#IndieSpotlight: Crime, Shovelry, & Bullet Hell

As per usual, the AAA gaming industry can’t help but bring itself down slowly but surely. From adding literal casinos to GTAV ; literal slot machines and roulette tables to NBA 2K20, it’s becoming harder to blur those lines between gaming and gambling. However, that doesn’t mean gaming is doomed. Once again, I’m going to show you guys a few indie games worth checking out in the near future that’ll keep you from even having to deal with all that crap. Let’s get started.

Empire of Sin (PS4, XB1, Switch, PC)

Have you guys given a look at Empire of Sin? I’m a sucker for strategy RPGs and this looks to be part that and part town building/town management. I’m also a sucker for a good mafia story. For those not familiar with the strategy RPG style, see Final Fantasy Tactics or XCOM. This clearly a game that really wants you to get all the units you can and be good at decision making. I look forward to seeing how this one turns out. It’ll have more time to show off between now and it’s VERY vague 2020 release date, so keep your eye on this one. I don’t expect it’ll be an indie darling, but certainly worth your time.

Shovel Knight Dig (PS4, XB1, Switch, PC)

You all know I love Shovel Knight. I think I’ve bought that game 4 times now, and I don’t regret it. To call him an Indie icon is an understatement. From side scrollers to RPGs to even fighting games, Shovel Knight has been in a multitude of games in a multitude of ways. Well, now he has his own Metroidvania in the form of Shovel Knight Dig. The premise is simple: you got robbed and you don’t appreciate that so you want your stuff back. Perhaps its me, but the art style looks a lot flatter and less pixel-y than before. But, I think it’s a good look. Of course, the gameplay looks absurd and makes me want it more than I already did. I only wish we had a release date!

Grand Brix Shooter (Switch, PC)

This one was about to slip my radar, but Michael would never let me miss a bullet hell game. I have a soft spot for these ever since I first played/endured Touhou. From what I gather from the trailer, this’ll be a bullet hell survival game. You’ll get a random ship and you’ll just survive the wave of deadly colors. Through your runs, you’ll even be able to fuse with other mechs and power yourself up to keep yourself alive longer. I like this concept of just jumping in and surviving. If you don’t know, bullet hells are incredibly short. Mostly that’s by design, I know. But if this could make an endless bullet hell stay interesting, I think it’ll do well.

Blasphemous (PS4, XB1, Switch, PC)

I’m not going to tell you what this game is like in the usual journalist way, but you know what this game is going for. That aside, this game looks SO cool. Maybe it’s the edgelord in me, but this game has me excited. Brutal, gruesome, fast, bloody, fluid, and somehow hits that balance between dreary and colorful. I know this is going to be a game that shows more than it tells and games that have approached the 2D “not Dark Souls” market have not fared the best, but the trailer gives me hope that they aren’t solely chasing that market and are doing things all their own. I really hope so because I want to love this game.

Check out the trailers for each game and see what catches your eye. A couple of them come out within the next month and the others perhaps next year. Either way, consider them games to look forward to and keep them in mind so they don’t get buried in the big blockbuster releases. Especially now that the hardcore gaming season is about to begin. Let us know what games make you want to try it from the ones here or any I missed. I’m always looking for indie game suggestions, so if you have any let me know.

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