Last month I covered some of the best indie freebies around. This next group of games you have to pay for, but they're all well worth the price. These indie gems offer experiences unlike any that you have played before — that uniqueness has earned them awards and also helped keep them fresh over the years.
Part 2: Experimental Gameplay & Critical Acclaim
Gish (www.crypticsea.com/)
Gish is a normal platformer…except that you play as a ball of tar that can change shapes and affect the physics of the world. Yeah, it came out in 2004, but it won the IGF Grand Prize and is still a ton of fun.
Starscape (www.moonpod.com)
Like the 1980s arcade hit Asteroids? Starscape takes that game's basic control scheme and adds RPG elements, mining, and base-building mechanics. It’s an epic indie adventure game that will have you addicted for months.
Crayon Physics Deluxe (www.crayonphysics.com)
Crayon Physics started humbly enough as a free game prototype and soon evolved into the IGF Grand Prize-winning Deluxe version. Crayon Physics allows you to draw and create physics objects right on the page. The freedom that this sandbox physics gameplay affords simply must be experienced.
World of Goo (2Dboy.com)
2DBoy’s award-winning game started as a humble 7-day prototype, but soon towered over the competition as the immensely well-crafted World of Goo, now available on PC, Wii, and iPhone. This game's unique mechanics and spectacular design deliver a new experience with every level.
(continued on the next page)
Armadillo Run (www.armadillorun.com)
Imagine a virtual K’nex set on your computer with an odd looking yellow ball mimicking an armadillo, and you’ve got an idea of what Armadillo Run is all about. Sort of. It’s a physics bridge-building game that’s half simulation, half game, and totally worth a look.
Mexican Motor Mafia (www.scienceoftomorrow.com)
Remember the good old top-down PC versions of Grand Theft Auto? Mexican Motor Mafia takes the GTA formula, simplifies it to focus on car combat, and sets the game in Mexico. It’s an oldie but goodie.
PixelJunk Series (pixeljunk.jp)
The PixelJunk series and its developer, Q Games, may not be indie in the traditional, living-on-ramen sense, but their games certainly embody the indie spirit. Eden and Shooter both exemplify the fantastic experimental and simplistic gameplay mechanics that make indie games great.
Aquaria (Bit-Blot.com)
Aquaria is a beautiful game with an epic story — it's similar to Echo the Dolphin but adds some intuitive controls and innovative ‘singing’ mechanics. It’s better to experience Naija’s enthralling tale rather than have it explained to you, so I'm going to quit right now. Check it out!
Mike Gnade is the editor in chief and founder of Indie Game Magazine, a print and digital publication dedicated to highlighting independent games and the developers who create them.