3RGP: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker SD/HD - Part 3: Forest Haven / Forbidden Woods

Game: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker SD/HD
System: Nintendo GameCube / Wii U
Developers: Nintendo EAD / EAD and HexaDrive
Publisher: Nintendo
Player: Tony / Alex
Experience: Tony has beaten it a few times. Alex has not.

(Check after the jump for the full article)

Third Rate Game Play: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

Game: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow System: Xbox 360 Developer: MercurySteam Publisher: Konami Player: Tony Experience: Played other games in series

 (Check after the jump for the full article)

An F-Zero Memorial

This video was produced and originally released on NintendoWorldReportTV.  Go check out the site here: http://www.youtube.com/user/NinWRTV or via www.NintendoWorldReport.com

Nintendo turned 125 this past September, and that is a milestone not many companies can celebrate. However, there is another anniversary that Nintendo has not addressed; this fall marks ten years without a new F-Zero game.

F-Zero began as one of the first four titles developed by the newly-created Nintendo EAD, headed by Shigeru Miyamoto, alongside the likes of Pilotwings, Super Mario World, and SimCity. Since then, F-Zero has had games release on the Satellaview, Nintendo 64, 64DD, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo GameCube, and arcades. However, since 2004's F-Zero GP Legend (and in Japan F-Zero Climax) the series has been left dormant.

This video takes a look at those many games in the F-Zero series. What are some of your memories from the F-Zero franchise? Let us know via comments in the YouTube page!

Third Rate Game Play: Ape Escape 3

Game: Ape Escape 3 System: PlayStation 2 Developer: SCE Japan Studio Publisher: Sony Player: Tony Experience: Played Ape Escape 1/2 before

E3 2014: The BINGO Cards

QUICK E3 STARTS LIKE TODAY POST THE BINGO CARDS DO IT DO IT.

Sorry, late night sleepiness is getting the best of me.  Enjoy the BINGO cards and watch with us.  I will livetweet the events and be sure to let you all know if we hit the BINGO this year.  Honestly, I'm skeptical, because we're going a bit crazier with certain guesses.  But that's part of the fun!

Microsoft

Sony

Nintendo

Enjoy and keep and eye out for our impressions videos afterward!

E3 2014: The Predictions

Hello, everyone.  Alex here to let you know how things are going here for us.  First off, thank you to everyone who watched and read our content during PAX East.  I did not think we could do it, but we did get even more content and fun out of PAX East than even last year.  On that note, though, we have to move onto our next big series of videos: E3 2014.

Part 1: Microsoft

Microsoft is playing to win this E3, especially now that it has ultimately undone all the wrongdoing that it had faced last E3.  People despised Microsoft's DRM strategies and seemingly anti-consumer elements, and that helped Sony greatly even after the Xbox One's DRM was corrected.  Now, the head of Xbox has changed, the Xbox One now matches price-wise with PS4, and the policies are now just about equal to Sony's, even with indie projects.

As the playing field levels between the two, how does Microsoft respond?  We think Halo will play a significant role, and exclusive deals with bigger third party developers will pepper the conference along with attempts to appeal to the more gamer crowd.  The issue is, a lot of the surprises have been leaked by a leaker known as ntkrnl.  This leak unveiled plenty of large projects, and we suspect many of those will appear at this E3.  Only one way to find out!

Predictions:
Reemphasize Price Drop / Gold Changes
Minecraft: Xbox One Edition
Project Spark
Forza Horizon 2
Sunset Overdrive
Quantum Break
Fable Legends
Killer Insctinct Season II Trailer
Halo 5: Guardians
Halo Master Chief Collection (H2 Anniversary, 3 and 4 up-ports)
Call of Duty Demo (of course)
Project Nagano Teaser (Platinum Games)
Multiple Japanese Exclusives (D4, etc)
More 3rd Party Exclusive Deals
Xbox Streaming Service
Time Dedicated to Kinect / OS are minimal (Less than 10 minutes)
Will Try to have an Indie block
Maybe one more 360 Price Drop / Bundle
Titanfall Discussion
Gears of War Teaser

The Theme: Game On
BIG Guesses: New Phantom Dust (Alex) / Gears of War Collection (Tony)
-Tony originally expected an announcement for Xbox 360 BC on Xbox One, but I asked him to chose a game not a feature.

Part 2: Sony

Sony is in the best position this E3.  The PlayStation 4 is sweeping away the competition, consistently outselling the other two systems each month since release.  On the flipside, the Vita is on death's door outside of Japan, and that has to create some level of concern.  Even so, Sony's position is prime to keep accelerating in mindshare, but it just cannot remain complacent.  With Microsoft changing its policies and Nintendo pulling out some big guns and new concepts this year, Sony should not let itself shrug and wait for 2015 releases to roll around.

We suspect Sony will be unveiling plenty of new projects this E3, but many will not release this year.  We already know that at least one of the New IPs we though would show is not, but there is still plenty of room for new projects to be released.  Leaks of major projects such as Project Beast likely will dampen the hype at its announcement, but there must be more to show.  This is Sony's E3 to lose.

Predictions:
The Order: 1886
Driveclub
The Last of Us: Remastered
Large Indie Block (5-10 Minutes)
Rime
Shadow of the Beast
Minecraft: PlayStation Edition
God of War Teaser
Uncharted Teaser or Slice Demo
New Media Molecule PS4 Title
New Sony Bend IP
New Studio Debut
1-2 Vita Titles (Gravity Rush 2, Monster Hunter-esque game)
PSVita TV Unlikely
PlayStation NOW Details
Project Beast (Beast Souls)
Exclusive Deals with Destiny, new Assassin's Creed
More Square-Enix Discussions, RE Exclusive
The Last Guardian moved to PS4

The Theme: NEW NEW NEW (We Got Games. Some Now. Some Later.)
BIG Guesses: Crash Bandicoot (Alex) / Sly Cooper (Tony)

Part 3: Nintendo

Nintendo's Year of Luigi was not one their accountants want to remember too much.  Last E3, Nintendo tried a Nintendo Direct but failed to realize people actually watch en masse during their press conferences, and on top of that, many of their games were already expected and not enough to woo certain skeptics of the Wii U.  This year, the company is working to improve its presentation with a new Digital Event, a Smash Brothers Invitational, and a stream running throughout E3 straight to the fans.  Also, the mysterious NFP platform is said to be present, and it better impress, if Iwata wants to ensure his job is not on the line later this month.

We suspect Super Smash Brothers for 3DS and Wii U will be the biggest focus, at least from the initial onset of the show.  Then, Nintendo will use the NFP platform to spur interest from fans and non-fans alike; whether it impresses like Skylanders or Disney Infinity will be discussed after, of course.  3DS games will not be as massive in scale as last year, but a Pokemon remake and new games will likely fill the gaps where Smash Brothers is not.  We suspect at least 1 or 2 new IPs will be shown, and we might very well get a good solid 2015 major release planned for the Wii U.  The skeptic in me, however, sees many of our latter guesses as unlikely.  Oh, and QOL will not show until later in the year, for sure.

Predictions:
Super Smash Bros for 3DS and Wii U
       (more emphasis on Wii U, 3DS Launch date)
Pokemon Art Academy (also, Art Academy Wii U)
Pokemon Alpha Sapphire / Omega Ruby
Hyrule Warriors
Bayonetta 2
Wii Sports Club (Last 2 Games, Disc Release in July)
X (Finally Titled, 2015 US/EU)
Yoshi Yarn (possibly 2015)
SMT X FE no show
STEAM: Strike Team Eliminating the Alien Menace
Pokken Fighters
More HD Remasters
New VC Details, eShop (Indie Montage)
Rhythm Heaven 3DS
NFP Games (Smash Bros Wii U, Other Game)
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D
The Legend of Zelda Wii U
No QOL
New 3DS Model Possible, but unlikely at E3

The Theme: Smash Brothers! (and friends)
BIG Guesses: New Miyamoto IP (Alex) / New Metroid (Tony)
...oh and no Star Fox, F-Zero, 1080, or Wave Race games.

Part 4: Everyone Else 

There is too much to say other than a lot of companies are clustering releases in October or fleeing to 2015.  You will need to listen to our rambling for this one, folks!  Or you could just read the list below I suppose.

Predictions:
-Konami: Minimal Presence, Metal Gear Solid V, Contra (crazy guess)
-Sega: Sonic Boom, Alien: Isolation, No Yakuza nor PSO
-EA: Mass Effect, Sports Games, More PopCap Games, Battlefield: Hardline, Mirror's Edge 2 Trailer, Big Announcement at the End [Also, we forgot that there is likely a Star Wars game, too]
-Ubisoft: Assassin's Creed (show off more current-gen than last-gen game), The Crew, The Division, New Ubi-Art Project, New Rabbids Game
-Bethesda: No Fallout 4, Battlecry, The Evil Within
-Warner Brothers: Mortal Kombat X, Batman Arkham Knight
-Activision: Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, minimal Skylanders, Destiny
-Bandai Namco: One Piece Games, Tales Games, Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2
-Capcom: Resident Evil, Darkstalkers, Dino Crisis, Deep Down
-Square-Enix: Final Fantasy XV, Kingdom Hearts 3, Triad Wars, Just Cause 3, Bravely Second, Theatrhythm


And with that, we wait anxiously for E3 next week.  Keep an eye out for posts here or via our Twitter or Facebook accounts linked on this site.  We will have BINGO cards at the ready, and impressions videos will come up shortly after the big days are done.  Microsoft, EA, Ubisoft, and Sony are on Monday, and Nintendo alone comes to play on Tuesday.  Follow our twitter account for livetweets of the events, provided our Internet does not die out suddenly! Hype up everyone!

PAX East 2014: Chasm (Discord Games)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Interview with founder James:

 

Gameplay footage:

Tony:

At PAX East 2014’s Indie Megabooth, developer Discord Games demonstrating their kickstarted adventure title, Chasm, and we were able to get some hands-on time with it and chat with founder James Petruzzi about the project.

PAX East 2014: Transistor (Supergiant Games)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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In less than a week, gamers will be able to experience the second title from the hit indie developer Supergiant Games: Transistor. The game looks to retain similar gameplay elements from Bastion, the company's first game, while adding in a new strategic twist to the mechanics.  We did not get to play the game ourselves (the line was very long pretty much the whole convention), but we have a snippet of gameplay taken while making our trip around the showfloor.  Enjoy!

PAX East 2014: Playism (Kero Blaster, Astebreed, and La-Mulana 2)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Interview with Joshua Weatherford:

Kero Blaster Footage:

Astebreed Footage:

La-Mulana 2 Footage:

In the Indie Megabooth, there was a new exhibitor present to show off indie games from Japan, Active Gaming Media, known to run the service Playism.  Showcasing three Japanese indie games, AGM wanted to make sure everyone knew of some games coming stateside, both now and into the future.  We got to chat with Joshua Weatherford about the games and the aim for Playism as a platform.  Not only that, but we had some time to play all three games they were showcasing.

PAX East 2014: Duet (Kumobius)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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In the Indie Megabooth, developer Kumobius was present to show off its mobile affairs in larger-than-mobile experiences.  One of those games was Duet, the team's latest mobile release involving rotating two beings along a circle and avoiding any objects as they make their way down the screen.  Trust me, it is not easy at all!

The game is available on the App Store now, and it recently had a major update, complete with the voice acting you hear in this video!  Check out more at the game's official website!

PAX East 2014: Hack 'n' Slash (Double Fine)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Gameplay:

 

Alex:

Just outside of the Indie Megabooth, both Capy and Double Fine shared a booth dedicated to upcoming games from each company.  One of those games was a Zelda-like adventure title with a programming twist: Hack 'n' Slash.  We have some gameplay footage for you all, and we also have some brief impressions on the experience.

Hack 'n' Slash is one of a number of projects created by Double Fine during a round of Amnesia Fortnight, a two-week period during which multiple teams work together to create new projects for development in the future.  While Hack 'n' Slash was not the top selected game from its respective Amnesia Fortnight, the game is still a fun and unique take on the typical overhead action adventure title, and so the team is bringing it out in full-force via Early Access.

In Hack 'n' Slash, players assume the role of a young hero who, after stumbling upon a broken sword, finds the ability to hack into particular objects, changing the fabric of the world.  For example, by stabbing a doorway, traits for the door appear, and the player can modify the locked status from TRUE to FALSE, allowing for easy opening.  What could not be immediately destroyed by the hacking blade could likely be modified by it.  Other items that could be changed included bushes (changing their contents and whether they were on fire) and rocks (how many pushes can be made as well as how big the pushes are).  These changes are necessary to solve particular puzzles in the world.

Unfortunately, I am not that great at programming nor Zelda puzzles and was not able to progress very far from the early demo. Either way, I did find it to be a neat idea with a fun artstyle.  The game has a look which seems comparable to old Saturday morning cartoons, fitting of the humor displayed in each of the game's conversations.  Meanwhile, the demo itself is exceptionally early, so it was fairly rough in its presentation and character movement.  Honestly, it will take further development to find out whether the game will be great or merely decent, but at the very least, it has great potential!  I can't wait to see what crazy puzzles the team at Double Fine concoct for this game later on!

You can try an Early Access version of the game now, so check it out here.

PAX East 2014: Roundabout (No Goblin)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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 Gameplay:

 

Sure, the Indie Megabooth was full of solid Indie games, but if you looked a bit further around the showfloor you would have found equally entertaining Indie games, such as the crazy game Roundabout from developer No Goblin.  We were not able to play the game at the show due to time constraints, but we got a large gameplay video with some audio Q and A with Director Dan Teasdale for you to watch!

Roundabout takes place in 1977 and follows the rise of Georgio Manos, the world's best revolving chauffeur.  The game plays much like a combination of Crazy Taxi and the Japanese/European Nintendo puzzle game Kuru Kuru Kururin.  Players control a spinning limo from destination to destination across an open-world, racking up points and trying to gain pedigree around the world for being the best, all while trying not to crash it among the many obstacles throughout the city.  Throughout the adventure, the game shows humorous live-actions sequences which tell a love story among the people in the city of Roundabout.  If that sounds odd, it probably is, but the game is also looking to be loads of fun, too!

You can find out more and pre-order at Roundabout's official website!

PAX East 2014: Hyper Light Drifter (Heart Machine)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Interview with Alex:

 

Gameplay (Single Player Demo and Multiplayer):

In the midst of PAX East's Indie Megabooth, developer Heart Machine was present to show off its latest playable build of its debut title, Hyper Light Drifter.  We got to speak with Alex, the head of the project, and we also got to film a full playthrough of the single-player and some multiplayer gameplay.  Unfortunately, we were pressed for time to play it, but it certainly looks like it will be a sweet game when it is completed.

For more on Hyper Light Drifter, check out the official site here.

PAX East 2014: A Hat in Time (Gears for Breakfast)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Interview with Jonas (Mecha the Slag):

Cooperative Gameplay Footage:

In the middle of the Indie Megabooth, developer Gears for Breakfast had a booth dedicated to its upcoming Kickstarted 3D platforming adventure A Hat in Time.  We got to discuss the game with Jonas, the head of the project, and we also got to try out some of the new Co-Op Mode which was at the showfloor.  Check out the videos and look at our impressions after the jump.

PAX East 2014: Woah Dave! (Robotube Games)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Gameplay Footage:

Alex:

Gaijin Games' sub-label Robotube Games was at PAX East's Indie Megabooth this year, and the newest title being shown is a callback to the arcade game worlds of yesteryear, Woah Dave!  We were able to get some hands-on the single player mode, and we also got to watch a Two-player match as well, and from what I have witnessed, Woah Dave is going to be just like arcade games of old: flashy, quick-to-learn, terribly difficult and swear-inducing, and at the same time very addictive.  Check out our full impressions after the jump.

PAX East 2014: Destructamundo (Robotube Games)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Gameplay Footage:

Tony:

At PAX East 2014, Gaijin Games was at the show to demonstrate two upcoming games, Woah Dave and Destructamundo, the latter of which I got to play.  We also got some footage of some gameplay, too, which you can see right here.  Check after the jump for our impressions.

PAX East 2014: An Interview with Robotube Games

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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In the Indie Megabooth, Gaijin Games was present with its sub-label Robotube Games to show off its upcoming titles: the galaxy-destroying Destructamundo and the alien-smashing Woah Dave!  We were able to get in contact with Robotube head Jason Cirillo about working as part of Gaijin Games and what inspired these arcadey adventures.  We also have gameplay videos of both games, so check them out!

3RM: Robotube Games has been part of Gaijin Games since 2011. How has working under Gaijin Games compared to working as an individual entity?

Jason Cirillo: Working as a sub-label inside of Gaijin is a much better, fulfilling experience. Working alone as a game developer was not something that suited me, though I know some people who pull it off very well. I enjoy the feedback I get from the larger team, the play sessions we have of titles in development, and the all around fun and wacky hyjinx we enjoy. We also drink beers together, and beer is something that we enjoy with our mouthparts. Also lots of flavors of potato chips, or as we call them, "the poor man's French fries."

3RM: One of your upcoming titles, Destructamundo, involves the necessary obliteration of planets and galaxies alike. What inspired you to take on this destructive game mechanic compared to your previous game, Bloktonik?

JC: I like puzzle games a lot. They're where I kinda got started in game dev many years back when I had to design short, graphically simple games for low resolution Nokia cell phones in the early 2000's. Destructamundo was inspired by a dream I had. It was kinda vague but I saw circles spinning around and chaining together somehow. I think that's where the idea started. Sometimes I eat weird snacks before bed and it gives me gnarly dreams.  I started weaving in the story after I was playing some old ColecoVision games and rediscovered this gem called "Space Fury". The main alien character is directly inspired by the weirdo in Space Fury because he's such a jerk. In fact, I like to think that he is the same guy, but he is not officially the same guy, because of legal reasons I think. But yeah, he's the same guy.

3RM: Initially, planets are defenseless and easily destroyed, but even in earlier stages, some become fortified and require multiple hits to be vulnerable. Can you elaborate on what else these  planets will do to try and stop their inevitable destruction?

JC: Well, the people that live on those planets are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. The planets do very little themselves to thwart your destruction, but what happens is that the systems get a little more sparse with planets way out of direct reach of each other. You'll eventually acquire weaponry that you can use to fill in the gaps in creative ways. I liken it to almost having to design part of the level yourself in order to beat it. There are also some other weird things that float in space and react differently to being blown up in the later levels.

3RM: Destructamundo is Robotube Games’ and Gaijin Games’ first release onto Ouya, a small android device funded in large part by Kickstarter. How has development of the game (and Woah Dave!) been on the platform?

JC: It's been fine, really. We did easy Android ports to it to test console controls and on-TV feel. Iterating and testing the game on Ouya is very quick and easy. Also, the Ouyas are mega portable, and we literally put them in our pockets at the end of each day of PAX to bring back to our hotel. We're gonna eventually put it on Ouya because we easily can.

3RM: Your latest announced project is Woah Dave! which looks very much like an old-school arcade game in the modern era. What arcade games would you most compare this one to?

JC: I was most definitely inspired by the original Mario Bros. I think it's slightly underrated and overshadowed by the Super version. I also took a few ideas from Joust and another ColecoVision title called "Space Panic".

3RM: Woah Dave! involves throwing eggs and bombs at aliens before they overwhelm you, but there is also the Woah Block which can destroy everything on screen. Did other power-ups and items get considered to be in Woah Dave!, or was the Woah Block always the only major item to use when it was planned?

JC: There is a considerable amount of stuff that ended up on the cutting room floor. As development progressed, we started to realize that the beauty of the game is its simplicity, and every time I tried something new, the pureness got mucked up a little. Yeah, we did have other power ups planned and some other weird stuff, but really they just hurt the game. I think the Woah Block was the real winner that made the most sense in terms of gameplay. It allows you to form strategies and carefully balance risk and reward, and then you get this super rad huge payoff. 

3RM: Woah Dave! has a single-player experience, but it also has a competitive multiplayer option, too. Can you explain some of the differences between the modes? Did you make any particular changes to mechanics such as enemy spawns for the latter mode?

JC: Yeah, there are some differences in the modes. 2 player mode has limitless lives, so you can die as much as you want (or don't want), but you're penalized in coins when you do. Also, the keen eye might notice that the little jarring pause upon bonking in the 1 player mode is not present in the 2P mode. You may also see a slightly more frequent appearance of the Woah Block.

3RM: Woah Dave! is a straight arcade experience, but Destructamundo takes a level-by-level approach. How did designing these games differ for you? Was one harder than the other?

JC: I would say that Destructamundo was a tougher game by far to make, because it required an insane amount of time designing levels. The placement of all the objects on the screen was super delicate, sensitive to both location and timing.

3RM: Destructamundo and Woah Dave! were both playable at PAX East this year. What did you think of the convention, and what did you take away from the experience?

JC: PAX is a great show, because you get total full-on face time with fans. We were overwhelmed by the positive feedback we got on our two games.  Going to these shows is super important to us and to lots of other developers because you get real, honest feedback from fans, and seeing people have fun playing the games is immensely exciting and rewarding. Makes you want to keep doing what you do.

3RM: Both games look fairly far along in development. When can we expect to hear more concrete details on the games’ final release dates and platforms?

JC: We'll be releasing more info probably in May regarding release and platforms...some of which we have not officially announced yet!

Well, May started yesterday, so we are getting ever-closer to more information about both of these games!  Thanks to Jason Cirillo for taking the time to talk to us, and be on the lookout for more from Robotube Games soon!

For more info on Robotube Games, check out Gaijin Game's website here!

PAX East 2014: Distance (Refract Studios)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Interview with Kyle:

Gameplay:

Alex:

In the middle of the Indie Megabooth, developer Refract Studios was present to show off the latest build of their high-speed futuristic driving game Distance, and we got to speak with Kyle Holdwick and get some hands-on time with the game.  Check out what we thought after the jump!

PAX East 2014: Crypt of the NecroDancer (Brace Yourself Games)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Interview with Ryan:

Gameplay Montage:

Alex:

Perhaps one of the most popular games shown at the PAX East Indie Megabooth was Brace Yourself Games' debut title, Crypt of the NecroDancer.  Roguelikes are definitely a popular genre in indie games, and music games have an intriguing allure to them, for sure.  Crypt of NecroDancer takes those two genres together in one very solid package.  We got to talk with Ryan Clark of Brace Yourself and try some of the game ourselves, and you can check out the impressions after the jump.

PAX East 2014: Aaru's Awakening (Lumenox Games)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Interview with Johann:

Demo Gameplay:

Alex:

Within the Indie Megabooth, Icelandic indie developer Lumenox Games was in the mix showing off its debut adventure title, Aaru's Awakening.  I got to speak with Johann from the team about the game and how it all came together, and I also got to play through some of the game which was fully unlocked for PAX East.

PAX East 2014: Y2K (Ackk Studios)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Interview with Brian and Andrew:

Full PAX East Demo Playthrough:

Ackk Studios was at PAX East once again, and this time, the team's secret Project Y2K has now emerged in its first playable form for the public, now titled just Y2K.  We got to catch up with the Allanson brothers about the game and learn about the world and then some.  We also took the time to play through the entire PAX East demo for your viewing pleasure.  Check after the jump for our impressions.

PAX East 2014: Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number Gameplay

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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In the midst of our adventure around PAX East's Indie Megabooth, we were able to stop at the Dennaton Games booth to watch some people play through a couple missions of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number.  The game looks like there is a bit more story in the midst, but the level of violence is as strong as ever.  Check after the jump to see the video itself and have a watch.

WARNING: The video contains strong violence.

PAX East 2014: Race the Sun (Flippfly)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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If you were around the multiple clusters of Indie games at PAX East, you would have likely seen Flippfly's Race the Sun playing nearby.  It was present for a day in the Indie Minibooth as well as its own full booth on the showfloor, and it was also part of the Kickstarter Lounge just upstairs from the showfloor itself.  It was a busy time for Co-Founder Aaron Filippo, but we able to catch some time with him to talk about Race the Sun, its upcoming PSN release, and Flippfly's next project, Hexarden.

PAX East 2014: Shovel Knight (Yacht Club Games)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Interview with Sean Velasco:

 

3DS Plains Gameplay (w/ Direct Feed Audio!)

PC Lich Yard Gameplay (w/ Audio)

Alex:

A year has passed since we last saw Yacht Club Games debut their game Shovel Knight to the public amid the launch of their Kickstarter campaign, and now that it is nearly time for its release, we got to chat with Captain Sean Velasco about the game and to try out both demos available at the PAX East 2014 showfloor.  As I'm sure many people have said in the past, we totally dig it.

PAX East 2014: FRACT OSC (Phosfiend Systems)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Interview with Henk Boom:

Showfloor Gameplay:

Alex:

In the Indie Megabooth, developer Phosfiend Systems was present to demonstrate their upcoming release, FRACT OSC, a music-based first-person adventure.  At the showfloor, we got to interview programmer Henk on the game as well a take a trip into the game itself.  From what I have played, this game is going to be an atmospheric overload, and I mean that in a good way.

PAX East 2014: Moon Chronicles

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Tony:

Renegade Kid had a number of Nintendo 3DS titles playable at their PAX East 2014 booth. One game I got a chance to try out was Moon Chronicles, which is a remake of their 2009 Nintendo DS title Moon.  Now in an episodic downloadable adventure, Moon Chronicles is expected to expand on the universe Moon established, and from what I played of the demo, it should be a solid debut to the FPS genre on the 3DS.

PAX East 2014: Treasurenauts

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Alex:

Renegade Kid was at PAX East showing off its games on Nintendo 3DS both new and old, and there we got to try out a build of its latest 2D offering, Treasurenauts.  We have gameplay footage from the floor, and we have impressions after the jump.

PAX East 2014: Renegade Kid Interview and Cult County

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Part 1:


Part 2:

While they were not a part of the Indie Megabooth this year, the guys at Renegade Kid took part in PAX East the biggest way they could – showing off games old, new, and upcoming. We got to talk with Jools Watsham (it can’t be a PAX East without an interview with him) about the latest releases, including the future of Mutant Mudds, upcoming releases Moon Chronicles and Teasurenauts, and especially the Kickstarter campaign for last year’s Cult County.  You can see the interview above, and other articles will show gameplay videos we took and impressions of their latest games.

The interview is so large, we have divided it in half.  In the first half, we take a moment to chat about Mutant Mudds and its future, Moon Chronicles and its overarching story, and Treasurenauts and its development process.  In the second half, we take a moment to discuss the projects Renegade Kid has in the future: Razor Global Domination Pro Tour and the horror series Cult County.

Last year, Cult County was shown on a Nintendo 3DS as an environmental demo, but this year, it is part of a much larger project. Cult County is undergoing a Kickstarter campaign to be released on all systems and PC under the Unity engine.  Jools explained to me that the concept of Cult County had grown with the Unity engine, and since the 3DS does not have a Unity engine in place, the game would have to be retooled specifically for it in the current circumstance.   However, given the response from fans, a 3DS version is still prepped to be made if the campaign reaches its minimal goal.

Welcome to Scared.  Population: You

One thing Jools wants to stress with this game versus newer horror games is true fear. In Dimentium, his previous horror game series, fear played a large part in setting up tension before and during monstrous encounters, and he hopes to establish that even more in Cult County.  He wants to use the environment especially to build that fear and make an old-school survival horror adventure quite unlike any other.
 
Either way, the game is still going into production, but Jools hopes that backers will be able to help fund the project and make the game as big as it can be. As for backer support in development, backers will specifically be able to choose designs of the enemies faced as well as what weapons would be used in the final game. Furthermore, if the game goes through a stretch goal not far from the main goal, the team at Dvelop.tv will be documenting the game’s creation for the world to see.

Cult County still has a little while longer to go in its Kickstarter, and so we heartily recommend heading over to the campaign and helping lend a hand to Renegade Kid’s first major horror adventure game in years.

For more on Renegade Kid’s games: www.RenegadeKid.com

PAX East 2014: Echoes of Eridu (Batterystaple Games)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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Alex:
This past year has been an interesting one for Mega Man fans, especially with Keiji Inafune bringing the Mega Man franchise back in spirit with Mighty No. 9 through Kickstarter. However, Mega Man is also becoming the inspiration of other new IPs being headed to Kickstarter. New developer Batterystaple Games was present at this year’s PAX East to show off their recently-Kickstarted game, Echoes of Eridu. We got to interview Zach Urtes, the Art Director of the team, and you can see the interview above. While we did not get gameplay footage from the showfloor, we did get to play its pre-alpha build while in Boston.

Echoes of Eridu takes place in the far-flung future after a man-made AI (Enterprise NeuroKinetic Intelligence, or ENKI for short) gains sentience and accidentally creates a robot apolcalypse. Feeling sorry for having caused such a great calamity, ENKI helps turn the remaining humans into robot-human hybrids and provides them asylum in Eridu, a facility floating far above Earth. However, getting there is not exactly easy, as the survivors need to go through the facilities of EZN, the corporation originally responsible for ENKI’s creation, and a being named ENLIL is controlling massive robots and blocking easy entry into Eridu. ENLIL’s true motive is unclear, but regardless, the survivors must make their way through EZN’s facilities and face ENLIL’s followers in order to make it to Eridu and safety.

Echoes of Eridu is an action-platformer akin to Mega Man X but with the randomness and replayability of a roguelike. Every time the game is played, the stages are randomized in parts so stages are never the same twice (or at least statistically so). Over the course of each adventure, players obtain basic power-ups, but they can also find blueprints for use in the ARSENAL (Automatic RoboSapient Equipment and Navigation Assistance Library). When these blueprints are retrieved, they can be equipped in each new game afterward. So, while you might not survive the first run through the game (especially with just one life to a run), you still keep the blueprints earned in the adventure, allowing for a more powerful start to the adventure through EZN’s facilities. Of course, in true Mega Man style, defeating big bosses earn players special weapons for the remainder of the adventure, but what exactly those weapons do will differ with each run.

You will not need to worry about playing through the game alone, as the game will have both offline and online multiplayer options. While initially the game has two characters, a stretch goal will unlock two more characters, each one with their own special abilities. Both characters currently feel very similar to Mega Man X movesets, and that is not a bad thing when it comes to this game. Nina focuses on a Buster arm she was given and feels very similar to X in attack power, while Ace is based more on Zero, focused on slashing and close-range combat. Having played as Ace at the demo, I can confirm that he certainly feels like Zero, and cutting up robots is as fun as ever.

 Even if he dies, at least he got a cool blueprint for his trouble!

The demo was Pre-Alpha, but even so, the game’s movement is pretty smooth throughout the experience. Tony and I played together cooperatively, which meant the camera would occasionally follow one player more than the other, but that could have been more an issue with us rushing through the game in true Mega Man X style. Because the world is built together using random segments, there were times where there was no ceiling and opened outward into space, allowing us to skip certain obstacles, but when things worked well, playing through the stages wassmooth and intense. Enemies continued to attack both of us intently, and at one point in time, I was left to fend off the boss myself, jumping over barrages of attacks and using my own special attacks to take it down. Thankfully, the game allows players to be brought back into the game by cutting another player’s life by half, thus ensuring that everyone could still play, at least until there was no more life to divide. I was finally destroyed in the second stage, but not until after I used special attacks and wall sliding to vanquish some very intrusive spiked enemies.

Mobility-wise, this game is certainly on the cusp of matching movement from the Mega Man X franchise. Characters can dash swiftly across the ground, and based on what ARSENAL items are chosen, players can dash in the air much like previous X games or, in my case, use a double jump for further mobility in the stages. It was not all based on MMX, though; some of the first world contained antigravity ceilings, allowing for mobility along these platforms from a different perspective. Wall climbing and jumping felt quick and snappy, and that made movement all the quicker through the world. I also think this quick movement led to our downfall in the stages, but that is all on us to work at in our next playthroughs. I did notice, though, that feedback from being hit by enemies did not seem hard enough, and that made it more difficult to gauge how I was engaging with the enemy.  I do think a small tutorial area, either outside the main quest or just at the start, would be helpful to show what each player can do before going head-first into the danger; it took me some time to finally understand what each energy bar represented and what each ability could do in the context of the game. Either way, it was a fast-paced and intense romp all the way to the explosive end (even if I was the thing that exploded).

Echoes of Eridu is still in the midst of its Kickstarter campaign, and it is currently slated for PC with ports of Mac/Linux versions post-release. Consoles may be a future consideration, but right now PC is the main priority. It is slated for release hopefully sometime later this year, if all works out. Go check out the Kickstarter campaign here and help support Batterystaple games!

Tony:
It has been a number of years since the last official Mega Man game was released, and fans of the series have decided to take it on themselves to make games to follow in the blue bomber’s footsteps. One such game is currently having a Kickstarter campaign, Echoes of Eridu, and it had a playable pre-alpha demo at PAX East 2014.

Developed by Batterystaple Games, Echoes of Eridu takes the gameplay of Mega Man X and introduces it to the challenge and procedurally generated levels of roguelike titles. While the gameplay is akin to Mega Man, the environments are made up of randomly-arranged sections filled with platforming goodness so that each playthrough has a different level layout, which is a staple to the roguelike genre. The only criticism I have with this was sometimes the randomly generated stages would create open ceilings or pathways that would go no where and place me outside the play area. Luckily, the developers state that they are aware of this and working to fix it. Also similar to roguelike games, players only have one life and will lose any power ups collected along the way once they die. Only special blueprints hidden in the stages will allow for the player to start the stage with special abilities such as double jump, charge shot, or speed sliders. At the time of our play session, a number of power-ups were already unlocked, making our playtime easier than it will be in the final build.

Conveyer belts, spikes, and flying robots.  Yep, it's a Mega Man game alright!

The demo had two playable characters, each with their play style. Nina played like Mega Man X with her buster-like weapon, and Ace played like Zero with his slash attacks.  I played as Nina during my playtime with Echoes of Eridu, which I felt controlled nearly identically to Megaman X. At the same time, Alex played as Ace. While the game can be played alone, the game was designed to be played in multiplayer whether local with a few friends or online with scores of people filling the server. Luckily, players won’t be able to knock each other around, but they will activate level gimmicks, which leads to some forced cooperation with some falling platforms.  As for the gameplay itself, it was snappy and responsive, making navigating the futuristic areas and avoiding enemies more enjoyable. Jumping, sliding, and wall-jumping was fast and felt like it came directly from a Mega Man X title. However, I felt that getting hit or hitting an enemy did not provide enough in-game response. With so much going on, I sometimes didn’t notice I was getting hit. Besides that, the gameplay was enjoyable and captured the twich play style of Megaman.

Visually, the game is vector-based and not sprited, which may be disappointing to old-school Mega Man X fans. However, the trad- off is the game's solid framerate, seemingly steady at 60 frames pre second. Everything ran smoothly in the demo, and the enemies and attacks were well-animated. As for the audio, the music and sound effects sound like they could have been in a Mega Man X title. Overall, the game’s aesthetic is right at home to be a Mega Man title and should please fans.

Although my time was short with Echoes of Eridu, the solid, twtich gameplay felt just like Mega Man X, and I am interested to see how the randomly generated levels could offer in terms of replayableity. Support their Kickstarter so we can have another great title to fill the Mega Man X shaped hole in our gaming library.

For more information on Batterystaple Games: www.batterystaplegames.com

PAX East 2014: Source (Fenix Fire Entertainment)

Spring has arrived, and with that, another PAX East has sprung up, inviting gamers and game developers from all over the world to Boston, all to show upcoming games and revel in what the industry has in store.  We at Third Rate Minion were there, and we got to try out a sampling of what was there on the showfloor!

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In the Indie Megabooth, a number of developers showed off games which benefitted from the influx of crowdfunding, whether by Kickstarter, Indiegogo or otherwise.  At the same time, other teams were showing off new projects in need of help from crowdfunding.  Developer Fenix Fire Entertainment was present in the Megabooth to show off their upcoming titles, as well as their new Kickstarter project, Source.

Source takes place in an alternate dimension inhabited by otherworldly, luminescent flora and fauna.  Players control a butterfly-like creature which is born to the world as its last savior.  A dark energy is spreading throughout the dimension, destroying everything in its path and threatening to end all life in the world, and as the last surviving being if its kind, the flying protagonist must go forth and stop the source of dark energy before it is too late.

Source is a 3D action adventure game set together in a metroidvania style.  Players move the firefly around the dying yet beautiful world, and as they progress, they will be able to find a multitude of new abilities to help solve puzzles, open doors, and defeat what foes the source creates.  Initially, the firefly is fairly limited in what it can do, revolving around the ability to absorb and release energy from its body.  This ability is important, though, as the firefly continually loses energy as any other being would; the player needs to ensure the firefly is kept nourished in order to progress readily through the world.  The firefly can use its released energy to pollinate foliage and cocoons along the landscape, and in doing so, more energy is expelled and absorbed, making the firefly stronger in the process.  As the game progresses, the firefly can get ability upgrades, including the Plasma Beam to fend off foes and different color polarities to open doors and interact with different objects in the world.

 

Pollination has gotten rather trippy...

In true metroidvania style, Source is complete with typical backtracking and upgrades throughout the world, but the game also has a unique rebirth element in place.  In Source, every action is recorded and used to eventually improve the next iteration of the firefly; upon being reborn, more abilities and strengths build onto the next generation, creating a more powerful opponent against the darkness.

The world is not as typical as it first appears, and that is saying something, as it appears far from typical to start!  At the beginning, Source takes place in the damaged world of light, but alongside it is a world of darkness, filled with immense monsters hell-bent in snuffing out the firefly's light.  As shown in the game’s Kickstarter campaign trailer shown above, these monsters resemble abstract spiders and flying snakes, but Fenix Fire head Brian McRae told us that there would be plenty more where that came from.  He said the team wanted to make sure to make the dark monsters balance between what we would know from this world and what could possibly be seen as otherworldly without going too far in either direction.  While the demo did not feature a dark world segment to my knowledge, McRae let me know that the world acted more like a large cube of sorts, unlike the light world, which tended to stray toward the more traditional orientation of gravity.

If there is something that needs to be said about Source from its earliest build, it is that the game looks tranquil and beautiful, even with its otherworldly visuals.  Pools of water reflect the world's topography and luminescence around them, and particles flow one way and another, following the firefly along its path.  Stones are typically cut in rigid angles, and blue and orange lights are emitted by the foliage and living beings within both worlds, akin to the cool and heavy electronic styles of older 1970s and 1980s futuristic art as seen in Tron and earlier video game worlds. 

The demo on the showfloor did not exactly demonstrate too much of what is expected in the final release, which is expected as the demo was made in a very short period of time.  What it did offer was a short glimpse into the world of Source.  One should be aware that the firefly does not necessarily fly, but rather, hovers some feet off the ground, and players can launch themselves upward by a pseudo jump into the air.  This took some getting used to, but it became more accessible as the demo progressed.  The game’s ambiance leads itself to a more relaxed pace of movement, which did not exactly match the more hustled pace of the showfloor, but I am certain the game does not stay as quiet as the demo does once darkness begins to flood the world.  I am sure the game will be full of moments both calm and pure as well as tense and destructive.

 Another Fenix Fire title: Smash Derby

Fenix Fire Entertainment is a husband-wife team who recently celebrated the birth of their first child.  It was the birth of his son that helped inspire Brian McRae to work with his wife Anna on Source, a world seen through “infant eyes” as explained on the campaign site.  Fenix Fire was founded in 2010, and the team’s first release was Roboto, a mobile action platformer staring a cute robot on a high-powered hoverboard.  The team is also working on Gates of Osirus, a space-dwelling alien hunter for PC and mobile platforms, and Smash Derby, a touch-based futuristic combat game for mobile platforms and Ouya.  Smash Derby, which Brian showed off to me at the showfloor, involves swiping the screen to launch yourself at your enemies, changing polarity with a quick touch of the screen; tower-defense elements are involved as well, allowing players to add in turrets and other defenses between each wave of attack.  Brian told me that Source originated in a style similar to Smash Derby, but the scale has grown to what it is now, and he hopes to be able to realize his vision through the game’s Kickstarter campaign.

Developed on the Unity engine, Source is currently slated for release late Summer 2015 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC (Steam is hopeful at this point).  Although the Kickstarter campaign states that the game will likely see a PC release first, the different versions will have as close a launch parity as possible.  So, what are you waiting for?  Get to the campaign here and help be the source to make Source possible!

For more on Fenix Fire Entertainment: www.fenixfire.com

 

Third Rate Game Play: The Legend of Zelda: WW SD / HD [Part 2: Dragon Roost and Swift Sail]

Game: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker SD/HD
System: Nintendo GameCube / Wii U
Developers: Nintendo EAD / EAD and HexaDrive
Publisher: Nintendo
Player: Tony / Alex
Experience: Tony has beaten it a few times. Alex has not.

(Check after the jump for the full article)

Third Rate Game Play: The Legend of Zelda: WW SD / HD [Part 1: Introduction]

Game: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker SD/HD
System: Nintendo GameCube / Wii U
Developers: Nintendo EAD / EAD and HexaDrive
Publisher: Nintendo
Player: Tony / Alex
Experience: Tony has beaten it a few times. Alex has not.

(Check after the jump for the full article)