Episode 4: What does success look like for indie games?

Indieventure

It's Indieventure Episode 4, and this week we're doing things a little bit differently and having a freeform chat about how we measure success when it comes to indie games. Traditional success in the gaming space is, of course, financial: games that are a commercial hit and sell loads and loads of copies. But we also consider other factors, such as positive critical reception and the growth of a dedicated fanbase even in the absence of breakthroughs in term of money, fame, and accolades; meeting a dev's personal goals for the project enough to allow them to invest in creating future games; and games that launch quietly only to enjoy slow-burn success over the long-term (we're looking at you, Among Us).

We also take a quick dive into what we've been playing recently: Rachel's been building communities after the end of the world as we know it in Saltsea Chronicles; Rebecca's falling in love with an evil princess — yet again — in Slay The Princess; while Liam's time with Spin Rhythm XD has him not only reliving the glory days of Guitar Hero and DDR but wondering whether it's surpassed them both.

Meanwhile, the tech gremlins have invaded for the second episode in a row, so our apologies that Rebecca occasionally sounds like a robot this time! Her microphone's a bit broken but she hasn't been replaced by an extremely realistic AI, we promise; no machine could simulate just how fast she talks when she's getting excited about her nerd stuff.

Speaking of which, this episode's hyperfixations are all spooky indie games, it turns out! So stay tuned for some bonus geeking over the recent remake of Sherlock Holmes The Awakened, queer horror visual novel Mediterranea Inferno, and ultra-nostalgic zombie horror You Will Die Here Tonight.

Music is Cigarette Boat by Marc Torch.