Most Anticipated Indie Games of 2013
Spy Party
The brainchild of a MAXIS ex-pat, Spy Party pits two players against one another at a high society affair wherein one player takes on the role of a spy avoiding detection and the other a sniper hired to identify them and take them out.
Check out IGR’s interview with Spy Party’s lead developer Chris Hecker at PAX Prime 2012:
McDroid
An ambitious and over-the-top action/tower defense game where you take direct control of a spider robot to protect your shuttle and your crop. Featuring cel-shader graphics and a truly entertaining cast of characters, McDroid promises a wild ride like no other.
Monaco
Andy describes gameplay in his highly anticipated stealth arcade game as a mix between Pac-Man (due to the simplicity of its controls – only one button is ever used above simply maneuvering around directionally) with Gauntlet. It will support online multi-player and DLCs are planned shortly after it release.
Check out our interview with Andy Schatz on Monaco at PAX Prime:
Tengami
From Nyam Nyam Games, comprising two former Kinect Sports developers comes Tengami – a side-scrolling puzzler slated for the iPad that uses an elaborately beautiful pop-up book mechanic, inspired by Japanese paintings and culture. Must be seen to be believed.
Watch our interview with the developers at IndieCade and you’ll catch some gameplay footage:
The Witness
Jonathan Blow makes a 3D maze game set on an island. Wonders unfold…
Check out IGR’s interview with Jonathan Blow at IndieCade 2011 talking about the development of The Witness:
Ironclad Tactics
From the makers of SpaceChem, Ironclad Tactics is a digital deck building game that puts you in the time of the civil war to battle robots!
Watch IGR’s interview with Zachtronics Industries at PAx Prime featuring gameplay from Ironclad Tactics:
Clockwork Empires
From Gaslamp Games, the good people who brought you Dungeons of Dredmor, comes a game much larger in ambition and scope. A multiplayer, city-building Steampunk/Lovecraftian extravaganza, it has multifarious engagements from politics to industry and commerce, fame and fortune, and rewards that are as mighty as the risks. Procedural and dynamic, it promises an involving gameplay that may very well change the very field of indie strategy city-building games for the future to come.
Hawken
The highly anticipated free-to-play online mecha battle game with jaw-dropping graphics has its official release in Q1 2013.
Check out the Hawken gameplay trailer
Nevermind
“Nevermind is a psychological horror puzzle game that utilizes biofeedback and challenges the player to stay calm in uncomfortable situations.”
We saw this at IndieCade 2012 and were mightily impressed. We would love to see this one come to fruition, and it is possible considering it uses readily available tools for the biofeedback component.
Don’t Starve
Klei’s new survival game has been available as a paid beta on the Google Play store for about half a year. In that time, the title has made enormous leaps and bounds on what is already a highly addictive game. With amazing sound design, an incredible hand-drawn art style, a randomly-generated world, and all sorts of strange surprises, this one has us holding out the cash. A recent series of updates hints that this is going to be way bigger and even more interesting than we ever expected from early beta versions. In fact we are REALLY excited about this.
Watch our interview with Don’t Starve community manager Corey Rollins at PAX Prime featuring some gameplay footage:
Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
With the same torrid spirit that powered Frictional Game’s Amnesia: The Dark Descent, this time thechineseroom (Dear Esther) is partnering with Frictional Games to create Amnesia: Machine for Pigs. Set in the industrial Victorian era, fear and anticipation are already curdling in our bellies as we await what promises to be part of the oeuvre of most horrifying game experiences.
Contrast
Experience a surreal 1920’s dreamscape in which you can shift freely in and out of shadow. Tasked with helping a young girl named Didi, you will unravel the mysteries behind her troubled family and the dark secrets that must be exposed to re-shape her future.
Even Moar to look forward to in 2013:
Castle Story, Path of Exile, Planetary Annihilation, Grim Dawn, StarForge, Star Citizen, Overgrowth, Dungeon Master…
See our Indie Game of the Year Lists for Previous Years
See our 2012 Mobile Indie Games of the Year
Phew. That was epic. Lastly, thank you again for reading and commenting at IGR, we love you almost as much as we love indie games.
Onward!
What were your favorite games of 2012? What games are you most looking forward to in 2013? Please post your thoughts in the comments below >>>
Top 10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. HM1 HM2 HM3 MA
Minecraft, Terraria, Proteus?
Thanks for your comment! Terraria was actually released in 2011, and we named it our number 3 title in our Best Indie Games list for 2011. Minecraft was also officially released in 2011. Due to its massive popularity, we felt it didn’t need the nod from us that year. You’ll also notice that while Proteus isn’t in our Top Ten for this year, we did give it an Honorable Mention.