Indie Time: Crypt of the NecroDancer

In another proposed feature that will no doubt be forgotten or unofficially stopped after this post, I've decided to try to post a little bit more about indie video games, a constantly-growing and evolving subset of the gaming field, and one I have a fair amount of interest in.

First up is a title I've pre-ordered called Crypt of the NecroDancer, the debut title from Brace Yourself Games. It is a roguelike, but unlike similar titles its key draw is that it is rhythm-based, so much so that the game can be played with a DDR mat. Using your own music or the game's included Danny Baranowsky soundtrack (Baranowsky composed the soundtracks for Super Meat Boy, The Binding of Isaac and, most famously, Canabalt), the in-built beat-detection system will shape itself to the music and change the flow of play.

It looks to be fairly fun, too. As someone who's put well over 100hrs into Dungeons of Dredmor, and has been following the alpha (soon to be beta?) of Claustrophobia: The Downward Struggle, another roguelike isn't something I'm particularly excited about as such, but the combination of a female protagonist (Cadence) and rhythm-based gameplay really make this title stand out for me.

With a launch price of $15USD (although a pricier $25 soundtrack edition is available) and no playable alpha/beta as of yet, it's a little pricier than other games of its type, but the feedback has been excellent at conventions and online, and it's really shaping up to be one of the next big indie hits. I'm looking forward to the early access later this year!

Crypt of the NecroDancer currently doesn't have a launch date, but it is available via the official website for $13.49 ($22.49 for the soundtrack edition) via the Humble Store, netting you a Steam key and a DRM-free version.