INDIKA

Indika - for me - is the antithesis to uninspired, merely market trend-driven and thus ultimately soulless AAA games. (Not saying all triple-A games are like this.) Its scope and production value cannot match your Ubisoft or Bethesda works. But, for being developed by such a small team, it comes close enough. It's got a very clear and unique vision of what it wants to be and what it wants to say - and realizes this vision with remarkable confidence and ambition! I won't spoil any details of the story. Suffice it to say that you play as Indika, a young nun in an alternate-reality 19th- or early 20th-century Russia. Throw in some elements of Steam- and Dieselpunk, some surrealism for good measure - and what you get is a darkly intriguing and oppressive setting to explore questions of faith, free will and the human nature. Okay, look, for anyone who has ever engaged in a critical examination of religion or the church's role in human history, there will be no groundbreaking new revelations. But I still think it's a story worth telling. Especially when it's conveyed by such well-written and -acted characters. Gameplay-wise, Indika is a walking sim with some light puzzling and a few cheeky platforming interludes. Story and dialogue always take center stage. If you're looking for a challenge, this is not for you. It can be finished in under 10 hours, even if you take your time. Which is good; it doesn't overstay its welcome. I admire Indika for its bold vision and would recommend it to anyone at least remotely interested in the subject matter or simply in games that are a bit different.

For tackling such rich thematic veins as long cultural tradition, the hierarchies we lock ourselves into, and the paths we promise ourselves, Indika has awfully little to say. The central premise has perhaps one interesting idea: that faith isn't fungible, that if we look to quantify and compare righteousness and good deeds, we inevitably lead ourselves to either unreconciled hypocrisy or abhorrent conclusion. But Indika works almost immediately to prevent you from ever believing otherwise. Whether by instructing you early and often with the tone of a tutorial that such measurements are without value, or through drawn-out exposition belaboring the same, cudgeling the player with an idea bereft of any diegetic support and then acting as if the only remaining argument is a profundity gained through agonized soul-searching is clumsy. It's a misstep that prevents Indika from being a story experienced and instead petrifies it as an oversimple morality play. Perhaps this would be different if the player had any reason to buy into the conceit from the start, if you were ever challenged to surrender something you thought you needed or took comfort in. Alas that the story, as told, leaves no room for nuance or interpretation, even from the devil on your shoulder. The art direction shows early promise, be it the opening credits' labyrinthine isolation or toying with surrealist imagery not already done to death by the genre, but it quickly runs out of steam. Indika's back half is brought to you more by extravagant use of UE4's Scaling tool than a cohesive vision or responsive environment. Pixelated mini-games retreading past trauma and frustratingly precise action sequences are nearer to distractions than collaborators in the story's narrative or emotional arcs. Much of the rest suffers from a tonal whiplash that gladly follows a prevented assault with the slapstick of a near-sighted man falling down. Ultimately, we're left with a game that feels, at best, a rough draft.

Imagine weird, strange art with melancholic, dark tones. During dark ages, themed with heaven & hell, almost post-apocalyptic. And it would not take itself very serious, although it is looking like it most of the time. If this sound like your cup of tea - play this game. :-)

This is why Indie games are so valuable. The ideas and themes in this game are not liklely to ever be seen in AAA title game. If you like a unique experience with a terrific atmosphere, pacing and story telling this is worth the purchase. One of the few games with an incredibly impactfaul ending that will leave you staring at a your screen for a mintue or two as the credits roll.

Indika has its own story to tell, and messages to send. Players could find disappointment in this title based on trailers or what they see first, as this game plays with unique puzzle elements, tonal differences in what it portrays, and focusing on the characters of Indika and her "companions". I leave conflicted, but with a lot of positivity that if Odd Meter were to make another game, they have plenty of ideas they can expand upon and play with to create another setting with such an impressive atmosphere. The mixing of "modern" graphics with the combination of classic graphic effects, moments and splendid music can take some time for people to settle on, but make connections that are welcomed. I can comfortably call this a gem of 2024 that might be unearthed time and time again.