Best non-AAA games of this generation

[redmoretrout]

With this generation approaching its end, I am wondering how many great games I have missed simply because they do not have huge budgets and massive advertising campaigns. So what are some of your favorite non-AAA games of this generation?

I'll begin the discussion with Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Easily the best horror game I have played in years, perhaps that I have ever played. Any fan of survival horror should pick this game up.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Dark Souls is probably the greatest success story of this generation (if you ignore Minecraft).


I'd also toss in the The Witcher franchise in there too.

Also, the Walking Dead

 

[Vegosiux]

Well, let's see which ones really made spend a lot of time on them.

Bastion
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Vessel
Space Pirates And Zombies (And Bounty Hunters)
SpaceChem
Orcs Must Die! (both ones)
Dungeon Defenders

Well, that's pretty much the ones I was most fond of.

 

[CityofTreez]

Bastion
Walking Dead
Journey
Dark Souls

And probably a few others I can't remember.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Bastion, To the Moon, Mount and Blade:Warband and Faster Than Light are the best indie games that leap immediately to mind. Are games like Walking Dead and Dark Souls not considered AAA? Feels weird to see them listed.

Dark Souls is probably the greatest success story of this generation (if you ignore Minecraft).

Seriously?

It was a cult hit, but it has fairly middling sales for a cross platform game. Calling it the greatest success story of the generation seems like an almost ludicrous level of praise.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Bastion, To the Moon, Mount and Blade:Warband and Faster Than Light are the best indie games that leap immediately to mind. Are games like Walking Dead and Dark Souls not considered AAA? Feels weird to see them listed.

Dark Souls is probably the greatest success story of this generation (if you ignore Minecraft).

Seriously?

It was a cult hit, but it has fairly middling sales for a cross platform game. Calling it the greatest success story of the generation seems like an almost ludicrous level of praise.

Maybe, but I really liked that game.

And as we all know, opinions = fact.

 

[exxxed]

Agreed with Amnesia (although I found Penumbra's atmosphere better) and The Witchers , I'd also add S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl and Call of Pripyat, absolutely best grim atmosphere and sense of desolation portrayed in a game, not to mention the fantastic level design:Example 1 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh2QrUpudPE], Example 2 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcNylGYq-v4].

 

[BloatedGuppy]

How is a game like Witcher 2 or Call of Pripyat NOT "AAA"? They had big teams and high production values.

Curse these vague descriptors!

 

[Soviet Heavy]

How is a game like Witcher 2 or Call of Pripyat NOT "AAA"? They had big teams and high production values.

Curse these vague descriptors!

I dunno about COP. It definitely has high production values, but it lacks the same sort of flair that people think of when they think AAA. That's not a sleight against it by any means (I adore the game), but it seems more concerned with putting effort into its production values than into its marketing. Rather refreshing if you ask me.

 

[krazykidd]

Dark Souls is probably the greatest success story of this generation (if you ignore Minecraft).


I'd also toss in the The Witcher franchise in there too.

Also, the Walking Dead

Wait , why doesn't Darksouls count as AAA ? I'm curious . I'm not too keen on the requirements . Darksouls was definately not an indie game . Was it that low budget?

OT: The walking dead , obvious answer is obvious . Also if anyone hasn't played that game yet , do it now.

 

[exxxed]

How is a game like Witcher 2 or Call of Pripyat NOT "AAA"? They had big teams and high production values.

Curse these vague descriptors!

Depends on your definition of ''AAA'', but it generally stands for big budget and persistent marketing campaigns when it comes to games, neither The Witcher nor S.T.A.L.K.E.R. had that high a budget or marketing compared to games coming from the big publishers (Activision, E.A. etc.).

As for high production values, I wholeheartedly agree, but you can have high production values (in other words quality) without enormous amounts of money, all you need is a dedicated team and both franchises were fortunate to have that.

Cheers!

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Dark Souls is probably the greatest success story of this generation (if you ignore Minecraft).


I'd also toss in the The Witcher franchise in there too.

Also, the Walking Dead

Wait , why doesn't Darksouls count as AAA ? I'm curious . I'm not too keen on the requirements . Darksouls was definately not an indie game . Was it that low budget?

OT: The walking dead , obvious answer is obvious . Also if anyone hasn't played that game yet , do it now.

The kind of budget required.

For instance, Dark Souls was significantly cheaper than, say, Tomb Raider.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Depends on your definition of ''AAA'', but it generally stands for big budget and persistent marketing campaigns when it comes to games, neither The Witcher nor S.T.A.L.K.E.R. had that high a budget or marketing compared to games coming from the big publishers (Activision, E.A. etc.).

As for high production values, I wholeheartedly agree, but you can have high production values (in other words quality) without enormous amounts of money, all you need is a dedicated team and both franchises were fortunate to have that.

Cheers!

Hmp. I guess it's in keeping with the spirit of the OP's criteria, but it seems somehow unfair to lump 1-2 man labor of love games in with far more expensive productions made by experienced teams. I love Witcher, STALKER, etc, but I view them more as contemporaries for Dragon Age and Fallout than indie games bumping shoulders with the likes of To the Moon or Faster Than Light.

 

[exxxed]

I can see where you're coming from, but as one who followed the production stages of both Witcher and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. they resemble allot more what you're describing in the first part of your comment (a labor of love instead of made for profit) rather than the games they're holding up with in your eyes (likewise in mine), not to mention the budget of each fades when it comes to Dragon Age and Fallout 3 and up.


But mainly, these days ''AAA'' stands for shallow high budget famously voice acted piece of crap with close to half the budget going into marketing of every conceivable kind, so many games don't fit that profile, mainly games made for gamers first and profit second, like Dark Souls for example and it's humble team (CURSES BAMCO FOR YOUR NASTY ASS PC PORT).

 

[go-10]

indie games are bigger than ever, many would argue they achieve what no AAA title can. I remember reading about a bunch of people crying over the ending, I didn't cry... but then again I have a medical condition that renders my eyes useless when it comes to creating tears so I got a free pass

 

[5ilver]

My #1 pick would be AI War.

It's a PvE space RTS mostly focused around co-op (can be played single-player as well but it's not as fun).

 

[Tom_green_day]

I'm a die-hard AAA fan. Not really into indies or second-rate games. Saying that, Minecraft if that counts. Definitely recieved the attention from the developers pre- and post- launch that it needs.

 

[ScrabbitRabbit]

Hmp. I guess it's in keeping with the spirit of the OP's criteria, but it seems somehow unfair to lump 1-2 man labor of love games in with far more expensive productions made by experienced teams. I love Witcher, STALKER, etc, but I view them more as contemporaries for Dragon Age and Fallout than indie games bumping shoulders with the likes of To the Moon or Faster Than Light.

Wait , why doesn't Darksouls count as AAA ? I'm curious . I'm not too keen on the requirements . Darksouls was definately not an indie game . Was it that low budget?

OT: The walking dead , obvious answer is obvious . Also if anyone hasn't played that game yet , do it now.

They're definitely not indie, but "AAA" isn't really accurate either. I guess you could call them "B" or just "A" level games. They had experienced development teams and bit of a budget behind them, but nowhere near the kind of budgets or marketing the likes of Bioshock Infinite or Battlefield enjoyed.

AAA games are comparable to summer blockbusters like The Avengers whereas The Witcher and Dark Souls are more like The Usual Suspects or Jacob's Ladder. They're not indie films, but they have a comparatively small budget and aim for more of a niche.

OT: Most of my favourites from this generation have been indies/B/A level games. Dark Souls, To The Moon and Gemini Rue are the ones that have stuck with me the most, though I'll probably think of a ton more that I loved later.

 

[FourCartridge]

I really haven't played much indie game this gen, but FTL comes to mind. It's a nice space Rougelike, and IMO even though it soon becomes an exercise in frustration, it's really fun to see your ship desperately clinging on.

Do Enemy Unknown and/or Transformed count as not being AAA? Those two were my favorite titles of this gen(Aside from Galaxy 1, but Mario's AAA by default it seems).

 

[piinyouri]

For my money, it will be Starbound for sure.

Purely personal choice since I love space, I love sandbox games, and I love building.