Screenshot Saturday #2: Pretty Indie Things to Covet

This article first appeared on USgamer, a partner publication of VG247. Some content, such as this article, has been migrated to VG247 for posterity after USgamer's closure - but it has not been edited or further vetted by the VG247 team.

If you're unfamiliar with the concept of Screenshot Saturday, it's a website on the Internet where indie developers (and triple-A people flying under the proverbial radar) post images from their upcoming works. However, because this is a global website visited by a multitude of hard-working game makers, it can be an overwhelming place to visit. That's where we come in. Here on US Gamer's Screenshot Saturday, we're aiming to save you precious hours of your weekend by pointing the spotlight at cool projects you might not have heard about but should totally know about now.

Unannounced Game

So, here's what we know about the 'unannounced game' associated with this screenshot. It's a fresh endeavor from the creators of Richard & Alice and Location Services. Ben 304, who is probably most commonly associated with the Blackwell franchise and a mess of delightful point & click titles, has a hand in the artwork. Big bags are involved, somehow, and we cannot lie. That's about the extent of what I currently can tell you. There may be more later. However, given Owl Cave Games' current track record (and Ben 304's presence), the possibility that the unannounced project might be yet another point & click game doesn't seem terribly far fetched. Here's to hoping it's something creepy and related to naval vehicles somehow.

Sword Stone

While Sword Stone may not have the most inspired title out there, it sort of makes up for it by being absolutely gorgeous. I love the stylized, paper-craft feel to the environment and the characters; there's just not enough of this in the industry. Sadly, the game itself is somewhat more conventional in tone: Sword Stone is going to be a non-linear action-adventure where you, as the bold hero, must find a sword that can turn things into stone and defeat an ancient evil. Yup. There's a tumblr for the game that you can follow if you want to keep tabs on this two-man production.

Cavorite 3

Are you sick and tired of playing muscle-bound, questionably attractive space marines? Have you ever wondered if your grandfather could do it better? Do you think brains are better than brawn? If so, you may want to make space in your heart for the Cavorite franchise. Cavorite 3 is the, er, third game in the puzzle platformer franchise and it will have players once again inserted into the shoes of the intrepid Dr. Cavor. As our geriatric, white-maned scientist of the day, you must outwit aliens and manipulate gravity in your attempt to rescue various damsels and dues from the green-skinned clutches of the Selenite empire. For science! Mwahahaha - ahem.

A Golden Wake

The Roaring Twenties. Jazz. Mafia members. Exquisitely crafted pixels, the kind Sierra would posthumously approve of. A Golden Wake follows the tale of a young real estate agent named Alfie Banks. Wide-eyed and innocent in the beginning, Banks will eventually spiral down into a corruption-riddled hell where he must match wits against gangsters and oily salesmen before eventually finding salvation. Honestly, it doesn't take much to sell me on a point & click adventure game. They're a huge weak spot for me. Nonetheless, A Golden Wake ups the ante with its connection to real-world, historical event. Was there really an Alfie Banks? Will Grundislav Games be able to recount his story without sounding too much like a history lesson? Who knows? But, I'm terribly eager to find out.

NDE

The developer describes it as 'earthbound meets LTTP meets Yume Nikki'. I call it the recipe for success. NDE is an ARPG focused on a woman named Charmaine. A scientific experiment goes catastrophically wrong at some point and Charmaine finds herself on a quest to find her missing colleague. Is her search driven by love? Comradely affection? Of course not. Charmaine just wants her video games back. It's .. an unusual motivation but, then again, do we really need another epic, romantic saga? Of course not. If the gif tickled your fancy, I completely recommend checking out the playable prototype the developer has over here.