Inside the Indie Game Scene
Reviews, features, and commentary from the fringes of gaming.
Latest Stories
View All →Crowdfunding After Kickstarter
As Kickstarter becomes less viable, developers are exploring alternatives.
Crunch Culture Never Went Away
The headlines stopped, but the overtime didn't. Here's what's really happening in studios.
Awards Season Is Meaningless
We dress up marketing campaigns as artistic achievement and pretend it matters.
The Villains We Love to Love
There's something irresistible about characters who are bad for us—in fiction, at least.
Coral Crypt
A waterlogged labyrinth of secrets that rewards curiosity and punishes haste.
8.5/10Paper Gardens
There's something special about games that look like they were made by human hands.
Subscription Fatigue Is Coming
How many monthly gaming subscriptions can one person reasonably maintain?
The Lost Art of Mentorship
Senior developers are too burned out to train the next generation.
The Reference Check Scam
'We'll hire you after this test project' — words that have stolen thousands of hours.
Can Indie Studios Unionize?
Small teams face unique obstacles when considering unionization.
AI and the Future of Game Art
The conversation around AI art is more complicated than Twitter would have you believe.
The Port Problem
Rushed ports aren't just bad for players—they're bad for the industry's reputation.
Dating Sims and the Illusion of Agency
The uncomfortable truth about choice architecture in romance games.
Quantum Chef
Chaos cooking at its finest. A puzzle game about culinary multiverse theory.
7.5/10Whispering Pines
Finally, a walking simulator with something to say. Atmospheric and meaningful.
8/10The Tyranny of Fun
We've confused 'fun' with 'worthwhile.' Art doesn't always need to be pleasant.
The Burnout Generation
Entry-level positions that require five years of experience. The math doesn't work.
The Anime Renaissance in Indie Games
From JRPGs to visual novels, anime style is dominating the indie scene.
Fragments of Home
How interactive fiction is becoming a tool for processing loss and memory.
What They Don't Teach You in Game School
I wish someone had told me these things before I took out student loans.
The Ethics of Speedrunning
The complicated relationship between developers and the speedrunning community.
Indie Games Are Just AAAs With Less Budget
We've built a false dichotomy. Here's why 'indie' doesn't mean what you think.
When Games Let You Love Badly
Not every romance should be perfect. Some of the best love stories are messy, complicated, and real.
The Contract Worker Trap
The industry's dirty secret: everyone is 'permalancing' and nobody has benefits.
Accessibility in Indie Games
Why indie developers are outpacing AAA when it comes to making games for everyone.
The Steam Discovery Problem
Valve's algorithm is killing small developers. Here's why nobody's talking about it.
Love in the Time of Pixels
The intersection of nostalgia and romance. Why pixelated hearts still make us swoon.
Bramble Hollow
A puzzle game that understands atmosphere is half the challenge. Beautiful and brain-bending.
8/10Neon Veil
Fast, fluid, and gloriously neon-soaked. The cyberpunk platformer we've been waiting for.
8/10The Pixel Art Renaissance
Why low-res is high value. How limitations breed creativity in modern game design.
The Layoffs Nobody's Talking About
Another week, another studio implosion. The human cost of restructuring.
Why I Still Believe in Game Journalism
Even when the industry disappoints. A defense of taking games seriously.
The Art of the Slow Burn
Why visual novels reward patience. The magic that happens when games give you time to fall in love with characters.
The Problem With Wholesome Games
When comfort becomes commodified. Why cozy gaming might be killing creativity.
Echoes of the Hollow
When horror finds its voice. Essential playing for fans of atmospheric dread.
9/10Starbound Drifter
The quiet beauty of cosmic loneliness. A masterclass in atmospheric space exploration.
8.5/10The Crunch Culture We Don't Talk About
An anonymous developer speaks. Twelve years in the industry and I'm still flinching when I hear 'we're in the final stretch.'
The Ethics of Crowdfunding in Indie Development
When promise meets responsibility. Examining the complicated ethics of crowdfunding in indie development.
Moonlit Letters
Romance, guilt, and the space between. A visual novel that understands some emotions need to be approached sideways.
The Glass Garden
Quiet heartbreak in every frame. A masterclass in emotional game design that creates space for grief without gamifying it.
9/10