So, instead of topics where we talk about a specific indie game that gets like two replies, then buried, let's just have a general discussion of indie games we've found and want to share. I'm even willing to talk about things like mods, if they apply at least as interesting projects. Here are a few of mine:



The Dream Machine
There's been a bit of a renaissance in the point-and-click adventure genre recently. I'm guessing that new appreciation of story-telling and interesting art styles these days has helped the resurgence. The best of these that I've played so far is The Dream Machine. It's essentially a more serious Psychonauts as told via a Primus video. All of the graphics are done with stop-motion clay and wood models, and the atmosphere and writing are simultaneously creepy and surreal. It's got some great, logical puzzle mechanics and cool little story twists here and there. Unfortunately, it's episodic, and has been about 6 months since the release of episode 3 (out of 5).

Link to main site, since most videos I've found of it suuuuuck

The Iconoclasts
This is a one-man project still in development. There are a few playable alpha builds of it on the main site, and it seems cool. Definitely a Cave Story-inspired Metroidvania with its own neat world and art style. There are some annoying back-tracky parts, but I overall had fun with the demos.



Unity of Command
I've been gushing about this in the IRC a lot lately. It's essentially a very modernized, deeper version of Panzer General with punishing enemy AI. Very few games are as open to wide varieties of strategy as this one, and the way the enemy AI deals with my movements is surprising and engaging. Worth it for any strategy fans.

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EDIT: Lone Survivor is on sale for $5 on Steam. If you don't pick it up, you suck.

A few more that I either haven't played or am on the fence about:

The Snowfield

Not really much of a "gamey" game It's supposed to be a mixture of survivalist gameplay and fetch quests. The premise is probably the most interesting part of the game. You play as a WWI-era soldier stranded after a battle, and are forced to make your way back to safety in the middle of a blizzard. I don't know much about it, but definitely want to try it just for something new.

http://gambit.mit.edu/loadgame/snowfield.php

Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery
This is probably one of the biggest indie games out there these days. It was originally released (and designed) for the iPad, but has since been released for Mac/PC on Steam. It's a mixture of puzzle-solving, point-and-click adventures, and sword/shield combat. It does some things amazingly well, like music/sound design (composed by Jim Guthrie of Islands fame), visual art, and some clever narrative design. It does have some annoying parts, including backtracky fetching, and one of those "play at the right time of the day" gameplay gimmicks. It's ultimately a great title worth checking out for something different. I really recommend playing it with good headphones.

http://www.swordandsworcery.com/

[b]The Journey Down, Episode 1[/b]
This is a more familiar take on point-and-click adventures. The Journey Down is planned as a multi-part release (1st episode released, no word on the next), and plays like an homage to the old Lucasarts adventure games. It's mainly enjoyable due to its charming atmosphere, music, and art. The puzzles are simple enough, with a few clever ones interspersed between your typical "combine items to create makeshift tools" puzzles. The voice acting is wildly inconsistent, with a few really good actors, and most of them being some of the worst I've heard. The price can be another problem for people, but I didn't really feel cheated, as the devs are going for a "Pay more now so you can pay less later model," that I'm kind of on the fence about.

http://www.skygoblin.com/the-journey-down/

I haven't played it, but the consensus is that it's solid, and difficult in a fair way, but the price is a problem when you can get games like Super Meat Boy for like a 3rd of that price.

So here's another list that's a mix of interactive story games, and one of the most unique games I've ever seen:

The Stanley Parable

This made the rounds a year or two back, and for an HL2 mod, it's surprisingly interesting. From what I've read, it's a mix of satire and commentary based around binary non-linearity in games. It's genuinely funny, intelligent, and pretty creepy in parts. If you have a copy of HL2, it certainly wouldn't hurt to try it.

http://www.moddb.com/mods/the-stanley-parable/

The Cat and the Coup

This is definitely a unique one. It's more of an interactive story, where you play the cat of Mohammad Mossadegh, the first president of Iran. It's mostly an interactive, informational "game" that gives an interesting presentation from a side of history you never hear, but is still felt today. It's weird and hard to explain, but it's also free, so why not try it?

http://vimeo.com/22321449

Artemis

I follow this game as much as I can, because it seems cool as shit. Essentially, it's a multiplayer game, where each person plays a different role on a starship, i.e. comms, navigation, command, etc. I kind of always wanted a game like this, where you're working with multiple people in one vehicle to achieve a goal. I have a feeling it'd be fun as hell as a LAN/local multiplayer game.

http://www.artemis.eochu.com/