![]() ![]() It's also difficult to define "independent", because sometimes these games are developed by a single person in their home office, other times they are small companies separate from the usual AAA conglomerate. So, art style isn't really a prerequisite. Games like Night in the Woods don't directly recall any classic games, but the spirit fits with point-and-click adventure games of old. To be honest, we're using the term "retro indie" pretty loosely here. Some of these are reasonably well known among the indie scene, but we've made sure to include some of the less famous titles in hopes to give them some more exposure. Since HG101 concentrates on retro games, it made sense that we started covering these "new retro" independent games, so eventually we decided to compile it into a book. Many of these games also benefit from years of design evolution, and there are many cases where the fresher games even beat the old classics. Now, there are legions of classic style platformers, RPGs, adventure games, shoot-em-ups, and more, all available for extremely reasonable prices, just a few clicks away. It used to be that retro video game fans would either need to import games from Japan at great expense, or get stuck playing portable titles, since those were the few places 2D games were released. Now, in 2017, we're living with an embarrassment of riches. Not only was it a venue to sell games outside of the norm, but it also allowed independent developers easier access to sell their titles, and many patterned their works after the classic 8- and 16-bit games of their youths. It wasn't until the advent of digital distribution services like the Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and Steam that these types of games were resurrected. The shift to 3D rendered these types of games obsolete, or so the publishers felt. It may feel like a long time ago, but the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 generations (approximately 1995-2005) were hard times for fans of 2D games. Most of his work has been done among other enthusiasts and on a variety of personal blogs. A few of his pieces have been included in previous collections, most recently the eight volume of the Hardcore Gaming 101 digest, The Bride of Retro Horror, with Doctor Hauzer and Overblood 2. ![]() Has helped covered franchises such as Doom, Devil May Cry, Syberia, and much more for the website. He most recently edited the second volume of Hardcore Gaming 101's The Guide to Retro Indie Games book series, having written the largest selection of included pieces. Jonathan Kaharl is a Texan and long time contributor to Hardcore Gaming 101, specializing mainly in indie and adventure games. In addition to his own sites and books, his writings have appeared in Retro Gamer magazine, The Overstreet Guide to Video Game Collecting, and at 1up, Siliconera, and Gamasutra. His most recent book is Bitmap Books' A Guide to Japanese Role-Playing Games. He has founded websites such as The Castlevania Dungeon, which focuses on Konami's long running, vampire slaying series, and Hardcore Gaming 101, which gives comprehensive reviews focusing on the history of gaming. Kurt Kalata is an ardent video gamer from New Jersey.
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