What could become the next big mascot horror game is now available on Steam, gaining attention across social media. Indigo Park: Chapter 1 is a short, sweet, and free indie game that was released on May 18, but it already has thousands of reviews that shot it up to the Overwhelmingly Positive rating almost instantaneously. With countless amounts of fanart and playthrough videos already being uploaded about the game, it might make you wonder just why people are being drawn in so easily.
Well, I took the time to play this little introduction to the wonders of Indigo Park, and I now fully understand why. Before I dive into what I love about the game and the great potential it has, I’d like to tell you about just some of the people behind its success.
The Story Behind Indigo Park
Indigo Park is the passion project of content creator UniqueGeese. You may know him as the person who challenged himself to recreate the popular and weird Garten of Banban, a very strange indie game set in an abandoned kindergarten with a dark secret. He completed this challenge in a week with zero experience in game development. With the help of a few friends, he was able to not only redesign the locations but overhaul the character designs as well.
The game takes place in a once popular amusement park that suddenly shut down and has been closed for about 8 years. You play the role of an urban explorer of sorts who just so happens to have the desire to break in, which is the common mistake and downfall of many horror protagonists. Just like with the other games in the mascot horror genre, you quickly learn that something isn’t quite right with the park’s once friendly inhabitants. What exactly is wrong with them is a mystery that I can’t wait to see unraveled in future chapters.
What Gives the Game Its Charm
There’s quite a lot to be said about what gives this game its charm, but I’m going to try to keep it short and sweet. One of the most obvious aspects that comes to mind is your fluffy AI guide that you meet before you even officially enter the park. Rambley the Raccoon, voiced by the talented OtterBoyVA, guides you through the darks and dangers of Indigo Park while communicating with you via scattered monitors. I and many players found him to be a shining source of humor and cuteness throughout the first chapter.
The voices for the other anthropomorphic mascots in the game were amazing as well. The actors, along with the team of artists who worked on this game, helped give each and every one of them character and life. They all did so well that I would gladly watch and enjoy a fully animated cartoon featuring them. I would also eagerly purchase any of the stuffed animals and other merchandise you can collect throughout the game.
You can see the names of all the amazing people who worked on this chapter in the original song that plays during the end credits of Indigo Park: Chapter 1. It was made by RecD, sang by OtterBoyVA, and mixed by Jakeneutron. With their creativity, they made an end credit sequence that I have watched and listened to many times now. In a way, the song reminds me of the end credits song for Portal, but it’s also unique in its own Rambley way.
High Hopes for Chapter 2
With the success of Indigo Park: Chapter 1, many players are already antsy to experience the next set of adventures, trials, and scares, and I am happy to bring some great news regarding the second chapter. In just a little more than a day, the Kickstarter for Indigo Park: Chapter 2 reached its goal of $50,000. To make the news even better, it has actually surpassed $100,000! One of the things I love most about the world of indie games is seeing a dedicated and talented team make their dreams come true.
Like with many horror games that come out in chapters like Poppy Playtime or Bendy and the Ink Machine, the first chapter is usually just a small taste of what’s to come. The first chapter for Indigo Park is no different since it’s quite short and features only a few scares. I take no issue with that though since that lets me play it multiple times in a short span to find any hidden secrets. I can now make up my own theories about where the game may be going, and if I know YouTube, other game theorists are already writing the scripts for their own takes.
What I’m hoping for the next chapter and the possible other future chapters is that they will, of course, be longer and feature a variety of scares. I’m also looking forward to meeting a cast of new characters along the way since I truly love the ones I spent a short time with already. However, no matter what the next chapter may bring, I will be sure to be in the queue for the ride.
About the Author
Kirstin Baum is a writer who has been playing video games for most of her life. She appreciates and loves the work that gets put into making the wonderful stories and universes players around the world can explore for themselves. Using her experience in the professional news world, she is dedicated to bringing you the latest news in gaming. You can find more from her right here.
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