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Beeswing is a charismatic game dancing the line between adventure and RPG. Exploring a quiet Scottish village, you help citizens solve their problems in a beautifully handcrafted world. It’s this week’s indie pick. Created by Jack King-Spooner, Beeswing originally released in 2014. With a recent update, you can play the game in your browser. The…
There is nothing but darkness surrounding you. You raise your scanner and paint droplets of iridescent light that cling to the walls, guiding your way towards the surface and, you hope, home. This is Scanner Sombre and it’s this week’s Indie Pick. Scanner Sombre is an exploration game by Introversion Software, the team behind the…
Asura is a hack and slash that puts you in the role of a dangerous demon fighting an evil maharaja. Inspired by Indian myths and full of intense combat, it’s this week’s Indie Pick. I’m a big fan of rougue-lites and classic dungeon crawling. I picked up Brutal last year and still take time for…
I’m laying down to recover health by bathing my photosynthetic skin in the sun when my evil twin leaps from a portal and starts firing a laser pistol at me. I’m about to conjure a couple of fireballs before my narcolepsy kicks in at the worst time. Just another day in Caves of Qud. It’s…
You’re In Space And Everyone Wants You Dead is a flashy arcade shooter where you survive against a horde of monsters while bounding across a dizzying landscape. It doesn’t just have a great name; it’s also damn fun. That’s why it’s this week’s Indie Pick. Made by adamgryu, You’re In Space… is an experiment in…
Sky Rogue looks like it was ripped right out of an arcade. Colorful graphics, fun combat, and wonderfully realized community content combine for a damn good time. It’s this week’s Indie Pick. I was a bit surprised to see that Kotaku hadn’t covered this game much. My coworker Nathan Grayson enjoyed the gameplay, which is…
Cosmic Express is a cute and surprisingly difficult puzzler about guiding aliens through a space colony. It’s easy to pick up and offers a lot of challenge underneath all the bright colors. It’s this week’s indie pick! The goal is pretty simple: get the aliens where they need to go on a one way track.…
Beautiful platformers stand side by side with state surveillance simulators in ResistJam. Focused on projects that “resist oppressive authoritarianism in all its forms,” it’s full of great games. All of them are this week’s Indie Pick. There’s just shy of 220 games in ResistJam’s collection. The jam lasted for one week, allowing designers to make…
Every now and then, you just want to leap around and blast some robots. Exodemon is a first person shooter that channels some of the best old school classics to create a stunning shooting gallery. It’s this week’s Indie Pick. Designed by Brazilian studio Kuupu, Exodemon is a real treat to play. Dashing about with…
Hylics is surreal RPG created by Mason Lindroth. Following everyday schlub Wayne on his quest to defeat Gibby, King of the Moon, it is a game that thrives on confusion. Bloody skull will instantly kill you, some of the best armor is literal garbage, and randomized text adds to the confusion. It’s this week’s Indie…
There are few better feelings in games than shooting through a corkscrew at blinding speeds. Super Pilotis a futuristic racing game that not only feels damn fast, it lets you craft your own stunning tracks. It is this week’s indie pick! Super Pilot is Greenlit on Steam and should release sometime this year. Today, we’re…
Magic Wand is a whimsical experience by Stephen Murphy, aka thecatamites. An ostensibly simple tale of a search for missing friends, a mixture of silly writing and shifting visuals turns things absolutely absurd. It’s this week’s indie pick. Players take on the role of Radiget, an adventurer with a sharp sword and sharper wit, as…
It’s been a few weeks since we saw inexplicably famous white nationalist Richard Spencer punched in the face and the world has only gotten stranger. Luckily, games are an excellent outlet to explore the world around us. Handväska! is a silly response to the rise of modern fascism and it’s this week’s Indie Pick. Handväska!…
Luminous Corridor 2 is a twin stick shooter by Loren Schmidt that calls back to great games like Robotron. With oppressive arcade music and a trippy, neon wasteland to blast baddies in, it has equal parts charm and challenge. It’s this week’s Indie Pick. There’s no understating what strong visual aesthetics can provide for a…
A dangerous bird-man stands before you. Music beats rhythmically and and chimes down, each second signaling your impending demise. You only have one shot at this. You scramble to line up your attack and slice, cutting him in half. This is Sinewave Samurai and it’s this week’s Indie Pick. Sinewave Samurai is a game jam…
Fruits of a Feather is a light and breezy relaxation game where players can soar around a picturesque island as a hawk. With hidden caverns to explore and countless fruit to find, it’s a wonderful way to unwind and a very Cool Indie Game. Developed by Samurai Punk and featuring music from Skeletone Audio, Fruits…
Just because the Wii U was an afterthought for me, though, doesn’t mean it went ignored by the rest of my household.
The East Van EP is a collection of games from Canadian designer ceMelusine. It’s full of mystic visions, mixed drinks, and late night swimming. The mundane becomes magical in this series of Cool Indie Games. Bundling up three titles, ceMelusine manages to weave an experience full of wonder. In Oracle, procedurally generate statements turn into…
Catacomb Kids is a mix between a roguelike and a platformer, with equal parts magic potions and goomba stomps. You can also chop body parts off pretty much everything. It’s one heck of a challenge and a damn Cool Indie Game. Game designer Tyriq Plummer wanted to do many things with Catacomb Kids. He wanted…
Traveling for the holidays, I spent a lot of time sitting in trains and waiting on platforms. In the real world, it’s a pretty dry affair. In The Endless Express, it’s full of charm. Strange sounds play as bright trains shuttle wobbling creatures to and fro. It’s relaxing and makes for a Cool Indie Game.…
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