Indie Games Don’t Get More Creative Than This

[@yossarian7617]

You don't play as Indika, you play as the Devil trying to corrupt her. Indika is indeed possessed: by the player. The only way to win this game is by repeating the "pointless" tasks which lead to nowhere gameplay-wise, which in turn will bore the player, which in turn will lead the payer (devil) to leave Indika alone. But if you keep playing, Indika loses. The same identical meta-narrative was used in the movie Funny Games. The only way for the characters in that movie to be saved was to stop watching. In the end of that movie the 2 villains even make fun of the viewer for actually watching the movie in its entirety.

[@Anonymouse007]

wow I didn't know about that film, which means taht I saved the family

[@thegrandwombat8797]

@@Anonymouse007 A true hero

[@Lyss-Jack]

Deltarune already did that. No, that's not a praise, the whole ''the true villain it's the player itself'' it's bullshit. You expect me to feel guilty for making my character life miserable because that's how the game works? Who's the one that made the game like that, me or the you? (refering to the developer) I mean it, this meta shit it's bullshit, why can't I have a game when I play as a legit motherfucker without any redemption qualities? What's wrong with that?

[@granthuling3235]

I don't know why he needed to apply a modern secular gloss to the game at 10:30 and deny that "Devil" is really the Devil.

[@yossarian7617]

@@granthuling3235 "And He said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." This is the meta-commentary of the game. The players that finish the game are exactly like Indika: possessed and completely unaware of that fact.

[@tsufen8032]

The third person camera part was really interesting. I interpreted it as though she's watching herself through the lens of how others view her. All of her actions are being scrutinized, and the player is almost being a stand-in for the idea of God judging her every move. It's almost a performance of self.

[@suneater_zeef050]

@@tsufen8032 yes, and at the very end we switch to first person, it's very interesting

[@isaacthatsit]

The english voices are so clean, no stutter or hesitation, the russian dialogue is so raw, I advise anyone to play with it, even if that means reading subtitles.

[@michaelhaydenbell]

No...hesitation with the English? Lol what? What does raw Russian mean? I guess I'm too dum to udnerstand this commint..

[@Folemaet]

@@michaelhaydenbell There are raw emotions contained within russian localization which are missing from the translated one. Is that clearer?

[@thehunterx93]

i really don't understand why people dislike reading subtitles so much. it makes no sense to me. imo it's much worse when games/movies are dubbed. watching leonardo dicaprio talk in spanish is really immersive, no lie lol same thing here, english just feels off and out of place.

[@andrewatarantino]

Dicaprio russian dub is better than eglish(for russians)​@@thehunterx93

[@MsMarmima]

​@@thehunterx93 some people are dyslexic hunter

[@mikhailchernienko27]

To add, it has superb Russian voice over which is usually not the case. I didn't try English one though but if you pick Russian one (I don't know, to dive deeper) you're gonna love it!

[@vvvorlds]

For me, as a native speaker I found the bbc narration more filmic. I liked Indikas Low Russian country speak, because of the character, but everyone else was off. Who ever translated the game, made the translation more literary.

[@mikhailchernienko27]

@@vvvorlds Well, I guess you don't have to like what I liked :) But I can't agree on "everyone else was off" part

[@LawyM1996]

Well, the game is made in Russia no? Russian is the native language of the game and English is a translation.

[@mikhailchernienko27]

@@LawyM1996 Yes, but Russian voice over not always good even when it's native

[@TwoTailedCaperer]

I played with the English voices. I thought the acting was good to be fair, especially for Indika and the Devil. But it was implemented strangely, sometimes the dialogue was half a second off from the animation, other times Indika and Ilya started yelling to each other with a LOT of reverb (even though they were standing right next to each other). And there were moments when the dialogue didn't make complete sense, or when the actors said a line but the subtitles said something else. I have some trophies to round up for the Platinum, so I'll do a second playthrough with the Russian voices at some point.

[@chinese_bot]

I’m sorry but this game isn’t bad on purpose, it’s good… on purpose. It’s very good on purpose.

[@Omar_Al_Seddik]

He needs the clickbait to get his paycheck. That's how KZbin works, sadly.

[@peka__]

​@@Omar_Al_Seddik I would not have clicked this video without this title. The title is well-chosen.

[@peka__]

As if the creator of this video wanted to question what is good and what is bad...

[@Jeroen4]

Crazy title idea! ‘This amazing game completely blew me away!’🤦🏼‍♂️

[@peka__]

@@Jeroen4 And a face with wide open eyes and open mouth in the thumbnail. Perfect!

[@galamotshaku]

I think you could also relate the whole Devil thing as part of a mental illness and at the same time as Indika rationalizing her inner thoughts about faith and reality. In the final section where you shift to first person I interpret it as Indika fully embracing her rational thoughts over blind faith, after the worse thing happens to her there's no god left to believe in, she was betrayed by everyone and instead of double down she breaks the cycle. This of course is not a happy ending because seeing reality has it's own perks.

[@meaningofreason]

Assumes if it does mean “embracing rational thoughts over blind faith,” Embraces rational thoughts as in embracing rational ideas that’s going on inside your own head? or also it includes ideas and influence from many other people, whom “rational thoughts” we believed are rational? What constitutes “rational thoughts” or what can be rational exactly? Ideas or moments of insights into the meanings of thoughts are also ‘invisible’ anyway, wouldn’t that meant your beliefs in what youve always thought as being “rational” can also be “blind”? How possibly can you know moments when your “rational thoughts” may failed? It makes no sense seeing anyone as capable of fully “embracing rational thoughts” over “blind faith,” these are wishy washy conclusions

[@tacopig7605]

​@@meaningofreasontruth

[@silverhawkscape2677]

Faith and Reason are not Mutually Exclusive. Literature like Father Brown makes this clear. It's only Protestant Fundamentalist that commit this error. And no. Religious People can be intelligent and see Reality. They do not exist in some different plane nor are they mentally Ill like what Radical Atheist try to mock.

[@alexxx4434]

@@meaningofreason *Rational* _adjective_ based on or in accordance with reason or logic. _"I'm sure there's a perfectly rational explanation"_ Rational thought must follow the rules of logic, doesn't matter where that thought comes from. And there is nothing of faith in rational thinking.

[@xanderbrindle]

Pathologic 2 is everything you described in the end. Definitely worth a deep dive.

[@GameThoughts]

Oooh thank you, I'll give it a look! 👀

[@xanderbrindle]

@@GameThoughts Good luck if you choose to play it. It's a huge, dramatic, surreal, depressing, fascinating, rabbit hole. It's also incredibly unforgiving.

[@nowaymmm3022]

@@GameThoughtsPathologic 2 is such a treat, playing it is like if Russian literature tried to beat you up

[@aronsurakh1747]

did they ever make the xbox version more playable? the loading was pretty pace breaking when I tried it

[@xanderbrindle]

@@aronsurakh1747 that's the version I played. Which xbox? It was decent, but I was expecting jank.

[@violetslit]

omfg i'm usually good with just watching random game summaries and leaving it at that, but you 100% convinced me to play this. i love games with beautiful cinematography/design and weird vibes lol

[@GameThoughts]

Hahaha, thanks for watching! Hope you enjoy the game 😊

[@ivibewithghosts]

Oh hey, I think it’s time for me to write my second comment on your KZbin channel :) I’ll actually add an incident related to this very game; I was at my friend’s place a couple of weeks ago, & we were just chilling, when suddenly my friend wanted to show a new game he’s been playing, to me, & it was this one, Indika, lol- I watched him play-through the game for himself, & I wouldn’t have figured out that it contained so much depth & work being put into it, now I feel like checking out the game for myself, I’ll definitely do so. I loved your video, just like the last one, you’re super good at this; I love the way you narrate through your video, & everything feels so well constructed. Funny thing, I’d like to point out though, I cracked up in laughter when I saw that thumbnail, Also, Yes. Me & my friend both called it “Nun Simulator” back then, as well, haha, & it’s definitely weird 😂 I love indie games. We love indie games. ❤

[@GameThoughts]

Haha thanks so much for the second comment! So glad my videos are resonating with you, and would definitely recommend playing through the game! 😊

[@CrackedDota]

Hoping to see this one pop off too! Great video. Death Stranding still holds the spot for me. It's insane for so many different reasons. Plot is crazy, lore is crazy, gameplay is crazy, and Kojima is Kojima.

[@GameThoughts]

Thanks so much! Fingers crossed the aglo is kind to me 🤞🏻 I have DS downloaded and ready to try - I need to set some time aside to start playing it

[@chrislair6832]

I picked this up about 2 weeks ago and cannot believe how much I enjoyed it. It is absolutely Wild!

[@JhonDoe-t1s]

Im so glad that Indika has gone beyond the Russian-speaking community. This is really a game that many people should experience. For me personally it's a strange mix of nostalgia and not so pleasant memories, because up until a certain point my family were very religious Christians, and so many details in this game are familiar to me from my childhood, but they also remind me of some of the negative or scary things I was taught (like not questioning God's actions, but accepting everything he does)

[@ouimerci7112]

I was truly excited about Indika and got it day one. Though as want to love it, I was very disappointed. There are definitely cool things in the game, and the first hour is tedious in a funny way. Though after this, it was actually tedious and unfun. The "crazy" part is only present in the first 20min, then a tiny bit at the end. I pushed through, hoping for a pay off eventually. After the (kind of nice) epilogue though, I was mostly glad because I was done with this game. I think the issue was the marketing promising a quirky and surprising game. The game is a bit crazy indeed, but while the dialogues are nice, it's 90% walking and tedious puzzles.

[@BaBaBaBenny]

The strangest game I ever played was with some friends, we were trying out some of the cheap/free games on the PlayStation store whilst hanging out and stumbled across this little puzzle game. We just thought it'd be a laugh, but then the game had this underlying narrative about this couple meeting and then splitting up, with the puzzles being a metaphor for the building and then crumbling of their relationship. It was all incredibly well voice acted and written and I can't remember what it was called now, lol.

[@henrydoesstuff4260]

sounds familiar..

[@starryskies9655]

oh, the skill tree is what has made me love indika, that’s so good

[@lesteryaytrippy7282]

Love the analysis and very MUCH LOVE this game. I immediately got the message during the well activity. A very meta-commentary on both religion and belief, and connecting that to how we as gamers think we've figured out the mechanics of what video games should be. But throws out all the tropes we've associated ourselves when we play games, and yet it IS also very video game-y in their clunky moves and even soundtrack.

[@Fleischkopf]

plot twist. WE, the players, are the devil in her head

[@NicholasGoterch]

You showed up in my algorithm and already planned to play this game at some point, but the way you break down a game and non sexual at all, you have a voice I could just pop on and pass out to ha, You have another subscriber just off this alone, now I'm gunna go watch a couple more videos, see what this channel is all about. Good shit man!

[@GameThoughts]

😅😅😅 thank you! Hope you enjoy the content!

[@alexb7039]

Very well done essay and I'm quite happy to have found it! :) You just got another subscriber my dude! 🤙 I actually listened to a podcast called Something Rotten talk about this game very recently and I'm glad to have another person repping the game!

[@GameThoughts]

Oh cool!! I need to check out Jacob Geller's podcast, I'm a big fan of his videos. Thanks for watching and subscribing 😊

[@alexb7039]

@GameThoughts Blake Hester is in every episode too and they're both awesome xD I'm definitely looking forward to getting to sit down and go through your older videos too, keep it up!

[@sergenamias]

intro quote goes hard 😮‍💨

[@pedrolizardo7704]

ok let's speedrun this game

[@strangerboe1332]

tbh the weirdest game I've ever played is probably something among the style of sludge life, I mean I have played stanley parable, hotline miami, katana zero (this and the previous have weird storytelling) and some others but the nonsense aspect of sludge life is so good and weird that I love it

[@saidnimr959]

Great review, download in progress. Subscribed, by the way.

[@GameThoughts]

Thank you so much!! So cool that you vibed with the video that much 😆😊

[@museofsalzburg2373]

Hope you check out the Giuseppe Garibaldi series they're doing right now when it's finished, a super interesting figure II knew nothing about beforehand.

[@GameThoughts]

Noted! Thanks for watching!

[@human_shaped]

I think the intention is to say that Satan or evil is just your inner monologue.

[@MbahMu9829]

If you experienced weird japanese games, weirdly this game felt very normal

[@hellolistener.]

I'm Orthodox and I won't be playing this game. Nothing more scrutinized than true Christianity. Especially in the lap of modern amenities, we see no reason to learn the meaning of suffering, we just avoid it for as long as we can and then die a meaningless death.

[@beth_m_666]

There is enough suffering in this world even with modern amenities. Suffering just for the suffering is meaningless. Try help others to reduce someone's suffering, its gonna be hard and honest work. Christ would love it for you. And this game is about pointless activities, following strict rules and all for nothing. This game is about orthodox Church as an institution made by humans, not about God or faith. So as an orthodox you are probably offended about the wrong thing.

[@hellolistener.]

@@beth_m_666 Thanks for the advice beth_m_666. Before we go down this road, do you think prayer is pointless?

[@AveChristusRex33AD]

​@@beth_m_666The Orthodox Church is a Church founded by Christ and traced back from apostolic succession through the saints and early Fathers its remained the only Fulfilled Church because orientals, coptics split off early and catholics later on these 3 institutions betray the Truth for their opinions like catholicism modernizing although the coptics and orientals are close they miss the mark

[@detdeet]

You need to go deeper than questioning religion to be thought provoking, that stuff was already commonplace as a narrative theme like 20 years ago, it's like pummeling a horse skeleton at this point lol

[@GameThoughts]

I wasn't arguing that Indika's religious themes were thought provoking. This video is about the creative game design choices the developers used to carry their message.

[@ernestalfonso8942]

the developer: its satan the credits: its the devil youtube reviewer: its nuanced intrusive thoughts!

[@RizaLazar]

Yeah pretty colours and pretty writing, the idolatry is showing 😂 anyways Indika is Anathema and a product of the russian atheist revolution.

[@raccoonpriests]

this inspired me to put it on my wishlist. thanks!

[@GameThoughts]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoy the game

[@cloverfield23666]

For whatever reason, I thought you were wearing a Bubsy shirt.

[@GameThoughts]

Hahaha pinky and the brain, im afraid

[@kennethbradburn7108]

welcome back pathologic classic

[@kubatism77]

the game has evil vibes and the messaging is a "fist to the nose" obvious.

[@sky3_ow]

aight, if u say so, i believe u

[@RizaLazar]

Made by russian atheist who hate the patriarch , checks out

[@peka__]

Getting water is meaningless...? I really hope that the message of this game is more intelligent than this.

[@multi.instrumentalist]

This reminds me of Pathologic… or at least, what I know of it from KZbin

[@Белая-простыня]

Few people from Ice-pick lodge (developers of Pathologic) work on Indica.

[@kimchi3147]

7 minutes in and I've got the game in my cart

[@shocknawe]

On a leisure pace, how long does it take to beat do you think? Edit: never mind hahah 6:44

[@fuglong]

Dude I loved this freaking game! It wasn't bad at all

[@mohammadtausifrafi8277]

Isn't bashing religion, specially Christianity, is old in the West by now though? This game does it creatively, actually very creatively for a video game. But the concept is not new or rare at all, in fact, on the contrary, it seems almost ubiquitous now. I would like to see bashing humanism or something similar, that would be actually new or at least rare.

[@GameThoughts]

Regardless of what the game is saying, its methods of delivering the message are creative, and that's what I meant.

[@mohammadtausifrafi8277]

@@GameThoughts I know, and I agree. I just consider the content to be more important than the method.

[@INRamos13]

A modern piece of media criticizing Christianity? So innovative and brave.

[@SwizzleMix]

this but unironically

[@antistraightmen]

❄

[@cardboard2night]

You do realise it's criticizing specifically the russian orthodox christianity, that preaching "peace and love", but at the same time glorifies war, promotes tyranny and say's to their worshippers that they cannot question church les they'll be ostracized?? Like maybe use your brain for ones and realise not everything is about your religion and believe.

[@naistals]

Having played the game, I loved it very much, but it felt like there could've been more.. ..of itself to it. It felt like the start of the game - specifically the part that went into the demo - got a bit more love and polish than the end of it. Sure, the environments got bigger as we progress which is neat, but at the same time they felt more streamlined, without as much of that "extra" flourish as the beginning of the game. It's almost as if the game lost color as it went along, like the main values had been painted in, but the creators hadn't had the time for fun final touches.

[@sinfall5280]

This tells me the creators have no clue what spiritual life actually entails.

[@voidninja9134]

So devil gives you knowledge while god don't want to anyone gain knowledge lol

[@anthonyjaimesnortje6501]

God wants you to be holy while satan wants you to perish. Knowledge has nothing to do with it

[@kaikai9849]

Weirdest game ever played? Only cans

[@emory6792]

This channel is cool and I like it 👍

[@KenSTACKS]

bro what is the name of the song in the intro i AM LOOKING FOR IT

[@GameThoughts]

Good question! It's called Ezekiel, you can find it in the big soundtrack video on Mike Sabadash's KZbin channel 😊

[@KenSTACKS]

@@GameThoughts nicee it wasn't on his soundcloud, i was peeved but thanks for showing me da wae

[@aronvankeulen8547]

when you're talking about Satan as the narrator and being confused. think of Satan's role in the old testament, the function of the satan was to be an adversary for the narrative in the story, not to be an evil omnipresent being. just someone with an opposing opinion or stance to pick your brain a bit

[@ciaotiziocaius4899]

just commenting for the algorihitm

[@GameThoughts]

🫡🫡🫡

[@Mangolorian-je3eo]

Sooo… every portrayal of nuns ever again, then? Yawn. Next.

[@jackmama198]

I like this game. It represents living in russia very well: nothing you do brings any results and thinking for yourself is punishable.

[@Yetds]

i love indika

[@tacituskilgore2720]

now they shall try that with a women wearing a hijab

[@througtonsheirs_doctorwhol5914]

i find it sad that people born later cannot find the imaginationj to see the quality in older graphics ... they were limited by low pixel resolution and tiny cartridge data space... people are superficial when they didnt start reading books and imagining parts of the art in their imagination

[@indikabyodd-metergames5384]

❤

[@ViliousTorch]

v

[@MegaMerdeux]

If you think that concept is original. You haven't played many games or watched any movies, or read any books.....

[@GameThoughts]

I didn't say the concept was original. Thanks for watching though.

[@SimraAhmed532]

As a Muslim, this is offensive.

[@schlop1771]

Why are you offended over a game that has nothing to do with Islam

[@EttaKamenatios]

​@@schlop1771 he is offended because he is Muslim

[@RizaLazar]

Thank you 😊

[@BiggusBootus]

​@@schlop1771 we as Muslims shouldn't ridicule other religions unprovoked. This is an entire mockery of Christianity. You may not think so, but it paints a very horrid picture. Imagine if I made a game which made leftist liberals seem like narcissistic, lustful, horrible people who try to convince kids that they should switch genders. That seems unrealistic and paints a very bad image for them. And kids or people that play the game would hold a negative view. I as a Muslims would rather have facts speaks for themselves. This is not normalizing mocking christianity, rather it is normalizing mocking religions that go against their secular and subjective views on what is good and what isnt

[@lovushka_sosisok]

Not surprising as your kind find anything offensive lol

[@Pranksta1985]

How is this game bad on purpose? This game is outstanding with phenomenal camera work, an unsettling story and intriguing characters, even in jest to say it's bad on purpose shows you clearly don't play many games 🤡.

[@Just_a_viewer]

He literally describes in the video and in other comments what he means by this. The gameplay at times feels arbitrary, monotonous, and repetitive which might be traditionally “bad” game design but they’re using it in a creative way that reinforces the game’s themes. He isn’t literally calling the game bad lol.

[@douglasevangelista3870]

Could be a muslim

[@tacoziz]

I have to emphisize that as a Christian that Catholosisim and Christianity are two different religions.

[@Just_a_viewer]

Catholicism is a branch of Christianity, they’re not separate religions.

[@tacoziz]

@@Just_a_viewer So when I say that what I mean is that their doctrine is different from the doctrine of a Christian and Timothy 6 says; Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. 2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. 3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings. Meaning we were never supposed to have different doctrines to begin with. Hence why I say that I would distance the two beliefs.

[@anthonyjaimesnortje6501]

It's funny because the game focuses on orthodox Christianity and not Catholicism

[@tacoziz]

@@anthonyjaimesnortje6501 Mmm okay the persons who made the video didn't expressly state this so I assumed this was about catholicisim. I also don't know what it means to be an Orthodox Christian so you have me beat on that one. I mearly follow Christ.

[@erwinzer0]

Don't question is hidden rule of religion, self-deception does feel good

[@KolyaUrtz]

edgy reddit atheist back at it again with his dogshit claims.

[@riverblack123]

Of course self deception feels good, thats why you believe you wont be judged for doing things you know are wrong but still like doing.

[@migzmedua104]

As someone raised catholic it bothers me how she does the sign of the cross wrong lmao

[@anthonyjaimesnortje6501]

That's the orthodox way of making the sign of the cross.

[@qeqsiquemechanical9041]

kudos to devs for moving out of ruzzia and stopping paying taxes in the terrorist state

[@wiktor3727]

I'm surprised you didn't mention how the world is twisted and scenery is weirdly big. Almost as if Indika felt like she didn't belong there

[@logiebear911]

And it kinda gets worse over time until it snaps back to regular scale right at the end

[@suneater_zeef050]

growing up in an orthodox country, these visuals instill both dread and a sense of nostalgia in me. almost makes me wanna go to church, buy a candle for 40 cents, light it from another candle, set it into a little iron cup, bow my head and cross myself ( forehead to right to left to stomach , of course), then unbow my head, then...

[@grey.7828]

☦️

[@tacopig7605]

Do it. Christ is in our midst

[@AvikNayak_]

​@@tacopig7605 Hinduism, Christianity, Islam all of them were created inorder to gain control over the masses by a small group of people who self-appointed themselves as the worshippers of God.

[@robbieboydudeguy]

Now THAT’S scary!

[@Blue_Azure101]

And then pass gas….just let it rip

[@rachelsummers4311]

i didn’t grow up playing video games myself, so it can be really hard for me to enjoy playing them because im not quick enough. I mostly enjoy watching essays or play throughs of horror games specifically. Indika caught my eye and was the first game i played 95% myself (my bf helped me through tuff spots lol) and i was absolutely hooked. I can’t even be mad it wasn’t longer because it was such a unique and contained experience. as a filmmaker i was also so blown away by the camera work, it really had its own language that was perfectly crafted for the world and its story. As a woman raised in a strict religion i felt so seen by this game on every level, still so blown away months later by all the dedication to detail.

[@GameThoughts]

What an awesome comment, I'm so glad the game spoke to you like that. Thanks a lot for watching 😊

[@danlewis7707]

Wow. A religious doubt simulator!

[@alexxx4434]

From Russia with love!

[@TurtlePops]

If A24 were to start making video games I'd imagine this is what they would be making

[@lyndolynspearmint738]

I went into this game with the understanding that it was basically “Hellblade except you play as a nun in 1800s Russia”, and while it undoubtedly was its own thing, I still see a lot of interesting overlap between the two games. Both games feature the protagonist learning to accept and embrace their demons, but the context in which they each do so completely changes the takeaway the player has. For Senua, she’s fought through her own crucible and has come out a powerful warrior, strong enough to slay the gods themselves. Meanwhile, Indika is left alone with the understanding that everything she was taught as a nun was pointless and that there is no salvation waiting for her at the end of her path. She ends up lower than she started, left to suffer the consequences of the decisions that she chose - not the Devil, not God, her alone.

[@Rufus_11bitstudios]

Duncan, this is such an incredibly thorough and insightful analysis of the game! Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to dive so deep into it and share your thoughts with your audience. It truly means a lot to us! 💛

[@GameThoughts]

Thanks so much for the kind words! 😊

[@TheMovingEye]

Lets not forget another facet of the religion/games thing: You play games even if they are pointless (just like collecting pointless points). Doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. As long as it gives your live meaning and something to do, do it. Just don't be a freak about it.

[@GameThoughts]

I wish I was smart enough to think of that. Thanks for watching!

[@Swagbastian]

Anything that truly helps a person isn't useless. Entertainment, leisure, and hobbies have their place, even for religious people.

[@jelly434]

Nah man, it decays your rational and moral faculties *by design*. Good is good irrespective of it, or despite it.

[@Just_a_viewer]

Great video! Love the idea that the stilted/weird gameplay is helping to put you in the character’s shoes, more games should explore the medium like that.

[@GameThoughts]

Thanks best friend! Please note for the record i got through this vid without mentioning hunt or dishonored !!

[@lubomirkompis9441]

Hot take: ain't nothing wrong about feeling you're being watched and judged. As long as you realize that the one watching and judging is yourself. You're anxious, because you yourself believe that what you're doing is wrong. You judge yourself and you hate yourself, you hate your judgement of yourself and you hate the self that is judging you, you hate every part of you. Realize this, realize it's ok to not be perfect, realize it's ok to improve, realize the judgement is self-help. Accept the imperfect self, accept criticism of the imperfect self.

[@yoggothemadgod6196]

You acknowledge yourself of your own flaws to overcome them and defeat them, not to accept them

[@KevinGeneFeldman]

This is such basement bargain bin "I'm my own god" garbage. Everyone judges themselves as right and thats where atrocities comes from, its the easiest thing in the world to rationalize your own evil as good, especially since without God there is no objective moral standard, there is only your personal preference. The only way there is a "SHOULD BE" is if there is an authority above us all that imparted what should be. This is like a criminal investigating themselves and finding they've done nothing wrong.

[@lubomirkompis9441]

​ @KevinGeneFeldman Ah, yes, because there are no, and absolutely never have been any of the following: a) moral atheists b) evildoers who commit atrocities, and excused their own evil as 𝕵𝖚𝖘𝖙 and 𝕮𝖔𝖗𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖙 and 𝕲𝖔𝖔𝖉 acts in accordance with The 𝖂𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖔𝖋 𝕲𝖔𝖉™ There is no objective moral standard, with god, or without, unless you simply mean his morals specifically, which I doubt you would understand even if he personally told you, which he hasn't. Surely there never have ever been any wars about what people though those morals of his were supposed to be. But whatever those morals actually are, I'm pretty sure leading war against fellow brothers under God isn't one of them. Objective my foot. Besides, it's not like I'm excluding others from judging me. Be it God, or Buddha, or random strangers on the internet, I'm ready to accept their valid and reasoned criticisms of my imperfect self.

[@Omar_Al_Seddik]

@@KevinGeneFeldman The _"objective moral standards"_ of the Abrahamic religions are extremely barbaric by today's standards, though. We don't need a God to qualify what's morally _"good"_ and what's morally _"evil."_

[@KevinGeneFeldman]

@@Omar_Al_Seddik Yes you do need a God, what are you deriving morality from? You can't appeal to an objective moral goodness if there is nothing to define it. Are you defining it by your preference? Everyone's preference is different. Are you defining it by flourishing? Whose flourishing and WHY would that be good? You see you're assuming there is something called good that SHOULD be applied but you can't source anything that backs that up. What is good and evil? and who says so?

[@GiovanniBottaMuteWinter]

I played a very weird indie game more than 10 years ago. It was a twist on red riding hood where you played different versions of RRH and inevitably always ran into the wolf… it was very eerie and strange. I wish I could remember the name.

[@TheFrikkinShark]

The Path?

[@teaz3139]

The Path.

[@bubblegumplastic]

Izzzyzzz has a great video on The Path, if you'd like to see parts of the game again for nostalgic reasons.

[@kikijewell2967]

Very well done video! I'll take your advice and play the game before spoilers. But I'll add this: I've discovered how much _playing the game_ affects the depth of your understanding of the story. This is what I'm most fascinated by game narratives vs any other (passive) narrative medium. And a game that forces you to go through the meaningless mundane tasks of being in a religious institution seems to me as the epitome of gameplay mechanics deepening your religious (??) experiences - which is the point of a spiritual retreat or monastery. (I really need to start a video essay channel of my own... Channels like yours are so inspiring and encouraging.)

[@GameThoughts]

Hahaha thank you Kiki!! I'm really grateful for the support you've given me recently, and I can't wait to see where you go with your journey into games. 😊🎮

[@inner_depths]

I'm really glad there are yt channels promoting Indika, definitely needs more recognition, this is pure art and creativity, as I understand the creator was raised in this kind of Russian orthodox environment and this game represents a way to channel his emotions, thank you for this Games are the 8th art

[@shellbatronic]

One of the most interesting games I've played in a long time. One of the first 'missions' is literally a chore- plain drudgery, that ends up being completely meaningless. You are told very quickly that it's not a 'rescue the princess' kind of game. I love the pixel art, and the mechanics of the 'devil voice' puzzles. It's all so...crafted. Deliberate, and well done.

[@aaronbarreguin.4211]

But isn’t the developers distain for Christianity and religion in general a flaw in the game because it’s imposed on the player? I get that people have doubts and pious people can be unscrupulous but why then do we have to assume everything is a lie?

[@GameThoughts]

I actually think one of the game's biggest flaws is how unbalanced it is in its conversation about religion, but then again, I think that's part of the point. Thanks for watching!

[@aaronbarreguin.4211]

@@GameThoughts you’re welcome!

[@UmmerFarooq-wx4yo]

They're not mü'slims (translation: saviours) bro. They're mean. Aal-e-Imran 3:159 فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْۖ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلْقَلْبِ لَٱنفَضُّوا۟ مِنْ حَوْلِكَۖ فَٱعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ So by mercy from Allah you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely.

[@clearempyrean7806]

That's what I was thinking

[@marcusdaloia2974]

It is often said that worshipers should be left to their lifestyle and beliefs because it beings them comfort; if you agree with that then you should be fine with the narrative regardless of whether you are one and if you don't agree with it then you should also be fine with it regardless of whether you are one.

[@PlanetDrewpiter]

Absolutely my favorite game this year. Loved the story, the music that fits awkwardly, and the characters. Great vid, man!

[@GameThoughts]

Thank you !! 🙌🙌

[@RikkuX5]

Your narration, editing and music choice really encapsulated the eerie and odd vibe of Indika. Stunning video for a stunning game!

[@GameThoughts]

Wow, thank you so much for the kind words!

[@e.b.1279]

Absolutely Agree!! Truly wonderful video for a far more insightful game than on first appearance! ...It's funny how heretical I feel espousing praise for a great succinct comment, wonderfully passionate video, and richly themed game... but I'm here for it! Have a Great Day

[@RikkuX5]

@@e.b.1279 What a lovely comment. Thank you! Have a wonderful day too! 🦀

[@JB-fp3fb]

Huh. I was just about to comment that I had to stop watching because of the music, before I came to the comments to see if anyone else had mentioned it. The music was way too distracting, loud, and generally weird sounding. It was like there was two different Transformers movies and an Apex Twin album all playing at the same time in the background, while I was trying to focus on what ol' mate was saying.

[@MrOpellulo]

In RPS there is a long interview to the director Dmitry Setlov where he speaks about his own experience in being raised in a devout orthodox family and being forced to leave Russia for being an opposer to Ukraine invasion... And how those things are connected and represent a main theme in Indika. It's hard real life stuff for a real "adult" game that sticks so much to his guns to pledge part of its earning to an Ukranian children relief fund.

[@Rihcterwilker]

It looks pretty high budget to be indie.

[@Garnilator]

This game is not indie at all. It's a relatively small team, but they have their own sound recording studio, motion cap technology, and a publisher.

[@Rihcterwilker]

@@Garnilator i think we're getting used to AA or AAA games being formulaic, and indie games being experimental, that's probably the reason of the confusion.

[@calculus_homework1105]

@@Rihcterwilker Yup! You're right. What makes an independent team "indie" is not how much money they don't have. It's about where the money comes from. "An indie game refers to a video game developed and published independently by individuals or small studios without significant financial backing or support from major publishers." So, it can still be a publisher. But most AA and AAA studios have multiple backings from significant sources like shareholders and whatnot. (Teams upwards of 100 people working on a project can still be deemed as independent if they got backing through crowdfunding, personal means, or from minor publishers.)

[@Cooe.]

It's a AA game.

[@calculus_homework1105]

@@Cooe. Oh, nice! Thank you for the info.

[@sethender443]

For the record, I LOVE what you’re saying about the stuff on how religious works don’t change God’s love for you. However, as a Christian, I think this is closer to Catholicism than Christianity

[@jmaz4261]

Halfway done and it’s really not so bad, a bit pricey for how long it is but I’m happy to support ppl that bust there ass to make a good game. Definitely worth a try, I personally love puzzles so if you do too cop it

[@thegoldenboah3343]

so basically a christian senua

[@Evan-k]

Its not bad on purpose, its just great

[@agentofxehanort]

The weirdest game I've played was Killer7. I expected it to be out there after playing No More Heroes, but this was a far weirder animal. The story felt like I was experiencing a bad dream; I couldn't understand exactly what was going on, but I felt the world getting darker. Even the gameplay was off beat, switching from an on-rails third person adventure to an FPS when fighting the Heaven Smiles.

[@GameThoughts]

I'll give this a look! Thanks for the recommendation

[@miwoj]

i'd say indika was not weird enough. 90% of the game is dreadfully boring walking simulator with most basic mechanics and puzzles and occasional weirdness.

[@GameThoughts]

Sorry you felt that way, but that kinda seemed like the whole point they were going for. Like i say in the video, it reflects the experience of the main character. Thanks for watching anyways!

[@pgg-i4c]

Such a good video, no other words, very thought out

[@GameThoughts]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@john15399]

this game looks so interesting though

[@GameTalesHQ]

What's the song you used at 01:01? I couldn't find it on the soundtrack.

[@GameThoughts]

That would be Ezekiel - You can hear it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/foqvmnmDo9yHqLcsi=2JAs_Df48ulEJXYj&t=1665 It's a banger - Mike Sabadash did an incredible job with this game!

[@GameTalesHQ]

@@GameThoughts Thank you. Love what you are doing with your channel, you inspire me!

[@Nygus_Delgado]

It s really good game, I would say it s too short, but still i love it, very artistic and metaphoric, to me the main idea is that many of us thinks that to change our lifes some miracle gotta happen and we wait for it instead of changing ourselves towards life we want, plus we all are under constant influence of other people and it happens to somehow shape, how we think about ourselves

[@malfestioscafe404]

The weirdest game I've played is probably clash: artifacts of chaos. Such an unique and bizarre world full of strange creatures and characters with a pretty original combat system. Pathologic 2 is also a contender, you should check these out if you didn't know about them, both very good indie games imo.

[@SpareAlchemist]

I'm not saying the english voice acting is bad or anything, but you should try it with original russian voice acting, with subtitles. It's more profound that way.

[@Swagbastian]

I was going to watch this video and then I read the comments only to find out that the game is super anti-Christian. It's sad that anti-Christian people don't realize it isn't the religion that's evil but the people who raised them and treated them poorly while claiming to follow the religion. These caretakers were supposed to be compassionate. God will treat them justly for the grave evil they have commited.

[@mangobadger]

It’s really not

[@tacopig7605]

Idk if the game is anti religion, but many of these comments definitely are

[@INRamos13]

Yeah, I can appreciate the craftmanship, but I'm already fed up with the mainstream liberal progressive opinions trying to pass as subversive. I would welcome more REAL diversity in gaming. Diversity of opinions, diversity of worldviews, diversity of perspectives. Not skin color and sexuality.

[@Swagbastian]

@@mangobadger What an enlightening response!

[@tacopig7605]

@@INRamos13 Fr, it seems deep to people who've never actually explored religion from an unbiased stand point and boils down to "if God real, why bad thing happen?"

[@michaelkochalka3251]

Weirdest game I played was probably Jesus Christ RPG Trilogy. Never finished it though.

[@GameThoughts]

Hahaha oh my god, I'm gonna need to look that up for sure. Thanks for watching!

[@aadipie]

Definitely gonna pick this up soon. Was intrigued but you’ve sold me on it

[@gfin4576]

13:07 I think you're mixing up two different sections of the Gospel of Matthew. the Temptation of Christ in the desert runs through Matthew 4:1-11 where those words aren't used. The section where Jesus does say "Get behind me Satan" is Matthew 16:23 when he's reacting to Peter's emotional outburst. Basically saying that Peter not wanting Jesus to fulfill his role as the suffering servant is of the worlds will and not God's.

[@LordCritish]

I dare them to create a similar game that demonstrates the oppression happening in current day Islam.

[@foilhat]

I did a search of the comments and no one... NO ONE (!), not even once (!!!), mentioned Nikolai Gogol, on whose work the game is based.