Why is everyone so obsessed with Indie games?

[JimmiG]

When did this indie craze start and why? I'm all for gameplay over graphics, but most of these games look like they came out in 1996. It's almost as if developers deliberately make them ugly because that's how indie games are supposed to be. There are tons of extremely talented artists and designers, e.g. in the modding community for some of the biggest games (texture packs for TES etc.), so it shouldn't be impossible to produce something that looks half decent.

Most games don't really offer anything new in terms of gameplay either. Many are just clones of old shoot 'em up games, platformers, turn based RPG's or point n click adventure games.

Maybe it's simply not meant for my generation. I grew up playing these exact kinds of games on the C64 and Amiga, before video games became big business. I actually appreciate that production values of commercial games have gone up. Imagine if games like Giana Sisters or Monkey Island 2 had the same kinds of budgets that the big games today have...

 

[KaOTiK]

3D art assets take a lot more work/time/talent/money

 

[Gothgar]

Most major publishers are not willing to make a new game. They'd rather rehash Call of Duty for the 50th fucking time or Madden for the 100th.

The Independent Developers are making games that are different and fun (obviously, not in every case.)

I think that is the big part. Also, there are some Indie games that look great! Not all of them get zero budget for graphics. Sometimes the art style looks amazing, and way different from anything else out there.

Take a look at Trine 2 for an example

 

[darkewaffle]

Because all the big companies are evil.

 

[Kalmah]

I have yet to play an indie game that I enjoy. I played SPAZ for a little while but the mindless grind did nothing but give me headaches. There was nothing fun about leveling up. The game felt un-inspired to me. I also tried Toy Soldiers; a tower defense game where all turrets do the same thing and it practically doesn't matter which one you use. That felt pointless as well.

The scope of these games is just too shallow. Even with a $4 pricetag I feel like I'm wasting time and money.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

Sometimes you just want to play something that's a little more casual and cheap. Plus indie devs are free to try something new whereas with a big studio there's more bureaucracy involved. Some of the indie teams are only a few guys so it's possible they're doing the coding and graphics and bug testing. A guy might be OK at coding and graphics but he's probably not going to be as good as someone who's only role is art direction. Sort of of an example. John Carmak is awesome at building game engines but I feel that the art direction/level design went downhill at ID when Romero, Hall, etc left the company.

 

[Anubis]

no idea most indie games flat out suck. sure there is the rare gem but 90% of them are worth nothing

 

[SMOGZINN]

When did this indie craze start and why? I'm all for gameplay over graphics, but most of these games look like they came out in 1996. It's almost as if developers deliberately make them ugly because that's how indie games are supposed to be. There are tons of extremely talented artists and designers, e.g. in the modding community for some of the biggest games (texture packs for TES etc.), so it shouldn't be impossible to produce something that looks half decent.

Most games don't really offer anything new in terms of gameplay either. Many are just clones of old shoot 'em up games, platformers, turn based RPG's or point n click adventure games.

Maybe it's simply not meant for my generation. I grew up playing these exact kinds of games on the C64 and Amiga, before video games became big business. I actually appreciate that production values of commercial games have gone up. Imagine if games like Giana Sisters or Monkey Island 2 had the same kinds of budgets that the big games today have...

There are several reasons:
1. Indy games take chances. They tell stories that other games won't, use experimental game mechanics, and make games in genres that major publishers won't touch. Sometimes this doesn't work, and the game is just bad. But every now and then it gives us something brilliant and fresh in a way no major publisher can.

2. They make games that will run on older, low end hardware. I have a 8 year old Dell G620 laptop that has linux installed. I am able to find a number if indy titles that run just fine on it. I'm not sure there are any mainstream titles that will run on it.

3. Sometimes simple is fun. The Binding of Issac is a fun game. It does not need better graphics, nor do I think better graphics would make it more fun to play.

I am 40 years old. I am with you on the C64 and old DOS games. But, many of those games are simply fun, and hold their appeal even today.

 

[BladeVenom]

no idea most indie games flat out suck. sure there is the rare gem but 90% of them are worth nothing

That also applies to the games made by big studios.

 

[PowerYoga]

I played a bunch of indie games that were more fun than modernwarfarshooter15maddenfootball and spent less money. Most of them are little timewasters but gems of beauty like Trine, torchlight, bastion and a bunch of others I truly enjoyed and loved are the reason I keep going back.

 

[Anteaus]

We like Indie games for the same reason we like Bruce Campbell, and trust me when I say it's not because he's such an amazing actor.

Games are an emotional experience. Sometimes you get your jollys from the graphics, sometimes the story, sometimes the action and sometimes from some sort of combination. Spending lots of money means you can often bring a bit more polish to each piece, but at the end of the day if it works it works.

I think indie games have been getting more attention lately because the biggies are more interested in releasing franchise sequels than bringing something new to the table and gamers are wanting something fresh. Your absolutely right that there are good and bad indie games. I'm just grateful we have choices, and I think that is why they are so important.

 

[SMOGZINN]

Your absolutely right that there are good and bad indie games. I'm just grateful we have choices, and I think that is why they are so important.

I think that part of the allure is that indie games are cheap, so when we get a bad one we can shrug it off and try the next one. It makes it much easier to find those gems.

For example, I've played about 30 indie games this year, maybe 4-5 of those were really good games, and 10 others were decent enough that I kept playing, and 15 or so have no more then a half hour played. The important factor is that I don't regret buying those duds.

 

[ImpulsE69]

It's all just tastes. I definitely don't care for many indie games, but there are a few that are just plain fun and played much more than any big AAA flashy title. AAA titles (for the most part) have moved into the "must please as many ppl as possible" realm. What this does is really limit what they are willing to do on chances that they might alienate or offend someone.

Many of todays "big" games were yesterdays "indie" games, and they took many more chances back then than they do with their 3-4th sequel (looking at you Bethseda). Skyrim is pretty, but it doesn't have near the heart it's earlier renditions did.

Bigger companies have stockholders and backers to cater to. This also puts limits on what boundaries they can push and directions they can go.

There are good and bad of both, but you will see more of a resurgence of indie games (especially now with kickstarter, etc). They will get better because they have many more avenues to get their product to a potential demographic than ever before, but just like the Android market, almost anyone who wants to can make a game and put it out there --- doesn't mean it's good.

 

[VashHT]

Like other people said they're popular because they can take more risks and be more creative than games from big publishers. I also find that a lot of them have unique art styles and graphics that are a nice change from the gritty realistic look that a lot of bigger games go for now.

Also, it's nice to see some old ideas come back through indie games like point and click adventure or turn based strategy or pure puzzle games. Basically ideas that were deemed not sure enough for big companies are being brought back by smaller indie games, I'm hoping some of them are successful enough that bigger companies will look into making those style of games again.

 

[Zenoth]

When did this indie craze start and why?

When multi-million dollars productions started sucking in mass?

 

[gothamhunter]

The scope of these games is just too shallow. Even with a $4 pricetag I feel like I'm wasting time and money.

no idea most indie games flat out suck. sure there is the rare gem but 90% of them are worth nothing

The list of games below would like to have a very, very strong word with the both of you.

Rochard
Limbo
Super Meat Boy
Trine
Trine 2
Legend of Grimrock
Bastion
World of Goo
Cave Story
Braid
Amnesia
Orcs Must Die
Binding of Isaac
VVVVVV
Terraria
Minecraft

 

[Glitchny]

The list of games below would like to have a very, very strong word with the both of you.

Rochard
Limbo
Super Meat Boy
Trine
Trine 2
Legend of Grimrock
Bastion
World of Goo
Cave Story
Braid
Amnesia
Orcs Must Die
Binding of Isaac
VVVVVV
Terraria
Minecraft

And these make up a tiny fraction of the amount of "Indie Games" around, doesn't really disprove what he is saying in any way.

 

[gothamhunter]

And these make up a tiny fraction of the amount of "Indie Games" around, doesn't really disprove what he is saying in any way.

Give me a list of the indie games that have been developed the last couple years and we can see what the exact percentage is; see what that tiny fraction amounts to.

The point is, there are quite a few indie games that are excellent quality games and can wipe the floor with non-indie game titles.

 

[gorcorps]

You have to keep the two things seperate. There are indie games, and there are "classic" or "nostalgic" graphics. Unfortunately most indie games use this, but not all. It works sometimes, but I agree it's getting friggin absurd how many games use such a dated look and claim it's a feature.

And it works in some games. Minecraft, Super Meat Boy, and some others actually have modern flairs on top of the more "classic" visuals. More and more games are coming out where it just looks dated though.

Then there are other games like Limbo, Trine, etc that look a lot more modern.

So... they aren't ALL that boring looking, but unfortunately a lot of them are (and then aren't good enough to compensate for the visuals).

 

[Glitchny]

Give me a list of the indie games that have been developed the last couple years and we can see what the exact percentage is; see what that tiny fraction amounts to.

The point is, there are quite a few indie games that are excellent quality games and can wipe the floor with non-indie game titles.

Lol no, I don't have a horse in this race so I'm not going to waste my time counting all the indie games released per year as IDGAF.

I was just pointing out that there are many indie games that are crap, there are multiple bundles of crappy indie games released all the time.

There are good indie games, but that doesn't mean that a vast majority of indie titles aren't steaming piles.

 

[Dumac]

I'm over the indie craze. Most of them are unoriginal, and way to many are" platformer + 1 gimmick" type games.

Sure, some of them are good, but that goes the same for non-indie games as well. I'd even say that indie games have a lower % of quality titles.

 

[Dumac]

The list of games below would like to have a very, very strong word with the both of you.

Rochard
Limbo
Super Meat Boy
Trine
Trine 2
Legend of Grimrock
Bastion
World of Goo
Cave Story
Braid
Amnesia
Orcs Must Die
Binding of Isaac
VVVVVV
Terraria
Minecraft

A lot of those games suck. A lot of them are just platformers with some rehashed gimmick thrown in. Some of them I feel like I played on newgrounds years ago.

 

[ImpulsE69]

A lot of those games suck. A lot of them are just platformers with some rehashed gimmick thrown in. Some of them I feel like I played on newgrounds years ago.

not that I don't agree...but the same can be said for 90% of the big name titles as well...

 

[Dumac]

not that I don't agree...but the same can be said for 90% of the big name titles as well...

I know, I acknowledge this as well.

I'm just saying indie games aren't anything special. Some people treat it as if every indie game is good, or that the % of indie games that are good is higher than non-indie games. I don't think either is true.

 

[rumpleforeskin]

watched this last week, kinda interesting to see the effort that goes into some of the indie titles

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1942884/