Pick 5: Must Play Indie Titles

Every time I browse online game stores whether it's from Xbox Live, PSN, or Steam, I always get tempted to get independent titles. I've experience great indie games that come out just as good or even better than some retail games priced at $60. Maybe it's the freedom they have to make the game? I'm not too sure, but indie games is always a breath of fresh air with an industry filled with sequels and games all about shooting people. 2012 was another great year for indie developers, but my Pick 5 is a mix of new and old games.

Super Meat Boy - $14.99 Release date: November 2010

To this day, if I want some good old fashion platforming that would really test my patience, I head back to Super Meat Boy on my Xbox 360. It was released in 2010, but I only got my copy of the game around 2011 and I'm glad I did. It's simply a 2D platformer with the goal of reaching the end of the stage, but don't think this will be easy. They have one of the most ridiculous stages and game mechanics, and since you die in one hit, the tension never goes away. There are around 300 stages in this game, and have a good amount of characters with unique abilities,  so this title has a good amount of content.

FTL: Faster Than Light - $9.99 Release date: Sept 2012

This is actually one of the newest title in the bunch. FTL: Faster Than Light is a PC indie title that can kill your whole afternoon if you're not careful. This Real Time Strategy game let's you take command of a space ship that must deliver vital information to the allied fleet. You manage everything in your ship from, ship upgrades, ship repairs, which crew member mans a station on the ship, and do battle against other ships that you come across. This game is a time sink. When I finished downloading the game(only 157MB) I couldn't stop playing. This also has one fo the best soundtracks from an indie game so far.

Terraria - $9.99 Release date: May 2011

Terraria is a 2D action adventure platformer with a hint of RPG elements. This game is all about exploration and experimentation. You simply start with nothing and slowly create what you need to survive with the materials around you, Sounds familiar? There's no story, or objective. But as you go deeper into the world, more monsters and items will unlock, bosses will show up, and you instantly find yourself invested in this game.

Legend of Grimrock - $14.99 Release date - April 2012

Legend of Grimrock is old school dungeon crawlers return to modern gaming. This game is greatly inspired by past titles like Eye of the Beholder and Dungeon Master. You hardly see games like this anymore, but it's good that a very new indie developer took the challenge at bringing it back. As you go deeper in, you find weapons, level up, figure out clues, find hidden rooms, and trigger traps that will instantly kill you. The way the combat works may feel awkward for people unfamiliar with games like this, so have an open mind when you give this game a try.

Binding of Isaac - $4.99 Release Date: September 2011

This is one game that's disturbing and addicting at the same time. It's a top down 2D action adventure with a very strong replay value. It's a pretty tough game and every time you finish it, new items, bosses, and stages unlock, as well as more endings to see once you reach the end. Each time you play the game, your play style always comes out different thanks to the many random item upgrades you pick up, making each playthrough appealing. It's worth the investment if you are looking for a game that will never go dull after your first run through it.

Pick 5: Sleeper Hits of 2012

2012 was a great year for gaming. Triple A titles like Mass Effect 3, Max Payne 3, Assassin's Creed 3, Black Ops 2, Borderlands 2, Halo 4, Resident Evil 6, and many more flooded last year's lineup. But there were games that literally came out of no where and made a great impression, and there were games that were considered great games, but did not get the attention it deserved. Here are five sleeper hits from 2012.

The Walking Dead

I'm going to start with The Walking Dead. People might go "what? But that's well known". true, we all know The Walking Dead from either the crazy famous TV series, or from the graphic novel were it was originated, but we never thought that Telltale's The Walking Dead Game would come out as one of the best story driven title in this generation, or even be considered best game of 2012. People were aware by the game's creation at Telltale Games, but I believe many were blown away how they knocked this out of the park. From episode 1, all the way to the finale, the game just got better and better. Telltale's masterpiece. You can check out my full review here.

The Legend of Grimrock

Old school dungeon crawling for today's gamers. A game greatly inspired by Dungeon Master and Eye of the Beholder, this is one type of RPG has been absent for years it seems. It was released in April of 2012 but I only gave it a try months after. When I gave it a chance and soon realize that I was missing out. A game filled with smart puzzles and gameplay that's quite unique in my eyes since I wasn't exposed to the classic dungeon crawlers released back in the late 80s or early 90s.

Spec Ops: The Line

At first glance it did look like the typical shooter. Another game that would easily get consumed by the shadows of games such such as Halo 4, Black Ops 2, and Medal of Honor: Warfighter, all planned for release at the end of he year. But it turned out to be a good game worth mentioning. The biggest praise the game got was not because of its gameplay, nor its online component, but for it's narrative, which is rare for a games like this. A story that impressed players  and urged others to give the campaign a chance. Months after its release I did caught up with all the talk about its story and tried I myself quickly noticed that its indeed under appreciated.

Slender: The Eight Pages

I just had to include this. Where did this game come from? A free PC game, that's fairly simple by design, is considered one of the most scariest game of 2012, possibly of all time. When it was released last June, it quickly grew in popularity. It soon spread like wildfire with many streamers and Youtubers making videos of them playing the game. is it really that scary? Yes! I tried it myself and while it only takes half 10 minutes to play one session, I've never felt so isolated and freaked out in a game. It became a hit that spawned games similar to Slender. It's sequel, Slender: The Arrrival that was just announced recently.

Kingdoms of Alamur: Reckoning

This was one game I did not expect to be really good. An action RPG that had a combo-heavy gameplay that made me think of Devil May Cry, and quick time events seen in games like God of War. This game was also massive, which gave an Elder Scrolls impression in terms of how much content there is in this game. I never heard or did research on the game, but after trying demo, I just had to get it, and I did not regret the buy one bit. Sadly, the creators of Alamur, 38 Studios went bankrupt thanks to a fraud lawsuit and was closed down. My dreams of a sequel will never happen now.

Any other sleepers worth mentioning? Hit the comments below.

Legend of Grimrock - For those old school dungeon crawler fans

If you loved games such as Dungeon Master and the Eye of Beholder series', then you'll have a kick out of Legend of Grimrock. A game that revives how dungeon crawlers were back in the day. Developed by an indie developer Almost Human Games, the game is only priced at $15. Check out the trailer below.

These games are rare, so it's good to see old concepts coming back. fans of the genre will definitely enjoy remembering the old days. You can buy the game on Steam right now.