Cortex Command, as we have said before on Big Download, is an incredible game. A perfect mix of nostalgic graphics and modern game design, it's one of the indie darlings that no self-respecting indie fan should not know about. Controlling a brain in a jar, you must telepathically control your troops to defend yourself or attack the enemy's brain in a jar. Buying units and weapons, destroying large chunks of, well, everything, and climbing over the dead bodies of your comrades are all integral parts of the Cortex Command experience. It can be played in singleplayer or multiplayer, with the multiplayer option being restricted to split-screen only.

Cortex Command is a technical achievement in every sense of the word. The biggest part of it, though, is the intricately detailed physics system. Every pixel and every particle has a physical attribute, lending them a number of qualities such as resistance to bullets or turning to powder when torn apart. For example, when digging for gold, the dirt turns into a sandy powder that flows into the hole, obstructing movement. Another great example is how concrete walls will slowly chip away to concentrated gunfire. This incredible level of dedication and detail is what makes Cortex Command a truly great game that any self-respecting indie fan must play.


There's an old classic puzzle game called The Incredible Machine that many big puzzle fans remember from way back when. You simply placed different objects that then interacted with each other to solve a simple physical puzzle, such as getting a basketball into a bucket. It was the simplest of concepts, but the game made players create their own twisted Rube Goldberg machines. Incredibots is a continuation of that puzzle legacy, and is a fine game in its own right. It's hard to say that about most games.

Incredibots revolves around using a variety of items to manually construct a robot that can win several different kinds of challenges, from archery to off-road racing. By placing joints, wheels, and such, you determine the physical structure of the robot. Building custom key definitions defines the behavior of the robot and allows you to control it how you wish. The real marvel of this whole process, however, is the fact that it is done inside a browser. Most browser games don't come anywhere close to that level of complexity!


There's a bunch of games that use the absorption mechanic. Mega Man leaps to mind especially. None have done it with the flair of The Maw, however. Controlling a fugitive named Frank, you survive a crash landing along with an extremely dangerous creature called Maw. Maw can eat anything, is indestrucible, and can grow to any size. Naturally, he instantly becomes Frank's friend, and they set off on an adventure to escape their bounty hunter pursuers. There's a reason why The Maw was a part of PAX's featured games!

The big achievement of The Maw is the way that Maw can eat and absorb the traits and abilities. However, what is really impressive about this is how they manage to merge it with the endearing art style in a seamless way. The Maw looks like it cames directly from a cartoon, which is very cool. Your character isn't entirely unimpressive, though, as he can use is plasma whip to grab things and do stuff such as swing through the air or throw object towards Maw so he can eat them.


It seems that the strangest concepts always attract the most interesting developers. Osmos is about a little mote pushing his way through existence. Absorbing other motes in his path, he must be careful or he might lose too much matter. You see, this little mote must expel some of his own matter behind him to push himself along in accordance with the laws of gravity. After all, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

The real technical achievements behind Osmos are the excellent visual design merged with that essential and simple law of motion. Things behave in a realistic way, and gravity affects everything. Doing complicated maneuvers like singshotting around a larger body become essential later on, and you must grasp some essential gravitic concepts to proceed with the game. The fact that it applies such a great system to a simplistic gameplay concept makes it that much better. After all, the simplest pleasures in life are the ones we enjoy the most.


One of the breakout indie games of last year, Pixeljunk Eden is a mixture of plant simulation, action platformer, and music game. Your goal is simple: feed plants so that they sprout, allowing you access to the next area. Collect all of the objectives in a stage to complete it and unlock the next area. You move around and smash things to pieces, furthering your goals as you lose yourself in the relaxing trance music.

The awesome part behind Pixeljunk Eden (besides the excellent art and sound design) are its technical accomplishments. In order to move around, you must utilize angular momentum to swing yourself in arcs around the stage, smashing through enemies and attaching to other objects with your silk thread. On top of this, the enemies are procedurally created, offering you a slightly different experience every time. The only disappointment? The timer. Timing in a game this relaxing should be against the law!