In the 2010s Indie game. From Spelunky To HadesEvery year, it was filled with new gems that expanded the possibilities of the game as a storytelling medium.
Given how often left-field hits become mainstream, catching up with the world of indie games can be very difficult, but fortunately there is a simple starting point. Publisher Annapurna Interactive has left an endless number of must-see titles since the label was launched in 2017. There are so many titles out there that I don’t know where to start.
There is a simple answer to that conundrum. Start from the top. Annapurna’s first game, Edith Finch WreckageIs one of the best indie games out there and can be played for free via the Xbox console and the Xbox Game Pass on your PC.
Edith Finch Wreckage Best described as a short anthology. The first-person exploration game is set in the Finch family home. It’s a towering structure where many rooms are struck together unplanned. The goal is to explore the home and learn how each member of the family died through a bite-sized, renewable short story.
In one story, you’ll notice that you’re playing pulp horror comics. In another story, you can control the squid dragging across the ship. The mechanics of gameplay change drastically in response to the specific demise of each family, leading to constant surprises.
If all this story about squid doesn’t make it clear enough, Edith Finch Not rooted in gritty fiction. This is an example of a textbook of magical realism, a literary sub-genre that blends a grounded story about the real world with more supernatural elements.Think of a novel like 100 years of loneliness Or a movie Big fish..
There was a time when it seemed a bit ridiculous to compare video games to novels. Games have always been seen as a playful pastime rather than effective storytelling.Gamers made famous Roger Ebert in 2010, not to reopen old wounds blog Declare that “video games can never be art”. It’s a short-sighted refrain that continues to plague players to this day, despite being a one-sided feud.
Video games have been quite mature since Evert wrote his work, and the world of cinema and games is closer than ever. Annapurna Interactive itself is a studio spun off from Annapurna Pictures, which produced several Oscar-winning films.When Edith Finch Wreckage Dropping out of the left field in 2017 was essentially a statement from one of the most popular brands of indie films, exclaiming that “the boundaries between these industries no longer exist.”
Imagine what Evert’s reaction to the rise of indie games with heavier storytelling today would be like a running gag.right Edith Finch Will he change his tone about video games as a storytelling medium? Especially in the studio of Cinephilia’s loved one behind it? We never know … but also who cares? Edith Finch Wreckage A great game about the deep and personal nature of the story. They can help change one’s worldview or appear apparently unnecessary to others. It’s entirely up to the reader, in this case the player. In any case, Edith Finch Wreckage One of the must-see games of the century.
Edith Finch Wreckage You can get it for free from your Xbox console and your Xbox Game Pass on your PC.
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