Iji

Iji is a remarkably ambitious action-platformer from Daniel Remar that combines shooting, exploration, character development and a surprisingly thoughtful science-fiction story. You play Iji, a young woman transformed into a powerful cyborg and thrown into the middle of an alien invasion. The game allows different approaches to combat, with upgrades and skills encouraging experimentation rather than forcing one particular play style. Exploration also matters, with secrets and alternate routes rewarding curious players. Beneath the retro-inspired graphics is a surprisingly substantial world, complete with moral choices and consequences that can change how the story unfolds. Iji is one of those freeware games that feels almost suspiciously ambitious for something made outside a major studio.