Brainy Gamer

I'm on my way to Los Angeles for IndieCade, a festival and conference the LA Times calls "the video game industry's Sundance." It's three days of presentations, panel discussions, and informal conversations featuring indie game makers, industry pros, journalists, and critics.

IndieCade is highlighted by one special event that distinguishes it from other indie game gatherings: the Game Walk. Here's how the festival organizers describe it:

Spend the weekend wandering in and out of galleries and cafés throughout downtown Culver City, playing games and meeting game creators. The crowned jewel of the festival, 32 finalist games will be installed for hands-on gameplay at multiple gallery locations, as well as many other games and gameplay experiences at more than a dozen locations. Plan to spend many hours engaged in riveting gameplay. The Game Walk is FREE and open to the public.

I was initially interested in IndieCade, but hesitant to make the cross-country trek. The impressive list of games piqued my interest, but it was the Game Walk that sealed the deal for me. Strolling through galleries and cafés playing games and meeting their creators? I'm on that like a duck on a junebug.

Stay tuned. I'll report here on the games I play and people I meet at IndieCade. In the meantime, you can learn more about the festival here, and peruse the full schedule here.

Happy gaming!