Indie Games...Pushing the Envelope

Game development is an expensive endeavor. One of last year's biggest games, Gears of War 2, had a $12 million development budget, well over the cost of the development of, say, Star Wars. And personally, I thought Gears of War 2 was a great game, well worth the development costs and just as many thrills as a similarly priced Hollywood film. But what about the little game developers? The guys whose vision might just be a bit too extreme, too unconventional, to get the financial backing of a major game publisher?  Well then they make it indie, baby!

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If you're anything like me, the term "indie" conjures up thoughts of strange fashion statements, apathetic youth, and confusing ideals. But in the gaming world, it's awesome! Generally you can find some very amazing ideas, things totally outside of the realm of jumping or shooting, that have the potential to push the idea of gaming to the edge. Take, for example, the 2005 indie title Façade. It's an interactive story where you type in anything and the game characters respond. Observe:

Amazing stuff, eh? This is a free game that you can download here. But indie developers, like any developers, need to make money. And offering a game for free isn't going to make you money. Luckily, we have the likes of the Playstation Network, Xbox LIVE Arcade, WiiWare, and Steam, to bring indie titles to the limelight. Just like last year's HUGE indie title, Braid, whose interesting time mechanics totally changed how a simple platforming game could be played.

What new delights await the gaming community? Find out at IndieGames.com.

Play Braid through Xbox LIVE on your FREE Xbox 360 Elite!