External Discovery
27 indie games in this list, released 2014–2018, from developers such as Spotlightor Interactive, Nowhere Studios, Nyamakop. Pick one to read our editorial note and jump to its store page.
These are editorial pages. The developers and publishers are not affiliated with The Gaming Nest unless explicitly stated.
By Spotlightor Interactive · China
Candleman is a 3D puzzle platformer from the Chinese studio Spotlightor Interactive, which began as a Ludum Dare game jam prototype. You play a small candle that can only burn for ten seconds in total, so every moment of light has to be spent carefully while you find your way through the dark. It is a gentle, atmospheric game built around one memorable constraint.
By Nowhere Studios · Turkey
Monochroma is a cinematic puzzle platformer and the first game from the Istanbul-based Nowhere Studios. You play a boy carrying his little brother through a dystopian 1950s world, and most puzzles revolve around keeping the younger child safe while you move ahead. Its focus on protecting a sibling gives the puzzles an emotional weight that most platformers never try for.
By Nyamakop · South Africa
Semblance is a puzzle platformer in which you can deform the world: press into a surface and it stays bent, reshaping the level into the path you need. Playing with that single mechanic, the game keeps finding fresh puzzles in soft, squashable terrain. It was developed by the South African studio Nyamakop and is a good example of one idea explored thoroughly.