Welcome to Indie Game Enthusiast! A little bit about myself and why I started this blog

My first indie game (and really my first PC/freeware game) was Facade. I was 13 back in 2005, I had read about the game in a short article in Electronic Gaming Magazine, and as an avid reader and writer, I was instantly intrigued in a game focused on such an intimate subject.

Of course, after a few focused attempts, my time with the game devolved into just messing around and typing in inane comments (I was 13, what do you expect?). At the time I didn't appreciate what Facade was doing but nevertheless, the seeds for my interest in lesser known experimental games had been planted.

For years, I followed the indie scene, mainly as an observer save for freeware games like Warning Forever and Iji. Recently, I made the jump from console gaming to PC and was finally able to experience the indie games that had interested me for so long, now more than ever

Except for the upcoming GTA V, I don't think any AAA games interest and excite me more than the myriad indie projects I've seen and read about and play. Why are independent games so unique? They are an avenue for innovations and risky gameplay designs that would never be attempted or deemed profitable by AAA publishers. The freedom and experimental nature of indies allow developers to focus on creating and honing their wildest or most creative ideas without compromises or being forced to appeal to the general gaming crowd. I still enjoy great graphics or a fun third person shooter or FPS but what I look for nowadays is innovation and originality. And thanks to the wonders of Kickstarter, Steam Greenlight, Indiegogo, and other sites, developers can appeal directly to fans and makes games that appeal to any crowd, no matter how niche.

This passion for independent gaming has lead me to search for under-the-radar, overlooked, indie-made game on PC, consoles, and on the IOS platform and eventually to start this Indie Game Enthusiast blog. So many wonderful, interesting, fun games are out there and go unnoticed. I hope with this blog to give those games the attention they deserve.