Indiepocalypse: Monthly Indie Game bundle and Zine

“When the sharks the sharks devour, little fishes have their hour.” – Bertolt Brecht

What is Indiepocalypse?

Indiepocalypse was started by PIZZAPRANKS (aka Andrew) earlier this year and is a monthly zine and game bundle featuring titles from ten different indie game developers. Andrew explains the main goal of the project at the start of the first issue by saying:

‘Games as a whole are a relatively young medium, but far more importantly one dominated by stories of extreme success. There is little attention given to the independent and ‘small press’ of games outside those year’s mega-hits. (…) the entire culture leads to impossible expectations of what a small team (or single person) can create and overall devaluation of ‘smaller’ games. It is my goal with this anthology to change that culture to better appreciate these games and the developers that make them.’

How to support or contribute to Indiepocalypse

Besides being ready to buy individually on itch.io, Indiepocalypse is also available on a subscription basis via Patreon, it will cost the same price on both platforms but subscribing via Patreon helps provide the publisher with some insight into how many of each they should expect to sell. Alternatively, players and readers can offer their support of the project for as little as $1.00 per month.

Indiepocalypse is on the lookout for more talented game developers, artists and writers to contribute to both the game bundle and zine elements of future anthologies. PIZZAPRANKS is refreshingly upfront about what they pay contributors and full details and submission instructions can be found on the Indiepocalypse website.

Highlights from Indiepocalypse Issue #1

The following are some top picks and favourites from the first instalment in the project, Indiepocalypse Issue #1: Made in MA, they accompany other titles such as Baking with Lizzie, Theseus in the Dark, and 8 Bitty Games.

The Cover Art

The Ultimate Celebration

The Ultimate Celebration is a retro-style game designed for speedrunning. Players must explore the varied environments of the relatively small game world in order to meet the goal of gathering friends for a party. There is no death in this game but there are obstacles such as fishing cats, enemies and springs that will slow, freeze, knockback or otherwise hinder the player. There are a total of 20 potential guests, including a monkey, an alien, and a snowman, to be found across the map but as time visibly dwindles in the form of an obscure apocalyptic countdown, speed is essential.

Loose Nozzles Demo

The first issue of Indiepocalypse includes a demo for upcoming game Loose Nozzles, a hand-drawn arcade game made by a father and son team. Players must use left and right thrusters to steer the rocket and rescue engineers from winding underground caves, with bonus points awarded for smoothness, low fuel usage and not wrecking the ship! The art and sound are all childlike, giving the game a cute feel despite the challenge it presents.

Absolute Unit

Made in under 48 hours for the Berklee Game Jam in 2019, Absolute Unit is a short but delightful game in which players take on the role of Boofy, a skinny and unhappy dog without an owner. Explore a short looping street and meet 3 interactable NPCs with whom to start battle style events. Boofy must demonstrate his cuteness and good boy abilities in order to win treats and get chubbier since he spotted other dogs and deduced that this is what will help him find him forever home!

Other Games included in Indiepocalypse Issue #1

For another collaborative collection of short indie games, take a look at:
10mg: Ten Ten-Minute Mini-Games!