Tag Archives: Adventure

The Unlikely Legend of Rusty Pup (PC)

The Unlikely Legend of Rusty Pup

Developer(s) – Gory Details

Publisher(s) – Gory Details 

Designer(s) – Chris Seavor

PEGI – Not rated (some horror elements)

Released in 2018 and designed by the lead programmer of Conker’s Bad Fur Day Chris Seavor, The Unlikely Legend of Rusty Pup is an open-ended puzzle game following a robotic dog named Rusty trying to find his way home through a wonderfully dark and dank 2D world. This game is an example of how I came into an indie title completely unprepared for what it had in store, and I was pleasantly surprised with the end result.

Graphics – 8/10

The game is set in a steampunk-inspired world made up of cogs and machinery. It bears somewhat of a resemblance to games like SteamWorld Dig and SteamWorld Heist. But with a far more surreal and compellingly bleak atmosphere. Darkness follows the player character everywhere with few specks of light made available to players to activate along the way in order to guide Rusty throughout each stage. The soundtrack is also suitably creepy to go along with the game’s settings. The environments, in particular, made me wonder about the world’s backstory and how it was created. And who created it in a similar manner to what Shadow of the Colossus did. It’s almost a character in and of itself.

Gameplay – 8.5/10

Rusty Pup relies heavily on the player’s initiative in order to solve what is at times mind-bending challenging puzzles. Players must make use of light in each stage as well as robots that can be used to temporarily stop time and guide Rusty through certain areas. There’s also a small world-building element, whereby players must set up platforms for Rusty to follow in order to access otherwise impassable areas or to break falls that Rusty would otherwise not be able to survive.

This mechanic can also be used to the detriment of NPCs by setting up traps for them. Aesthetically, it takes influence from the likes of Lemmings and Flockers. But it offers an entirely different experience from the aforementioned games that, as I said, was not prepared for in the slightest. It can take some patience to get into, as it’s a game unlike any other.. But once the player figures out the core mechanics, it makes for a very enjoyable and mystifying experience.

Controls – 10/10

A simple point-and-click game by design, there are no issues with the controls whatsoever. It can be played either on PC or on iOS and for both platforms, the game works out just fine. It may offer a different experience if the game was ever ported to conventional consoles. But it wouldn’t create anywhere near enough of a problem for it to render the game unplayable. If Plants Vs. Zombies can be ported to consoles, this game certainly can be as well. 

Lifespan – 8/10

The base game can be made to last a minimum of 20 hours. But to complete the game to 100% will take a fair bit of additional time. There is also DLC planned for the game in the future, so this will further add to the game’s lifespan in turn. But ostensibly, to make a puzzle game last for the amount of time it does is an impressive feat in any case, with or without DLC. And there would certainly be scope to expand the series at a later date given how potentially extensive the series’ mythology is. 

Storyline – 7/10

The game’s story follows Rusty Pup, a mechanic dog on a single wheel who has apparently been flushed down a drain prior to the start of the game. With ambiguity about whether or not he fell down or if someone or something pushed him down there. Alone. But with an optimistic attitude, he resolves to find his way out of the steampunk labyrinth and make it back home. The game’s story is as ominous and as wonderfully dark as its settings, with a lot of mystery surrounding how Rusty got to this stage in the first place. And with how wistful he sounds at times in stark contrast to the foreboding situation he finds himself in. All characters, including Rusty, speak in rhyme, which again adds to this contrast. Seemingly carefree, yet obviously in a terrible situation.

Originality – 9/10

Especially over the last gaming generation, coming across a unique indie title has become exceedingly difficult, with me looking for unique settings, unique gameplay, unique control schemes, and unique stories. But much to my delight, this game ticks all the boxes flawlessly. After having interviewed Chris Seavor himself:

https://scousegamer88.com/2021/01/24/the-full-twelve-tales-of-chris-seavor/

It became obvious to me that his creative talent was nurtured during his time at Rare. And having played Rusty Pup, he has demonstrated that he is certainly as capable as Rare’s most standout alumni, such as Gregg Mayles, Kevin Bayliss, Martin Hollis, David Doak, etc., of creating wonderfully weird and delightfully fun games to play as the likes of Banjo-Kazooie, Goldeneye 007 and Perfect Dark. 

Happii

Overall, The Unlikely Legend of Rusty Pup is unbelievably well thought out. And compelling title that’s every bit as enjoyable to play as any top indie title. And I can’t recommend it enough. To me, it’s no wonder why Chris Seavor is most proud of Rusty Pup, as, in my opinion, it’s his best project to date. 

Score

50.5/60

8/10 (Very Good)

Q&A With Parhelion Rift

Once again on the lookout for new upcoming games, I came across yet another awesome-looking indie Metroidvania title currently under development. Twofold Tales, developed by indie outfit Parhelion rift based in Vienna, Austria, is a Metroidvania heavy on combat and exploration, as well as incorporating a strong RPG element in the form of character building and learning new abilities along the way. The story involves the main character named Pars, as she embarks on a journey across an entity known as the Iceberg in order to uncover the mysteries that are buried within. With a desire to learn more about the game, I got in touch with Michael and Evelyn, the couple currently working on the game, to ask a few questions I had about it in this early stage of development, to learn more about what can be expected from the finished title. Here’s what Michael and Evelyn had to say about Twofold Tales:

 

Twofold Tales 1

What were the influences behind Twofold Tales?

Michael: It probably all started when I played The Battle Of Olympus on the NES in 1991. From a gameplay perspective, we were mostly influenced by classic 2D Metroid games and Axiom Verge. One of our game-defining skills was inspired by an episode of Rick and Morty, called A Rickle in Time.

Evelyn: Aesthetically it’s difficult to pinpoint a single source of influence. We love hand-drawn animations like the movies The Secret of Kells, Song Of the Sea, Ghibli movies, but are also very fond of the Art Nouveau art style like Alphonse Mucha, I think it’s kind of a marriage between both meeting on an arctic island.

 

What has the developmental process been like?

Evelyn: It has been an interesting and challenging learning process so far, as developers and as a couple. In the beginning, we were only able to work on our game in the evenings after our day jobs. Also, it’s a learning process in itself how to work together with your partner, especially when you’re living together and the line between private life and job is blurring. It can be quite daunting sometimes, I have to admit, but on the other hand, it’s the most fantastic thing in the world to be so lucky to create something together with an excellent partner who understands you so well like no one else.

Michael: Currently, we’re fortunate to have personal savings to sustain ourselves for the near future and to channel our whole energy into developing Twofold Tales and raising our baby daughter who was born during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even when there are sometimes tough stretches, we love how liberating it is to have total creative freedom in designing the game we want to make and to be in the driver’s seat.

 

Twofold Tales 2

How close are we to seeing the finished product?

Michael: We’re still in the middle of the development process, with no fixed date for the final release. A public alpha demo that includes the entire first area is planned for summer 2021 together with a Kickstarter campaign and we’re really excited to be able to get some additional gameplay feedback, to be able to further improve Twofold Tales.

Evelyn: Most of the underlying systems for the game are finished, the game mechanics are set, the whole world is playable in development mode. What remains is creating a lot of artwork.

 

What has been the most exciting aspect of development?

Michael: As with most Metroidvanias, certain parts of the world will be ability-gated. It was exciting to create branching exploration points where depending on what you discover, different areas open up to you first and you often can decide where you want to go next. For most of the game, we want to offer a very non-linear experience where players can explore the world very openly and arrive at different points of the game via a different route and with a different set of main upgrades. All areas had to be balanced around which abilities you might or might not have at that point.

 

Twofold Tales 3

What has been the most challenging aspect of development?

Michael: While Unity generally was good to prototype and develop in, we were quite unhappy with the physics system for certain aspects of the game, for example for player and enemy movement – especially with high-speed projectiles. We replaced that with a raycasting solution to make this aspect of the game feel more responsive and accurate. The same goes for rope physics, where the hinge- and distance-joints just didn’t look satisfying, so we switched over to Verlet integration.

Evelyn: Also as we’re only a two-person and three-cats team, there is quite a big workload we have to handle ourselves. Developing, creating graphics and audio, writing updates for social media. It sometimes feels a bit overwhelming, but it’s also very exciting and we’ve learned a lot along the way.

 

How well has the game been received so far?

Evelyn: We have only started to release information about the game last month and so far we have received very positive reactions to the aesthetics of our game. It’s exciting and encouraging to see what people think of it. Also mostly you’re living inside your head when you’re developing a game and to correct that possible tunnel view, it’s very helpful to get feedback.

 

Twofold Tales 4

What platforms are you looking to bring the game to?

Evelyn: Our launch platform will be PC, followed by Linux and probably Mac. We would love to port it for the Nintendo Switch. We actually got quite fond of the Switch mockup screens we made for ourselves.

 

What were the team’s prior developmental experiences before the formation of Parhelion Rift?

Michael: We both studied media informatics and in fact, this was also when we first met each other. Afterward, we both worked as full-time developers in medium-sized companies, creating desktop and mobile applications for telecommunication- and internet-service-providers.

 

Have there been any lessons brought into the development of Two Tales taken from the development of Cats Who Stare At Ghosts?

Evelyn: When we developed Cats Who Stare At Ghosts, we used the libGDX framework for development. It’s fine to do as much as possible yourself, but once you meet a comfortable game engine like Unity that takes over a lot of tasks, you never want to go back.

 

As a cat lover myself, I have to ask will there be cats in Twofold Tales as well?

Michael: There are a lot of secrets hidden in our iceberg, some of them fluffy 😉

 

Have there been any ideas at this stage of development that has since been scrapped or reworked?

Michael: As we’re more gamers and programmers than artists ourselves, we’ve re-iterated over certain parts of the graphics and animations several times already and will continue to do so.

 

If you had the opportunity to develop a game with any company or any franchise, which would it be, and why?

Michael: At the moment, I actually like the freedom of not having to work for another company or being limited by an existing franchise.

Evelyn: I would so love to work on a Zelda title, especially if it follows in the footsteps of Ocarina of Time.

 

Do you have any advice for aspiring developers that may be reading this?

Michael: Do what you really want to do, not what others deem good or what society thinks you should do. This does not mean that you should ignore feedback, feedback is extremely important and vital during the entire development process and other people spot flaws way better than you ever could. However, in the end, make it your game, the game that you would love to play, but hasn’t been invented yet – make it for yourself.

Evelyn: Start today! Don’t wait for that big idea, but start with something small and just keep learning.

 

Where on the Internet can people find you?

You can follow us on social media, we love to share the progress of our game and chat.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/parhelionrift

Twitter: www.twitter.com/parhelionrift

Facebook: www.facebook.com/parhelionrift

And there is also our website www.parhelionrift.com

Feel free to get in touch with us! 🙂

 

Do you have anything else to add?

Thank you very much ScouseGamer for the opportunity to give others insights into our game and a huge thank you to everyone interested in Twofold Tales. Your kind words of encouragement and comments mean the world to us and keep us going.

 

I’d also like to thank Michael and Evelyn for their unique insight into what players can expect to see from their game upon release, and also to congratulate the couple on the birth of their baby girl. Twofold Tales holds promise as an extremely standout Metroidvania title with a new and wonderfully cohesive concept, and I’m very much looking forward to what the final game has to offer. In the meantime, anyone wanting to keep up with Michael and Evelyn as development unfolds can do so by following their various social media pages and visiting their website, but I hope you guys enjoyed reading this article as much as I enjoyed working with Michael and Evelyn.

Game on,

Scouse Gamer 88

Sonic Adventure 2 (Dreamcast)

Sonic Adventure 2

Developer(s) – Sonic Team USA

Publisher(s) – Sega

Director(s) – Takashi Lizuka

Producer(s) – Yuji Naka

PEGI – 7

Released to a generally favorable response from critics at the time, Sonic Adventure 2 delivered a much different Gameplay experience from the original Sonic Adventure with a more linear play progression, a side quest beloved by many Sonic fans. And the introduction of new characters such as Shadow the Hedgehog and Rouge the Bat. I did spend a great deal of time playing through this game multiple times when I was a kid. But going back into it with an entirely new perspective, I’ve come to the conclusion that I prefer the original game for a number of reasons. 

Graphics – 9/10

The main thing Sonic Adventure 2 improves on its predecessor, however, is the quality of the visuals on the technical level. Some cutscenes are even presented at 60 frames per second unlike the first. Which was presented entirely at 30 frames per second throughout. From a conceptual standpoint, it’s just as wonderfully varied as the first game was taking place in vibrant cities, deep jungles, space stations, and even pyramids. As far as graphics go, it was most definitely one of the best-looking games on the Dreamcast. 

Gameplay – 8/10

The gameplay is structured much differently than the original too. As opposed to having six different overlapping scenarios, there are two scenarios to play between the heroes of the game and the villains, with Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles making up the heroes. And Dr. Robotnik, Shadow the Hedgehog, and Rouge the Bat making up the villains.

The gameplay structure is far less open-ended than the original with merely two predetermined paths. With the added side quest of Chao raising, which is like raising a farm of Tamagotchis. Some players even think that the Chao raising is the best aspect of the game. But to me, in comparison to the first, it falls below par. The gameplay concept of the original game needed to be expanded in the right way. And the developers didn’t do that, making for a more than decent gameplay experience. But just not the experience it could’ve been. 

Controls – 7.5/10

The control scheme is as varied as in the original game, with both Tails and Robotnik in mobile robots this time around. Differing from how Tails handled it in the first game. But the problem. Being is that Sonic’s control scheme, along with Shadow’s, is the same as what is the first Sonic Adventure. And as such, it still presents the same problems. If anything, they actually seem more prevalent as there are fewer open locations than there were in the first game. So although there are positives in regards to the controls, there are enough negatives to keep it as lacking in fluency as the first game. 

Lifespan – 4/10

The biggest downgrade compared to the first game, however, is in regards to the Lifespan. The first game lasted an underwhelmingly short amount of time anyway at 8 hours. But the second game can only be made to last about half that time. Which for a game in a series as popular as Sonic is unacceptable. The point of a sequel is to build on the ideas perpetuated by the first in an attempt to create a better game. And having the second last less time than the first is not building on the first in a positive way. 

Storyline – 8/10

One aspect in which there have been improvements made, however, is in the story and the dialogue. The six characters involved are in the search for the seven chaos emeralds again. But this time, Dr. Robotnik enlists the help of Shadow The Hedgehog and Rouge the Bat to find the emeralds to activate a weapon capable of destroying planets to ensure his dominance over the world. Although there are serious Star Wars vibes, almost to the point of self-parody in fact, the element that makes this game’s story much more interesting than the last is Shadow. On the surface, he seems no better than the likes of Robotnik. But after slowly learning his back story, the player can come to empathize, or maybe even sympathize with him like I ended up doing. 

Originality – 5/10

The game stands out from the original but in many of the wrong ways. Although the overall experience isn’t bad by any means, it’s just not the game it could’ve been developed into in my opinion. And it left me wanting so much more than what is offered. It’s an exceptional example of how not to build on a successful game. Giving players a somewhat watered-down experience. In the end, I found myself asking a lot of what-if questions about this game. And to me, it’s always a bad sign when I find myself doing so. Because it’s a clear indication of the game falling short in comparison to what it could’ve been given a little more development time. 

Happii

However, as much as I have criticized this game, Sonic Adventure 2 is still an enjoyable gaming experience with a fair bit to offer for the short time it lasts. Although it’s nowhere near the quality of the game it had the potential to be, it just about does enough to be considered a worthwhile sequel. 

Score

42/60

7/10 (Fair)

Enter the Matrix (PC, PlayStation 2, GameCube & Xbox)

Developer(s) – Shiny Entertainment 

Publisher(s) – Infogrames

Director(s) – The Wachowski Brothers

Designer(s) – David Perry

ELSPA – 15+

Set during the event of the second film The Matrix Reloaded and directed by the film’s original directors, Enter The Matrix was released to mixed critical reception. But performed very well commercially at the time. Personally, this is one of those games that to me is extremely enjoyable to play. Yet gamers and critics seem to hate it for unjustified reasons. A lot of critics at the time commented that both the game and the film were devalued as a result of the release of the game. But I disagree. I enjoyed the film and the game in equal measure and I still do.

Graphics – 9/10

On a technical level, the visuals were cutting the edge at the time. And they more than adequately hold up to this day in comparison with any other sixth-generation titles. There is an odd graphical glitch here and there to prevent it from receiving a perfect score for visuals. But they are few and far between. The best port of the game in terms of this would be the Xbox version. In terms of conceptual design, it’s exactly what people who have watched the films can expect. It’s dark and gritty. And takes place in many locations that are in the film itself. As well as a few new locations added for good measure. 

Gameplay – 7/10

Enter The Matrix is a third-person action adventure that’s heavy on hand-to-hand combat as well as gunplay. If I would have to compare it to any other game, it would most like be Max Payne. As it plays out quite similarly to the former. Again, it’s exactly the kind of game that people familiar with the films can come to expect in terms of gameplay as well. Players can instigate slow motion to their advantage similar to how the film is shot and they have a variety of different weapons and combat abilities at their disposal throughout. There are also car-chasing sequences whereby players either have to control the car or shoot from the window to fend off enemies. Depending on which character they are playing as. There are two-story arcs to experience within the game. This gives it a fair amount of replay value in addition. 

Controls – 8/10

The biggest issue with the Controls in terms of the targeting system. It’s supposed to work in a similar fashion to Ocarina of Time. But as it’s meant to be instigated automatically, it can cause issues with things like hit detection. But otherwise, the control scheme is handled as well as what was needed. I certainly didn’t have as much of a hard time as many other gamers and critics seemed to have. 

Lifespan – 5.5/10

Enter The Matrix can be made to last about 6 and a half hours, which for a linear action game isn’t too bad. If compared to Max Payne in this respect, it falls short, as the former could be made to last around 20 hours. But for those looking to experience this game in full, there is plenty to do to keep things entertaining throughout. It didn’t perpetuate the standards that were met at the time in terms of Lifespan compared to many other games released back then. But it’s not as painfully short as many other games would in years to come either. 

Storyline – 8/10

The story takes place during the events of The Matrix Reloaded but is told from the perspective of a member of the ship The Logos, led by Captain Niobe. She, along with her partner Ghost and their operator Sparks, are tasked with various missions in order to help Neo fulfill his destiny. And bring about the end of the war between man and machine. The story is well written to the point that it feels almost like one massive deleted scene from the Matrix Reloaded. Jada Pinkett-Smith gives a solid performance as Niobe and the plot fits in nicely with the events of the second film. It all ties in to make for what is a very cinematic experience without it feeling too cinematic, like in many other games. 

Originality – 8/10

In terms of uniqueness, it’s exactly what fans of the film come to expect in every respect, but the gameplay, despite the gripes that people may have with it, was enjoyable to a great enough extent and still remains so in my opinion. The combat system, though somewhat flawed, was unlike anything I’d seen prior to playing it. It stands out as a licensed game that was of a decent standard before the general standard of licensed games would be elevated with the release of Batman: Arkham Asylum in 2009, and in my opinion, very unfairly overlooked. 

Happii

Overall, Enter The Matrix is a far better game than what people have given it credit for since its release. Though it has its problems, it’s an enjoyable game that ties in with the films flawlessly. 

Score

45.5/60

7.5/10 (Good)

Maximo: Ghosts to Glory (PlayStation 2)

Maximo

Developer(s) – Capcom Digital Studios

Publisher(s) – Capcom 

Designer(s) – David Stiller, Scott Rodgers & William Anderson

Producer(s) – Mark Rodgers

ELSPA – 11+

Originally intended for release on the Nintendo 64 and eventually ported to the PlayStation 2 back in 2002, Maximo was released to huge critical acclaim. Received well by not only the current generation at the time but also by many old-school gamers. As what the developers intended. Drawing inspiration from the Ghosts ‘N Goblins franchise, the aim was to bring the classic style of challenging gameplay to the sixth generation. And provide players with a much more stern challenge than what they would’ve been used to at the time.

Personally, though I have a few gripes with the game, especially as I don’t think it’s aged as well as other games on the system, I say as a prerequisite that I spent a lot of time playing this game when it was released. And for good reason. Overall, it’s one of those Capcom franchises that has sadly been neglected in recent generations. Along with Breath of Fire and Viewtiful Joe. 

Graphics – 7/10

The game takes place in a world partly inspired by Ghosts ‘N Goblins. But the inclusion of other more varied landscapes such as marshes, ice worlds, and even hell itself, makes it do well to stand out from its spiritual predecessor. As well as from many other games of the time. The biggest issue I have with it, however, is as the game was intended originally for release on fifth-generation hardware, it is quite evident that that was the case.

Some of the textures in the game are inconsistent with what players would’ve been used to even at this relatively early period within the sixth generation. And it makes the game look even more outdated today as a result. The cutscenes throughout do relatively well to try and supplement that, however. And there were other games released on the PlayStation 2, later on, that looked even more outdated than this, including Malice

Gameplay – 8/10

The aspect in which this game truly stands out, however, is in the gameplay. A linear 3D action-adventure platformer, it plays out very much like a 3D version of Ghosts ‘N Goblins. With players having to rely on quick wits, revision of enemy attack patterns. And conservation of resources in order to stay alive and grow stronger over time. There is a multitude of abilities to acquire throughout the game. As well as power-ups providing perks such as invisibility and elemental sword augmentations. For a game that emphasizes challenge so much, however, it’s remarkable how easy the boss fights are overall. The only exception to that is the game’s end boss, which can feel incredibly tense throughout. 

Controls – 10/10

Mercifully, there are no issues with the controls in a game that relies on precise platforming and we’ll-timed attacks to get by. It’s actually quite impressive how well-handled they are for a game that perpetuated such a new idea at the time. As if the developers understood what it meant to include the best of the sixth generation. As well as the sense of challenge that came with the best games of the kind during the third and fourth generations. 

Lifespan – 6/10

As a linear game, Maximo can be made to last about 5 hours, which is okay. But not great, even for a game of the time. In a generation where twenty-plus-hour platformers were being developed on the PlayStation 2 like Jak & Daxter and Ratchet & Clank, this game pales in comparison in terms of lifespan. Though you can appreciate the developers were in a time crunch to get it out as soon as possible since It had been in development hell to an extent, I couldn’t help but think what kind of a game it would’ve been given more time spent on it. 

Storyline – 7/10

The story of the game is quite basic, with a few distinct elements thrown in for good measure. It involves a knight named Maximo who resolves to free his love interest, Sophia, from the evil King Achille. At the start, Achille kills Maximo, who is in turn revived by the Grim Reaper. He delegates to him the task of stopping Achille from raising the dead to build his army. The Grim Reaper is easily the best character in the game, as he provides the most personality out of any other character by a country mile. Similar to how Genie is the best character in Aladdin. There is a nice twist at the end, which will throw players for a loop, as it did to me. But the developers definitely put more stock in the gameplay, as developers should always do in my opinion. 

Originality – 7/10

This game was like a breath of fresh air for many gamers at the time, old and new. It provides a stern challenge for third and fourth-generation veterans alike. And still provides a stern challenge for the most part to this day. It’s certainly a must-have for fans of games made on the same ilk in recent years like Dark Souls, Cuphead, and others, but it provides a very different kind of challenge in another respect which, as at the time of its release, can be appreciated by gamers of all different generations. 

Happii

In summation, Maximo: Ghosts to Glory is a gaming experience that, whilst may not hold up in terms of visual quality, definitely holds up in terms of gameplay. I recommend it to any player who may be looking for a new kind of challenge that whilst stern, is still not entirely inaccessible. 

Score

45/60

7.5/10 (Good)

Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights – First Impressions

Whilst scouting out new developers on Twitter, I came across another indie Metroidvania game in development that caught my eye and decided to get into contact with the team involved about further coverage. Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is a Metroidvania game influenced by a plethora of different titles from what I could deduce at first glance, including Dark Souls, Castlevania, and Shadow of the Colossus. I was captivated by this game after watching the trailer, and even more so after playing merely the first ten minutes. Published by Binary Haze Interactive based in Tokyo, and released on Steam Early Access later last month to an overwhelmingly positive response from players, it shows a great deal of promise in almost every aspect and I’m very much looking forward to playing the full title. Here is a full account of my first impressions of the game. 

 

Graphics

The game is set in a lost kingdom which the player must explore and uncover the mystery of as the game progresses. The kingdom is a desolate abandoned place with a strong sense of melancholy, but at the same time, perpetuating a strong sense of eloquence and beauty. The orchestral, primarily piano-based soundtrack does well to add to that feeling. Even during boss fights, the music sounds very sorrowful in stark contrast to what are some particularly intense combat sequences. Gothic architecture and Japanese landscape are at the center of the design of the in-game world, which gives it a prominent feel of games such as Okami and Blasphemous. 

 

Gameplay

The game is a 2D open-world Metroidvania title heavy on combat, puzzle-solving, and item collecting. There is a massive amount of collectibles to attain throughout the game and even new abilities to learn as well as the facility to find and upgrade weapons. Already I can tell this title has a lot more to offer than many of the other story-driven indie games I’ve played, including Journey, The Swapper, and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture. When a game is heavy on story, like Ender Lilies is set to be, there’s always a risk of the story taking precedence over the gameplay; but even after having played around twenty minutes of this title, I can already deduce that this won’t be the case.

 

Controls

By proxy, I’ve also found no issues with the controls, even in this stage of development. Combat is incredibly fluent, as what is required in a game like this that has a number of particularly challenging boss fights. It plays out very much like Blasphemous in the respect that enemies and bosses deal an incredible amount of damage and that players have to take to strategizing throughout to stay alive. There is a great deal of skill required from players to progress through this game and the control scheme allows for players to do so without any unnecessary compilations from what I can surmise at this point in development. 

 

 

Lifespan

With so many collectibles, weapons, and secret areas to discover across the game’s open world, the likelihood is that this game can potentially make for an experience that will last 20 hours minimum; maybe even longer. It would depend on what more may be added later on in development to determine exactly how long it can be made to last, but it certainly has the potential to beat out a lot of the competition across the indie scene if it can be made to last a substantial amount of time. There have been many indie Metroidvania games that have come and gone that have amazed me in terms of gameplay but lacked in lifespan such as Dust: An Elysian Tail and Ori & the Blind Forest. But with the promise of so many things to do within Ender Lilies, the prospect of this game lasting a long time are indeed there. 

 

Storyline

The story follows a young girl named Lily, who wakes up to find an unknown guardian specter tasked with protecting her, and who sets out on a journey to recover her own memory, as well as uncovering the past history of this lost kingdom. The reason why this game reminds me of Shadow of the Colossus is because of the direction in which the story seems to be steering towards, involving a series of tragic realizations with a potentially bittersweet outcome. Even at the same points, the spirits of the defeated bosses join Lily at her side as and when the player defeats them; similar to how the spirits of the colossi gather to stand over Wander’s body as he returns to the shrine of worship after he defeats each of them. The game’s story has the potential to make as much of an impact on the player as the gameplay has the potential to satisfy them; to a great extent. 

 

Originality

With a clear oversaturation of Metroidvania titles continuing to seep into the community of indie games development, it had inevitably become harder and harder to make one in the particular title stand out among so many others. But with Ender Lilies’ approach to gameplay, conceptual design, and story arc, it does have the potential to stand out among most others. There is a strong similarity between this game and Koji Igarashi’s Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, but whether or not Ender Lilies ends up bearing too close a resemblance to the former will depend on how development progresses before its full release.

 

Overall, I was extremely impressed with what Ender Lilies has to offer gamers at this stage in development. It has great potential to offer gamers more than simply being another combat-orientated Metroidvania game and it will be very interesting to see how the final product plays out compared to where Binary Haze is with it at this point in time.

Q&A With Carlos Garza

After bringing attention to a number of indie games seeking crowdfunding on Kickstarter and IndieGoGo this month, I was approached by a developer with a new title that he had uploaded to Kickstarter about an interview in regards to his game. Entitled Humans Took My Neighbours and developed by Mexican indie programmer Carlos Garza, the game is a top-down action-adventure game made in the same vein as classics such as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and heavily influenced by Zombies Ate My Neighbours. It features hand-crafted 8-BIT visuals and takes place in a world inspired by classic horror characters like Dracula and Frankenstein. The objective is to defeat enemies and save the neighborhood from an invasion by monsters. The player’s action also affects the direction in which the game’s story goes, depending on how they choose to deal with enemies throughout the game. Wanting to find out more about the game, I sent Carlos a series of questions to answer about the game, and the answers made for some particularly interesting reading. Here’s what Carlos Garza had to say about Humans Took My Neighbors.

What were the influences behind your game? 

I’ve always been a fan of the game Zombies Ate My Neighbors and that is the biggest influence,  but I also take some influence from classic ARPGS like Zelda and some modern games like Gungeon.

What has the developmental process been like?

It’s been interesting I had the game idea for a while before going into it as I’ve wanted to do a variation of ZAMN, and it has changed a little bit first I focused on getting a visual style for the game set, the gameplay has the been the thing that came after, I thought the gameplay would settle down on something similar more traditional, but I started evolving the gameplay, especially in the last months adding counters to melee attacks, making civilians panic, and adding more RPG touches like dialogs and books you can read and collectibles.

How close are we to seeing the finished product? 

The mechanics are set, so after the Kickstarter, I’ll be focusing only on creating the levels, I believe the mechanics are the most important content-wise and ⅓ of the way, but gameplay-wise I’m ¾  of the way with some minor innovations like puzzles and some transformations on characters.

What has been the most exciting aspect of developing Humans Took My Neighbours? 

Definitely getting the game out there and sharing  I love creating the product, but seeing someone play it or give some positive feedback is definitely a highlight

What has been the most challenging aspect of developing Humans Took My Neighbours?   

The Marketing aspect is the toughest I as I believe there are a lot of great games out there with a very arresting visual style, another thing I believe has been difficult might be trying to balance difficulty with fun

How well has the game been received so far? 

The people who have played it have definitely had fun with it, I’ve received some bad feedback too, telling me to make it more like an RPG but I believe that would defeat the purpose of the creation.

What platforms are you looking to bring the game to?

It’s currently slated for Steam on PC/Mac and Linux with a port to Switch later on.

How important has Carf Darko’s input been throughout development?

It’s been important. I believe the music has a great impact as sometimes I change the level design somewhat to get along better with the music. 

Are there any additional gameplay mechanics that players can expect from the final game? 

More puzzles are going to be added, and in the next half of the game based on how many neighbors are saved the gameplay might change a little bit getting rid of weapon use and turning into monster attacks with a cooldown, also each character will have special attacks with their weapon of choice.

Have there been any ideas at this stage of development that has since been scrapped or reworked?

The civilian mechanics evolved, apart from that not much else.

If you had the opportunity to develop a game with any company or any franchise, which would it be, and why?

I’d love to develop a sequel to Earthbound as It is my favorite game of all time and would love to explore further the world, especially with a direct sequel to the second game.

You mention on your Kickstarter page the lessons you’ve taken from previous games you developed, but has there any advice offered to you by fellow indie game creators?

For sure, fellow developers have encouraged me to continue working and have given me valuable advice, Skull Commander and the developers of Clan O’Connell along with many others gave tips for the Kickstarter and for promotion.

Do you have any advice for aspiring developers who may be reading this? 

Believe in your game and don’t let minor setbacks get you down, don’t forget to reach out to fellow indies as we are very supportive!

Where on the Internet can people find you? 

On Twitter @CarlosGHeron personal account and on @HumansTook for the game.

Do you have anything else to add?

Thank you very much for the opportunity and to all developers reading this; keep at it!

Lastly, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank Carlos for reaching out to me and requesting this Q&A. It was a pleasure to learn more about Humans Took My Neighbours, and I’m very much looking forward to its release. If you like the look of it, you can back it on Kickstarter via the link below:

Kickstarter Campaign

But for now, I’d like to wish Carlos the best of luck with the game and getting it back. It has a lot of potential to be a groundbreaking title within the indie game circle and it will be a joy to see what the final experience has to offer.

Game on,

Scouse Gamer 88

Blasto (PlayStation)

Blasto

Developer(s) – Sony Interactive Studios America

Publisher(s) – Sony Computer Entertainment 

Designer(s) – Jonathan Beard

Producer(s) – Jonathan Beard & David Poe

ELSPA – 11+

Programmed by Star Fox lead developer Dylan Cuthbert and released in 1998 during the relative infancy of 3D gaming, Blasto is a third-person shooter whereby players take control of the titular character to save the galaxy from invasion by an alien tyrant. And apart from one or two elements about this game, it is indeed as generic as it sounds. There were a few things about this game that made me want to like it as I played through it. But unfortunately, there are too many faults with it that I couldn’t forego. 

Graphics – 7/10

Undoubtedly, the best thing this game has to offer is its conceptual design. On a technical level, this was far from the best-looking PlayStation game of 1998. But the in-game world is wonderfully colorful throughout and gets progressively darker as it goes on. The game soundtrack is also very orchestral and well put together. Composed by Syphon Filter veteran Chuck Doud, it’s the soundtrack is as wonderfully dramatic as the likes of Jet Force Gemini or Kurushi. 

Gameplay – 6/10

The game is a linear third-person shooting 3D platformer whereby players must destroy hordes of aliens, solve puzzles to progress, and rescue beautiful women along the way. Like a downgraded version of Duke Nukem 3D if you will. The game is left a little bear for one that lasts the length of time that it does. Which for the time of its release was quite long, especially for a linear game. But it was made intentionally hard, which for a game with bad controls, is never a good thing. Variety is to be had to an extent with a wide range of different guns to discover throughout the game. But not enough variety in enough respects to warrant it lasting as long as it does.

Controls – 5/10

Arriving at the issue of the game’s control scheme, it suffers from the same issue that a lot of 3D platforms had back in the day. Which was that it wasn’t truly compatible with the analog stick, as the original PlayStation controller didn’t come with them. Movement is clunky at best, with the turning mechanics being laughably bad. The only saving grace the game has in this respect is the added ability to turn straight around in one fell swoop so that players don’t have to wait as long to turn a full 180 degrees. But even then, it’s still a massive problem. Another huge flaw the game has is the inability to access the map at will. The map is accessed through various pressure pads across each level and adds nothing to the game. It’s an unnecessary complication and should’ve been rethought before release. 

Lifespan – 7/10

The game can be made to last five and a half hours for those who can get past the above issues. But for those who can’t like me, it may only last one hour at most. It’s all very well and good having a game that lasts a long time, but unless there’s enough to do within that time to keep it entertaining, the game won’t warrant players spending a great deal of time on it anyway. It really needed more to do, even for a game with a linear progression like this. 

Storyline – 6/10

The story follows Captain Blasto, voiced by the late Phil Hartman, who is assigned a mission to stop the alien tyrant Bosc from Invading the planet Uranus, thus putting down a galactic invasion before it begins. The name Uranus is naturally played for laughs at certain points in the game, which was hilarious back in the late 90s, but has since long outworn its welcome; unless played more subtly. But the best thing about the story is the energy that Phil Hartman brought to his role as Blasto, with funny quotes to listen to throughout gameplay. Phil Hartman was a consummate professional who was exceptional at what he did and he worked to his best within the confines of a very generic plot.

Originality – 6/10

Although the game may be one of the earlier examples of a 3D platformer at the time of its release, there had already been many other games in the genre that did more unique things than in this title. Compared to many of them, it still seemed generic even back in 1998. The only things stopping it from being even more generic were Phil Hartman’s performance and the conceptual design, but there was nowhere near enough to make this game stand with the best of the era in any respect. 

Niiutral

In summation, Blasto was disappointing back in the day and has not stood the test of time. It has a couple of redeeming values, but nothing for it to be considered a classic. 

Score

37/60

6/10 (Average)

Q&A With Timeless Hourglass Games

In my efforts to discover more promising upcoming indie games, I stumbled across another great-looking title on Kickstarter entitled Reaper’s Remorse. Developed by Timeless Hourglass Games based in Vancouver, Canada, Reaper’s Remorse is a JRPG heavily inspired by other various titles in the genre such as Witch’s House & Mad Father. A turn-based RPG similar to EarthBound or classic Final Fantasy games, the difference being is that players must also collect the souls of ghostly spirits that inhabit the game’s world by completing side quests they have to offer. There is also an element of puzzle-solving similar to detective games, whereby players must investigate certain situations strewn throughout, which in turn, affect the ending of the game.

Wanting to find out even more about this uniquely crafted JRPG, I contracted its lead designer, Jessica Devitt. She, and the project’s artist, Veronica Prentice, answered what questions I had about this game, and explained in depth what players can expect to see with the finished game. Here’s what Timeless Hourglass Games had to say about Reaper’s Remorse:

 

Reaper's Remorse 1

What were the influences behind your game? 

The biggest influence behind making this game is based around depression and helping recognize its symptoms along with helping others who have it. It is common for people to hide their true feelings. The game follows a similar style. This game comes across as friendly and happy, but deep down lies a dark story. In this game, you will face characters who are struggling in one way or another and will learn how to overcome these struggles.

 

What has the developmental process been like?

Starting the development process has been slow, but if funding goes well I plan to pick up the pace.

 

How close are we to seeing the finished product? 

The target goal is summer 2023.

 

What has been the most exciting aspect of development? 

Seeing your work come to life is really rewarding. After spending hours working on a scene and then seeing it run smoothly is always exciting to me.

 

Reaper's Remorse 2

What has been the most challenging aspect of development?   

Mostly I have had trouble with finding good art assets for making the sprites and maps that match my vision of how the game should look. Though I am hoping to hire someone who can make all the game assets and help better portray the game.

 

How well has the game been received so far? 

I’m still in my first week of bringing my game to the public so there hasn’t been much news yet, but so far, I think it’s been fairly positive.

 

What platforms are you looking to bring the game to?

I am planning to bring the game to Steam.

 

Reaper's Remorse 3

The music accompanying both game trailers on the YouTube channel seems very contrasting; almost like two different types of atmosphere are being perpetuated with the game. Is that a sign of things to come with the final product?

Yes, the mood in Reaper’s Remorse can change quite quickly so you don’t know what you’re expecting as you make your way through the world.

 

Have there been any ideas at this stage of development that has since been scrapped or reworked?

Originally the player was going to play the full childhood of the main character first but there was concern that it would take too long, and the player would get bored. It seemed more effective to put pieces of the childhood throughout the game to keep things going at a good pace.

 

Since anime seems to be at the core of the game’s conceptual design, were there any particular anime series’ that inspired the creation of Reaper’s Remorse? 

I’m a horrible artist so I commissioned my friend Veronica Prentice to do this artwork, so I asked her to answer this question:

Veronica Prentice

“Anime artwork has always been a favorite of mine. A lot of my character inspiration comes from JRPGs. Games like Ib, Mad Father, and Witches House, where the characters are still cute and fun to play while still keeping that dark element to them.”

 

If you had the opportunity to develop a game with any company or any franchise, which would it be, and why?

I have always been a huge fan of Square Enix and would love to work for them. I think the stories they make have amazing detail and depth to them, along with beautiful visuals and soundtracks.

 

Do you have any advice for aspiring developers that may be reading this? 

When I started developing my game I was unmotivated and wasn’t sure if it was possible to make a whole game on my own. But taking the game apart and working on small pieces at a time brought everything together. So my advice would be to breakdown your goals and start small and slowly build your way up.

 

Where on the Internet can people find you? 

I’m still pretty new but I have a website where you can check trailers and the demo game:

https://timeless-hour.com/index.html

The Kickstarter:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/timelesshourglass/reapers-remorce?ref=user_menu

You can also get updates on my game on my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/TimelessHourglassGames

 

Do you have anything else to add?

I don’t really have anything more to add, but thanks for conducting this Q&A and I hope it helps get people interested!

 

I’d like to take the opportunity to thank Jessica and Veronica for taking the time out to get to me with these answers and to wish them the best of luck with the Kickstarter program. After having played the demo, I’m confident that this game will go on to impress a wide range of JRPG fans, as well as gamers in general, and I’m certainly looking forward to seeing what the final game has to offer. I hope you guys enjoyed learning more about this title as much as I had fun discovering the game and learning for myself.

 

Game on,

Scouse Gamer 88

The Twelve Tales of Chris Seavor Part I: Early Life

Full Article Here – The Full Twelve Tales of Chris Seavor

Disclaimer: This interview contains some strong language. Anyone who is offended by such content is advised against reading this interview.

 

The fifth generation of gaming is one of the most beloved periods in the medium, with consoles such as the Nintendo 64, the original PlayStation, and the Sega Dreamcast going on to become among the most popular and well-received platforms in the history of video games. However, come the end of the fifth generation, as the transition to the sixth was being made, among the last games published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 was Conker’s Bad Fur Day; a game which garnished critical acclaim upon release and has since gone on to become a favorite among fans of the console.

I was lucky enough to have an interview this week with the lead programmer of the game; Chris Seavor. Chris joined Rare back in 1994, where he was tasked with developing for the Killer Instinct series initially; he then went on to not only work on many Rare games on the programming side of things but also voice many characters created by Rare, such as Spinal from Killer Instinct, Gruntilda of Banjo Kazooie and Banjo Tooie, and of course several characters in Conker’s Bad Fur Day, including Conker himself.

After having left Rare in 2011, he most recently established Gory Details Ltd with former Rare collaborator Shawn Pile, and together have developed both Parashoot Stan and a dark adventure game named The Unlikely Legend of Rusty Pup, and as of this writing, there is also a new game in development from Gory Details, said to be a twin-stick dungeon-bash title. I had a lot of questions for Chris concerning his early life, his time at Rare, the development of Conker’s Bad Fur Day, as well as the ultimately canceled sequel, and of course, his work at Gory Details Ltd and what gamers can expect from their new project. Here’s our in-depth interview: The Twelve Tales of Chris Seavor:

 

Chris Seavor 1

Where did your passion for video games originate from?

Playing them as a kid… That and board games…. A friend had been bought Dungeons and Dragons for Christmas (the pink edition which I still have) and he couldn’t understand it so he gave it to me… It was a revelation. This is where my love of ‘game mechanics’ came from which then evolved into video games when I had access to a BBC Micro and eventually the eponymous Spectrum 48K.

 

What games would you play as a child and how would they go on to influence you as a developer?

Ironically the first game I ever bought was Knightlore. I got it from a mate for half price. 5 quid I think. My favorite game from childhood though is RebelStar Raiders which was a turn-based squad game where you had to infiltrate a base on the Moon. Still holds up. Obviously, Ultimate games were in there, but also John Ritman’s variants on the genre like Head Over Heals, which brilliantly introduced a second character to add a cooperative element to the puzzle solving. Quite groundbreaking. The list is huge though; Elite, Paradroid, Out of the Shadows, The Hobbit, Lords of Midnight, Bards Tale, Chuckie Egg, Monty Mole, etc. Oddly though, I never really liked Manic Miner or Jet Set Willy as I found them too difficult. What a scrub eh?

 

What consoles did you own early on?

None. I was at college when the NES and SNES and Mega Drive came out, so had little money and was too busy drinking and dossing around on the beach (I was at college in Cornwall for 4 years, then Bournemouth for 1). Games kinda left my life for a long time…… Next device I bought after my C64 was a SNES whilst working at Rare just to play Zelda and DKC, so yeah!

 

Chris Seavor 2

What is your earliest memory of game design?

I would design whole RPG systems for tabletop gaming. My 2 favorite systems were MERPS and Warhammer Fantasy RPG. MERPS for its crazy crit tables (and the lore) and WHRPG for the gothic world-building. Loved em to bits. I stole from both. I also wrote a Fighting Fantasy novel, but only got as far as about 100 entries before losing track. Those things are hecka-complex to write.

 

Were there any development companies you aspired to work with before you went to work with Rare?

Psygnosis. I didn’t know who Rare were, to be honest… Psygnosis were in Liverpool as well, so I could stay with the parents and save some cash. Lazy fucker I was. I had an interview with a few; EA, Psygnosis, and Rare included. Not sure what happened with Pysg, but EA offered a job eventually but I’d already started at Rare and liked it. Mainly because I’d made some friends and to be honest, that’s always the most stressful part of starting out somewhere new: being alone. The job turned out okay too 😉

 

Where there any other careers you attempted to pursue before going into games design and game voice-over work?

Not attempted, but I’d always planned to go into the film industry. My actual skill set was 3D graphics (a career path very much in its infancy in ‘93, unlike now) so film / TV seemed a natural fit. Games I never considered and in the end just sort of fell into it with a chance conversation with a long time friend Ady Smith (Rare, Eidos). Ironically Ady is teaching game stuff down at my old college in Cornwall now.

 

Chris Seavor 3

What was your upbringing like? Did your parents have any positive or negative reaction to your enjoyment of games, or was there even an element of that during your childhood?

I’d have to say it was pretty negative when I was 13 -15. I always like to remind my Mum of a comment she made once after I spent a whole day playing The Hobbit on the big TV.. ‘You’ll never make any money playing games all day…. It’s not a proper job’. She’s right about one thing though… It’s not a ‘proper job’, thank the maker!

 

Did any facet of your childhood go on to influence you as a developer, similar to how traveling through the forests of Kyoto inspired Shigeru Miyamoto to create The Legend of Zelda?

Not directly. I’ve always loved the cinema experience and would watch every movie I could… I guess that helped in later life. I read a lot of Horror and SciFi, not so much fantasies apart from Prof T the bulk of it back then was, to be blunt: Shit. I read a lot of Fantasy today though, the grim, dark stuff. It’s so much better nowadays.

 

What was it like for you to experience the medium of gaming taking off back in the 70s and 80s?

It just was… You don’t really know you’re IN something when it’s happening around you… Like DKC or the N64 period at Rare. It was just a job, and you were hoping your game would sell more than the other Barns did. Only now looking back do you realize the fondness people have for that time, and the games we’d made as a company… It’s kinda weird as I don’t think of it in those terms.

 

Was the aspiration to become an actor or voice-over artist from an early age as well, or was that something that manifested later on?

Nope. I’m not a voice actor, I’m a 3d Artist / Game Designer. The voice work was a time saver and for practical issues. It seems to be its own thing now in games, with big names getting involved… Fair enough I suppose, but I think it’s a waste of money. Keanu Reeves is a great guy by all accounts but he can’t act for shit. Spend the money on some unknowns who need the break instead…
To be honest, I think the influx of big Hollywood names into the games industry is largely down to the egos of the Production Managers, Execs, and Bosses… It’s the only chance these people will ever get to hang out with the Stars!! Also, BAFTA can try and inject their dull game awards ceremony with a bit of glitz and glamour… Game development has little glitz, even less glamour. And then of course there are Mr. Keighley’s Game Awards… I mean, really? I rest my case, your honor. Here’s the proof it’s a bullshit waste of money .. Name me one person who bought Cyberpunk 2077 because Keanu Reeves was in it? You found one?? They’re a fucking liar.

 

Who were your inspirations where your voice acting was concerned?

Again, no one really. I just did some silly voices based on accents and the range of my voice. Conker’s voice came pretty easily, in fact, I think I just did it instinctively the first time Robin and I were in the studio.

 

Were there any teachers you had at school who would have a lasting impression on you where your career was concerned?

Absolutely not, Fuck those idiots.

 

My teachers tried to tell me that the best years of my life would be my school years, but I disagree with them; my best years have been everything that came afterward. But did you enjoy school when you were a kid?

Absolutely not. Fuck those idiots even more… School was shit. Sadists and morons. I fucking hated it with a vengeance. Imagine trying to encourage 14-year-old lads to enjoy reading then dumping Jane Austin’s Mansfield Park in their lap. WTF!? Stephen King, Tolkien, Sven Hassel first… THEN Jane Austin, in later life, when you have enough life experience to relish in its satire.

 

What was the best piece of advice you were given as a child?

That kind of thing only happens in YA fiction… I never much paid any attention to adults as a kid. I think I became aware of how flawed they all were at a very young age. The one bit of advice I do remember was from my Nan: ‘Christ lad, don’t get old…’

 

Rare had been renowned for their sense of humor with hidden jokes and Easter eggs in their games and Conker was no different. But where did your sense of humor stem from early on?

I wasn’t particularly funny as a kid. In fact, I was and still am almost terminally shy. I still find it stressful to group up with people in games and be expected to have a conversation, even in chat. (except when I’m shouting abuse 😉 I think my humor stems from looking at life’s absurdity and just laughing at it all. People can be so fucking dumb, so finding comedy gold in the actions and words of others is a never-ending resource. I’m a pessimist and a cynic. That’s where my humor comes from I think….. Plus I’m a bit weird and apparently lacking intact (although I am usually told this after the fact…)

 

Part II: Rare