INTRODUCTION:
It’s coming up to my 1 year anniversary of going on this journey of discovering and curating games in the indie and mobile space. The journey is not at all what I expected. Along the way I’ve tried genres I’ve never even considered before despite feeling like a well versed gamer. It’s expanded and deepened my idea of what entails intriguing game design, challenging me to let go of assumptions and stereotypes especially when it comes to what a mobile or indie title is in this era. The old school gamer attitude of a ‘real’ game can only exist on consoles or PC doesn’t match the reality of what is being produced by talented and well deserving developers in the space. Making it even more important that there are places that shine a light on lesser known titles. Even though we ‘review’ games here I’ve always seen it more as curation. Shining a light on titles you may not ever come across and focusing on connecting the right games to the right gamer based on their preferences. After one year of curating games, here are my top 5 most intriguing but lesser known titles based on genre:
RPG: Octopath Traveler Champions of the Continent
One of the most complete RPG experiences that is completely free to play. Developed by the same team that created the original games in the series. Octopath Traveler Champions of the Continent is a story driven RPG that brings a modern twist to the pixel art aesthetic that set the trend for many other games that have followed suit. With a well paced and intriguing main story, interesting characters and combat mechanics you can easily get lost in this world. There is no energy system tied to the main story progression. It’s also a complete experience in that it feels akin to a regular console title with many towns and open areas to explore and discover. So many gacha games cut corners in their design and features making them feel like factions of a game. Octopath COTC is the complete opposite. Its a refreshing take for a genre that needs it. It also has one of the best stories in an RPG. For a full review check out this article.
GAME DETAILS
PLATFORMS: Android/iOS
RELEASE: Japan (2020), Global (2022)
DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER: Acquire/Square Enix
GENRE/TAGS: RPG, Story Driven, Turn Based, HD-2D, Strategy, PVE
TARGET AUDIENCE: Those who enjoy old school turn based RPGs with a focus on story and combat
NON-COMBAT RPG: Gamedec
This game completely caught me off guard. It’s the first non-combat RPG I’ve played and going into it I didn’t have many expectations. I was taken by how much I enjoyed the RP aspects of the game. Looking back, it makes sense that as an RPG fan, the pure RP elements would also be fascinating. Gamedec puts you in the role of a game detective, an investigator that examines crimes committed in virtual reality that have consequences in both the virtual and real worlds. The narrative delves into classic concepts in the neo-noir and sci-fi tech space with themes relating to morality, meaning of existence, choices, extreme capitalism, destiny and the benefits and consequences of technological advancement. Each investigation brings you to different virtual worlds as you uncover keys that start to link each case together into a larger narrative. The investigation and skill system is quite intriguing allowing you to unlock different elements of a case to make certain conclusions based on the clues you have uncovered. The non-combat aspect may not be for everyone, but for those that thoroughly enjoy RP elements in their RPG this may be an experience you’ll want to check out. For a full review check out this article.
GAME DETAILS
PLATFORMS: PC, Nintendo Switch
RELEASE: 2021
DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER: Anshar Studios
GENRE/TAGS: Adventure, Role Playing, Point and Click, Non-Combat, Single Player, Isometric
TARGET AUDIENCE: Role playing and mystery fans that enjoy a narrative experience.
DECKBUILDER RPG: Morimens
One of the best RPG deck builders that has flown completely under the radar. It’s clear that the game developers understand what it takes to design a deck building RPG. The core gameplay mechanics are very well designed allowing for creative player expression in putting together a deck with interesting strategies and synergies that easily rival many other similar games in the genre. Combine this with an interesting cast of characters, a well paced narrative and you have all the makings of one of the best games in its genre. For a full review check out this article.
GAME DETAILS
PLATFORMS: Android, iOS, PC
RELEASE: 2024
DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER: Qookka Games / B.I.A.V. Studio
GENRE/TAGS: Strategy, Turn Based, Lovecraftian, Eldritch, Cosmic, Horror, RPG, Turn Based, Deck Building
TARGET AUDIENCE: Lovecraftian horror fans that enjoy turn based strategy gameplay and a captivating story
RHYTHM: Deemo II
Need a relaxing and serene gaming experience? Check out Deemo II. It’s also another first for me as I have never really picked up a rhythm game before. I assumed that most of these games were only for hardcore enthusiasts as the skill level can seem daunting. However, with various levels of difficulty for each song there’s an appropriate level of challenge that caters to different players. What I didn’t expect is the powerful impact of music to relieve stress. I found myself playing this game just to relax. Many of the tracks range from classical to modern pop and part of the fun is discovering a new favorite track. The story and characters are quirky with classic story book vibes of an anime narrative. Although the rhythm experience is the main attraction this title also includes simple exploration, puzzles and a main story campaign. For a full review check out this article.
GAME DETAILS
PLATFORMS: iOS, Android
RELEASE: 2022
DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER: Rayark
GENRE/TAGS: Story focused, rhythm game, exploration, puzzles
TARGET AUDIENCE: Gamers that enjoy a story focused game. Rhythm game experience not necessary.
TOWER DEFENSE: Path to Nowhere
This is a tower defense game unlike any other in its genre. The art and character design is some of the best in gaming. The opening chapters of the campaign are the most intriguing and mysterious of any RPG I’ve come across. The pure mystery and curiosity to discover the secrets of this world and the characters that inhabit it will grip you. On the surface it appears to be like any other waifu gacha on the market, but underneath the shine there’s a story driven RPG experience with interesting team compositions and challenging combat encounters. Characters are not what they actually appear to be. There are layers of depth to uncover through side stories for every character. Some are tragic and sad while others are uplifting or downright devious. This game is clever and knows it. It pulls you in with what it portrays on the surface to then take you on a journey you didn’t expect. By far the most talented collection of ducks (yes ducks! Stick with the game long enough and you’ll get it) aka developers in the business. For a full review check out this article.
GAME DETAILS
PLATFORMS: Android/iOS
RELEASE: 2022
DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER: Aisno Games
GENRE/TAGS: Tower Defense, Story Driven, Real Time Strategy, RPG, PVE
TARGET AUDIENCE: Story and character focused gamers that enjoy strategy and tower defense with a mix of innovative gameplay modes and exceptional art design and voice acting.
CLOSING THROUGHTS:
The greatest lesson I learned from one year of reviewing games is to keep an open mind. I was consistently blown away by the variety of games out there that I had no idea even existed. It’s easy to judge or dismiss a title because of an assumption or perception of a certain genre especially for games that are in the mobile and live service arena. 4 out of the 5 titles in this list are in the mobile and free to play space. It’s a genre that is crowded and often overshadowed by bigger development teams and usually ignored due to the genre not being a ‘true’ game. But the days of simple phone games is long gone. Not only that many of these titles rival what some of the major studios are producing. I also found the art design in many of these titles to be absolutely incredible. There are very talented developers creating interesting and unique gaming experiences of very high quality that many players are yet to discover. There are many aspects of indie and mobile games that need to continue to evolve and as they do I hope many more gamers are open to new experiences.
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