Even though its only early 2019 we are seeing some awesome indie games already, those games created by independent developers who do not have the backing of any major corporate publisher.
You would think would be a big drawback but in fact, with some publishers becoming unwilling to take the chance on a creative and unique idea, very many of them stay focused on the already established franchises looking to the dollar instead.
Indie games don’t have this problem, and many of them over the last few years have actually managed to surpass their AAA competition both in the terms of the game being valued and also in the quality of the game.
The notion that indie games are somewhat inferior because of the low budget is simply untrue, and to ignore the indie games would be denying a whole lot of great gaming action.
Take Hyper Light Drifter by Heart Machine. Available on the Xbox One, PS4, Switch and iOS has you on the edge of your seat. From the wordless opening cutscene which has you drop into a ruined world with nothing to guard yourself with but a sword, a gun and the smartness to get by. Painted in neon hues and added to by a melancholy soundtrack, Hyper Light Drifter is a dangerously difficult game as hordes of enemies are thrown at you testing your timing to the max.
Severed by DrinkBox Studios is one in a list of great indies including Mutant blobs Attack, Tales from Space and Guacomelee and all are perfect for handheld play.
All the above games are very different from each other and Severed (originally released on the PlayStation Vita) does not disappoint. Played from a first-person perspective, Severed reminds you of an old-school dungeon crawler.
As the one-armed hero Sasha, you find yourself attempting to save your family from purgatory and you need to use your blade to keep those enemies away. Touchscreen swipes achieve this and as each enemy has their weak points you can take advantage of the fact taking rhythmic slices out of them.
An engaging art style enhances the player experience, but be warned, you will need to focus on Severed in order to make your goals. Severed can be played on the 3DS, iOS, Switch and Vita.
But indie games are not the only type that are making their mark in 2019. Since the mobile online casinos became popular sites have been adjusting their wares to suit player needs and requirements and that include the way games are paid for.
Unfortunately, we live in an age where there is a certain criminal element that are hell-bent on getting our personal details and this can put a lot of people off making a bet online even though all of the best sites have encryption to combat this threat.
Now, as an added safeguard, there are mobile slots pay by phone bill sites that let players pay for their games via their monthly phone bill (if on a contract) or the costs are deducted from their pay-as-you-go balance.
This means that there is no need to ever give a site your personal details, and for that reason along sites that offer this service are gaining customers every day.
Playing games online should be enjoyable and exciting whether that is enjoying one of the new indie games or having a bet on your favourite casino game of slot, and if safer ways are available to play without stress then that makes a whole lot of sense.