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Digital distribution software such as Steam has changed the way in which games are bought, sold and even developed. Previously, if you wanted the latest game, you would have to make the trip to a physical game store and hope that they still had stock. However, with an increased number of distribution platforms (and the profusion of different ways to pay for things online) buying games is now a quick and convenient affair. This expediency, along with crowd funding sites such has Kickstarter and Indiegogo, has changed the way in which games are made, as it allows indie game creators to market games directly to their target audiences without the need for a traditional distribution model. Like the rise of ebooks with the introduction of the Kindle, digital gaming platforms have opened the door to a number of quirky unconventional games, which would never have seen the light of day.

That´s also why I´ve taken the liberty to create an “Indie games that you don´t want to miss out on”. So let´s get the show on the road shall we?

The Wild Eight

Eight Points “The Wild Eight” is on my “must play list” for 2017.

While this game hasn’t been released just yet (its release date has been postponed to the first quarter of 2017), the Wild Eight is a highly-anticipated plot-driven survival co-op game. The storyline concerns eight passengers who survive an airplane crash only to find themselves in a struggle to negotiate the forests of Alaska. Expect lots of cold, wolves and otherworldly entities harrying the player as you await rescue in this procedurally generated tundra. You’ll have to eat, start fires, stay healthy and prepare for nightfall to survive. Simply put, the odds are against you. Nevertheless

The Church in the Darkness

Paranoid Productions “The church in the darkness” is set for an early 2017 release (for Windows and MAC).

Anyone familiar with Jonestown will immediately see parallels in this indie “action-infiltration” game by Paranoid Productions. It’s an open-narrative game that sees the player controlling an ex-police officer called Vic, who attempts to find his nephew by infiltrating a religious colony that has cut itself off from the rest of the world. The game itself focuses less on the storyline and more on stealth and complex decision-making. Every time the player dies the world is iterated anew, and the political and social issues that the game addresses are likely to make players question their own innate beliefs. However, this, of course, is exactly what the developers want.

The Flame in the Flood

The Molasses Flood´s “The Flame in the Flood” is out now for Windows and MAC (the PS4 version will be released in January next year).

While good-looking survival sandbox crafting games are nothing new, “The Flame in the Flood” takes the concept to a whole new level. Based in a forgotten post-societal America, the player must navigate a continually-changing river, that weaves its way through various islands and piles of detritus, in a raft that looks as though it could collapse at any time. While traveling from one island to the next, the player will have to keep their character alive, scavenge parts to upgrade or repair the raft, and battle wolves and other creatures the come out of the dark of night. Nevertheless, fear not, this is not something undertaken alone, as the player’s trusty dog, Aesop will accompany you the entire way.

These titles are just a taste of what awaits us though, because the following games are most definitely worth keeping an eye out for as well:

Vampyr (Windows, PS4 and Xbox One – 2017)
Yooka-Laylee (Windows, PS4, Xbox One and Wii U- March 2017)
Outlast 2 (Windows, MAC, PS4 and Xbox One – 2017)
Absolver (Windows, MAC, Linux, PS4 and Xbox One – 2017)
Pyre (Windows and PS4 – 2017)
Cuphead (Windows and Xbox One – 2017)
Friday the 13th: The Game (Windows, PS4 and Xbox One – 2017)
Graywalkers: Purgatory (Windows, MAC and Linux – Q1 2017)

Furthermore, don´t forget to vote for the 2016 Indie of the year awards and Mod of the year awards. Because there is a ton of cool indie games and mods to check out right now via IndieDB and ModDB =)

And with that said, what´s your take on this matter? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section down below!