Thekla Inc.
Thekla Inc. is the indie studio started by Jonathan Blow the creator of Braid. You may know Braid as being that indie puzzle platformer that also happens to be one of the highest rated games on Xbox Live, and for good reason too. Braid is a damn good game from a brilliant developer. If you’ve played that game then you are probably looking forward to The Witness.
The Witness is Jonathan Blow’s next game coming exclusively on console to the PlayStation 4 and to PC. It is a puzzle game that takes place in an absolutely beautiful open world. The main focus will be on exploration and the feeling you get when you finally figure something out. Just the few glimpses that have been shared with the public have been enough to make many interested.
For more information on this beautiful upcoming indie title be sure to check out the game’s website.
Double Fine
Even if you’ve never been a fan of indie games there is a very good chance that you have, at some point in your gaming wanderings, heard about Double Fine. It is the video game studio founded by the legendary Tim Schafer who you may know from such classics as Psychonauts, and Grim Fandango. Speaking of Grim Fandango, that game is one of the very reasons Double fine is one of the indie studios to watch this year.
Last summer Tim Schafer himself took to the stage during a PlayStation conference to announce Grim Fandango Remastered. It is one of the best adventure games to ever be released so to see it reborn is definitely a good thing. If that wasn’t enough indie adventure goodness for you they released the first half Broken Age last year to rave reviews with the next and final portion to come later on this year.
Knowing how Double Fine normally does business, you can be pretty sure that they have some other neat things in the work as well. Just recently they announced that they’re bringing back Day of the Tentacle so this year is already brimming with gems. Make sure to keep tabs on what they’re up to by checking out the official page.
FullBright
Ever heard of a little indie gem known as Gone Home? Oh, you have? Well, the studio who brought that wonderful example of story and exploration is Fullbright (formerly the The Fullbright Company). They earned a pretty solid reputation by creating not only one of the best indie games to be released in recent years, but by also helping to push gaming out of its stagnancy. For those of you who are fans of what they’ve accomplished, you’ll be happy to know that they have something in the works.
Their team might have seen a few changes in recent months but there is absolutely no doubting that whatever they are cooking is nothing short of amazing. While no details have been revealed just yet, 2015 has just begun leaving more than enough time for some information to slip through. But even with no details, you can be sure that it will have an engaging narrative and a highly detailed world waiting for you to uncover its secrets.
To keep watch on this rising star make sure to check out their studio’s official website.
Playdead
Playdead is the studio behind the critically acclaimed indie game Limbo. A game with amazing ambiance and an engaging plot that won the hearts of pretty much everyone who had a chance to play it. With that being said, it was no surprise that a lot of gamers everywhere rejoiced when they announced their next title which will debut on the Xbox One in the coming months.
As expected, the upcoming game Inside looks amazing and aims to evoke some of the same emotions as their last title. Instead of a silhouetted world, you will have one that is a lot more detail and colorful although it still maintains that same air of mystery. You don’t quite know where you are or why you’re there but they show just enough to pique the interest of many gamers. You can be sure that whatever is at the core of this game it will definitely pull you in.
If you want to keep up with everything that’s going on with either the studio or Inside make sure to check out Playdead’s official website.
Stoic
The Banner Saga was an exceptional tactical role playing experience with its focus on narrative and choices. It’s beautiful art direction and fitting musical score helped to tie this viking themed game up in one amazing package. After its release it was no surprise that The Banner Saga was met with much praise. Stoic, which was comprised of 3 BioWare vets, proved that it was an indie studio to watch out for from the very beginning.
Stoic took to the stage during the gaming awards last year to announce that the sequel to their highly acclaimed game would be released in 2015 to a very happy crowd. A new entry that will manage to provide even deeper choices as you continue the journey to save your people. Even better is the fact that the first entry would make its way to consoles sometime this year, so even more gamers all over the world will enjoy the indie perfection.
Games with decisions that truly matter and draw you in are few and far in between. The fact that Stoic had managed to hit a homerun in their first attempt is marvelous in its own right. To keep an eye on the next chapter of the story they created check out their official site.
SCS Software
Some of you may not recognize the name of this studio and that’s perfectly fine. But, if you’re into driving games that focus on realistic mechanics and open worlds, you may want to learn who they are. After all, they are behind the well-known Truck Simulator games, and these aren’t the simulator games that have been spamming your digital games markets. SCS Software creates the real deal with realistic roads, physics, mechanics, and truck designs. In fact, they are so committed to providing the best simulation experience that they put Triple A games to shame.
If you haven’t, you should probably go give one of their previous games a try, or you can wait for the next entry in the series, American Truck Simulator. You will now be able to bring your trucking dreams to the United States as you learn the laws of the road and deal with new requirements for your driver. It’s great to see an indie developer be able to pull off what so many larger studios try to do. SCS Software’s games are pure fun and definitely ones to watch out for.
For more information on everything going on at SCS Software check out their site.
Of course, there are many other indie studios who have built up a reputation. Anyone missing from this list that you feel deserves a spot? If so feel free to share.
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