Believe it or not, before brother Tagonius and I became the servants of our Most Sacred and Gloriously Stinky Master, the Indie Skunk, we both were outstanding citizens.
Our achievements in fields such as medicine, quantum physics, pretty much every sport ever created and whatever you consider awesome were, humbly and sincerely, endless. Seriously. We were really productive. For real.
So—What happened? How did we ascend to our actual enlightenment? When did we stop caring about all that “being productive” nonsense and started caring for something way more important and bigger than ourselves?
Easy. We discovered indie games.
Here are our respective Top 5s. The lists have of course been approved by our Master.
Hallowed be Thy Smell.
Brother Gutsan’s Top 5
5. Risk of Rain / Hopoo Games
Almost endless replayability, lots of fun, charming retro pixel graphics and a memorable soundtrack.
What’s not to like?
4. SOMA / Frictional Games
Sci-fi horror at its best. Atmospheric, immersive and with one of the best voice acting you can enjoy in a video game. And what an amazing plot.
One of those games that you’ll remember for years to come.
3. Outlast / Red Barrels
The scariest game I’ve ever played. Masochism as a form of entertainment.
The subsequent pacemaker and the years of psychotherapy, TOTALLY WORTH IT.
2. FTL: Faster Than Light / Subset Games
High difficulty? Check. Replayability? Check. Everlasting earworm due to an unforgettable soundtrack? Check. Withdrawal symptoms once you decide to stop playing after 348 hours? Check.
This game is the best of its kind.
1. The Long Dark / Hinterland Studio Inc.
What would Jeremiah Johnson do if a geomagnetic disaster brings the end of the world?
With a long, fruitful development not yet done, this game never ceases to amaze me. Its survival mode is what other developers really mean when they talk about “personal narrative”. Exploring the wilderness while staying alive has never been as satisfying as in The Long Dark.
I have so much to say about this game that it will get its own article. That´s a promise.
Brother Tagonius’ Top 5
Ok, it seems that brother Gutsan has left me a little bit of space at the end. How considerate of him. If anyone has made it through his list without falling asleep, here’s the Top 5 that really matters!
5. OXYGEN NOT INCLUDED / KLEi entertainment
A fantastic colony management game with iconic aesthetics. I think I’ll never make it to the surface, but I’m a total expert at building efficient water systems to recycle pee.
4. going medieval / FOXY VOXEL
Build a prosperous settlement in a beautiful 3D medieval setting, get it destroyed by trebuchets, rage-quit and go back to build a prosperous settlement in a beautiful 3D medieval setting.
3. BEAT SABER / BEAT GAMES
This is the game you’ll show to your friends when you invite them to try your new VR glasses. You just only need friends.
2. SATISFACTORY / COFFEE STAIn studios
Is there anything more beautiful that turning a lovely green wild planet into a huge efficient and polluting factory?
1. OUTER WILDS / MOBIUS DIGITAL
Journey before destination. This totally stolen quote from Brandon Sanderson is the most perfect definition I can find for this little diamond.
That’s all for now. Stay tuned for more opinions you didn’t ask for and “really” interesting trivia about the minions of the Indie Skunk. Also for more reviews of the most amazing indie games.
Hail the Indie Skunk!