Indie Games, Repeat

Every time I think about it, I bring up the Game Marketplace and hit the Indie Games, and its New Arrivals. It seems like there is a new game every day there.

Just tonite, I downloaded free trials of Platypus, A Killer's Dream, and Neo Terra. They looked interesting, and a trial is a no-brainer. The games are inexpensive, if I end up buying the full version.

And yes, as I mentioned the other day, my download of Armor Valley turn out interesting enough, that I dropped the few dollars to purchase the full game.

(and I'm still playing through Sacred 2: Fallen Angel, but that's a post for another day)

Indie Games

I've been playing a buttload of Sacred 2: Fallen Angels lately. This RPG came out a while back, but I was effectively console-less, so did not get a proper chance to play it. After getting my console back online, and seeing my friends go all starry-eyed about it... I bought it. Buh... awesome time-sink.

That said. I want to talk about the "Indie Games" section in the Xbox Live Game Marketplace. There is some serious crap in there. (a "flashlight" app for your living room? really?)

But there are some really cool, very creative games happening there. And many more arriving constantly.

Solar is very interesting. Some gravitational mechanics, some strategy on planet pickup, a good number of challenges to try, etc.

Groov is an excellent little shooter, in the same vein as Crystal Quest or Geometry Wars. You have a defined area to move around within, blasting "baddies". The really neat trick is that your shots are timed to the background music. Tone, beat, and rhythm set the pace to the game. Beautiful.

And last night, I just discovered Armor Valley. The graphic quality on this is astounding, for a US$5 dollar game. The valley you fly through reminded me of settings from Mech Assault back in the Xbox days. I haven't decided to buy the full game yet, but am quite tempted. I'll certainly play the trial a couple more times.

The Indie Games are a refreshing source of creativity and simple, pick-up games. They seem to list for about US$1 or maybe US$2 each. I spend more on a beer -- great for a night, but these games can provide ongoing fun.

Go check it out. Maybe Head Shot (they're at version 2 now!) will intrigue you, but I bet there is something fun for you in this little corner of the Marketplace.