Best Of Indie Games: Walker, Space Explorer

[IndieGames.com: The Weblog co-editor Tim W. some of the top free-to-download and commercial indie games from the last seven days 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 brand new 2D platformer from Nifflas (Knytt Stories, NightSky), a Wario Ware-type arcade game for the browser, a score-based vertical shooter with achievements and multiple ships to pilot, a short interactive fiction game, a 3D action extravaganza that features a glowing tiki totem, and a puzzle game about breeding green frogs to beat each level. Here's the highlights from the last seven days: Game Pick: 'Saira' (Nifflas, commercial indie - demo available) "Saira is a non-linear 2D puzzle platformer in which levels are separated into worlds that you can travel to at any time, although every journey uses up your ship's energy and the batteries must be charged first before you can embark on another trip. The objective of the game is basically to search for parts that could be used to build a teleporation device, so that you can reunite Saira and her friend Bobo who is on a distant planet somewhere in the galaxy." Game Pick: 'Obey the Game' (John Cooney, browser) "The elephant is back for another twisted yet beautiful gaming experience in the form of Obey the Game. This time around he's participating in a Wario Ware style minigame-a-thon, but with a catch - if the game tells you to DISOBEY the objective, it's opposites time! There aren't that many different tasks to undertake, but the fact that there are actually two different ways to win each one makes for some frantic play." Game Pick: 'Walker and Silhouette' (C.E.J. Pacian, freeware) "Walker and Silhouette is a short interactive fiction game about a pair of detectives named Nate and Ivy, working together to solve a case for the Oldchester Criminal Investigation Department. The interface is an easy one to use, and all a user has to do is to click on a highlighted keyword to investigate further or progress the story forward. Writing is solid, the storyline is intriguing, and there are some clever puzzles designed just for the single keyword system." Game Pick: 'Irukandji' (Charlie's Games, commercial indie - demo available) "Irukandji is a score-based vertical shooter that currently contains only one level to play, although by beating the game for the first time you do get another ship that can be used for your subsequent attempts at unlocking more achievements. There are multipliers and power-up items to collect, and you can also destroy enemies with your special missile weapon." Game Pick: 'Igneous' (Going Down in Flames, freeware) "Created by a team from DigiPen and entered into both the main IGF competition and the student contest, Igneous is the story of one tiki totem's frantic rush through an erupting volcano and it's quite literally a face-melter. It's a pretty short experience with around 15 minutes of play, but there is also Impossible mode which does what it says on the tin. Honestly, you won't have felt a rush like this is a good long while and that final level is incredibly epic." Game Pick: 'Endless Frog Kids' (James Andrews, browser) "Endless Frog Kids is a puzzle game centered around the mating habits of our green amphibian friends, mixed together with a cautionary tale that is told using charts and graphs. You need to have a Java-enabled browser and also an open mind to play, as the game might possibly offend some players with its innuendos and sexual undertones."