We break down the best of the west that indie devs bestowed upon us this calendar year.
VGChartz's Lee Mehr: "Fran Bow is nothing else if not intriguing. The sheer amount of vile & traumatic sights this young girl is put through could be seen as cheap shock value, but Killmonday Games' artistic sincerity suggest those accusations to have little merit. At the same time, this drug-fuelled trip through Wonderland is hampered by rough qualities ranging from a lackluster ambiguous resolution to obnoxious point-n-click trappings dating to the Triassic period. It's a frustrating mixture of impressive and lackluster qualities that kept me invested, even if never thoroughly satisfied. A prescription I can't recommend to everyone."
Hot take: I actually enjoyed the fantasy level, with exception to a couple of lackluster puzzles. I think it was a nice break from the Reality/Horror Wonderland dynamic. Also gave me Night of the Rabbit vibes.
What this all amounts to is a brilliant little tactics game, right up there with Into the Breach and XCOM – if not even better. The bite-sized structure belies a deceptively complex and meaningful game, where all your decisions ultimately mean something significant for that final desperate attack. If you enjoy stealth or tactics games – or you're simply looking for a way into either genre – then Invisible, Inc. deserves your attention.
WTMG's Kyle Nicol: "Invisible Inc. is one of my favourite stealth games in recent years. Its smart and unique blending of multiple genres provide a fun and challenging gameplay experience I would recommend to anyone. If you’re a fan of stealth, rogue-likes, and tactical turn-based combat, you can’t let Invisible, Inc. pass you by."
