Top five indie games at E3 2012

2. Hokra

One of the simplest games I played at the IndieCade booth at E3 was also one of the most addictive in all of E3. Hokra is a two-on-two minimalist sports game that features pixelated graphics and gives players a reason to shout at their opponents and teammates. You and your partner have two color-coded goals, and together you must take a ball and shoot it into the goals or "run" into them. Every time you score, your goals' pixels start filling up. The first team to completely fill up its goals wins.

What makes Hokra such a blast to play is its intuitive one button system. You move using the left analog stick on the Xbox 360 controller, and when you're in possession of the ball, you can pass and shoot using the A button. When you don't have the ball, you can "sprint" by tapping A. It's a simple control scheme that's inviting to players of all skill levels, and it makes for a raucous good time. Here's hoping Hokra is made widely available soon.

Hokra hands-on

1. Retro City Rampage

While most of my fellow GameZone writers picked titles such as Watch Dogs, Tomb Raider, Assassin's Creed III, and umm, In-N-Out Burger as their best games of E3 (all respectable picks), I'd be remiss if I didn't profess my love for Retro City Rampage. Simply put, the upcoming 8-bit-inspired game from developer VBlank Entertainment was my game of the show at E3. I dug Retro City Rampage so much that I demoed it twice. And after talking to designer Brian Provinciano and composers Freaky DNA and Norrin_Radd, I got even more stoked for its impending release.

Retro City Rampage delivers an experience reminiscent of classic NES titles, and it offers countless video game and pop culture references and parodies. I had a ridiculous grin on my face the entire time I was playing the game, and that grin only widened more as I ran over random pedestrians, gunned down cops, and blew up cars. Throw in some cameo appearances from Meat Boy, CommanderVideo, and Splosion Man, and my elation as I dug into the world of Retro City Rampage was only amplified to the nth degree.

An exact release date has yet to be confirmed, but Retro City Rampage has quickly become a top indie game to watch out for. I mean, come on, did you hear the audience's reaction during Sony's press conference when the game's logo popped up? That was a huge pop, and one that VBlank certainly deserves. Retro City Rampage will be available this year on Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network (featuring cross-play for PlayStation 3 and Vita), WiiWare, and PC. Watch out for it. Or else.

Retro City Rampage hands-on

Impressions: Meat Boy, CommanderVideo, Splosion Man invade Retro City Rampage

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Titles such as Assassin's Creed III, Tomb Raider, The Last of Us, and many others were the prime focus at this year's E3. These AAA games got widespread attention from the media, and there's no denying the fact that they deserved it. But I've always been a supporter of the independent developer, and indie releases are some of my favorite games to play. During E3, I got to play a lot of major titles, but I probably spent most of my time playing indie games. Here are the top five upcoming releases I checked out at this year's E3 that are coming courtesy of indie developers.

5. Hybrid

Wait a minute… So 5th Cell, the folks who made Scribblenauts, are making a third-person shooter? That's insane! But you know what? It's so insane that 5th Cell just might be on to something. After spending some time playing Hybrid, watching Hybrid, and talking Hybrid with 5th Cell at E3, I was left with a lasting impression. While it may not be what most people would expect from the studio, this upcoming shooter still has that inventive touch that these fine folks are known for.

In Hybrid, players will jump and hover around several different maps, hide behind cover, and gun down their enemies without a second thought. Having to travel through stages mostly by jumping around them really adds a unique sense of havoc to Hybrid, and it's something we haven't seen in shooters. The game looks like it could be a real winner among fans of the genre, but it's possible that 5th Cell will draw in a new audience, as well. Set to launch later this summer on Xbox Live Arcade with a strong online component, Hybrid is definitely a game to watch out for.

Hybrid hands-on

4. Sound Shapes

When indie devs make a 2D platformer, they often rely on making it a challenging affair that pushes players to really try hard to conquer it. Sound Shapes from developer Queasy Games is definitely going to give players a rewarding level of difficulty, but it's also going to feature a music element that changes things up considerably. By collecting coins scattered throughout stages, players will methodically create the game's soundtrack as they go along. Coins are placed in different areas throughout each level, and their position (high or low) affects the next beat you'll hear.

As Sound Shapes progresses, collecting coins will get trickier, relying on players to execute some clever platforming. The game is set to feature a beautifully charming art style, and with music from Jim Guthrie, Superbrothers, deadmau5, and other talented individuals, the soundtrack alone is worth getting totally excited for. Sound Shapes will likely be a fusion of platforming and music like you've never seen before, and gamers looking for a downloadable title to enjoy should definitely watch out for this one on the PlayStation 3 and Vita.

Sound shapes hands-on

3. Snapshot

Featuring a mix of great visuals, cheery music, and solid platforming, Snapshot could have been a great 2D platformer without any unique mechanics. But it's the camera — a gameplay feature that allows you to take pictures of key items in your surroundings — that really adds an engaging puzzle element to the experience. Snapshot will require players to progress through levels utilizing their wits. By snapping pictures of keys, blocks, and other objects found in the environment, you'll be able to guide a charming little robot named Pic to higher platforms, across pitfalls, and over dangerous spikes.

Snapshot looks to be the type of experience that draws players in and gradually challenges them more and more. This is developer Retro Affect's first game, and you know the studio wants to make a good first impression when it releases Snapshot on the PlayStation 3 and Vita this fall.

Snapshot hands-on