Skip to main content

About

"Make It Indie!" is a game about the challenges of being an indie game developer, where you make tough choices and manage your schedule to survive seven days. With over 30 minutes of HD videos, intuitive gameplay, multiple endings, and diverse music, players must balance their work and personal life to succeed. The game encourages players not to take it too seriously, providing a unique and engaging experience.

Make it indie! screenshot
Make it indie! screenshot
Make it indie! screenshot
Make it indie! screenshot
Make it indie! screenshot
Make it indie! screenshot
Make it indie! screenshot
Make it indie! screenshot
Make it indie! screenshot

36%
Audience ScoreBased on 519 reviews
music15 positive mentions
gameplay7 negative mentions

  • The game features cute cat videos that many players enjoyed.
  • It's an easy game to complete, allowing players to achieve 100% in a very short time.
  • Some players found the concept of the game to be interesting and appreciated its artistic expression.
  • The game lacks meaningful gameplay, with most of it consisting of watching videos and clicking through simple tasks.
  • Many players felt that the game was more of an art project than a traditional game, leading to disappointment.
  • The execution of the game's concept was criticized for being poorly done and not engaging.
  • music
    64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the Russian alt-rock soundtrack and its unique vibe, while others find it loud, annoying, and poorly suited to the gameplay. Many users noted that the music can be overwhelming, lacking volume control, and detracting from the overall experience. Overall, while there are moments of decent music, the general consensus leans towards dissatisfaction, with several players describing it as terrible or obnoxious.

    • “I liked the overall dirty touch, the pinch of humor, the music (even though I don't understand Russian) and at some point I even began to enjoy that simple developing minigame.”
    • “The soundtrack is pretty good though.”
    • “I enjoyed the music and the overall feel of it, and I got it on sale for a criminally low price.”
    • “Every sound in this game made me want to quit it even faster, especially the first level music.”
    • “Then, the game blasts loud music at what seems to be maximum volume on startup like some of the more annoying web ads, with no volume control within the game itself.”
    • “It's not funny, it's not meaningful, it doesn't have a decent soundtrack or anything, it's just pure garbage.”
  • gameplay
    48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in this title is widely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many reviewers noting that it primarily consists of repetitive mini-games and watching videos rather than meaningful interaction. Players express disappointment over the minimal choices available and the overall absence of a cohesive gameplay experience, leading to a consensus that it fails to deliver on its potential. Overall, the game is seen as more of a collection of videos than a true interactive experience, making it unworthy of investment for those seeking substantial gameplay.

    • “From the gameplay to the lore, this game is for casual and hardcore gamers alike.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, there's mainly a 'click the correct of these four buttons' type of light puzzle game, and a choice of what to spend each day on for a full week.”
    • “Strange FMV intermixed with barely interactive gameplay, and yet it works as a whole.”
    • “I wish there was more gameplay in this; it had so much potential to be great, but instead we got an inconsequential game with basically one choice to make and some repeating puzzles that don't even matter at all.”
    • “There is no real gameplay to be found here.”
    • “Gameplay consists of watching videos or one boring mini-game ('game development') you can easily cheese.”
  • story
    38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story aspect of the game is widely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, often described as monotonous and poorly executed. While it attempts to convey the struggles of an indie game developer, many reviewers find it to be more of a collection of random videos with minimal cohesion and a weak narrative. Overall, players feel that the interactive story fails to deliver a compelling experience, leaving them disappointed with its brevity and lack of meaningful content.

    • “Solid story, a piece of art in my mind!”
    • “The indie game developer story is an exciting and relevant one, filled with stories of hard work, sleepless nights, and for the lucky ones, unimaginable success.”
    • “At its core, this is a (slightly) interactive story, which 'teaches' the player how to succeed or - more likely - fail at becoming a developer of indie games.”
    • “The story basically comes down to trying your hardest and putting out something you're not thrilled with or not trying and not putting out anything.”
    • “Not a game, barely a story.”
    • “The endings are totally worthless, there's basically no story and you can just spam your way out in the only puzzle type that this game has!”
  • humor
    35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its self-referential jokes and dark comedic elements, while others find it forced, uninspired, and ultimately unfunny. Many comments highlight that the game attempts to be humorous but often falls flat, leading to a perception of it as a poorly executed joke rather than a genuinely funny experience. Overall, while there are moments of humor that resonate with some players, the majority feel it lacks substance and comedic value.

    • “The humor in the game is funny at times, with it poking fun at itself and asking you why are you wasting time doing the same boring task over and over.”
    • “The 'watch for the cat' scenes, with that music is just hilarious.”
    • “There were a few movies or text between movies that actually made me laugh, as the game even pokes fun at itself.”
    • “This 'game' is nothing more than an unfunny and poorly made April Fools' joke.”
    • “It's supposed to be funny, but it's not.”
    • “Instead we got a minuscule length game with limited possibilities and unfunny jokes that all end before they even begin.”
  • graphics
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising them as "amazing" and "realistic," while others criticize them for being simplistic or poorly executed. While a few users highlight the visual appeal and immersive quality, others find the graphics lacking and unoriginal, suggesting that they detract from the overall experience. Overall, the consensus indicates a divide between those who appreciate the visuals and those who find them disappointing.

    • “The graphics look real life!”
    • “Amazing graphics, amazing story, the controls are right, the characters look like they are alive!”
    • “The graphics are so realistic you could place this over GTA, Far Cry, Assassin's Creed, and Bad Rats!”
    • “Unfortunately, the game needs to be judged on the whole enterprise, so thumbs down for the game, thumbs up for the cat, and using FMV instead of terrible pixel graphics.”
    • “The graphics basically consist of just text placed in several locations with an image to fill the screen (and no, I don't think it looks good except for the image in the scene where you have to choose what to do during the day).”
    • “Don't spend any of your money on this even though it is cheap because it is cheap in every way including but not limited to: cost to purchase, cost to make, graphics, music, sound, gameplay, etc.”
  • grinding
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is intentionally tedious and boring, but the execution falls short, leading to a lack of engagement. Players find the repetitive gameplay and unnecessary length of tasks frustrating, with little reward or meaningful progression, ultimately detracting from the overall experience. While some acknowledge the game's intention to reflect the tedium of game development, it fails to maintain player interest or provide a satisfying payoff.

    • “While I can accept the explanation that the game is intentionally boring by showing a few videos about daily life and tedious tasks, the execution itself isn't very good.”
    • “Unnecessarily dragged out videos of no significance, tedious gameplay, and no real message given.”
    • “It's the same game every day, just more difficult and more tedious every time because of the horrible music and varying backgrounds that camouflage the game pieces you are trying to identify.”
  • replayability
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with many players noting that it can be completed in a very short time—often under 10 minutes. While some enjoy replaying for specific cutscenes or elements, the general consensus is that once completed, there is little incentive to play again.

    • “It doesn't suck; it was kind of fun to do the puzzle, but after more than an hour, you will be bored, and there is little replay value.”
    • “I did like it, the concept and all, but it's way too short, with very little replay value.”
    • “Once you've 'won' the game, there's not a lot of replayability, but I've actually replayed it just to watch the adorable cat cutscene.”
    • “It's hard to get the trading cards, as there is very little replay value, and you can complete it in under 10 minutes.”
    • “But, as it stands, this game is a collection of photos, videos, and random sounds very loosely held together by a matching game that makes up the actual gameplay, with little to no replay value.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has been criticized for its poor performance, with users noting that achievements feel disconnected from gameplay and that only one minigame significantly impacts the experience, which is ultimately underwhelming.

    • “The performance is just awful.”
    • “Achievements are earned every day no matter what you do, and aside from one minigame, nothing you do has any bearing on the game or its ending - only your performance on that minigame does, and even then it is underwhelming.”
  • monetization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy of the game is criticized for resembling a cash grab typical of Russian indie developers before the removal of Greenlight, raising doubts about the sincerity of its storytelling. Overall, it fails to deliver engaging content, leading to a perception that the primary intent was profit rather than genuine entertainment.

    • “It tries to tell a story of an indie developer, but what it really shows is how Russian indie developers made cash grabs prior to Greenlight's removal (with games like this).”
    • “As an adventure game, it falls flat and provides little to no entertainment over doing nearly anything else, and it begs the question of how much of the intent of this was serious and not just a cheap cash grab.”
  • atmosphere
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is often likened to contemporary art, creating a unique and immersive experience that captivates players. Users question whether this atmospheric quality is consistent throughout the game, particularly during nighttime settings.

    • “Those videos are really atmospheric, like some kind of contemporary art.”
    • “Is the night's atmosphere always like that?”
    • “Is the atmosphere always like this at night?”
    • “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired.”
    • “I expected a more immersive atmosphere, but it fell short.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players reporting intense and surreal experiences that evoke strong feelings, likening it to a vivid hallucinogenic journey set in a unique, nostalgic environment.

    • “10/10 made me feel like I was on a weird hallucinogen at a former Soviet bloc party.”
  • stability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users report frequent glitches, indicating that the game's stability is a significant issue.

    • “It glitches out quite frequently.”

Buy Make it indie!

3h Median play time
3h Average play time
2-4h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Games Like Make it indie!

Dev Guy Image
My Name is Mayo Image
The Deer Image
Summer Sale Image
Zup! 3 Image
Despair Image
Uriel's Chasm Image
Minecraft: Story Mode Image
Written in the Sky Image
This game contains adult content
TAIKU MANSION Image