The commercial indie gaming scene has seen an unprecedented success story unfold in recent years with titles like Minecraft, Magicka, Super Meat Boy, Limbo and VVVVVV challenging classic blockbuster releases in artistic excellence as well as commercial success.
Radiating plenty of retro charm we are sure you enjoyed these gems as much as we did. But which upcoming indie releases can we look forward to? Discover our ten most anticipated indie games below.
Bastion (Supergiant Games)
New developer Supergiant Games from California brings us this title in the vein of Diablo and 2009's surprise hit Torchlight. Don't let that description fool you though because this one certainly is no copycat. Take a look at its September debut trailer and you'll certainly agree. With the recent praise it's been getting at the Independent Games Festival we can't wait to finally play this.
Jamestown (Final Form Games)
Another new name in town, this Philadelphia-based studio certainly has an ace up its sleeve for anyone interested in shmups with unique settings. This bullet hell shooter is set in 17th-century British Colonial Mars. Yes, you read that right. But not only does it feature one of the most intriguing settings in shmup history, it also boasts a unique 4-player co-op mechanic.
Dust: An Elysian Tale (Noogy)
This XBLA title by developer Noogy has been in development for quite a while but seems to be shaping up nicely. Think of a worthy successor to the PlayStation 2's sleeper hit Odin Sphere and you're on the right track. It's been a while since we've seen any news about this but last summer's trailer is still looking as good as ever.
Official Dust: An Elysian Tale Website
Fez (Polytron)
The XBLA has long been one of the major platforms for commercial indie releases and this intriguing puzzle platformer is likely to cement this position even further. With its unique world rotating gameplay and blocky retro charm we're certain this is going to be a major success when it's finally released after 15 years of development. We can't wait to play it.
Warsoup (Moon Studios)
We've been longing for another good blend of FPS and RTS ever since 1998's BattleZone and Moon Studio's title looks like it might deliver just that, with a strong multiplayer experience to boost. And while some might call it's graphics sparse we like to refer to them as sophisticated. The developers still have to prove they can deliver on all their promises, but great promises they are indeed.
Hollandia (Pancake Studios)
And now for our under the radar entry. Again, another XBLA title but this time developed by a group of Dutch students. While not looking quite as polished as some other titles in our list it we've been intrigued by its unique setting (Dutch folklore) from the start. We're not entirely sure if this will actually see the light of the day with at least one developer joining Guerrilla Games in 2010 but we sure hope it does.
Owlboy (D-Pad Studio)
Yeah, another XBLA platformer. Norwegian developer D-Pad Studio's game mixes things up though with a flying mechanic, lovely pixel art, puzzle elements, a vertical level structure and a surprisingly novel steampunk meets birds setting. Gameplay details are still a bit shrouded but the bits that are visible in the trailer certainly make us long for more.
Voxatron (Lexaloffle Games)
Presumably lacking the depth and scope of other games in our list this combination of voxel graphics and robotron gameplay still captures our imagination. With interesting games like Swarm Racer and Jasper's Journeys in their portfolio we expect developer Lexaloffle to match the visual style with equally strong gameplay.
Snapshot (Retro Affect)
If there is one puzzle platformer out there being a worthy successor to Braid it's this quirky title by American developer Retro Affect. Featuring an entirely new gameplay mechanic it might just be the breath of fresh air puzzle platform fans have been waiting for. The promising gameplay is matched by a beautiful visual style, making this one to look out for.
Retro City Rampage (Vblank Entertainment)
While we're sure everyone of you has heard about this one already it would still be unfair not to mention it. Boasting an impressive 8-bit styled graphics engine, a delicious chiptune soundtrack and loads of nostalgic humor this is certainly one of the most hyped indie games in history. Let's just hope it lives to up to its promises; but seeing how far it has come since its humble Grand Theftendo beginnings, it's hard to doubt it will.
Official Retro City Rampage Website
What titles are you looking forward to? We know there are plenty of other upcoming games that deserved a spot in this list but we had to set ourselves a limit, otherwise you would still be reading this feature tomorrow! Here are some honorable mentions though, make sure to check them out aswell: Dustforce, Swimming Under Clouds, Cobalt, Scrolls, Monaco, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, BattleBlock Theater, The Witness, Capsized
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Comments
I've got my eye on FortressCraft due for an XBox indy games release, bringing Minecraft to the console masses (well XBox 360 fraternity.....possibly!) sometime soon.