Russian game developer Odd Meter had to leave their home country or face prosecution or worse, as their recent release INDIKA questions societal norms and points out the hypocrisy of the Russian Orthodox Church. I thank Odd Meter and 11 Bit Studios for this reviewing opportunity.
INDIKA follows our titled character, a young Nun who is sent by her convent to deliver a letter, but her journey will be that of self-discovery as she begins to question her faith, along with dealing with the voice of the devil in her head.
Now, onto the game itself! When it comes to the game’s controls, INDIKA is minimal as the gameplay is that of environmental puzzle-solving to allow Indika to proceed on her mission. A mechanic of the game that is confusing me at this time of writing, is the retro pixulated point system. Collecting items and interacting with the environment (like lighting candles) earns Indika points that will allow her to level up.
The art of INDIKA is amazing, hands down. I love the arthouse camera angles used during cutscenes as they give a macabre/uncomfortable feeling especially when they involve Indika’s hallucinations.
Overall, INDIKA is a beautifully dark story set in a bleak world. The unsettling tone of the story reflects how Indika is treated by her fellow Nuns and others as she’s just trying her best but is somehow sabotaged by the voice in her head or the world and people around her. This may not be true horror to some, but being treated harshly for no reason or for being different is a terrifying experience others have had to experience.
INDIKA scores high with her graphics, unique story and the way it’s told, fun puzzles, and gripping tension but some audio issues and game crashes affect the overall score. Still, the fact that this game was completed in exile speaks wonders to those working behind the scenes, I give INDIKA an 8.5/10!
INDIKA is out now for PC and will be coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on May 17th. Portions from the sales of the game will be donated by the developers to aid children affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
