Got any indie games you enjoy playing? Tell us about them; most indies could use the love. Here are a couple I've gotten into:
Produced by Tim Schafer's Double Fine Productions,
Stacking is about an industrial-age world populated by animate matryoshka dolls. You control a tiny doll named Charlie Blackmore, whose family has been forced into indentured servitude:
CharlieThe game's cutscenes are presented as silent film vignettes. As you play the game, whenever you come up behind a doll that is one size larger than you, you can stack yourself inside that doll, giving you control of it. You can then, in turn, stack inside a doll the next size larger, and so on. Each doll besides Charlie has a special ability which you can use when stacked inside it.
Stacking in actionThe game is easy to pick up and looks absolutely gorgeous. Given that it's a Tim Schafer game, you can be assured that hilarity abounds.
Train stationAboard ship- - -
Miasmata is a survival horror game. You're stranded alone on an island that is being used for researching possible cures for a mysterious plague. Bad news: You've got the plague and it's killing you. Good news: There are a bunch of huts where the scientists' notes can be found. More bad news: The scientists are all dead. Worse news: You're not alone after all: you're being stalked by a large, felinoid cryptid (shown above).
Part of the islandMiasmata was produced by two brothers using a built-from-scratch 3D game engine. That is near unto insanity in my book, but the game is, in most respects, beautiful. (I say "in most respects" because there are some things that don't look quite as good as others. For example, when you pour water into a canteen, the water looks... lumpy.) The sky looks very nice at
sunset!
Mapping is done with a fairly realistic triangulation system. You have a map, but it only shows areas as you discover them, and there's not normally a "you are here" indicator. Instead, you use your compass to sight known landmarks in order to triangulate your position. Once you've done that, then an indicator of your position will appear. (You'll also get one if you're standing at a known landmark.) Once your position has been established, you can use it to triangulate the positions of other landmarks. Get bearings on a landmark from two separate known locations, and that landmark will become known and will be shown on your map. It's a pretty cool system and one of the more interesting parts.
Ultimately, your goal is to cure the plague. To do that, you'll use
SCIENCE! Using the
scientists' notes, you can discover plants which medicinal properties which can help relieve (and eventually, cure) your illness. Ignore your symptoms at your peril; your vision will blur on occasion, you'll be more prone to stumbling, and you'll make easy prey for the Creature.
Oh, yeah, the Creature. It shows up once in a while and is essentially invincible. You'll hear a heartbeat when it's nearby, and it will quicken when the Creature sees you. I've encountered it twice so far. The first time, I was lunch. The second time, I managed to survive by running and breaking line of sight with it, then hiding in a bush until it gave up and went away. You can theoretically distract it by throwing objects (especially flaming sticks), though that didn't work too well for me. You can also fight it by throwing rocks or attacking with weapons, but I think that requires you to be in better health.
Miasmata is not for everyone. Except for the moments of terror when you're being stalked by the Creature, the game is very slow-paced. If you enjoy that, like me, you might want to check this one out.
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