We’ve entered the new year, so it’s high time we started to look at the cool, creepy, and downright strange games hoping to find success in 2014. So, we gathered together around the Indie Mine table, and came up with a list of our most anticipated releases this year.

Spy Party

Ever wanted to shoot someone at a fancy soiree? Well Spy Party offers the ability to do just that with two players assuming two very different roles. The first is an assassin with a single bullet on a mission to murder an unsuspecting party-goer. The second role is occupied by the spy who must complete a series of challenges whilst mingling amongst a sea of NPC’s and remaining anonymous to the ever-watching scope of their would-be killer. The game’s focus on keen observation, perception, and crafty use of psychology helps create this ‘battle of wits’ atmosphere, making each round as tense as the last

Spy Party is currently in open beta, and available to buy now for $15

Magecite

2D side-scrolling RPG platforming is the name of the game in Magicite from student developer Sean Young. You assume the role of a beleaguered human, removed from your home and forced underground by an evil scourge. Whilst taking refuge in the tunnels below the surface, you discover an ancient system of caves filled with magical creatures and ancient gods. You and a group of friends can gather together and plunder the depths, fighting baddies and looting treasure on the way. Expect procedurally generated caves, boss battles, character progression and perma-death in this neat looking action RPG.

Assault Android Cactus

Arcade games were awesome back in the day, and the developers of Assault Android Cactus know this. So much so that they’re making their own bullet hell title… with 100% more robots. Assume command of a number of unique characters, each equipped with different weapons and tactics to take on the hordes. Paired with an addictive rank system and leaderboards, AAC is great fun even in its current state and will be one to watch for when it’s finished.

Assault Android Cactus is currently available on Steam Early Access for $14.99

Chroma Squad

Chroma Squad is a unique spin on the tactical ‘XCOM’ turn-based combat game genre. In essence, you assume control of a TV studio, and you must manage its production of a Sentai TV series (think Power Rangers). Buy new equipment for the shows production, ‘fight’ over-the-top menaces of the galaxy, and even square off against other ‘shows’ in multiplayer ‘episodes’.

No Man’s Sky

No Man’s Sky was revealed to the world during last year’s controversial VGX awards and whilst most of the show will fade into a distant memory, this game definitely left a lasting impression. With promises of an ever expanding universe, No Man’s Sky is set to be a big deal. Details are sketchy at best right now, but we do know that this is a space/planet exploration game in which everything is procedurally generated. Everyone will start their adventure on the outskirts of the universe, with the goal of making it to the centre for reasons unknown.

Volume

Volume is pegged as a retelling of the Robin Hood legend set in the near future, so expect more robots and neon glow to go along with your ‘steal from the rich’ narrative. As hero Locksley, you’ll be sneaking through each level avoiding crossbow wielding robot patrols and stealing everything on your path to the exit. Those familiar with the Metal Gear Solid series will feel noticeable similarities with the gameplay in Volume, as the game draws influences from Kojima’s earlier releases. Bundle all this with some great voice talent (Danny Wallace, Charlie McDonnell) and it’s easy to see why you should be watching this one.

Starbound

There’s a good chance you’ve already played this game considering the pre-orders alone breached the $1 million mark. Now currently available in a beta state on Steam’s Early Access, Starbound is set to make waves in 2014. The game is akin to Terraria in that it’s cast in a side-scrolling 2D view and shares a heavy focus on exploration and resource gathering. You’ll also find yourself sailing across the stars in a huge procedurally generated universe. Jump from planet to planet as you search for new equipment, new species and a new home. The game includes both single and multiplayer modes, allowing a number of friends to explore the universe together in what has so far been an enjoyable experience.

Starbound is available on Steam Early Access for $14.99 and is currently in its beta phase.

Son of Nor

If you’ve ever wanted to set giant rocks on fire and throw them at lizard men in the desert, Son of Nor is the game for you. Featuring a unique telekinesis and element manipulation mechanic, you’ll be expected to utilize every aspect of your surroundings to fight off your reptilian overlords and solve a variety of physics based puzzles. Multiplayer will also feature in the game and will include a number of extra abilities to make it more interesting like the newly introduced spell fusions. These allow you to combine the elements into bigger and better spells.

Son of Nor is still being developed and planned for release in Q2 this year, but you can purchase a $5 ‘Sandbox demo’ if you can’t wait that long.

The Witness

The latest project from fan favourite ‘Indie Darling’ Jonathan Blow, The Witness is an homage to the older days of exploration and discovery. Drawing from the MYST series, the game aims to allow the player to advance at their own pace, progressing as they solve puzzles and venture deeper into the island. Little more is known about The Witness other than we’ll be seeing it launch on PC and PS4 simultaneously, with an IOS version planned afterwards.

The Forest

As if getting lost in a forest wasn’t bad enough, The Forest introduces a bunch of genetically mutated wood-folk into the mix to add that extra ‘Oh crap!’ factor. Explore the lush undergrowth during the day as you scavenge for food and supplies. Once night falls you can expect your jolly through the woods to take a much more sinister turn. With full Oculus Rift support, The Forest is sure to have us on the edge of our seats.

Transistor

Creators of the isometric narrative-action game Bastion are onto their second endeavour now with Transistor, a sci-fi action RPG focused on a mysterious weapon of great power. Framed in a similar style to Bastion, the game will showcase some of the most loved aspects of its predecessor as you seek out the mysteries behind the Transistor’s previous owners and unlock the secrets of its power.

Overgrowth

Rabbit ninjas fighting each other to the death? Yes please! Overgrowth is all about the fluidity of play, from its almost gesture based combat to its parkour platforming, there’s a ton of potential in this game. In its current state, the game is more of a sandbox than anything else, with a robust editor included to make your own fun happen. Eventually we’ll see an entire campaign spring out of Overgrowth, and judging by the content so far it’s going to be bloodier than a screening of Watership Down.

Overgrowth is currently available via Steam Early Access for $29.99

Paradise Lost: First Contact

Metroidvania fans take note as Paradise Lost is something you should already know about. If not, then allow me to implant some knowledge sacs into your body. You play as an unfortunate extraterrestrial, which crash landed onto earth straight into the arms of a shady government organization.  It’s up to you to sneak and slither your way to freedom, using a number of skills and tactics to evade the guards and scientists roaming the facility. Expect an expansive game world, with chambered rooms and loads of content to explore.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is set to be a finely polished story driven adventure title from The Astronauts, a small team of ex AAA developers. The narrative centres on Paul Prospero, an occult detective with the ability to peer into the final moments of a murder victim’s life. You must use supernatural detective skills to investigate a series of murders in the picturesque setting of Red Creek Valley. There will be no combat in the game, so expect this to boast a strong focus of what the developers describe as ‘weird fiction’.

The Long Dark

Forged in the fires of post AAA development, a small team of developers hope to create this “first-person post-disaster survival simulation”. In The Long Dark you’ll have to combat the elements and inhabitants of the wild as you struggle to survive in the icy tundra. To go along with the challenges of surviving in the wild, you’ll have to make morally questionable choices as you encounter others in the fight for survival.

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

A good example of just how blurred the line between indie and non-indie games is Chucklefish Games. They are referred to as an “indie” games company which develops indie games… when in fact they are also a publisher. This is important because the technical definition of indie states that these games cannot have a publisher, and yet two “indie” games (Wanderlust Rebirth and Stardew Valley) are published by Chucklefish.

Wanderlust Rebirth, published by Chucklefish

“Indie is being able to make what you want without a publisher or client breathing down your neck. There are big indies and there are small indies but as long as you’re making the game for yourself, I think you can still be indie, no matter what your team size is.” – Alex Gold, director of Dark Scavenger

Stardew Valley was developed entirely by Eric Barone, and was planned to be self-published until a little while ago when it was announced that Chucklefish Games would be publishing it. Should Stardew Valley still be considered an indie game?

An interesting thing about the definition of indie games is that it never specifies anything with regard to sales, meaning that even if an indie game outsells a AAA game it is still considered to be indie. Therefore, unlike some people think, there should not be any connection between sales and the indie label.

Stardew Valley by Eric Barone

“An indie game is one which is made by an individual or small team driven primarily by passion. Indie developers make games because they like making them, not because they have to.”  - Andrew Sum, creator of Dungeon Dashers

At least part of the blame for the industry’s confused interpretation of indie is because of companies abusing the term. A great example of such abuse is EA’s “indie games bundle” which was released on Steam in May of 2012, containing Shank 1 and 2, Gatling Gears, Warp, DeathSpank and DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue. All of these games were developed by small studios but published by EA, technically making them non-indie.

I believe that journalists in the gaming industry can help the situation by putting at least a little more focus on how games they’re covering are being funded and what makes them indie if it is claiming to be indie.

EA’s “Indie Games Bundle” on Steam

“It’s not about trying to be professional. A lot of people come into indie games trying to be like a big company. And what those game companies do is create highly polished things that serve as large of an audience as possible. The way that you do that is by filing off all the bumps on something. If there’s a sharp corner you make sure that’s not going to hurt anybody if they bump into it or whatever. That creation of this highly glossy commercial product is the opposite of making something personal. Things that are personal have flaws. They have vulnerabilities. If you don’t see a vulnerability in somebody you’re probably not relating with them on a very personal level. So it’s the same with game design. You know it was about letting me take my deepest flaws and vulnerabilities, and putting them in the game… And let’s see what happens. ” – Jonathan Blow, creator of Braid (Indie Game the Movie)

Perhaps we’re just looking at this in the wrong way. Another way people tend to describe indie games is by calling them the innovators of the games industry, which can be true. Indie games do sometimes innovate, and the top-rated and best-selling ones typically do. However, this isn’t always true. While I’d love to say that indie gaming is all about innovation, often it really isn’t. Indie developers and studios also need to feed themselves, so they are often just as worried about turning a profit as big publishers and studios are. This isn’t necessarily a problem, although it does mean that even indie gaming tends to follow trends, meaning that many of the same type of game are sometimes released within a short period.

Braid sold over 55,000 copies on day one

“In our view, an indie game or indie developer is simply one that is independent from a publisher or a game in which the developers call the shots for how the entire game is made. For us at Superboss Games, that means being able to do things that are riskier gameplay wise and closer to our real vision of how that game should be which we think is important for new gameplay experiences.” – Rob Storm from Superboss Games

One thing I think we can say for sure about indie games is that they tend to be new IPs. Publishers are often focused on milking what they can out of their big money making franchises (ie Nintendo with Pokemon or Ubisoft with Assassin’s Creed). Just think about it… when was the last time Nintendo developed or published a new IP? I can’t think of any recent examples. Publishers are often reluctant to try anything completely radical because it’s outside of their comfort zone and outside of our comfort zone as gamers. Gamers today are usually more comfortable with iteration rather than innovation, meaning that we like (or are at least more comfortable with) things that are familiar to us rather than things that are completely radical and unheard of.

Project Stormos by Superboss Games

Of course, that’s not to say big blockbuster titles are lesser than indie ones, because that’s absolutely not true. A big problem that’s forming right now is this division being created between AAA games and indie games. In the end, they’re really not that different except for the way that they’re created. They’re both designed to entertain gamers, so why would we try to divide the two? It doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense, the worst of it being the indie elitism that I’ve been seeing in recent history. This elitism is the categorization and segregation of indie games from non-indie games to the extreme by gamers and developers; These people are compelled to separate the two because they feel that indie games are the only good type of game on the market. Indie games and AAA games can indeed exist in harmony, contrary to what some people seem to believe. Both of these types of game creation have value and both of them have produced some pretty amazing games.

I’m going to pose a question to you. You’ve got to answer honestly, otherwise there’s no point in even discussing this. If a game is good, does it really matter much how it was made? Does it matter whether or not a video game is developed independently by an indie development studio or by a big publisher? Does the way the game was made actually have any sort of impact on your experience?

Of course it doesn’t. In my mind, the very notion of that is ridiculous. Obviously a good game is still a good game, regardless of who it was developed by. To me, it doesn’t matter if a video game was made by Electronic Arts or Chucklefish Games. Don’t be a fanboy, if you want to objectively judge the quality of a video game, you must put past experiences aside and only focus in on the now. I say this because although there’s been a lot of uproar and controversy over EA lately, they are still capable of making good games and the judgement of games developed by them can’t be influenced by anything else other than the elements of the game. As gamers, we need to get out of the habit of segregating games. If EA makes a good game it is still a good game, regardless of the fact that they are a publisher rather than an indie development studio. This is also true in reverse, indie games are not necessarily lower quality than games made by big publishers. Elitism (both in indie games and in AAA games) is not a good thing and is rather unhealthy for the industry… something that we need to stop.

Minecraft recently surpassed 10 million sales on PC

“A game made by a large studio that isn’t backed by a large publisher. Since they usually don’t have a large budget they have to rely on creativity to sell their games.” – James Scott, Independent Video Games Journalist

At the end of the day, no matter what anybody says, there really is no universal interpretation of what indie games actually are. Nobody I asked about it seemed to be 100% sure, and all were wary about providing an answer as it’s a very difficult and loaded question… one that requires a lot of thought. One thing that I do want to see stop though is this idea of indie games being superior to AAA titles and vice versa, as it’s absolutely not true and judging a game whether it was made by a large company or small studio is stupid. What constitutes an indie game is subjective, what constitutes a good video game is not.

All opinions represented here are my own unless otherwise noted and do not necessarily represent the views of The Indie Mine or any of its staff.

© 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.