A couple of interesting projects this week that I'm happy to promote; a sci-fi thriller and a charming little strategy games.
Nora: Act I
A sci-fi psychological thriller game featuring a tenacious captain and her rag-tag crew of smugglers
Funding Goal - $25,000 by April 22nd (Flexible Funding)
My Opinion - A really interesting concept where you are captain of a space ship and have to make the right decisions and try and keep your crew happy. It appears it is in very early stages at the moment but I'll be keeping an eye on this for the future.
Turn-based strategy and management game in a beautiful living world!
Funding Goal - €6,019 by May 22nd (Flexible Funding)
My Opinion - I'm not aware of the 1993 original version or the iPad version (due to my age and lack of an iPad) but part of me wishes differently after seeing this charming little strategy game. It looks like a cross between Stronghold and Civilization with a nice art style as well. It looks exactly like the type of game I would play and if/when it is on steam, I imagine I'll end up buying it.
To continue the theme of a very quiet week, we only have one early access game from steam this week - Project Explore. Project Explore by Seabass and Gazelle Studios Project Explore is a survival game. It's a game about learning the environment, discovering hundreds of items, and your ability to adapt to any situation. Not just build a house and bunker down. A house provides you with shelter but you'll need to eat and maintain your sanity as well.
Price - £4.99
My Opinion - Another survival game but nice to see a slightly different take on it - for a start it is in 2d. This provides different options for the developer and the player than a game in a fully 3d world. Reviews have been mixed but fairly positive, even at what is a very early access release.
A nice eclectic selection of new games from greenlight this week:
1. Flawed Ones: Puppeteer by Balta Studios Flawed Ones: Puppeteer is a game about a puppeteer, who can control people and his armies from his shadow theatre stage like people controlling soldiers in real-time strategy games.
Opinion - Brilliant concept, lovely art style, and what looks like very interesting gameplay. This is definitely worth upvoting on greenlight. They are also running an Indiegogo campaign if you want to back it with your money. Greenlight Link
2. Contradiction by Baggy Cat Contradiction is an murder mystery adventure game that uses live-action video for the entirety of the game play. It’s a brand new take on the concept of an interactive movie and takes the genre to a whole new level of playability.
Opinion - And now for something completely different, with a murder mystery told through live-action video. Murder mystery games for me have been pretty much universally disappointing (with the sole exception of LA Noire); if these guys can do something different and interesting to reignite the genre, then I'm all for it. Greenlight Link Game Website
3. Boss 101 by Doonley Time Foundation Boss 101 is an action adventure game with you taking the role of Max, a teenager with a jetpack. It all starts with your brother's request for an action packed birthday. Unfortunately he's in the hospital so it's up to you to bring him an unforgettable home movie.
Opinion - On a more-light hearted note now, Boss 101 is a full-on crazy action adventure but with a heart-warming story behind it, as well the ability to create your own boss! Greenlight Link Developer Website
4. Exanima by Bare Mettle Entertainment Explore, fight, survive and unravel mysteries in this unique and unforgiving 3D isometric RPG set in an original dark, low fantasy world. Exanima's exceptional attention to detail and realistic simulation of all things provide a deeply immersive and dynamic gameplay experience. Opinion - Isometric RPGs are probably my favourite type, having started with the Baldur's Gate series. As the description hits, Exanima is unforgiving but if you like hardcore RPGs, this will be one for you. Greenlight Link Developer Website
5. Industry Transporters by Markus Fick An economic simulation where you build production chains as effectively as possible on a large scale terrain. You can choose from a large variety of wares and buildings to build up your production chain and use up to 4 types of transportation. Play against a complex economic with flexible prices and soon against each other or computer.
Opinion - I was a big fan of games like Transport Tycoon and Industry Giant back in the day and it is nice to see a new game in the genre. Yes they can be a bit stodgy, but if you enjoy simulations like this (I do) and are willing to take the time, then I expect that this could be a very rewarding experience. Greenlight Link Game Website
Either I'm getting pickier, or the quality has dropped off a bit this week with new games on Kickstarter. I found three I am very happy to promote, but not enough to reach a Top 5 this week. Regardless, I think the three below are top quality and deserve your support: 1. Ralin - Dwarf Wars by Ogardonix ltd
Ralin is a community driven Rogue-like Hack and Slash RPG wrapped in high quality graphics with a lot of love for detail
Funding Goal - £45,000 by Thursday 16th April
My Opinion - Previously featured on our Top 5 Greenlights and now in a Kickstarter campaign. It is a classic rogue-like in the mold of Diablo with lots of loot and crafting. What makes it a winner for me is the graphics and the fact you get to play as a dwarf...I have a thing about dwarfs...
2. Mulaka - Origin Tribes by Lienzo Save the world from the Sun, Moon and Twilight gods. Rarámuri lore brought to life in an awesome action game. Help preserve the culture
Funding Goal - $77,000 by Thursday 16th April
My Opinion - A unique adventure based on Mexican folklore. The background to the game is awesome but the gameplay itself looks very interesting as well. If you want an action-adventure game with a unique culture and storyline, check this out.
3. Pythetron by TJ Townsend This next evolution in shoot'em ups (shmups) adds new mechanics with focus on speed, routing freedom, customizations and replayability.
Funding Goal - $5,000 by Thursday 16th April
My Opinion - My first PC gaming experience was a little known 2d space shooter called Xatax and Pythetron reminds me of it, but turned up to about a million. I'm looking forward to this game happening, for the odd half-an-hour of intense space combat.
Following on from Friday's Kickstarter recap from January, today we are going to look at the Steam Greenlight from games we featured in our Top 5s in January. From the 20 we looked at, 15 (75%) have been Greenlit already.
BattleLore: Command Command valiant warriors and vicious demons in BattleLore: Command, based on the board game BattleLore Second Edition. Lead the noble Daqan army as they fearlessly defend their homeland from the invading hordes of the Uthuk Y'llan - demon-blooded barbarians spreading chaos and destruction wherever they go. Or, lead the Uthuk Y'llan and channel their fury into military supremacy. Whether you're a proven commander or have never before fought a battle, BattleLore: Command provides a suspensful and challenging tactical combat experience.
Greenlight Link Game Website Software Inc Construct and design buildings for optimal working conditions. Hire people to design and release software, so you can defeat the simulated competition and take over their businesses. Manage and level up your employees to make sure they are skilled and satisfied with their job.
Greenlight Link Game Website Spellweaver TCG Spellweaver is an online digital trading card game (TCG), created by a self-funded indie team of seasoned game developers with a passion for card games. The game focuses on strategic depth and variety, while still being easy to learn. It is a game true to the classics of the genre, with their longevity and strategic depth, in a detailed and vivid art style, with countless deck-building options and an original fantasy world to explore.
Game Website The Curious Expedition Curious Expedition is a roguelike expedition simulation set in the late 19th century. Together with famous personalities you will venture on unprecedented expeditions to regions never explored before for fame, science and treasures.
Game Website Caribbean Odyssey Caribbean Odyssey is the first installment of a long tale that tells a compelling & epic story of the legendary character, Captain Henry Morgan. The story begins at Port Royal in 1655, where Henry Morgan comes to see a mysterious woman named Merry Carleton. Henry Morgan had just previously returned from Panama, where he was sent by the current Governor of Port Royal, Sir Thomas Modyford. Captain Henry successfully crushed the Spanish Army and laid the capital under siege for weeks. Eventually the Spaniards were forced to pay him a large ransom to avoid the total burning and pillaging of Panama City.
Greenlight Link Developer Website Angels Fall First From commanding the battle standing on the bridge of your flagship all the way down to serious infantry firefighting - with everything in between - AFF brings together all the war you ever loved. Featuring team-based gameplay, and offering a wide selection of weapons and tools, ground vehicles and spacecraft, AFF includes Full bot support. This means you can co-op versus AI, play entirely offline, or earn glory in full PVP matches.
Greenlight Link Game Website Vernon's Legacy Vernon's Legacy... ...is an unusual exploration game with distinct horror elements and a captivating storyline. You are playing as Robert, the new owner of the Dungenhof mansion. When exploring your new property you quickly realize that something has changed here since you last visited. Something is not right.
Voidrunner Voidrunner is a speed & reflex flying game made in stunning Unreal Engine 4. Targeted for PC/Console systems, expected to be completed on late 2015. The basic gameplay is about racing through the environment and head for the exit portal before time runs out. Enemies, turrets and the environment itself will try to prevent your progress and it's up to your flying skills to advance through the Void.
RetroBlazer RetroBlazer is an FPS that features elements prevalent in 2D games with a focus on classic running-and-gunning gameplay. You are challenged by a wide variety of enemies and empowered by a collection of unique weapons. And when firepower isn’t enough, you must rely on your wits to survive the ruins of an once utopian world.
Greenlight Link Game Website Ralin - Dwarf Wars The set of this epic game are the Dwarven Halls, smoothly lightened in the warm glow of the fire torches. Explore them and discover the scenery that takes place in the middle of War - Goblins vs Dwarfs. The player´s role is a dwarf who sacrifices his life to protect the treasures of his dwarf clan, mined with their sweat and blood. Hack and Slay the wicked thieves who nastily sneaked into the dwarf halls and steal the precious treasures. The gameplay is a combat with hand to hand weapons. The dwarves are picking up their hammer and protect what is precious to them. They do not appreciate the Goblin intrusion!
Greenlight Link Developer Website Curse of Mermos Curse of Mermos is a lighthearted hack and slash game with fast paced action and challenging combat. Players wield the Hammer of Horus or shoot the Crossbow of Neith to defeat hordes of monsters in the tomb of Ebo. The game features unlockable abilities and skill upgrades for personalized combat. Special game modifiers allow players to customize each playthrough.
Game Website Pneuma: Breath of Life Pneuma: Breath of Life is an enthralling first person puzzler putting gamers’ minds to the test in a visually stunning world using the power of Unreal Engine 4. Pneuma provides players with a sense of awe and a relentless determination to solve every puzzle and progress through a narrated story of self-discovery, exploring the fundamental nature of being. This is the first person puzzler of 2015 which is designed to force players think outside the box and explore beyond what they know as reality.
Greenlight Link Developer Website Trackday Manager Trackday Manager is a 3D simulation/manager multiplayer game where you are in charge of managing a racing team. You are not the driver but the team chief. You control your driver during races by issuing commands through several options while monitoring the race carefully in beautiful 3D surroundings. Your goal is to guide your driver and team to victory.
Greenlight Link Developer Website VHS Story VHS Story (Video Hero Super Story) is a strategy / tycoon / streetfighter-manager game with 80-90s atmosphere, nostalgia and lots of games/movies references.
Greenlight Link Game Website Albert and Otto Albert & Otto is a story about a boy and a magical bunny who journey together and solve puzzles in order to get back what was taken from them. Albert and Otto work together to overcome challenges thrown their way. We soon learn however that what seemed at first like a journey to save the damsel in distress is anything but and that our hero Albert might be hiding something dark.
I've trawled through all the gamer projects on Indiegogo that are new this week and unfortunately there is nothing that I'm willing to promote!
Instead I'm going to look at the Kickstarter Projects in our weekly Top 5s from January. Out of the 20 we featured, 14 have been funded (70%). I'd like to think some people ended up backing them thanks to our mentions. Anyway, here's a run-down of those that were funded:
Overture by Black Shell Media LLC
Target - $3,000 Raised - $4,928 Funded - 31st January
Four very interesting and different early access games this week to get our teeth in to:
1. StarCrawlers by Juggernaut Games Crawlers Wanted: high pay, certain risk. Plausible deniability a must. Build a crew of renegade adventurers on the fringes of space, taking jobs from megacorps to hunt bounties, sabotage rivals and conduct corporate espionage. If you can navigate the intricate politics of wealth and power, you might just survive long enough to spend your hard-won credits.
Price - £14.99
My Opinion - A great new take on dungeon crawling with a sci-fi setting. I'm a big fan of tactical turn-based combat as well so this looks like a winner for me.
2. ShellShock Live by kChamp Games Demolish your friends with hundreds of upgradable weapons shot from your very own customizable tank in this action-packed online multiplayer tanks game. Fully destructible terrain and powerful new items make each battle unique. Earn XP to level up and unlock new tanks, weapons, and gear. Fight against or alongside your friends for strategic team or free-for-all matches.
Price - £10.99 or £29.99 for a 4-pack
My Opinion - A fun-looking physics-based tank shoot-em-up...not a sentence I've used before. This looks like it will be particularly good multi-player fun and absolute carnage.
3. Warlocks by Frozen District Warlocks is an action RPG/brawler game set in a fantasy world invaded by shadow monsters. Playing as an incredibly powerful Warlock and, by using magic skills and weapons, you fight through hordes of enemies. The game places great focus on co-op and versus play between players, where you can fight in 1-4 player DeathMatch or in teams of 1v1 or 2v2.
Price - £10.59 or £29.99 for a 4-pack
My Opinion - An old-school arcade game, reminiscent of Metal Slugs and Golden Axe, two games I spent a lot of money on in arcades back in the 90s. Looks like a lot of fun, particularly if you have a group of 4 to run through it with.
4. Automation - The Car Company Tycoon Game by Camshaft Software Automation allows the player to become an armchair CEO - to build their own car company from the ground up. Create and run anything from a boutique supercar manufacturer to a mass-market multinational mogul. With powerful tools like the Engine Designer, the player can create cars and their engines in mind-boggling detail.
Price - £22.99
My Opinion - I'm not a big car fan but I do like management games and Automation has all the features I'd want from such a game. My lack of car knowledge might hamper my enjoyment but I'm sure if you are a car nut, then this is for you.
A really nice collection of Indie Games this week on Greenlight, with barely an adventure or point-and-click amongst them, compared to a big trend for them in recent weeks. Here's my Top 5: 1. Card Dungeon by Playtap Games Take on the invading hordes of the Nethermists, in this turn-based rogue-like. Play as the Crusader and fight to rid the monster infested, randomly created, dungeons in this card, board and turn-based rogue-like. Face hard choices about which of the 1000’s of cards you find you will want to keep and which to discard. Find new inventory cards and equip your Crusader in all kinds of gear and weapons! Don't get too attached to any of them as they deteriorate with use and will need to be replaced! Save the soul of the lands and yourself and crush the horde of the Nethermist! My Opinion - I love the look of Card Dungeon; like a pen-and-paper game has been translated on to the screen. The mechanics of it look really interesting as well and I'm looking forward to this being released. Greenlight Link
Developer Website 2. Voice of Steel by Point Cloud Studio Voice of Steel - is an online physics-based simulator of robot fights, where You create movements and strokes for your robot, which is composed out of 16 different modules. Your role is to be an operator, coach, manager and mechanic of all your robot-fighters.
My Opinion - A robot fighting game with a huge amount of customisation for your robots and frenetic combat. Nice to see something different in the beat-em-up genre.
Game Website 3. Interstellar Rift by Split Polygon Interstellar Rift is a open world Starship Simulator with an emphasis on ship construction and multi-player interaction. Players will need to survive in a hostile galaxy with their own custom designed and constructed starship. Space is vast but you wont have to face it alone, other players will be able to join your ship and help out, or build their own rival fleet and fight you across the galaxy.
My Opinion - Who doesn't like to design and build their own starship? I really like the first-person element of being able to wander round your ship as well. Check out the pre-alpha demo through the greenlight link for a first taste of what is a really promising project. Greenlight Link
Game Website 4. Legions by Axed Games Studios Legions is the ultimate interactive 3d trading card game. Allowing you to collect, level up and customise hundreds of animated cards which you can then use to wage war online.
My Opinion - If you like Magic and/or Hearthstone then you will enjoy Legions. It takes the mechanics of the trading card game and adds a nice gloss to it with animated cards, making it feel like a proper battle. Worth keeping an eye on. Greenlight Link
Developer Website 5. Last Halloween Last halloween is a dynamic multiplayer team vs team survival game that changes it's rules as the game progresses, as the name suggests, the game is set on Halloween. Electricity has been disabled for the entire gated street, which is a problem if anyone planed on leaving. This is just the first phase of a night of terror planned by one of the residents, work together to survive and hope this isn't your last halloween.
My Opinion - A nice twist on the survival genre with an emphasis on team vs team play. It will be interesting to see how this one develops but it could be a really interesting online multiplayer option for those looking for something a little bit different.
A nice mix of campaigns this week, with some absolutely huge ones and a couple of small ones. Here are the Top 5:
Descent: Underground by Descendant Studios Descent’s SIX DEGREES OF AWESOME returns! Blast enemies, collect loot, and level up through pulse-pounding combat inside asteroids!
Funding Goal - $600,000 by Saturday 11th April
My opinion - I played a lot of Descent in the mid-90s and it was one my first and best experiences of an action game. I'm delighted to see it being remade and by the previews so far, it looks really promising. Kickstarter Link
Dungeons of Aledorn by Team21 Combining a turn-based combat system, first person exploration and hardcore stat and skill balancing.
Funding Goal - $60,000 by Friday 10th April
My opinion - A really promising looking RPG and I love the idea of the first-person exploration combined with turned-based combat. If they pull it off, it could be an RPG classic. Kickstarter Link
Seven Dragon Saga by Tactical Simulations Interactive Seven Dragon Saga, the epic RPG debut title from Tactical Simulations Interactive formed by SSI alumni. For PC/Mac/Linux
Funding Goal - $450,000 by Monday 13th April
My opinion - The old Gold Box games were my first experience of D&D and a very positive one at that; Seven Dragon Saga follows on from the traditions of those classics. By the looks of it is going to be a classic RPG similar in vein to Divinity: Original Sin but with greater freedom and customisation.
Gangster Penguin by SharkHavoc New Indie Platformer where you play as Gangster Penguin! Control the Ice Trade, Defeat the Codfather, Rule Blizzard City!
Funding Goal - $5,500 by Wednesday 15th April
My opinion - A gangster and a penguin...surely that's enough to know? It reminds me of the old Asterix platformers but with an even more ridiculous premise! I checked out the demo though (on the kickstarter page) and it is surprisingly fun and addictive.
Yargis - Space Melee by Jeff Minnis Yargis is a fast paced spaceship shooter from the top view. Customize your ship and join a battle online or offline.
Funding Goal - $1,000 by Sunday 12th April
My opinion - An old-skool arcade space shooter. What might set Yargis apart is the online multiplayer options and multitude of game modes (e.g. capture the flag). Kickstarter Link
Sportball Manager by Paralux Lead your team to a championship in the future's awesomest sport. Sports management meets strategy/RPG gameplay, in a pretty package.
Current Status - as of 9th March it is $2,711 towards its $15,00 goal that it needs to reach by Thursday 26th March. It also needs your support on Greenlight.
Tiny Robot Justice Squad by Mind Relay Tiny Robot Justice Squad is a 2D action platformer/arena shooter for Windows, Mac OSX and Linux platforms. It has explosions, big guns, big bosses and quick-paced platform gameplay. The game is being developed by Mind Relay (which is actually just one person!), with all proceeds generated by the game to be donated to the charity GamesAid which helps disabled and disadvantaged young people. Carry on reading to learn more about the game and how it will support good causes!
Current Status - A fun-looking game with proceeds from it being donated to a good cause. Check it out and make sure it gets greenlit.
Barbara-ian by Studio Owlbear Break-neck dungeoneering with 1 hit point. You play Barbara-ian, a mythical badass with perma-rage & a penchant for smashing. Featuring super fast paced physics based mayhem, one hit is all that stands between you and a quick restart
Current Status - went up on Greenlight on 14th February but still needs your votes to get Greenlit - highly recommended for 30 minutes of high quality fun.
Mad Games Tycoon by Eggcode "Form your own game studio in the early 80s in a small garage. Develop your own game concepts, create a team and develop million-selling video games. Research new technologies, train your staff and buy larger office buildings. Expand your business and dominate the world's market for video games!
Current Status - currently at 0.150313A with changes and bug fixes being made on a consistent basis. It is worth noting that it is very playable at the moment and worth supporting if you like these types of games.
Mordheim: City of the Damned by Rogue Factor Mordheim: City of the Damned is the first video game adaptation of Games Workshop's cult classic tabletop game Mordheim. Set in the Warhammer World's decimated Empire city, Mordheim: City of the Damned is a turn-based tactical game where you lead warbands into bloody and lethal skirmishes. The game blends RPG elements, fast-paced tactical combat and intricate unit customization in a time wrought by chaos and rivalry where only the strongest survive.
Current Status - Recently had it's fourth update, adding max ranked warbands, 3 new maps and customisation of skills and spells for each character. It keeps getting better and better each time and I think it is worth the outlay to play early access.
War for the Overworld by Subterranean Games Tired of invading dungeons? It’s time you build your own. War for the Overworld is a Dungeon Management Game that employs your favourite aspects of the RPG, RTS and god game genres.
Current Status - The final game will be released on 2nd April 2015 but in early access you can currently access a lot of content from the latest update from Mid-March, including a short tutorial campaign of 3 missions, a sandbox mission and a survival mission.
A quiet week on Indiegogo for eye-catching projects - just two here this week:
Heroes of Asgard by Crimson Games Heroes Of Asgard! Action-packed, free to play MMORPG. Hopefully, Your favorite online game to be!
Funding Goals - $150,000 by May 8th - this is flexible funding
My Opinion - An MMO with a very cool setting and some interesting playable classes (such as a ninja). Watching the video, the graphics look good and the landscape reminds me of Skyrim - always a good thing.
A nice selection of new early access titles on steam this week, here are my favourites:
Savage Lands by Signal Studios Savage Lands is a gritty, brutal, first-person open-world fantasy survival game in which players have only one goal: Stay Alive. Explore a world where days and nights are spent slaughtering vicious creatures, gathering scarce resources, building shelter and crafting powerful weapons needed to survive. Every decision counts, because one mistake can lead to an unfortunate encounter with deaths cold embrace.
Price - £18.99 or £67.99 for a 4-pack Opinion - Watching the trailer and reading about the game, it looks like survival Skyrim with the ability to do multiplayer - that's a good thing in my book. I'll be keeping a close eye on this one. Steam Link
Game Website Reign of Kings by Code}{atch Struggle to survive in a harsh medieval world. Hunt wildlife, mine resources, build structures, and craft weapons and armor in order to protect yourself. You may form a guild, bring war to all opposition, and try to seize the throne and become king!
Price - £14.99 Opinion - A medieval survival with perma-death, a living world and sandbox capability. I want this game! Steam Link
Executive Assault by Hesketh Studios Executive Assault is an indie real-time strategy/first-person shooter where you can not only build your base and create armies, but also take control of your units and fight as one of them.
Price - £14.99 Opinion - A very good looking RTS that reminds me of Supreme Commander and Total Annihilation - also liking the ability to play as an FPS by taking control of one of your units. Steam Link
Farlight Explorers by Farlight Games Industry Farlight Explores is a 3D space-sandbox game, made for space exploration, science fiction, resource management and action fans. In this game you can build your base or spaceship, explore the galaxy, extract unique ores in each planet or asteroids, craft new products, transport goods from one planet to another and more...
Price - £13.59 Opinion - Another sandbox game but very orientated towards building and exploring, although by the sounds of it, with very brutal combat as well. Looks interesting and worth looking at if you are a sci-fi and sandbox building fan. Steam Link
Dig or Die by Gaddy Games You are a representative of the CRAFT & Co company. You are selling automated fabrication tools across the galaxy when your spacecraft crashes into a hostile planet. Use the tools you sell and the local resources to build up all of what you'll need to survive and eventually be able to escape the planet. Price - £1.99 Opinion - And another sandbox game, but this time unique in that it is 2D and side-scrolling. The game is remarkably cheap for the amount of gameplay on offer and I think I will be buying it later today. Steam Link
Some really interesting games this week, all of which I would be more than happy to play:
Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander by Massive Damage, Inc.
On the edge of Terran space lies Halcyon 6, a derelict starbase left behind by a mysterious precursor race. Your mission is to reclaim the derelict station and rebuild it.
My Opinion - I love sci-fi games, I love base building games - this ticks both boxes very nicely. Love the pixel style to it as well and will defo be buying this when it is available.
SORS is a sci-fi doctor simulator where you must help diagnose patients whilst someone is hacking the hospital and disrupting your shifts. Interact with your colleagues and make decisions via email. The choices you make, like who to trust, affect the outcome of the game, which challenges you face and what help you get.
My Opinion - An original concept that could be described as Papers Please meets Surgeon Simulator. Looks like it will be an absorbing experience.
Super Slam Dunk Touchdown is a retro styled, couch-competitive, all-sports mashup driven by a 3D physics engine. Assemble a crack squad of sports athletes and use their unique shot styles and abilities to score goal units and demolish the opposing team. American football players tackle, soccer players steal, roller derby players skate and everybody dunks! Battle for control of baseballs, basketballs, bowling balls, tennis balls, and more. Configure your matches your way and play with up to six players, 3-on-3. Watch out for banana peels, streaking fans and ice resurfacing trucks, not to mention the opposing team!
My Opinion - A crazy sports mash-up game that I think is going to be a really multiplayer experience. I think there will be a few beer and pizza evenings that will end up playing this.
DeadlyMatter® is a present day pre-apocalyptic 3d open-world action-adventure video game. Start this amazing journey, a dazzling adventure full of action and save the world from total destruction on your own or try to survive and dominate on the multiplayer maps.
My Opinion - Looks well polished and most importantly for me...no Zombies! A game worth keeping an eye, particularly with the amount of open-world freedom it promises.
Really good selection of games this week - here are my Top 5:
Melancholy Republic by Cloud Runner Studios
A JRPG inspired, cinematic story driven game. Set in the beautiful city state Lorna, uncover the conspiracies and broken souls within.
Funding Goal - £15,000 by Friday 10th April
My Opinion - A deep and complex JRPG with a richly detailed city to explore. I'm very excited about Melanchology Republic, an achievement in itself as I've never been a massive fan of JRPGs. The story, music and general feel of the game though as really sold me on it.
The Baader Meinhof Phenomenon by the Bearded Pixel
A psychological thriller aiming to raise awareness of mental health and the long term effects of heavy drug use on the human brain.
Funding Goal - £25,000 by Friday 3rd April
My Opinion - I love the idea of this game - a psychological thriller set in an English Country Village. Looking at the Kickstarter campaign and their development blog, this game has a lot of potential.
FACE IT is a game about facing the most challenging fellings in human mind. The darkness is inside you, waiting for light.
Funding
Goal - $5,000 by Saturday 4th April
My
Opinion - Following on from the The Baader Meinhof Phenomenon, Face iT focuses on the mind. To get a full appreciation of it, check out their Kickstarter page, which also has a link to a free demo of 10 levels - from my short play through it was very impressive.
Play as Dutch, a boy who must save the land from utter demise and live up to his family legacy as a master thief.
Funding
Goal - $300 by Sunday 22nd March
My
Opinion - Finally this week is a small classic RPG being developed by a single developer, with an impressive amount of work looking like it has already gone in it to it. If you like classic RPGs then take a look and see what you think.
Welcome to our Monday recap of past featured games, with Arco, Mini Racing Adventures and Sportball Manager needing your support on Kickstarter. Arco by Last Minute Games
A fast-paced puzzle RPG set in a fantasy world. Fight hordes of monsters, meet quirky characters and challenge epic bosses.
Current Status - as of 2nd March it is kr12,619 (Danish) towards its target ofkr165,000 by Monday 16th March. Btw kr165,000 = $25,000. It also still needs your support on Greenlight.
Sportball Manager by Paralux Lead your team to a championship in the future's awesomest sport. Sports management meets strategy/RPG gameplay, in a pretty package.
Current Status - as of 9th March it is $2,564 towards its $15,00 goal that it needs to reach by Thursday 26th March. It also needs your support on Greenlight.
Tiny Robot Justice Squad by Mind Relay Tiny Robot Justice Squad is a 2D action platformer/arena shooter for Windows, Mac OSX and Linux platforms. It has explosions, big guns, big bosses and quick-paced platform gameplay. The game is being developed by Mind Relay (which is actually just one person!), with all proceeds generated by the game to be donated to the charity GamesAid which helps disabled and disadvantaged young people. Carry on reading to learn more about the game and how it will support good causes!
Current Status - A fun-looking game with proceeds from it being donated to a good cause. Check it out and make sure it gets greenlit.
Barbara-ian by Studio Owlbear Break-neck dungeoneering with 1 hit point. You play Barbara-ian, a mythical badass with perma-rage & a penchant for smashing. Featuring super fast paced physics based mayhem, one hit is all that stands between you and a quick restart
Current Status - went up on Greenlight on 14th February but still needs your votes to get Greenlit - highly recommended for 30 minutes of high quality fun.
Mad Games Tycoon by Eggcode "Form your own game studio in the early 80s in a small garage. Develop your own game concepts, create a team and develop million-selling video games. Research new technologies, train your staff and buy larger office buildings. Expand your business and dominate the world's market for video games!
Current Status - currently at 0.150305A with changes and bug fixes being made on a consistent basis. It is worth noting that it is very playable at the moment and worth supporting if you like these types of games.
Mordheim: City of the Damned by Rogue Factor Mordheim: City of the Damned is the first video game adaptation of Games Workshop's cult classic tabletop game Mordheim. Set in the Warhammer World's decimated Empire city, Mordheim: City of the Damned is a turn-based tactical game where you lead warbands into bloody and lethal skirmishes. The game blends RPG elements, fast-paced tactical combat and intricate unit customization in a time wrought by chaos and rivalry where only the strongest survive.
Current Status - Recently had it's third update, adding a new warband, warband management and some new battle types. Last week it had a significant patch as well, fixing a number of bugs from the last update. There is a really handy guide on their early access page for what will be coming in future updates as well.
War for the Overworld by Subterranean Games Tired of invading dungeons? It’s time you build your own. War for the Overworld is a Dungeon Management Game that employs your favourite aspects of the RPG, RTS and god game genres.
Current Status - The final game will be released on 2nd April 2015 but in early access you can currently access a lot of content from the latest update from Christmas Eve, including a short tutorial campaign of 3 missions, a sandbox mission and a survival mission.
I’m a big fan of sports management games; even for
sports I wouldn’t normally be interested in.
With that in mind I was very interested to see a new game on Kickstarter
– Sportball Manager – a sports
management sim based on a futuristic and fictional sport. I was luck enough to speak to the developers
of the game – Paralux – and got their
thoughts on the game, as well as advice for other indie developers out there.
Q. Tell us all
about your game
Sportball
Manager is a sports management sim that's based on
a futuristic, fictional sport. You take charge of a team from the bottom of the
league, build it into a championship contender by acquiring awesome players,
and try to stay alive (avoid being fired) for as long as you can.
Each franchise has different bonuses, like leaders
from Civilization, and you’ll have to
decide what kind of team to build. Do you want to min-max by specializing in small/quick
or big/bruising lineups? Or do you want something a bit more balanced?
You’ll build that team through familiar sports
concepts: free agency, trades, and an amateur draft. We've put twists on all of
those systems to make them more fun (and less like a plain simulation). In the
“draft”, you’ll actually be moving scouts across different regions of the
world, trying to sign prospects before your opponents. The free agency period
is condensed so it’s more strategic and doesn't drag on, and trading is much
more straightforward (rather than having a prolonged back-and-forth
negotiation.)
Along the way, your players and your franchise level
up, and you’ll add new skills and abilities that help you on and off the field.
Players Earning XP
By creating a fake sport, we’re able to focus on
making the gameplay as fun as possible, rather than being tied to the rules of
a “real-life” sport. People can focus on building their teams and watching
their players grow into superstars, and not administrating tedious business details.
We’re big fans of the genre, and we wanted to make
something that focused on what we thought was the fun stuff, as opposed to
being hamstrung by having to mimic a real-life sport.
If you think about it, sports are basically the first
RPGs people ever created. You have a team of players (your characters) that
have to gain skills (level up) in order to win (complete quests.) Along the way
you have to overcome challenges, make strategic decisions, and decide on your
tactics, as well, in terms of what kind of team you want to have.
Skill Trees for the Team
By the end, you have a story to tell about how you
finally vanquished your nemesis, or, conversely, how your plan was an epic
fail. But the best part of sports is that the story isn't linear, it's
cyclical. There are always new chapters as teams rise, fall, and then rise again.
There's nothing quite like finding an awesome prospect, watching him develop
into a superstar, and then having him ride off into the sunset and eventually
be inducted into a hall of fame.
Capturing all of that, along with a love of sports,
was our inspiration.
Q. How long has
the game been in development?
A little over a year.
Q. Have there been
any particular highs or lows in development?
Oh yes. There have been plenty of both.
Like a lot of indies, we've been living off savings. I
think that means the peaks and the valleys are both magnified. When you have a
setback, it can really feel disastrous. And when things are clicking into
place, and you feel like you're going to succeed in spite of the difficulties,
the temporary relief from that pressure makes everything feel that much better.
One example of a high was when we came up with the
idea for the "grace period," which is basically a failure condition. I was really excited. It helped the entire game design fall
into place, and that was a big kind of "A-ha!" moment. That lasted a
couple days before the grind set back in.
As for a low, there have been a couple times where I
thought we had a system design somewhat finalized, only to realize that it
wasn't going to work. I think we've redone the culture tree two or three times,
trying to find the right structure and progression. That one has been
particularly tough, and each time through has been harder, mentally, than
before.
Q. Do you have any
advice for other indie studios?
Game development is a hard process. It's a journey.
Try not to get too high or too low, because swinging between the two can be
exhausting.
If you've been slogging away in your office for a long
time and feel down, come up for some air to help get re-motivated. Show what
you have at the IndieCade East Show-and-Tell. Email other developers. Get
feedback on some pre-alpha art or systems. Get active on Twitter. Anything. My
impulse was to keep my head down and try to work as hard as possible, because
there was always so much to do, but I think mixing it up would have ultimately
been much better.
Start doing your community building at least 6 months
in advance of whatever launch you have planned (Kickstarter, straight to a full
release, a Greenlight campaign, etc.)
I think that's the single most important thing I can
recommend. I've heard developers regret design decisions, launch decisions,
rushed planning, etc. I've never, ever heard a developer say they spent TOO
much time on community building and getting a bunch of followers.
There are a lot of people and sites in the indie scene
that promote first-pass art, rough screenshots, and things like that. Use them.
Talk to people. Build interest. Get as many fans as you can. People will start
to follow you, and you can build up from there.
Q. What are your
plans for the future?
In the immediate future, we'll be on Twitch.tv at PAX
East on Sunday from 11:45-12:00 to talk about the game. I'm really looking
forward to that.
For longer-term plans, realistically, we just have to
see how our Kickstarter and Greenlight campaigns go, along with our launch. Those
are such big variables that it's hard to know what our next step will be. We've
talked about potential DLC and have a backlog of features we'd love to add, so
if there's enough demand we'd love to go down that path. If not, we might try
our hand at another game entirely, we might try to bring Sportball Manager, as it is, to iOS, or we might have to go back
into the corporate world to rebuild our savings, and try this again later. The
future is wide open.
That's both exhilarating and a bit scary.
Further Info
If you like the sound/look of Sportball Manager check out their:
