![]() Sometimes these actions help push the narrative forward, but other times they exist just to exist. Its overarching narrative is incredibly touching (and fairly relatable), though what makes it work so well is that each step toward achieving the plot’s climax involves interacting with the world and its people in a genuine manner.Ī Short Hike allows the player to take part in typical summer fun, like foot races, volleyball, rock climbing, and fishing with other adorable animals. What works so wonderfully about A Short Hike is how it built an environment that serves as a playground but not a theme park. $19.99 on Nintendo Switch, PC and Mac via Steam, Xbox OneĪ Short Hike (2020) Nominated by Sam Martinelli.If you’re looking for an indie management game that flew under the radar, I hope this listing encourages you-I only found it by trolling through the Nintendo store. That said, Yes, Your Grace is still intriguing and worth mentioning, especially if you enjoy games like RimWorld, Cities: Skylines, or Frostpunk. The three princess daughters and their individual hopes and dreams are the heart of Yes, Your Grace, and unfortunately, it’s also where the game missteps a few times. I was impressed how quickly I was emotionally attached to the story and its characters, and I furiously replayed a swath of weeks in order to best take care of “my” villagers and three daughters. This medieval management game requires a deft hand with resources and time, a constant balance of which decisions will most benefit your kingdom. This foresight is needed, as you work to protect Eryk’s family, subjects, and kingdom. The game opens foreshadowing a massive battle, and as the player, you know the fight is coming before King Eryk does. Over the course of a year, each week, you play as King Eryk, who hears requests from peasants, plays politics with lords and ladies, and checks in with his family. Yes, Your Grace is a grim but compelling Ned Stark simulator. ![]() Yes, Your Grace (2020) Nominated by Amanda Tien $19.99 on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.I’ve never experienced anything with the kind of perfect, seamless progression found in Inside, and few other games have taken the same kind of physical and emotional toll on me. The experience is only a few hours long, but there is more substance crammed into those few hours than just about any other horror or horror-adjacent game I’ve played. Inside certainly isn’t the first game to take on a pseudo-horror premise with side-scrolling action, but the way it presents its environments and leaves the player with nothing to realistically expect is marvelous. ![]() At multiple points, my hands were shaking, not from any terror or fear, but from the adrenaline of escaping the clutches of mysterious foes. The ending was so jarring yet poetic that I seriously uttered, “WHAT THE F**K?” and just stared at my screen for another few minutes, trying to grasp the totality of the experience. During this three-hour sidescroller, which can best be described as an interactive nightmare, I found myself breathing multiple sighs of relief throughout some particularly terrifying instances, and the last 20 minutes or so literally made my jaw drop. What impressed me the most about Inside, a splendid but brief experience, was the physical toll it took on me as a player. – Amanda Inside (2016) Nominated by Sam Martinelli Volume 3: five more great indie games for the end of the summer. When your summer gets too toasty and you want to sit inside with a new game, I invite you to check out our Punished Favorites Indie Showcase, a three volume series in June ( Read Volume 1 here!), July ( Read Volume 2 here), and August (right here). I wanted to put a spotlight on some of my personal favorites, and invited fellow Punished Backlog writers to contribute. Without the same resources as bigger companies, indie studios have to work twice as hard to get their games finished, much less marketed, played, and updated. Indie games are a labor of love, literally. ![]()
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