Digital Issue 15 by Indie Game Mag

Issue 15: March/April 2011

Check out all the Independent Game Festival 2011 Indie Games inside this issue:

Amnesia

Bit.Trip.Runner

Bit.Trip.Beat

Helsing's Fire

Super Crate Box

Indie Game Magazine Issue 15 - Mar-Apr 2011

Staff Editor-in-Chief Mike Gnade Art & Magazine Design Mike Gnade Michael Heald Zak Gebelein

Writers/Contributors David Bruggink Chris Priestman Simon Henderson Peter Rambo Mark O'Beirne Mike Gnade Zak Gebelein

Special Thanks BitMob.com FullyIllustrated.com Sponsors iGameRadio TV Manager 2 Wraith Games

Cover Art Djohaal

+ Table of Contents Front End

Staff/Credits pg 2 Table of Contents pg 3 A Valley Without Wind Preview pg 4

Cover Story: Check out all the great games from GDC and the IGF

IGF Awards

Super Crate Box pg 6 Bit.Trip.Runner pg 6 Amnesia pg 7 Desktop Dungeons pg 8 Bit.Trip.Beat pg 8 Fract pg 9 A Home in CA pg 9 Helsing's Fire pg 10 Student Showcase pg 12

Feature

IGF Grand Prize Winners

pg 14

Reviews

ChronoRage pg 16 Bejeweled 3 pg 18 Nimbus pg 22 World of Keflings pg 23

Back End

Gemini Rue Preview Gemini Rue Interview Xbox Indie Buying Guide

pg 17 pg 18 pg 24

About our Reviews We rate all of our games based on their graphics, gameplay, sound, and lasting appeal. Each category is given a score on a scale of 1-10 (10 being perfect and 1 being horrendous). The average of these scores is tallied to give each game a percentage score and grade (A thru F). Games are more than the sum of their parts, so we do adjust our average scores based on our final assessment of the game, its appeal, creativity, uniqueness, and overall value. A: 90-100% B: 80-89% C: 70-79%

D: 60-69% F: 0-59%

Preview + Ad

A Valley Without Wind- www.arcengames.com - PC Arcen Gamesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; next project is a procedurally generated actionadventure game called A Valley Without Wind that will arrive this year on PC and Mac. They are best known for being the developers behind the cult classic and ever-evolving space strategy game AI War: Fleet Command. AVWW is set in a post-ice-age world in the distant future, and the game focuses on survival and exploration from an isometric viewpoint. As a random survivor of this harsh world, you decide what impact that you make on it. The game is all about how you will shape your world: players can travel across regions, even continents if desired! Travel is always a risk though, so building settlements and shelters is essential for safer travel. Being procedurally generated guarantees that the world is unique for each individual player. No two worlds are the same, and your world permanently forms as you discover it. Players of highly successful indie game Minecraft will know the benefits of a randomly generated world as it offers deep exploration and adds remarkable replay value. In a not too dissimilar fashion from Minecraft and also the Fallout series, players can explore, scavenge and craft on their journey across the haunting landscape. This

world is both mystical and dangerous so players can cast magic to fend off foes. Being all about your own decisions, players can better their worlds by aiding other survivors in return for their help. Equally, if you are not feeling particularly that generous and have your eyes set on bloody murder, then you can kill everyone in sight and deal with the consequences later. The game provides a challenge to its players by making character deaths permanent. That means no re-spawns. Slight redemption is found for those worried as while death for your characters is permanent in the game; weapons, loot, levels and anything else youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve earned while playing will always exist as you left them. If one of your characters dies, the player simply assumes a new survivor and the journey continues on from there. The game does not forget about that previous survivor though. Those who came in contact with your deceased character will eventually catch word of their passing, and may share feelings on the departed, for better or worse. Current characters can even pay their respects by visiting the playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own personal graveyard which will contain each and every deceased character played.

One of the highlights of the game is its gorgeous 8-bit soundtrack, which is being composed by Pablo Vega. It offers a slighting haunting but catchy range of tunes to really flesh out your journey. Visually the game features a range of luscious textures (for a postapocalyptic world that is) that have an imperfect state about them that reminds me of an oil painting. This is fitting when you consider that the game paints the world as you wander the desolate buildings and silent trees of this postapocalyptic land. A public alpha of the game is planned for March 2011. Those who prepurchase A Valley Without Wind at that time will not only get a discount off the beta version and full release prices, but will also gain immediate access to the alpha when it becomes available. Tools for creating custom content will come as part of the package as well, so pre-order customers will play an integral part in the development process from alpha to launch. Living up to its true indie origins, players can create and submit content that may be added to the official game release. Development plans at present are to continue on well after post-release, so that there will always be new places to explore and new adventures to be had. - Chris Priestman

guides Preview

+ Independent Games Festival Super Crate Box

Vlambeer - www.supercratebox.com

As you start up Super Crate Box, you are given a hint at the incredible amount of fun awaiting you by simply listening to its superb soundtrack. At first Super Crate Box seems indistinguishable from any other dodge-the-falling-object type game, and then you are given guns! The idea of the game is to collect enough weapon crates on each level to progress, the problem is that there are a lot of creatures descending the levels at pace and contact with them is enough to finish you off. By collecting enough crates overall across each level, there are extra guns to unlock which can help and sometimes hinder you, but each one is surprise you cannot wait to reveal. You cycle guns by collecting the crates, so you never know what you are going to be given next! The first time you use the minigun though, is something you will never forget. The game is incredibly fun, and even though I have found I suck at it, I keep finding myself booting up the game just to blast some creatures along to the awesome soundtrack and unlock some new weapons. I cannot recommend the game enough. Super Crate Box is pure fun in a perfect little package and it has won my heart. Combining retro platformers and shoot-em-ups has never been done so superbly and with such personality that delivers a crazy sense of fun. - Chris Priestman

Sometimes rhythm games can get a little monotonous and bland, so it is good to know that there are some developers out there helping to keep the genre alive. BIT.TRIP RUNNER is a fairly unique experience and one that challenges your timing and reactions so impeccably; it seems to be an art form. As CommanderVideo runs across the screen, you are tasked with making him jump, slide, deflect and kick his way across the obstacles. It can be a harsh game as it sends you back to the beginning of the level if you make a mistake even once, but it is too addictive to simply give up. Prepare to grit your teeth!

With a unique blend of 8-bit and smooth 3D graphics, BIT. TRIP RUNNER brings a fresh take on rhythm games to the table. The greatest thing about the game is that while you are learning the dodges required to traverse the level, each move you make is assigned its own sound. Combine this with a soundtrack that builds in intensity as you progress, and you have a game that turns your keyboard into a musical instrument â&#x20AC;&#x201C; each level is like learning a musical score! BIT. TRIP RUNNER is deviously simple, but utterly addictive. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best aspect though, is bringing a smile of satisfaction across your face with every level completed, which is accompanied by a glorious soundtrack that you helped to create. I am proud to say I played this until my fingers went numb. - Chris Priestman

IGF Winner 6

Excellence in Visual Arts

Independent Games Festival Amnesia - The Dark Descent

Frictional Games - www.amnesiagame.com

About an hour ago, I woke up on the floor of a castle. I remember nothing, but there's a note to me, from myself, that says I'm being chased by a shadow and I have no hope of escape. I believe it, because the darkness consumes my. But the safety light offers is temporary. I've seen horrors in the shadows, and I fear they can find me in the light. I have collapsed many times, cowering in a closest or a corner. But progress gives me hope, shaking loose the shadow's hold on my head... Does spending 15 minutes cowering in a closet sound like fun? I am not a fan of horror. It's not because I don't like to be scared -- like most people, I have that twisted affliction -- but I haven't been scared by a movie since I realized my paralyzing fear of the troll in Ernest: Scared Stupid was stupid. Games are no better; not much is scary when you're carrying a rocket launcher. But take away the gun, and the fear can fester. Amnesia: The Dark Descent instills fear in everything it does. You wake up in a castle with no memories, armed only with a note from yourself. In your fragile mental state, prolonged exposure to darkness triggers a descent into madness. That descent is conveyed by deteriorating vision and imprecise control of your character. Standing in light can halt that fall, but it cannot reverse it. The only way to get a hold of yourself is to advance.

IGF Winner Technical Excellent Excellence in Audio

Puzzle-like obstacles are woven logically into the game world. Most aren't hard to overcome, in theory, but you can never be sure you're alone. Can you call a puzzle easy if you hide in a closet for 15 minutes because the door you unlocked may have let a monster in? Because you are losing your mind, you can't trust your senses. It's almost comforting when you know there is a monster in the room, because you know what to avoid. As you explore, you reveal elements of your past and why you are in the castle. I read every word of the story, because the time you spend reading diaries is the only time you know you're safe. I welcomed the down time. I can honestly say Amnesia is the most compelling, immersive experience I have ever had with a video game. It was too intense, at times. It didn't haunt my dreams or keep me up at night, but I would play for an hour and then take a few days off to calm down. - Peter Rambo

+ Independent Games Festival Desktop Dungeons QCF Design - www.qcfdesign.com

IGF Winner Excellence in Design

Bit.Trip.Beat

Gaijin Games - www.gaijingames.com Bit.Trip.Beat is what you would get if Pong totally did it with Elite Beat Agents. Obviously, Pong’s genes are a little stronger. Bit.Trip.Beat has a unique retro look similar to the other Bit.Trip titles. It’s a unique blend of blocky 2D visuals and simplistic 3D polygons. The main gameplay revolves around you using your pong paddle to hit all the pixelated beats thrown at you. The concept is simple, but all the elements blend together to make something unique. - Mike Gnade 8

Desktop Dungeons from QCF Design is a quick "dungeon crawl” RPG adventure that takes all the mechanics of the genre and boils it down to the basics. I would describe it as RPG Minesweeper. It’s a challenging game. The game is comprised of exploring a single screen dungeon, tiptoeing around strong monsters, killing the weaklings, and leveling up your character as you go. There are Gods, Magic, and Pickups thrown in for good measure too. Each Dungeon can be completed in about 10 minutes. The graphics aren’t the greatest, but they don’t claim to be and convey a very retro style. The player explores a randomly generated self-contained map and levels up their chosen character with special abilities or “divine intervention” to smite ever increasingly hard to kill goblins, goats, zombies, warlocks, etc. Don’t let the simplistic graphics fool you into believing the gameplay is anything easy. Strategy is definitely an important part of the game and I was often stuck with too little life and no enough unexplored map to rejuvenate my character. Sound and music are pretty run of the mill (love the sword swoosh) but appropriate for the style. The game design lends itself equally well to the quick and casual crowd (who isn’t looking for in-depth character development or complex story) or the hardcore addict who wants to see their name up there on the big board. I’d keep in on the desktop for a good distraction. - Zak Gebelein

On Trial Independent Games Festival

Fract

Richard Flanagan - richardeflanagan.com Alien environments are always strange, but the one present in FRACT is really something else. FRACT is a single player puzzle game that allows players to free roam a mysterious landscape, tasked with solving what to do with no instructions. The games style consists of various geometric shapes and oddly blended colours that comes to resemble the inner mind of a maths student whilst on magic mushrooms. This strange world feels somewhat hostile as you work your way around and activate the huge shapes to form structures and music in your quest for some kind of direction. The sense of scale makes you feel very small and isolated, but offers the thrill of discovery and mystery that is rarely found in games. The lack of identity the player inherits brilliantly meshes with the odd surroundings that consequently leads to a sense of being only being formed upon solving a puzzle.

By appealing to the player’s inevitable curiosity and allowing them to discover this virtual world with no guidance makes FRACT very unique. It is designed very well considering that the game relies on the player to figure things out, and it is this that gives the game its edge. Combining various forms of music, graphic design and mathematics makes FRACT a complex but incredibly enjoyable game for those with a passion for discovery and puzzle solving. - Chris Priestman

A House in California

Cardboard Computer - www.cardboardcomputer.com A House in California by Cardboard Computer is a uniquely presented point and click game. The graphics are certainly not the most visually striking, but harken back to the 8-bit era of the 80s. It reminded me of the old games I used to play on the old computing box back in my childhood, which I believe the developer was trying to capture. The developer’s website describes the game as a “surreal narrative” with the characters based in part on relatives of the developer. It is definitely surreal and almost too narrative. At times the player has go down the line of available interactions (supplied on the bottom of the screen) to try out each one with the various elements of the game screen in order to progress. Overall the gameplay became a little tedious and at times I was seeking some assistance or someone to throw me a bone. The interaction with the environment could have been a little more user friendly. - Zak Gebelein 9

+ IGF Review

Helsing's Fire - www.ratloop.com - iOS Helsing’s Fire is a spectacular game for iOS devices. There is an elegance to its design. It takes a simple game mechanic and continues to add new wrinkles to the core gameplay that keeps the game challenging and fresh throughout.

The dialog in the game is amusing and witty. A nice rapport between Helsing and Raffton is developed throughout their exchanges. The writing uses humorous old English and the whole thing is reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes…with monsters.

In Helsing’s Fire, you take control of Dr. Helsing and his partner Raffton. Your mission is to eliminate the evil blight and monsters that have invested the land. The main campaign pits you against Count Dracula, but there are two other campaigns as well. Helsing’s Fire is a truly unique game with refreshing game mechanics. I guess the easiest category to put the game in is the all-inclusive puzzle genre – but it is undeniable that this game is inventive.

The torch lighting effects in the game are awesome. Everything else in the game looks great, but there’s not much animation here. The good news is that you don’t notice how static most of the monsters are while you’re playing the game. The Developer, Ratloop made a smart choice with the graphics since the most impressive visuals revolve around the torch, the very game mechanic that makes this game so innovative and engrossing.

The game revolves around Helsing’s torch. The Player must illuminate every monster of the same color by placing a torch in the game field. Once your torch is lights up a baddie, they can be eradicated by tapping one of Raffton’s corresponding tonics. The goal of each level is to destroy all the monsters while avoiding the murder of any beautiful maidens. The game never stops introducing new monsters and new twists to the basic light and shadow mechanics. Whether it’s werewolves that turn into fair maidens, explosive toads, teleporting mummies, or lightbending crystals – Helsing’s Fire keeps introducing new things that will keep you forging ahead. 10

The music and sound creates a great atmosphere for the game. The creepy tunes and organ heavy music sound like they come right out of an old monster movie. It’s not the most memorable music, but it fits the game. The dialog is so good that I couldn’t help but wish for it to be voiced, but I understand the space requirements of a touch device. Helsing’s Fire is an incredible value. It’s less than a buck for the iPhone or iPod Touch and the HD iPad version is only $2.99. The gameplay is so fresh that you’ll want to play every level that this game has to offer. Every level has new challenges, enemies and mechanics to master. Ratloop has been kind enough to expand the game by releasing

IGF Winner Best Mobile Game two additional free campaigns (90 Levels) doubling the size of the original campaign game. The game is worth every penny and is one of the best iOS games that I have played. It was tailor made for touch devices and is an exceptional mobile game. - Mike Gnade

REVIEW Gameplay: Graphics: Sound/Music: Lasting Appeal:

10 8 9 10

Score: 93%

Grade

On Trial Feature

IGF Student Showcase Toys

Toys is a spatial puzzle game where you have to use the mouse to rotate your perspective and return all the cubes to their original position. The game is a virtual Rubik’s cube. The game mechanics and controls are simple to pick up and play, but solving some of the harder puzzles can be quite challenging.

E7 E7 is a unique platformer set on another planet. The planet’s surface is malleable and your hovercraft has the ability to sink the ground and catapult itself into the air. The game’s somber music, silhouette style visuals, and unique gameplay make it a worthy student showcase finalist.

Solace

Solace is a top-down shooter that features dynamic audio and levels that center around the 5 stages of grief. Each emotion/level has a unique feel. The game reminds me A LOT of Everyday Shooter. Solace is executed well, but the familiar motif kept it from taking home the Student Award.

Paperplane

PaperPlane is an excellent concept. You control a paper plane and use it to restore the world around you. Flying through swing sets, around trees, and under cows repopulates and colorizes the world. It’s a great experimental game with excellent visuals but I found the controls and repetition a little frustrating. Despite these problems, PaperPlane is one of my favorite student games this year.

On Trial IGF Student Showcase

Fract Fract is a First Person Puzzle game. Take Myst and throw in some electronic music and crazy polygonal visuals. The world and look of Fract is certainly interesting, but these types of puzzle games were never my cup of tea. Obviously, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in the minority here though since Fract won the IGF Student Showcase.

IGF Winner Student Showcase

Tiny & Big

Tiny and Big is an ambitious project that is off to a great start but is still rough around the edges. The game is a 3rd person platformer, but your character is equipped a terrain slicing laser and a grappling hook. The game mechanics are refreshing and have you slicing columns with your laser and pulling them down with your grappling hook. This game can definitely evolve into a full-fledged game.

+ IGF Grand Prize Nominees Andy Schatz, 2010 IGF Grand Prize winner for his game Monaco, said it best in his statement prior to announcing the winner of the IGF Grand Prize:

Spy Party

Chris Hecker - www.spyparty.com

“When you are independent for long enough, you start to lose track of what's going on in the real world. In the real world, people build big things. Big airplanes, big cars, big houses. The real world breeds big livestock, builds big cruise ships. And the real world creates big, beautiful games. Games with 300 hours of gameplay and trillions of subscribers. In the real world, microtransations make macro profits and a million unit seller is a failure. In the real world, bigger is better. When you are indie for long enough, you learn to become myopic. You learn to make little things. Selling one unit is thrilling. I know an indie who lived out of his car in Mexico, stealing wifi while parked outside internet cafes. Who can expect to make it big on a corporate strategy like that?

Nidhogg

Messhof - www.messhof.com

The IGF is not intended to make a small thing big. The IGF is our moment to remind the world that there is beauty hidden in the shadow of the big cars, the big houses, the big livestock, and the big games. The IGF reminds the world that the flower is as beautiful as the forest. The discovery of a diamond is as worthwhile a pursuit as the discovery of a mountain. Big or small, the games that are nominated for this year’s Seumas McNally Grand Prize all had humble origins, and all touched us in unique ways. “

Desktop Dungeons

QCF Design - www.qcfdesign.com

Amnesia - The Dark Descent Frictional Games - www.amnesiagame.com

Feature

Minecraft

Mojang - www.minecraft.net

IGF Winner Seumas McNally Grand Prize Audience Award

All this Success for a Clone Many people may not know that Minecraft’s core concept and gameplay isn’t original. The original concept for Minecraft came from another indie game. Markus “Notch” Persson explains the origins of the game on Minecraft’s website, “I started Minecraft after playing some Infiniminer with a couple of people from TigSource. I realized that a game that simple yet that dynamic had a lot of potential to turn into a really great game, and kept coming up with things I wanted to change and stuff I wanted to add.” I think there are three important things to take away from this fact:

Was there any doubt that Minecraft wouldn’t take home the grand IGF prize? Minecraft is a phenomenon. Minecraft has carved its place in mainstream gaming like no other indie game has ever before. I would argue that Minecraft is bigger than the IGF itself. This truth came to me the weekend after GDC when my Wife’s youngest brother showed me this “really cool” game on his computer. He boots up his computer and loads up his game of Minecraft. He’s showing me his underwater base, greenhouse, and told me that he’s probably spent over 24 hours on the game. I told him that I was very familiar with the game and asked if he knew that Minecraft just won Indie Game of the Year at the IGF. My ten year old brother-in-law replies, “That’s awesome! What’s the IGF?”

1. There’s nothing wrong with cloning and improving on a game or gameplay mechanic 2. An Indie Game’s success depends more on execution and game design than experimental game mechanics 3. Make a game that you enjoy playing!

Just like Minecraft’s innovative emergent gameplay, the game itself has emerged as the biggest indie game success ever. The game is still in beta and has sold over 1.5 million copies and made the creators over $31 million dollars (by my calculations). It’s only fitting that Minecraft won the IGF’s Grand Prize and the Audience Award. - Mike Gnade 15

+ Reviews

Chrono Rage - www.chronorage.com - PC Chrono Rage is the first release by French developers Anima Games, and is the most fun I’ve had with a ‘2d’ top down shoot-em-up (shmup) since relegating my original Gameboy to the basement about 12 years ago. You may be wondering what might persuade you to spend 10 bucks on an old-school arcade shooter when there are thousands of free and readily available flash games in the genre and which have covered just about every gameplay variation. Chrono Rage doesn’t shatter arcade shmup conventions but rather meshes every aspect just that much better than most of its competitors. The game takes place on a 2d plane with enemies spawning along set patterns relative to your position. It’s nothing if not challenging but you won’t find yourself losing too many levels once you get the hang of the simple controls and powerups (bullet time and better weapons). In the main game mode, instead of having a limited amount of lives, you have 7 minutes to finish a level and you lose 30 seconds every time you die, if you go over the limit you have to retry that level. There are other modes such as time-trial and survival which follow the same gameplay mechanics but provide additional challenges. There are a large number of enemy ships with various weapons and effects – e.g. space invaders charge at you 16

zombie-like while others teleport around the map shooting homing missiles. The spawning patterns are pre-planned and if you have to replay a level you’ll have a general idea of what you’re up against. The only potential drawback of such simple mechanics is that a lack of options may bore more hardcore players. The graphics and audio are impressive and stay fresh throughout. The game has a unique visual style that pokes fun at itself and its heritage with pixelated time-travelling space invader enemies playing a prominent role. The soundtrack is original and sets the tempo for the rapid gameplay, songs changing with the levels and pace of the action, though the tracks did start repeating about half-way through the main campaign. Chrono Rage falls short in terms of lasting value. The simple mechanics probably won’t keep you coming back to the game once you’ve finished the main campaign. Chrono Rage is slick. Graphics, audio and gameplay all come together seamlessly and compliment each other. When I first sat down to play I found myself blasting through to level 12 and laughing out loud at some of the more overwhelming moments when the game just throws so many enemies at you that you think there’s no way you can survive, but carefully spawned powerups give you just that edge

you need. The jokes and developers’ sense of humour are increasingly visible after level 10, along with more intense fights, and they all tie in well with the psychedelic visuals and overall zaniness. In short, Chrono Rage is funny and tightly produced. It won’t last you forever, but it’s a blast. - Simon Henderson

REVIEW Gameplay: Graphics: Sound/Music: Lasting Appeal:

9 9 9 5

Score: 80%

Grade

B-

Previews

Gemini Rue - www.geminirue.com - PC Joshua Nuernberger’s Gemini Rue (www.geminirue.com), released on February 24th by Wadjet Eye Games, signals the arrival of something new in indie game development. Its rainsoaked alleys, smoke-filled offices, and sterile, fluorescent-lit hallways point in a decidedly hopeful direction for would-be developers everywhere. During the heyday of point-and-click adventures like Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis and The Secret of Monkey Island, we marveled at their ability to take us to new places, to let us be caught up in their gripping stories and colorful characters; however, the idea of crafting such an incredible experience for another person seemed confined to those who had tons of experience in game development, and for a long time, it was. But as the tools of game development are becoming more and more accessible, people with stories to tell, patience, and dedication are now able to share their creative work with others, allowing us to be immersed in their imaginations in a way that wouldn’t have been possible 15 years ago. Not only does Gemini Rue do this, but it does it very well: it stands out from the many individually-produced adventure games of the past year for its unique attention to atmosphere, story, and character development, in addition to several innovative features that might not normally come to mind when you think of the adventure genre. In Gemini Rue, you have the option to control two different characters throughout significant parts of the game:

Azriel Odin, a seasoned ex-assassin trying (somewhat unsuccessfully) to distance himself from his past life, and Delta Six, a prisoner whose memory of recent events is nonexistent, and has to be reconstructed from the questionable statements of his fellow prisoners. Throughout the game, you’ll be embroiled in an escape plan reminiscent of Clint Eastwood and Alcatraz, track down a missing shipment of drugs, and engage in some intense gun battles with assassins. Without giving too much away, I should simply say that Gemini Rue continually impresses with its levels of complexity and depth. Some puzzles rely on the use of electronic terminals to discover key information in the same way you might naturally use a search engine to get details about a person or place. Touches like these give playing Gemini Rue a sense of liberty while also rewarding the player for thinking logically. Other puzzles are based on communication, and rely on the player’s ability to carefully consider the context of the situation and the expectations of other characters. In other words, Gemini Rue is refreshingly challenging, and when you finally “get” something after struggling for a little while, it’s easy to praise Nuernerger’s creativity.

not to be moved by the synthesis of story line, character interaction, and sound design, which create a highly immersive - and emotionally impacting - atmosphere. Developer Wadjet Eye Games brought in some very solid, and frequently excellent, voice actors to contribute to the game, and Nathan Allen Pinard, who is responsible for the game’s sound and music, did a fantastic job conjuring mood with a soundtrack inspired by film noir as well as modern electronic music. When you complete Gemini Rue’s story - which touches upon several sciencefiction hallmarks, including lost memory and mistaken identity, while managing to avoid feeling derivative - you’ll be hit with an emotional punch that you wouldn’t think an indie adventure could pack. It’s a testament to Nuernerger’s dedication as a developer and writer but also to the expanding accessibility of development itself. - David Bruggink

The pixelated visuals may be a divisive point among those unaccustomed to playing AGS-developed games, but there are many scenes in Gemini Rue that are simply stunning. Gemini Rue blows other old school-style adventures out of the water while proving that incredibly expensive CG are not intrinsic to a compelling gameplay experience. Graphics aside, it is difficult 17

+ Interview

Gemini Rue Developer Interview IGM recently had the opportunity to talk with Josh about his inspiration behind the game, the development process, and some of Gemini Rue’s unique features. Josh is currently an undergraduate in UCLA’s department of Design Media Arts.

IGM: Gemini Rue’s gorgeous visual style brings to mind classic adventure games of the 1990’s. How did you decide to go with the pixelated look?

IGM: What draws you to the narrative structure of adventure games rather than more open-ended or arcade-style gameplay?

Josh: I went with the pixelated look for both aesthetic and practical reasons. Aesthetically, pixels represent a period in gaming in which adventure games flourished, which helps to establish the tone and context of the gameplay in Gemini Rue. Practically, pixels are easier to animate than high-res assets, and they also let you get away with a lot of ambiguity in smaller details. This also helps players to embody themselves in the characters easier instead of being emotionally detached from a nearly photo-realistic character model.

Josh: Adventure games' narrative qualities appeal to me because they can challenge or engage players, in my opinion, on a deeper level than many other genres—not to say that it can't be done in an arcade game or sandbox game, for instance. But adventure games are perhaps a more natural fit to synthesize narrative with gameplay. And when you allow the narrative to becoming embedded in the gameplay, it allows for a much deeper emotional experience.

IGM: What led you to develop the game in Adventure Game Studio (rather than another engine)? Josh: I chose to use AGS for Gemini Rue because that's what I've used for all of my past projects. I discovered AGS in 2001 or 2002, and have been making games with it since then. It's consistently gotten updated, people are always on the forums to help you out, and it's always been able to do whatever I wanted to achieve. 18

IGM: What are some of the influences behind Gemini Rue’s story? Josh: A Clockwork Orange, Blade Runner, Cowboy Bebop, LOST, Ben Croshaw's non-Trilby games (yes, they exist!), Portal, and Monkey Island. IGM: Tell me about the development process behind Gemini Rue - Did you already have the story in mind when you started creating the scenes?

Josh: When I wrote out the dualstoryline, I wanted each story to stand on its own as a self-contained narrative, but also kept in mind that both storylines had to converge for the player at a crucial moment. With this in view, each scene had to be paced well enough in order to keep the player moving through the action while also continuing to develop different gameplay elements. So, it was a pretty interesting balancing act. IGM: Your games seem to incorporate elements that are uncommon for most adventure titles, such as the first-person sniper segment in La Croix Pan. How did you decide to include the combat system in Gemini Rue? Josh: In each game I make, I want to at least try and do something innovative with the gameplay, particularly because adventure games have been rehashed in so many different ways over the years. In La Croix Pan, a sniper segment was natural, as it was contextualized into the setting of World War II. In Gemini Rue, one of the characters is an ex-assassin in a heavy noir-stylized world, so it made sense to try and bring in action elements, which eventually led to the combat system.

Interview IGM: Gemini Rue gives you the option at certain points to switch between the two protagonists at will. How do you think the dual narrative influences the gameplay experience? Josh: I think it allows for a lot of diversity and non-linearity in the gameplay experience. For example, instead of being stuck with one protagonist with one internal goal, you are presented with the stories of these two characters, between whom you can alternate back and forth. This allows for a lot more freshness in terms of just not getting bored with one character. Also, in terms of puzzle design, this allows the player to have more freedom to engage in other puzzles if he or she gets stuck. IGM: Something that struck me immediately about Gemini Rue is its atmosphere - the sound, music, and voice acting help to create a gritty, rain-soaked (or, alternately, bleak and sterile when playing as Delta-Six) experience for the player. What led you to choose those settings? Josh: Noir is something that evokes strong feelings for me because of its darkness, grittiness, and sense of loneliness despite being amid the cornucopia of society. So, that's always a setting that appeals to me on many levels. DeltaSix's environment was very inspired by games like Portal in which the environment encapsulated the emotional situation of the character—emptiness, lifelessness, and with little hope in sight. Yep, that sounds pretty depressing. IGM: What’s it like developing a full-length adventure while also being a full-time student? Josh: It's an interesting experience, to say the least! What really helped in the development was getting down a fully playable version of the game before I spent a lot of time on the production assets. I started development in January 2008, and spent about 8 months getting down a solid skeleton of the game, start to finish, before really getting in to the meat of every environment. That way, it limits your scope as a developer, and prevents you from going off on

any unnecessary tangents with needless features or endless revisions. Also, it allows you to build from the ground up, knowing that a solid foundation exists on which you can always go back to, in case you think you can never finish the game. IGM: You’ve mentioned before that you have an interest in film - do you see yourself working on films in the future? Josh: Maybe? Maybe not? I feel like in games you have a lot more freedom in terms of what you can get away with in a narrative, whereas in film, the visual language is so established that it almost becomes harder to get by on just a (not to be too negative) run-of-the-mill story. Because in games, narrative is not necessarily the centerpiece—it's always balanced with gameplay. In that sense, you don't have to focus all your attention on the story in the idea that everything is banking on it. IGM: Are there plans for any other games on the horizon?

Josh: This wont be the end, but I'm going to try and concentrate on school right now. Maybe when summer break comes though! IGM: Thanks for your time! Josh: Thanks, my pleasure! Gemini Rue was a winner of the Student Showcase award at the Independent Game Festival in 2010. You can purchase the game and download a playable demo at www.geminirue. com. - David Bruggink

+ Reviews

Bejeweled 3- www.popcap.com - PC “Breathe in, breathe out, you are strong, people like you.” I have only just loaded Bejeweled 3 and checked out the newly added Zen mode but I am already enjoying the experience. It’s a novel addition to a successful franchise but it is a nice touch. For the unaware, Bejeweled is a matchthree game. Do this well enough, and you move on to the next stage. Bejeweled 3 builds on the basic game-play mechanics, adds another layer of depth, and another endless mode to lose hours to. Popcap has added the aforementioned Zen mode. This does away with timers, but adds the options of relaxing ambient sounds, messages of positivity and support, and a breathing modulator to keep the player relaxed. While at its core, Bejeweled 3 is a matchthree game, there is more involved than you would think. The Classic game mode is what you would expect. Try to match 3 or more jewels, build points and combos, rinse-andrepeat until you run out of moves. However, additional modes such as Poker, Butterflies, Ice Storm, and Diamond Mine require a bit more thought and, dare I say it, strategy. In these modes, it is often a case of planning matches rather than taking the match that is readily available. The Quest mode is a great addition and provides its own lasting appeal. Some of the challenges are shorter versions of those available as stand alone modes, while others put their own spin on the basic principle of Bejewled. It is possible to move to the next stage once a quota of levels is cleared, but it is possible to go above the call of duty and fill the entire relic. If certain challenges were enjoyable enough, there is the option to go back and replay them. Poker, for example, requires thinking ahead to ensure that you make up a strong hand. Every match of three or more equates to one card so, get five cards of the one jewel and you are in the money. However, if you don’t plan ahead, a chain reaction of matches could result in

matches disappearing and being of no use whatsoever. Some of the game modes are genuinely tough, while the high scores table provide an additional challenge to keep the player pushing for better. I found it difficult to go back and play the Classic mode after playing the variety of other game modes on offer. It doesn’t have the intensity of the Quest challenges and isn’t as relaxing as the Zen mode. However, it does have its place. It progresses towards an end and allows players to make progress towards badges. If you’re not looking for the subliminal messages and ambient noises, the Classic mode will suit your needs. Bejeweled 3 is presented well and the visuals are clear and sharp. It could be argued that little is required from the visual side of the game but it goes a step beyond the basics required for a match-three game. Effects on the special gems are impressive and clearly mark them out as something beneficial to match. When they do get set off, it is an impressive sight. There are some other nice touches such as the warps between levels and the animated backgrounds. In a way, there is beauty in its simplicity. One of the great fears when playing any game that features long levels or endless modes is that the background soundtrack will start to grate. Thankfully, Popcap understands this challenge and has pieced together a soundtrack that flows nicely in the background without being intrusive or overbearing. It suits the game modes. In modes such as Lightning, the pressure is on and the music quickens in response. The voice actor is a nice touch. When he remarks at your awesomeness, there is a feeling of accomplishment, even if the chain reaction wasn’t quite choreographed. Unfortunately, there is no way to compare your high scores to friends online. This is an odd omission considering how stressed scores and points are. However, this is a minor flaw in what is an excellent game.

The selling points of Bejeweled 3 are its lasting appeal and the ability to cater for all sorts of gamers. The eight different modes available from the main menu provide great variety. Each game mode features its own high score table, which is a natural port of call for the competitive player in all of us. However, the AI scores are not simply there to fill space. Some of them are tricky to top. Finally, there are badges to collect from different game modes and for accomplishing certain feats. The badges range from bronze to platinum depending on performance. Obtaining badges is one thing but if you seek perfection, pushing for platinum badges across the board will keep you going for hours on end! Bejeweled is certainly a fun game and will entertain any player. The variety of game modes, challenges and settings means that there is something that will appeal to everyone. It is a great game to load up for a few minutes with quick challenges or for an extended period when the phrase, “one more go”, will be uttered countless times. - Mark O'Beirne

REVIEW Gameplay: Graphics: Sound/Music: Lasting Appeal:

9 8 8 9

Score: 85%

Grade

Interview

Interview + Reviews

Nimbus- www.noumenongames.com - PC It’s hard to place Noumenon Games’ Nimbus into one game genre. Nimbus is one part puzzle game, one part physics game and has some racing game elements thrown in for good measure. Noumenon delivers an extremely fun and challenging game with this mixture of un-lockable features, good graphics and the pressure to best one’s own score. The story is a little scant but revolves around the protagonist – an airship – questing through various puzzles to rescue his girlfriend, who has been kidnapped by a cycloptic monster. In order to rescue the girl, the player has to navigate an ever increasingly complex number of tasks to complete each level. The player’s airship can’t just fly though the level to reach the checkered finish line – you have to glide your way there. This is where the game becomes challenging. Bringing in the elements of a physics game, the player must use the environment to bounce, use accelerating points or be shot out of a cannon toward the objectives. Once in flight, the player must think fast to make minor or major course corrections as you glide to the goal, it does take some quick finger skill. That being said, Nimbus is essentially a puzzle game and quite ingenious. Each level combines the physics needed to produce inertia for the airship with 22

puzzles that range from moving colored orbs to unlock gates, shoot balls to targets and collect keys to open new areas. In addition to the puzzles, the player has to avoid spiked hazards and that ever-present pull of gravity. The challenge increases as the player has to think three steps ahead and eke out every bit of gliding movement from the airship before it crashes to earth (or worse). Many of the puzzles require multiple steps and it can take a few times to get the pattern down. While occasionally frustrating, it seems to add to the feeling of accomplishment when the level is complete. The player is timed for each level and that score goes up against the global ranking similar to racing games. Revisiting the same level in pursuit of a higher ranking definitely lends the game to high replay value. Hidden objectives also lead to ship upgrades and shortcuts in the over world, so there’s a fair bit of variability to the game. As far as graphics are concerned, I was immediately reminded of the old Sonic the Hedgehog cross-hatched textures. Each new area features a theme which is well paired with the sound effects and music. The ambiance created by the music and crisp graphics give the game an ethereal feel, especially with the colored contrails left by the airship as it moves through the level.

Overall, Nimbus is a solid game and well worth a try. It delivers on satisfaction, interest and replay. The visual effects, challenging puzzles and quick pace will keep you coming back for more. You may find yourself even slightly addicted. - Zak Gebelein

REVIEW Gameplay: Graphics: Sound/Music: Lasting Appeal:

8 9 8 7

Score: 80%

Grade

B-

Reviews

World of Keflings - www.ninjabee.com - XBLA World of Keflings is a charming downloadable title from NinjaBee that vastly improves on the first game. World of Keflings is still very much a casual game; there’s no way to fail and you won’t be dying and restarting any levels. The game has a deliberate and relaxing pace making it perfect for quick pick up and play sessions – but somewhat dull if you plan on playing for hours on end. World of Keflings is a typical sequel. It expands and improves on nearly every annoyance in the first game, but doesn’t mess with the core gameplay formula. If you found Kingdom for Keflings enjoyable, you will love World of Keflings. All of my major gripes from the first game have been fixed in World of Keflings. It was really tedious to trek back and forth in order to pick up building components and place them. World solves this by introducing extra burly builder Keflings that follow you around and carry all your building pieces for you. It really helps reduce the monotony of the game. Kingdom’s forest kingdom got really stale after a few hours of gameplay; World of Keflings introduces two new kingdoms (Desert and Ice) to build and travel between. This is an excellent game design decision and helps to keep things fresh all the way through. Multiplayer is still here, but there’s local multiplayer now too. The final noteworthy improvement is the ability to call all the Keflings who need a job assignment to your giant. This is a

huge help in managing your kingdom and resources. World of Keflings still has its flaws though. It can be very hard to pickup exactly the right thing. It’s really frustrating when you grab a hardworking Kefling by mistake when you really want something else. I even found that sometimes my interference resulted in the Kefling piling up resource in an empty field. In a casual game about organization and resource management – cleaning up these types of messes is very frustrating. If NinjaBee is listening, I would also like to plead for some sort of threat or challenge to befall your kingdom. Remember the random natural disasters in SimCity? Something similar would really spice up the Kefling series… you could even make them optional. The story plays a much more prominent role in World of Keflings and has some really cool cut scenes. I don’t know how to describe them, but it’s basically a 3D picture that you move through. Everything is frozen, but the camera moves around the 3D objects. I’ve never seen it before and I am definitely a fan. It made me pay attention to the cute story about a King and his bratty daughter. The same great catchy music returns to World of Keflings and the dialog is still delivered in a humorous gibberish. The art direction has stayed the same, but the graphics have definitely improved

and everything has greater detail and is a lot less blocky. The new kingdoms, builder keflings, and resources all add some much needed variety as well. World of Keflings is a great sequel. It improves on the first game, but stays true to what the game is all about. If you hated Kingdom for Keflings, World of Keflings isn’t going to sway you. But if you found Kingdom, fun but flawed I think that you’ll be thrilled with the improvements that NinjaBee has made. At $15, World of Keflings would have been overpriced so I am glad to see NinjaBee abate the 1200MSP XBLA trend and price their game at 800MSP. You can’t help but recommend the game at $10. - Mike Gnade

REVIEW Gameplay: Graphics: Sound/Music: Lasting Appeal:

8 9 9 8

Score: 85%

Grade

B 23

+ Guide

Xbox 360 Indie Game Buying Guide

Don’t you want to get the most bang for your buck? Xbox 360 games are expensive and some are just not worth the price tag. Don’t keep stuffing the pockets of large companies that don’t even pay the developers their dues. With $60 you can support a lot of independent developers and get a whole lot more games. IGM breaks down the 12 indie games you can for 4800 Microsoft Points on Xbox live. So forgo the next mediocre big budget game and use your hard earned money to get more variety, value and gaming goodness while supporting the little guy in the process: Let’s get the bigger and better known Xbox Live Arcade Titles out of the way first.

Super Meat Boy $15 / 1200 MSP SMB is the best platformer around and you get a ton of game and challenge with it. This is an absolute must for every Xbox 360 owner who owned an 8-bit or 16-bit system.

Braid $10 / 800 MSP

Braid is one of those games that sticks with you even after the game is over. It’s not the longest experience, but it is a memorable one. The time-based gameplay and story blend together into something really special. This one 24 is a work of art.

Guide Castle Crashers $15 / 1200 MSP

Currently the bestselling XBLA of all time, Castle Crasher’s is a multiplayer beatemup masterpiece. Grab 3 friends online or locally for some classic side scrolling brawling; don’t forget the RPG elements and collectibles while you’re bashing heads.

Puzzle Quest $10 / 800 MSP

What kind of list would this be if there wasn’t a solid and addictive downloadable puzzle game in the mix? Puzzle Quest is super addictive and has a much more fleshed out adventure than most match-3 games. You’ll lose hours to this one.

Wow, $50 down and only $10 left! Run away from that expensive Arcade Channel and boot up Xbox’s Indie Games Channel. It can be tough to sift through all the junk, but there are some incredible games here at ridiculously low prices. Support these Indies and buy these games, you can’t lose at these prices:

I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES INIT $1 / 80 MSP The bestselling XBLIG of all time is worth every penny here. This quality top-down zombie shooter is almost overshadowed by its catchy theme song. Trust me, you’ll be singing it.

Epic Dungeon $1 / 80 MSP

If you’re not killing, looting or selling then you’re not playing Epic Dungeon. This game is your typical dungeon crawler –but with 50 floors to explore, endless enemies to slaughter and great retro graphics, you’ll definitely be playing Epic Dungeon longer than your typical $1 iPhone game. 25

+ Guide Miner Dig Deep $1 / 80 MSP

Miner is a simple but wonderfully relaxing exploration game. As a miner you search for resources to sell at the surface shop, but there’s some great items to buy that help you more easily navigate your mine. This game was a deal when it was 200MSP, now it’s a steal.

Shoot1up $1 / 80 MSP

Shoot1up is an old school top-down shooter with a twist; you can take all your 1ups into battle at the same time. This mechanic introduces an awesome risk/reward dilemma. Do you risk all your lives to increase your firepower? Or play defensively?

Cthulhu Saves the World $3 / 240 MSP

It is rare to find a game that is both entertaining and funny – especially on XBLIG, but Cthulu succeeds in both departments. The game imitates the classic RPGs of the 16bit era right down to the first person perspective battles. It’s a great quest and RPG vets will get a real kick out of the game.

Fluid $1 / 80 MSP

Fluid is a fast and furious arcade game with amazing graphics. It’s sort of like Pac Man except you’re a tadpole and there are no ghosts. The game has top-notch production values and is a blast to play. 26

Guide ZP2KXZombies and Pterodactyls $1 / 80 MSP

ZP2KX is a fantastic and frantic 2D multiplayer deathmatch game…with jetpacks, zombies, pirates, ninjas…and you guessed it, Pterodactyls. There’s a ton of weapons, customized characters and class perks. If you like blasting friends to bits, you’ve got to try this game.

Explosionade $1 / 80 MSP This is my absolute favorite Xbox Live Indie Game. Explosionade is simply a blast to play. I would pay $10 for it. In Explosionade, you control a badass mech and blast baddies away in the sewers. Grenades blow up the environment and you have this crazy shield that lets you bounce around and crush enemies. Explosionade is sort of like Contra – except it’s not as frustrating. There’s even local multiplayer! $1! I must be dreaming, but every time I pinch myself Explosionade is still just 80 MSP. So there you have it, 12 Games for 60 bucks. I hope everyone checks out at least one of these indie gems on Xbox 360, but hey if you can’t buy them all because you’re saving some money to get an Indie Game Mag subscription, I’ll understand.

Super Meat Boy $15 Braid $10 Castle Crashers $15 Puzzle Quest $10 I MAED A GAM3 $1 Epic Dungeon $1

Miner Dig Deep $1 Shoot1up $1 Cthulhu $3 Fluid $1 ZP2KX $1 Explosionade $1

TOTAL -

$60

Indie Game Magazine www.indiegamemag.com 28