Not Your Average Game is a weekly peek into five indie games — some old, some new — each worth checking out.
Iconoclasts
Currently Available
Found On: Steam, PS4, PS Vita
I really can’t say enough about this title. At first glance, indie developer Joakim Sandberg’s “Iconoclasts” might not come off as anything entirely unique. On the surface, “Iconoclasts” appears to be nothing more than another metroidvania-style platformer sporting stylized pixel art, a commonly explored genre in the indie game market. However, “Iconoclasts” separate’s itself from the rest through an incredibly well-written story that only gets better as it progresses and a memorable cast of characters. As it grows in scope, so does the tale’s complexity, evolving into an emotional fable that is engaging in its own right given that it’s relation to some current hot-button issues.
The world of “Iconoclasts” is ruled by “The One Concern,” a religious organization that has eliminated privatization and established a socialist economic state. Citizens are given food, shelter and jobs, but face punishment should they ever stray from the tasks they’ve been assigned, express interest in other things, or practice their given crafts to perpetuate their own personal growth. An energy source dubbed “Ivory” becomes the main source of conflict, as who has the right to mine for it is brought in to question. Spoiler alert, The One Concern claims that right. However, a group of pirates living on the fringes of society, in an effort to combat The One Concern, have established a religion of their own, one based on freedom of expression, procreation and the study of both science and history.
Players take on the role of Robin, a kind-hearted engineering enthusiast with an unrivaled willingness to help those in need. With her trusty wrench in hand, Robin goes against the laws of the land to assist the members of a nearby settlement, leading to her pursuit by agents of The One Concern. Her optimistic personality and drive to better the world she lives in pushes her to interact with a multitude of characters on both sides of the fence in an effort to remedy the situation at hand.
“Iconoclasts” is a colorful adventure brimming with character that can and should be enjoyed by all.
Celeste
Currently Available
Found On: Steam, Xbox One, Ps4, Nintendo Switch
“Celeste,” the latest pixel-perfect platformer by Matt Thorson, creator of “Towerfall,” is proving to be a newfound indie favorite amidst gamers. The pixel-perfect genre is made up of titles such as “Super Meat Boy,” and the infamous “Kaizo Mario World,” platforming games that involve highly intelligent puzzle designs that demand incredibly precise jumps in order to traverse each level.
In “Celeste,” players take up the mantle of Madeline, a young woman on a journey of self-discovery. Madeline is attempting to climb the Celeste Mountain, the unofficial name for a real mountain located in British Columbia. It is believed that the mountain possesses the power to manifest one’s negative aspects, pitting them against portions of their true selves. Madeline is troubled by both feelings of depression and anxiety and prone to the occasional panic attack. As such, she is forced to overcome her demons as she makes the long, perilous trek to the mountain summit.
“Celeste” stands out for not only being a solid puzzle platformer with a number of interesting and unique puzzle mechanics spread across 600 screens but its inclusion of a relatable story about the pressures of modern life, ranging from relationships, psychological issues, social media and many others. In life, we are sometimes faced with great hardships that require time, effort and patience in order to beat. “Celeste” makes it a habit to remind it’s players that there is a sense of reward to be had in overcoming these obstacles, and that failure is part of the learning process. Players can expect to die a lot during their time with “Celeste,” and will receive plenty of encouragement from Madeline in the form of letters after each death, urging them not to give up and reminding them that failure is an essential part of our learning process.
Gorogoa
Currently Available
Found On: Steam, iOS, Nintendo Switch
Surrealism is at the forefront of Buried Signals peculiar puzzle game “Gorogoa,” making for an experience unlike anything currently on the market. “Gorogoa” is a six-year labor of love designed, developed and illustrated by Jason Roberts. This beautifully hand-drawn title tasks
players with sliding, layering, and exploring a number of image tiles that, at first glance, might not seem to have any lines of relation drawn between them. In doing so, however, players unlock magical, sometimes odd interactions that lead to new tiles, progressing a story about memory and loss that is anything but clear-cut at first but eventually leads to a deep, compelling climax. “Gorogoa” clocks in at roughly two hours of content, but don’t let its briefness turn you away. While the act of sliding and layering tiles is unquestionably shallow, the delivery is nothing short of compelling. Gorogoa’s beauty is found in both its accessibility and simplicity, making for a title that truly blurs the line often drawn between video games and fine art.
Crossing Souls
Release Date: Feb 13
Found On: Steam & PS4
Hot on the heels of a slew of 80s inspired nostalgia dominating our television sets, “Crossing Souls” by developer FourAttic aims to pay homage to the decade that serves as the very foundation of video game culture, and bring us back to those Saturday mornings plopped down on the living room floor, a bowl of our favorite sugary cereal and Nintendo controller in hand. “Crossing Souls” is a top-down, action adventure RPG with platforming, puzzle solving, side-scroller shooter scenarios and plenty of retro memorabilia sprinkled throughout. Set in a small, California town in the summer of 1986, a group of friends is plunged into the adventure of a lifetime after making a grim discovery in the nearby woods. After coming into possession of an ancient artifact linking the world of the living with the world of the dead, they find themselves in the middle of a government conspiracy that will test the strength of their friendship and pit them against a villainous army general with his own interests in mind.
Ikenfell
Release Date: estimated summer 2018
Found On: Steam
Game designer Chevy Ray, “Ikenfell” writer, designer, programmer and artist, describes the title as a quirky JRPG that borrows a little bit from a couple of his favorite franchises, including but not limited to: Paper Mario, Earthbound, Harry Potter, Carry On and Steven Universe. The title appears to play out much like your standard classic, turn-based RPG, but the combat throughout includes a tactics-style placement of characters, timed button presses to inflict or protect against more damage, and a tome-full of spells to cast against a world of unusual, yet strangely lovable enemies – the charmed pants are my favorite so far.
“Ikenfell” is the name of a prestigious wizarding school, very much like the more renowned Hogwarts, filled with its fair share of mysteries, magical artifacts, secret corridors and peculiar characters. A young woman by the name of Safina, the Harry Potter of “Ikenfell: more or less, quickly became Ikenfell’s most infamous student after first entering its magical walls. However, one summer she did not return home, and members of the school are being suspiciously tight-lipped about her disappearance. Players take on the role of Maritte, Safina’s less-than-magical sister who ventures into “Ikenfell” in hopes of finding the truth behind her sister’s whereabouts. In doing so, she will awaken her own sense of magic and use her newfound abilities to explore the sensational world around her.