Category Archives: Games

Game of the Week: Dragon’s Dogma

Posted by Chad Knick on

Well, you’ve done it. You’ve outsmarted the likes of the Qunari, saved Kirkwall and have become the Viscount to end all Viscounts – callo-calla-what fraptious day! – but wait, you’ve grown bored with not having dragons to slay you say? Need something to fulfill your dragon slaying fixes till the time comes when Bioware will pull back the lids on Dragon Age III? – well your quest is over dear mortals! There is potential in one little gaming hatchling on the horizon, and it’s name is Dragon’s Dogma.

Dragon’s Dogma is an RPG game produced by CAPCOM. Yep. The makers of some of the most prolific FIGHTING games have taken to the RPG arena – with this new IP title, and you know what? – it looks promising. There’s clearly a lot of aspects that I’m going to discuss here, but what you should know is that I’ve only played the demo for the time being. A demo does not a great first impression always make, therefore, keep an open mind and a reptilian, cold-blooded, open heart as I guide you through what may very well be your next gaming addiction.

Now the Dragon’s Dogma demo didn’t give any hints to the campaign. I didn’t feel like I learned anything about story or anything – but I did find on their website a sort of explanation for why your created hero embarks out into this dragon and creature infested world. It’s a little digital action comic and it clarifies a lot of the questions that I had while playing the demo:

Apparently you play as your created character who is a soul villager who stands up to this fierce dragon in a village called Cassardis. You stand up to him and the dragon, pretty much, calls you out. He steals your heart and goats you into finding him later in the game. You later awake somewhere safe, your scar from the dragon’s talon healed – you have become what’s dubbed as an “Arisen” and you must go forth and try to the dragon and seek vengeance upon it. Does that premise sound appealing to you? It did to me too, and this is what happened.

Here’s where things get juicy – the accessibility portion of our show – right?

Now I saw a lot of grand things, and I saw a lot of tweaks that may need to be looked at before final release, but alas, here goes – because I truly enjoyed my experience with this demo and I feel it needs to be shared:

Pros:

  • Text-based instruction perfect for deaf gamers. Most instructions are text based or visually noted, so helps deaf gamers with learning controls, etc. 
  • Character customization is robust and easy to use. Sliders for most changes, or just click on a predetermined face/body part/etc. makes for quick and simple customization.
  • Party AI is actually really helpful. If you feel stuck they’ll direct you, pin enemies, etc.
  • Lots of HUD displays [ Map, move notation on-screen buttons, etc. ] is a plus.
  • Multiple classes lends itself to allowing a player to pick what control scheme may fit him/her best. If you feel like ranged combat would be more suitable so you don’t have to be in the immediate party attack radius you can choose to be an archer.
  • Colors are nice and vivid, which will help for colorblind gamers – no harsh tones.

Cons:

  • Text is small and difficult to read for vision impaired players. Can also make it hard for deaf players to see instructions, etc.
  • Physically impaired gamers will have a heart attack via the control scheme. 16+ inputs, and while there are at least 6 custom settings for button placement – you have to use L1 and R1 for attacks and defense respectfully and L2 and R2 for grappling an enemy, and or using special abilities. Highly complex controls, easy to get to know, hard to actually pull off.
  • Camera angles. Fast paced gameplay lends itself to losing sight of enemies and party fast if you don’t keep your camera steady.
  • Inventory system, while aware of it, is almost unnoticeable via gameplay. No HUD for it on screen makes for a hassle via combat sequences for the impaired.

This is only what I’ve witnessed so far, but Capcom has done a rather decent job at this game. Yes, there’s quite a lot of issues with it as far as accessibility, but they’re designing the game for console players. It’s only scheduled to be available for 360 and PS3 – and so like I’m used to seeing – the accessibility goes down via console play. I’m hoping at some point they’ll release a PC version that’ll allow more players to play it. I’m hoping for a lower screen inventory bar, a party customizer setting, some customizable control settings – shoot anything to give this game a bit of an edge accessibility wise.

Lions… and Goats?… and Snakes?! OH MY!

I truly am intrigued by this story, and I’d love to see this game do well. I personally will probably be picking this game up when it comes out May 22nd. The game is unique in many ways, because it employs the use of party mechanics – so if you’re more of an RTS player you could effectively play as an overseeing-healer while your party battled enemies. I also found it amazingly intriguing with the grapple mechanics. You can ride creatures and stab them – how cool is that? The game is open world with side quests, main quests, and a slew of high energy battles.

You can check out Dragon’s Dogma right now on XBox and PS3 – and get ready to hunt some dragon May 22nd. Here’s looking at you Capcom – time to see what your RPG can do! I’ll most likely post a full review whenever I get a chance to get my hands on this nugget!

Happy gaming folks!

Development: “Project D” is a Must See…

Posted by Chad Knick on

Now, quick, here’s my 50th post – and in honor of my newest blogging achievement – I felt like we should go a little retro. I love retro games – the old NES, the SNES, the Sega Genesis, etc. They’re the type of systems and games that drove me into my love of video games. I recently saw a video series that I felt spoke volumes to my retro heart:

Project D

Project D is a heartwarming, nostalgic, and educational view on how children view current video games vs. retro games. The series podcast is the chronicle of a young boy, Dylan [ 11 ] who gets introduced to a series of retro games to see what his opinion and interaction will be with them. If you haven’t seen it yet, I’d seriously recommend seeing it. The video will help give developers a glimpse into the mind of a child, the entertainment value of vintage vs. modern gaming. The old debate of graphics vs. gameplay – all of these topics are discussed in the series, and you’ll definitely get a heartwarming nostalgic feeling with some of the old school games they detail:

  • Contra
  • Battletoads
  • Megaman 2
  • Punch Out
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

I’ll make it easy for everyone to access by posting them here, but check them out and let me know how you feel.

Here’s the Question of the Day based on Project D:

Do you feel like aspects like: graphics, movement, player interactivity, etc. affect the appeal of a game? – does a game have to have superb graphics, amazing sound, etc. to be entertaining to players?

Let me know how you feel and let’s start the discussion!

 

I personally know, that whenever I have children, I’m going to be doing this with my kids. You can only learn how to build games and admire games by respecting, playing, and studying the vintage retro moments from our youth.

I think this sort of project is definitely a wonderful solution if you want to give children a real view of appreciation for how far games have come for them. Take care folks – and enjoy this lovely project! I hope more and more families actually try this out – it might actually make games and family interaction grow!

Development: Understanding Games

Posted by Chad Knick on

You know there are often times when I have to sit back and reflect on my college education. I feel like sometimes the general consensus is that game design is an easy field of study and that it’s all about fun and games – well, I can tell you from personal experience – it’s not. It’s a frustrating, difficult, yet rewarding experience. You may be designing something that’s intended to be a fun experience had by all, but it requires dedication, determination, and trial and error fixes to make a masterpiece.

Now why am I talking about this today? Well, I’ll let you in on some of my studies.

Understanding games since 2007!

I’ve recently started one of my first game design courses – and as a part of our study – we were asked to view a set of games [ or more like tutorials ] on understanding how video games work. These “games” were designed by developer, Andreas Zecher. They’re pixelated doses of joy and educational for anyone who wants to get to know some of the basics on what make games interactive and enjoyable to any player.

We’re pixelated practitioners of punctual programming!

Now here are some minor accessibility notes on these light little interactive tutorials:

  • Multiple languages – English and German for most [ Dutch added for Ep. 1 ]
  • All info is text driven – so deaf viewers will be fine.
  • Most games represented are easily playable via mouse or arrow keys.
  • Some portions may cause issues for color blind gamers.
  • Text is small, which could make it difficult for vision impaired gamers.

Otherwise, these tutorials are definitely a memorable little piece of pixelated education that should be enjoyed and shared. Whether you’re an artist, designer, programmer, music artist, etc. I think these games definitely help share how interactivity and making your medium a fun experience can go a long way into making something worthwhile. You can play/view all 4 episodes of Understanding Games here. Have fun, learn a little something, and enjoy the ride my fellow developer/gamers!

Understanding Games: Episode 1

Understanding Games: Episode 2

Understanding Games: Episode 3

Understanding Games: Episode 4

Game of the Week: Swindler

Posted by Chad Knick on

What do you get when you combine a ball of ooze with looting, puzzles, and retro style appeal? – You get one of my new-found gems on the inter-webs called Swindler by Nitrome Games. Now Nitrome Games has a slew of other titles to explore, but today I wanted to exclusively focus on Swindler – but I plan on doing a Developer of the Week post for Nitrome so stay tuned in for that one if you want to see more of their games in detail!

GLOOP! GLOP! THIS IS A SLIME UP!

Now, why Swindler – what makes this title worthy of checking out? Well, first off I was immensely drawn to it by the design decision to go with a retro fit and art style. The NES/SNES and arcade style gameplay really lend to the charm of this game – as well as the accessibility of the game. The music is nice and ominous, and while it can be a repetitive track the sound definitely makes this game something special – when you hear your little slime spy splat from messing up a move it truly is a gaming joy. Now – onto the accessibility!

Dum dum dum – Ba-na-na! Dum dum dum – ba-na-na- ba- na- na -NA-NA!

Swindler is comprised of a story about a little ooze blob who’s soul mission is to steal these gold chests from the depths of every one of these puzzle levels. There’s 25 levels while the game may look and control very simply – the game is actually a cognitive problem solving tester. Swindler starts you off slow, letting you get used to the wrapping and movement physics of the little bungie blob – but once you’ve solved a puzzle or two – the game’s difficulty shifts.

S0 – what’s the story here?

Don’t be fooled into thinking a game is easy to play or solve just by mechanics alone. The graphics are simple and lovable – the adorable explosions that your little Swindler goes through as he fails to traverse the level is definitely memorable – but overall this game will definitely have you spending time and brain power on these twisting flipping puzzles.

The levels are pretty small in design, but they’re definitely hard – and I think that’s refreshing. The controls break down to simple use of the arrow keys and the occasional use of the spacebar. There is a sadness that comes along with not being able to switch to a ‘wasd’ setting – but otherwise the game plays very simple and lean with plenty of challenge to outwit your poor little blob. Avoid monsters, maneuver your way around traps and steal all the loots till your hearts content – in this lovely little Swindler that will steal your heart!

Pros:

  • Simple gameplay w/ few controls excellent for motion impaired gamers.
  • Audio not required to play the game and all instructions picture/written.
  • Colors are bright and vivid and easy to see for vision impaired gamers.
  • Engaging gameplay and 25 levels gives a lot of time to play around with Swindler.
  • Level saves after every victory, so if you have to leave, start from last save point.

Cons:

  • No opportunity to switch controls to WASD for left-handed gamers.
  • Colorblind gamers may have a bit of trouble w/ the vivid contrast color scheme.
  • Slightly repetitive soundtrack can become a bit old – but can be muted anytime.
  • Precision actions can become problematic for one-handed/motion impaired later.
  • Difficult puzzle solving can make game tough/problematic for cognitive impaired.

Swindler is definitely one of the very MANY successes in the Nitrome library of games. I’ll be giving more detail on these guys later – but I would definitely check out Swindler if you’re looking for a rewarding little retro puzzler game that has an infectious little green blob of a thief that steals his way into your heart. You can play Swindler now on Kongregate for FREE!

Take a peak – spread the word – and share in this joyful little retro gem before it steals away into the vaults of anonymity.

Game of the Week: Game Dev Story

Posted by Chad Knick on

Hello there folks!

So, I haven’t been posting for the last few days because of college work – but I’m back now and ready to roll up my sleeves and start anew. Well, this week I’ve got a slew of smaller games that I’ll be talking about – also I want to provide folks with a heads up that I’ll actually be doing a weekly review for the Able Gamers Foundation – so I’m super excited for the opportunity! I’ll keep people posted, and I’ll be reposting any review done there 48 hours after they’ve been submitted. Now – onto today’s game shall we?

Now, for those of you who’ve been following [ and for those of you who are new ] as an aspiring game developer I’ve grown a little bit of a love affair with this game app:

Game Dev Story by Kairosoft 

Come to design games - Stay to become a legend.

Game Dev Story is a mixture of RPG/Sim Game and it’s truly an addictive experience if you like simulation games. The graphics are definitely retro and the gameplay is simple enough, but actually learning how the game works and the strategy behind getting the best scores on your games is the real challenge of the game, which is why I got so hooked. You play as the owner of your own game development studio.

Create games, train your staff, and try and become an award winning game studio!

Working really bytes... unless you're gaming!

If that sounds fun then you’ll probably love Game Dev Story.

Now let’s break the game down in terms of it’s accessibility, because that’s the important part I love to focus on as a designer. I will start off by saying, that while the gameplay is sort of slow, the game is educational, simple to play, has heartwarming graphics, and definitely a game anyone should check out once.

Here’s some gameplay to see how it works:

Pros:

  • Game Dev Story has one-touch controls perfect for physically impaired or one-handed gamers.
  • Graphics are vivid and color variations are different enough that colorblind gamers won’t have a problem with playing this game.
  • Large print text for vision impaired gamers.
  • Musical audio, but all directions and gameplay updates via text. Deaf gamers  will be able to definitely grab this game and just play, without fear of missing valuable information.
  • Simple gameplay is not only educational [ helps learn financial saving/spending business concepts ] but makes it easy to play for many players.
  • Game time pauses for every time you make a change – helps physically impaired gamers play without fear of rushed decisions/gameplay.
  • Large buttons for easy touch controls.

Cons:

  • Repetitive music score, while nice at first, can get old – but can be muted. 
  • The game development process goes by quite fast, and while nice, when the Free version only let’s you go 5 years into development – it can feel like a much shorter experience than desired.
  • The game becomes far more difficult, not in gameplay, but in strategy. It’s a definite toss up when trying to determine which genre and style of game will sell well together – which may make the game harder for cognitively impaired gamers to be truly successful in the game.
  • No real story to the game, so the only incentives are trying to get your popularity and games to win rewards – but that’s a fun experience in and of itself!

Overall though, this game is a heartwarming throwback to the retro-sim games of old – and a wonderful experience to pass the time as a designer. If you’re interested I would totally recommend grabbing up the FREE version from either Android or the Apple App Store. This version will last you for about 2 1/2 hours of gameplay, but if you really grow hooked to the experience you can purchase the game for $3.99 on the App Store and $2.50 on the Android Market – and design till your hearts content – FOREVER! I hope that the game will get updates and perhaps some expansions in the future – but this is definitely a very simple, joyous experience I think any gamer looking for an educational, fun, and accessible game experience will enjoy!

If you enjoy Game Dev Story – I’d definitely recommend checking out the other simulation games that Kairosoft has to offer. They’re all easy to play and easily accessible – and I think that’s what more and more games need to have. Check ’em out!

Contest: Rock the “Rochard”

Posted by Chad Knick on

Well, it’s official, I’ve reached a pinnacle in my blogging history – and to say “Thank  YOU!”  – to all of you viewers [ and to a supportive development team in Recoil Games ] I’ve decided to start a contest [ and hopefully there will be future contest given opportunity. ] Here’s what’s going on:

I’m offering up a few Steam codes redeemable for Rochard. 

Rochard Title

So here are the rules for the contest and how you can enter:

1. I’m going to be posting a poster from Rochard, and it’ll be up to you to create a unique ‘catch phrase’ comment for the star character in John Rochard.

2. You’ll need a Steam account to actually redeem the code, so you’ll need an account to be eligible to win.

3. Post your ‘catch-phrase’ in the comment box and I’ll be keeping this contest running for  2 weeks time. After 2 weeks time I’ll filter through any participants and choose the top suggestions.

4. The Top 3 suggestions will be granted as winners and receive Steam codes to redeem. We’ll determine how best to get the code to you, I’m going to presume either Facebook messaging or email would probably be best.

5. PLEASE NOTHING LUDE/RUDE/DISRESPECTFUL!

  • If you do – your submission will be deleted and you’ll be disqualified and will be unable to resubmit a new suggestion. I would like to keep my blog clean and appropriate and I don’t need vulgar responses mussing up my site.
SO – if you’re ready and respect the rules of the contest – let’s get started!
Here’s your inspiration to go by:

A Space Miner that even James Cameron can envy...

Show this space miner some love and give him a fitting catch phrase!

Game of the Week: Rochard

Posted by Chad Knick on

Well, with the prices of gas sky-rocketing to 4+ dollars here in recent weeks, it got me to thinking about something that I love and wish we had – space travel. You know, because honestly, if we’re dealing with a natural resource issue on Earth perhaps we can start to mine planets for their resources? – maybe even find new ones we never knew existed? – well, that’s pretty much the job description of this week’s game protagonist: John Rochard.

Rock is hard. John Rochard is HARDER!

Rochard is the first game designed by Finland based Recoil Games – and it’s a great first step into the world of console development. Rochard has all the bells and whistles of a console puzzle and action game, and while I did find some issues with the accessibility of the game, the game overall is an enjoyable and rewarding experience that you’ll remember for quite a while. Here’s hoping that that trend carries over into future Recoil Games titles. Now, onto Rochard:

What is it? How do you play? etc.

Well, you play as the leader of a space mining crew named John Rochard. Your task, if you choose to accept it, is to guide John around and help search planets in search of a mineral known as turbinium. Rochard carries around a gravity-bending gun which you can use to help solve puzzles, access areas, defeat enemies etc. depending on the tasks at hand. Now I’ve only played the demo, and while it was shorter than I expected – it was an experience that definitely kept me wanting to see more of it – so that’s a bonus I think for any game.

Here's looking at you Gravity. Do your stuff.

The art design is lovely. Warm, bright, and meaningful color schemes truly give this game a touch that makes it worth checking out. It’s got a style akin to a steampunk/sci-fi comic book and I totally live for games like that. The dialogue between characters is witty and engaging and it’s completely subtitled, which makes for a wonderful experience for deaf gamers. The game gives you a nice tutorial using text to describe the actions you need to take, which helps deaf gamers gain accessibility to playing this game. The music is fantastic too – the opening cinematic really set me up for a joyous experience, and despite some qualms that I had, the game was one I’ll definitely be picking up.

Now, let’s get on to the accessibility listing, because obviously, there were problems:

Pros:

  • Deep, interesting, and invested storyline in a gravity puzzle game.
  • Characters are truly charming and memorable. Rochard is a treat.
  • Music is fantastic. I swear the game made me feel the gritty electro-vibe.
  • The cinematics [ the few I saw via the demo ] were wonderful, and really added to the depth of gameplay as well as storyline. 
  • Puzzles are engaging and difficult enough to challenge players.
  • Fast-paced action puzzler is something gaming needed: Rochard delivers.
  • Full subtitled dialogue, as well as tutorial instructions for new actions.

I'm just sailing, sailing on an ocean of gravity... there ain't nobody else but me...

Cons:

  • On the PS3 version the joystick movement is really loose, and unfortunately, I didn’t find in the options menu where that could be changed. This game requires a lot of precision movements and placements in order to access specific areas, quick reflexes to fend off enemies, etc. and so mobility impaired gamers will severely struggle with timing and movement issues. In order to fix that, a control sensitivity setting would have been nice [ but perhaps it’s just in the demo and I’m unsure for PC or Mac versions. ]
  • Color-blind gamers may have issues with the environments. Examples include when gravity is turned off, the entire environment turns into shades of blue, etc. but most color schemes in Rochard are vibrant and distinct enough to combat that – if any color-blind gamers have any problems please let me know. I’d love to receive personal feedback from your perspective.
  • Cognitively impaired gamers will have a difficult time with this game – the puzzles are actually quite complicated once you get deeper into the physics pool that this game provides and can cause issues for some players certainly.

So, overall, it’s a great little physics based puzzle game – and despite the few hiccups in accessibility, Rochard, is definitely a must see. I’m hoping that the PC version provides a little more assistance for gamers with mobility issues, but like I said, if you can get passed that – the game is truly rewarding. It’s got a slew of levels and interactive moments and it’ll definitely be one I put on my PSN download list in the future. You can catch it on Steam, PC, Mac, and PSN right now for $ 9.99 or for $14.99 on Steam you can get the game and the soundtrack as well [ and it’s fantastic! ] Thanks Recoil Games for such an enjoyable and rewarding gaming experience – I’ll be venturing into the great unknown of space for quite some time thanks to you!

Game of the Week: The Dream Machine

Posted by Chad Knick on

So I’ve sort of been on this whole love of foreign country games, and rightfully so. I think it has something to do with spring break [ and that thing I’m not usually acquainted with – sunshine ] I’ve just been musing – thinking about how glorious it would be for me to just be lounging somewhere peaceful. Perhaps I’ll think about going to a small little island somewhere off the coast of nowhere and just get lost in my peace and serenity – and then I realize… it’s just a dream, and I wake up.

Ahh... all alone. Now where's my hammock?

Well, if any of that made you think of the many maddening moments we all have during dreams, I’d invite you all to check out Swedish developers Cockroach Inc. and their delightfully mysterious indie title called The Dream Machine. It’s unique design, deeply interesting storyline, and odd enchanting characters make The Dream Machine a must check out. The game is divided into chapters and you can easily purchase each piece individually, but what I love is that they let you play through the whole first chapter for FREE.

Now, why do I love this game?

Well first of all – there’s the art style. Anders Gustafsson and Erik Zaring made this whole game out of clay and cardboard, which is why it charms it’s way into my heart as one of the most enjoyable artistic experience I’ve ever had in gaming. They have some fantastic little flash game experiences on their website, but The Dream Machine stands out. It’s a dark, yet engaging little art piece. The gameplay is point and click adventure game, but there’s a sense of narrative and mystery novel that I haven’t seen in games in a while. It may be simple gameplay, but it’s such an intriguing experience that you won’t let go.

Can I help you? Look into my eyes!

Gustafsson and Zaring made some very distinct choices that I feel makes The Dream Machine such a far reaching accessible title, and I hope that my fellow gamers appreciate them:

  • No audio needed, except music is great, which is a shame for deaf gamers.
  • Point and Click for mobility impaired gamers.
  • Easy gameplay with difficult puzzles and problem solving.
  • An above screen inventory setup
  • Slight highlight and wording when you glide over clickable objects.

There were only a few issues that I found with the game in terms of accessibility, but it’s a stylized deal – not necessarily gameplay issues:

  • Difficult puzzles, while great overall, problematic for cognitively impaired.
  • Color scheme may make it difficult for colorblind gamers to play areas.
  • Text is rather small so it can make for issues for vision impaired gamers.
  • The game is filled with a rather deeper, darker, mature sort of storyline.

Now while that last one really isn’t an issue with the gameplay, it’s more of a warning for players. The game is a deep cerebral experience and it often mentions disturbing mysterious dream sequences and I’ve encountered a few slews of curses within the text so far [ I’ve only played through Chapter 1 ] but the game is amazing with all things considered.

Now, currently, their website is selling the FULL game [ All 5 Chapters ] for € 13.00 [ but more chapters will be added later ] It will require you to make an account with The Dream Machine‘s website to actually buy the game, but the game is entirely allowed with Cloud save access and allows you to play from any computer anywhere! It’s truly a dream game and a special little experience. I highly recommend checking out Chapter 1 and seeing what you personally think, but Cockroach Inc. has officially made a warm spot in my heart for noir/mystery art games. They’ve not only made an artistic masterpiece, they’ve also made it a highly accessible experience that any gamer should experience at least once.

The Dream Machine

Thanks guys – I can’t wait to see what the remaining chapters have to offer!

Gaming With A Cause: The Humble “Botanicula” Debut

Posted by Chad Knick on

I always find it a charming experience when I can find games made from foreign countries that can make me smile. In this month’s case of The Humble Bundle – I think I’ve found a new love in a game design company. Now you all may have been around when I touched on Machinarium during my Point and Click Adventures post , and let’s just say if you liked that you’ll certainly love the package that the Humble “Botanicula” Debut gives you.

Created by Czech Republic indie company Amanita Design these games are fantastic, whimsical, and will charm their way into your hearts with their simplistic, engaging, and emotionally heartwarming gameplay. The glorious thing about it all, is that you pay what YOU want for the Bundle – and your donations go to a wonderful cause – we’ve been through this routine before with past Humble Bundles if you’ve followed my blog. I’m telling you now they’re wonderful money-saving, cause caring little bundles and you should really check them out.

In the Humble Botanicula Debut you’ll receive the following:

  1. Botanicula
  2. Machinarium
  3. Samorost 2
  4. Kooky – An indie movie by Amanita Design
  5. Windosill – if you pay over the average donation – which is 8.77 as of now

So, now to try and examine each one, in short, to prove you get your money’s worth.

Botanicula:

In the newest release from Amanita Design, you play as a quirky little gang of misfit  tree creatures [ one looks like a stick, the other an acorn or seed, one looks like a fruit, etc. ] and you must guide them about this fantastically artistic world to save their forest homeland from spider invaders. Does this sound fun yet? – well it should! The game has a sense of whimsical charm I haven’t seen in ages, and it’s point and click storybook humor and gameplay make it not only simple, but a game that can be enjoyed by players of all age groups.

One small step for seeds - one giant leap for a forest.

I really have nothing bad to say about this game, because it doesn’t have dialogue from what I’ve experienced, and if it’s anything like most Amanita Design games, they’ve taken into account deaf players and either added no necessity for sound, or some sort of written or picture instruction [ in Machinarium, they used picture instructions so I’m leaning on the same vein. ] The colors are vivid and the animations are child-like and gorgeous. The mechanics are easy enough via point and click mechanics – so if you’ve got a mouse, even those with limited mobility will be able to play this game.

We're your friends! We're your friends! We're your friends till the bitter end!

The color scheme is the only thing that scares me, not being color blind I don’t know how this will affect colorblind gamers, but there’s quite a few spots where I felt that the colors of the background and items tended to have similar color tones, and that may cause some issues, but the characters and backgrounds I feel are vivid enough to counteract that. If any color-blind gamer gives this game a shot, let me know your personal opinion. I would love to hear it from a person who’s had first hand experience. Overall though, the game is charming and can be played by practically anyone – I totally endorse it as a must see game.

Machinarium:

Some of you have probably already heard of my ringing endorsement of Machinarium, but in case you haven’t, please check out my post on Point and Click Adventures.

Samorost 2:

If there ever was a game that I could honestly say had an almost Salvador Dali feel to it then it would have to be Samorost, but it’s sequel brethren Samorost 2 is no different. Now in Samorost 2 you play as a little man who’s dog has been kidnapped by alien invaders. They’ve taken your dog and now you must fly off to go on a grand quest to save him and find a way to return home. This basic and charming premise leads to one of the most heartwarming and light-hearted stories I’ve seen in ages.

Excuse me, but umm - have you seen a dog about Mr. Aardvark?

Now the games difficulty can become a bit tedious, as this point and click adventure game doesn’t hold your hand. You’re not told what does what, and you’re not told what items you can click on – so you’re sort of shooting in the dark, but I think that’s the joy of point and click adventure games. It’s a puzzle from the moment you walk into an environment. The game really has no dialogue, except for some sounds here and there, and so it can be played rather well by deaf gamers. The game is, once again, for all ages too. It provides a whimsical and exhilarating change of pace from the stereotypical game culture of FPS’s and MMO’s that we have floating around today.

Oh Wise Big Head! Me and my pup want to go home!

The color schemes are great, vibrant colors with distinct tones to separate one object from the other without being too offensive to the eyes. Samorost 2 is truly a treat, and I suggest anyone who loves any of these games today to seriously check it out. If you’re unsure still and you want to give the game a whirl you can try out the demo – or try out the full version of it’s predecessor Samorost. It’ll truly be a surrealist gaming experience that I feel you’ll cherish in your heart for a while.

Kooky:

Now Kooky isn’t even a game, but rather, it breaks from the traditional design medium of Amanita Design by being a MOVIE. This movie has everything going for it, and while at first I was skeptical of having an indie game company design and produce an indie film, I was proven wrong with my foot in my mouth when I watched the trailer. If you personally loved the movie “Where The Wild Things Are” or have ever watched any Muppet/puppet based movie – you’ll probably love Kooky.

A picture of the Kooky puppets from a museum exhibit

Kooky is a tale about a little teddy bear who gets lost from his owner, and must travel across a forest in search of him. This basic principle has been done before, by many successful franchises [ in fact I’m pretty sure Winnie The Pooh was made off the idea of adventuring to find Christopher Robin ] but my point is this – this movie will captivate you. The movie is captivating, in my eyes, because of the use of materials and the use of Czech actors actually portraying the English speaking roles. The accents portrayed give a wonderful tone to the movie, and the puppets are gritty, odd, and out-of-this-world unique.

You can see Kooky in all of it’s glory in both the Czech/English Dub, or you can watch it in Czech with English subtitles – and to think you can get this ALL of these for less than 10 dollars? I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the whole thing, and you should too. Here’s the trailer to show you how amazing of an experience you’re bound to have:

[ Yes, that’s Jeremy Irons being Narrator ^_^  If that doesn’t sell you… ]

Windosill:

If you’re looking for a completely bonkers, unusually artsy experience well then look no further than Patrick Smith of Vector Park and his odd-ball game of Windosill. The game look like it came out of a child’s nursery, if it was the nursery of a famous artist of course. My point is this game will be odd, I’m certain of it – but after playing the demo I’m completely intrigued. There are a couple of issues I have with the game that limit it’s accessibility, but overall it’s grand.

Well, this is a look into a person's closet...

The first would be the color tones. I’m in love with the artwork that Smith has portrayed, but the rooms often carry very similar color tones, and for color blind gamers that can make differentiating items difficult to determine. The other is that, because there is no instruction what so ever you’re tossed in blindly to finding out how to access new areas – what items do, etc. It’s a very odd game to say the least, but it’s a beautiful game and if you’re looking for something oddball to pass the time I’d definitely say you should be glad to pick this up.

So there you have it folks! Four fantastically artistic indie games that are both simple to play and beautiful to look at, and one intriguing childhood whimsical film that I’m exceptionally excited about. You can grab all of these for less than 10 dollars currently and you’re donations are not going to waste either. You’ll be aiding the World Land Trust, an organization that works to promote conservation of our world’s natural rain forests. So please, if you’re in a gaming mood and in a giving mood – I suggest stopping over and checking out the Humble “Botanicula” Bundle.

You’ll be glad you did. The Bundle is going to be running for 13 more days so get your button clicking fingers ready and pay what you want for a fantastic good time!

Game of the Week: Closure

Posted by Chad Knick on

Well, I’m always a fan of etherial sorts of gameplay, and today’s game is no exception to that. I’m fascinated when a game can take a simple design aspect like light, and transform it into the base medium for their game. Now some of you may hate me today [ in fact I’m sure many of you will if you don’t own a PS3 ] but today’s game is a PSN exclusive  for now… unfortunately. I wish I could provide this game to anyone and everyone, but alas, there WILL be PC and Mac versions later this year. So now, please, before I ramble on any further – how about we get some Closure?

The light will guide you home...

I remember seeing closure back at PAX ’09 [ Yeah, it’s been a while ] and when I first checked out this game by Tyler Glaiel, Jon Shubbe, and Christopher Rhyne [ The trio of Eyebrow Interactive ] I was fascinated by the initial concept, and in fact, it was one of the first indie games that really strengthened my desire to step into this industry. [ Thanks guys! ]

Three years later, and now they’re a indie game sensation. They’ve won countless indie game awards, and honestly, when you look at Closure – you can see why. Closure is this artistic, musically enthralling, light puzzle game and it’s got so much going for it that I’m scared to even say a word about it.

Left or Right - Oh for the love of Light I can't choose!

The gameplay mechanics are really nice. I always love when you can port onto a game and your controls feel fluid and simple. The game only requires the use of three buttons too: x, square, and triangle. I’m hoping that the Mac and PC versions only require a point and click interface – it would provide much more accessibility. The game is intriguing on all fronts, whether it be the alluring art design from Shubbe, or the dark and pulse pounding musical tones from Ryhne – this game has a ton to keep you entertained.

The great thing is that, while in some cases and puzzles you have to follow the light around, I felt like there wasn’t a severe sense of urgency. If I failed I could simply start over again, and there was no real penalty or game over screen. The color scheme of the monotone black and white was a brilliant choice – considering that it aids colorblind gamers and makes the visuals actually pop quite nicely. There isn’t a real requirement to play this game with sound, but the sound definitely adds to the games allure – so deaf players will be sadly missing out if they don’t have hearing aids. I merely tried the demo, and I’m already hooked. They managed to take a game I had witnessed back when they first started conception – and turn it into a real masterpiece.

Lights... Camera... Action!

Accessibility, for mobility impaired gamers, is where it gets tricky. The game is simple, and so it’s refined mechanics make it easy to go from one button input to the next. The downside though, is that in many of some of the beginning puzzles [ and I presume further on ] you actually have to follow the light, and while I’m sure it can be done with one hand on the analog stick – it makes for precision timing issues and that can lead to the failure of a level multiple times. The game is forgiving though, and allows you to replay levels as many times as you need, which is a refreshing thing to see game designers put into console games. I hate ‘Game Over‘ screens, I prefer “Continue at your leisure‘ games.

I thought it was something back in ’09, but give them a while and they really did a fantastic job. The game is accessible to almost everyone, considering that there’s no dialogue instructions or need for sound to play. Blind gamers will be sadly out of luck due to this lack of audio instructions, and the fact that you need to be able to see the puzzles to complete the worlds, but overall, it’s accessible which is a great thing. There’s definitely a sense of losing yourself though, which can be a bummer for some gamers. The lack of light in levels can cause you to fall off into the vast black spaces, or cause you not to be able to see the full map of where you need to get to.

I need a little Closure in my life.

One aspect that I really loved was the idea of having multiple characters in multiple worlds, so each world advancement, your character gains a new persona to aid it through the light defying levels. I love this game and quite honestly, I’ll probably be buying the full game the moment I have enough to splurge on it. You should definitely check this game out if you’re a puzzle fiend, are into artsy games, and you love deep, enjoyable indie game experiences – Closure is most definitely for you.

Aside from a few minor down points this game is all upside, and I’m totally endorsing it as a highly accessible game that, when you get the opportunity, everyone should try out. I can’t wait for the game to come to PC and Mac so more players can try it out, but if you’re hankering for a wonderfully immersive and innovative puzzle game give yourself some Closure at the price of $14.99 on PSN – or you know play the free demo before you go splurge that cash on an awesome game.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some light bending to do and some puzzles to thwart…