Indika Preview: Giving "Devil on Your Shoulder" a Whole New Meaning
We’ve all heard the saying “Angel and devil on your shoulder,” but Indika from developer Odd Meter takes the saying much further.
Set to release in Q1 of this year, Indika is a third-person adventure game set in an alternate universe Russia in the late XIX century. Step into the shoes of the titular Idika, a young nun with a very unlikely companion - the devil himself.
And as wild as that sounds, Indika’s gameplay is just as strange and unexpected. At first glance, Indika appears to be a stunning, hyper-realistically designed game. Playing through the game’s Steam Next Fest demo, players are introduced to a snowy, broken down Russia. They will explore houses long forgotten and abandoned alongside an injured man. The demo doesn’t give much information on the man, but he claims to be able to talk with God, stating that the only reason he is alive is because of some kind of divine intervention.
As players progress they’ll start to notice some things that feel out of place. Despite the serious tone of the game, cheery music will play at unexpected times. Players will also gain experience points in the form of pixelated cubes which can then be used to level up certain abilities for Indika. These elements, at first, feel absolutely strange until players realize that the devil is always near, doing whatever he can to interfere with Indika’s normal life. It creates an intriguing juxtaposition, and manages to lighten the tone without diminishing gameplay.
When players aren’t exploring the snow covered world, there are puzzles to solve. While the demo only gives players a short glimpse, the puzzles in Indika feel reminiscent of games like Uncharted or Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. You may get stuck for a few minutes, but eventually things come together quickly. The chase scenes leave a bit to be desired, but I imagine that as players encounter more of them, they may get easier to navigate. Especially with the classic “yellow means go this way” trope being utilized here.
At one particular part of the Steam Next Fest demo, players will be faced with a section where the devil has seeped into Indika’s mind and is affecting the world around her. Players are able to pray to turn the world back to normal, or stop praying to embrace the devil’s creation. I’ll be very intrigued to see how this gameplay element is used in the full version of the game because it is hands down one of the most unique mechanics I’ve seen in a long while.
Despite being dropped seemingly into the middle of the story, Indika’s demo had me completely hooked. It is absolutely brilliant how the game looks and feels hyper-realistic but utilizes unexpected arcade-like elements. It feels very much like a blend of horror and comedy. If the first half hour we spent with the demo is any indication of what the full game will be like, this is absolutely one to look out for.
Previewed by Becca Smith