When it comes to gaming, “indie” is a bit of a buzzword at this point, but as is the case with anything popular, the original meaning is occasionally obscured by its popularity. On one hand it’s obvious that the term is an abbreviation for independent, which in this context mostly boils down to small teams or solo developers, but on the other you do see big-budget projects use the term as well, which may spark some confusion.
We’ve seen the same thing happen with the same term in music and film – every so often an underground indie title finds some success and becomes a cultural reference, and before you know it big-budget studios are using big-budget marketing schemes to serve you down a watered down version of the original for twice the price.
But today we’re going to talk to someone who probably knows a lot more about these things than us – Kelsey Jetter of Game Raven Review. GRR has been around since 2020, and they’ve focused on elevating indie titles since their inception, so we figured they’d make a perfect place to ask about the growth of indie gaming, what makes a game AAA, and the earth-shattering experience that was Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
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FB: When did you start playing video games? How has your perspective on them changed over the years?
Kelsey: This answer has three parts.
Part One: A Girl and Gameboy
My parents weren’t huge into the idea of video games despite my begging for something, anything, to play on. Eventually, I wore them down on buying me a Gameboy and Pokemon Blue version for my 9th birthday. That’s kind of where it all started. I mostly just played any game I could on my Gameboy like Mario Bros, Yoshi Island, and every Pokemon game I could get my hands on.
Part Two: A Girl and the Family Home Computer
When my family invested in a home computer I didn’t think much of it because I mostly did it to do homework. However, I discovered the joys of Flash games especially the ones hosted on Neopets and became obsessed with the quick moving games I could get through in a couple minutes. Eventually my family bought actual games on disc where I discovered gems like The Emperor’s New Groove and Nancy Drew.
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One fateful day my brother purchased a Star Wars game called Knights of the Old Republic and my entire world changed, discovering what video games could be: amazing narratives with compelling character arcs, challenging combat, consequences for player action, and romance. I obsessively played this game for years all through high school and had very little interest in trying anything else. Until one day…
Part Three: A College Degree and Nothing But Time
I graduated with my Bachelors degree in 2016 and suddenly had so much more free time. Decided it was a great opportunity to catch up on media I’d been recommended over the years. I started with Skyrim and after sinking about 300 hours in a couple of months it was recommended I try out Mass Effect and my video game obsession skyrocketed.
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FB: What would you say are some of the main points that make a game AAA like Mass Effect or Skyrim as opposed to “indie” titles?
Kelsey: I would say it boils down to funding and resources. Indie game developers are typically small teams, sometimes just one person! AAA companies tend to have bigger teams, funding, and more demanding schedules to keep.
FB: It seems like we are in one of gaming’s most visually diverse periods, both in the indie and AAA fields. Do you find that AAA games / studios influence indie games or do you think it’s the other way around?
Kelsey: I think both influence each other! Unfortunately, I think money and success from indie games are what grab AAA developer attention. Through my own observation, Stardew Valley is a good example of this due to its success. I have seen a lot more cozy farming simulators emulating it from larger studios. I think there are some Indie studios also trying to replicate popular concepts from AAA games like Battle Royale style games. I know that’s not where the idea originates but after wild successes like Fortnite, it makes sense that studios of any size would want to make their own version of Battle Royale.
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FB: Would you say there is a ‘most popular’ indie game? Can an indie game become AAA?
Kelsey: I definitely think there are some indie games that have grown enough popularity on the same level as a AAA game that even non-gamers would recognize the IP. Stardew Valley and Undertale come to mind, however, I don’t think that makes them AAA because they’re still mostly operating on smaller budgets and not produced by major publishers.
FB: What’s the last game that really wowed you and why? Was it an indie game? It doesn’t have to be!
Kelsey: I recently played the demo for Tiny Glade! It’s an indie city builder game with the most adorable cozy graphics I’ve ever seen. It was the definition of relaxation just building a castle or tiny village. I am super stoked for the full version to come out! I’ve played the demo at least ten times now.
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FB: What are some of the things you look for in games when you’re looking for projects to cover at Game Raven?
Kelsey: Personally, it’s any kind of indie game that I’m excited to talk about or new and upcoming indie games that deserve the press and recognition. I love finding indie games with compelling narratives and characters along with tear jerking level visuals and music.
FB: Game Raven is owned and led by women, a concept that’s fairly anomalous after things like #gamergate exposed the underlying toxicity of a largely male-dominant industry. What has your experience been like at GR? Would you say things are improving in gaming culture? What are maybe some things that still need work?
Kelsey: Game Raven Review has been a wonderful experience. I love all of the connections I’ve made and working alongside fellow game nerds is a big treat. As far as the industry as a whole, I think things are slowly improving but that is largely dependent on the folks who already work in the industry and who they are putting in charge of teams. I think there are decades of toxic gaming culture that is still being unpacked by gamers of all ages and experience. I can’t say for certain which specific areas still need improvement but any positive change is going to come from a collective of people who care about creating a safe creative space for anyone to participate in this beautiful medium.
FB: The larger companies in the industry seem to be having a tough time with rampant layoffs, buyouts, drama, etc. but it comes at a time where games can be easily produced by small / solo teams. Do you think this is a case of “more money, more problems?”
Kelsey: I think money is the driving factor here, but I would say it’s more a case of “bigger projects, shorter deadlines.” We’ve unfortunately heard too many times over the last couple of years about the stressful work environment some video game studios created for devs over years-long projects. Shareholders asking for things with short deadlines that usually take time even with a big team of people.
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FB: You just got a fantastic Mass Effect tattoo – if a newcomer asked you which game in the series is best, and you could only recommend one, which one would it be and why?
Kelsey: That’s a hard pick because I love them all for very different reasons but Mass Effect 2 is definitely my favorite of the series. It comes in hot and heavy with a devastating cutscene and launches the player into the action and with a mystery to solve. Also, it’s the game that lets me woo my eternal space boyfriend: Garrus Vakarian.
Check out more from Kelsey and the Game Raven Review crew here.
(Fun Fact: Kelsey and I went to middle school together and I’m sure she’ll agree, it was basically just a retextured prison level. Anyway, thanks for reading! If you’re looking for more music, check out our Bandcamp compilations here. If you like us, or possibly even love us, donations are always appreciated at the Buy Me A Coffee page here, but if you’re in a generous mood you can also donate to folks here, here, and here that could probably use it more. Thanks again!)