Indie at E3: Sony welcomes devs with open arms

2013 will go down as the year of the indie game at E3, where Sony showcased both an open-armed welcome to independent game developers everywhere and brought an array of renowned creators to the stage to show off their latest work to fans. In a video posted on Gamespot.com, Sony assured fans and developers that they will continue to lead the console market with easier development tools and welcoming more publishers here.

Mercenary Kings

The second game shown at Sony’s press conference that will be making its debut on the PS4 this fall, Mercenary Kings from Tribute Games is an action side-scroller with lush hand-drawn art that provides some beautiful retro eye-candy sensibilities. The premise is centered on a group of the world’s greatest mercenaries, who are sent to an island in the Central American Pacific Coast to destroy an evil crime syndicate that has assassinated the character’s former team mates. It covers a whole spectrum of elements reaching as far back as the 8-bit era, but deftly combines the tone and feel of several game systems of the nostalgic past including the SNES and the Sega Genesis. It looks like the talented team at Yacht Club Games will have a bit of healthy competition (not to mention a compatriot in the unstoppable retro niche) for their upcoming Shovel Knight release.

Octo Dad: Dadliest Catch

The sequel to “the splash hit” Octodad, the newest title from Young Horses is a 3D puzzle and action game that once again throws you into the role of an octopi husband and father that is struggling to keep his identity as an octopus a secret. With his wife’s suspicions beginning to rise and a trip to the local aquarium that ends in catastrophe, it is up to you to make sure his place as Octodad remains secure throughout the comedically irreverent story. With fluid animation and wonderful art direction, Octodad: Dadliest Catch is sure to be a runaway hit when it gets released late 2013/early 2014.

Don’t Starve

Although currently available on Steam and Chrome, Don’t Starve from Klei Entertainment is billed as “an uncompromising wilderness survival game full of science and magic” that will be making its console debut soon after the launch of the PS4, though no definite release date has been set. In Don’t Starve, you play as Wilson, a “Gentleman Scientist” who is trapped in a terror filled wilderness world by a demon. Sporting one of the best visual aesthetics in the indie market and gameplay that will suck away your spare hours, look for Don’t Starve to be available in the Indie section of the Playstation store this fall.

Ray’s the Dead

Ragtag Studios has continued the indie tradition of innovation over technology with Ray’s the Dead, a story-driven Action-Stealth-Puzzler that puts you into the role of a newly raised zombie, Ray, as he seeks to find the reason he was killed. Building up a massive zombie army and digging up the most unlikely of friendships, the game has a distinct 80’s vibe to complement its rather heartfelt and humorous take on the zombie genre. Currently hoping to release on Steam Greenlight, Ray’s the Dead will be shuffling onto a PS4 near you.

Read Part 2 of “Indie at E3” where we will cover Secret Ponchos, Outlast, Oddworld: New and Tasty, and Galak-Z.

Zebulon Rogers

Zebulon Robers is the managing editor at Gameverse. You can also find him on YouTube and Google+.