So what exactly are indie video games?
You’ve probably heard of the term “indie” thrown around relating to video games. Indie titles have been around for quite some time now, and have slowly taken over the commercial aspects of the video game industry as a whole. But there are some misconceptions surrounding indie games — and they should be cleared in order to understand them properly.
Where did the term “indie” come from?
In the early 2000s, independent game developers began to use “indie” to describe their work. The word was a way for developers to separate themselves from large companies like Electronic Arts and Ubisoft, who were known for making big-budget games that were often criticized for being too similar to one another. The concept of indie games had been around since the 1980s—it was just called “homebrew” at the time. Homebrew games were developed by people who weren’t working for big companies, or didn’t have access to expensive game development tools like those owned by Sony or Nintendo. These homebrew games became popular among gamers who wanted something new and different than what mainstream companies were producing at the time.
Popular titles
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is an example of an indie video game. The game has been widely praised for its dark humor and challenging gameplay. Another renowned indie video game of all time is Minecraft—you’ve probably heard of it. The main character is a tiny square person who explores an endless world made up of other tiny squares, and can build things with those blocks as well as destroy them. It’s super addicting and fun for people of all ages!
Undertale: our favorite!
Undertale is one of the most popular indie video games of all time. In this RPG-style game, you play as a child who has fallen into the Underground, a world filled with monsters that have been banished by humans. You must survive in this world and try to find your way home—but how you get there is up to you. Will you kill monsters and become their worst enemy? Or will you befriend them and find other ways of helping them? You can befriend monsters by solving their problems. For example, a turtle named Temmie can only get into college if she finds a Tem Flakes box to eat. The game is filled with puzzles like these, where the solutions aren’t immediately obvious but also aren’t too hard to figure out. The game’s soundtrack is also incredibly well-done, which is another reason for its popularity: it uses chiptune music and other sounds from old video games in order to create an atmosphere that feels nostalgic without being overly so.