Indie Game Roundup: Knee-Deep

Thursday Triple is a weekly roundup of Indie Games from around the Net.

Nothing could possibly go wrong, is what I’d like to say. Here are some games that go from “I’ve got this under control” to “what have I done” in five seconds flat.

Mini Metro

By Dinosaur Polo Club

There’s something about transit system maps that’s immediately distinctive (you’d hope so, anyway), making them both useful and amusing to look at. It’s in this style that Mini Metro – a minimalistic game about building transit lines to cope with an ever-expanding city – fashions itself after.

There are a couple rules to keep you from spawning chaos, like how you can’t cross two lines except at stations, and you’re limited to a certain number of lines and carriages. The challenge is to survive as long as possible while more stations appear and more people need to be moved. Some features are still in production, but the gist of it is there in the current Steam Early Access.

As you would expect of a transit-sim, things start off pretty chill. However, like the anecdotal frog, by the time you notice your city is plunging into a death spiral, it’s already too late to do anything. But hey, at least the ride was fun!

[youtube link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJHKzzPtDDI” width=”590″ height=”315″]

Woolfe: The Red Hood Diaries

By GRIN

We all love Little Red. She’s showcased in an absolute plethora of works from films, novels, comics, and, of course, games. I’m personally a fan of the badass Red that can well take care of herself, and it looks like the people at GRIN agree.

This time it’s a story about vengeance and greed. Woolfe is a dark, factory-smoke-filled action platformer inspired by the original (and incredibly grim) versions of popular fairy tales. Combining a splash of mystery, a pinch of fantasy, and a whole lot of combat, the game promises to be an intriguing experience wrapped in a beautifully detailed world.

Check out their Kickstarter page yourself for some wicked art and future development plans.

[youtube link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZCoGlZ6vng” width=”590″ height=”315″]

Depression Quest

By The Quinnspiracy, Patrick Lindsey, Isaac Schankler

Admittedly, Depression Quest veers slightly away from the typical “game,” but I’ve always liked a good interactive fiction so I took a shot.

Far from the parody I initially thought it would be given the light-hearted title, the plot follows an individual struggling with depression, and it’s your job to figure out how to get through the days. How it ends is entirely up to you, and there are multiple paths to pick from assuming you’re curious enough to traverse them all. As you can imagine, it’s not very happy, but it is deep and rather emotional.

For those interested in taking a peek at the life of those suffering from depression, it’s free-to-play on Steam.