INDIKA | Xbox Review

I’m a huge fan of arthouse films, especially those from the A24 library. Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan), Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things), and Ari Aster (Hereditary) are highly impactful directors for me. If you’re wondering why I’m talking about cinema in a game review, that’s because Odd Meter’s INDIKA is marketed as being heavily influenced by these visionaries. You can definitely feel the inspiration these filmmakers have left on the team, and I can honestly say INDIKA is a gaming experience unlike any I’ve indulged in before. It left me pondering the strangeness of life, the cruelty of humanity, and how we will hold onto the faintest glimmer of hope in even the most difficult of situations. I could write a whole essay on the themes and messages I took away from this, but I’ll save that for a different day. We’ve got a game to discuss.

The Devil on Your Shoulder

INDIKA focuses on the titular nun, who believes she is able to communicate directly with the Devil. He whispers unholy thoughts to her and makes her question the morality she was taught. The other nuns at the convent treat her harshly because of this, calling her unholy and making her do menial labor. She feels left out but has accepted her fate. After a mishap occurs during a religious ceremony, she’s tasked with delivering a letter to a priest in another city. The game takes place in 1800’s Russia during the middle of winter, so it’s not a simple journey. 

Along the way she encounters an escaped inmate named Ilya who pretty much takes her hostage. He’s determined to find a religious artifact called the Kudets, and professes to speak with God. Ilya proves to be a helpful and welcome companion during your journey, providing the polar opposite of Indika’s personality. Their banter and chemistry immediately had me invested in their well-being and personal journeys, and I found myself attached to these characters in a way I wasn’t expecting. 

Shifting Beliefs

One way that INDIKA stands out from the crowd, aside from its layered narrative, is in the way the game constantly shifts between genres and gameplay mechanics. One moment you’re leisurely walking around investigating the environment; the next you’re platforming in a flashback from Indika’s past. You’ll indulge in some puzzle solving, chase sequences, and motorcycle escapes as well. No one can accuse INDIKA of being repetitive.

Going back to the flashback sequences, these are both delightful and also caused me to curse the most out of my four hours spent with INDIKA. These segments are presented in a 16-bit visual style and are whimsical and bright. My only gameplay complaint was centered on the tough platforming that popped up in a couple of these sections. They require precise timing, precision, and patience, often involving ledges that disappear or shift after a second or so. This is very much a “me” issue, and I don’t fault the game for my horrible platforming skills. I actually found these gameplay shifts to be refreshing, and I applaud the team for being so creative. I just had to mention the only thing that really frustrated me during my playthrough.

Gorgeously Unsettling

INDIKA is a truly stunning game. The visuals are photorealistic, and I practically felt the chill of the snow while trudging through it and the sudden warmth of a fire as I stumbled across them. The characters look incredibly realistic, and I often felt like I was playing an interactive film. It looks THAT good. The only bug I encountered during my entire playthrough involved Indika clipping through two planks of wood I was pulling myself up on, resulting in me becoming stuck in the platform and forcing me to restart the level. It wasn’t a big deal, though, and it’s the only problem I had whatsoever with the graphical side of the game. I didn’t encounter a single moment of pop-in or any dropped frame rates.

The voice acting is splendid, with Isabella Inchbald (As Dusk Falls) and Louis Boyer (Shadow and Bone) bringing so many genuine emotions to Indika and Ilya, respectively. The score is as eccentric and compelling as the gameplay and story are, and I found myself delighting in the electronic music that would seemingly start playing randomly. The sound effects are on point as well, with every door creak or whirring of cogs enveloping me further into the environment. It’s evident that Odd Meter had so much love for INDIKA and put as much polish and care into it as was possible. It’s truly outstanding.

The Final Verdict

INDIKA is unlike any other game I’ve ever played, and I won’t forget it anytime soon. I’ve been pondering its many themes and messages from the moment the credits rolled. The game isn’t afraid to confront morality, especially in the face of religion. There are several ways you can interpret the narrative, and I adore that aspect. If you’re not into that, are highly religious, or if you’re not a fan of arthouse style films, INDIKA probably won’t be your cup of tea. If you’re itching for a game that is wholly unique and will constantly keep you on your toes with genre and gameplay shifts, then I can’t recommend this highly enough. I loved every second I spent with INDIKA, even the frustrating (for me) platform sections. This is truly a work of art.

To hear me talk more about INDIKA, be sure to listen to the May 22, 2024 episode of The Gaming Outsider podcast around the 1:00:59 time stamp.

This review is based on an Xbox Series X/S copy of INDIKA provided by Evolve PR for coverage purposes. It is also available on PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.