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[Zia]

SUPER HOT.
SUPER HOT.

Ahem.

SUPER
HOT.
SUPER
HOT.
SUPER
HOT.

This year was a massively disappointing year for me on the indies front, and a surprising year on the AAA front (especially the stuff coming out of Japan) while next year looks absolutely incredible. Super Hot (believe the hype), The Witness, Firewatch, Hyper Light Drifter, Ernesto, possibly Spy Party 1.0, No Man's Sky, Miegakure, Tacoma, Kentucky Route Zero IV.

Ridiculous amount of potential classics.

 

[Jobbs]

Owlboy will be 2016 at this point

.

 

[tiebreaker]

Firewatch, Hunger, and Cuphead.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Ghost Song for sure.

 

[Robert at Zeboyd Games]

Game Informer posted an article today of their 10 favorite Playstation Experience 2015 indie games with a lot of promising games. Included our game (Cosmic Star Heroine) - http://www.gameinformer.com/b/featu...al&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

If you're a fan of old-school JRPGs, such as Phantasy Star and Grandia, pay attention to Cosmic Star Heroine. This is some of the most fun I've had with a turn-based battle system, as it allows you to tap into a number of strategies.

 

[Jobbs]

Ghost Song for sure.

I appreciate the shout out big time but that's sooooo dated! that's the pre-KS build.

There's more recent material here if anyone's interested:

http://www.ghostsonggame.com/gs/2015/11/16/media-roundup/

 

[Granjinha]

This year was a massively disappointing year for me on the indies front.

whaaaaaaat

From the top of my head:

Kero Blaster
Soma
Undertale
Ori and the Blind Forest
Hotline 2
Crypt of the NecroDancer
Downwell
Kalimba
Stasis

So many good games

 

[IvanJ]

From that list, only Firewatch and The Witness interest me.

And I can't escape the feeling that we will again get about two hundred 2D side scrolling platformers, a thousand physics based puzzle platformers and about ninety nine twin stick shooters.

 

[RM8]

Indies do what AAAin't.

 

[More_Badass]

whaaaaaaat

From the top of my head:

Kero Blaster
Soma
Undertale
Ori and the Blind Forest
Hotline 2
Crypt of the NecroDancer
Downwell
Kalimba
Stasis

So many good games

Seriously. I just finally finalized my GOTY list yesterday and that was a struggle. So many good indies came out this year

 

[Zia]

whaaaaaaat

From the top of my head:

Kero Blaster
Soma
Undertale
Ori and the Blind Forest
Hotline 2
Crypt of the NecroDancer
Downwell
Kalimba
Stasis

So many good games

Haven't played Stasis, but for me Downwell is the only game from that list that can hang with the titles I listed off (never mind that I thought Hotline Miami 2 was terrible). Different strokes.

From that list, only Firewatch and The Witness interest me.

And I can't escape the feeling that we will again get about two hundred 2D side scrolling platformers, a thousand physics based puzzle platformers and about ninety nine twin stick shooters.

Check out some of the games on my list. None of them are any of those things.

 

[Granjinha]

Seriously. I just finally finalized my GOTY list yesterday and that was a struggle. So many good indies came out this year

Indeed. Incredible year.

Haven't played Stasis, but for me Downwell is the only game from that list that can hang with the titles I listed off (never mind that I thought Hotline Miami 2 was terrible). Different strokes.

I see. I actually like Hotline 2 more

Did you play Undertale?

 

[John Kowalski]

cmooon OP where is quadrilateral cowboy?

just thinking about it gets my panties in a twist

 

[Zia]

Did you play Undertale?

Yeah, keep bouncing off of it though so I haven't finished. It's really charming but I kind of find it super ugly and not that mechanically interesting. Definitely want to force myself through it soon and see if it clicks.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

I appreciate the shout out big time but that's sooooo dated! that's the pre-KS build.

There's more recent material here if anyone's interested:

http://www.ghostsonggame.com/gs/2015/11/16/media-roundup/

Fixed

 

[RM8]

Kero Blaster was GOTY last year, Kero Blaster Zangyou is GOTY this year.

 

[Granjinha]

Kero Blaster was GOTY last year, Kero Blaster Zangyou is GOTY this year.

Oh, it released last year? My bad then. I'm playing it and loving the game.

 

[ubercheez]

Thread too awesome for my browser to handle.

Everspace looks incredibly polished. FAR gives me slight FTL vibes, which is a good thing. Thumper looks like a visual treat, but will require an awesome soundtrack to go with it (like any rhythm game). And I still have no idea what The Witness is about, but the art style is great.

 

[RM8]

Oh, it released last year? My bad then. I'm playing it and loving the game.

Well, Zangyou mode was added this year

 

[Ulldog]

Firewatch looks incredible.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Yeah, keep bouncing off of it though so I haven't finished. It's really charming but I kind of find it super ugly and not that mechanically interesting. Definitely want to force myself through it soon and see if it clicks.

just to check, you're playing it the right way, right?

if you're ever attacking anything you're not playing it the right way.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

You're missing a bunch of good XB1 indies like Tacoma, Ashen, Cuphead, Thimbleweed Park, Below etc...

 

[Cryxo93]

Don't forget Hyper Light Drifter

 

[Zia]

just to check, you're playing it the right way, right?

if you're ever attacking anything you're not playing it the right way.

No, I think Toriel would be very disappointed in me if I hurt someone.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Redout and Hunger are both new to me and they are already at the top of my list of must play games.

 

[TheGreatMightyPoo]

What year is Yooka Laylee coming out???

 

[More_Badass]

Redout and Hunger are both new to me and they are already at the top of my list of must play games.

Yeah, I was sold on Hunger as soon as I saw the trailer. The atmosphere is so creepy

 

[dorisdelay]

Subbed and hyped. Roll on 2k16.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Some cool Kickstarters/IGGs I'm keeping my eye on:

Aviary Attorney: Hatoful Boyfriend meets Phoenix Wright
Chasm: Metroidvania type exploration platformer.
Distance: An F-Zero style future racing game, on Steam right now, looks great
Frontiers: One guy tries to make a game of Morrowind's scope. It's not going to work. But frankly, it's amazing to see him try.
The Flame in the Flood: Rogue-like procedurally generated 3D raft adventure
Ghost of a Tale: A 3D ARPG with a Redwall-ish theme where you're a mouse. Looks dope as hell, great animation.
Jenny LeClue Detectivu: Mostly because of the name, but this adventure game looks super swell to me.
Kona: Atmospheric adventure game set in Northern Quebec.
The Long Dark: So far so good, and with the additional boost of Early Access on Xbox One I think these guys will have the resources they need to really nail the final product
Obduction: Myst VI, more or less.

Orion Trail: Maybe the next FTL?
Project Phoenix: Just kidding, these guys are fucking scammers and this is a fiasco! LOL!
Rimworld: Just been amazed at how good this looks and how well the dev has done updating it. It's a sorta base building type sim with raiding combat elements.
Strafe: Quake era 3D Fps
Theme Park Studio: Looks like the best rollercoaster / theme park building game in a decade or more, on Steam right now, looks great

 

[Battlechili]

If it doesn't come out by the end of this year, I have no doubt that Oneshot's full version will release early next year, and I'm REALLY excited about its release, along with Hyper Light Drifter of course.

If anything, its OST alone makes it worth waiting for, just to see what new tracks will be added.

 

[Robert at Zeboyd Games]

Oh and since the tread says "2016 and beyond" I made some comments on what will probably be our next game after we're done with Cosmic Star Heroine. Wouldn't be coming out until late 2017 at the earliest, but more likely 2018.

Traditional JRPG. Lovecraft/Junji Ito Horror. Female protagonist. Multiple paths. Integrated difficulty (choices & maybe something kind of like Bastion). Castlevania/Megaten/SH-esque soundtrack. Goal to make it one of the scariest T-rated games ever. Have a possible title but saving that reveal until we have something to show off.

I've been wanting to make a full-fledged horror-RPG since 2010 and I've been working on this specific idea since January of this year so we're probably doing this idea next and not something else.

 

[More_Badass]

Some cool Kickstarters/IGGs I'm keeping my eye on:

Aviary Attorney: Hatoful Boyfriend meets Phoenix Wright
Chasm: Metroidvania type exploration platformer.
Distance: An F-Zero style future racing game, on Steam right now, looks great
Frontiers: One guy tries to make a game of Morrowind's scope. It's not going to work. But frankly, it's amazing to see him try.
The Flame in the Flood: Rogue-like procedurally generated 3D raft adventure
Ghost of a Tale: A 3D ARPG with a Redwall-ish theme where you're a mouse. Looks dope as hell, great animation.
Jenny LeClue Detectivu: Mostly because of the name, but this adventure game looks super swell to me.
Kona: Atmospheric adventure game set in Northern Quebec.
The Long Dark: So far so good, and with the additional boost of Early Access on Xbox One I think these guys will have the resources they need to really nail the final product
Obduction: Myst VI, more or less.

Orion Trail: Maybe the next FTL?
Project Phoenix: Just kidding, these guys are fucking scammers and this is a fiasco! LOL!
Rimworld: Just been amazed at how good this looks and how well the dev has done updating it. It's a sorta base building type sim with raiding combat elements.
Strafe: Quake era 3D Fps
Theme Park Studio: Looks like the best rollercoaster / theme park building game in a decade or more, on Steam right now, looks great

I picked Flame In The Flood when it come out on Early Access, and I was a bit disappointed. The game looks lovely, and the atmosphere is great, but the river sections feel like an arcade minigame stuck in the middle of a bare-bones survival game. I wish you could actually explore the river and actually experience some sedate calm river travel between the rapids.

The game in the OP, Tusks & Tigerskins, is more of what I had hoped Flame In The Flood would be. Dense dark jungle and serpentine rivers and you need to maintain your boat

Some Kickstarters/IGGs I'm watching:
Ghost of a Tale - Dark Souls by way of Redwood
RESET - Time-bending sci-fi puzzler with excellent visuals
Crosscode - Great action-RPG with really fun and satisfying combat
Darkwood - Fantastic survival horror, with some incredible sound design

Elsinore - A dynamic time-looping adventure game through the death and deceit of Shakespeare's Hamlet
Umbra - Gorgeous Cryengine-powered action RPG
Children of Morta - Roguelite hack-n-slash with wonderful pixel art
We Happy Few - Stealth/action through a English town that's a bit too happy, inspired by Bioshock and The Prisoner

 

[More_Badass]

Oh and since the tread says "2016 and beyond" I made some comments on what will probably be our next game after we're done with Cosmic Star Heroine. Wouldn't be coming out until late 2017 at the earliest, but more likely 2018.

Traditional JRPG. Lovecraft/Junji Ito Horror. Female protagonist. Multiple paths. Integrated difficulty (choices & maybe something kind of like Bastion). Castlevania/Megaten/SH-esque soundtrack. Goal to make it one of the scariest T-rated games ever. Have a possible title but saving that reveal until we have something to show off.

I've been wanting to make a full-fledged horror-RPG since 2010 and I've been working on this specific idea since January of this year so we're probably doing this idea next and not something else.

Sold. That's all I need to know. I learned about Ito earlier this year and his style and atmosphere is insane. If you can capture that in a game....

 

[A.D. Skinner]

Love the OP, many of the responses too.

This one has been mentioned but...no one posted a gif.

Come on guys.

Come on.

 

[Robert at Zeboyd Games]

Sold. That's all I need to know. I learned about Ito earlier this year and his style and atmosphere is insane. If you can capture that in a game....

It's not indie, but Siren's end-game has a very strong Junji Ito vibe IMO. One of my favorite horror games.

 

[Funyarinpa]

Sweet list OP

V411-H411A seems neat

Some cool Kickstarters/IGGs I'm keeping my eye on:

Aviary Attorney: Hatoful Boyfriend meets Phoenix Wright

HOLD UP
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP
HOLD IT RIGHT THERE
WHAT

Oh and since the tread says "2016 and beyond" I made some comments on what will probably be our next game after we're done with Cosmic Star Heroine. Wouldn't be coming out until late 2017 at the earliest, but more likely 2018.

Traditional JRPG. Lovecraft/Junji Ito Horror. Female protagonist. Multiple paths. Integrated difficulty (choices & maybe something kind of like Bastion). Castlevania/Megaten/SH-esque soundtrack. Goal to make it one of the scariest T-rated games ever. Have a possible title but saving that reveal until we have something to show off.

I've been wanting to make a full-fledged horror-RPG since 2010 and I've been working on this specific idea since January of this year so we're probably doing this idea next and not something else.

Sounds amazing, looking forward to it.

 

[Pehesse]

Still looking forward to Konjak's Iconoclasts! There was some updates this year, so who knows... maybe 2016 will be the one?

Otherwise, Cuphead and Ghost Song for me!

Spoiler

And definitely looking forward to releasing Honey Rose: UFE... hope I'm not the only one :x

 

[Magic Mushroom]

Excellent thread. So much to look forward to.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

OP is missing:

- Cosmic Star Heroine

- CrossCode

- Ghost Song

- Salt & Sanctuary

- Viking Squad

- La-Mulana 2

Edit: think my gifs are too large, oops... -_-

 

[Robert at Zeboyd Games]

Besides our own stuff, the indie games I'm looking forward to the most are Rain World (in OP), Heart Forth, Alicia (cute & colorful Metroidvania, don't think anyone here has mentioned it), Defender's Quest 2 (big fan of the first game), and Salt & Sanctuary (2D Dark Souls with Ska Studios style? Yes, please!).

 

[TheJoRu]

The Witness - January 26th

The long wait is nearing its end.

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

How ya gonna leave out Cuphead? Earthnight I'm really looking forward to too. My boy Paul Davey is lending his beautiful art to the game.

 

[More_Badass]

Besides our own stuff, the indie games I'm looking forward to the most are Rain World (in OP), Heart Forth, Alicia (cute & colorful Metroidvania, don't think anyone here has mentioned it), Defender's Quest 2 (big fan of the first game), and Salt & Sanctuary (2D Dark Souls with Ska Studios style? Yes, please!).

Have you played Rain World yet? It's fantastic, absolutely lives up to the hype. I had sky-high expectations, because it was my most anticipated game and I've been following its progress for years. And the game surpasses those expectations, and that was only the alpha

 

[More_Badass]

How ya gonna leave out Cuphead? Earthnight I'm really looking forward to too. My boy Paul Davey is lending his beautiful art to the game.

To be fair, I was hoping to highlight some of the lesser-known indies rather than the ones everyone knows about like HLD and Cuphead

 

[Das-J]

There really are a TON of fantastic indie games coming out next year!

In particular I'm looking forward to Astroneer, Firewatch, Cuphead, Wartile, Viking Squad and the release of our game Into the Stars.

 

[Robert at Zeboyd Games]

Have you played Rain World yet? It's fantastic, absolutely lives up to the hype. I had sky-high expectations, because it was my anticipated game and I've been following its progress for years. And the game surpassed those expectations, and that was only the alpha

No, I've just been watching the NeoGaf thread. Looks cooler & cooler each time it gets updated.

I have played Heart Forth, Alicia (at E3) and Salt & Sanctuary (on Steam - in beta) and they're both very promising indeed. Should both be amazing games when they're done.

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

To be fair, I was hoping to highlight some of the lesser-known indies rather than the ones everyone knows about like HLD and Cuphead

What the hell is HLD?

 

[GooeyHeat]

Cuphead and Drift Stage are definitely on my radar, but my most anticipated indie right now is Toejam & Earl: Back In The Groove. I'm so glad that the creators finally got the chance to make a sequel that actually plays like a sequel to the first game. I backed the Kickstarter at a high enough tier to get the game, and according to their updates they're planning on a September or October 2016 release (though I wouldn't be surprised if there were some delays, you know how these things are).

Funky.

 

[Granjinha]

Some cool Kickstarters/IGGs I'm keeping my eye on:

Aviary Attorney: Hatoful Boyfriend meets Phoenix Wright
Chasm: Metroidvania type exploration platformer.
Ghost of a Tale: A 3D ARPG with a Redwall-ish theme where you're a mouse. Looks dope as hell, great animation.
Jenny LeClue Detectivu: Mostly because of the name, but this adventure game looks super swell to me.

These look incredible. Ghost of a Tale is super impressive, considering the size of team. It's also coming to early acess early next year.

The playable teaser for Jenny LeClue was great, and so was Chasm's alpha.

So many good games coming out of crowdfunding. <3

 

[etta]

Invisible Inc.