The Independent Games Festival Student Showcase winners have been chosen. Previous winners include Narbacular Drop, the creators of which went on to work on Portal. Another winner, Tag, created the paint mechanic that will be in Portal 2. This year the eight games represent the best of an extremely strong field of new and inventive indie entries. You'll find details of the games below, most of which are free to download and play.
e7
In e7 (Gymnasium Koniz Lerbermatt) you play as an interstellar probe on an alien world. You have to find and deactivate a bomb that threatens Earth. To do this you have to manipulate the spongy surface of the planet, using it to catapult your probe around the minimalist landscapes while dodging the deadly beams of the alien flying saucers guarding the bomb.
Fract
Fract is a first person adventure game set in an environment reminiscent of Darwinia's polygonal worlds. The universe is full of bizarre machinery that must be reanimated to open up new areas of the world.
Glid
In GLiD you must guide your insectoid robot through a spooky ambient world, collecting fuel seeds to fix the broken machines that lie about the landscape.
Octodad
Octodad is about a married father of two who is also a secret Octopus. The aim of the game is to stay undercover, all the while breaking down towers and completing challenges using your boneless octo-arms.
Paper Plane
A simple game about a paper plane , which you fly around the idyllic farmland environment, collecting childhood memories from the objects scattered around the landscape.
Solace
Solace has you fighting your way through the five stages of grief. Every explosion forms a musical note, turning the spectacular battles into an improvised symphony reflecting the theme of each level.
Tiny and Big
Tiny and Big is a small man with a neat weapon, a powerful laser that can slice up the environment. It's the perfect tool to help him complete his noble quest to reclaim his Grandfather's lost underpants.
Toys
Toys is a simple puzzle game controlled entirely by the movement of your mouse. Your task is to rearrange the coloured blocks into a set position to tidy them up and move on to the next challenge.
[via Gamesetwatch ]
