xerus posts

With the IGF finalists announced, game makers only have a short while longer to find out the best of the best in indie games from last year. From the best overall game to the one with the most impressive art, there's several different categories for indie game designers to aspire to be the top of. This week we're going to take a look at a few of the games that have made it to the finals.

While games have to be innovative and technically competent, they should also be fun. Everyone loves a game that challenges the preconceived notions of gameplay in a way that is incredibly fun and engaging. Whether this means combining existing gameplay elements into something new or pulling new designs from the void in an effort of pure creativity doesn't matter. All that matters in the end product, and in the case of these five IGF finalists, their designers knew what they were doing. These end products are great!

Welcome to Freeware Friday, a weekly column showcasing excellent games that you can play free of charge!

In the minds of most gamers, Kirby and Mario will always be a classic staples of platforming nostalgia. You can't really go wrong with either series, and many games could learn from the design sense that exudes from those two games. Kyle Pulver, an independent developer that goes by the moniker xerus, was one of the people who did learn. Using the lessons he derived, he crafted the somehow familiar, but still quite unique, masterpiece that is Bonesaw. Just don't let the game's incredible difficulty get the best of you.