LONG BLOG
Some cool lesser known indie games I played and my thoughts on them!
As a disclaimer this is my first blog and a quick one so formatting/spelling may be weird etc.I just wanted to copy Destructoid users Seymours latest Blog and say a blog about maybe lesser known indie games I have played and my thoughts on them, pros and cons. I haven’t finished every game listed here but I did play enough of them so far to give some thoughts on them. Anyway hope you enjoy the blog and maybe check out some of the games if you haven’t heard of them before and are interested in them!
1.Unreal Life
Steam link:https://store.steampowered.com/app/1335560/UNREAL_LIFE/
Trailer:https://youtu.be/Fwr9OF4L3wE
Pros
-Beautiful colour choice and visuals
-Nice mix of the mundane everyday things with weird things
-Story ramps up later and gets more interesting
-Characters have enjoyable writing
-Optional minigame is kind of neat
Cons
-Some puzzles kind of drag on and are very simple
-Characters are great but you don’t spend much time with most of them
-Ending could have gone for a sad but moving ending but went for a happier one
-You do move a good bit slow and can get stuck on what to do sometimes
(If you like the idea of a slow game with a good amount for story writing and simpleish puzzles then this is a fun time, on the eshop but only on the American eshop and no other eshops still, it is on most consoles now I think)
2.Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass
Steam link:https://store.steampowered.com/app/706560/Jimmy_and_the_Pulsating_Mass/
Trailer:https://youtu.be/ybB-v2GD-AA
Pros
-The moments so far that are less light-hearted/normal were really interesting
-The side content is actually kind of neat unique dungeons tied to certain things about the main character etc.
-Your metroidvania like abilities get some cool uses throughout the game in and out of combat in optional and mandatory ways.
-Most part the writing is engaging if a bit padded out/overly long
-Side/optional characters get a good amount of writing and pop up regularly in the game if you look for them
-You can use the shake move to get unique dialogue on any NPC
Cons
-Combat is pretty simple and grindy and random battles, I recommend putting the difficulty down
-Art in battles feels off/basic
-Game can feel a good bit too grindy and slow in general
(Tldr: A good bit of interesting cool sad and unsettling writing and content but will have to deal with a very grindy game with a slow pace and feeling, very standard turn based combat system and pretty slow game)
3.Virgo Versus the Zodiac
Trailer: https://youtu.be/1rHIh270pjA
Steam link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/920320/Virgo_Versus_The_Zodiac/
Pros
-Imo the main character is a nice break from a usual/standard main character
-Most part the main character were fun
-Combat system is hard but fun, lots of build variety and unique feeling weapons/abilities and good bit of difficulty
-Some great difficulty/accessibility options, can adjust the timing for attacks freely
-Literally every item and object in the environment has unique flavour text, jokes with them was very entertaining
-Music is lovely well worth a listen
-Fun boss fights and side content
- A optional but neat Shump minigame levels at the end of each chapter
-Animations in combat feel nice
-Get to go to a good number of different and odd places especially the part with cows I think it was
Cons
-End parts feel a bit rushed
-Your choices don’t change much
-Does geta bit repetitive fighting similar enemies after a while
-Pixel art out of combat may feel a bit basic for some
- I liked the main character but some might find her a bit of an asshole
(Tldr, if you like more light hearted jokey games with Paper Mario styled timing based turn based combat in a much harder game you should have great fun with this game. Its not on consoles but their upcoming game Keylocker is coming to consoles! It looks pretty neat, similar to Transistor its set in a world where music is considered illegal combat seems a good it different too https://youtu.be/RzZOF9QxKZU )( the website that is like Humble Bundle, Fanatical regularly has this game for €1 in its bundles)
4.Dap
Trailer: https://youtu.be/6S0smR2w0Us
Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1372210/Dap/
Pros
-Unique and kind of unsettling but beautiful/nice art style
-Actually a good bit of variety later into the game
-Better combat then a usual Pikmin like game, can do a shoot attack based on how many Dap(pikmin you have)a melee attack, a shotgun attack and dash move
-The background story/story was light/small but interesting enough
-Music isn’t amazing but fits the game well
-Didn’t feel too long or too short
-Red spaces that corrupt your Dap and turn them into enemies if you stay in them too long was a good/fun idea
Cons
-Can be a bit slow/repetitive at parts
-The very few boss fights sucked
-Will annoy some that start of each level resets your Dap(Pikmin) amount to 0
-Later on the performance was shit for me lagged a good bit not sure why other games run fine for me
(If you like Pikmin like games or kind of weird feeling games you should enjoy this game I think it is PC only)
5.Red Ronin
Steam Link:https://store.steampowered.com/app/1222570/Red_Ronin/
Trailer:https://youtu.be/YmrPuRaL0d4
Pros
-Does a good job at being a fast-paced feeling puzzle game
-Niceish bit of variety chapter to chapter, new enemies, and a playable character later
-Scoring systems for chapters is a nice idea
-Music is simple but fits enough
-Bosses shake things up a good bit
-Maybe unintentional but you can with some levels solve them without using an item/unintentional way and save items for the next level and cheat/cheese it a bit
Cons
-Little story and what is there is basic and generic same for characters
-Does feel a good bit repetitive after a bit
-Doesn’t save until you finish a chapter very annoying
-Pixel art/level graphics probably will feel a bit too basic/repetitive
(It is on consoles and it’s a cheap and neat game bit repetitive but worth a try if you like puzzle games)
6.Spookware
Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1574250/SPOOKWARE/
Trailer: https://youtu.be/uOYy38Nu3QE
Pros
-Pretty charming writing and main characters
-Lots of fun minigames
-Each of the current chapters feel a good bit different and microgame focus
-Boss like microgame parts a neat idea
-Neat enough music if I remember it right
-Art Style in motion looked really nice and in minigames
Cons
-Only hints at more of a bigger story/villain near the end, it is 3 of 8/9 chapters doesn’t feel like a full story/game imo with the current 3 chapters
-You may not like that chapter 2 minigames are less skill and more Ace Attorney like evidence gathering minigames
-Writing might feel a bit repetitive/annoying for some after a bit
(If you like the idea of Warioware game or with a lot of minigames with much more story and characters you’ll enjoy this game, PC only for now and updates on future chapters have been non-existent now still)
7.Smile For Me
Steam Link:https://store.steampowered.com/app/1018850/Smile_For_Me/
Trailer:https://youtu.be/yXJKM83l4-I
Pros
-Manages to have a nice relaxing vibe and atmosphere/writing but a hint of sinister looming in the background
-The writing/characters so far are quite enjoyable and fun to interact and help
-Imo the shaking the head to say yes and no is a nice mechanic bit too basic but nice idea and to do
-Nice Art style especially the art for the 2D characters and the small amount of cutscene like parts
Cons
-Might feel a bit too slow you kind of help people out and then go to bed and rinse and repeat for each day
-Movement is a bit slow and it can kind of feel a bit confusing on what to do after a bit
(Tldr ;Check out Destructoids review on Smile for Me by Zoey its great! https://www.destructoid.com/smile-for-me-is-a-delicious-joy-maker-that-you-may-have-missed/ if you don’t mind a slower happier game with not much gameplay you should have fun with this game, I think its on consoles too, the website that is like Humble Bundle, Fanatical regularly has this game for €1 in its bundles)
8.Mo Astray
Steam Link:https://store.steampowered.com/app/1104660/MOAstray/
Trailer: https://youtu.be/c5_SqCOFsnM
Pros
-Beautiful animations, music and graphics
-Every enemy has a unique entry about their last mentions if you possess them(they do feel very samey though but nice touch)
-Nice variety from chapter to chapter
-Controls feel kind of unique and neat, you don’t jump normally, you aim in any direction and launch yourself towards it and stick to a surface, feels fast and fluid when you get used to it
-Bosses are pretty unique and fun
Cons
-Bit on the easy side especially with most bosses, bosses near the end ramp up nicely though
-Small story bits never got interesting or the characters big disappointment
(If you don’t mind a kind of hard 2D platformer like game then this game should be good fun, on all consoles pretty sure now, I believe the game added in nice difficulty options if you did find the game too hard or easy)
9.Glyph
Steam link:https://store.steampowered.com/app/1569150/Glyph/
Trailer: https://youtu.be/gP1xdXHEWJw
Pros
-Controls feel great and fun and a bit unique and nice speed
- Not a major thing but there is actually some kind of story and background lore
-Boss fights are neat
-Nice enough variety level to level
-Get a good amount of choice in what order to tackle levels in
Cons
-Controls might take a bit of getting used to
-Feels like there is a good bit of music lacking in the game not a lot kinda quiet
(If you want a good fun feeling 3D platformer like game then this is a good pick on most consoles now too)
10.Paperball
Steam Link:https://store.steampowered.com/app/1198510/Paperball/
Trailer:https://youtu.be/zNkptNMxnus
Pros
-If you like Monkeyball at all you will love this game
-Art style is a bit simple but charming
-Lots and lots of levels and it doesn’t feel too difficult but you can also speed run levels in fun ways
-Music is fine, not amazing or bad just fine
-Controls feel nice and tight
Cons
-Levels could more regularly throw new things in, they are fun but variety is a bit lacking
(On most consoles now, if you like Monkeyball at all you’ll like this game, nice also kind of 3D platform game without any jumping )
11.Lucah Born of a Dream
Steam Link:https://store.steampowered.com/app/896460/Lucah_Born_of_a_Dream/
Trailer:https://youtu.be/FPZjCVKhfpU
Pros
-A really interesting art style that really adds to the game imo
-Combat feel punishing but fair and fun with a good amount f choices in what companion attack to have and the like
-World feels weird and something you want to learn more about
-I think I remember the music being neat
-Not got to the point but apparently some weird but cool new game plus stuff with new stuff
-Hard but fun boss fights
Cons
-Story isn’t there much and it gets kind of vague and confusing form what I remember
-Due to the art style and layout of the world it gets easy to get lost or confused of where to go
-I remember I think you drop everything on death and that got annoying quickly
-Wasn’t an issue for me but the game might feel overly punishing to some and the art style will annoy some in motion
(Weird game but fun and kind of hard, check it out if you don’t mind a bit of frustration and vagueness but an engaging game. Similarly to Unreal Life the game has the weird thing of being on the eshop but only on the American eshop and no other eshops still. On most consoles I think)
If this blog was any use or intresting let me known in the comments and if you have any lesser known indie game reccomendations please drop them in the comments!If people like this blog or find it any use/helpful I might do more in the future.I could use these blogs as motivation/an excuse to clear out some cooler smaller lesser known indie games I have in my backlog. I thought about coming up with scores out of 10 for the games but decided not to.
I feel if people see something like a 7-7.5/10 with a good amount of cons that they may feel a game isn't worth checking out. I think all the games I show here are worth a try. What might be more of a con for me might be less of a deal for others and vice versa. These are all indie games so they are kinda cheap to check them out and see what you think of them!
LOOK WHO CAME:
