Indie Game of the Week 13: Combat Free

Week 5:
Titan Souls


About the game: Titan Souls was developed as part of Ludum Dare 28 in only a couple days is open and sparse, with a lilting piano melody beckoning you into a world of giants with each note, enticing you to slay them, with a twist. The twist? In line with LD28′s theme of “you only get one,” you have just one arrow and one HP with which to bring down four titans. Also, you can dodge roll like a crazy person. However, keep in mind that Titan Souls is not an easy game.

Devolver Digital liked the concept so much that it’s now being turned into a full game coming in Q1 for PC, MAC and PS4, VITA with an all-new engine with better graphics and more fluid movement, a larger overworld with a greater attention to detail, and a ton more boss fights with greater complexity and improved balance.

Why should I be excited? Titan Souls is a game that blends the toughness of the Dark Souls series with the surreal nature of Shadow of the Colossus. It has a retro art style, and players will be tasked with felling large creatures in order to obtain their powerful souls, using nothing but a single bow and arrow.



Extra Info: Trailer of the game, Soundtrack preview on ACID NERVE the developers

My thoughts: I love the art style of this and I do like SotC and from what I know of Dark Souls, this is right up my street and shouldn’t be too long in till we get the game as well.

masofdas wrote:

...you have just one arrow and one HP with which to bring down four titans.

There's difficulty, and then there's unpleasant difficulty.

The full game version might of changed but I don't think so as that's the main concept of it.

Balladeer wrote:

masofdas wrote:

...you have just one arrow and one HP with which to bring down four titans.

There's difficulty, and then there's unpleasant difficulty.

I've played the game jam version which you can also do here: http://ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-28/?action=preview&uid=7984

I also have a thread for this in the playstation section so I'll post what I said there here:

Jaster wrote:

I just finished the game jam version and its not really frustrating, unless you make a stupid mistake (like roll into the boss) I just found myself getting more determined after each death.

It's a bit like Hotline Miami in some ways.

The bosses also run on the same rule as the player does so that's another thing that stops any major frustration.

Week 6:
The Talos Principle



About the Game: The Talos Principle is a first-person puzzle game created by Croatian developer Croteam & published by Devolver Digital. The game features a philosophical storyline. The game is available on PC & Mac and is slated for release on PlayStation 4 and Android platforms in Q1 of 2015.



Why should I be excited? A very well received game on PC & Mac, having a meta score of 86. With some comparing it to portal as it's a thinkers games in this you assume the role of a sentient artificial intelligence placed within a simulation of humanity's greatest ruins that are linked together through an arcane cathedral. Players are tasked with solving a series of increasingly complex puzzles woven into a metaphysical parable about intelligence and meaning in an inevitably doomed world.

My thoughts: What I've seen and heard about it, I'm quite excited for something like this on PS4.

Trailer and a Zero Punctuation Review

When in Rome from the OST

Forgot to reply about Titan Souls! I read about it in EDGE a while back and it sounds like a grand idea. Hopefully it'll come out on a format that means I can give them some cash for it.

As for The Talos Principle, the lead picture alone is enough to get me interested in it. It reminds me of M.C. Escher pictures from the other shot in mas's post and anything with 'puzzle' in its description also floats my boat. Nice work, all!

Week 7 is up on Gintendo

Indie Weeks are back here due to popular demand also I've left week 8 very late as I couldn't decide on what game to do, so I waited for today to do Week 8 & 9 together.

Week 8:


About the Game: Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number coming to PC, Mac, PS3, PS4 and Vita March 10th is a 2D top-down action video game, developed by Dennaton Games and published by Devolver Digital. A sequel to Hotline Miami, Wrong Number takes place before and after the events of Hotline Miami, and focuses on the aftermath of the protagonist Jacket.

Why should I be excited? Unlike the first game there will be thirteen characters with the game featuring multiple points of view that take place at different points in time.



Extra Info: A level editor has also been announced, but will be added later in spring 2015 after the game's release.

My thoughts: I’ve only recently started playing the first game but from what I’ve played and I am very much looking forward to the game as part of spring fever.

Hopefully the controversy around the game doesn’t affect it too much.

Trailer


Week 9:


About the Game: Ori and the Blind Forest is a platform adventure game designed by Moon Studios and will be published by Microsoft Studios and is out March 11th on PC & Xbox One.

Why should I be excited? In the game players control Ori a white guardian spirit whom long ago fell into a forest and was adopted by a bear-like creature that raises Ori as its child. A malevolent entity Kuro, appears and takes Ori's mother from him, forcing Ori to explore the forest on his own.  Initially, Ori is very weak and can only jump about. During the game, Ori meets Sein who will both guide Ori on his adventure and attack enemies.

Designers say they have taken inspiration by works such as The Lion King and The Iron Giant and that it would be a "coming-of-age story".

Extra Info: Moon Studios, a worldwide collaboration of designers and programmers who have been working on the game for the past four years, with Microsoft acquiring the game about a year after development started. One of the lead team members is Thomas Mahler, an artist formerly working with Blizzard Entertainment.

According to Microsoft producer Daniel Smith, Moon Studios is not located in any one location, but instead staffers can be found throughout the world, from Austria to Australia and Israel to the United States. Gameplay programmer David Clark described the team as being inspired by current and classic adventure games, notably the Rayman and Metroid franchises.

E3 2014 was also the first time a number of Moon Studios employees had actually met face-to-face.



The art style is meant to appear hand-drawn, similar to the more recent Rayman titles that utilize Ubisoft's "UbiArt" graphics engine; the game instead uses the Unity engine. The game takes place in one large map, and is planned to be rendered at 1080P and 60 frames per second with no visible loading time.

My thoughts: Looks so dam gorgeous and the main reason I want a Xbox One again, I do hope Xbox One owners download this game but I do feel it will be lost on most of them.  

Trailer

Already prepurchased Hotline Miami 2, and been listening to its soundtrack to get hyped up for it. Very excited!

Ori And The Blind Forest looks brilliant and I'd love to be able to play it at some stage. Hotline Miami 2 I can take or leave.

So I've just posted my interview up on Gintendo, please have a look

Good read Mas. Sounds like an interesting title!

On an unrelated note to the game, that omelette sounds delicious.

It does apart from the potatoes

I'm interested by his comparison to To The Moon. I don't know whether he's making that comparison based on the fact the game's built in RPG Maker or if it's because To The Moon has an astoundingly brilliant story, but it's not an RPG game in any real respect, despite being built in RPG Maker.

I think the story elements but as I've not played To The Moon (what's it on) I couldn't really go much into like I could with bringing up FFIX.

It's on PC, and a potato could run it. I'd be very surprised if whatever you Internet on wasn't already up to the task of running it.

Cool I will look into it, I might pick up a cheap 360 controller as my laptop can run Civ 5 not very well at all but can run it that I most likely can play things like To The Moon easy but I don't want use a mouse & keyboard unless it's something like a Civ 5 where it makes sense.

I will also try to get a answer for question Jay.

To The Moon doesn't need controller support - there's no twitch reactions needed, as it's barely a game besides some point and click adventure style puzzling.

Cool any others I can checkout easily then by what I said I would be interested in from are STEAM talk also checkout the interview again as you have a answer.

So yep the Interview with enlighted games is up and taht will cover Indie Week 11

It's mechs now

Quad Post, back to old normal now and I did miss last week to give a bit of breather,

Week 13: Wander


About the game: Wander is a collaborative, non-combat, non-competitive MMO game focused on narrative and exploration for PS4 & PC which was planned for Q1 2015, last date I've seen is that it's coming April.

You begin life as a giant tree with little understanding of who, or what, you are. You are brought to life by a rare flower, which holds powers that will change your course and reveal new areas.

Enchanting opera singers guide you on your journey through the forest. Secrets are unlocked as you create friendships with other wanderers and piece together the unfolding storyline. The game encourages you to explore the beautiful world around you, seek out others like yourself, and take on new forms, each with their own unique abilities and stories.

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to soar the skies and feel the wind blow under your wings as a griffin, to be one with nature as a noble Oren, or swim the depths of the ocean as an agile amphibian, then uncover the enigma of co-operative, exploitative gameplay that is Wander.

Trailer from PAX



Extra Info: The game won two awards at PAX East 2015; Most Innovative and Best Indie MMO

My Thoughts: Looks very different for a MMO which is still a genre not really with much of exposure that more can only be a good thing along with looking lovely from the trailer above also the soundtrack might be also be a standout.