30 Days of Video Games - BONUS: Why Do You Play Games Pg. 142

[-Robin-]

Day 4 - Favorite Game Series

I'm an FE nut. I grew up loving numbers and having a liking towards chess, so as a franchise that combines the two together, adds medieval elements, magic, and dragon gods, and multiplies that by loads of characters, Fire Emblem was a perfect match. The combination of RNG for stat boosts and the 25+ character ensemble you get in each game makes the games infinitely replayable, the music can really tug at the heartstrings many times and reminds me that most of the characters are relatively down to earth and have their own lives and motives, and the stories and characterization in almost every game are simply wonderful, with Fire Emblem Tellius as the magnum opus in that regard - kinda hard to believe this is from the same house of Mario and Kirby, though the games have been produced by Intelligent Systems, admittedly, but I digress.

Ever since I blind bought a used Shadow Dragon copy at Gamestop a few year back and loved it, I've made an effort to acquire all the FE titles that I can - Sacred Stones is all I need to get all the localized FEs Localized FE 1-6 when Nintendo?. And with SMT x FE coming soon, and the franchise getting a new lease on life thanks to Fire Emblem Awakening being a huge Critical! hit, I'm eager to keep expanding that collection.

[Lady Soniko]

Day 4 - Favourite Series?

 

Just posting a marker since I've got work today and i don't want to miss day 4. I'll edit this later if that's ok?

[Blue Swallow]

Day 4: Favorite Series

We'll besides SONIC.

TEKKEN

I love the TEKKEN series, I've loved the series since I was kid, and I've never stopped loving it.

3 cs was the first game I played and I fell in love with it, as I mentioned on day 2. TAG TOURNAMENT arcade was the next game I played, a pizza place my family went to often had a machine and I sunk a lot of quarters in it. It was there I found my other favorite character, and got acquainted with all the older fighters 3 removed. To make a long story short, I got the cs version of TAG, then1&2, and when they were released most of the games after.

I just love this series so much, while there's been some downs with the series, it's still great and continues to drag me in and make me play for hours.

One thing that's really great about the series is the characters, there so loveable, and there's really someone for everyone. Some of the more recent characters haven't quite wowed me, but I have warmed up to some. The best example is Alisa. At first I just thought, "oh an anime robot girl, why is she in tekken". But after playing through scenario campaign, she grew on me, and then with her friendship with Xiaoyu, she grew on me even more. Anyways, the characters are just done so well, whether there serious or comic relief there great.

The story is another great part. The first four main games had a really really fantastic story line, 5 kinda messed up and then 6 made it even worse. Almost every character lost what ever story line they had from previous games and new ones that weren't as good. A good example is Steve figuring out Nina is his biological mother in 4, in 5 it isn't part of his story at all, and in 6 he's teaming up with two other characters for the prize money. And that's just one example, Julia was one of the only characters that wasn't too badly affected.

Now, back to the first four games, the characters and their relations and connections to other characters were done so well, it could be the funny rivalry of Paul and grizzly bear Kuma, the interesting and often violent sibling rivalry of Nina and Anna, maybe the crazy and often suspenseful Mishima family, whatever it was it always entertained

As I mentioned in day 2 Ling Xaioyu is one of my favorite characters, my other favorite character is Jun Kazama, she was a big part of the story line even though she was only in one game, but she left a big mark on the story and was a big part of what made the it so good. I hope there will be a favorite character question so I can say more about her.

[Kamicciolo]

Day 4 - Favourite "Leaves Ninjashark's buried in deeper than ET the game was" Series

 

I don't care if we were recommended not to choose this, I'm picking it.

 

 

Sonic's been a big thing in my life since as far back as I remember. From first playing Sonic 3 when I was about 4 years old til this present day, I've been nuts about the Hedgehog, his buddies and the evil doctor with the metallic minions. Sure I've had times were I've maybe fallen out of interest in the series (like around Shadow's time), and there's been times where I've been more fixated on another series but I always come back to this. Sure the games might not be their best right now, sure they could have make better use of their cast of characters, and sure they could have grander and fuller plots, but at the same time the series has some kinda of charm that I just can't get enough of.

 

Seeing it all capped of in Generations was the icing on the cake too. That credits song is like the ultimate nostalgia rush. Here's to it not ending there~

[Goldenlink64]

Wait, did you just say... favorite series?

 

Ooooooooooookay. :3

 

Gonna go with my main boy Resident Evil here.... erm, classic Resident Evil. Not "Resident Evil 6" or Operation Raccoon City. Everything from RE1 to 4 is sublime (well okay, I haven't played 0 yet and Code Veronica kinda sucks but I still enjoyed it as an attempt at a RE game, I can't say the same for the new games today).

 

What can I say though? I love the characters, I love the atmosphere, I love the design of the Spencer Mansion and Raccoon Police Department and how replayable they are. Hell, screw what the haters say, I LIKE Tank Controls and the "awkward camera angles". These games that use them make me feel like I'm at home, in fact that's my favorite part of the RE5 DLC and why I plan on getting RE5 for that alone.

 

I even like the story, I never really got why they get so much hate. Yes the acting is silly but to me those diary entries in REmake/RE1 are some of my favorite snippets of backstory I've gotten from gaming. They set the tone so well. If you know what 4. // Itchy. Tasty. means, pat yourself on the back. You're awesome.

 

RE2 didn't have as good Diary Entries but I still really enjoyed the core story. I got attached to Leon, Ada and Sherry's family (whose story is quite tragic and I feel was really well done). That's also why I really enjoyed Darkside Chronicles. Yes, it's a rail shooter, but to me it feels more like a playable movie ala-Metal Gear Solid, and you know what? I'm fine with that. Darkside Chronicles is my favorite movie I've played through and I've dumped 70 hours into it to prove it.

 

Simply put I, LOVE Resident Evil, and I hope Capcom gets off their arse and makes a competent sequel I can fully enjoy again. Maybe do what they did with Megaman 9 and go back to basics and "remake" RE2 like they did with Megaman 2. I would LOVE a spiritual successor to the Police Station. Please Capcom, I still believe in you.

 

Previously on Day 3:

Next time on Day 5:

[Exploder]

Day 4: Favorite Series

 

 

As an entire series, Mass Effect is my favorite. Mainly due to its vast scope and universe, rivaling that of franchises like Star Trek and Star Wars, and nearly every part of that universe is explored in-depth within three games.

 

The series has given players memorable characters such as Garrus, Tali, Liara, Wrex, Mordin, Zaeed, the Illusive Man, and others, and we see many of them, especially the ones that stay around since the first game, develop and react to the many things that happen all the way into the third - really makes me, at least, feel close to them. And this is even more true for the player character himself/herself, Commander Shepard.

 

Gameplay is something I have less to say on, but in general, it's good enough for me. Six classes, six ways of causing mayhem, many different types of guns and abilities, and you can mix and match them for your own squadmates as well. Boom.

 

And that's not even how each subsequent game remembers choices you've made in the previous one by reading your save file, and appropriately changing things up here and there, so it feels pretty cohesive.

 

So that's probably why for me. Yes, we all know about its ending, but it doesn't change the good experiences I did have with all three games, which is a lot.

[Noir]

Day 4 - Favorite Series

 

As no surprise to anyone who's ever had a conversation with me about Samus, it's...

 

 

If I really felt like it I could surely write a whole paper gushing on why Metroid is not only my favorite video game series but likely my favorite series out of any kind of media (unless I'm forgetting something, which I could be). 

 

I hardly know where to even start praising it. A sense of grandness and exploration is something I love in a video game and Metroid perfects them. The 2D games are expansive and a joy to look at, but are blown completely out of the water by the Prime series. The environments are so gorgeously crafted, full of intricacies and details that create incredibly believable worlds, each one as interesting as any other. The progression and discovery, finding a new item and realizing it's exactly what you need to go back and progress further in one area or just grab an extra missile pack, make exploring even more rewarding than it already is for the fun of seeing more of the world. The species designs are wonderful, and the music always sets the mood fantastically, rounding out a great experience. I won't even delve into its storytelling and lore - Prime's scanning is the most excellent invention ever and I could spend forever on why, but there's simply no better way I can imagine to create such a sense of discovering the world as though you were Samus herself.

 

Metroid 2 and Prime Hunters might be a little iffy next to the rest of the series, but in all its time it's not had a single bad game, and even two iffy ones hardly detract from fact that the rest are absolutely exceptional. 

 

It's too bad they haven't made any games since Metroid Prime 3!

[DemonShad716]

Day 4: Favorite Series

 

I'm gonna pull off a 2 for 1 since these 2 series are both favorites as well as try to make these posts a little interesting. Of course, for the obviousness,  Sonic is my most favorite series of all time. But to mix things up a bit, I'll include my runner up favorite and that is the entire Halo series. I really love the plotlines for each franchise and both of them carry over to different titles. Like with Sonic having comics, TV shows, and games each having their own enjoyable plotline. In SA2, for example,  with Shadow's backstory on the Space Colony ARK, that plot carries over to Heroes with his memories and then with his own game finishing it off. Whereas with Halo, they have novels, comics and prequels after each title, which get more in-depth with the characters. Halo 4 even has a sub series that has its own storyline which is TONS more fun than the main game itself. As for Sonic, I am still hyped to see what Sonic Boom's plotline is like, seeing as it has its own branch in the Sonic series.

[Alex2Beta]

Gonna jump right into this topic, hopefully I won't forget about it.

 

DAY 4: Favorite Series.

 

Kinda hard to say since I can't always really say which one..I guess I'll just throw a few out that I seem to invest myself in a little too much.

 

Ace Attorney Series.

90% percent objection-filled bliss

 

Oh boy, I remember only knowing of AA games through mere memes few years back, and I remember not finding much interest for it even though I was a tad bit curious. Eventually, I shouted "Screw it" in my head and caved in on buying the first game on DS -- and I was AMAZED.

 

Let me elaborate.

 

You play as a lawyer, and you have to simply defend your clients while arguing through court.

Simple and quite mundane -- But not in Ace Attorney. or some cliche court episode in a TV series.

 

Within the AA games you you have cases in court that may leave you curious enough to go on and on throughout the game, and sometimes these cases lead to important plots that will suck you in like a black hole, with pretty good humor to compliment your adventures inside and outside of court.

Character expressions and reactions that you might not even expect - with of course - an interesting and

eccentric line of characters.

 

And god do I love it all.

 

Persona Series.

 

I must admit, I never did play the first two games (yet), but I did play P3 and P4, and oooooooh boy did I really like them.

 

I just love the whole social sim and dungeon crawling combo these games got, and though I never did put too much priority on Social Links in the 3rd one, I went as all out as I could on the 4th and man are they quite engaging. The story for these two games have gotten me wanting more and more through each time I'd grab onto my trusty Vita, and I guess I can see where some people are coming from on Persona 4 with the whole dungeon thing (gets pretty repetitive for me after awhile) but even then, I still see too much in these game to love, including the music and atmosphere. The Characters are pretty freakin' awesome too, I mean heck, when I played Arena, having to have characters from both games meet made me go nuts.

 

Bottom line, I gotta play the first two now. (Yes, I know they are different from my P3/P4 experiences but nevertheless, I'm pretty curious).

 

Sonic Series.

 

And how can I not like this guys series? Yeah, there were some games that may have frustrated me and kinda made me even give up playing them, but that's never stopped me from enjoying the rest of the games.

 

The music is usually something that will catch your ears nicely. The aesthetics can be pretty eye catching as well (Dear god knows how good the classic games along with the gorgeous Unleashed ones look).

 

The Classic games were hands down fun - even if I got into Sonic with SA1. If I would ever find a U-shaped slope somewhere withing a level, I'd just hegdehog it all day, trying to reach the high skies. The Physics were just plain fun and level design was great, but S3's ant farms were obviously the most fun.

 

Unleashed/Colours/Generations had a interesting gameplay, where you would play as Sonic as he'd be usually shown: Running ridiculously fast. And I can't say I wasn't having fun with them, since I really loved the whole super-fast-paced running and dodging and chaining those homing-attacks along with stunning looking levels.

 

And of course the lovely adventure games -  as much as they have some flaws - were quite enjoyable. I have plenty of others I loved but I'll just say that the Sonic series won't be seeing me lose interest any time soon.

[Carbo]

Day 4: Favorite Series

There was a lot of deliberation and process of elimination involved in choosing this one, because there are a lot of games out there that I love more when taken as individual games. There are a lot of reasons for that - either I can't guarantee my investment in titles if they flounder between games and provide some less-than-stellar sequels, or it's just a rare case of me not really being a "fan" and only enjoying one or two titles in that series. Oddworld is a special case for me though, because it is one of the few series that really understands what I feel is the ultimate example of what a series should be, and hasn't come out with a single came thus far that I would label anywhere below "good".

See, Oddworld wasn't built to be the story of a central character. Each game in the conceptualized "Quintology" of Oddworld games were to be labelled "Oddysee", and would all star a new character. While Abe would become the face of the franchise, the real thing that kept pushing this series on was that it was all built around the very titular world that the games play out in, and that's what the games were really about - the world they take place in. It was more of a blanket term as far as series go. While one game will follow the exploits of Abe, the slave-worker-turned-reluctant-messiah on the continent of Mudos, a completely different one will take place in a distant region where outlaws roam and bounty hunting is at a high. This all works so greatly on account of Oddworld being allegedly ten times the size of Earth, implying a vast world where everything changes wherever you go, circumstances are all set anew, unusual flora and fauna can be discovered and anything really goes.

What this effectively adds to the series is that each game is intended as a brand new idea, and that idea can come into effect in the world it's rooted in. From puzzle platforming to third person shooting; that all makes sense in the context of this game's world, and all of them can be considered as isolated incidents from one another because the universe is so expansive and serves more as an outlet for all the deranged and weird things that the series creator, Lorne Lanning, has been building for so many years of his career.

The fact that the games are all of impeccable quality was also a huge plus, with Abe's Exoddus being one of my favorite games of all time, and Stranger's Wrath possibly being the best Xbox exclusive game when not accounting for it's remaster.

The series took a prolonged hiatus when Oddworld Inhabitants closed their doors on game development due to Lanning's disillusion of modern game development and how risk-averse the entire industry had become thanks to publisher influence. The company was still operating and during that time, the studio went to focus on movie development. But now with the combined forces of the breakout British studio Just Add Water, and a video game industry that has been pushing a digital distribution market to the forefront, the future of this series has been mostly secured once more, with confirmation on the developers' part that once the New 'n' Tasty remake is out, an Exoddus remake will made depending on the success of New 'n' Tasty. The partnership was also made with the intent to continue the quintology and put out some of the standalone games that never came to be. Squeek's Oddysee and Hand of Odd are said to be on the cards, and even The Brutal Ballad of Fangus Klot, something of an outlier in terms of Oddworld's conceptual lore, is said to be in potential development. The future is looking quite brighter for this one.

[The Deleter]

Day 4: Favorite video game series

 

This one was a tough one, as I like the R&C series just as much as Professor Layton, but since it's actually replayable, It sorta becomes a no-brainer.

 

 

 

Despite never getting into the series even though I had a PS2, I always passed these titles by in the store saying, "Huh, that looks cool." Eventually, a demo for All-4-One came out in my local Best Buy, and from that moment on, I was hooked. The characters were colorful and fun to watch, the script was absolutely hilarious, and the gameplay, while not the best in the series, was pretty outstanding for a 4 player game. Immediately after doing some research on the series, I found all the PS2 and PSP games on eBay for a pretty good deal, and just like that, I had 2/3rds of the series in my hands.

 

I instantly fell in love with the series after that. The quirky characters, the always hilarious stories, the villains, the worlds, and the gameplay. Good gravy, the gameplay. I know that it's very similar to a lot of PS2 era game series', but I just can't get enough of this series' gameplay. The platforming is solid, the exploration of worlds is awesome, the guns are a blast t-ow! Okay, I'll stop!- to use and are very well balanced, and the games always make vast improvements to the gameplay as they progress, having one of the most polished gameplay formulas I've seen in any series. As it stands, Crack in Time is the best in the series in this regard, with the addition of second-speed hoverboots, open-space exploration, mini-moons, and much more. In fact, Crack in Time is probably the best in the series, period.

 

One of the best things about this series, though, is that it's a story that goes places. It grants main characters actual character development, gives them backstory and motive, and may even have an end of the road down the line. As Insomniac's main cash bucket, that's a pretty bold decision to give him constant change, unlike most other company mains. It does it's job well, though, as it keeps me invested with the series rather than allowing me to pass it up for the same old, same old it might be. As of now, I have completed Into the Nexus, and am eagerly awaiting the PS4 R&C game with my $400 in hand. Next gen Lombaxs, here I come...

 

Day 4: Complete

[w00tkins]

I don't have a singular favourite that I'd put at the very top, it's more like a Hall of Fame in my mind. Regardless, I'll go with Super Smash Bros.

 

I've never really liked fighting games. They feel very 'stiff' and the learning curve is often tremendous, whereas Smash Bros allows for freedom of movement and is very accessible. It's quite clever in how it almost reverses the key concepts of a traditional fighter. There's nothing else like it on the market. Actually there was but we don't talk about that game...

 

It's a series that has phenomenal replay value as well, an aspect of games that I've come to prioritise. With all the characters, stages and items, you'll never have the same match twice.

 

I'm running out of time to post this, so I'll just list some things:

 

-the meticulous detail that goes into representing each franchise

-how all the visual elements from each franchise are consolidated and blended together. A testament to Sakurai's art team

-the imaginative movesets and concepts given to characters. Wii Fit Trainer is simply genius.

-One game per console. A new Smash Bros is special event!

 

I'm sooo looking forward to Smash 4. Palutena pls

[Tornado]

Does it count as a favorite series if you love two games in a series, love the remake to the second of those games even more, am ambivalent to the remake of the first game, dislike one of the other remakes of the first game; and hate the other other remake of the first game along with all of the other games released that aren't the first two games? Because if so, then the Lunar series is my favorite series.

[Sami]

Day 5 - Favorite Indie Game

Journey

"Life is a journey, not a destination." It's a very famous quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson that I'm sure you've heard. This is the main theme of the game, which shouldn't be much of a surprise. Journey guides you, a nameless wanderer, through all sorts of beautiful environments and locales as you make your way from the vast, expansive desert up to the summit you see in the picture above. Along the way you'll gain the ability to jump and glide, solving puzzles and doing some platforming as you trek across the desert, through an underground tunnel, past ancient catacombs, and through a blistering snowstorm.

There's a lot of depth to the experience offered here. The gameplay is great fun, yeah, but there's a lot more to it than that. I'm personally of the opinion that the entire progression of the game is an allegory for our lives as human beings. Actually wrote a short essay about it a few years ago. There's also a very clever story being told about the rise and fall of civilization, told entirely through hieroglyphics, and without a single line of dialogue being spoken.

The music and visuals are nothing short of beautiful, either. Everything offered here is extremely high quality.

This was actually in my list of top five all time favorite games for quite some time. It's an absolutely brilliant game.

Honorable Mentions go to -

Bastion
Hotline Miami
Cave Story
Super Meat Boy
Flower

I hope to see these get talked about.

Does it count as a favorite series if you love two games in a series, love the remake to the second of those games even more, am ambivalent to the remake of the first game, dislike one of the other remakes of the first game; and hate the other other remake of the first game along with all of the other games released that aren't the first two games? Because if so, then the Lunar series is my favorite series.

lol, it's fine by me.

Day 4 - Favourite Series?
 
Just posting a marker since I've got work today and i don't want to miss day 4. I'll edit this later if that's ok?

That's fine, but if you think you'll miss a day in the future you should just PM/IM me.

[Xtremer Sadiqachu]

AUGHHGHG MORE FAVORITES Oh Ok Cool, Indie games

I'll be honest. With this Mac, there's not really gonna be much gaming done other than Emulation. Although sometimes you eventually crack.....and get the crack versions of games.



This game is...i can't even describe it. It's like a platform, puzzle, horror survival game that just....it's amazing. I think this was my first indie game too, and boy what an introduction. The game just starts up with a kid (no name is given, btw) who wakes up in a field and is searching for his....I want to say sister ,but it could be his girlfriend, you never know. And along the way you encounter so many things like tribal warriors, rapid fire guns, gravity mechanics, and also a giant spider.

Don't hurt me but I HAVEN'T PLAYED SUPER MEAY BOY YET, but I definitely plan on doing so,

Although I have played the likes of Braid, Cave Story, World of Goo , VVVVVV and Minecraft, which I enjoyed.

[Willsy]

Day 5: Favourite Indie Game

Mine without a doubt has to be...

Minecraft.

I've always been a massive fan of LEGO. I love to build whatever comes to mind, or recreate things that I like. Minecraft is essentially a digital version of that, however allowing me not only to build whatever I want, but also interact with it in the play space. I've built cities and towns countless times in the past, and more recently I've been building a massive spaceship. There are more reasons to me liking Minecraft than just the creativity aspect though, another thing I love are the RPG and Survival elements. This really adds depth to whatever world you boot up in survival. Another really brilliant thing about survival is the balance between RPG, action adventure, and sandbox. They all fit together seamlessly, and really make the game feel unique (if we ignore all of the knockoffs).

I can see why Minecraft has become so popular, it truly is a great game where you can let your imagination run wild and even use your creations to help survive. I don't think I'd call it better than actual LEGO, as there seems to be a charm to building with the actual bricks, but it's still a great experience to be able to play with my friends in the worlds that I've created, and maybe fight off some mobs too!

Thank you Notch for creating such a wonderful game.

[Spin Attaxx]

Minecraft, for sure. I'm a pretty creative guy, so having a game where I can build pretty much whatever the hell I want? Sign me up! I love all the different blocks and items you can use, and how you can pretty much make up the plot (e.g. you are Mysterio, and you set out to turn the world into an industrial metal realm, from which you rule in a bitchin' castle in another dimension). It's the most played game on my 360, I love it that much.

[JezMM]

I guess by the sheer amount of gameplay time it's given me, my choice would be Audiosurf.

 

 

Pretty much every time a really cool album or soundtrack comes out it also provides me with an hour of gameplay on this gem.  I only play the ninja mono mode as I find the puzzle-game block matching modes too complex and I prefer the simple mechanics of ninja mono.  What I've played of Audiosurf 2 is also awesome thanks to the complete open door on modding that has provided it with tons of awesome new aesthetics and game modes.  For those who haven't played, it's a sort-of rhythm game in which you ride along a highway with the pace and intensity of the game determined by the song chosen - and you can play with any piece of music on your computer.  There are simple action modes or complex colour-matching puzzle modes.  Leaderboards are generated for every song that's played (as long as the artist/song name tags match other players' copies of the song of course) so you get something to work towards.  Audiosurf 2 is out in early access form.  It didn't have leaderboards last time I played but the Steam Workshop makes it a hundred times bigger than the first game in terms of modes and customisation already.

 

 

Extremely close seconds that are amazing for their actual experience as oppose to sheer fun and value for money, would go to Cave Story, The Stanley Parable and Journey.  Cave Story is just essential playing for all action game fans, though gets a few points knocked off for how guide-dang-it getting the true ending is, The Stanley Parable is simply literally the best comedy game experience since Portal 2, (though naturally despite the plethora of routes and endings eventually you'll see everything and it must come to an end), and Journey is... I don't think it needs an introduction anymore?  It's not a game I'm fussed about playing again - but the experience was so perfectly paced and constructed that this was not an issue.  I wish I hadn't had a couple of gorgeous moments spoiled for me before I played it.

 

 

I also just wanna mention games that I HOPE to add to this list one day: A Hat in Time, Princess Panic and Shantae 1/2 Genie Hero are all indie titles I'm anticipating greatly.

[SuperLink]

Day 5 - Favourite Indie Game

 

Igh this is hard as balls, mostly because I own most of my indie games digitally so it's difficult to remember which ones I have haha... I love a lot of indie games so there are gonna be honourable mentions here, but ok here goes..

 

Skullgirls

 

 

I'm using this image to represent Skullgirls because after everything the developers have been through, Skullgirls is more than just a really good fighting game to me and a lot of its fans. Skullgirls is probably best described as a "would-be-ill-fated Fighting Game" inspired by pretty much every well-loved fighting game you can think of. The bodacious art style isn't for everyone, but boy does it feel alive with its pain-stricken attention to detail in sprite animations (the sprites are actually done with modelling but that's besides the point)

 

 

The point is, Skullgirls is a fighting game made by people who love fighting games, and more than anything they love making Skullgirls. They love making Skullgirls so much that when they were hit in the crossfire of legal issues between their publishing partners, they were forced to gather as much fan support and donations as possible in order to stay afloat and continue doing what they loved. Now, a few years after the original game's release, the game has a steady influx of hype and new fans that just wasn't there to begin with, in large part due to the hugely successful Indiegogo campaign that not only finished the one DLC character they'd been wanting to finish since before the game launched, but surprised everyone but hitting every stretch goal and then some, taking the playable roster from 8 all the way up to 13 and then 14. The dlc characters are free for the first while of their release, and the dedicated development team are constantly holding tournaments and friendlies at a high level of play to actively balance and improve the game experience.

 

I love fighting games, but I suck at them. Skullgirls on the other hand is the only fighting game I've put enough time into to really love the flow and system of, I've even gotten muscle memory on a couple of characters' command lists which is something I haven't done much in fighting games before. I think it's because of the passion of the developers and fans, and the graphical style I absolutely adore (fully animated hand-drawn sprites are my weakness and I'm heartbroken to see so many sprite-based games going model-based instead of animated-drawing.. as cost efficient as it is) that I love Skullgirls as much as I do.

 

Skullgirls is a love letter to fighting games and fighting game fans of the past, present and future, developed by fans who understand the intricate ins and outs of the genre better than almost anyone still working on fighting games; the fact that it's still out there, being updated and played despite all the brick walls the developers have had to bash their heads through over the last few years, is a testament to how fuckin badly they wanted to write this love letter, and allow people to experience their vision of what fighting games mean to them. If you like fighting games like Darkstalkers with flexible cancelling and combo systems - and a game that is getting constantly updated and tweaked for perfect tuning for the foreseeable future, (as well as a huge potential for more so long as they manage to be successful..) then I couldn't recommend this game enough.

 

Other indie games I couldn't recommend enough:

 

Metroidvanias:

-Cave Story

-Guacamelee

 

Other retro-like games:

-VVVVVV

 

Miscellaneous sublime experience:

-The Stanley Parable

[Your Vest Friend]

Indie games! I don't play many, but I know the indie market is quite the hotspot for platformers and puzzle games, which are the genres I play the most. So naturally, my fave would be one of those, right?

 

 

The Binding of Isaac

 

As it turns out, no. The Binding of Isaac, when stripped to its bare bones, is a very simple top-down dungeon crawler type game with upgrades. The beauty of it comes in what it adds. There are hundreds of upgrades which are randomly distributed on each play-through. Speaking of which, even the dungeon layouts are random on each playthrough, so there really is no way to truly memorise what it'll do. Combine these with an easy to learn interface and good pick-up-and-play value, the cute but macabre style of presentation, and the batshit insane presence and underpinning themes, and you have yourself a pretty memorable game. 

[Yoko/葉子]

It's still in production for PC, but I vote for The Bounty from my friend Dave Vogt. (Go fund it folks!) I mean an RPG where the point is to well... get lots of points. You have to pay points to save the game, a break fron complex storylines, password secret characters, homages to minor gaming celebities and an item forshadowing my own game, what's not to like?

[Red]

Day 5: Favourite Indie Game

 

I'm gonna have to go with Journey for this round, for the reasons I stated in my previous post. Fantastic game, great visuals, amazing story and music. To this day I still can't play this game by myself because of what happens in those goddamn caves. D: Intense stuff.

 

Honourable mention goes to:

 

Cthulhu Saves the World

 

It's a fantastic RPG based around H.P. Lovecraft's famous works, but written humorously. It falls short of Journey due to certain dungeons being a pain to navigate, but I still love it and the cutscenes are pretty rewarding after a hard boss fight.

[Tracker_TD]

 

 

Day 5: Favourite Indie Game

 

Cave Story

 

Hot damn, this game. Made by a single guy, yet still managing to be better than a large amount of games built with huge teams of developers, Cave Story is an experience. Besides the absolutely fantastic gameplay it puts on offer, it's got a wonderful soundtrack and the story is one of the absolute pinnacles of storytelling in video game history. No matter how many Let's Plays you watch, there's only one way to appreciate the story, and that's by playing it. It's moving at times, jubilant at others, and it all comes down to a balanced tale that'll keep you gripped.

 

I will say the difficulty curve in the final level is kind of stupid, and that requiring the good ending requires ignoring common sense, but there are so many good things about Cave Story that those points just become nitpicks. If you haven't played Cave Story, the original version is free and the Steam version, Cave Story +, is worth so much more than it's actual selling price. Go. Go experience this gem now.

 

The game's also out on 3DS and Wii, but IIRC, the PC version is the definitive version. 

 

The runners up are Skullgirls and technically Minecraft, though I struggle to call the latter an indie game looking at how terrifyingly huge it's become.

[Debug Ring]

I'm going to say Audiosurf. Audiosurf has you ride a track which is based of the music you have chosen. It's similar to Guitar Hero, except it's a little more diverse in music and play style. There are many modes, all very interesting and fun to play with. It's cool to try and find the best song for each mode too. I like to be doing something when listening to music, and Audiosurf is a good way of incorporating the music into what I'm doing. Ninja Mono is a fun place to test-run a song, but I generally prefer the other modes, giving me a challenge and keeping me on my toes. It's really fun to play something based off your music and when you find a song that gives you a great track, it's very satisfying. I need to play this game more than I have because it really is a nice game. There's also a sequel which I might look into if the price drops.

[#AR]

Day 5: Favorite game that you've probably never heard of because it's not mainstream enough indie game!

 

I'm not much of an indie game player, but I gotta give mad props to this game right here:

 

 

 

REN'S FAVORITE INDIE GAME: NITRONIC RUSH

 

So first off, what the hell is Nitronic Rush you may ask?

Well it's...kind of a racing game of sorts, but instead of racing a bunch of cars and stuff, you're racing the clock. Basically the goal is to get from the start to the finish in the fastest time. Simple enough.

 

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

 

You're not only equipped with a gas pedal, ya got BOOSTAHS AND STUFF. multiple boosters too! Of course, you got the ones in the back that give you more bursts of speed, but you also have bottom boosters for hopping and side boosters that you can use to make yourself do flips while airborne! Yeah, you get trick bonuses too for big stunts. It's pretty sweet. To make the deal even sweeter, you have WINGS. THAT'S RIGHT, YOU CAN FLYYYYYYYYY SO VERY HIIIIIIIIIIIGH AND...okay you can't touch the sky, you'd blow up by then. Ah, speaking of which, the game adds strategy to the time trial stuff by limiting your boost. When you boost, your car gradually heats up, and overheating causes you to EXPLOOOOOOOODE. To reduce your heat, either hit a checkpoint or do tricks. Pretty intricate stuff for speedsters.

 

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

 

 

The game also takes advantage of these multiple boosters and allows for riding on certain surfaces like walls and ceilings. If you tilt yourself and land on a wall, you can ride on it. It adds a big reflex challenge and it's pretty fun.

As for the stages, the game comes preloaded with a bunch of challenges that will take your through the ropes and test your reflexes, and there are possibilities for making your own stages and sharing them with others!

The game's original soundtrack is funky techno stuff that you can groove to while you die repeatedly drive at high speeds. Love it. 

Also, the game is friggin beautiful.

 

I mean

 

 

look

 

 

at

 

 

this

 

 

shit

 

 

man!

 

 

You want to see it in motion?

Check it.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMtYyBmao00

 

 

But no seriously, this game is awesome, and best of all, it's free. Try it the hell out if you like high octane fast crazy awesomeness.

There's actually a full game coming soon to Steam called "Distance", and it's a spiritual successor to this game made by the same people. I'm so ready to try it out.