Category Archives: Games and Software

Indie Alert: Noct

Horror is a genre that relies on multiple layers of design. Designers have to know these layers inside and out, as well as study their players to see what’s working to make a game scary. Often times, the titles with residual horror tend to stand out the most, such as Silent Hill 2 or Amnesia. These games have elements that stick to the player, often with their narrative or hints at one.

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The Indie scene has blown up over the past few years with titles like Five Nights At Freddy’s and Slender soaking up popularity. This, in turn, has many developers focusing on horror. Devolver Digital is helping developer C3SK bring Noct to a reality.

Noct is a top down, multiplayer shooter that mixes elements of Silent Hill and Rust with monsters of which Lovecraft would be proud. Players see and control their survivors through a satellite feed, while given directions by a mysterious being known simply as XMIT. Who XMIT is and why he is helping the player are some of the questions that make these exchanges especially unsettling. It seems that XMIT wants nothing more than to see the survivor succeed, but is just as quick to move on upon death.

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The game carries many solid, uncanny elements in its visuals. According to the game’s website, Earth has been cast into perpetual darkness, plagued by monsters known as the Nocturnal. The monochrome color screen fits with the notion that the player is being watched from above, presumably by mostly XMIT. The monsters of the game are all terrifying and overwhelming, as they can kill players with a single hit. The HUD is also cryptic; players must manage ammo and supplies without any clear numbering. It’s never easy to fight off a monster when ammo is low, but it’s oppressive just knowing ammo is low in general.

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It’s important to note that Noct has not been fully developed. It is currently under Early Access on Steam and has already gone through quite a few patches. As of now, once most objectives are cleared, it seems that players can get stuck in a loop to gather supplies. Being that many monsters can simply chase down the player, especially the little worms, there isn’t as much horror as there is frustration. The game’s framework is there, but the actual experience feels just as empty as the world its attempting to create.

Noct does carry a visual and thematic framework that could turn into something special. The monsters look great and the graphic style is oppressive, all while being accompanied by some interesting guitar songs that are reminiscent of Silent Hill. I was also hoping to get that overwhelmed feeling that comes with horror games. No matter what forced my character to say “Uh oh,” there was usually little room for avoidance or for confrontation. Most of my session included heading towards a waypoint, dying, and then continuing to the waypoint, until reaching it. It didn’t feel scary, just time consuming.

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Being enclosed in a building, frantically grabbing supplies, felt unnerving, especially when the scratching of claws got closer and closer.

Let’s hope Noct continues to evolve and capitalize on those moments.

Indie Alert: Sombrero

Sombrero Game Cover 2It’s hard to stand out in a flood of game development. The marketplace is a wondrous bazaar of innovation, experiences and expression. Stepping into this marketplace is overwhelming as a player. As a developer, it’s terrifying. Therefore, when an independent developer makes something unique and special, we journalists like to raise our banners and call more people to play it. Today, I do just that.

The developers at PixelMetal have been hard at work on chaotic multiplayer, akin to Super Smash Bros. with spaghetti-western themes: Sombrero.

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Maps are large enough to hold four players comfortably, while retaining the chaotic nature of the game.

Sombrero will feel familiar to players of Smash Bros. and Towerfall: Ascension. Large stages filled with culture becomes a shooting gallery for cowboys, skeleton gamblers and cheese. The game’s humor is apparent in its themes and characters. In fact, the first time I fired this up with a friend, we couldn’t stop laughing. Our brawls were as messy as a saloon after a good bar fight, but we never stopped having fun.

Sombrero Deathmatch stage
Sombrero Deathmatch stage playthrough.

While playing an early test build of the game, I played two different modes, Loot and Deathmatch. Deathmatch is exactly what one would expect: find other banditos and introduce them to a six shooter, dynamite or the dreaded pulse gun.  On the other hand, Loot encourages more movement on the map to collect sacks of scratch. Players can also claim campfires to increase a modifier, which doubles the amount in a cash sack by however many campfires the player has claimed. Loot will surely be the main mode players gravitate to, as it feels less one sided in most occasions. I did play with only one other person, so a full on four-player match would feel much different.

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Character design is one of the funniest aspect of the game.
Character design is one of the funniest aspect of the game.

This indie is one of those casual games that emulates some truly great game designs, but remains fresh due to its lighthearted approach. The themes found in the design of the characters, stages and music fit well together. Makes me crave a shot of whiskey over leered eyebrows, with a pistol at my hip and a knife in my boot.

Sombrero will be hitting PC, Mac, and Linux in a few months, but I hope to see it ported to other consoles as well. This frantic western would fit well on the Nintendo Wii U or the PlayStation family of consoles. Either way, Sombrero is worth picking up and playing with some brave cowboys and cowgirls.

Expect a good time at the saloon with Sombrero.
Expect a good time at the saloon with Sombrero.

For gameplay footage, check out the video below on the Giga Geek Youtube Channel. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIClrQmg0Dc]

Indie Watch: Outer Heaven

If you are anything like me, the release of Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain was the sharpest double edged sword you’ve ever been cut by. You finally get to play  a masterful peace of art that is rewarding down to the soul.  A true feeling of control in every situation and creating your own cutscene-worthy moments make the game a must play—and has garnered high scores all around the net. On the other hand, with Hideo Kojima leaving Konami—or taking a “vacation” as Konami calls it—playing this game means the end of an era. There will be no announcement of the next MGS game down the line. This is truly the end.


Outer Heaven early gameplay – Indie DB

Or is it? Enter Boker and his game Outer Heaven. The game is described by its creator as, “. . . a Metal Gear(MSX) remake with Unreal 4 engine, you will play all original storyline with detailed scenes, details, and places.”

For those, like myself at one point, who didn’t know the Metal Gear series started before the PlayStation 1, allow me to catch you up: this game will be an updated version of Solid Snake’s first major mission. You will embark on a solo-sneaking mission to take down Big Boss, his nuclear weapon Metal Gear and topple his Outer Heaven army by utilizing tips from teammates via radio, your wits, and whatever you may find along the way.

Outer Heaven stands to be an amazing update to bridge the gap between the exploits of Big Boss and Solid Snake. The early gameplay video gives us a glimpse into the developing world in action. Because it’s a very early build, the character models are not quite the iconic levels we may be accustomed to. The environments, however, are clearly a cut above Metal Gear Solid levels already. The sound work has been established early: the infamous exclamation sound when Snake is seen by an enemy solider. Even the music invokes memories of tactical espionage action.

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The original Water Place from Metal Gear (MSX)
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Water Place in Unreal 4 Engine

It is still very apparent that the potential for greatness is there. The screen shots that have been released thus far show great promise and a solid attention to detail when compared to their counterparts in the original title. Boker also plans to add voice work to the final version of the game using the script of the original title updated to make the remake fit better with the series cannon.
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However, as with any sign of greatness, there’s also a dark side. For those looking for alternatives to their favorite franchises or rebirths of a long lost series, the cloud of cancellation always looms overhead. As amazing as this looks and as great as the potential may be, at any point in time Konami or Hideo Kojima can pull the plug and banish this dream back into nothingness. Several 3D Pokemon titles have met a similar fate over the years as well as some of the more popular M.U.G.E.N. fighting titles. Legalities are nothing to play with, especially at a time when there seems to be less money circulating through the gaming industry and more people wanting to make it big.

Comments from Outer Heaven IndieDB page
Comments from Outer Heaven IndieDB page

Fingers crossed that this game sees the light of day. As a HUGE Metal Gear fan, the MSX titles (Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake) are just too dated for me to play. This revitalization of these titles would give me my first real chance of reliving the first battle between Snake and Grey Fox, the fall of Outer Heaven, and a bridge between Kojima’s first masterpiece and his last.

Stay tuned people. This is either going to be really awesome or dead before it even sees the light of day. Man, that’s really upsetting.


Outer Heaven Teaser 2 – Indie DB

 

Metroid: The Sky Calls

Fan films, as I have discovered before, can capture what makes these honored franchises so special. Metroid: The Sky Calls is a short film by Rainfall Films. The film portrays Samus in way that kind of heals the wounds left by Other M. Rainfall also does a great job of keeping space mysterious, with more focus on the locale than the action.

Check out this awesome fan film before Nintendo takes it down.
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Yoshi’s Woolly World Makes me Feel Warm and Fuzzy

Nintendo has a way with creating wonderful settings with its characters. In the past few years, the company has enabled some of their franchises to change things up with new styles and art directions. Kirby’s Epic Yarn was one of those experimental titles, but suffered from harsh criticism for its lack of challenge. Good-Feel, the same developers of Epic Yarn, took its knack for handmade adventures and brought it into its newest title, Yoshi’s Woolly World. 

From the onset, there is a clear difference visually between Woolly World and Epic Yarn. The Wii U’s high definition capabilities make every single asset stand out in Woolly World’s handmade style. The yarn-spun creatures and backdrops look tangible, with every fiber clearly visible, giving Yoshi’s environment a fuzzy feel. It’s hard not to smile while playing; even watching gameplay is a delightful experience as crocheted waterfalls and cotton ball clouds set the stage for Yoshi’s rescue mission. Yoshi must travel to each world to put together the other Yoshis, who have been unraveled by Kamek, all before Bowser Jr takes over the island. A simple story, but one that feels like a wonderful bedtime tale.

Yoshi's adventure through handcrafted levels is wonderful.
Yoshi’s adventure through handcrafted levels is wonderful.

Those expecting a casual experience should keep an open mind. There are over 2000 items to collect in the game and these items are well hidden from the beginning. Back on the SNES in Yoshi’s Island, I could usually snag all five flowers on the first run through, but in Woolly World, I’ve only managed to get all five flowers on a couple levels after two worlds. Players truly have to search each level thoroughly to succeed, but the drive to do so is built into the game’s premise. The main collectibles are bundles of yarn that, when collected, knit together a unique Yoshi that’s usually themed with the level. Players can then use these patterned friends as playable characters, including some that show off Nintendo’s legacy.

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Completing various challenges unlock console based skins! Image courtesy of NintendoNews.com

Woolly World can be described as an updated Yoshi’s Island in the best ways. The game challenges players to learn how the mechanics work, similarly to Yoshi’s Island, but the yarn-made aesthetics change up the way challenges are presented and approached. For instance, Yoshi now unravels his enemies and throws balls of yarn, which can bounce off of water to reach items that can’t be reached by swimming. Chain Chomps are now wire frames that chase the player, but can be covered in yarn to use as a boulder to reach new heights, crush enemies, and press weighted switches. The yarn-based physics creates new ways of thinking.
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Chain Chomps can be pacified with yarn!
Chain Chomps can be pacified with yarn!

Yoshi retains his strange ability to transform into various vehicles, but the forms make much more sense in this setting. In one level, Yoshi grows massive, stomping around like a Toho Kaiju. In another, Yoshi becomes a motorcycle for a high speed race across water spouts that look like blue, cozy blankets. Each form is used to break up the standard platforming gameplay in interesting, albeit brief, ways.

Some forms are stranger than others, but each section offers unique challenges.
Some forms are stranger than others, but each section offers unique challenges.

Good-Feel has gone above and beyond with Woolly World.  The entire game offers unique visuals and mechanics that are inspired by Yoshi’s Island, but add new layers of depth. Yoshi will forever hold his spot as a hero of one of the best Wii U titles in its sparse library. It’s a delightful experience for all ages, including veterans looking for a solid platforming game. Hopefully, Woolly Wold’s success will lead to more experimentation from Nintendo.

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