Thursday, May 15, 2014

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!

Monday, May 12, 2014

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.


Thursday, May 8, 2014

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!

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

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.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

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!

Monday, May 5, 2014

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.

Friday, May 2, 2014

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!