As I reach the very end of my 30s, I’ve learned two things about myself: I’m not a jealous person, and I don’t regret not creating the indie gaming book I always thought I would. Then Aaron Potter comes along, writes 50 Indies Games that Changed the World, and frankly, I feel sick.
50 Indie Games that Changed the World is the type of thing I buy on principle, primarily to see how many of these selected titles I’ve completed (answer: 46. Happy with that). Also, deep down, as an indie gaming writer, I secretly wanted to know what I’d do differently and better, because I’m not jealous and I have no regrets.
It’s just as well that Potter wrote this, really, as I can rest easy knowing my favorite thing about my favorite pastime is in safer, younger, and more capable hands. His deep knowledge, interview-led approach, and rich visual storytelling give readers of all dispositions a reason to check it out, either as a dedicated investment or your classic coffee-table affair.
50 Indie Games that Changed the World is the latest volume from ever-dependable retro gaming publisher Bitmap Books. This hardback comes in at 452 pages, 255 x 255mm (10 x 10in), with a foil-blocked cover, edge-to-edge lithographic printing, and sewn binding, plus a free PDF copy. In true Bitmap fashion, it’s also protected in the post like it’s a 50-year-old unbuilt LEGO set — shrink wrapped, with foam corners, then a dual rip-strip cardboard cradle, finished with a printed bag.
This is the debut book for Potter, a young, prolific British games journalist who splits his time between the Daily Mirror and All Out Gaming. He’s spent over two years getting this to print, and his vision has attracted strong support along the way, including editing from publishing veterans Steve Jarratt and Damien McFerran, plus a foreword from Thomas Was Alone creator Mike Bithell, whose magnum opus rightly finds its way onto the final list.
Potter’s unenviable task, and opportunity to fall at the first hurdle, comes before his final 50. His introduction is dedicated to defining what an indie game even is — by his admission, he thinks it’s pretty much impossible to do so, at least in the post-Flash era.
“It’s not an aesthetic so much as it isn’t a genre,” he says, instead claiming they’re “better represented by a specific spirit and a state of mind.” I’d never thought about it like that — even if identifying indie studios is remarkably vibe-based in the 2020s — but this outlook is justified by the games he picks.
The big five-O
Potter lists his collection in alphabetical order — something I know he’ll have relished, as it lets him treat them equally and not make twice as much work for himself by putting them in favorite order, something that only creates unnecessary distance between his and readers’ tastes. It puts 50 Indies that Changed the World on a firm footing from the start, and opens you up to new experiences as you bounce between critically acclaimed titles and weirder, more wonderful envelope pushers.
50 Indie Games that Changed the World’s final selection has little to no fat — a potent mix of obvious choices like Fez, Hades, Gone Home, Guacamelee!, Limbo, Overcooked, and What Remains of Edith Finch, alongside no less brilliant indie darlings that resonate with more particular tastes: Coffee Talk, Cuphead, Return of the Obra Dinn, and Slay the Spire.
Each game is discussed over four double-page spreads, save for Downwell, which runs at six without feeling cut short. Screenshots, concept art, storyboards, two-page splashes, and sketch recreations, which are beautifully reproduced by Adam Rufino, are nicely paced and easy to enjoy in all their glory, flat on your table, thanks to the sewn binding.
A carefully curated collection of creatives
Every entry is underpinned by an interview with creators, developers, designers, or musicians, nearly always landing the right person for the story. Games don’t feel milked, overanalyzed, or — as can often be the case with Generation Kickstarter — overtly romanticized.
Potter modestly dedicates most of each game to those who created them, letting them present new and significant facts you’ll relish hearing, before he reappears to steer the narrative to the inevitable conclusion. Each time he reaches his final paragraph, you’re sold; it’s a remarkable skill that every writer wishes they could pull off, and few can do it so consistently.
Newgrounds legend Tom Fulp gives a unique insight into his move from Flash games to Castle Crashers via the immortal Alien Hominid; there’s an extended insight into how Overcooked managed to strike its perfect balance between ‘memorably chaotic’ and ‘wall-punchingly annoying’; The Binding of Isaac’s Edmund McMillen reveals who really proved his game would be a long-term hit; and Luca Galante revels in Vampire Survivors’ balance between laziness and endurance.
Arguably, the most memorable moment of Potter’s book comes with its final entry, What Remains of Edith Finch, in which he interviews Giant Sparrow’s lead designer Chris Bell about the studio’s approach to the game’s decisive baby character, Gregory. It’s a testament to both the author and his chosen format that he consistently manages to identify the moments that make indie games so memorable, finally answering questions you might have had for years — and he saves one of the best until last, highlighting the due care and attention the studio dedicated to getting its bravest, and arguably most powerful, narrative decision over the line.
Elsewhere, games like Monument Valley, Outer Wilds, and The Stanley Parable miss the cut but have, at least, found a place in a final honorable mentions chapter. They’re given a moment in the sun, and that’s perhaps enough — these are among those indie darlings that have been talked about to death over the years. My shortlist of 50 wouldn’t have shuffled Braid, Celeste, or Terraria to this section, but, y’know, different strokes.
It’s also a little surprising for me that Audiosurf — one of the most popular early buys for newcomers to late 2000s Steam, and a pioneer of the rhythm action genre — didn’t make the book, nor did the fiercely competitive two-player classic Nidhogg, kill ‘em all simulator Plague Inc, or mobile mystery puzzle The Room. Firewatch, too, feels conspicuously absent, though Edith Finch, Dear Esther, and Gone Home do a great job of accounting for those breakthrough “walking simulators” of the 2010s.
Potter also lists the 250+ games mentioned throughout 50 Indies that Changed the World, highlighting his desire to give you more chances to check out those other titles you might want to dip into out of comparative curiosity, like Nuclear Throne, Dredge, Cocoon, and FTL: Faster Than Light.
There are a couple of things you can question, if you’re being picky. The chosen typeface may be a bit much for some; while it’s nicely presented, the stroke contrast sits heavily on the page, especially given its smaller font size. I’ve never liked quotes in italics, but the typeface choice makes them feel necessary for easy scanning.
The presentation of the all-important “how it changed the world” question at the end of each game also has an inconsistent narrative approach from entry to entry, switching between standalone sentences and direct responses, so you find yourself reading them two or three times to understand them. Still, as with the numerical scores that many readers skip to when checking out game reviews, these sections really shouldn’t, and don’t, define each piece.
An essential read
While I buy plenty of gaming books each year — too many, shouts my creaking 2014 IKEA bookcase I purchased four homes ago as a “cheap stopgap” — few have hit the mark quite as well as 50 Indie Games that Changed the World. Potter strikes that perfect balance between “games you can’t ignore” and “games I want to share with you,” and you never quite know which is which.
On a personal note, it’s one of very few publications that has reignited my passion to finally write my own, even if 50 Indie Games that Changed the World closes off my speciality. Never mind — I’ll go back to the storyboard in a couple of weeks, as I’ve got Before Your Eyes, Darkest Dungeon, Stories Untold, and That Dragon, Cancer to cross off my list. I have to play every indie game in this book, and Potter cannot win again.
