Indie game cliches

[NormannTheDoorman]

I see this trend in "Indie"games. Platformers with no original controls/movement or level design.

Just arrow keys and space bar. The map may look different than the other indie games. The character and the NPC's may look different as well, but it plays just like any other "Indie" game. Art is different, but the game-play is the same.

 

[joal0503]

have you played?

 

[Puffy]

I think it makes sense. The idea to me is that the controls are simple so that it's easier to incorporate the themes of the game into them. It's a part of the idea across art that "form = content." Platformers are simple, the players have less options, and so it's easier to control design wise.

Best example to me is Ico, where the game even control wise revolves around your interaction with the princess. The fact that you both speak different languages is a nice touch in emphasising the gamer interaction.

I have seen "indie/ art games" in other genres. The recent "Spec Ops: The Line" is an interesting experiment with the shooter genre; not fully realised, still interesting. Silent Hill 2 (horror survival) is also a masterpiece in my opinion, art-game wise. It does seem true that they're largely in the platformer genre, but hopefully it's the start of moving on to bigger things.

I also really liked the comedy/romance game 'Catherine' if anyone's played it. It also had flaws (implied misogyny, etc) but was an interesting experiment with the dating sim model, I thought.

 

[joal0503]

spec ops didnt have anything special as far as gameplay...but man that story for a military shooter was refreshing as hell. had no idea it was an indie game?

 

[Puffy]

spec ops didnt have anything special as far as gameplay...but man that story for a military shooter was refreshing as hell. had no idea it was an indie game?

I don't think it was, I should have probably said art-game rather than indy/art. I think it was trying to be, and I'm not sure it succeeded, just agreed, I thought it was refreshing and as a concept had a lot of room for potential exploration.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

I think it makes sense. The idea to me is that the controls are simple so that it's easier to incorporate the themes of the game into them. It's a part of the idea across art that "form = content." Platformers are simple, the players have less options, and so it's easier to control design wise.

Yeah, I'd say it depends on the focus of the game.

I recommend Limbo as one of the good indie platform games. Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit was also interesting but I wasn't able to play the full game.

Journey is great too even though it's not a platformer.

 

[Cavallier]

Honestly I think it comes down to money. By definition Indie games don't get the financial backing that big games do. So, they write up an interesting story and interesting visuals and then back it with well known controls and game play because coding something new can be a bitch. At least, that's my suspicion.

Mostly I'm happy if it's not glitchy. Anyone played Alice: Madness Returns? Kind of half Indie half big company backing. Wonderful visuals, interesting plot, glitchy to the point of distraction during the first 30 minutes.

I played Catherine and thought that the misogyny was part of what made the game interesting. I thought that it was an intentional choice. Had it not been intentional then it would have been misogynist. Plus, I totally loved the puzzle aspect. I loved it enough that I would solve all the puzzle levels and let whoever was hanging out with me do the story sections. The story was interesting and it was fun to see all the endings but mostly I was in it for the sheep block hopping.

 

[NormannTheDoorman]

I played Home. Was an okay game.

 

[Puffy]

I played Catherine and thought that the misogyny was part of what made the game interesting. I thought that it was an intentional choice. Had it not been intentional then it would have been misogynist. Plus, I totally loved the puzzle aspect. I loved it enough that I would solve all the puzzle levels and let whoever was hanging out with me do the story sections. The story was interesting and it was fun to see all the endings but mostly I was in it for the sheep block hopping.

I'd be interested to hear your reading of it, if you have the time. I could see why it would work intentionally, the dating sim typically being about male fantasies, etc, for it to comment on, I was unsure about it. I remember thinking all the way through 'psycho-bitch' or 'psycho-bitch' - my friend came out with the dumped by both ending thankfully, I ended up marrying Katherine though which was horrible.

I personally found the Mutton twist hilarious.

I actually found the opposite as well. I loved the bar dynamic, and interacting with all the customers. I got quite wrapped in the story and got annoyed towards the end (where the puzzles were really difficult) for dragging me out of it. I liked how the story continued there though, with the sheep metaphors, and working out 'who's who' etc. It was a good choice overall, for giving the game variety...