This post has been migrated from an old server & blog system. Some things may look strange, such as formatting. Some links and images may be broken. I will try getting around to fixing it ASAP.
I am a huge fan of the indie gaming scene; it is a place where game developers can bring their interesting and unique ideas to fruition due to the lack of pressure from a publisher to sell a lot of copies. One of my favourite indie game developers is Jonathan Blow of Number None, the creator of the mind-bending platform-puzzler,
'Braid'. His next game,
'The Witness', was available for the public to test out at this year's PAX, and after watching a
gameplay video I knew it was a game I'd be purchasing on day one.
As Kotaku stated, I really am reminded of 'Myst' by the footage shown, with a little bit of
'The Prisoner' thrown in. I really believe that a game like this could only exist as an independent game; I can't see any publishers willing to risk a lot of money on something that doesn't seem to have mainstream appeal. Fortunately, there are quite a few people that enjoy games that actually make them think who will enjoy this. I love how the art style is quite simple yet the objects and colours seem to pop out. This really gives the atmosphere of the game a surreal, and for some reason slightly sinister, feeling (probably due to the fact that it really reminds me of an episode of 'The Prisoner'). The gameplay as of now seems a little simple, although it is way too early to make a judgement on that. Since it is a game by Number None, I expect to spend a few hours scratching my head, trying to figure out what to do next.
If you haven't watched the gameplay video linked above, check it out and let me know what you think. I really hope that one day, I can create something half as interesting and awesome as either 'Braid' or 'The Witness'.