Indie Watch 2011

[J T]

From Dust
http://www.fromdustgame.com/



This is not technically an Indie game because it has Ubisoft backing it. I'm willing to include it here though because it is the latest game from Eric Chahi who is legendary for creating Another World (aka Out of This World) pretty much single handedly, which paved a path for many future indie developers.

Anyway, From Dust is sort of like Populous from what I understand of it. There are these ancient tribes that worship volcanoes. You have a god-like ability to alter the terrain in which they live. I read awhile back that Eric Chahi wasn't even making games for awhile and just got obsessed with volcanoes and visited several of them. His research should help make this an interesting game.

[J T]

Fray
http://www.fray-game.com/



Fray is described as "a unique and fast paced multiplayer simultaneous turn based strategy game for PC and Mac". I'm not quite sure how a game is both simultaneous and turn based, but ok. They have a real fancy trailer though.

[Ivo]

Fray
I'm not quite sure how a game is both simultaneous and turn based, but ok.

I didn't watch the trailer but I would understand that as every faction gives the orders for the turn, then you watch the consequences.
So it is still turn based, but everyone takes their turn at the same time. In order to prevent a mess I imagine that everyone gives the orders during the simultaneous turn, then there is a simultaneous turn where the orders are carried out (with no new orders), and then it is an order giving turn again.

I remember in Blue Byte's games (like the Battle Isles series) from back in the day it was sort of like this - although, while there both factions were giving orders simultaneously, it always oscillated between moving turn and attacking turn (and whenever one faction had an attacking turn, the other had a moving turn). After both end the turn the attackers get their shots in and the movers that survive move out.

The contrast I guess would be with stuff like Tactics Ogre or FFT where you move and attack on your turn, then the other player moves and attacks in their turn - there is never simultaneous turns.

Ivo.

[Retro]

I'm personally looking forward to Project Zomboid.

http://www.theindiestone.com/lemmy/inde ... reenshots/

I like these guys, I talk to them sometimes, and I already donated, (moreso to keep them working on the project than the actual game itself).

I'd love to play a zombie game like this. Loving the pixellated art style and from what I've heard from their plans, the game is going to be more akin to Romero as survival seems to be the main emphasis.

[J T]

A.R.C. Squadron
http://www.psyonix.com/2011/03/a-r-c-squadron-is-live/



This is a lovely looking arcade style shooter using the UDK engine. It's currently in alpha, so you can play an early version of it in that link above. It sort of reminds me of After Burner visually, though the gameplay allows free movement in all direction. Here's a video of the gameplay

[J T]

Krautscape
http://www.krautscape.net/index.php



Krautscape is a unique racing game where the person in the 1st place position is able to bend the race track to their will in order to throw off their opponents.

[J T]

The Light of the Darkness
http://www.thelightofthedarkness.com/



The Light of the Darkness is a side-scrolling action RPG coming out of Brazil.

[SplashChick]

Lesbian Spider Queens of Mars was just released, from the creator of Redder and Mighty Jill Off. I really love this game, anyone who's ever thrown quarters into an arcade machine should be able to appreciate all the little details this game has to offer. It's available to play online now here:

http://www.auntiepixelante.com/?p=1034

And aspiring indie devs, please take notes. This woman is a genius of game design.

[Ivo]

Lesbian Spider Queens of Mars was just released, from the creator of Redder and Mighty Jill Off. I really love this game, anyone who's ever thrown quarters into an arcade machine should be able to appreciate all the little details this game has to offer.

The gameplay is spot on. My best score currently is 270200 (I haven't managed to finish it yet, it gets rather tough in the end).

Ivo.

[J T]

Wizorb



If the pictures are anything to go off of, then Wizorb should be some interesting mix of Breakout/Arkanoid and The Legend of Zelda. This is a new game from Jonathan Lavigne, creator of the Scott Pilgrim game and Ninja Senki.