Many gamers begin their journey with AAA games and major console brands. The creators of such have the largest reach and the most resources to get their product out there. I still remember my first time–World 1-1, trying to get an Italian plumber to jump over the chasm without dying. My love for video games started with the Nintendo Entertainment System; over the years, I’ve owned consoles from a variety of companies, played more games than I can count, and fallen in love with a handful of franchises that I return to often. But my love of indie games came late in life.

Child of Light transformed me from a skeptic into a believer. The eclectic storytelling, the gorgeous poetry, the moving soundtrack–these things finally helped me see that indie games could not only be as captivating as AAA games, they could provide unique experiences that truly lived up to…