It's Monday (sort of) which means it's officially IndiE3 week! This new event, seemingly brought into existence by sheer force of will by TronMaximum, promises to highlight over a hundred interesting new indie games and host over thirty panels by a variety of distinguished game designers and critics. Check out the full schedule! I've even got a panel in the works myself for Wednesday night at 9PM, cohosted by Aevee Bee and General Ironicus. Be there or be square!
Anyway, as a way to celebrate this whole enterprise, I want to make a point to celebrate some free indie games I really, really like this week. I'll be posting a new one each day during IndiE3, so be sure to check in if you're looking for some rad games to play.
Entry number one: anna anthropy's emotica. It's framed as a modern play on ZZT (the subject of her new book), with emoji instead of ASCII art. There's no goal; all you're meant to do is walk around and enjoy a lovingly crafted world. There are gnomes, demons, casinos, petting zoos, mushrooms, secret castle torture chambers, art galleries, and all sorts of other delightful sights, all rendered purely in emoji. It looks really nice, and the attention to sound is excellent as well. It's a very happy game, and that's something that's especially pleasant to see during E3's endless coverage of morose manshooters.
This game is also special to me because it's what inspired me to get off my butt and finish the dance game I've been working on and off on with my girlfriend since January. I'm extremely happy with the final result, and in a way I have emotica to thank.
You can give emotica a play right over here. While you're at it, why not pick up her new book? I haven't picked up my copy yet, but if her other work (Rise of the Videogame Zinesters, Star Wench) is any indication, you're in for a wonderful time.
