One of last years’ cult indie hits has finally made it to Nintendo Switch to mixed results.

INDIKA really captured the attention of the world with its emotive narrative, layered story-telling but surprisingly simplified gameplay that shocks and surprises with unlikely twists and turns.

The game bares some similarities to Ninja Theory’s Hellblade with the focus on up-close perspectives, hushed whispering, and deep rooted horror and thrills. It also features a lead character who is being tormented, but this time by those all around her rather than voices in her head.

INDIKA is a story-driven game first and foremost, set in alternate Russia. As Indika, the story is about self-discovery, about learning identity and striving in the face of adversity. But in a house of God, it seems that it may just be a devil resting on her shoulder and trying to influence her every action.

It’s a grim tale, one that really throws the unexpected in your path time and again, making it especially unorthodox and weird. And frankly, a crafted story you’d only find in a hard-leaning indie game.

The atmosphere and effects really come to life on PC and PS5 where I’ve played this elsewhere, but the problem with Nintendo Switch is textures really look rough at times and often washed out. Sometimes they’re just missing altogether.

It’s not a bad port, in general. In some ways it’s impressive that the games run at all on Switch but you do wonder why resources weren’t better catered toward the far superior Switch 2 where the game would have shone much brighter.

On Switch, the load screens are also quite lengthy and pop in between scenes is pretty clear and blatant to see. For a game that relies heavily on atmosphere and building tension through its aesthetic, this port just feels like it’s lacking in that regard.

Still, it works and and fortunately the game often does a great job of just carrying itself with some excellent camera angles, beautiful landscape shots, compelling narrative work and dialogue and even some nifty puzzle-solving.

But this is a short game – around 4-5 hours – and one that you really should go in knowing as little as possible. The game often uses its effects to catch and surprise, all while performing seemingly menial, monotone tasks, splicing them in with surprise mini-games.

And it all plays with a deeply religious theme which certainly is a topic often shied away from or rarely approached in games. In that, Odd Meter have absolutely tried to do something quite different as you deep dive into the being and soul of a character that is clearly being challenged by all she sees and hears and players get to explore that in reality altering ways.

While I’d love to say Switch captures that mood at its best, unfortunately you are better off experiencing this unique indie gem elsewhere as while Switch does a commendable job, this port still feels a bit undercooked compared to other versions, even on Steam Deck itself.

Still, Indika remains a game that not everyone is going to love, yet tells an affecting story that demonstrates the power of this medium and how it can deliver a powerful message with words and direction. Despite the misgivings, it’s so important games like this are made and developed for Switch and I’m ultimately glad this found a home on the platform.

Verdict

INDIKA on Nintendo Switch tells as impactful a story as it does on any other format, but for a game that relies so heavily on atmosphere and aesthetics, sadly this is not the best place to play it. With washed out textures, pop in, and longer loading times, it’s just an experience better played elsewhere despite being a decent port. INDIKA, however, is the true definition of an indie gem and one not to be missed.

Pros

---

INDIKA is out now on PC, Xbox, Switch, and PS

Played on Switch

Code Kindly Provided by 11 Bit Studios for review purposes