Indie game recommendation thread

Good god, I've just lost 3hrs to Vampire Survivors. There's something rather relaxing about it too. I enjoyed getting garlic and walking straight into the bats

If anyone remembers the game from XBLIG, I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES 1N IT!!!1 is on Steam for the grand price of nowt.
store.steampowered.com/app/1800730/I_MAED_A_GAM3_W1TH_Z0MB1ES_1N_IT1/

Star Drift Evolution is a nice top-down (or chase cam, there's lots of camera config options) racing game on Steam too.
store.steampowered.com/app/1005400/Star_Drift_Evolution/

Go and play Murder Dog IV, heathens, and find out the true meaning of chaos.



It's also a better Ace Attorney game than all those other Ace Attorney games. And it's free. And it's like 30 minutes long.

Aunt Alison

Just want to say thanks, I've really been enjoying HiOD this weekend!

Nice. I know what you mean about being moreish - it certainly has something. I'm glad you mentioned it as I'd have never found it otherwise. And its 1980's pocket money priced too. Just had a bash at the library level and managed to evolve my Garlic too. It was a lot of fun and I felt pretty invincible (for a while). I don't think I'm anywhere near to beating it, I've only manged to get to level 40 something in that Library stage so far.

Don't suppose you know what the 2 faded out vertical bars in the top right mean, do you? Nevermind, it's a big pause button for the mouse

Finally got further into the forest stage (about level 42) then this flashing reaper-shaped thing appeared and did me in pretty much straight away

May I recommend Toem and Chicory? Are they indie enough?

1st Five (of the second chancers)



12 is Better Than 6:
Top-down Western twin-stick shooter with a gorgeous art style, sublime soundtrack, and shitty, slippery movement. The shooting is also unnecessarily complicated, requiring the player to cock hammers with one trigger press, and fire with the other, yet still features a soft target lock-on. Extremely difficult, and not much fun. 5.5/10



20XX:
Roguelite 2D platformer, in the style of Megaman. Looks gorgeous, and plays very nicely, but is let down by repetition and/or unfairness in the level randomisation. Still, it’s a good ‘un, and hopefully the upcoming sequel improves on it. 7.5/10




9th Dawn III:
Top-down open-world dungeon-crawling rpg, with an interesting graphical style and decent combat that feels a little Diablo-esque. I have not yet played too much of this one, as it seems to be an expansive title that requires quite a significant time investment. However, it’s one I will come back to. “Nah, yeah!”




A Robot Named Fight:
Oh, look, another roguelite 2D metroidvania, but this one controls like bowling balls filled with shite. I love roguelites and roguelikes, fucken love ‘em, and I love how these mechanics are being incorporated into a wide spectrum of game genres, but this particular effort? “Nah…”



Atomic Heist:
It’s a top-down roguelite twin-stick shooter, in which you pilot a little ship around randomly generated sci-fi dungeons. It also happens to be a literal piece of digital shite, which may just manifest as actual physical shite if you play it for too long. So, buyer beware! 3/10

3rd five (of the second chancers)

Blasphemous:
See, now, this is my type of metroidvania, wot with all the dark, gruesome irreverence and self-flagellation and other grotesqueries, tee hee party time, lols. However, as with all metroidvanias, the backtracking remains an issue of tedium for me, which has put me off exploring the dlc expansions as much as they might deserve. 8/10



Blazing Beaks:
Top-down twin-stick roguelite shooter with an adorable, cutesy style that belies the solid gunplay and violence. This is a fun little title that can also be experienced in local co-op with a friend and/or enemy, provided you can tolerate their overwhelming body odour. 7.5/10



Bloodroots:
Top-down, high-octane mini-murder-sandbox, with a delightfully gory aesthetic. The hook here is the smorgasbord of weaponry and methods with which you can dispatch your lobotomised foes. But, it never quite lived up to its promise for me, as there always seems to be an obvious, intended path, which makes the game rather linear and repetitive in the long run. 6/10



Bomber Crew:
As a huge FTL fan, the idea of managing a flight crew on randomised bombing missions, fending off enemy fighters, etc, really piqued my interest. However, nothing deletes my interest quicker than an unintuitive control scheme, which this game proudly flaunts like nipple tassels fashioned from beef jerky. “Yeah, nah…”


Bombslinger:
It’s Bomberperson, but in the Wild West, with sludgy, imprecise controls and…blandness. Honestly, just stick to Bomberperson, and imagine them wearing a little cowboy hat. 5.5/10

Yeah, that’s a typo. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

BeetrootBertie

Never tried MP, sorry

5th Five (of the second chancers)

Crypt of the Necrodancer:
I want so much to enjoy this unique rhythm game spin on the traditional roguelike formula, but it gives me a weird headache while playing. I understand that options exist to possibly reduce such side effects, but I also stubbornly refuse to play it in an adulterated form. Basically, I’m a dickhead masochist that will keep trying this one periodically, and hopefully I can get past whatever it is that hurts my brain meat. “Yeah!”


Darkwood:
Survival games rarely grab me by the nipple chain, but a top-down randomised survival horror sounded pretty damn good. However, I was unimpressed with the pace and clunkiness of the controls in this one, though I really should give it another shot, as it is quite well regarded. “Ehhh…”


Deadly Days:
Top-down squad-based survival roguelite set in a futhermuckin zombie apocalypse. Futhermuckin zombies, for suck’s fake! It’s shallow, repetitive, and quite bland, and features a bit too much micro-management for my exquisitely refined taste. 5/10


Death Road To Canada:
Oh shiiiiiiii- another top-down roguelite (perhaps leaning more towards roguelike), set in another futhermuckin zombie apocalypse. Will the shuffling undead never stop? Will they not, I ask you!? This one focuses more on the action, randomisation, and fun. It’s a good time, with a great art style, some decent humour, and the option to play with other humans (yuck). I enjoyed this one, and will probably come back to it once in a while. 7.5/10


Death’s Door:
As impeccable as my opinions may be, this one is sure to be divisive. Sure, this isometric action title looks nice, but exploring this labyrinthine world is just tedious, particularly with the absence of a map (a massive pet peeve). Add to that a bland combat system, and it’s a recipe for yawns and sleep. More like “Death’s Bore”! Get it? Like “bored to death”? Do you understand the joke that I have presented here? “Yeah, nah…”

7th Five (of the second chancers)

Ghostrunner:
Part of me loves the fluidity and focus of this first-person cyber-ninja precision platforming spree, while another part wants to set fire to the universe every time I play it. My cycle with this game goes: “fuck yeah, awesome!” to “fuck this, never playing this again!” within the space of an hour or two session. But, stupidly, I keep coming back for more every month or so. “Nah, yeah!”



GoNNer:
I don’t get it. Warped, psychedelic aesthetic aside (which I do like), it’s actually a pretty sparse 2D roguelike platforming shooter. A major “meh” for me was the lack of enemy variety, not to mention an overall sense of progression limbo. I like weird, difficult shit, but would rather eat all of the brown acid than persevere with this title. “Ehhh…”



HyperParasite:
An average top-down twin-stick roguelite shooter with an excellent “parasitic possession” mechanic. It’s a shame that this mechanic cannot carry the game, as the action is just “ok”, and it seems to lack much in the way of other engaging qualities. Also, lots and lots of grind if you want to unlock all potential hosts. Still, it is often deeply discounted, and may provide a fleeting distraction from the reality of your life, you poor thing. 6/10



In Celebration of Violence:
Easily the worst impulse buy on this ridiculous list (or “ridiculist”, for portmanteau fans), this top-down action roguelike souls-like should be avoided at all costs. The combat is extremely ponderous, clunky, punishing and shit, while the fucking soundtrack is so fucking bad that it will make you shart out of your ears. Literally, one of the worst looping soundtracks you will ever experience. 2/10



Jydge:
From the Neon Chrome crew (which I thought was pretty alright), comes this tighter, more focused arcade top-down twin-stick shooter. Thematically, it borrows heavily from Judge Dredd and Robocop, and the action might very well be quite good…if I could actually see anything in handheld mode. Could be worth checking out, but certainly only on a decent-sized screen. “Ehhh…”

9th Five (of the second-chancers)

Lucah: Born of a Dream:
Reviews of this Spectrum-esque aesthetic top-down action game indicate that it is quite the polarising title. Consider me at the negative pole. The art style hurts my brain meat, the combat numbs it, and the story and progression annoy it. My poor, poor brain meat. “Nah…”


Mana Spark:
There is fun to be had in this top-down pixel action roguelite, and I quite like the focus on ranged combat (for most of the characters, at least). However, it is hampered by sub-par randomisation and…repetition-tition-tition-tition—tition. Apparently, more content has been dropped for it, and it’s regularly discounted. 6/10


Mr Shifty:
Top-down Nightcrawler brawler, where you teleport around beating up bad guys. It’s fun for a few levels, but ultimately quite bland, both in presentation and execution. Plus, my defective brain meat always, always, misreads the title of this game. Always. 5.5/10


Neurovoider:
Hey, here is one that I am definitely glad about returning to. This top-down bullet hell twin-stick roguelite features brain meat, bot destruction, loot, customisation, and a pretty rad soundtrack. It’s fun and cheap, but not cheap fun, whatever that means to you. 8/10


One Strike:
As a fan of Bushido Blade, I had high expectations for this obvious homage. But, the pixel graphics actually work against this title, exacerbating the sluggish, almost laggy feeling of the controls. I expect it would be a great drunken multiplayer fighter with “friends” (ew), but can’t see the appeal extending much beyond that. “Ehhh…”

Hey, you’re not the boss of me!

*promptly redownloads Darkwood*

But, seriously, I do see the potential in this game. It’s just a question of patience for me. I’m more into action titles like Dead Cells, Hades, Scourgebringer, so comparatively Darkwood is quite clunky for me. I understand that’s the genre and design, and will definitely return for another look. 

I know it is widely known but I have to mention Sayonara Wild Hearts too! Awesome game