PlayStation Experience 2015 was a weekend for the gamers. Nearly 100 titles for PlayStation 4, PS VIta, and PS3 were on display, including a wealth of independent games from both established and up-and-coming teams. Without the marketing budgets of blockbuster titles, it can be hard for indie teams to stand out and explain why their games are worth playing.
That’s one thing that made PSX 2015 so great–PlayStation fans could wander the show floor, choosing from among dozens of lesser-known games and trying what seems interesting or cool. Here are the 10 best indie games we saw at the show.
Amplitude on PS4, PS3
Developer: Harmonix
Release: January 5, 2016
Before creating Guitar Hero and Rock Band, Harmonix developed rhythm games without the need for instrument peripherals. Two such titles were Frequency and its sequel, Amplitude, on PlayStation 2. Both paved the way for the mega-hit franchises Harmonix is known for today. This new Amplitude remake coming to PS3 and PS4 puts players in control of a spaceship-looking nanomachine tasked with healing parts of a patient’s brain by successfully completing songs, the large majority of which are original compositions by Harmonix. Throughout a song, you’re able to hop from one instrument track to another, allowing you to hear different elements of a song and adding variety to the experience. Unlike in other rhythm games, points are only earned if you successfully complete a musical phrase, thus emphasizing the way songs are phrased. Coupled with local cooperative and competitive multiplayer, Amplitude has the potential to be a fun party game that even casual rhythm gamers can enjoy. -Ernest
Loading Human on PlayStation VR
Developer: Untold Games
Release: 2016
While narrative has taken a backseat in most virtual reality projects, Loading Human’s main ambition is to tell a grand, futuristic sci-fi tale with the “emotional depth of a movie.” You play as Prometheus, a son of a dying scientist who must travel the expanses of space to acquire the Quintessence to save your father. Along the way, your character falls in love with a girl named Alice and uncovers truths that change his destiny. Loading Human is explored from a first-person perspective with gameplay inspired by the point-and-click adventure games of yesteryear. You explore the world by interacting with a number of objects in your environment via two PlayStation Move wands and hear Prometheus’s inner thoughts as you progress. With these simple controls and a deep level of immersion, the game allows for the story to take center stage. As the first PlayStation VR title to place this kind of emphasis on narrative, Loading Human is an exciting prospect. -Ernest
Assault Android Cactus on PS4, PS Vita
Developer: Witch Beam
Release: Early 2016
Witch Beam’s twin-stick arcade shooter mixes up the genre with a cute aesthetic and deep character variety. Seven playable female androids boast a variety of weapon configurations and strategies. For example, you can opt for a loadout with a scattergun and a deployable bubble field of sorts that stuns enemies caught within it. The action is fast and frantic, but don’t worry about getting hit and dying. Taking enough damage will cause a brief downed state and interrupt your scoring, but that’s about it. Each campaign level is more about conserving energy. Your character has a battery gauge that’s always draining and needs pick-ups from enemies to survive, so even in the midst of truly chaotic action, you’ve got to stay on the offensive. It gets even crazier in co-op, but that’s where the most fun is. You can choose character loadouts that complement each other, so despite the vast differences between characters, there should be no combination that isn’t viable. -Kyle
Stories: The Path of Destinies on PS4
Developer: Spearhead Games
Release: TBA 2016
Living up to its name, Stories: The Path of Destinies is like playing a choose-your-own-adventure book in an action-RPG package. Here you play as Reynardo, an anthropomorphic fox (think Disney’s Robin Hood) who joins the Rebellion to take down the Emperor, who has gone mad with power. Reynardo fights by using his master sword-fencing skills and magic grappling ability. Combat pacing and flow feels inspired by the Batman: Arkham franchise. Meanwhile, the plot is told with a storybook presentation similar to the one seen in Valkyria Chronicles, but the style is taken further, with a British narrator reading through the fantasy tale. Stories’ narrator even acts out all the voices of all the characters, like the storytimes of your childhood. But the narrative gets the most interesting with Reynardo’s ability to relive moments (even after dying), a story mechanic borrowed from Groundhog Day or Edge of Tomorrow. With enjoyable fighting and a story surely filled with possible twists and turns, Stories: The Path of Destinies is one for RPG fans to keep an eye on. -Ernest
Bound on PS4
Developer: Plastic
Release: TBA 2016
Bound is the third title from Plastic, who previously released the experimental Linger in Shadows and Datura on PS3. In a word, Bound is beautiful. The protagonist, an elegant woman, dances and pirouettes like a ballerina in her graceful movement. Whether jumping, sprinting, or fending off attacking creatures, she’s a joy to watch. But the world around her is even more beautiful and just as mysterious. Vast landscapes made of simple polygons shift and transform, giving the impression of a world in constant motion. The gameplay consists of pretty basic platforming–leaping gaps, shimmying across ledges–but serves a vague, compelling narrative. The scale and ambiguity evokes Shadow of the Colossus and Journey, and the music by Olga Kuraeva expertly mixes soft piano with darker electronic beats. On the PlayStation Blog, the game’s director describes the world as “procedural.” I got the sense that my demo environment was entirely scripted, but the final game may have a world that transforms unexpectedly. It would be the first narrative adventure in the vein of Journey and ICO to have one. -Kyle
What Remains of Edith Finch on PS4
Developer: Giant Sparrow
Release: 2016
The Unfinished Swan was one of PSN’s most interesting titles in the days of PS3. Developer Giant Sparrow is back with the second title in its three-game contract, What Remains of Edith Finch. Described as a series of short stories, What Remains of Edith Finch has players controlling Edith as she attempts to find out why all the members of the extended Finch family before her have died. My demo at PSX began with exploring the empty Finch household, a towering structure packed with piles of dusty books, tight little rooms, and antique charm. In one bedroom, I discover a note written by young Molly Finch about being hungry. Suddenly, I’m jumping perspectives–to a cat leaping across tree branches, to an owl seeking prey, to a shark chasing seals, all controllable in their own unique way. Through strange, surreal vignettes like these, Edith Finch will come to understand the Finches that came before her, and the player will move closer to understanding the message Giant Sparrow is trying to impart. In the vein of exploratory narratives like Gone Home, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, Edith Finch will give the most reward to players willing to reflect on vague clues and form their own interpretations. -Kyle
Severed on PS Vita
Developer: Drinkbox Studios
Release: Early 2016
Severed is a big departure for Drinkbox, which made its name through stellar PS Vita platformers. Severed is more of a touch-based action-RPG; think Infinity Blade with talent trees. You play a yet-unnamed heroine seeking vengeance for her family’s death at the hands of grotesque creatures. My favorite thing so far is the way Severed adds a little nuance to combat that could otherwise be mindless. You’ve got basic moves, like swiping to slash with your sword and swiping against an enemy motion to counter it, but different enemies require very different strategies. One large, hulking foe required very precise counters. Another enemy, a grotesque set of eyeballs, would open a few eyeballs I had to target individually before swiping an exact line through a new opening. Combat yields monster body parts you spend to unlock and upgrade talents, and the body parts of major bosses serve as armor upgrades. The action is smooth and the touch recognition is flawless, but especially interesting is the way Drinkbox’s signature satirical humor is taking a darker turn with Severed’s story and themes. -Kyle
Chasm on PS4
Developer: Discord Games
Release: 2016
We’ve seen a revival in recent years of titles that hearken back to the Metroids and Castlevanias of days past. Chasm falls more in the latter camp, drawing inspiration from PS1 classic Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The main character, a soldier named Daltyn, is sent to investigate why a small mining town has become deserted. He delves beneath the town to explore a series of caves and dungeons, searching for the source of the evil. The action is fairly standard Castlevania fare–Daltyn controls like Symphony of the Night’s Alucard, right down to the iconic jump-slash. You’ll collect new armor and weapons, including throwable items, but the biggest twist is Chasm’s procedural generation. When you start a new game, a sizable chunk of the world’s rooms are built from scratch for a fresh replay experience. Some of the game’s RPG elements are still in flux–a previous build of the game allowed you to assign stat points upon leveling up, but currently, stats like Strength and Luck increase the same for everyone. But Chasm has tight controls, satisfying throwback difficulty, and that classic pixel art style that may tug on your nostalgic strings. -Kyle
XING: The Land Beyond on PS4
Developer: White Lotus Interactive
Release: 2016
Running on Unreal Engine 4, XING: The Land Beyond was easily one of the most prettiest-looking indie titles on the show floor of PSX. Seeing the realistic paradise beaches of the game’s demo is even more impressive when you learn it’s the product of only three developers. XING was one of the last games I saw at PSX and was just what I needed after a busy weekend, with its relaxing pace and soothing musical score. You travel to moments in the lives of the deceased, reading their cryptic thoughts, which likely contribute to a grander story or themes. The beautiful environments are explored from a first-person perspective with puzzles serving as the hurdles you must overcome to move forward. XING’s gameplay, and especially its puzzles, is reminiscent of Myst. I found myself pulling levers, carrying objects to certain points, setting items on fire, and even switching between day and night cycles to make my way through the demo. If you’re looking to take a break from the hectic action in many other games or if you love solving puzzles, XING: The Land Beyond is a place you should consider traveling to. -Ernest
Jenny LeClue – Detectivú on PS4
Developer: Mografi
Release: TBA 2016
Jenny LeClue caught my eye on the PSX show floor because of its distinct art style. This point-and-click detective mystery has a mid-century style with bright colors and stylized human bodies. Our heroine, Jenny, is trying to clear her mother, who’s been charged with murder. To get to the bottom of things, players interact with the environment, unearthing clues across a multitude of chapters. You can also make choices along the way, which developer Mografi will use to shape the story in later parts of the planned trilogy. In another fun twist, the entire story is told as book series. Jenny is the main character in this coming-of-age story, and the story’s fictional author serves as narrator. For frequent updates on this PS4 charmer’s development, check out Mografi’s frequently updated Kickstarter page. -Kyle