Little Indie Games Worth Knowing About (Probably)

I just purchased it via the Xbox Android app, so it’s downloading to my console now (i love this feature!), but I stayed at my gal’s house last night, so won’t be home for a few hours to try it out. I’ll post impressions in the next day or two.

That said, I’ll be sad to leave Graveyard Keeper behind. It’s on Game Pass, so I started playing it yesterday on s lark, and had just gotten to the point where it gets interesting (I unlocked the church). What a fun little time-waster.

Well, I just played through the tutorial- an entirely separate thing from the actual game, which is a nice change. You just run through a little environment, and it gives you a simple understanding of the game’s important systems. Better than than shoehorning it into the main story. Based on that, it’s less janky than I thought it would be. Each weapon type seems to have separate animations which are fairly fluid, and controls are responsive. Based on this, the survival stuff isn’t too onerous, but that could be just for the tutorial.

Played through the “Tribal Blood Writ” quest in about 2hrs. Yeah - I like it. It’s not as difficult as some are letting on. I’ve only fought 3 different types of enemies so far though so I guess it depends how fleshed out a world can be made with a 10 man team.
Graphics on basic PS4 are not great but that has never stopped me liking something immersive in other ways.

Ok, I played the first few hours, then started over and played through the beginning again- more on that in a minute.

I agree with you @LutherBlissett that it really isn’t as difficult as people have been saying, even if I did ‘die’ a few times- the ‘death scenario’ concept is really neat. When you die, the game looks at where/how it happened, and loads a new scenario. The first time it happened, I was killed by a chocobo. I woke up in a cave, rescued by some sort of god/demon/something? When I went outside it was pitch plack, middle of the night- and that is something it has in common with Dragon’s Dogma- holy shit is it dark at night, and your lantern doesn’t do much. I figured out where I was, started back toward my goal, and promptly got jumped by a couple bandits. I managed to take one out, but the other… I was rescued by a huntress from my city, and woke up back there, concussed, and failing. I decided to restart- a note on that- this game is basically Hardcore mode. No save-scumming. Your character only gets one slot, and it’s regularly autosaving. But like I said, you don’t ever really seem to die, so you shouldn’t let that scare you off.

In my initial play, I bought a few things, explored the town, and left. In that exploration, I ended up finding a bunch of the stuff that I bought. So when I restarted, I managed to outfit myself pretty well for my venturing forth, very very efficiently. I recommend looking down underneath the lighthouse.

The graphics are indeed pretty shabby. But it does run pretty smooth, so I’d rather have a game that plays well and looks a bit naff than one that looks amazing and is a pain to play, especially one that can be this unforgiving.

You picked the right time to stop. It gets really grindy afterwards. Improved on PC, but the xbox version is months behind in updates.

Luther … as I understand “jank” I think awkward controls, a strange interface, and maybe some weird character movements.

Dragon’s Dogma with a controller on the PC version is smooth as silk. I would have never said it was “janky” … it’s actually what I would consider the opposite of janky. And I play Bethesda games almost every day (they are always janky).

Maybe I am wrong…

OK maybe i’m misusing the term then. I guess I was thinking of games like the Piranha Bytes ones that have interesting mechanics but lack a lot of “Quality Of Life” stuff and have an unpolished presentation?
DD was very “jank” on my potato. Is definitely better for me on the PS4.
@Don_Quixote
It definitely pays to look around - even before leaving the starting beach area.
Also there doesn’t appear to be a “Stealing” mechanic from what I can tell. I’ve been looting and selling anything I can grab.

Yes! No stealing! And that’s so great, honestly. How exactly does someone in another city knows that item is stolen, anyway? And yeah, pick up stuff, even if only to break it down- for example the starting rags you get on the beach to wear, you can break down using crafting into linen, which you can use to make bandages, etc. Once you understand this stuff you can really outfit yourself well before leaving the starting town.

Edit to add: regarding the stealing stealing thing. It’s not like an Elder Scrolls game where you can just walk into anyone’s house. Most buildings are closed off, and the ones you can enter, you can’t interact with any objects, besides a few- stash chest, cooking top, etc. There’s not that many items to take, and so you can grab anything you want.

Luther I wonder a bit what “jank” means - I think I know it when I see it - but in game I wonder. My thought isn’t that you had it wrong. My thought was it that I did! But optimally loaded Dragon’s Dogma on controller on the PC is super smooth. And I guess I could attest to that. Plus holy moly! that ng+! I spent last summer playing that game…

(hey by saying “I know it when I see it”: I am referring t an old supreme court case)

Oh man - I need to learn how to break things down.

Actually getting a bit of a Monster Hunter vibe now - just spent the last couple of days hunting and gathering. Crafting, selling bits and pieces and making rations.

I created a thread for Outward so we have a place to talk about it. I’ll be putting a lot of time into the game, so I thought it might be cool to have a more focused thread to dig in.

Ah, Outward graduates from little indie game worth knowing about to little indie game worth having its own thread! I’m so proud.

I can elevate ANYTHING to thread status. ANYTHING!

Oh great, kerzain’s gone mad with power and his avatar is too cute for anyone to stop him!

So I’m perusing Steam’s new release list, and I come across this new city builder called “Road to your City”.

I begin to read the description…

“Road to your City is a city building and management game…”

Good, good, I like those things!

“…with a heavy emphasis on football.”

…what?

So I look at the features…

"Build a city for people to live and work in. Create homes and provide jobs. "

Sounds good…

"Found a football club, adding and developing talent as it grows. "

Uhh…what kind of game is this, you guys?

So yeah, I dunno…

Wait, I need to know if this is actual football or soccer. $9.99 is riding on this!

What ever it is, I think its something the British fellow that filled in one night for Tom’s request Wednesday stream of New Star Manager might like.

WHAT

There’s a British fellow watching Tom’s streams? Let’s string him up!

Yep, sounds like a complete arse!

They used the word club. Pretty sure it’s soccer.