BitSummit and the thrill of unearthing new games

There was a funny notion being passed around recently that indie development had become stagnant - something which seemed all the weirder to me as I'd just finished roaming the halls of this year's BitSummit, the now well-established celebration of all things indie that takes place in the beautiful city of Kyoto.

It's one of the more vibrant shows I've had the pleasure of visiting, fitting snugly into a single hall where masses of developers assemble with their latest wares, overlooked by a small stage where a succession of acts and talks take place. Keita Takahashi talks Shuhei Yoshida through his latest offbeat creation, rapper Doseone puts in a small set while composers Keiji Yamagishi and Kaori Nakabai reunite for a live performance of the Ninja Gaiden 3 soundtrack. Familiar faces stalk the floor; Kouji Igarashi walks inquisitively from demo pod to demo pod, Q-Games' Dylan Cuthbert - a key figure behind the event - snaps away with his camera like an enthusiastic tourist, and Hideki Kamiya spends the entire show manning Platinum Games' t-shirt stall.

There are names you know, then, but really the essence of a show like this is the thrill of discovery, of stumbling upon something entirely new, and the floor is full of such delights. It feels like a disservice to only name a handful, but there's only so much you can play over a couple of days so that's exactly what I'm going to do, starting with perhaps the personal highlight of Unpacking, a gloriously soothing puzzle game that makes a virtue of tidying things away as you rifle through cardboard boxes. It's shot through with domestic detail that hints towards the lives you're organising; Tetris, with a touch of storytelling. It's sublime.

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