Indika is a very short (~4hrs) walking game filled with puzzles and thought-provoking dialogue. Oh, the brilliant voice acting in this game... I loved the emotions that the 'narrator' put into his work. The ending leaves you hanging with questions in your mind. There are many scenes where you can't get what's happening because it's confusing or because it happens too fast.
I also want to state that I dissected the game and they animated every scene; characters are moving even when you don't see them in cutscenes or in the game. And the demon is also a part of some cutscenes, but you can't see it. They put real effort into this game. It's sad that it was short.
The downsides were pretty much the optimization and some less-polished parts of the game.
I also want to state that I dissected the game and they animated every scene; characters are moving even when you don't see them in cutscenes or in the game. And the demon is also a part of some cutscenes, but you can't see it. They put real effort into this game. It's sad that it was short.
The downsides were pretty much the optimization and some less-polished parts of the game.
Great weird game where you dont understand anything
This review contains spoilers
I feel weird about this game, in the sense that I have very positive yet very negative feelings about it. Where it shines is where the game spends time to really intertwine itself with Indika's feelings/thoughts. Like the praying sections where you have to switch back and forth between praying and hearing the narrator berate herself on all the hatred and self loathing she has (side note i really liked the voice actor). Having to use that to puzzle solve was such an interesting idea and I'm sad it only shows up twice. Also following Indika was such a delight. I was able to really feel for her as she went through her journey, and the game does really well with developing her and Ilya to where they feel like real people.
Where the game loses me was primarily with the pixel sections. I can tell they included them to show that these sections were a different part of her life and I like that but I feel like they were mostly included so that they could label this game as weird and they could have been completely cut with no issue.
Side note, maybe I'm just a freak but I honestly don't think the game was that weird. Like all of the weird things we see Indika go through is explained though her mental health been shown through terms of our modern game knowledge. So the points she picks up doesnt matter and it switches styles when she's thinking of the past. I really thought there would be something insane but tbh all of it feels somewhat grounded as someone who grew up catholic and daydreamed.
My biggest issue is that the ending left me frustrated. The relic that Indika and Ilya have been searching for doesn't provide anything. And then? The game just ends there. There's nothing afterwards in a way that feels cheap, like the game doesnt want to take the time and effort to build a new life for the characters afterwards. I understand why ppl liken it to a showcase of reddit atheism because it feels weirdly flat in a way that the rest of the game wasn't. And this is after one of the most effective ways of showcasing a character's assault in any medium I've come across. The decision to switch from 3rd person to 1st was a very effective way to showcase dissociation and made me pause for a bit. There's so many moments like that which showcases this game's ability to really tell Indika's story which is then undercut by something really under baked.
Idk, if I huge step back id say this is a game that utilizes aspects of religion to problem solve and help Indika get through tasks. Ending it with "there's no hope or religion" feels weird because thats not what the game was saying while you were playing with it.
Where the game loses me was primarily with the pixel sections. I can tell they included them to show that these sections were a different part of her life and I like that but I feel like they were mostly included so that they could label this game as weird and they could have been completely cut with no issue.
Side note, maybe I'm just a freak but I honestly don't think the game was that weird. Like all of the weird things we see Indika go through is explained though her mental health been shown through terms of our modern game knowledge. So the points she picks up doesnt matter and it switches styles when she's thinking of the past. I really thought there would be something insane but tbh all of it feels somewhat grounded as someone who grew up catholic and daydreamed.
My biggest issue is that the ending left me frustrated. The relic that Indika and Ilya have been searching for doesn't provide anything. And then? The game just ends there. There's nothing afterwards in a way that feels cheap, like the game doesnt want to take the time and effort to build a new life for the characters afterwards. I understand why ppl liken it to a showcase of reddit atheism because it feels weirdly flat in a way that the rest of the game wasn't. And this is after one of the most effective ways of showcasing a character's assault in any medium I've come across. The decision to switch from 3rd person to 1st was a very effective way to showcase dissociation and made me pause for a bit. There's so many moments like that which showcases this game's ability to really tell Indika's story which is then undercut by something really under baked.
Idk, if I huge step back id say this is a game that utilizes aspects of religion to problem solve and help Indika get through tasks. Ending it with "there's no hope or religion" feels weird because thats not what the game was saying while you were playing with it.
INDIKA: Self-described as a “subversive, self-endeavourus, multi-meta-layered, nun-perspective, conscience-driven, action answer seeker”, INDIKA is really just a very interesting and pretty walking simulator (which its trailer denies it is... but it is).
I suspect we have a bit of a Hideo Kojima situation on our hands with this one, where writer/director Dmitry Svetlov wanted to make a movie more than a video game. The world of INDIKA is beautiful and full of sights that you may have even seen before, but the world's tone makes everything feel uniquely dark. You've seen a giant fish, but in INDIKA, catfish the size of skyscrapers hang from hooks in a vast, grim, autonomous cannery. They're loaded into what looks like normal tuna cans, only these are the size of a small car and you'll use them for a stacking puzzle. How one begins to eat from these cans, you and Indika will never know.
The word “bleak” applies to almost everything you'll be seeing in INDIKA, from the vast, foggy, barren landscapes to the dismal, misshapen, near-empty cities.
However, Kojima games are beloved not just for their insane storytelling, but because the gameplay, while sometimes too infrequent, is usually very good or at the very least, interesting.
So it looks good and the atmosphere is perfect for a story, but is it a good “game”? I do not think so. Again, it's a walking sim, that's like automatically capping how good it can be. The occasional puzzle is barely even a speed bump and the switch to retro graphics when delving into Indika's past is interesting but always short-lived -- as is this entire adventure. Really, there's not much for you to “do”. If you try the demo, you've seen all you'll be doing (and some things, like its chase, you won't be doing again).
Were it to be a movie, I think they've already got an incredible director of photography. Even how the opening credits are shown is something I've never seen before. Almost every cutscene has a filmic touch with shots that feel inspired by an Aronofsky or Lanthimos picture. I enjoyed Indika's story and her crisis of faith; I was successfully hooked and wondered what would happen to her, her captor, and her personal demon. Indika starts asking some pretty important philosophical questions on her journey and I was quite proud of her for even considering it.
I liked the touches added to make her so meek and vulnerable: her gaze is always downward and dodgy and if you stand still, she picks or nibbles at her cuticles and nails. Left clicking will have her wipe away at her forehead, right clicking and she'll cross herself. Interestingly, there are moments where if you have Indika cross herself – like under a painting of Jesus – you're rewarded with experience (and you are not told this). Unfortunately, the game isn't lying when it tells you “Don't grieve over lost points, they're useless anyway”.
...but it was all too brief. This story can easily be completed in one sitting if you are unemployed and there's no replay value. While the ending is painfully relatable for anyone who has ever been in need of some serious introspection, it's also pretty abrupt and maybe a hair lackluster for a video game. There's also no skipping of cutscenes, so if a lengthy one plays and you quit? When you come back, you're watching all that again. Pretty frustrating stuff.
It's definitely interesting and I'm glad I gave it a shot, but I guess I'd be sure to say that when you go into this, you won't get too much of a “game” out of it. It's a bit of a ride but definitely feels like playing a movie, there's almost no “need” for players to interact. Some of the dark humor here reminded me of “The Crying of Lot 49”, too, not totally sure why.
I think I can sort of recommend it. Maybe get it on a good sale.
I suspect we have a bit of a Hideo Kojima situation on our hands with this one, where writer/director Dmitry Svetlov wanted to make a movie more than a video game. The world of INDIKA is beautiful and full of sights that you may have even seen before, but the world's tone makes everything feel uniquely dark. You've seen a giant fish, but in INDIKA, catfish the size of skyscrapers hang from hooks in a vast, grim, autonomous cannery. They're loaded into what looks like normal tuna cans, only these are the size of a small car and you'll use them for a stacking puzzle. How one begins to eat from these cans, you and Indika will never know.
The word “bleak” applies to almost everything you'll be seeing in INDIKA, from the vast, foggy, barren landscapes to the dismal, misshapen, near-empty cities.
However, Kojima games are beloved not just for their insane storytelling, but because the gameplay, while sometimes too infrequent, is usually very good or at the very least, interesting.
So it looks good and the atmosphere is perfect for a story, but is it a good “game”? I do not think so. Again, it's a walking sim, that's like automatically capping how good it can be. The occasional puzzle is barely even a speed bump and the switch to retro graphics when delving into Indika's past is interesting but always short-lived -- as is this entire adventure. Really, there's not much for you to “do”. If you try the demo, you've seen all you'll be doing (and some things, like its chase, you won't be doing again).
Were it to be a movie, I think they've already got an incredible director of photography. Even how the opening credits are shown is something I've never seen before. Almost every cutscene has a filmic touch with shots that feel inspired by an Aronofsky or Lanthimos picture. I enjoyed Indika's story and her crisis of faith; I was successfully hooked and wondered what would happen to her, her captor, and her personal demon. Indika starts asking some pretty important philosophical questions on her journey and I was quite proud of her for even considering it.
I liked the touches added to make her so meek and vulnerable: her gaze is always downward and dodgy and if you stand still, she picks or nibbles at her cuticles and nails. Left clicking will have her wipe away at her forehead, right clicking and she'll cross herself. Interestingly, there are moments where if you have Indika cross herself – like under a painting of Jesus – you're rewarded with experience (and you are not told this). Unfortunately, the game isn't lying when it tells you “Don't grieve over lost points, they're useless anyway”.
...but it was all too brief. This story can easily be completed in one sitting if you are unemployed and there's no replay value. While the ending is painfully relatable for anyone who has ever been in need of some serious introspection, it's also pretty abrupt and maybe a hair lackluster for a video game. There's also no skipping of cutscenes, so if a lengthy one plays and you quit? When you come back, you're watching all that again. Pretty frustrating stuff.
It's definitely interesting and I'm glad I gave it a shot, but I guess I'd be sure to say that when you go into this, you won't get too much of a “game” out of it. It's a bit of a ride but definitely feels like playing a movie, there's almost no “need” for players to interact. Some of the dark humor here reminded me of “The Crying of Lot 49”, too, not totally sure why.
I think I can sort of recommend it. Maybe get it on a good sale.
Esse é o tipo de jogo q eu acredito q não deveria dar nota, mas eu irei pq eu amei e a nota merece estar mais alta kkk
Eu não irei comentar muito pois é o tipo de jogo q merece ser jogado as cegas, mas irei destacar o nível incrível das expressões faciais, é impressionante e uma das melhores q eu já vi em um jogo
E a direção é espetacular, é nível cinema e não digo no mal sentido igual muitos usam pra fazer flame
11 Bit nunca errou meus amigos.
Eu não irei comentar muito pois é o tipo de jogo q merece ser jogado as cegas, mas irei destacar o nível incrível das expressões faciais, é impressionante e uma das melhores q eu já vi em um jogo
E a direção é espetacular, é nível cinema e não digo no mal sentido igual muitos usam pra fazer flame
11 Bit nunca errou meus amigos.
it's just a playable a24 movie
Артхаус во всем его проявлении. Это как если бы A24 выпустили игру :)
Сразу хочется обратить внимание, что геймплейно, игра ничего интересного не привносит. Но история, ее подача через очень кинематографические сцены, игра и озвучка актеров, заставляет тебя с интересом наблюдать за происходящим. Разработчикам нужно отдать должное, подход у ребят к проекту был серьезные, и видно что они сделали все возможно чтобы это выглядело дорого и круто. Я получил удовольствие от того как передана Россия конца 19 века. Геймплейно ничего серьезного, у меня всю игру проходила жена, аркадные моменты ее только заставили понервничать :) Мораль, история, ну тут уже думаю каждый для себя что-то выделит и поймет. В остальном интересный проект на 4-5 часов.
Сразу хочется обратить внимание, что геймплейно, игра ничего интересного не привносит. Но история, ее подача через очень кинематографические сцены, игра и озвучка актеров, заставляет тебя с интересом наблюдать за происходящим. Разработчикам нужно отдать должное, подход у ребят к проекту был серьезные, и видно что они сделали все возможно чтобы это выглядело дорого и круто. Я получил удовольствие от того как передана Россия конца 19 века. Геймплейно ничего серьезного, у меня всю игру проходила жена, аркадные моменты ее только заставили понервничать :) Мораль, история, ну тут уже думаю каждый для себя что-то выделит и поймет. В остальном интересный проект на 4-5 часов.
Os elementos mais interessantes do jogo, como a gamificação da religião (incluindo também os momentos iniciais lentos e desrespeitosos com a personagem principal, mas que garantem pelo menos um pontinho extra que vai gerar a salvação), a mecânica de mudança do cenário pela ação "orar" e a mudança clara de jogo ao resgatar as memórias da infância costumeiramente associadas a um período feliz (não atoa nessas memórias eles brincam com a percepção de algumas pessoas do que seria uma "era de ouro" para os jogos) são subutilizados para um jogo que joga muito mais na safezone do que parece querer admitir.
Bastante inofensivo.
Mas pelo menos sincero.
Bastante inofensivo.
Mas pelo menos sincero.
slamming my crucifix on the table Points, points, points, points, points, points!!!
There's a lot to think about with this one, and I'll be thinking about it for a while. It's worth a play for the brilliant performances by the two leading actors alone.
There's a lot to think about with this one, and I'll be thinking about it for a while. It's worth a play for the brilliant performances by the two leading actors alone.
This review contains spoilers
I can't stop thinking about this game.
saying that this is a unique title would be an understatement. an interesting story, wrapped in a well-meaning satire of video games, under layers of self-consciousness and absurdism.
sure, Indika's commentary on religion doesn't really say anything new, but that's kind of besides the point. this isn't about christianity; it's about Indika. the fact that she happens to be a nun only serves as a setting in which her trauma and anxiety can fully form, and thus take the shape of the Devil.
even though the narrative is the centerpiece, its idiosyncratic and eclectic execution is what shines here. beautiful visuals, pretty great voice acting (always riding the line between seriousness and overacting), genuinely darkly hilarious moments, an unapologetic strangeness... all of that works weirdly well together.
but to me, what really brought it together was the amazing soundtrack by Mike Sabadash: 8-bit synths clashing with industrial noises, goofy in all the right places but emotional when it needs to be.
saying that this is a unique title would be an understatement. an interesting story, wrapped in a well-meaning satire of video games, under layers of self-consciousness and absurdism.
sure, Indika's commentary on religion doesn't really say anything new, but that's kind of besides the point. this isn't about christianity; it's about Indika. the fact that she happens to be a nun only serves as a setting in which her trauma and anxiety can fully form, and thus take the shape of the Devil.
even though the narrative is the centerpiece, its idiosyncratic and eclectic execution is what shines here. beautiful visuals, pretty great voice acting (always riding the line between seriousness and overacting), genuinely darkly hilarious moments, an unapologetic strangeness... all of that works weirdly well together.
but to me, what really brought it together was the amazing soundtrack by Mike Sabadash: 8-bit synths clashing with industrial noises, goofy in all the right places but emotional when it needs to be.
Indika é um jogo muito interessante mas que ao mesmo tempo eu não consigo recomendar para absolutamente ninguém, a ideia do jogo de trabalhar com o tédio e dissonância é maravilhosa quando funciona e trás um sentimento único ao desenrolar da trama e dos seus personagens, ao mesmo tempo que quando falha, fazem a vontade de largar o jogo completamente, e por mais absurdo que isso soe, são esses momentos que, quando superados, te trazem ainda mais para o mundo do jogo e o desenvolvimento dos personagens e as metáforas religiosas dentro dele porém... é um jogo MUITO curto, consegui finalizá-lo mesmo ficando preso em alguns puzzles, consegui finalizá-lo em pouco menos de quatro horas, que honestamente faz parecer que a história não foi concluída e optaram pelo final mais rápido possível, o que pelo menos pra mim foi bem incômodo, já que era o principal ponto que me mantinha interessado no jogo
A melhor forma de descrever INDIKA além de um jogo quase impossível de se dar uma nota é que ele é a definição de um Jogo A24, tendo visíveis inspirações em diretores como o Ari Aster e o Yorgos Lanthimos e principalmente com as frequentes subversões da sua forma midiática e dos temas que aborda, mesmo com a sua curta direção, não vou dizer que é um jogo ruim, mas é um jogo que apesar de toda a sua construção e a sua estranheza, tropeça no final e nos dá um final vazio, que faz com que todo o progresso que desenvolvemos junto com a protagonista seja mesmo que significativo, algo desinteressante ou que faça você sentir que valeu apena a jornada, parece muito mais um tempo gasto do que qualquer coisa apesar de suas integrações que parecem absurdas terem um enorme charme e adicionarem bastante para a experiência
Se colocado apenas de maneira formal, o jogo pode ser ovacionado como algo genial a vontade mas pessoalmente, não é algo que eu me vejo revisitando nem de longe, sendo mais um daqueles jogos que no conceito são geniais e um verdadeiro deleite para o publico correto, quando na realidade, são obras que acabam ficando maçantes devido a sua critica rasa e mesmo tendo elementos que o diferenciam a partir de sua própria estranheza e uma enorme coragem em incluir elementos dessa estranheza, acabam se perdendo no meio do caminho nela mesma, fazendo com que uma história muito bacana e com personagens interessantes irem pelo ralo
A melhor forma de descrever INDIKA além de um jogo quase impossível de se dar uma nota é que ele é a definição de um Jogo A24, tendo visíveis inspirações em diretores como o Ari Aster e o Yorgos Lanthimos e principalmente com as frequentes subversões da sua forma midiática e dos temas que aborda, mesmo com a sua curta direção, não vou dizer que é um jogo ruim, mas é um jogo que apesar de toda a sua construção e a sua estranheza, tropeça no final e nos dá um final vazio, que faz com que todo o progresso que desenvolvemos junto com a protagonista seja mesmo que significativo, algo desinteressante ou que faça você sentir que valeu apena a jornada, parece muito mais um tempo gasto do que qualquer coisa apesar de suas integrações que parecem absurdas terem um enorme charme e adicionarem bastante para a experiência
Se colocado apenas de maneira formal, o jogo pode ser ovacionado como algo genial a vontade mas pessoalmente, não é algo que eu me vejo revisitando nem de longe, sendo mais um daqueles jogos que no conceito são geniais e um verdadeiro deleite para o publico correto, quando na realidade, são obras que acabam ficando maçantes devido a sua critica rasa e mesmo tendo elementos que o diferenciam a partir de sua própria estranheza e uma enorme coragem em incluir elementos dessa estranheza, acabam se perdendo no meio do caminho nela mesma, fazendo com que uma história muito bacana e com personagens interessantes irem pelo ralo
If you're interested in a narrative-centric game about how religion sucks then I'd recommend buying this on sale. For everyone else, skip it. Pretty thin on content and the gameplay is simply not very good. While the narrative does have some compelling moments, it also reads like a mixture of r/Atheism and r/Im14AndThisIsDeep at times.
Awesome.
Nice storytelling, love how it playes with mechanics and it's theme.
There are some clunckniss and puzzles that make it not feel perfect for me, but it's an awesome game and I recommend for everyone.
Nice storytelling, love how it playes with mechanics and it's theme.
There are some clunckniss and puzzles that make it not feel perfect for me, but it's an awesome game and I recommend for everyone.
maneiro, tem uma história bem interessante
Brilliantly offbeat game pushing against modern game design in places.
With areas of deliberate laboriousness, accompanied by philosophical conversations with a devil, INDIKA sometimes works against the player to create dissonance not dissimilar to the theatre of Bertolt Brecht.
This reminder that you are playing a game, along with using game mechanics to tell its story, creates a narrative experience like no other.
I cannot wait to see what Odd Meter do next.
With areas of deliberate laboriousness, accompanied by philosophical conversations with a devil, INDIKA sometimes works against the player to create dissonance not dissimilar to the theatre of Bertolt Brecht.
This reminder that you are playing a game, along with using game mechanics to tell its story, creates a narrative experience like no other.
I cannot wait to see what Odd Meter do next.
A tormented, self-conscious nun that doubts her own faith and beliefs , while she operates cranes and rides bikes like a pro. Loved every second of it.
Indika is a tough game to flesh out. It’s surreal environments coupled with stylistic fervor for framing scenes makes so much of the game compelling. And its interrogation of religious ambiguities reaches some interesting boiling points. But I also think much of the narrative is bogged down by less than inspired game design, with too few resonant character beats in between too many arduous levels. Still, I appreciate the swing even though the game couldn’t resolve that tension.
(Also, I’ve seen comparisons made about Indika to an A24 movie, and, even though I don’t agree with that - that doesn’t mean anything - I DO think the game is more interested in leveraging film language for its narrative with gameplay secondary)
(Also, I’ve seen comparisons made about Indika to an A24 movie, and, even though I don’t agree with that - that doesn’t mean anything - I DO think the game is more interested in leveraging film language for its narrative with gameplay secondary)