This year’s list of indie games and interactive fiction is a little different from previous “What You May Have Missed” entries I have written. For one thing, I have included fan games on the list, as I felt they were excellent, both as video games and as demonstrations of the power of transformative media. The other, more important thing, is that I have made an intentional push to include games that either were, or are likely to be, impacted by the efforts of conservative lobbyists pushing their queerphobic, anti-porn beliefs onto payment processors, making it even more difficult for indie game developers.
I believe adult video games, and games that touch upon sensitive and discomforting subject matter, should exist, and that people should be able to make and play those games. I love that video games have been able to give people the tools to talk about their experiences, whether they are positive or negative. Silencing those voices in the name of “comfort” and “decency” is abhorrent. So, with that in mind, I have made my list. I hope you find at least one new game on here that interests you.
All Ages
A promotional image for the video game “My Friends the Monster Trainers” by Celia & jamwitch. It features a red tablet-like device in the foreground, with the image of an indigo, cat-like creature called “Sinestella” with purple energy converging around its tail on the display. In the background is text from a letter. The game’s title is written on a blue banner on the bottom of the image.
My Friends the Monster Trainers
Developers & Publishers: Celia & jamwitch
While Avery can’t go on a journey to become a monster trainer, they can still learn about pet monsters, and complete their Monster Tracker, with the help of their friends. Using word-based puzzles akin to Return of the Obra Dinn and the Duck Detective series, My Friends the Monster Trainers offers a unique twist on both the investigation and creature collector genres to create a fun and charming game. Available to play on a web browser (such as Google Chrome, Firefox, etc.) through itch.io.
Content warnings: Mild instances of children in peril, monster battles typical of the creature collector genre
