Indie Obscure indies that deserve more attention - Updated Jan. 2020

[Whipping Post]

I wonder why Unreal World is overlooked even among roguelike fans. Not enough fantasy or is it just those goofy LARP pictures?

Because it's 2 br00tal.

 

[V_K]

I wonder why Unreal World is overlooked even among roguelike fans. Not enough fantasy or is it just those goofy LARP pictures?

Funny thing: the dev remade all of the game's graphics - except for those larping photos.
Now it looks like this:

 

[Merlkir]

The photos are great. Why isn't this on Steam?! Every month or so I get a craving to play it again and then don't, because I can't be arsed to download the newest update.

 

[V_K]

The photos are great. Why isn't this on Steam?! Every month or so I get a craving to play it again and then don't, because I can't be arsed to download the newest update.

I believe it will be, sometime this spring.

 

[Lucky]

Unreal World is one of the best roguelikes, but it's also already on the Codex of Roguelikes list. That's where most of the roguelike discussion takes place as well, so judging by page count doesn't work. It's a good list, though, that more people should check, so pointing anyone towards it couldn't hurt.

I believe it will be, sometime this spring.

Yup, it's been greenlit and they'll give an exact release date somewhere this February. Shouldn't be too far off, though.

 

[V_K]

It's a good list, though, that more people should check, so pointing anyone towards it couldn't hurt.

Yeah, that's probably the best course of action. Done.

 

[Roqua]

Added Mr. Robot and Datajack to the OP, will wait for a couple more opinions on Lisa - there doesn't seem to be a consensus on that one.

Lisa is a hipster game like Binding of Isaac and Undertail. They don't need publicity and it will make this thread lose credibility. It seems people would like your rules/guidelines for inclusion to the list to be more defined. I would also like clarification myself. I'll repost the way I see it below-

In my opinion since this is in the rpg forum it should only contain proper or mostly proper rpgs (games that are more proper rpgs than any other genre). I would remove Templar Battleforce and replace it with Heroes of Steel since that is close enough to a proper rpg and Templar BF isn't (made by the same guys). I would definitely exclude Legends of Eisenwald and Telepath Tactics. Maybe replace Telepath Tactics with Telepath RPG (which is a good rpg game that needs more exposure)? SitSL is doing well in the poll and frankly if you consider yourself a rpg fan and haven't heard of that you aren't. I can see the console idiots skipping it due to graphics but they must know about it. This is more stuff that the console fans who post news will never post about.

Every hipster knows about Lisa and Undertail and Binding of Isaac and games like that. This isn't about hipster games, but indies rpgs that are pretty good and people who like crpgs may of never heard about due to the bourgeoisie that control the news of this and other gaming sites try to keep everyone focused on console games and hipster shit.

We could definitely start a new post like this in Strategy for games like Templar BF, Legends of Eisenwald, and Telepath Tactics, may as well put Red Solstice in that one too.

We could also start a new hipster post in general gaming for games the hipsters somehow missed because they were too busy playing Dark Souls and Undertail maybe?

And one for Space games with heavy rpg elements would be nice (for games like Star Nomad 2, Void Expanse, Starpoint Gemini, Space Wolves 1-3, all the ones with small scale squads or single character with ship upgrades and character upgrades). I think everyone knows about Drox and Space Rangers unless they are retarded or console fans (to be redundant).

I don't think such purism is a good idea, it's not like the list is super long as it is. If it ever grows too long, I can split it into "pure RPGs" and "hybrids", and then maybe to more defined categories. But so far I think the descriptions give enough information to determine what you're getting.

I don't think its purism to post about rpgs in the rpg forum, but its your thread.

 

[Snorkack]

I think Heroes Of A Broken Land doesn't quite get the attention it deserves. It is a blobber in M&MIII style with procedurally generated worlds and a light city sim/management element. You explore the world in isometric view, dungeon crawling takes place in classical 3d and you can send multiple parties on adventures. The trade-off: while it covers a wide range of gameplay elements, most of them stay rather shallow.
Get it here: http://store.steampowered.com/app/314470/

 

[Plane Escapee]

I think Heroes Of A Broken Land doesn't quite get the attention it deserves. It is a blobber in M&MIII style with procedurally generated worlds and a light city sim/management element. You explore the world in isometric view, dungeon crawling takes place in classical 3d and you can send multiple parties on adventures. The trade-off: while it covers a wide range of gameplay elements, most of them stay rather shallow.
Get it here: http://store.steampowered.com/app/314470/

I'll second this recommendation. I had more than enough fun with Heroes of A Broken Land to make it worth it's price tag. This and MMX taught me to appreciate and have fun with blobbers. Codex thread is 4 pages: http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/heroes-of-a-broken-land.87026/

 

[InD_ImaginE]

http://en.cataclysmdda.com/

Cataclysm DDA
It has character creation, progression (skill increase by doing/reading book, no level), barter with NPC, crafting, etc. You can mutate or install bionics too.
Theme is hybrid zombie apocalypse where there are fungus & plant monster, extradimensional thingies, giant insects, etc.
As many roguelikes, it has procedural world generation.

 

[V_K]

I think Heroes Of A Broken Land doesn't quite get the attention it deserves. It is a blobber in M&MIII style with procedurally generated worlds and a light city sim/management element. You explore the world in isometric view, dungeon crawling takes place in classical 3d and you can send multiple parties on adventures. The trade-off: while it covers a wide range of gameplay elements, most of them stay rather shallow.
Get it here: http://store.steampowered.com/app/314470/

I'll second this recommendation. I had more than enough fun with Heroes of A Broken Land to make it worth it's price tag. This and MMX taught me to appreciate and have fun with blobbers. Codex thread is 4 pages: http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/heroes-of-a-broken-land.87026/

For me HorBL's achilles heel is procedural generations - generated dungeons just aren't engaging enough. But I'll add it, it's certainly an interesting experiment.

http://en.cataclysmdda.com/

Cataclysm DDA
It has character creation, progression (skill increase by doing/reading book, no level), barter with NPC, crafting, etc. You can mutate or install bionics too.
Theme is hybrid zombie apocalypse where there are fungus & plant monster, extradimensional thingies, giant insects, etc.
As many roguelikes, it has procedural world generation.

Cataclysm is covered in the roguelikes thread, I decided to just link to it instead of doubling entries.

 

[Plane Escapee]

For me HorBL's achilles heel is procedural generations - generated dungeons just aren't engaging enough. But I'll add it, it's certainly an interesting experiment.

I like the idea of procedurally generated dungeons but to make it work to an extend that it feels satisfying requires a greater effort than Winged Pixel put into Heroes of A Broken Land. It would have been nice if he had also included a "handcrafted" campaign with unique dungeons, characters and et cetera.
Hopefully that is what he's working on at the moment. I haven't heard any news about him or HoABL since the game's release.

 

[CryptRat]

Has anyone played The Occult Chronicles. It's not really a RPG but it has character creation, a lot of stats, skill checks/combats (via a minigame) and choices about which skills you will use to solve issues (for example attack, discuss, exorcise).

Unfotunately I have only played the demo, several times because I enjoy it a lot.

KoTC and Natuk (I havent played Nahlakh but it probably qualifies) deserve more attention, even if they are relatively well known inside the codex.

 

[V_K]

Oh, I didn't know it was out for two years already. :D
I remember seeing Occult Chronicles in some newspost (probably on the Watch) when it was still in development and getting a hard-on. And then I completely forgot it existed.
That price tag seems a bit stiff, though.

 

[Scroo]

For me HorBL's achilles heel is procedural generations - generated dungeons just aren't engaging enough..

This killed it for me too. Blobbers just don't feel right with procedurally created dungeons. Usually it just ends up in feeling lifeless compared to a handplaced dungeon with puzzles, secrets, etc

 

[oscar]

I found the Age of Fear rpg-strategy games quite a lot of fun. Branching missions, persistent armies, good writing, diverse scenarios and fairly challenging turn based combat all at a very affordable price.

 

[Slimu]

Has anyone played The Occult Chronicles. It's not really a RPG but it has character creation, a lot of stats, skill checks/combats (via a minigame) and choices about which skills you will use to solve issues (for example attack, discuss, exorcise).

Unfotunately I have only played the demo, several times because I enjoy it a lot.

KoTC and Natuk (I havent played Nahlakh but it probably qualifies) deserve more attention, even if they are relatively well known inside the codex.

The Occult Chornicles was reviewed together with Elder Sign by the Codex. Unfortunately, the dev started developing a boardgame and no updates for the game were released in some time.

You can also check another two games by the same dev: Armageddon Empires and Solium Imperium. AE was sold in a bundle some time ago on Humble Bundle and plays like a digital boardgame

 

[V_K]

Tried the Occult Chronicles demo, and what do you know, it's actually pretty exciting despite everything being random/procedurally generated. The card minigame may grow tired eventually, but at least it's a lot better than binary checks. Color me impressed.

 

[V_K]

Cythera, Gates of Skeldal, Occult Chronicles and Heroes of a Broken Land added to OP. Will look into FreeDroid, Age of Fear and others a bit later.

 

[Jaesun]

I love board games, I should give this a try too.

 

[Merlkir]

Heh heh, Gates of Skeldal, kind of surprised to see that here.
There was a sequel, which looked more like a point and click adventure. Haven't played it, so I can't comment on its quality.
http://games.tiscali.cz/recenze/brany-skeldalu-2-recenze-49432

There's another sequel being made, for mobile:

http://www.7mages.net/en

 

[V_K]

There was a sequel, which looked more like a point and click adventure. Haven't played it, so I can't comment on its quality.
http://games.tiscali.cz/recenze/brany-skeldalu-2-recenze-49432

I have, it's much worse, unfortunately. It's one of those bad hybrids where puzzle-solving and role-playing are completely separate from each other - i.e. your stats and skills only affect your combat performance. And combat itself isn't great to begin with, much less so that there's too much of it. Plus some puzzles are QTE-ish, which doesn't improve things either.

There's another sequel being made, for mobile:

http://www.7mages.net/en

Not just for mobile, they plan on realeasing PC version eventually. There's a thread on it here, and the dev posts there occasionally.

 

[Tito Anic]

Found it before it was translated to kwa. Sunk tons of hours in this one. Was tranlating texts from czech to understand what is going on
Superb atmosphere, setting - European Middle Ages, Biblical end times, coming of Satan, tortures, rape, immorality, backstabbing, meh battles.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/241620/

Action-oriented combat with a deep and involving tale of betrayal, torture, madness, and infernal damnation. If a gritty old-school open-ended isometric RPG is what you looking for, look no further. Inquisitor will provide you with hours of gameplay and a dark, involving story.

 

[Siveon]

A good amount of the Codex knows that one, I think. Not exactly with fondness, however.

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/rpg-codex-review-inquisitor.77003/

 

[V_K]

Yeah, I believe the codex consensus was that it ultimately sucked... Personally I ragequit a couple of rooms into the furst dungeon.