Table of Contents
- Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition
- Space Aliens Invaders
- Little Nightmares
- 16-Bit Soccer
- Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin
- Into the Breach
- Down in bermuda
From going on a bizarre adventure through the countryside of the United States, to taking care of the crops like a Japanese deity, and even crushing giant insects with powerful robots, the month of January presented us with several indie games that provide fantastic and unforgettable experiences for a price. very affordable. The following are the main highlights for the best indie games from January to PC (Steam), PlayStation 4, Xbox One e Nintendo Switch.
Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition
Developed by Cardboard Computer, Kentucky Route Zero starts simply. You take on the role of Conway, an old delivery driver who, along with his dog, is carrying a load of antiques. Somewhat lost, you discover that to reach your destination you need to take Route Zero. But where is Route Zero? That's just one of the questions you're likely to ask yourself as you venture deeper and deeper into the confusing depths of this "magical realism" adventure genre.
Absurdity starts to seem normal, perspectives change, time no longer seems to matter or make sense, and reason is something best left behind. At the beginning of the story, you might find an entire office full of bears strange, but by the end, you won't think to greet a boat full of electric skeletons as you silently make your way through a mysterious bat sanctuary. In short: everything does and, at the same time, makes no sense in the world of Kentucky Route Zero.
In addition to being a work of art with a unique visual style and atmosphere reminiscent of the 1960s, Kentucky Route Zero it is also an interactive narrative that works on several levels at the same time. The game is a deep and moving meditation on a broken society, on fractured relationships, life and death and the ghosts that haunt people and the places they inhabit or have inhabited. A twisted, haunted version of classic mid-XNUMXth century American novels, all mixed with a touch of Alice in Wonderland-esque weirdness.
Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition It's the full experience of the original game with a few extra items. A realistic point-n-click magical adventure that takes you on a captivating journey to a place that exists both below and beyond. Each act here brings with it a new perspective, new places and people to forge deep connections with.
Available: 4 PlayStation, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Space Aliens InvadersA classic is a work that resists the effects of time and remains interesting even after a long period of time since its release. Space Invaders is one of those classics, released in the first generation of video games. Thinking of rescuing the emotions of the 1978 classic, the Pix Arts lance Space Aliens Invaders, a great choice for nostalgic fans with a gameplay that insists on not getting old.
The game follows the style of the work from which it takes its inspiration, but with never-before-seen content, obviously. Expect new enemy styles, shots, and of course a good dose of difficulty. Best of all is that Space Aliens Invaders is now available for Steam and arrived on Nintendo Switch on January 13th.
Available: Nintendo Switch e PC.
Little NightmaresLittle Nightmares is the creation of indie studio Swedish Tarsier Studios, which previously worked on the series LittleBigPlanet. Perhaps this explains why, despite Little Nightmares be a horror game, it looks cute. Also, don't be surprised if you find the game with an aesthetic and gameplay similar to indie classics like Limbo and Inside because, just like these, Little Nightmares is also a game about someone small and helpless making their way through a dangerous and scary world.
The game is a brilliant experience, punctuated with notes of dark humor that are intertwined with genuinely disturbing moments. Even when the player feels frustrated at feeling so small in a world full of dangers that makes you die multiple times, that feeling is counterbalanced by dynamic gameplay, creating unique situations every time you fail to fulfill an objective.
If it were possible to define Little Nightmares in a single word, it would be: balance. The game constantly plays with light and dark, sound and silence, frustration and satisfaction. Even when the game proves to be challenging, the obstacles are presented in a way that the player will not feel bad about letting his guard down to try to figure out how to overcome a challenge. Even if it occasionally fails in the way it uses its basic mechanics, it still Little Nightmares leaves a strong impression on the player by always reminding him that, in the end, we are very small beings facing a gigantic scary world.
Available: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC.
16-Bit Soccer
Surfing the wave of nostalgia, 16-Bit Soccer, from Speech soft, it's a fun soccer game in the mold of the kids' party in the first half of the 1990s — who doesn't remember International Superstar Soccer? As the name suggests, 16-Bit Soccer it has 16-bit visuals (as it was at the time of the Super Nintendo and Mega Drive). The game does not bring the complexity of modern football games, and its premise is that it is easy to learn, but difficult to master.
As for content, 16-Bit Soccer features 120 different clubs, world tournaments, plus specific leagues from England, Spain, Germany, France and Italy — the cream of European football! 16-Bit Soccer is a fun option for those who like electronic football, but don't want the realism of games like FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer. And it can also be played in local multiplayer for up to two players.
Available: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series S | X, Nintendo Switch e PC.
Sakuna: Of Rice and RuinSakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is a JRPG developed by Edelweiss Studio and published by Marvelous. In this colorful and captivating visual adventure, Disaster is a courageous harvest goddess of the world of Yanato. She lives comfortably with the other deities in the Lofty Realm, but everything changes overnight when a group of mortals invades the divine realm and steals the offering of the goddess Lady Kamuhitsuki. As punishment, she and the mortals are exiled to the Isle of Demons, with a mission to rid the place of evil while looking for ways to survive in this inhospitable place.
Sakuna's basic gameplay is divided into two parts: exploration and simulation. Exploration sections allow you to traverse 2D environments to hunt down enemies, gather materials needed for combat and survival, and discover new gathering areas. The simulation sections task Sakuna with managing the day-to-day work involved in harvesting a rice crop needed to support a family. Engaging in both activities is necessary for progress, but you need to decide how best to invest your time. The need to balance activities and manage item and time resources makes for an interesting and challenging game cycle, without being too punishing.
Even if it's a little tricky when it doesn't have to be, Sakuna is a gem among the many indie games out there. Its satisfying and immersive simulation gameplay, exhilarating free-form combat and just the feeling of a warm and comforting experience as you play are what make it one of the best life simulation games of recent times worth checking out.
Available: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch e PC.
Into the BreachIntro the Breach is a roguelike-style game that puts the player in command of giant robots (mechas) to wipe out terrifying insects. Developed and published by Subset Games, Into the Breach is a turn-based tactics game where your squad of three mechs is pitted against a swarm of terrestrial insects, the Vek. Each level is played in just five turns on an 8×8 grid, and your ultimate goal is to survive, increase your robots' strength, and reach the final denouement, in which you finish off Vek for good.
On top of that, you also have amazing weapons on your side. If you're smart, you can make the bugs attack each other or push them into the water that kills them. There are always plenty of options, but you're rarely sure you're choosing the best ones. That's why, even though each battle takes place in just 64 squares and in five short rounds, you'll usually spend around 30 minutes in them, planning your choices.
And don't be fooled by the retro and simplistic look of the game. Into the Breach offers many weapons to try out, pilots with different skills to unlock and level tricks to use. For some, the game may lack the sense of mystery and expansiveness that one would expect from a tactical RPG, but for many, it's an experience that offers the player more than enough hours of tactical battles in a fictional universe- science at its best.
Available: Nintendo Switch e PC.
Down in bermudaDown in bermuda it's a fun game YES which is another one of January's indie games. With a light tone, the game tells the story of an aviator who ends up stranded for decades on an archipelago in the Bermuda Triangle. The player's mission is to help him escape from the strange and mysterious place, and for that he will have to face strange creatures and solve various puzzles.
The colorful visuals combine well with the relaxation that the game aims to convey, and it's easy to get lost in time — just like the unfortunate aviator — to search for all the puzzles available in the game.
While Down in bermuda can captivate adults for a considerable amount of time, it is with younger players that it can potentially be most successful. It is a great recommendation to escape the exacerbated violence that is easily found in games, and children and teenagers can spend quality time with this game.
Available: Xbox One, Xbox Series S | X, Nintendo Switch e PC.
Did you like these games? Also check out the best indie games we brought you in the month of December!
