Best Of Indie Games: Hero, Shoot the Core

[IndieGames.com: The Weblog editor Tim W. rounds up the week's top free and commercial indie games on his sister 'state of indie' weblog.] This week on 'Best Of Indie Games', we take a look at some of the top independent PC Flash/downloadable titles released over this last week. The delights in this edition include a Metroid-style action shooter, a puzzle game about inventory management, and a two-player game by VVVVVV creator Terry Cavanagh. Other highlights include an Experimental Gameplay Project submission, a Ludum Dare 17 entry, and an arena shooter set in the Russian airspace. Here's the highlights from the last seven days: Game Pick: 'Hero Core' (Daniel Remar, freeware) "Hero Core is a Metroid-style action shooter that tells the story of Flip Hero, on a mission to destroy his nemesis Cruiser Tetron for the final time. But before taking on the machine warlord in his hideout, there's a bit of exploring to do since every weapon, item or suit upgrade found will actually assist you in completing the main and secondary mission objectives." Game Pick: 'Kozachok' (Terry Cavanagh, browser) "Similar to its predecessor Sumouse, Terry Cavanagh's Kozachok is a two-player only arcade game in which the first person to score five points is declared the winner. A point is scored by the player who claims the most walls after a five-second round, but when things are at a stalemate then the next round will just begin with no advantage given to either side." Game Pick: 'AutoCannibalism' (Krimelo, freeware) "AutoCannibalism is a short 2D platformer that implements this month's Experimental Gameplay Project theme rather cleverly. In it you play as a tribesman chosen by his father to save their clan from starvation, with the rumor being that the nearest source of sustenance can only be found inside an unexplored network of caves located just on the outskirts of their village." Game Pick: 'Defem' (David Scatliffe, freeware) "Defem is a score-based arena shooter loosely based on Defen, a game originally created by Terry Cavanagh for submission to a Klik of the Month event. David Scatliffe's Defem is all about staying alive for as long as you can while dodging planes, tanks, missiles and nukes that try to blow your UFO out of the Russian skies." Game Pick: 'Brave Island Diver' (Jan Willem Nijman, freeware) "Brave Island Diver is jwaap's Ludum Dare 17 submission, a platformer where you're tasked with collecting all twenty-five stars placed on both above and under a cluster of islands. This requires jumping off a cliff, then gaining enough vertical momentum to reach a platform at the same height on the other side of the body of water." Game Pick: 'Magic Orbs' (Vitalik Zlotskiy, browser) "Magic Orbs is a gorgeous puzzler set in a maze-like temple. A series of rooms need to be navigated by grabbing orbs and placing them on pedestals. Certain orbs will open similarly-coloured doors when held, but the protagonist can only carry two orbs at a time. Well worth blasting your way through."