Six video games, via Steam, to play before school starts.
Has this summer gotten the best of you? Bored and have nothing to do?
Check out this list of independently-made video games to engross yourself in now before school starts back up.
Note: These games can be found on Steam, a digital game store for Windows, Mac and Linux platforms. All prices are as of July 5, but can be subject to change.
Braid
Developer: Number None/Jonathan Blow
Price: $9.99
A mind-bending platformer written and created by the candid yet intellectual Jonathan Blow, Braid follows protagonist Will, as he attempts to reverse his “mistakes” and past. Illuminated by themes of isolation and scientific theory, Braid’s difficult puzzles and cultivating story are arguably some of the strongest in gaming history. It isn’t afraid to challenge players’ intelligence, patience and willpower — making this independent classic a must-play.
Brothers — A Tale of Two Sons
Developer: Starbreeze Studios
Price: $14.99
This game is a third-person adventure following two brothers, Naia and Naiee, as they attempt to travel to the Tree of Life in order to save their ailing father. Starbreeze Studios unconventionally relies on its dual analog stick gameplay system to encapsulate players in its nonverbal storytelling and Nordic charm. But, players should play with a controller and should not rely on a keyboard. With a controller, players will be able to control each brother during puzzles with ease, as each analog stick moves one of the siblings. On the keyboard, however, players will awkwardly have to use the arrow keys and the WASD-keys — leading to some turbulation at some critical junctions in the story. Regardless, anyone looking for a deep adventure should try this out.
Gone Home
Developer: The Fullbright Company
Price: $19.99
Elegant, gripping and a beautiful representation of how strong women can be in video games’ narratives, Gone Home follows Kaitlin Greenbriar as she returns to her Oregonian home in 1995 after traveling abroad. With contextual clues littered throughout her empty house, Kaitlin glues together the mystery of what has transpired in the Greenbriar homestead after being gone for a year. What makes Gone Home such an iconic game is not the powerful rendering system, nor graphics engine, but the story medium told throughout the two hour to three hour gameplay. An absolute must-play for anyone looking for a meaningful, weighty video game.
Kentucky Route Zero
Developer: Cardboard Computer
Price: $24.99
This point-and-click episodic game is already one of the best indie games on the market — despite being unfinished. With episodes one through three already released, Kentucky Route Zero follows Conway and his fellowship of followers as they traverse the majestic “Route 0” in rural Kentucky. Quirky, smart and meticulous with its dialogue options, Kentucky Route Zero is a game which allows players to encompass a world surreal, yet so comforting. The wait for episodes four and five may take a while, but this is a title worth diving into.
Massive Chalice
Developer: Double Fine Productions
Price: $19.99
Technically still in early access, Double Fine’s Massive Chalice combines turn-based strategy with an elaborative genetics-based gameplay tweak. Players will take control of a nation — however they please to call it — and will fight off the “Cadence,” mutilated monsters looking to take down their empire, with an army of heroes. With in-depth looks on each of their heroes’ characteristics and personality traits, players can spend hours just to find perfect matches for their heroes and empire. For gamers looking to delve hours into constructing a fantasy empire and don’t mind imperfections, including some minor bugs and difficulty spikes, this is solid money spent.
To the Moon
Developer: Freebird Games
Price: $9.99
Don’t judge this game by its cover. Utilizing 8-bit graphics, a low-key composition and simple point-and-click gameplay mechanics, To the Moon packs an emotional punch that sticks to even the coldest of gamers. Attempting to reorganize the dreams of a dying man, players will feel the moving themes of loneliness, fear and the meaning of life. Bring tissues because this indie title does not shy away from an emotional impact that will stick to gamers for a while.
@Lukeoroark
lr514812@ohio.edu
