With recent games like Five Nights at Freddy’s and Slender: The Arrival making a huge splash with gamers and lets-players alike, it’s downright wrong to say that indie titles can’t appeal to large audiences and “real” gamers. While it’s far more common to see indie developers experimenting with strange new ideas or mechanics, this doesn’t brand every indie title as niche material that only a small group of players can enjoy.Įxhibit A: Horror GamesThe recent outpouring of indie horror games shows that the independent gaming industry has something to offer larger audiences. There’s also the idea that indie games are always quirky or weird, and are not to be taken as seriously as bigger titles. Unfortunately, these assumptions often keep gamers from picking up indie titles at all.įor some players, there seems to be an association of the word “indie” with games that just aren’t quite good enough to entertain mass audiences.

Because indie gaming is a niche, gamers often make certain assumptions about it – whether they have previously played indie titles or not. The Indie MythĪlthough indie games span all genres and platforms, they’re still a niche in the gaming industry. The result? A 2D action-RPG that not only exemplifies what independent developers can achieve, but also rivals the mechanics and player immersion of AAA titles. Alex Preston, the mind behind Heart Machine, worked tirelessly and meticulously to create a game that offers an enjoyable experience for every player.

Indie fans have been drooling over this title for a while now, but casual and “hardcore” players alike should be putting Hyper Light Drifter on their wishlists. These early playable areas of the game have already been reviewed by Polygon, and will also be showcased at IndieCade 2014 next month. Today, developer Heart Machine opened a “preview build” of the game for backers who gave $25 or more to their Kickstarter campaign (or for those who buy the preview).

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