In the modern world of media, mostly everyone engages with movies, shows, music, books and games that are considered “mainstream.” This is media that skyrockets with attention and captivates the public by the millions. However, that is precisely why the mainstream genre is actually terrible. 

Not only does gaining traction discourage creativity and brand new elements, but it also starts to develop into a lazy formula for entertainment. Meanwhile, there are lesser known projects, which are referred to as indie titles, that employ fresh strategies and introduce new techniques that really enhance the experience. Of course, I will discuss the superiority of the indie genre in the context that I know best: video games.

If you read last week’s issue of the Beacon newspaper, you would know that I am not a big fan of online video games. There are a variety of reasons that the online setting is problematic, but the main point is that all of the games in this category are exactly the same. These games have only one goal: make as much money as possible. 

For example, Epic Games’s Fortnite has been nothing but a strategy to hypnotize children into spending all of their parents’ money on cosmetic items. The worst part is that this strategy has infected other games, such as Rocket League, FIFA and even the mobile hit Clash Royale. In short, the developers of these games don’t have any regard for  gameplay or their user-experience.

On the other hand, the indie genre is simply beautiful. In order to really demonstrate how great these games are, it is important to understand three big categories: cost, gameplay and development and the community interaction.

Cost. Although indie games can cost as much as a mainstream title, they are much cheaper on average. More importantly, the money that is spent on indie titles is happily spent by players in order to gain ownership of the game. For indie games, the cost is not a fee in order to have access, but it’s a salutation to the developer and a confirmation that the player themself wants to own a personal copy of the title. It is common for players to even go so far as to provide funding for a game that is in development. Finally, unlike mainstream and online content, these games do not rely on microtransactions. In fact, developers sacrifice a lot of time and money on a title only to release it for a discountable price. Thus, the cost of indie games are very affordable and worthwhile.

Gameplay and Development. Needless to say, the actual content of a game is what makes it worthy. Many indie players will say that the smaller projects are not just games, but they are experiences. Indie games are often described as a unique display of new mechanics, such as Hollow Knight, fresh art-styles, like in Cuphead, and killer soundtracks like in Undertale. These games have completely original content created by small, talented developers and artists who band together to bring their vision to reality.

Community Interaction. Interaction within a video game community could greatly change how someone may enjoy playing the game. A community for an indie game is usually very unified and civilized. First, the developers constantly ask for feedback and respond to the community. Players also enjoy treating an indie title like a shared experience, so they will freely give tips and tricks out of respect for other players and the game itself. Finally, the community in an indie is not demanding of the developers. If anything, most players fear the day that an indie game skyrockets and follows the dark path of mainstream status. Even so, developers often respond to their community with expansions for their titles, known as downloadable content (DLC). One important thing to note is that indie developers are just a few people working with their own funds. They think much more carefully about their projects than any corporation.

At the end of the day, there is nothing that can stop you from playing whatever games you enjoy. However, the indie genre is a goldmine that offers spectacular types of games, which may be something you never knew you liked until you tried it. The top list of indie games would certainly be a great place to start.