“The thought of running into a starving grizzly bear in the deep forest right before the icy chill of winter sets is pretty nerve-wracking.  Some might suggest it’s best to stay put and play dead when in such a scary situation; others say it’s better to extend your arms and act intimidating. But what on earth are you meant to do when the bear comes charging out of the bushes driving a beat-up jalopy?”

Check out the full review here at Gamezebo.

The Company of Myself – это платформер-паззл с игровой механикой Chronotron и Time Donkey. Наш рассказчик, Джек, на каждом уровне должен добраться до двери, используя свои копии из прошлого в качестве платформ.

Некоторые загадки очень сложны и требуют серьезной концентрации и четкой логики, чтобы разгадать их. Есть уровни с выключателями, навеянные Braid, силовые поля, через которые могут проходить только копии, и много обрывов, куда можно падать. К концу игры некоторые паззлы, которые требуют невероятной точности по времени, начинают немного раздражать, но тут нет ничего, от чего вы бы рвали волосы на голове.

История отлично подана, что похоже снова навеяно шедевром Джонатана Блоу (Jonathan Blow). В целом, это милый платформер-раздражитель. Поробуйте его на сайте Newgrounds.

Оригинал статьи: indiegames.com

Witajcie,
Dawno nie było żadnego info od ekipy Evil Indie Games, zatem w tej chwili przerywamy ciszę i nadajemy jak się sprawy mają:

- Zespół kolegi bidibidiego przeszedł do drugiej rundy Android Developer Challenge ze swoją aplikacją Cartoon Gang!
Serdecznie gratulujemy i trzymamy kciuki za dalsze sukcesy!
Więcej o Cartoon Gang możecie przeczytać >tutaj<

- Jeśli chodzi o gry ze stajni Evil Indie Games to pod koniec listopada udostępnimy pierwszy epizod przygód dzielnago dresiarza Drechu Drecha! “Drechu Drech i wypasiona przygoda” – bedzie flashową grą platformową, z wesołą, kolorową grafiką i niezmiernie intrygującą fabułą. Do pogrania w domu, szkole, biurze i w kościele!
Więcej informacji niebawem.
Bądźcie czujni…

Объявлены победители конкурса инди-игр на флэше JayisGames’ Casual Gameplay Design Competition #6.

Первое место (1000$): Small World от David Shute.
Специальную награду от сайта Armor Games (500$)получили:

1. Small Worlds от David Shute
2. Full Moon от Bart Bonte
3. How My Grandfather Won the War от OneMrBean

Приз зрительских симпатий (500$): Small Worlds от David Shute.

А теперь полный список 10 лучших игр по результатам голосования.
(ленивые могут пройти сюда и прочитать мини-обзор, который был составлен добрым человеком почти месяц назад еще до объявления победителей.

Я настоятельно рекомендую посмотреть хотя бы первые 3 игры, т.к. все остальные в сравнении с ними действительно смотрятся несколько блекло. Качество игр все же снижается от 4го места к 10му, за исключением разве что Hell Tour.)

Small Worlds


Игра, берущая атмосферой. Тут и геймплея-то почти нет (да тут вообще ничего нет!). Но есть что-то другое, особенное. Наверное, это называется душа.

Вообще сама игра еще до конкурса получила массу лестных оценок, так что ее победа не то чтобы удивительна.

Full Moon


Второе место занимает приятно оформленная классическая головоломка, где для прохождения уровня надо дать зайцу то, что он хочет.

How My Grandfather Won the War


Одна из наиболее понравившихся мне игр. 2D скроллер, где мы летаем самолетом, уворачиваясь от препятствий. Но если задержать, а потом отпустить <пробел>, самолет выплеснет вперед воды, смыв изображение и обнажив настоящую картинку. А я разве не говорил, что самолет картонный и летает над щупальцами, огромными звездочками ниндзя и прочим порождением фантазии дедушки?

The Fantasy of the Sord


Классический платформер с большим-пребольшим миром для исследования. Игра стилизована под старые SNES игры. Есть даже несколько персонажей (которые различаются только внешне XD). Также есть боссы, улучшение старых магических заклинаний, нахождение новых (которых правда не так много), разное оружие и прочие атрибуты РПГ.

The Fabulous Explorationsland


Миленькая игра про исследование острова с секретами, тайными ходами в дверях и прочим.

Hell Tour


Небольшая пошаговая РПГ на 18 уровней, сделанная к Хэллоуину. Вы играете за призрака, который пытается выбраться из ада. Переещение по карте пожирает soul, который можно восстановить получив новый уровень или выпив лечилку.
Для прохождения посленего уровня обязательно, чтобы одно из ваших умений было максимально прокачено.

Following Footsteps


Интересный концепт игры: мы читаем журнал путешественника и пытаемся повторить его маршрут, чтобы найти сокровища. В журнале есть зарисовки местности, а мы можем читать более поздние записи, если не можем найти текущую стоянку путешественника. Вот только экран игры маловат, но это скорее всего сделано специально, чтобы уменьшить обзор.

Beyond the Never


Мрачный платформер о том, как герой просыпается в неизвестном мире и пытается найти выход из него (похоже это сейчас популярный сюжет). Игра опять же берет атмосферой и исследованием мира. Видимо скоро вместо жанра adventure появится отдельный жанр explore.

Aubital


В этот раз мы будем катать шарик в темноте. Шарик правда иногда ведет себя немного странно, но в целом играть довольно интересно.

Trees

Очередная головоломка с поиском ключа и прочего. Но я не до конца понял идею, так что понятия не имею, за что игра получила 10е место.

Сегодня у нас несколько свежих инди-игр и 8-битная музыка.

Vox Populi Vox Dei

Восхитительная кровавая игра про убийство вервольфов. Местами довольно сложная.
Поиграть в интернете

Alchemia

Приятный флэш-квест с хорошей графикой и интересными головоломками.
Поиграть в интернете

Au Sable

Жутковатая инди-стрелялка от автора All Of Our Friends Are Dead (btw крутое название).
Скачать Au Sable
Скачать AOOFAD

Game Music 1

Отличный 8-bit альбом. Все композиции короткие (альбом минут на 10) и не надоедающие. Я уже поставил себе в ротацию XD
Скачать

4 thrilling levels that’d make games like Sonic jealous.

As described on their website:

Igneous is an action platformer where you play as a tiki totem trying to escape from a raging volcano. By running and jumping, players have to navigate their way through dark caverns, forge raging lava rivers and cross crumbling bridges to make it out of the inferno alive. With stunning graphics and intense physics, each level is a new challenge to overcome. Easy to pick up, but hard to master, Igneous is an adventure you won’t soon forget! Escape!

Download it here.

“Not all free games are nice, neat, and tidy. Some involve poop, others involve vomit, and a few involve snot. Bodily functions are a part of being human, and some indie game developers felt inclined to explore the grosser side of game design. We applaud them for their gall, as the results are hilarious, fun, and a little disturbing. A few of the scatological oriented selections in this month’s Free Bytes medley might make you throw up in your mouth a little bit, but we assure you it’s going to be worth it. Enjoy!”

Check out the full article here at IGN’s Green Pixels.

Alright so I haven’t posted since the beginning of the month and I don’t even have an excuse this time. I was lazy. In the last couple days I’ve been playing a free little game from Derek Yu that has compelled me to post though.

It’s called “Spelunky”. This game has been out for several months now and it’s gotten quite a positive critical response, so perhaps I’m a little late to this party, but it’s due out on the XBLA some time in 2010, so at least I’m ahead of those Microsoft loving plebs.

In the game, you play as a little Indiana Jones style explorer and you need to explore these pseudo randomly generated levels in order to get money and plow through to the bottom of the cave. Apparently the game was made with classics like rogue and nethack in mind, meaning it has an initially simple premise and presentation, but it’s complex and rewarding over time.

What’s so awesome about it?

There is a legitimate sense of adventure. The game gives a quick little tutorial if you want it, but it doesn’t tell you anywhere near everything you need to know to survive. You will learn about the game world as you go, and you will enjoy doing it. Maybe you thought every little pile of bones you walked by was purely decorative until one of them jumped up and attacked you. Maybe you thought you could jump on one of those Audrey II style flowering plants. Maybe level 3 had always been lit, until this time, where you need to play though it in the dark! The game does have a limited number of tricks to throw at you, but for the first many plays, it will be a joy to discover them.

It’s not a completely masochistic game though, in case you’re thinking it is the challenge gamer in me doing all the recommending here. You’ll fail ALOT on your way to the bottom, but you’ll learn as you go… and it will never feel truly unfair. The game teaches you to be careful, to learn from your mistakes, and to be methodical.

When you do die (and you will), there is no recovery. You die and the game is over, regardless of how much wealth you built up on your way through the levels. Some things take hit points from you, but some hazards kill you instantly. This makes the game truly tense when you’re down to your last hit, or when you’re dodging monkeys over a spike pit.

I won’t say the game is “infinitely replayable”, because it’s not. The game is hugely replayable though. It will be a long time before you exhaust every possibility and learns everything there is to learn about Spelunky. Even when you do, perhaps you’ll want to play through and try to get the maximum possible amount of money. Perhaps you’ll wanna get through without killing anything, or trying any number of different challenges. I made fun of this kind of gaming when I ripped apart FFVII, but with this game it is particularly encouraged, plus the game is short enough to allow for it without needing you to be a complete lunatic.

Mac users, this game is worth dual booting to play (although I run it in VMware fusion, just to let Windows know it’s subordinated). If you’re running windows and you haven’t played Spelunky yet… give it a shot!

Things have picked up a bit since the last post, but progress is still unsatisfactory. I won’t bore you with the details, because I have some other matters to address this time around (roughly in order of magnitude):

First off, I launched a portal site for The GDE project. Previously, I had just been linking and referring to the documentation as the main website for the project in various profiles and such around the Interwebs. Given the decentralized and varied nature of the project aspects, I slowly realized the documentation wasn’t exactly main site material. So I had a minor-minor epiphany to make a simple, flashy portal site that summarizes and links to each project aspect. Check it out.

With that massive announcement out of the way, it’s time to drill down some minor updates for each project aspect:

• documentation version 0.9.3 released
  • modified the main menu to look better IMHO.
  • modified notes here and there; no need to get into the details.
• forums
  • added a new skin — “soft green” — modified slightly. Let me know what you think about it.
  • added a new forum called Meta Discussion. There, we can discuss the various aspects of the project, specifically how to improve them.
• presentation
  • same ol’, same ol’. But I’ve been thinking about updating it recently. Feedback on it is welcome (see sub-bullet item right above this one).
• twitter
  • added an avatar. Something I made a while back. Do you know what it is (from)? Tweet me the answer. One free Internet for the first correct response.
• this blog
  • added a “Message of the Now” widget. It’s to make simple announcements mostly pertaining to this blog in some dimension.
  • changed the theme. Don’t be surprised if you see the theme change a few times from now until whenever. I think this is the fourth one I’ve used since creating this blog.

That about covers it. In the near-term, it’s back to the promotion circuit. And I also plan on modifying, merging, and moving stuff on the forums shortly. Maybe my next update will truly be radical.

his radical level is above 9000

“Wandering piggies are often prone to getting themselves into trouble. Such is the case with one special pink oinker who winds up accidentally falling into a dark cave network without any means of climbing back out. Despite squealing with all its might, there’s no one around to help the poor critter. In desperation, this little piggy makes a wish…and it actually comes true. But the newly-sprouted feathery wings sticking out of its back will take some getting used-to. That’s where your fast fingers and steely nerves come in.”

Check out the full article here at IGN’s Green Pixels.

So it’s been about a week since I’ve launched the project. In the meantime, I’ve been promoting the various aspects of it on a few forums and monitoring traffic. So far, it’s been really slow. Here’s a rundown of the various aspects:

forums

Only one registered user so far besides me. However, I have had as many as 23 guests visit in one day, which is pretty good for the limited advertising and promoting I’ve done. But the problem is registration (an important aspect for any fledgling forums). Anyway, I urge you to visit the forums, register, and become an active collaborator. But if you’re wondering what the forums is for to begin with, then read the next report…

main site / wiki

According to my site statistics, the wiki hasn’t been getting hardly any hits at all. Either the statistics are inaccurate or something’s wrong here. The referral links from visitors (links they clicked to get to it) are not coming from the other project aspects (twitter, forums, this blog), but rather from one plug I made on the main site’s host forums. I expected that people visiting the forums would click on the other project links to find out more about it, but no one has unfortunately.

Anyhow, the main site / wiki is where the current documentation for The GDE is housed, and it has all the necessary info to get you up to speed on The GDE concept. Don’t hesitate to peruse the many topics and notes contained therein. But, if you’re looking for a more structured and traditional approach to getting your feet wet with The GDE concept…

presentation

Even less people have viewed the presentation, which is meant as a sort of fun, lighthearted yet informative introduction to the concept. The only referral links to this are from the same source as the wiki’s referrals. If you’re reading this now by chance, then may I suggest viewing the presentation so that you can gain a better understanding of what this project is about? After viewing it, maybe you can offer me some suggestions on how to improve it. Because I know it could use less text and more visuals. =P

twitter

I have two followers thus far, and one is someone I know. I haven’t been sending any tweets yet because it seems kind of pointless without at least a handful of followers (i.e. I can’t attract a following by just posting short tweets!) The purpose of The GDE’s twitter account is to post micro-updates that aren’t substantive enough to blog about, to post links for any updates project-wide, to keep in contact with GDE collaborators and network The GDE. But I need some more followers before I cant start tweeting and networking. So, if you’re at least remotely interested in this project, then by all means become a follower, even if you don’t plan on contributing.

conclusion

Ultimately, the success of The GDE as it is now depends on you since this is a bottom-up, grassroots project built around collaboration and absence of money. Right now I’m just one guy with an idea about how independent video games could be developed differently. I know there exists an ensemble of like-minded others out there willing to help shape a concept they can relate to and bring it to fruition.

“Why would you want to make your house float up into space? When it comes to the limitless possibilities and potential for weirdness in the gaming world, I suppose the real question to ask is why not? Attaching balloons to your abode seems a good a means as any to slowly launch it skyward, but keeping it afloat is far more challenging than you might think. Sit down for a few minute of Higher!, and you just must not get back up for a few hours. Watch out. The sky is calling.”

Check out the full column here at IGN’s Green Pixels.

If finals are good for anything, it’s inspiring me to finish games that I started a long time ago and never got around to finishing.  Case in point, I finished two games in one day during this quarter’s finals, one of them being World of Goo (and the other being The Path, but we’ll get to that later when I’m feeling more ruthlessly sarcastic and analytical).

I’m a huge fan of Kyle Gabler anyways, what with the Experiment Games Project and what little I had seen of World of Goo so far (basically, the demo, and my friend screaming at it during class breaks).  The kind of innovation that inevitably sprouts from things like EGP just puts me in a fit of glee and has made rapid prototyping something very dear to my heart (and something I like to play with when I have the time- like now!).  Our school is running a rapid prototype competition next quarter and I cannot WAIT.  Excitement!

Anyways, the point here being, Kyle Gabler was amazing enough to me beforehand and World of Goo has just made him that much more epic (but we love all of 2D Boy, especially Ron Carmel’s last name).

World of Goo!  I knew we’d get there sooner or later.

This game is genius.  Not to beat a dead horse or anything, but really, it is.  If you haven’t bought it or *at least* downloaded the demo to give it a go (I know people like this still exist, I already converted one), do it.  The controls are simple and smooth (hint: mouse + click + drag), the fourth wall is continuously and elegantly broken, the dialogue is witty, often satirical and all sorts of other favorable adjectives, and the art is gorgeous, cohesive and wonderfully stylized (now might be a good time to mention I’m not the biggest fan of realism in games).

But the gameplay!  There’s the real gem of it, and shouldn’t it be?  It is a game, after all.   The pacing is exquisite and keeps the entire thing enjoyable and refreshing (kinda like gooballs).  Every time the thought started to creep up in my head that the current mechanic (a certain type of gooball, variety of levels, etc.) was getting old, something new and different and perfectly at home popped in for a breather.  Rarely was anything impossibly challenging for more than a few hours of eye-bleeding monitor staring and never was something so easy that it felt boring or out-of-place.

It’s a short game (not so much for an indie title, I suppose), but it’s a perfect example of quality over quantity.  The replay value is still there, nothing is worn to death, and everything is polished and lovely.

I’m sure I left out some critiques of it (seeing as I haven’t written any down yet), but that’s because I forgot them all in a haze of glory and ponies.  Go buy it and figure out what you don’t like for yourself: it’ll probably be a short list.

I’m going to go bake a cake for 2D Boy now.  Next time I’ll be meaner, I promise.

“Something about their vile, shiny transparency simply disgusts you. Looking through them makes your skin crawl. You can’t think of anything you’d rather do than smash them into tiny marvelous bits. Your name is Maximillian Q. Worthington and you hate windows with a burning passion. When a strange package arrives at your doorstep containing a flamethrower and jetpack, you know exactly what you must do.”

Check out the full column here at IGN’s Green Pixels.

Late saturday night blog post from me. I’ll keep it short: Play Braid!

You wont regret it. Rich story, beautiful graphics, interesting (hard) puzzles, pleasant music.
Great concept. Amazing ending.

Buy here
Play free demo here

Stop reading… Go buy… If you’d rather play it on Xbox, thats also okay.

“Jump off a tall building while opening your mouth as wide as possible, and you’re likely to emit a sound that closely resembles the name of indie developer Dejobaan Games’ latest effort. How cleverly fitting, since that’s exactly what Aaaaa! is all about. This out of control base jumping simulation wins far more than the award for being one of the longest and weirdest-named games around. If your day needs an adrenaline-fueled injection of some serious WTF, look no further.”

Check out the full review here at GamesRadar.

“Some people seem to have an aversion to anything involving learning and studiousness, but there’s a way around that. Education can be delivered under the guise of fun, if it’s packaged correctly. Whether it’s math, English, or another useful pursuit, some sneaky developers have managed to make honing important skills enjoyable. This month’s Free Byte’s medley looks at some brainy freebie games that just might exercise your noggin without you even noticing it.”

Check out the full article here at IGN’s Green Pixels.

“Penguins can’t fly, but don’t try telling that to this particular little guy. Equipped with a serious case of denial and a toolbox full of helpful mechanical goodies, this black and white arctic bird sets out to prove to the world he’s got what it takes to reach the sky. Come hell or high water, this persistent penguin is not going to give up without a fight. Through repetition, smart use of technological resources, and a little gumption, you can help the poor fellow eventually attain his lofty goal.”

Check out the full column here at IGN’s Green Pixels.

Recently I have been spending a hell of a lot of time on a small indie game called “Minecraft”.
What it is is a world created completley out of different types of blocks, you’ve got sand blocks, soil blocks, water blocks, glass blocks etc etc. These blocks can be deleted and replaced with a different block, so on Singleplayer you make generic houses and dungeons.
But it’s on Multiplayer this game really shines, with several people working on a prodject you end up with things like inverted glass piramids or massive stone castles, some of these things have to be seen to be believed.
This may sound perfect but it’s not, like every game online you get a bunch of douch bag’s, here called “Griefers”. What these people do is go along and take chunks out of your buildings/monuments/whatever, so you may leave behind a massive tower and come back the next day to find it gone, of course this doesn’t happen on Singleplayer but it’s much more fun and easier to build something with friends.
The only other problem (although temporary) with it is that the forums have been down for a while so I can’t ask if I have a problem. EDIT: This has now been fixed

Minecraft is free to play, so that’s an instant recomend from me, but if you want to change the look of your charecter the game costs 10€, £8.85 or $14.60, I’ve brought it and there’s nothing to regret from such a small amount of money (my name on it is AstroNit by the way).
It’s only in it’s Alpha stage at the moment but when it’s been released the price will raise to 20€ so it’s best to buy it ASAP.

If I’m going to review more games like this I’d better get a system in, instead of 9 out of 10 etc etc I’ll either “Recommended” or “Not Recommended”, simple.

Overall I give Minecraft a “Recommended” (I also recommend buying the game).

Minecraft can be found and played at http://minecraft.net

It’s also worth checking out the YouTube videos on it just to see what can be made.

Thanks, Astro Nit
(Joe)

(The reason the screenshots are bad is because they were taken off YouTube videos on my iPod)

“Playing Osmos is like gazing into a petri dish full of living microorganisms through the lens of a high-powered microscope. You control one single mote amongst many in a low-key cage-match to see who can grow the biggest. As a single-celled organism, your main objective in most levels is to absorb enough matter to dwarf — and ultimately consume — the bulk of the other motes in your microcosm. Any smaller motes you come in contact with are absorbed and make you increase in size. But accidentally bump up against motes that are larger than you, and they’ll suck you up like the last drop of a frosty milkshake.”

Check out the full review here at IGN’s Green Pixels.

It’s been awhile, but it’s time for the Indie Trio!  This edition features games that are hard.  They may not be impossible, like the infamous I Wanna Be The Guy, but they are by no means easy.  Try at your own risk… or if you’re up for a challenge.

1. Tower of Heaven

Tower of Heaven is one of the difficult platformers that seem to be popular to make in the indie community.  Thankfully, in addition to being difficult, it’s actually fun.  The ‘laws’ that the god-like figure in the game create are ridiculous, and make you do some crazy stuff to make it to the next floor… but, that adds to the fun.  Chack out this video to get a good feel of the game:

You can download Tower of Heaven here.

2. Tasty Static

Tasty Static, according to the creators, is “a videogame where you go really fast and jump a lot”, which pretty much explains the game.  More specifically, though, it involves you racing down a strip while trying not to die.  Which will happen… a lot.  But, the game still ends up being fun.

Expect this to happen a lot... yes, even 8 seconds in.

If you like this sort of game, you can download it here.

3. FallOver!

FallOver! seems like a normal platformer… until you run into something.  I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but… let’s just say it makes the game just a little challenging.  It is short, though, so if you stick with it, you’ll see the ending soon enough.

Ouch.

If you wanna try FallOver! out, download it here.

—

That’s it for this Indie Trio!  I promise, the next one won’t have you pulling your hair out.  ;D

“Rabbit wants cake…because he appreciates it a lot. He wouldn’t share his cake with anybody but you. By the way, did you know he loves what you’re wearing today? Yes, it seems adorable bunnies will say anything these days to get a sweet baked treat previously reserved for humans only. With those cute whiskers, fluffy tail, and strange radio antenna sticking out of his back, it’s hard to resist giving him what he wants, but you’ll have to figure out how to do so first.”

Check out the full article here at IGN’s Green Pixels.