Top Indie Games Of 2003 Discussed

Mr.Wiggin writes "Specialist indie site GameTunnel recently announced its top ten indie games of 2003. Each game was scored by its regular review panel, and the list highlights the growing craftsmanship and quality being brought to the niche low budget independent games scene. There are also awards for specific genres, such as best graphics, best sound, most original concept, best adventure, etc. Why should we be concerned by low budget offerings like this - isn't it just the usual cliched crop of puzzle games? Thankfully, no, since these are the elite cream of the indie crop. Some say indie games are the home of innovation and the birthplace of future star developers (remember id, anyone?). It is also one of the few remaining mediums where we (the gaming public) actually get listened to and can often make a difference."

Comments

Puzzle Pirates

[Apreche]

Why isn't Puzzle Pirates on the list? How about Star Chamber? And why did Samurai make the list? It's just a computerized version of an already existing board game, not very original if you ask me.

Notrium

[cozman]

One of the best on there, and I've played tons of them, is free and highly recommended by me: Notrium At first it seems sort of hard, especially if you don't play as a human but it doesnt take long to learn and you can beat it in a short period of time, perfect for anyone playing a long and involved game like KotOR that needs to take a break but doesn't feel like actually doing anything productive.

Uh

[jvmatthe]

So: 2D shooter, 2D shooter, 3D shooter, puzzle game, 3D shooter, isometric adventure, isometric shooter, hex strategy, adventure, adventure with lots of shooting.

Maybe it was just me, but seemed as though a good number of those games were just "shooters" of some sort, concerned with kill-or-be-killed gaming. Not that that's not fun...I like blowing the snot out of my enemies as much as the next alpha male...but I mean, how much are we going to trumpet the originality of games that are basically Xevious/Raiden or Robotron/Smash TV with lots of added stuff or a different perspective?

Sure, I'm generalizing, but these games aren't "novel" like that "falling down the stairs" game was a while back. If this is the "best of 2003", then sounds like a pretty hum-drum year.

Feel free to flame. I'm sure you've already started typing your angry reply.

Re:Uh

[bear pimp]

So, 3rd Person Action Adventure, 3rd Person Action Adventure, 3rd Person Action Adventure, 3rd Person Action Adventure, 3rd Person Action Adventure. Welcome to the world of consoles. Is it necessary for indie games to break the mold? Is originality really the key here for them to succeed? The overall winner is an interesting example: Yes it's a shooter, but I rank it one of my favourite games of the year (on any platform and for any price). Namely because it adds some interesting elements (ship building and resource gathering) to this medium. I suppose it has been done before, but not looking this good and this polished. A lot of its appeal must be to do with getting jaded with consoles in my old age though! Plus I love shooters! Many of the other popular games on the list aren't 100% original (what is) but they are looking at genres the mainstream has abandoned. Some of us who love these genres can only get a fix from these games. It also proves that interesting ideas can work within older game frameworks. So, yes, not wholly original, but different, and I would say a great year promising a bright future.

Re: Stairs?

[Anonymous Coward]

I think he means this. Called "Stair Dismount". Has a followup game called "Truck Dismount".

disagreement in terms

[*weasel]

abstract it to that level and nothing is original. i mean, at that level The Lord of the Rings is just a FedEx quest and The Matrix was a 'blue key, blue door' shooter.

in general, there is genre innovation and gameplay innovation. genre innovation is something like stair dismount, or tetris (when it was released). this is very difficult and very rare. if this is your sole qualification for 'innovation', you're going to be disappointed an awful lot.

gameplay innovation is more like the sims, pikmin, or gta. it's the refinement of a fairly well-known genre with a fresh focus. the sims is just an isometric sim in your abstraction. but the -play- is so wildly different from any other previous title in the genre, you can't help but hail it as a great innovative achievement.

Of course, I haven't played half of those games, and the ones I am familiar with i'd be dubious about calling 'innovative', I just think you're being a little overly strict in your definition of game innovation.

and frankly, at this point in the indy game industry, just getting a fun game finished and out there is deserving of an award, even if it is inappropriately titled for the achievement ;p