PlayStation Experience 2016 – Indie Games Roundup

 

This was perhaps the best year ever for indie gaming with great titles like The Witness, Inside, Firewatch, Darkest Dungeon, Stardew Valley, and more making their presence felt on the PlayStation 4. 2017 promises to be another great year with a number of excellent indie games that were showcased at the PlayStation Experience 2016. Here are some of our favorites from the show.

 

Fallen Legion
Developed by YummyYummyTummy


This impressive side scrolling action/tactical RPG with Vanillaware inspired aeshetics and an engaging combat system reminiscent of Valkyrie Profile. Players will also have to make on the spot choices for decisions on whether to save or sacrifice a village for statistical gains. The Vita version will have its own unique story and character perspective.

 

Hand of Fate 2
Developed by Defiant Development


The sequel expands upon the original with a unique premise: this time around you team up with the dealer to defeat the protagonist from the first game. The second entry boasts more cards, companions that fight alongside you, and bigger battlefields.

 

Heart Forth, Alicia
Developed by Alonso Martin

A polished, Metroidvania adventure game with a plot inspired by beloved Square RPGs such as Xenogears and Final Fantasy Tactics. Heart Forth, Alicia had an impressive demo with responsive controls, great animation, and devious puzzles. Even more impressive is that the game was conceived and is being developed entirely by one person, Alonso Martin. 

 

The Church of Darkness
Developed by Paranoid Productions


Loosely inspired by real life cults and themes found in the novel Heart of Darkness, The Church of Darkness promises a very dark story to go alongside it’s stealth infiltration and puzzle solving game play. Enemy routes, item placements, and events are randomized so each play through is unique.

 

Yooka Laylee
Developed by Playtonic Games


This is the spiritual successor to the beloved Banjo Kazooie games helmed by ex-Rareware staff. The demo was very popular at PSX, thanks in large part to the game’s impressive visual presentation and silky smooth platforming gameplay. This game is one to look out for if you’re a diehard fan of mascot themed platforming adventures.

 

Dreadnought
Developed by Grey Box Games


Dreadnought a brings a rare genre to the console market: a combat flight simulator that features tactical 5v5 spaceship battles. It’s also a free to play title with an emphasis on different ship classes, so it’s definitely a uniquely ambitious title worth checking out when it launches in 2017.

 

Boundless
Developed by Wonderstruck


Think Minecraft in space within a persistent online environment.  The PSX build was missing NPC encounters and quests, but the developers promised to incorporate those into the final release. Fans of Minecraft and Dragon Quest Builders should keep an eye on this ambitious title next year.

 

Earthnight
Developed by Cleaversoft


A gorgeous hand painted, game with a unique cast of characters and imaginative premise. It’s a procedurally generated runner game that takes place during the dragon apocalypse; you run on the backs of dragon and sky dive through beautiful skyscapes.

 

What Remains of Edith Finch
Developed by Giant Sparrow


After watching the trailer at the PSX conference I was very excited to play this game at the convention. The atmosphere of the game has a dark foreboding feel but with a sense of adventure. This has a lot more freedom than just a normal click adventure game. Edith Finch seems like it will have grand story to tell; based one the one hour I played I was already entranced by the dialouge. This is a game that I cannot wait to play and will be on my watch list. – Matthew Lizarraras