Digital Issue 19

Issue 19: November/December 2011

Inside this Issue:

Orcs Must Die

Xotic

Bastion

The Bridge

Copyright Š 2011 The Indie Game Magazine, All Rights Reserved.

All game logos, screenshots, artwork, trademarks, etc are property of their respective owner.

SONAR

Indie Game Magazine Issue 19 - November-December 2011

Staff Editors

Mike Gnade

Chris Priestman Art & Magazine Design

Mike Gnade

Michael Heald

Zak Gebelein

Writers/Contributors

Chris Priestman

Mike Gnade

Richard Glenn

Mark O'Beirne

Katie Ardmore

James Attard

Kyle McColl

Website Content Manager

Chris Newton Community Manager

Toby Hoover Special Thanks FullyIllustrated.com

Insider Edition

2

Copyright Š 2011 The Indie Game Magazine, All Rights Reserved.

All game logos, screenshots, artwork, trademarks, etc are property of their respective owner.

+ Table of Contents Front End

Staff/Credits pg 2 Table of Contents pg 3 Guide to Scaring People pg 4 Shank 2 Preview pg 6 Mojang's Scrolls Legal News pg 8 Warp Preview pg 9

Cover Story

Frictional Games Interview

Cover Story: We interview Frictional Games and learn how to scare gamers

pg 12

Reviews

1916 - Der Unbekannte Krieg pg 10 onEye pg 11 Xotic pg 16 The Bridge pg 17 Orcs Must Die pg 20 Bastion pg 21 SONAR pg 22

Backend

Against the Wall Interview Game Tunnel XBLIG Top 3 indiePub Interview

pg 14 pg 15 pg 23

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%

3

+ Feature

Your heart’s in your mouth. Your back’s against the wall. You’re alone, supernatural forces tearing away at your very mind and soul. You try to draw breath, but only cold, biting air forces its way into your tightening lungs. You need to hide, but darkness renders you blind as the harrowing abyss saps away your strength.

Footsteps in the distance.

You recognise the sound, but you still can’t visual a physical embodiment of its source.

Footsteps again.

Tension reigns once again as the hollow pitter-patter rings through the air, but from where did it come? Your head spins; your vision blurs. There’s that all-too familiar sense of solitude and hopelessness once again, festering in the pit of your stomach over and over and over again, consuming your body and mind until the world merges together in one big emulsion of fantasy and reality.

But what is reality? You can’t say for certain. Not any more. What only seemed possible in your most twisted nightmares now haunts and terrorises you in the waking world, and you’re scrapping for your survival against ethereal beings that once seemed imaginary. After all, how does one fight that which one cannot fathom?

You’re going to die here. You’re going to fall, 4 another lone victim of the darkness,

The Frictional Guide to Scaring People Silly

another hapless waste of human life snuffed out by the creatures of the night. Just give up; your plight is one of futile inevitability. Submit to the unholy wrath of your tormentors.

the size of small principalities? Well, let’s have a look. Take a deep breath and stay close. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Or run. Run and hide. Use your wits and resources to make it out alive. It’s a distant hope, but it’s your only hope.

Survive if you can. Fight back at your peril.

It’s all fine and dandy to have all the shrieking ghouls, flickering light effects and eerie orchestral scores that money can buy, but it all counts for very little if you’re armed with enough heavy weaponry to warrant a spurious UN investigation. Oh, look, a zombie’s ambling towards me, salivating as it prepares to feast on my supple body.

Good thing I’ve got a shotgun loaded with exploding shells crafted from the holy blacksmith of God himself, because otherwise I might get a little scared. No doubt it’ll also come in handy when the poor undead sod’s identical brethren try to have their way with me in the next room too. And they say that the zombie apocalypse is supposed to be intimidating? I’m not even breaking a sweat.

This, it would seem, is the encapsulation of horror. It’s the growing, mutating embodiments of uncertainty and panic that blur the lines between your conscious and subconscious streams of thought, the unwavering efficacy with which the ungodly events unfolding on your monitor screen pervade through into your real-world rationale. Basically, this is one of those rare occasions on which you know that you’re truly immersed in a video game.

Let’s look at that last sentence again.

Pay particular attention to the word, “rare”, because it’s indicative of what Frictional Games managed to achieve with both the Penumbra trilogy and Amnesia: The Dark Descent, a set of independently developed fright fests that succeed in the art of doing what almost every other studio has tried and failed: getting horror right.

But why are Frictional Games’ helpings of linen-soilingly terrifying software held in such high regard, especially when they’ve had to compete with such a plethora of titanic studios with budgets

Weapons? What Weapons?

Upon the 2007 release of Penumbra: Overture, Frictional took this lackadaisical approach to suspense and kicked it square in the nuts. Not only did the game have no usable firearms, but any melee weapons, such as hammers and pickaxes, were few and far between. What this effectively meant was that players could no longer rely upon raw firepower as an easy solution to the quandary in which they were placed, instead forcing them to rely upon an oft-forgotten attribute of the human psyche: instinct.

Weak and Helpless Again, though, this emphasis on the need to use your own cunning in order to prevail would be undermined if the player character was the kind of titanic wrecking machine who takes centre stage on the box art of most futuristic military shooters these days. And, once again, Frictional has the answer.

Whether you’re playing Penumbra or Amnesia, the rundown is basically the same. You play as a regular old Joe with the kind of hand-to-hand skills and athleticism that wouldn’t seem out of place at the Chelsea Flower Show, and you’re clearly physically unmatched against the ethereal creatures that roam the world you’re so desperate to escape. So, yes, you can try to throw objects at them and get in a quick blow or two here and there, but it’ll only get you so far before you’re at the mercy of their unfathomably sadistic wrath. Your best bet, therefore, is to avoid conflict altogether, and you know what that will require? Subtlety.

Frictional’s games put heavy emphasis on its stealth mechanics, encouraging players to cling like a leech to the dark shadows in a desperate attempt not to be seen. And that’s no easy feat.

Frctional’s own HPL engine allowed enemies to react dynamically to each and every sound you made and many of the visual clues of your presence that you weren’t careful enough to disguise.

This effectively meant that one had to tip-toe gingerly every step of the way until an obstacle had been avoided and an enemy was out of sight, a challenge made all the more engaging by your own raising heartbeat and growing sense of impalpable tension.

Fear of the Dark Lighting is probably the first port of call for a budding horror game developer, but it’s an effect that has proven surprisingly difficult to pull off

convincingly. Having a light bulb blow out may be jarring the first time round, but its effect aren’t quite so well-rooted the next dozen times a curiously well-lit room suddenly plunges into darkness.

Frictional got rid of this stumbling block by inviting players to adjust the in-game contrast levels before starting the game, recommending them to alter them to the point at which objects positioned mere yards away are barely recognisable in the enveloping blackness. The results are, quite frankly, awe-inspiring, adding further to the foreboding atmospheres upon which the entire experience was built.

Amnesia ended up taking things a step further by implementing a stress system into the equation, gradually blurring your vision as the character moved away from the light sources littered so sparingly around the mansion in which the game is set. If ever there was a means to convey genuine, heartpumping stress in the real world through an interactive fictional medium, this is it, and Frictional managed to establish it with such aplomb that many players found themselves having to close down the game in unmitigated hysteria every few minutes. That, children, is the epitome of fear itself.

Turn the Radio Down Have you ever noticed how, in most horror games, you can tell when the next startling set piece is about to unfold? It’s usually a few short moments after the background music begins to take on a more rapid, punchy tone and, more often than not, it’s clear when the regular music resumes that this particular escapade has come to an end.

I can think of two ways round this issue. Firstly, you could make it so the scary music continues for a while after the hordes of enemies have subsided, avoiding that unwanted situation in which the player’s adrenaline levels plummet instantaneously back to their regular levels exactly five seconds after the conflict has been resolved. Alternatively, you could just avoid having in-game music altogether, instead relying upon an array of chilling sound effects that force players to actively use their sense of hearing in their quest to survive.

Frictional plumped for the latter, and its games are all the more atmospheric for it.

That breezy sound you just heard in the distance? It was

probably just the wind. It might even have been a small bird. Or maybe it was a savage monster, and maybe it’s creeping up behind you right now, ready to snuff out your pathetic existence in one decisive strike. You’d better not look behind you, though, because those muffled footsteps coming from the other direction prompt you to seek refuge in the corner of the room you thought was your safe haven, but how can you be sure any more?

That’s paranoia taking over, that is. And that’s what make things so delightfully unpredictable.

How Can You Kill That Which Does Not Exist?

Speaking of unpredictability, that’s precisely what separates Frictional’s products from its counterparts. For you, the naïve everyman thrust into a world in which he doesn’t belong, the forces of evil that face you just can’t quite be clearly defined. These are supernatural creatures we’re talking about here, and not those clichéd folkloric beasts that can be mown down with bullets, garlic or wooden stakes either. The heartwrenching truth is that you simply don’t know what you’re up against, and that’s just one more reason to avoid your adversaries.

The creation of a new, unique world, in which the rules of nature and the elemental status quo are flipped on their heads, is perhaps the real success story behind Frictional’s efforts, and it’s the crucial pivot on which all the tension, self-doubt and ambient discomfort balance. Without playing upon the natural human fear of the unknown, Frictional might only have created a serviceable, throwaway game that would be forgotten in an instant by all that played it, but with the epic voyage of discovery that permeates through the tales as they unfold, every last inch of fear, misery and helplessness are poised finely on a knife edge.

It would be wrong for me to suggest that Amnesia or any of the Penumbra games are models of gaming perfection, but it’s still so easy to perceive them as refreshing takes on a genre that’s arguably been dying a slow death for over a decade now. If nothing else, Frictional has provided a blueprint for audio-visual atmosphere that other independent developers and, indeed, the big retail studios, would do well to study under the microscope.

- Richard Glenn

5

+ Preview

Shank 2 - www.shankgame.com - XBLA - PSN - PC Shank is back and he is as mad and as violent as ever.

Shank 2 features the familiar protagonist of Shank, but he is not out for revenge this time. It is his home that he is trying to protect and, once again, he will take down any foe that stands in his way. Of course, it wouldn’t be a successor to Shank if there weren’t buckets of blood, a unique art style and frantic combat. Rest assured all of these elements remain.

Klei Entertainment has decided that if it isn’t broken, it doesn’t need fixing. This is the perfect approach to take, especially when elements that were less positively received have been given an overhaul. The large lumbering enemies no longer pack a touch of death and boss fights have been reworked to be more fun and in-line with the rest of the experience that Shank 2 has to offer. All enemies, including those large brutes that caused many headaches in the first game, can be countered. Their own weapons and strengths can be used against them, though in a less Zen-like way than Tai Chi masters would preach. Boss fights are no longer a case of luring them to one side of the screen while frantically trying to avoid that one pre-programmed lunge. Instead, they can be taken on in a more direct combat style.

The original Shank had a distinct and interesting visual style.

This returns in Shank 2, but has been given a little extra polish. There are some new effects and some of the new environments showcase the artistic creation in all its glory.

While it could be very easy to get distracted and stand in awe of a burning landscape, it is important to keep moving.

Admire the art when there is a brief break in the gore or during cutscenes instead.

Multiplayer has been given a new addition. This mode involves two characters taking on wave after wave of enemies of various shapes and sizes in Survival Mode.

This will test every element that players have learned over the course of Shank 2. Naturally, one of the quickest and most effective ways to dispatch enemies is to counter their attacks. Players will be kept on their toes throughout with the appearances of larger powerhouses and enemies with firearms. Survival mode also requires players to protect 6

several caches from being bombed. The possibilities are endless and players will have to push themselves to go as far as they can. Money is earned with each enemy killed and can be used for health drinks or weaponry such as turrets or chainguns. All of these elements add up to a fast and frantic encounter that is perfect for multiplayer or pick-up-and-play gaming.

Shank 2 is looking like it will be a worthy successor to the original. Klei Entertainment may not be reinventing the wheel, but it’s the better approach to take with such a solid foundation. The new additions are welcome touches and improve the experience rather than drastically alter it.

Somehow there are more people to kill, but Shank is up to the task in order to protect his nearest and dearest.

- Mark O'Beirne

Red Dot Design Award Winner 2011

91 out of 100 metacritic.com August 2011

Pocket Gamer Gold Award Winner

Feature

+

THE AWARD-WINNING

ACTION PUZZLE

... ABOUT A

HAUNTED HOUSE

available for iPhone, iPad, Mac & PC

www.The GreatJitters.com Download the PC version at

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“One of the best games of its genre!” maclife.com

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“A must-play!” appadvice.com

“A frighteningly fun ride!” pauseunpause.com

7

+ News

Mojang, the studio behind Minecraft, continues use of “Scrolls� for now Mojang founder Markus "Notch" Peterson updated the status of the Mojang vs. Bethesda court case via Twitter on October 18.

"We won the interim injunction! We can keep using the name "Scrolls."

ZeniMax/Bethesda can still appeal the ruling, but I'm very happy," Notch tweated.

An interim injunction is a court order prohibiting someone from taking an action until the court has come to a full decision. Bethesda wanted a Swedish court to order Mojang to discontinue the use of the name "Scrolls" until the court can decide whether Mojang is infringing on the "Elder Scrolls" trademark.

Bethesda failed, and Mojang can continue using Scrolls for now. This means a one up for Mojang, but it doesn't mean they've won. Bethesda could try to appeal the court's judgement or continue with the lawsuit anyway.

But chances look bleak for Bethesda. It would waste months to try and repeal the court ruling. Plus, the court clearly prefers Mojang's case to Bethesda's, otherwise they wouldn't have ruled the way they did.

Bethesda isn't giving up though. But Notch says he thinks there is something more to this case.

"When Bethesda contacted us, we offered both to change the name to 'Scrolls: <some subtitle>' and to give up the trademark," Notch said in a blog post. "They refused on both counts. Whatever reason they have for 8 suing us, it's not a fear of us having a

trademark on the word Scrolls, as we're offered to give that up."

Bethesda started the lawsuit after Mojang announced a fantasy cardtrading game they are creating called Scrolls. Bethesda's attorney sent Mojang a letter in August stating that the name "Scrolls" would cause confusion with Bethesda's own trademark Elder Scrolls, a role-playing game.

Notch initially challenged Bethesda via his blog to settle the suit like true gamers, by playing the video game Quake 3.

"If we win, you drop the lawsuit. If you win, we will change the name of Scrolls to something you're fine with. I'm serious by the way," Notch said in his blog.

Notch later told Wired magazine that Quake 3 wasn't the best choice since Bethesda technically owns the game.

But he said the match would "bring both parties a lot of good PR." Bethesda declined the offer and continued with the lawsuit. Notch started out feeling lighthearted about the whole thing.

"I love Bethesda," Notch said in an August blog post. "I assume this nonsense is partly just their lawyers being lawyers."

Lawyers spent a lot of time in discussion before the lawsuit went to court, and Notch referred to the legalities as "terribly boring."

But as the lawsuit got more serious in September, Mojang had to come to

grips with it. The independent company started getting more serious about the situation.

"If we're going to court, I will fight this for as long as it takes," Notch said. "It's a bogus claim, and they have several one-word-named games that share a noun with other games."

While Notch is developing a more fiery attitude towards the lawsuit, Bethesda Vice President Pete Hines is trying to maintain a more diplomatic stance.

"Nobody here enjoys being forced into this. Hopefully it will be resolved soon," Bethesda Vice President Pete Hines said.

The difference between Mojang and Bethesda is definitely visible. Mojang is a small independent company started only a year ago that's famous for one game: Minecraft. Mojang employees are allowed to invent their own job titles.

Bethesda is a huge, international gaming country that's famous for several games including Rage and the Fallout games. The company has also bought other smaller game companies.

So, while Notch is making this lawsuit more personal by tweeting and blogging about it, Hines is focusing on keeping their case within the court.

"This is a business matter based on how trademark law works," Hines said. "and it will continue to be dealt with by lawyers who understand it, not by me or our developers."

- Kate Ardmore

Preview

+

Warp - trapdoorinc.com - XBLA - PSN - PC Warp was initially described as “unique” by developers Trapdoor. This is something of an understatement though. Players are put in control of an alien, by the name of Zero, with special abilities. He is attempting to escape the lab in which he is being held captive.

At its core, Warp is a stealthy puzzle game. It is quirky, it is cute, it is wacky, and it is challenging.

Initially the only ability that the little critter has is to warp. This is the primary ability within the game, hence the name. This allows players to hide inside objects, possess people to disturb guards, or warp through walls and across gaps. If inside an object, shaking the right analog stick will cause the barrel to wobble or explode. This can be used to distract, scare or stun patrols and scientists. However, it can also be put to more sinister use. Occupy a person, shake the stick and watch them expand before your eyes before the inevitable pop.

That is the beauty of Warp. There are different ways to play the game, different paths to take through a level and different solutions to any problem.

The key is working out the best or most effective one. As the game progresses Zero gains new abilities and can unlock special traits. Abilities are earned via progression as new challenges are posed by levels while traits, such as the ability to see a map of the base, can be unlocked by collecting grubs.

Warp requires some thinking outside the box. It is important to remember that Zero has abilities which need to be put to good use to survive. It is clever how these abilities are implemented into the game. Warping between objects is quicker than warping to another location and tricks like this are put to the test. It is a game of understanding the capabilities and limitations of each ability and how they apply to particular situations. While death is a swift punishment upon failure, it does not feel

frustrating. The game is responsive and the abilities work as they are supposed to. Instead the tactic used to approach a situation must be tweaked.

Along the way, there are also clever challenge rooms. These range from straightforward races that test a player’s ability to identify the quickest route and locations to warp to challenges which test how quickly players can frag objects and enemies. These challenges are fun little diversions that allow players to compete against their friends on leaderboards and earn grubs based on the player’s performance.

Practice makes perfect and players are rewarded for perfecting techniques and challenging themselves. Of course, the coveted reward among friends is bragging rights.

Visually, Warp is an appealing game.

Some of the effects utilised are very interesting and eye catching. The convulsions and explosions of scientists are unique, if not a little deranged. But that sums up Warp in a nutshell; unique, challenging, but a little deranged.

Warp is a lot of fun but not for the squeamish. Warp will challenge, delight and puzzle players. It looks distinctive, it is eye-catching and it is a blast to play.

- Mark O'Beirne

9

+ Review

1916 - Der Unbekannte Krieg - 1916.dadiugames.dk - PC - Mac You hold a mysterious note in your hand that simply reads “Finde die leiten” (“find the ladder”). You creep around the deep, muddy trenches with the faint sounds of death and gunfire around you. The light rain is constantly pattering against your skull. Your movement is rocky, unstable. Fatigue besets you and the chemicals in the air only choke your lungs. You look up into the light…salvation is just out of reach.

A passage leads to the right. Looking down the long, tight trench you see a figure slumped against the squelchy walls that imprison you. Trembling, you worm your way through the slippery passage. The body becomes clearer as your focus draws towards it and your nostrils pick up the scent of rot and decay. The soldier lies only a few steps away, are they dead? Taking an extra step to test the ground you hear a growing buzz – adrenaline kicks in. Your foot lands nearer to the haunting figure.

You can definitely hear something, a faint patter and a growing squeal.

Danger encapsulates you. The body is still. Your eyes are drawn to the end of the trench. The sound is loud now. It’s coming! You grit your teeth. Frozen to the spot. Your mind races. The sound is deafening. Shit! Fuck!

“What the fuck was that?!”

A figure that can only resemble death hurtled down the adjacent corridor. Was it real? With no other direction to go, it seems that you are going to have to brave the thought of finding out.

Right. Well. That may have been a bit overdone but it corresponds to my exact experience as I played what was only the first two minutes of 1916 – 10 Unbekannte Krieg. I did not know Der

anything about the game at all before I started playing and this is how it is best played. The less you know, the more surprising and intense the experience will be for you. Considering this, I am going to spoil the game as little as possible in this review. The better idea for the unsuspecting reader would be to go and play it right now, seriously!

As far as delivering an experience goes, 1916 is outstanding and will remain as one that will stay with me. The game immediately draws comparisons to Amnesia: The Dark Descent due to the horror it is able to induce into its players. To get the full experience of 1916 requires a playthrough in the dark with headphones on, the game design does the rest. As far as atmosphere goes, the game gets it right. I am in love with the visual design especially.

Admittedly the graphics let the game down in places, but the ‘authentic’ black and white, grainy style really adds to the grim setting of the game. The first person perspective and lack of HUD only enhances this further and allows the player to get really immersed into the environment.

Sound design is one of the most important factors if a game is trying to induce fear into its players. Save for a couple of over familiar sound effects, the game really excels in this department also. Much like Amnesia: The Dark Descent the game fluctuates the player through two states of play.

Basically, as you wander through the maze-like, claustrophobic trenches you will be able to hear your heartbeat amidst the patter of the rain. The calmer moments build tension as you enter each new area and slowly figure out how to find an exit from this hellhole.

There are some very odd things to encounter on your travels and those really immersed in the game will certainly see more as their mind plays tricks on them. Then just like a flick of a switch, the game swings desperation your way as you sprint from the danger waiting for you around any given corner.

Any attempt to keep track of where you are going and where you have been is suddenly lost, along with your composure. Your only aim is to survive the immediate threat.

Most impressive is the game’s ‘feel’.

It is not perfect, but the game’s focus on putting you into the body of this vulnerable soldier is admirable. The way the character moves as he walks and sprints is especially adept at adding to the game’s character, the player’s immersion and the sense of panic if the moment requires it. Instead of having an inventory the player has to look down to his belt to see what items they have stocked in there – a flare or two, and if lucky, a couple of bullets. These subtle touches make the game feel more like reality and they become the game’s most outstanding features. Many people have complained about not being able to work out what to do – with some even requesting a tutorial. Any extra help of this sort given to the player would only take away from the game’s impact.

Part of the experience is working things out by yourself, and the fact that the game chucks you right into the fire is no mistake. This way the player is attacked at their most vulnerable; when they are still working out the controls and what to do. The developers do not want you to feel comfortable at any time and so this often-cited ‘fault’ of the game is actually brilliant design.

Review Never have I been so connected with the reality of the game world. I say this because there was a moment in which my character was shoved in the back, knocking him against the trench wall. At this moment, I also jumped out of my skin but somehow also felt the shove in the back to the point where I nearly gave myself mild whiplash. This sounds greatly exaggerated but I assure you, it happened. The developers add further authenticity through the various notes scattered around written in German – as a bonus they contribute to the sense of isolation and confusion for english speaking players as well. The impression that is left on the player from the overall package is one of hostility and tension.

I really cannot say anymore about the game that will not spoil it so it is best you go and play it. It will not last very long but the nature of the gameplay suits a shorter length. The ending also has an impact of its own that is worth fighting through the terror and confusion for. Some players may consider the game cheap and cheesy for a reason that makes itself obvious very quickly. Beyond that one thing though is a very memorable experience that has the potential to really terrify you. Put it this way, you will have a genuine reaction as if you were actually in that trench when you encounter the haunt of your prison.

Concentrating on making the playable character feel real pays off in this gaming experience, and the unique style and approach is something any avid horror game fanatic will appreciate.

- Chris Priestman

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

9 9 9 10

Score: 92%

Grade

A

+

onEye - one-eye-shooter.blogspot.com- PC onEye, developed by Gromy, is a different take on the puzzle platformer.

When I first started up the game I was greeted with a dark and gloomy, and slightly freaky, atmospheric level.

Wondering what I had gotten myself into I quickly overcame this level, after a couple of deaths, and found what was on the other side was a much brighter side, full of enemies.

enemy designs to be quite well done, and found some to be more humorous then others. The games music and sound effects while not anything original fit the tone of the game nicely.

Overall onEye is a genuinely enjoyable title. If you like puzzle, exploration or platformer titles then give onEye ago. For a $5.00 asking price you will get the bang for your buck.

For a platformer title, onEye has quite the emphasis on exploration and adventure to solve puzzles. A few times I found myself backtracking through the map of levels, which is large, to deliver items for rewards the increase the players’ gameplay options. For example on one occasion I had to locate and deliver a superhero cape, which in return saw me receive the ability to double jump. I’ll admit that I was stumped a couple of times on how to proceed in solving the puzzles but I staggered on.

The game’s enemies you encounter I found were more difficult than they should have been, especially in some earlier parts of the games. Other than that however with the exception of a few minor bugs, which mostly related to dying, onEye has great gameplay mechanics that control well. In addition there incentives to continue playing the game once you have finished it through challenge and boss fight modes, which adds to onEye’s value.

Visually speaking onEye isn’t anything spectacular when it comes to the level designs. However the use of colored blocks and switches I thought to be quite inventive, as it also gave a sense of direction on where I could and couldn’t progress through the game at any one time.I did find some of the character and

- James Attard

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

8 8 8 8

Score: 80%

Grade

B

11

+ Cover Story

Interview with Frictional Games Jens Nilsson IGM: First of all, congratulations for all the critical and commercial success you’ve attracted with the release of your latest game, Amnesia: The Dark Descent. How surprising was it to see such an enthusiastic response to the game?

Jens Nilsson: It was quite surprising.

We estimated that we needed to sell 30,000 copies to earn as much money as we spent making it, which would allow us to continue working on the next game, even though the terms for doing so would not be the greatest (as in we probably would not want to keep working like that).

We were confident we should be able to reach that goal, and we even had a dream number of how amazing it would be if we were to sell 100,000 copies.

We ended up selling 400,000 during the first year. Granted, the majority came as a result of various discounts, but, even so, we ended up in a position way above our dream situation. Even now, over a year after release, great user created content shows up, like awesome costumes, videos and, even just last week, a total conversion was released called "White Night".

IGM: It’s been well documented that you’ve spoken out in favour of making indie titles available 12

on multiple computer platforms, including Linux and Mac. With both the Windows and Mac versions of Amnesia having been made available to considerable success, especially as a result of Steam’s regular discount sales, do you think that offering buyers the chance to purchase cross-platform titles has helped the game’s overall success?

Jens: Hard to say. The majority of the big events, such as publications and community content going viral, stemmed from the Windows version.

But, also, just doing all three platforms gives you extra attention and you also get good cover on Mac and Linux simply for supporting the platform, particularly if you use modern 3D technologies. But, as we often said in the past about our previous games in the Penumbra series, Mac and Linux sales saved us many times when we were low on cash. We have always released our games for those platforms on our own, and that has allowed for a higher percentage of the revenue to come to us, and it’s also come much faster than when we have had a publisher acting as a middle hand, which delays payments for two to three months in the best case, but indefinitely in the worst case scenario.

IGM: On the subject of the underlying

economics of the gaming industry, it’s also worth mentioning that another of your acclaimed horror games, Penumbra: Overture, was part of the very first Humble Indie Bundle. Can you tell us how the whole idea for the Humble Bundle was pitched to you, and what your reactions have been towards the amount of attention each iteration of the Humble Bundle has received since then?

Jens: We’ve known Wolfire Games (creator of the Humble Indie Bundle) for many years. I even freelanced for them a bit, creating sound effects for Overgrowth in 2006 while we were working on Penumbra: Overture.

I can't exactly recall the sales pitch for the Bundle, but I recall the words, “bundle,” “charity” and “awesome.” We discussed it a bit here at Frictional, and it was never a question about if we should participate or not, but simply how well we thought it would do. Like with the reception for Amnesia, even our best guess was not close to how well the Humble Indie Bundle managed to do. It's also great to see that each bundle keeps going strong and that it is something that continues to work as long as it’s done as well as the HIB guys are doing it.

IGM: Would you be interested in getting involved with a similar charity-focused, pay-what-you-like concept in the future?

Jens: It's an exciting complement to other ways of selling games, so sure.

IGM: Now, onto the games themselves. Both the Penumbra series and Amnesia have gained special praise for being some of the most genuinely terrifying games on the market today, combining the classic survival elements of games of the past with a macabre, chilling atmosphere. Were there any specific horror games that shaped your vision for the development of these games?

Jens: Yes, of course. Our direction came not only from looking at the positive aspects in other horror games, but also from looking at how certain elements seemed to ruin the experience. The big examples, like Silent Hill and Resident Evil, and even Aliens vs Predator, have served as our inspiration.

I can't recall whether or not there was a single, specific game that inspired our products. In general, we wanted to create a survival horror game for PC, with a first person view, and to not have weapons or a focus on combat, as we felt that giving the player weapons would be something that took away a lot of the potential horror-based atmosphere.

IGM: People have commented on how refreshing your approach to horror in your games has been, with many of them stating that the survival horror genre is otherwise becoming a dying art. Do you think that the genre has any kind of future in the mainstream of gaming, or would you say that most developers are moving away from it in favour of the more fast-paced, action-packed variety of games that we see so often nowadays?

Jens: At the moment, the move has been towards action-based horror, but it feels like a current gen problem.

Everything has to be so action driven with the current generation, with many games being first-person action games, even though a gamepad is an input device that does lots of things amazingly well, but not first-person controls.

I'm very confident that the survival horror genre will contain a much wider span of game types in a couple of years. I'm confident this applies to all genres. I can't be the only one that enjoys an action movie or two, but I

prefer to watch tons of other genres.

Currently, if you want to enjoy a big budget video game, all you have to choose from is found in the action section. It seems unlikely that this will always continue to be the case.

IGM: Over the last few years, we’ve seen several indie developers gain considerable success, not only thanks to yourselves, but also to the likes of Braid, Limbo, Bastion and World of Goo. Do you think that some consumers are beginning to shift away from the big retail titles in favour of the less expensive, and often more innovative, indie games?

Jens: More people play games and more people play more games. Digital downloads have become much more accessible during the last couple of years. I'm not sure the success has as much to do with being innovative as it has to do with the fact that the examples you mentioned are simply good games that are easy to get and easily affordable.

Like the music and the film industry, the game industry has been a bit slow in making good use of the digital delivery methods, allowing smaller companies to get a chance to reach people with less competition.

IGM: Is there any particular advice that you would give to aspiring indie developers attempting to attract publicity and media excitement for their games?

Jens: Try to be unique. The current main focus for indie developers seems to be to make concentrated experiences with a challenging core gameplay, and staying away from that might be a good start in the drive to get noticed. Keep it small and focused, not only in terms of the project, but also in terms of the whole group and organisation.

It's crazy when you talk to people that plan to start a game company with maybe ten or more people. You have to earn a lot of cash to be able to pay salaries for ten people every month.

Even after running a company for many years, I have to remind myself that a sum of $100,000 USD, which is a lot for me as an individual, is not very much for a group of people who have to share it and also pay for taxes, fees and whatnot.

IGM: When one looks at the success that your company has garnered over the past few years, it’s important not to overlook your success in creating your own game engine to support your titles. You’ve already released a tech feature on the progress of your latest game

engine, tentatively known as HPL 3. Roughly a year has passed since then, however, so do you have any plans to utilise the engine in a current project? Can you offer any details on what you’re working on at the moment?

Jens: We are working away, both on the engine and the next game.

There’s not much to speak about at the moment; it's too soon! However, I can say that the engine is a bit more modern, with some new features, such as terrain, and the tools are improved and the artists are working away on stuff for the new game. A big change has been to make as much as possible with scripts, making it possible to make advanced changes to the game and instantly see them in action with the single click of a button. This is a lot more efficient than having to compile the game executable over and over.

It also opens up the possibility for our community to add even more advanced and varied creations using our engine and tools in the future.

IGM: Finally, you released an advertisement earlier this year for a programmer to join your team, and the advert mentioned that you were looking for someone to work on console development and the possible implementation of motion controls. Presumably, this means that you’re at least considering the idea of branching out into console releases. With that in mind, would you be interested in looking at software development for some of the next-generation consoles, particularly the upcoming Wii U and the new technology it offers?

How about handheld devices, such as the Nintendo 3DS and the Sony Playstation Vita?

Jens: No handhelds, but various consoles have been discussed. It's not a main focus to make a game for console, but we are keeping consoles in mind a lot more when working on the new game and engine. Everything, from limitations of consoles to adding gamepad support and so forth, need to be taken into account.

We are a game developer with a focus on the computer platforms, but we have an interest in and a desire to try out some console releases as well, as long as we can do it in an efficient manner that suits our way of running this company.

IGM: Thanks for your time, Jens.

We’ll be looking forward to seeing what the future holds for Frictional Games.

Interview by Richard Glenn 13

+ Interview

An Interview with Against The Wall creator Michael Consoli

The Indie development scene is one that has seen many a great project disappear due to team mis-management, lack of time or an overtly ambitious project. The lack of funding however is one that can, more often than not, stop a project dead before it has a chance to succeed in the harsh games market. In this new Interview series, IGM will be speaking to a variety of games developers who are using the funding platform Kickstarter to finance their games for release. This week we have the pleasure of interviewing Michael Consoli, the creator of platform-puzzle game Against The Wall.

IGM: Hello Michael, thanks for taking part in this interview. Firstly I just wanted to say after playing the Alpha build of Against The Wall is that I was absolutely amazed by it! The simple gameplay concept is very unique and very easy to get into. How did you come up with the idea for AtW? Michael Consoli: I came up with AtW during the 20th Ludum Dare competition.

The theme was, "It's dangerous to go alone, take this." So I made a dangerous wall and had a questgiver (really a scarecrow) pass on a magic wand to help the player get back home. The idea of scaling an infinite wall itself was from a short story I wrote for a creative writing course back in college.

IGM: It's certainly a great premise for a game! While Against The Wall is still in the Alpha stage, it has already attracted a few followers from the Kickstarter campaign. What do you think caught the eyes of the gamers when they saw your effort?

MC: It may be because the game is so unusual, they haven't seen anything like it before. There's some mystery to this place, and people want to find out what it's all about, immersing themselves in a completely alien environment.

IGM: What struck me first was the visual aspect â&#x20AC;&#x201C; without a doubt the game looks beautiful, but actually seeing a world built on a wall is incredibly eyecatching. Considering 14 talent on show here, it has to be the

asked - is Against The Wall your first videogame?

MC: Well I've made a couple before for game jams, but I don't really count them.

This is my first actual game that I am seeing to completion.

IGM: What are the main differences between creating concepts for the game jams and creating AtW? MC: Game jams are great, the strict time limitations really force people to think creatively and make due with what they have and what they can do.

I run through a bunch of silly ideas and make a few false starts before I decide on something that sounds fun while requiring minimal work to complete.

Then I just launch into it and hope for the best!

IGM: For those who don't know, Kickstarter is a funding website where you can attract donations from people around the world to help fund your project. How were you led to Kickstarter, and why did you decide to choose it to try and gain funding?

MC: I actually only found out about Kickstarter towards the end of September. It seemed like a great way to put my game out there and involve others in its creation. In addition, I realized that I needed to hire a few people to speed things along, that the art in particular was difficult and time consuming, and that I needed help in creating a quality product.

IGM: You've currently got a target of $6500 to aim for, with 40 days to go until the campaign ends. How confident are you that Against The Wall will go the distance?

MC: I know that I have a quality product.

I'm sure that I can hit the target if I could spread the word and have more people play it.

IGM: Thanks for taking part in this interview Michael, here's my final bonus question for you. What question would you have liked to have been asked, and what would be the answer?

MC: What are your major influences for this game? The Portal series is the biggest influence on Against the Wall in terms of design and structure. My game is a first-person puzzle platformer.

The player uses a special device to navigate increasingly complex levels in a hostile and strange environment. I'm following Minecraft a bit in that the world is procedurally-generated and made up of blocks. There's also a dash of Ico and Myst in there stylistically.

The 'Against The Wall' funding campaign on Kickstarter ends on December 4th and needs all the support it can get â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the official Against The Wall website is: http://www.againstthewallgame.com/ - Interview by Kyle McColl

Game Tunnel

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Game Tunnel - Monthly Top 3 XBLIG - www.gametunnel.com Ninja Wars: Stolen Scrolls is a great game and an absolute steal at only $1 (80 MSP). The biggest flaw with Ninja Wars is that you cannot avoid comparing it to the colossal XBLA hit, Castle Crashers. Ninja Wars is an up to 4 player side-scrolling brawler with RPG elements and level progression. Ninja Wars rips right out of Castle Crasher’s book and gives you the choice of 4 Ninjas each one has a different element that they use for their special attacks (Fire, Water, Lightning, and Wind). The graphics are cartoony and very similar in style to Castle Crashers as well. Even the map screen has a similar look and color palette.

1. Ninja Wars - Stolen Scrolls

Ninja Wars is not as good as Castle Crashers. Everything falls a little short. The graphics, sound, and combat engine all fall just a little short. Here’s the thing though, Ninja Wars is 1/15 the cost of Castle Crashers! The game is easily worth $5-10 with the quality of its gameplay, visuals, and production. If you liked Castle Crashers, do yourself a favor and check this game out. Skip the next 80MSP picture pack, and buy this game instead.

1. TIC - Part 1

In TIC, you control a unicycling, wall-drilling, helicoptering, mining robot. TIC’s story revolves around trying to stop EvilCorp and putting an end to an oil draught. The story/world is a little wacky and never really grabbed me, but the solid gameplay and visuals instantly appealed to me. The gameplay is a mix of platforming and adventure.

Each level has a series of objectives that you must complete in order to move on to the next level. This means that TIC isn’t your standard platformer where you’re always moving right in order to progress from point A to point B; there’s a fair amount of exploring to be done in each level. The controls are very simple and boil down to a jump/hover and drill button.

Easily one of the most appealing aspects of TIC are its gorgeous visuals. While the game only has 3 levels, I was stunned by how large and unique they were. The game is whimsical and stands out against the amateurish and rudimentary games that litter the Xbox Indie Game Channel. It’s a shame that TIC: Part 1 is only 3 levels. Red Candy tries to extend the length of the title with some unlockable challenges, but it still feels pricey at 240 MSP for XBLIG. Maybe epic RPGs such as Cthulhu Saves the World have just skewed this perception though.

In Robotriot, you control Slug, a freelance inter-galatic repossessions agent. The game features 3 different ships and 12 levels of action as you track down, board, and shut down rogue space ships. Of course the appeal of Robotriot is that it is a fantastic bargain with great retro pixelart and chiptunes.

3. Robotriot

At its core, Robotriot is a platformer with some light shooting mechanics. The levels and ships are varied and offer a variety of challenges and enemy bots. The controls are simple, but I found jumping to be a little stiff. Robotriot will remind you of older games from the Genesis or Super Nintendo. That sense of nostalgia mixed with Robotriot’s unique personality and story, make it worth your time and purchase.

- Mike Gnade

15

+ Reviews

Xotic - www.xoticgame.com - PC Xotic sticks out like a sore thumb amongst other shooters. A simple glance at a screenshot will prove this. There are colours barfed up everywhere and it appears that more familiar weaponry such as a standard barrel-and-trigger gun, has been replaced with a large fly.

You are bound to question exactly what it is that you are looking at and how many drugs you have taken. But while Xotic may look a million miles away from your typical shooter, it is arguably more of a shooter than the current majority in the genre. You are probably more interested in the fly though, aren’t you?

So let’s get the question that is bugging you the most out of the way; why the hell is a giant fly being used as a gun?! The truth is, that is still a bit of a mystery, but in the game this ‘gun’ is actually the only thing that can save the world! Rather B-movie don’t you think? You play as an alien being that has been created with the Macroterra weapon attached to your arm — the giant fly of your curiosities.

With this, you have to do a spot of, what I like to term, speed gardening. This may sound like an old man’s sport, but allow me to elaborate for it really lends itself to some very satisfying gameplay. So there is this giant Orb floating around fouling up planets by infecting them with evil plant life; I know, what a bastard.

Your basic mission is to get through the mess that the Orb has left behind before taking the giant zit out yourself by the game’s end. Armed with the Macroterra weapon, you shoot your way through the various levels, with most of your time being spent popping off scab plants, turrets and collecting gems on the way, rather than going up against enemies as such. There are enemies though, but they simply act as a minor distraction from the core gameplay which is to build up the highest score possible.

16

How much more arcade can you get?

Every thing that you shoot adds to the tallying score at the top of the screen and the slightly odd and admittedly cheap-sounding voice over guy will tell you when you shoot a Mega Brain or perform an Aerial Combo. It is very bizarre indeed, but only on the side of its presentation. Speaking of which, the game is not going to blow you away with its textures or modelling. But the gushing liquids that exuberate in the sky as you burst the aqueous plant forms, combined with the mesmeric haze of reds and greens is a mouth-opening marvel. Psychedelically beautiful, even.

The game-play will sober you right back up though as it requires a speed and precision that we have not really felt since the days when Quake was the online shooter. To build up the biggest score the player will need to be quick on the trigger finger and move not only across the levels but to all kinds of vertical heights.

Exploring each of the wondrously varied levels is initially counter-intuitive though.

Unfortunately the jumping is very floaty; which is good when attempting to pass through a cluster of floating gems but pure bile when climbing up or trying to land on a precise spot. But wait, there is a solution! Utilizing the Holograms the player can create platforms underneath them as they jump – this basically grants an all access pass to the level. It almost feels like cheating. It isn’t however, and proves to be an invaluable tactic to shoot everything possible in the level, and at a decent speed as well. If anything could be described as drive-by ballet, this would be it.

Each level comes to a close when all the enemies have been defeated, or the timer runs out. At this point your accuracy, time remaining, amount of

objects shot, and the difficulty level all adds to your final score. Of course there are global leaderboards that you are slotted into and are going to want to climb. This age-old, scorebased feedback derives straight from the arcades and fits Xotic perfectly.

Combined with the addictive shooting mechanics, the game becomes hard to put down. There is just something about the way the scabs pop in a domino effect, and speed running to get the highest score that gets the pleasure center part of your brain craving for more. Perhaps the ultimate sense of satisfaction is keeping a chain reaction going for as long as possible to reach the highest scores. It’s a scoregasmic experience.

Just to make sure you are determined to keep on playing, you also earn experience points after each level which can be spent on upgrades to the like of armour and health as well as new ammo types. Although the latter sounds like a good idea and unlocking them all is certainly a driving factor behind your inevitable addiction, they do not actually turn out so well in-game. The reason for this is that scrolling through the ammo types is too awkward and most of them only really help you with taking out the relatively small number of hostiles in the levels. As should be obvious by now, your main focus is shooting the rest of the environment and by far the quickest and easiest way to do this is to use the default ammo. The other types are quite fun to use though if you want to just try them out; a personal favourite being a small fly crawling up to the front of your weapon to be fired as a homing missile.

Another reason to stay with the default ammo is that there are power ups to collect around the levels that work best with it – the speed shot turns it into a fully automatic machine gun.

Reviews Aside from a few technical errors which the developers are quick to alleviate when told about them, Xotic is a rather fun and addictive shooter.

It is certainly more visually appealing than anything else with a marine shouting “Hoorah” in it. Players will soon find that the gameplay is as satisfying as popping all the bubbles in a sheet of bubblewrap. After a few levels you will feel the need to shoot something that pops again and again.

Not only will that be driving you to come back, but finding the perfect run through each level in the fastest time is going to pull you in for several hours, the replayability is astounding especially when you consider the small price tag. Xotic is different and bizarre enough to work, and its adherence to the arcade shooter is a welcome change in the overcrowded genre. Looking for a new addiction and love the feel of classic shooters?

Then give Xotic a try, especially under the influence of hallucinogens…that may not be such good advice actually.

The Bridge - hypercubegames.net - PC An apple falling on your characters head, that’s how The Bridge, created by Ty Taylor and Mario Castaneda, starts.

Just like how Isaac Newton discovered gravity in the 17th century when an apple fell on his head, the player’s character discovers how to control gravity.

- Chris Priestman On the outside The Bridge looks like just another 2D platformer that requires you to get from point A to point B. Within minutes though I found myself having to use gravity to my advantage to solve puzzles to make sure I could actually get from A to B, while at the same time I was presented with an enjoyable story through the use of one line comments.

Through the use of gravity I found myself walking on the ceiling and walls to Gameplay: 8 venture through architectures, that would Graphics: 9 otherwise be impossible to do.

REVIEW Sound/Music: Lasting Appeal:

10 7

Score: 87%

Grade

B

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At the beginning of the game the puzzles that I met were simple to complete, requiring minimal manipulation of gravity.

However as I progressed through the many levels of the game I was faced with increasingly difficult puzzles that required delicate use of gravity manipulation, and this was also how I came to appreciate the hint system put in place.

both keyboard and 360 controller support are offered, and I found both worked perfectly fine. I did however find it took a while before I managed to get a hang of the controlling gravity concept.

Using hand drawn art in the style of a black and white lithograph, The Bridge is a beautiful game. From the main character and items to the environments and levels themselves everything is highly detailed and well presented. The game’s level designs are also well done, and at first glance for some of them I was simply flabbergasted at the complexity and simplicity they present at the same time. The game’s sound effects are also well done and I really enjoyed the quiet and simple music that played in the background as I progressed through the game.

The Bridge is a wonderful game that I enjoyed my time with. If you enjoy platformer titles I recommend you give the game a go when it is released on PC and Xbox 360 later this year.

- James Attard

Though the game increased in difficulty as I progressed I always knew that if I made a simple mistake that led to the character’s death, or caused the loss of something else, I could simply rewind time to make sure I could prevent the mistake from occurring. This I thought was a good move on the developers part, as I know when I play puzzle games every now and again I do press the wrong button that causes me to have to restart from the beginning but with The Bridge you only have to rewind a few seconds back, instead of starting again.

REVIEW

The Bridge uses a control setup common to most 2D platformer titles. In addition

Grade

Gameplay: Graphics: Sound/Music: Lasting Appeal:

9 10 8 7

Score: 90%

A-

17

+ Reviews

010 - www.uncanny-games.com - PC - Mac Most games adopt a cutscene enamored, Hollywood-style narrative.

It's disappointing to say the least.

That is why we need more games like OIO. This sidescrolling puzzle platformer weaves a promiscuous plot by dropping its players straight into the peculiar. It's narrative hook dismisses the usual action-packed formula and instead favors a slow pan across its twisted environments. Uncanny Games certainly know how to create an atmosphere worthy of their name.

The unknown is an interesting way to start a game. OIO begins by displaying it's beautiful hand-drawn environments.

This provides a fitting papery aesthetic, since the characters and large parts of the setting are made of wood. The twisting forms and watery bogs shaping the surroundings bear a resemblance to what one would imagine to be the bowels of Wonderland. Inhabiting these vast spaces are plenty of wooden characters, yet none of them show signs of life. Thrust into this world without a clue causes the player to be wary of each step they take.

Vulnerability and fear come hand-inhand.

A sense of loneliness is created via the relatively close proximity of other characters, yet their lifelessness captures the feeling of walking through a dead civilization. The key to solving the narrative mystery is to excavate the history of this population. To do so, the player has to collect 100 light orbs set along the path of each level, as well as the 3 more-challenging-to-obtain Fresk's. Upon achieving this, more of the back story is revealed. The thirst for knowledge drives the player to collect 18 the orbs and Fresk's. This not only all

adds a bit more length to the levels but also a degree of replayability if some are missed the first time round.

From the start the soundtrack is perfectly coupled with the visuals. The sound design not only fleshes out the game's unique atmosphere, but also provides an extra layer of character to the varied desolate landscapes. As the player works their way through the levels, the environments and soundtrack gradually gain kinesis.

Wood is traded for the hard steel of machines and their grinding parts.

The soft curves present at the start of the game are swapped for hard perpendiculars, and ambient melodies evolve into fast drum beats. Not to give too much away, but the mystery of the game's plot lies within the evolution of the environments - an all too often overlooked technique.

The platforming is sensible most of the time, but perilous on occasion with the usual spike traps and crumbling platforms. It's well oiled well but nothing out of the ordinary, contrary to the game's presentation. The main point of interest concerning the gameplay is the puzzle mechanic; throwing seeds to grow or retract wooden beams. Each beam has several bumps along it that will give way to another beam if a seed comes into contact with it. Up to three beams can co-exist. This limitation means that a misjudged throw could potentially break the whole chain of beams; a dangerous maneuver when the branches are acting as a bridge over a fatal drop. Throwing the seeds can also be used to push out-of-reach buttons. Nothing will stump (excuse the pun) you for too long though.

OIO's relative ease leads into the game's main downfall; lack of replayability. Players will complete the game in a few hours, solve the mystery and be quite content. The only extra thing to do is collect the remaining achievements, which are mostly tied to going through each level without taking damage. Some may find experiencing the game's atmosphere alluring enough to revisit, but with the air of mystery somewhat missing on a replay, this may not be such a desirous undertaking.

OIO is a finely crafted game, particularly in regards to presentation and narrative.

Those who enjoyed the atmosphere of Limbo should certainly lap up this rare treat. Do not expect such a layered ending though. The mystery of OIO and its admirable narrative efforts are definitely worth its cheap price tag.

Games with a unique tone such as this are a dime a dozen, and those who appreciate that should be more than willing to sacrifice replayability - Chris Priestman

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

9 10 9 6

Score: 80%

Grade

B

Reviews

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+ Reviews

Orcs Must Die - www.robotentertainment.com - XBLA - PC Spiky floor or wall-mounted blades? Which would spice up the castle interior more?

This is not a sadistic version of The Sims at discussion here. No. This concerns the art of orc killing; a most vivacious sport to suit any young, sprightly mage. In Orcs Must Die, the consideration of your interior design is a most vital practice, especially as you will be spraying chunks of green flesh and red gore all over the walls. Good luck removing those stains. You could look upon the struggle of the last survivor of the Order as he battles a massive army of orcs as quite epic. But the truth of the matter is, there is way too much fun to be had here to worry about whether you are fighting for some noble cause. Blood squelching, skull crushing fun, that is.

The tower defence genre has come a long way since its inception. Being one of the few genres to straddle the line between core and casual, the tower defence genre is riddled with competition. Newcomers need to stand out and Orcs Must Die manages this with its slick and lurid comic violence. It seems natural to question whether such a visually pleasing presentation hides a game’s shoddy mechanics. But in this case, anyone who jumps the gun and accuses Orcs Must Die of being an orc in sheep’s clothing, owes its developers, Robot Entertainment, an apology. Though after spending a few hours with the game, those finger pointing fools may find it more appropriate to kiss their toes. Orcs Must Die manages to achieve the unachievable – it’s a tower defence hybrid that nails combining both the genres it takes its influence from.

Orcs Must Die offers the lures of both of tower defense and 3rd person shooter.

The start of every level is firmly set within the tower defence genre. Players must select from a spellbook which traps they wish to use to try and stop the army of orcs from reaching the Rift Gates at the other end of the level. Exploring the level before making this choice is vital as some traps are much better suited to certain level designs.

Affecting the decision is whether there are tight corridors, vast spaces or lava lakes.

The latter would encourage choosing a spring trap to launch the orcs to a fiery death 20 instance. Placement of the traps is also for

crucial. Strategic thinkers will be challenged to figure out the most effective spots to place certain traps. Certainly another factor that affects which traps are chosen is how much slaughter and gore they can create. Crushing pounders, explosive barrels and grinders all come with a high satisfaction factor, merely because they create a big mess.

The patience required for this initial ritual is instantly swapped for quickfire chaos.

This is third person shooter territory. The player has a default crossbow with which they can feebly attempt to hold the orcs back, grabbing the odd headshot on the way. A more effective tactic is to use the environment – shooting down chandeliers or pots of acid on top of a group of orcs is particularly effective. Mostly though, your traps will be your saving grace, and if they are not placed effectively enough, you are going to have a tough time. When you see a huge wave of orcs coming at you, you are bound to let out a yelp of fear and excitement as you pray your traps can cope with the onslaught. If successful, you will be given a ranking out of five skulls, which can then be spent on upgrading traps. Weirdly these upgrades are only slightly useful. The best way to get a better rating on a level is to replay with your new, more devastating traps.

The way these are unlocked, one with each new level, ensures that you will play through a good portion of the game in one sitting.

Gaining a new toy to turn the orcs into putty is particularly addictive and very rewarding.

During your initial playthrough, things may seem a little easy, even when the game introduces the resilient goblins or aerial hellbats to add peril, the challenge is still fair.

Later levels, on the other hand, begin to feel impossible and it plants an idea in your head that will not go away. Why can you not have a friend join you? This absence of co-op would not normally get a mention, but it just feels so needed in Orcs Must Die. When the level is split into two channels making it very hard to stop all of the orcs, it would be nice to have a friend help you; the level design is just asking for it. This becomes a slight disappointment in an otherwise fantastic game. It’s not worth dwelling on though, it just means you are going to have

to be more cunning with your traps. It seems that on some levels you feel like a genius for your trap-laying ideas, but others it feels nearly impossible as you get overwhelmed in seconds. That’s not even on Nightmare Mode either! That is definitely one for the strategy fans to get stuck into.

It’s fair to say that Orcs Must Die is an extremely well-rounded package; the orc killing and the bloodbath that follows is gloryinducing. Gosh it’s fun. Not only does it tickle the player’s bloodthirst, it also appeases strategic thinkers, but everyone will revel in the wake of the gory treat on display. The various traps and weapons are very fun to play around with and are unlocked at a rate that just keeps you playing and wanting more. Replay value comes in hand to fuel progression and to mess around with your new toys. There are a whole lot of reasons to keep you playing for a good many hours, but it would have been better to share them with a friend. Apart from that minor gripe, there is no reason why you should not go and pick up Orcs Must Die right now. Paint the screen red

- Chris Priestman

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

9 9 9 9

Score: 93%

Grade

A-

Reviews

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Bastion - www.supergiantgames.com - XBLA - PC Bastion has a lot going for it; Beautiful watercolor visuals, a fantastic narrator, a variety of weapons and solid action RPG gameplay. Bastion is a great game that will please fans of the genre.

great art direction. The world is brightly colored, there’s a variety of enemies, and everything is well animated.

From the graphics to music to sound, everything in Bastion is top-notch.

Bastion opens right after “The Calamity.” It’s a vague disaster that has apparently killed a ton of people because the world of Bastion is pretty barren of people but contains plenty of baddies. You control “The Kid” as he wakes up and heads to the Bastion – a sanctuary that can restore the world from this disaster. Everyone in the kingdom is supposed to head there if things go awry. The only person who seems to have made it to the Bastion is a cool talking Narrator.

Bastion’s gameplay is typical for the genre and simple to pick up. The Kid can carry 2 weapons at a time – each mapped to their own button. The game does a great job of introducing a variety of weapons; some close range and some long range. This variety and the game’s upgrade system add some depth to what would otherwise be a boring button-masher. On the defensive end of things, the Kid can guard with his shield or dodge out of the way. The game is broken up into small stages to fight through and find crystals and shards to bring back to the Bastion.

The levels are short and keep the action intense, but during long play sessions this repetition can get tedious. Because the world is broken up into small chunks of land that float in the sky, the world of Bastion literally never comes together.

This takes away from some of the adventuring that you will find in a Zelda game or other great Action RPG’s like The Secret of Mana. You never acquire bombs or other upgrades that entice you to explore the world and unlock new secrets. Bastion lacks this type of adventuring (and backtracking) and focuses on action.

The Narrator is definitely a highlight of the game. While he does the bulk of the storytelling, he also dynamically narrates everything in the game. He talks about everything. If you swing your sword, get knocked down or shoot a bird, the Narrator will talk about it. It’s the one element of Bastion that really stands out and differentiates it from other Action RPGs. The voice narration is varied and excellently voice acted so it never gets irritating, but rather gives the game its own unique tone.

The graphics in Bastion are gorgeous.

Everything takes place in an isometric world where the ground actually rises up and is built right in front of your feet as you move through each level. The world of Bastion takes place on floating plots of land – it’s never really explained – but it looks good. The game has

Bastion is a well-produced game that will appeal to action fans more than RPG fans. While its narrator is excellent, the overall story of Bastion is nothing new; Teenage boy must save

world from catastrophic event. While the world is interesting, I was never gripped by the story. The story suffices, the gameplay is enjoyable, and the graphics are fantastic, but the game lacks adventure found in classic games such as Zelda: A Link to the Past or Secret of Mana. RPG fans may wish for a more upgrades, statistics and a robust leveling system. Don’t fret though. The Legend of Zelda is esteemed company and a high standard to be held to.

Bastion is a solid game that is best experienced in small chunks, one or two levels at a time. It’s a great fit on Xbox Live Arcade and well worth your money.

- Mike Gnade

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

8 9 10 7

Score: 85%

Grade

B 21

+ Review

SONAR - www.indiedb.com/games/sonar - PC Sound is so often overlooked in our lives, yet it holds such a sway over our emotions, thoughts, and most importantly, our fears. Horror in particular is created to a better effect more often than not by the sole use of sound. When surrounded by darkness, it is sound that fuels the antics of the mind and causes us to imagine what horrors may lie in wait. It is this principle that Sonar is based on, but it also has a lot of other tricks up its sleeve.

Sonar is so simple, that at first, the uninitiated may mistake it for a topdown, environmental puzzler. Its short backdrop details the unfortunate situation of a woman called Catherine Dubont; she is the sole survivor of an underground elevator crash and is left in the dark with only her Sonar-O-Matic 3000 to guide her. The entire interface of the game is the screen of her sonar device - something that other games would typically use only as an aid in the corner of the screen. Being as nothing is visible expect a black fuzz at default, the challenge appears to be using the sonar waves to navigate the blip that represents you through the cave layouts.

Floating question marks point out areas of interest, elaborated with just a few lines of text. At the sight of a dead end, rocks can be used to break through weak walls and burst into new areas. Yes, at first, Sonar just seems to be a good idea set about in a mediocre fashion. That is, until you stumble across a rotting corpse in your path.

This discovery marks a change in pace.

With the ropes of the game under your control, the developer thinks it is time to show you what Sonar is really about.

As you jubilantly skip along sending out sonar waves carelessly to carve your path through the darkness, you may find yourself curious of that other blip appearing on-screen now. It sure is curious of you, and the speed with which 22

it deftly swoops on your location and triggers its deafening killing ritual, well, that might just rip the smile right off your face. Sonar is no jolly waltz through a cave, Sonar is this year's Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

The comparison to Frictional Games' horror masterpiece is fitting not just because of the capabilities of the game to terrify, but also its adherence to the principle of computer game horror. That is, for a game to be scary, you need to ensure that the player feels vulnerable.

Once again, there are no weapons in Sonar, and you cannot even effectively run away or hide from its many enemies - stealth and the cover of darkness are the only tools at the player's disposal. In a cruel twist of fate, the use of the sonar device is actually a shortcut to an instant death. As the creatures lurk in darkness, they communicate and seek out prey like bats - using soundwaves. The sonar device just lets all of them in your immediate vicinity know exactly where you are. The only way to progress is to keep in the dark, moving very slowly so as not to stir a racket, knowing that they are all around you, listening. To make matters worse, the cave is not exactly silent. Drips and crumbling rocks will keep you on high alert, you may even find yourself panting in fear. For good reason too, Sonar is hard from the start and it takes a while to beat the player down into submission, so that they are literally edging along walls using their hushed footsteps to gradually reveal a pixel at a time. This seems to be the only way past the monsters, and it is absolutely horrible.

Things only get worse as you progress.

Having to bash through walls at a dead end now takes a gulp of breath beforehand as you know the monsters will discover your noisy efforts. Later, you stumble across a writhing nest, a few yards further and a couple of the

monsters' young pique your curiosity, but you strike fear in them and they call for their parents. Running away without looking back is a familiar ritual. Further on, the desperation of her struggle causes Catherine to play tricks on herself. She worries about her infertility and her mind begins to haunt the caves with distant sounds of babies wailing.

There is a lot of good design practice despite its initial simplicity. Overall it is a very chilling and constantly terrifying experience with plenty of surprises with each new level. Its core gameplay involves sneaking around in the dark, waiting for the monsters to pass; a technique that the developers have refined and pushed towards mastery.

Admittedly, the blue dots that represent the monsters sometimes lose their hold as 'scary'. Once they start chasing you however, and you are a million miles away from your last checkpoint, it doesn't matter what they look like.

Sonar is a must-play for any horror game connoisseur and is guaranteed to influence sweaty palms and trembling lips in just about everyone.

- Chris Priestman

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

9 7 10 8

Score: 94%

Grade

A

Interview

+

An Interview with Mark Seremet CEO of indiePub About their Upcoming Indie Distribution Service

IGM: What is IndiePub's new distribution service all about? How will it be different than Steam or other digital distributors?

Mark Seremet: There are several key differentiators to our new service.

First, the model is not bound just to PC games. Or even just games for one platform. Instead it supports PC, Mac, Linux, iOS (via linkshare), Android and Flash games. Secondly, unlike other services that are centralized shopping experiences, indiePub utilizes a decentralized model. Practically speaking that means the content is distributed to places where gamers are likely to find it and not dependent upon shoppers finding a destination site.

We liken the experience to CafePress that anyone can open a Pub and begin monetizing their traffic. The app market alone is expected to grow to a $30 billion business over the next few years and there are a huge number of opportunities in that expanding market. indiePub allows anyone to become an instant entrepreneur and, of course, is not necessarily tied to a games-only offering. We have also taken care to weave the indiePub platform into social services and built the recommendation engine to look to friendly connections as a means to gauge potential interest. Our service also includes an optional DRM – digital rights management – solution so developers have the choice to either lock down their creations or to allow their apps to remain open. That's a point that definitely resulted from input we got from indie developers. Finally, we are not about deciding what a good game or app is for our site. We do not approve an app other than meeting our guidelines around prohibited content. We allow the community to drive what they think is a good app or an interesting app via social integrations.

Why enter the distribution market?

What made you decide to pursue another indie distribution platform?

Mark: We see a clear market opportunity

and, as I touched on in your first question, we have built a very powerful model that utilizes techniques that have been successful in other spaces. We also see this as a marketing issue. The platform is meaningless without traffic and the elements to allow it to go viral.

To that end we will drive a lot of traffic through partnerships and very unique programs. You might have seen our recent partnership with 5381 Partners, for example. There we worked together to bring Android game cards to nearly 10,000 locations including Target, Toys R Us and Sam’s Club and the backend is all built - or powered - on the indiePub platform. You can expect to see other serious partnerships that will help drive traffic to indiePub. What type of Rev Share will you be offering indie game developers?

in-app purchasing at launch. In the future we will be rolling out many other features to include support for multiplayer, achievements and in-app chat.

Will Developers be able to link to their own webpage, twitter, blog, facebook?

Will your platform pull in their feeds?

Mark: Yes, they can set up any number of Pubs they like and offer their games (as well as other people’s games) for sale on through Facebook, a blog or a webpage. By having multiple Pubs an entrepreneur can offer a themed pack such as physics games or based on a holiday. More importantly, anyone can sell your games provided the developer has opted into the distributed marketing.

Also, we will provide store widgets that can be placed on their web sites and blogs.

Mark: 75%. As you know, we have supported indie developers before it became cool to do so and given away hundreds of thousands of dollars in our competitions. We also have signed a lot of games and are bringing those to market. I guess what I’m saying is that we have costs and as a company need to generate profits from our initiatives.

We are suspect when there is nothing going to distribution. It probably means there will be little to no marketing and that the underlying infrastructure couldn’t tolerate or even sustain significant traffic.

If it even arrived.

What are you favorite indie games right now? What games do you want to see on IndiePub?

Why should Indie Developers give your new service a shot?

Mark: My favorite game of all time was the original Tomb Raider. I got into the industry because my friends and I would go hang out at the mall and play Karate Champ. We made a game called “Master Ninja: Shadow Warrior of Death” for the PC and shipped it in like a pizza box. So cheesy but good memories.

Mark: Because we are going to drive consumers to their offerings and create opportunities for them. This will take time and we realize there is work involved on the developers part but, in the end, we believe our partnerships and site design will be very good for devs.

We hired Code & Theory to design the site and help form a marketing plan to go with it. They’re a fantastic digital agency based in NYC and we are immensely happy with what they delivered for us.

Will you have your own distribution platform/software/achievement system? Or is it simply a distribution portal?

Mark: Distribution platforms at launch will include clients for Macintosh, PC, Android, Linux and iOS. We have also partnered with Live Gamer to provide

Mark: I think I’m getting in the Halloween mindset because recently I’ve been playing Zombie GS and Zombieville USA on my iPad. On my Mac I’m playing Totem Destroyer Deluxe which was published by indiePub. What is your favorite game of all time? Or what game did you love as a kid that led you to work in the games industry?

Other than publish your indie game to IndiePub, what advice would you give Indie Developers?

Mark: Get people you do not know to play your game and give you feedback.

And then listen to them.

When can we expect the service to launch?

Mark: Very soon.

- Interview by Mike Gnade 23

New Indie Games Every Day

www.gametunnel.com

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