Indie Games Backlog General #1

I have a deep shame, or perhaps the opposite of shame… pride in never experiencing the hole of Steam sales or any Steam backlog. Or at least that was the case until Nintendo Switch and the eShop hit the scene. Now when I scroll through my games there is a list of maybe a hundred different icons staring me down.

I plan on playing a few each week and writing some quick words about it as motivation to keep on going and to clear some icons out.

Takeshi & Hiroshi [Oink Games / 2019]

Also available on iOS, Takeshi and Hiroshi is a very cute game with emphasis on its storytelling. Takeshi is a game coder in training who plays the dungeon master for his hospitalised brother Hiroshi to lift his spirits. Takeshi uses the game as a way to come to terms with his brother's illness, and dealing with the regular day to day school experiences such as a being a new kid in class.

The storytelling is told through stop motion animation, and the real meat gameplay wise is the RPG Takeshi codes for Hiroshi. The gameplay experience is often setting the difficulty of encounters to be not too difficult or not too easy but to be just right for Hiroshi’s enjoyment. I found this difficult myself, often resetting since I struggled to get the perfect mix. It’s a heartwarming game that has genuine emotion baked in.

Koi DX [F K Digital, Dotoyou Games / 2016]

Koi DX is a simple yet efficient title where you play as a fish who reunites other coloured fish with their flower. There are some complications with the shadowy figure of the dark fish, death seems impossible and there is no timer. It feels very much like a zen game you play to unwind or to introduce others to simple gaming experiences. I’m actually shocked it is not available on tablet or iOS.

Dogurai [Hungry Bear Games, QUByte Interactive / 2019]

Set in a dystopian future where police and military are replaced by robots, the creators hit the switch and now robots are causing chaos all over the world. Bones, a retired dog samurai, is set to save the day!

Dogurai is a faux Game Boy title in the best sense. It follows a stage select screen much like Mega Man. Each stage is broken into standard platforming, then a challenge section including riding a motorcycle and navigating blistering ice platforms before battling the boss at the end of each stage. I found these challenges added more personality and made each stage memorable. The boss encounters are challenging and really rewarding learning their patterns.

For the price point and for fans of Game Boy titles Dogurai is a worthy investment, sure it's a little rough around the edges but for a quick play and for fans of classic platformers such as Mega Man or Ninja Gaiden it’s worthwhile.