"Just Play Indie Games"

Amidst all the recent layoffs and closures in the AAA gaming industry, a common phrase I have been seeing more often than ever is "Just play indie games." Does this notion hold merit? Or is it just a radical idea that's come from a frustration at the current state of AAA? Let's talk about it.
Games shown, in order:
Hi-Fi Rush
store.steampowered.com/app/18...
Angeline Era
store.steampowered.com/app/23...
Oneshot
store.steampowered.com/app/42...
Boomerang X
store.steampowered.com/app/11...
Crypt Worlds
cicadamarionette.com/Games/Cr...
Undertale
store.steampowered.com/app/39...
Pizza Tower
store.steampowered.com/app/22...
Terraria
store.steampowered.com/app/10...
Northern Journey
store.steampowered.com/app/16...
Stardew Valley
store.steampowered.com/app/41...
Corn Kidz 64
store.steampowered.com/app/25...
Songs used, listed in order:
Forgotten [Fez] - Angeline Revolution [Angeline Era] - Morning on the Breezy Road! [Angeline Era] - Another Summer on my Own [Angeline Era] - Angeline Era [Angeline Era] (Yeah that track is just named the same as the game lol)

[@ScarfKat]

Never done a scripted video before so I hope it didn't come off too awkward or anything lol. Would love to hear any feedback on it. But anyway yeah, new videos and new projects on the way soon. Consider this a light channel reboot, I guess. Though there will still be goofy trashposts and artsy music videos cause I enjoy making that stuff too lol.

[@AnimatingBeats]

Indie games are so cool. Because anyone can become an indie dev if they put in the time to learn how to make games. From pixel art to 3d it’s all so amazing. So many unique people wanting to share their stories, it’s so inspiring. If I ever learn to code I would love to make something. Something unique that could at the very least be liked by one person. That’s the magic of indie games. It comes out of a place of passion, not rushing it so that it can be the perfect game of their dreams. …Sorry for the rant, I just really love indie games.

[@iconparker]

I knew your vibes were good when I watched your video on "games where nothing is wrong," but now I'm sold. I played Anodyne back in 2013 when it came out (back when Humble did its indie bundles I think), and the gamedev duo became an instant favorite of mine ever since. I would also highly recommend a game called Superbrothers Sword and Sorcery EP, from the same era, if you haven't played it already. That game and anodyne "altered my brain chemistry" as they say

[@Mark73]

There are so many indie games. Not just crappy ones, too. Actually good ones. Lots of them.

[@stayretro310]

Some nice ideas you've put forward! Looking forward to playing some games you mention in the future. Hopefully the games industry will bounce back and we'll see less mass layoffs too.

[@mersenneprime1044]

6.23 "Going forward I think the primary use of this channel will be put towards highlighting stuff that I found, really enjoyed, and just want to share." Looking forward to seeing that.

[@happytofu5]

Indie games are so vast, I'd love to see recommendations for different kinds of genres

[@sebastianabarza26]

Wonderful video, really looking forward for what you have planned for the future

[@ElfyBean]

Good video, well written, and advice I can definitely get behind~ Keep up the good work, and happy gamin', my dude!

[@Scribdev]

Completely agree with your points. Looking forward to seeing what games you show off here! :D

[@KaioKenneth4]

For some reason, when KZbinrs talk about successful indie games, they always forget about Shovel Knight. It saddens me.

[@dronkusdonkus9190]

A bit surreal looking in the comments of a hypnospace outlaw ost, recognizing the profile picture of what i’d only known as “the person who uploaded the amazing broken reality ost video a few years ago before disappearing”, and checking the channel again to find such a nice video of a completely different type haha. Fate has brought me back here and I’m glad!

[@ScarfKat]

Oh, how interesting lol. I'm curious where you saw a comment of mine, like which Hypnospace song? I can't recall listening to much of it on KZbin lately besides the RedStryke collab stuff. Glad you enjoyed the Broken Reality project though, and this video as well. It feels crazy to be recognized anywhere in any capacity lol.

[@dronkusdonkus9190]

@@ScarfKat It was on Satellite Electrica. I was surprised I recognized you too but it’s probably just countless times seeing your profile picture since you have the only full upload of that ost and I return to it a lot.

[@ScarfKat]

@@dronkusdonkus9190 Ah cool. Well there should be more to check out here pretty soon. I'm just bad at time management, but I am working on further videos lol.

[@michaelchapman7779]

Really enjoying these videos. Excited to watch, great stuff.

[@ZombiesOhMyGod]

This randomly popped up in my recommendeds and got me curious. Indie games are so fun, and some of my favorites the past few years have been indies, like Hollow Knight (if you're reading this and haven't played Hollow Knight PLAY HOLLOW KNIGHT). People have also been using "just play indies" to throw at people and say that AAA games aren't "real art" now though, so we gotta be careful not to get so bitter we turn around and get angry at other gamers, no matter how disappointed we may be with a lot of studios and the state of gaming lately. I've gotten this before bc my favorite game is an AAA game and people for some reason don't think it has substance and it suucks That being said, I'm very curious as to what you'll find! I have some indie games I have yet to play recommended by friends on steam that I'm very excited to play, and I'm definitely subbing to see what you'll find too! One is a pixel-style cosmic horror game that looks really interesting

[@ScarfKat]

You got me curious now, what's your favorite game then? But yeah I mention in the video as well that I really don't think anyone gets into making games out a of a lack of passion for doing so. Most soulless-feeling stuff comes from excessive meddling from producers/publishers trying to make a "safe" product that appeals as broadly as possible, rather than something with a real identity. But there's still absolutely amazing stuff that comes out of AAA spaces, because not *every* studio is operating in those same restrictive philosophies. (A recent AAA game I really enjoyed for example was Cyberpunk 2077, after they had some time to fix it up. Genuinely the first "next-gen" feeling game I've played this generation.)

[@reycolas7929]

Nice video !! I hope I'll discover cool indie games with your channel

[@mobius273]

YOOOO CRYPTWORLDS SIGHTING

[@Vuohipukki]

Good video and subject, and I also picked up couple of games from it, would definately like to see more.

[@ScarfKat]

Sweet! That's the whole goal. Glad you found some cool new stuff to check out.

[@haruhirogrimgar6047]

I do already :P The only non-indie stuff I have played the last couple of years is like Castlevania Aria of Sorrow for the GBA. Or Orcs Must Die! if you count that as AA because I have a weakness for Tower Defense. Nothing these giants of the industries put out excite me in a way like playing through 30 Steam Next Fest demos can. The Cosmic Wheel of Sisterhood is my favourite game of all time and no AAA would ever think of doing a game like that. Same with games that have absolute style ala Neon White, Potionomics, or Hush Hush: Only Your Love can Save Them. I am probably never going to go back to having interest in the AAA space. The indie-scene has too many gems and is getting better and better each year.

[@MDLeide]

Yeah nice job, you're a natural.

[@bringthesalsa5310]

Lovely video

[@tarvoc746]

0:39 - Why does that character look like Xandir from Drawn Together?

[@josephteller9715]

I have seen very few "indie" games that offer me what I want in design, challenge, story etc. The graphics are never up to what works for me, the stories are either non-existent or "Kill Kill Kill", lack replay value or are derivative. I don't want a Diablo/Rogue clone, I don't do FPS games, etc. Larian is only sort of Indie, they are basically feeding money to Hasbro which is yet another big corporate bad guy just like Microsoft etc.

[@goilup]

first

[@Evenifindoingidieinonehour]

Yooooo mah boi is expanding into scripted vids! Real proud of ya, m8! The production and quality of this was awesome! As for the topic, yeah I 100% agree I myself haven't really kept up with everything going on in the AAA scene, cuz I have just been playing Hollow Knight and such XD ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- *_(Warning!: Huge neurodivergent rant ahead!)_* ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'd also like to mention for anyone reading this, of how for the past year or so, there have been a lot of people posting vids talking about how "gaming is dying" "gaming is getting boring" "we've grown up and should move on from games" ect And while a lot of this does stem from the current AAA scene, the people who make these vids talk about how they just don't find videogames fun anymore _And yet they have played nothing but games like Minecraft, Destiny 2, or any MMORPG for the past 10 years_ Yeah no wonder why their getting tired, they've played nothing but Minecraft for all this time! It's like someone eating nothing but Mac and Cheese for their whole life, and then complaining that eating food in general has gotten boring and isn't fun anymore, completely ignoring all the other amazing and delicious foods out in the world Yeah Mac and Cheese is awesome, but they're missing out on... well... _EVERYTHING ELSE!_ I know it's hard for some people to try new things, but like, with how cheaply priced most Indie games are, what's stopping these kinds of people from trying something new for once? Like a new genre? They can't just play Runescape for their whole life and expect to never get tired I play quite a few different genres of games, and a lot of them are Indies Stuff like Hollow Knight (my beloved), Undertale, various horror games, ect And a enjoy tons of Nintendo's big blockbuster games, like my all-time fav, Super Mario Odyssey Plus I've recently branched out into the FPS genre, playing all time legends like Doom and Half-Life for the first time And you wanna know what's something I *_haven't_* felt? Boredom Not. Even. Once. I just wish some of these people would be willing to try a new genre of games sometime, perhaps they'll find a new passion for gaming? *_If I were these people's Doctor, I'd prescribe them a copy of Hollow Knight and Pizza Tower cuz they sure as heck need to play something else that's amazing and fun for a change LOL_* ------------------------------------------------------ Nerdy rant over, you may proceed ------------------------------------------------------ Overall, Indies are awesome and I love them Also again, really amazing job with this vid! I'm very proud of ya dude! :D I'm excited for you're future projects!

[@ScarfKat]

Man, maybe I need to give Hollow Knight another shot, cause honestly I didn't end up liking it lol. Maybe i would like it more though if I gave it a replay, since now I know more of what to expect from it. I do like some games that have been inspired by it though. (BioGun is amazing, for example)