The game I chose for the indie game show and tell is Owlboy by D-Pad Studios. You can watch the release trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N4lp01tFwg
In Owlboy, you play as a young owl named Otus who can’t seem to get anything right. However, when pirates attack his village, he takes it upon himself to make things right again. D-Pad Studios worked 9 years on this game, and it shows in the gameplay and the artwork. The sprite work is incredibly detailed and well-done, the music is fantastic, and the gameplay is smooth and simple.
I chose the game because of this effort and detail put into it. The sprite work in the game is some of the best I’ve ever seen for a sprite-driven game. When I was playing through it I found myself completely immersed in the environment due to the detail and the music. Plus, it’s just fun to play. Otus can’t do much besides fly on his own, so you carry characters to help you. This allows for a lot of skill as you switch between party members and “change weapons” based on the scenario you’re presented with.
It also tied into the reading as it relates to the concept of games for entertainment, art games, and further, game art. The mechanics, story, and game itself was meant for entertainment. It’s fairly simplistic but utilizes its few mechanics to the fullest. The game’s backgrounds, designs, and music, however, give this game a very artistic vibe. It may not speak on any particular message, but just the sheer beauty of the environments is art. Combine these, and you see game art, the mesh between the game aspect and the artistic aspect of the game.