As you can tell, over here at smashing tops we have had a fun-filled winter holiday. Between visiting relatives and going on vacation we found the time to hold an indie game play-off and we selected thirty of the best Indie games out there, be they on PS3, Xbox or online in a flash format. Here’s part two of our Indie extravaganza!
10. Steampunk Odyssey
This isn’t a game that has garnered a lot of indie festival prizes or has broken into the mainstream. This is a simple and smart puzzler for people of all ages, programmed in flash and available on FatCatArcade.com. It will only take you about half an hour to finish it but it will be quite satisfying.
9. Inside a Star filled Sky
Courtesy of the same man that brought you Passage, comes Inside a Star Filled Sky is a procedurally generated, infinite game with over 100000 weapon mod combinations (eat it, Borderlands!). This majestic, incredibly well reviewed game should take you areound 2000 years to finish if you’re a completionist…
8. VVVVVV
VVVVVV is not an oversized typo but a popular and highly addictive indie game that featured gravity reversals and maddening spike pits. It’s not as challenging as I want to be the guy but it will drive you nuts and keep you entertained for hours.
7. Offspring Fling
Another innovative platformer, Offspring Fling sees you guiding a mother-creature that resembles Pikachu to the point of copyright infringement gathering its babies and using them as projectiles to solve puzzles and advance levels. A highly addictive puzller/platformer that nobody should miss.
6. Terraria
At first glance Terraria might seem like just a 2d clone of Minecraft but it is much more than that. While Minecraft’s focus is survival and resource gathering you’ll get the most out of Terraria if you enjoy over the top boss battles and crazy multiplayer action. Terraria’s monsters are not there to force you to build more and expand your domain but to entice you to fight and explore rather than hide at night. While Minecraft now has more monsters and a final boss battle it can’t hold a candle to Terraria’s battle madness.
5. Torchlight
Torchlight is now so big that it has a sequel but let’s not forget the Indie Diablo clone that many people claim was more fun than Diablo 3. Torchlight features massive monster battles, three different characters, cartoony graphics and, best of all, no multiplayer real currency stores. And if you like it, remember that the sequel is out.
4. Flower
Thatgamecompany has a three-game exclusive deal with Sony so this one is only available on the PS3. But if you fancy games that inspire you, well, flower is the experience for you. Because it is more than a game, it is almost some sort of spiritual event. You play a petal in the dreams of a flower sitting on the windowsill and you dream of spreading bloom to the world around you. You control the wind and turn the gloomy landscape bright and vibrant. Flower is truly a game for mature, thinking people who are looking for a bit of inspiration in their daily lives.
3. Uplink
The same people that brought us Darwinia also created this masterpiece that simulates the high-stakes world of industrial espionage. You are a hacker and your job is to obtain the required data for your employers without getting caught. Uplink is a great simulation of the shady software underbelly that is sure to keep you entertained for days.
2. Dungeons of Dredmor
A lovable tongue-in-cheek roguelike game that is absolutely perfect. Yes a flawless hack and slash that has multiple customizations, multiple levels and dozens upon dozens of hilariously punny monsters. And unlike the Roguelikes of yore, DoD has some very good and very funny graphics.
1. Braid
Braid is already an indie phenomenon. A time altering game about love lost and relationship regrets told as a fairytale. One of the most beautiful games ever made and one of the smartest ones as well Braid gives you control over time in various ways in various levels but also forces you to think about the nature of time and what you would do if you could turn back time. And there’s even a secret story within the game’s main story, specially there for completionists.
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