

The powercore can be seen on the right and the buildable areas lead to it

Sanctum is played from a first person perspective. The player has a selection of weapons, machine gun, minelayer, rocket launcher and sniper rifle. When the player successfully defeats a wave, they are given money to upgrade and build their defenses. This can also be spent on upgrading the players personal weapons. At the beginning this isn't a priority, but towards the end of the game, even the best defensive system benefits from the player getting stuck into the action. Later enemies can be very strong so keeping your guns as powerful as possible becomes a necessity.

 

Being built in UDK means the game looks great. The presentation and setting are slick, the aliens look interesting as are the weapons and HUD. The game is also accompanied by a pumping soundtrack that really fits in well with the frenetic game play.

Overall I thought this was great fun. Before Steam forced me to install a dodgy update that ultimately corrupted and killed Sanctum on my PC, I was hooked. The new style of gamepay was a refreshing change from the standard forms I'm used to. The presentation is great at a very reasonable price, this game should not be missed.

Capsized - Alien Trap Canada

I heard about Capsized whilst trolling through Gamespot one day. I read a quick review and decided to part with €9.99 and give it a go. I was very impressed from the first moment the game started. The look on my face when I began playing was similar to the first time I watched Braid on a HD monitor. I was very excited to see that platform games are still very relevant today as they were 20 years ago. Capsized is an interesting and beautiful game that was developed by the Canadian developer Alien Trap.The player assumes control of an astronaut who has become stranded on a strange alien planet when his ship was damaged by a meteor shower. The player must trek through the wilderness looking for surviving crew and a means to leave the planet.

The first thing that will strike you is amazing presentation. While my computer struggled slightly when things got busy, the games visuals are breath taking. They art style in the game is fantastic. The character animations are cool, the different enemies are detailed and interesting. The games environments are beautiful. The alien world the game is set on has been lovingly created with great detail and is a joy to look at. Bizarre alien plants cling to every surface, flocks of strange bird like creatures flutter about in the background. The planets hostile native population inhabit villages made up of huts, totems and dwellings that can be found within caves or near their entrances. All of the games enemies look great and are nicely varied. Another very positive point on the presentation is the music. The games deep haunting electronic soundtrack really fits in with the games look and story very well. Short cut scenes between levels help bring the story along and the music really keeps the mood and atmosphere of the strange world very real.

Gamplay wise, Capsized is a fast paced action platformer. The player moves through the gameworld, fighting local wildlife as well as the tribes of semi technological natives. Each of the enemy types are different and have their own weaknesses and strategies for defeating them. Level objectives are varied also, from simple escape, to rescuing comrades to destroying alien artifacts, there is enough here to keep the levels varied and interesting.

While I am still playing Capsized and hope to finish it soon, I highly recommend this game. The visual style is really impressive and the game is a pleasure to watch in motion. While the platforming elements are fairly standard and there is nothing here I haven't seen before, this game is good example of the high quality products that are being produced by indie developers today. Again at less that 10 quid you cannot argue.

Beep - Big Fat Alien
I discovered Beep while opportunistically scanning through the Steam store looking for a bargain. In the old reliable 'under €10' category I came across Beep, and after some quick research and a trailer or two I decided to go for it. I was rewarded with another straightforward platform game that looked great and was lots of fun to play. The game was developed by the Canadian developer Big Fat Alien, which is made up of just 3 members. Beep is a good example of a good standard of game made by a small team of people with specific skills. The game was made in just 18 months and the result of all that work is polished attractive little game that is a testament to the dedication of its makers.

Beep tells the tale of a large interstellar robotic ship sent into space to search the cosmos. Hundreds of years after launch, it finally arrives at a star system and set about exploring. The vessel is capable of manufacturing small probes called Beeps which are sent to explore the surface of any planets encountered. The player takes control of these Beeps. If one is destroyed another is immediately launched to replace it. The game is split into different.. well worlds, which are broken up into a number of levels. The worlds have different regions, desert, forest, volcanic etc which keep the levels varied. The planets are already occupied by another robotic species that is hostile to you. Over the course of the game you learn who these robots are and why they are attacking you.

The gameplay is straightforward. The Beeps are fast and maneuverable and are armed large gun. Like Capsized, this game also features a gravity/tractor beam device that is capable of picking up and moving objects in the gameworld. Rocks, boulders, dead enemies can all be interacted with and used for a variety of purposes. There are many parts of the game where the player needs to reach a high platform or ledge and need to build their way up. Using the available blocks correctly is the key to success and sometimes these puzzles could take a while to work out. With a certain upgrade, the Beeps gain the use of jet engines and can fly around the screen. Fuel is limited but it can be collected readily. This opens up the new areas of previously explored areas adding a great deal of content to the levels.

Beep has a different visual style to Capsized. The graphics are simpler but don't lack in charm. The Beeps look cute and the game is colourful and easy on the eye. Certain effects like the torch, gravity beam and some unusual alien materials have cool effects and look great. The game doesn't have a rich soundtrack like the previous games which was a disappointment, but the ambient beeping and chirping of the robots is adequate here.

I enjoyed Beep a lot. While its not as frenetic or action based as the previous games, the platforming elements and gravity beam puzzles are much more a focus than in Capsized. The gently graphics and soft soundtrack make this a nice way to spend some time chilling out. This game sold for less than €9 so again, this a worthy addition to any ones collection.