Overview
An ethereal being. Far above the planes of understanding by mere human minds. A creature that transcends time and space, moving between places effortlessly and gracefully. In Traveler's Call, players take control of a planetary caretaker, moving through the stars. Able to be anywhere in the universe quickly, the caretaker watches over planets, stars, and entire systems, observing and protecting them.
Core Mechanics
Initially, players are presented with a 3-D map of the universe, with planets inhabited by tiny individuals representing civilizations. These people are the charges of the caretaker - and protecting them keeps the universe in balance. Tethers between planets are colour coded, and represent the interactions that they have. Peaceful tethers are the caretaker's goal - and this is done by spending time in the system. The caretaker places shrines on each planet, and connected planets that have shrines find themselves becoming more peaceful. As some planets become peaceful, others become more aggressive as they want to take over easier-to-invade planets. The caretaker can utilise a variety of abilities to calm inhabitants, as well as directly removing entire civilizations from the universe. Players have to make choices between how to best manage warring planets and even systems, as they attempt to be the arbiter of evolution in the universe.
Narrative
The Narrative in Traveler's Call entirely depends on the player. The civilizations that rise and fall are all documented within an ingame tome, which intricately details the interactions and fates of entire civilizations and planetary systems. This narrative also logs the interactions that the traveler has with some civilisations, from their perspective. Through this log, players gain a small insight into the nature of some civilizations, being able to determine how much of an issue they may be. Procedurally generating the narrative creates a different story for a player every time, leading to a different tale of the traveler every time the game is played.The Ethereal is a godlike being, assuming the form it decides will impress civilizations the most.
That Sinking Feeling is a real-world, room-based game where a team works together to get out of the room by completing a series of logic puzzles.
Room Theme: Cruise Ship.
The players are stuck in a room on a cruise ship which is currently taking on large amounts of water. In order to escape the room, players have to find the card that unlocks the door, which cannot be opened via any other means.
Puzzle 1: The light
The light is currently disabled, and the method of turning it on provides another step in the direction of the next puzzle. In order to solve the puzzle, the players must first find the 'fuse box' itself. Once they find the 'fuse', inserting the fuse into the appropriate slot will activate the lights, allowing the players to see. Alternatively, there is a pair of battery powered lanterns in a drawer under the bed, which will provide the players with limited light.
Puzzle 2: The Bed
The base of the bed has a set of wheels mounted on it, with drag marks along the floor. Players tapping or making noise on the wall will reveal that it is a retractable, false wall. Players can move this wall by spinning the otherwise innocent looking old-timey ship wheel on the side of the wall. This reveals the 'hidden' room, as well as a smaller, locked room that appears to be the toilet.
Puzzle 3: Opening The Toilet
The toilet is the goal of the next puzzle section, which can be solved in the following way. A shopping list on the bench contains a list of towels in purchasing order. Putting the first letters of each towel colour in order spells out a set of music notes. These music notes are linked to the piano placed in the corner of the room. As the players hit each note on the piano, the ambient music slows down. Once the players have entered the correct combination (hinted at while the music slows down) the door to the toilet will open.
Puzzle 4: The Toilet
The toilet itself is a focal point of this puzzle; the cistern itself hides a key, which is used on a lock in the base of the initial room, under the carpet. The players receive a hint to this through a letter also located in the toilet, which gives a little amount of narrative context behind the items hidden in the floor safe.
Puzzle 5: The Door
The final piece of the puzzle is the keycard itself, which allows the players to exit the room. The issue is, the keycard is screwed into the bottom of the floor safe. Players have to use the screwdriver they were given initially to release the keycard before they can open the door. After unscrewing the keycard, players simply have to unlock the door in order to complete the puzzle.
Intended layout of the room.
Overview
Wanderer is a game all about the journey. As an unnamed, silent protagonist, the player simply guides their character through the world. The game is basically a nonlinear sandbox, with the player given the freedom to go wherever they want.
Core Mechanics
The player in Wanderer has to learn very few mechanics. Surviving is managed through drinking and eating, and camping is done via the tent system. Other minor mechanics like the map and the journal are only auxiliary to survival. Everything else that the player experiences is their perception of the world.Large amounts of scripted events and interactions between animals, the environment are available for the player to view. Everything from meteor storms to blizzards to forest fires has a chance to occur, and the player has to deal with them appropriately. Differently to typical sandbox or survival games, players do not have to mine or fight large amount of enemies or scavenge for tons of resources to build items. Players receive all of the items to survive, and they do not break or wear out. The intention of Wanderer is to give players a place to lay back and explore, that is not too tense or demanding, and provides rewards in the form of appreciation of beauty.
The World
Because the player spends so much time in the world, the world itself needs to be interesting. There are no other human characters within the world, so the player's interaction is limited to the environment and creatures within it. The game flows between lush forests and scorching deserts, with the player's only written objective being 'to wander'. Players have a small assortment of items, and are able to hunt animals for food and bottle water from a river. There are no extensive systems for house building, nor companions or 'levelling up'. The objective within the world of Wanderer is to wander. The game is intended to be a contemplative experience that allows players to relax, and the world facilitates that. The world shifts through seasons, with each biome changing to reflect both the current season and time. The fully implemented day/night cycle includes a system where players have to manage their temperature - they do this by lighting a fire. Depending on which biome they are in, different weather effects may occur. The system works via combination - if it rains in winter in the forest, it will snow rather than rain. If it rains in a different season, however, it may shower instead. The different combinations of weather effects present the problems players have to deal with. Players are able to pitch a small shelter, which has a height adjuster. This allows the player to stand under it to watch the rain or the sun set.
Players enjoy wonders like the Aurora in The Long Dark.
Overview
Final Odyssey takes place within a large, procedurally generated game world. This game world contains a series of islands for the player to explore. Much like the legendary Odysseus, players journey between these islands in their small boat, encountering enemies and challenges along the way.
Core Mechanics
The player explores the world in the first-person view, and is able to fight the enemy creatures that they come across with a variety of equipment they have. Initially alone, players can quickly gather enough materials to begin their exploration proper - a small boat is all that is needed to carry players between islands. On each island, players may find enemies, collectibles, areas to explore, and conquerable dungeons. Each dungeon carries a unique theme, and there are a limited amount within each world generation. The world is not limitless; although each generated world is different, the dungeons remain constant. As players progress through the game, they gain access to more equipment. Unlike many games in a similar genre, players do not 'level up' per se. As dungeons are completed, unique items and tools are received that allow players to go back to previously visited areas and explore them. These areas may contain rewards only available through the use of these items.
Narrative System
The Narrative system in Final Odyssey does not work like that of a normal game. As the player completes objectives, arrives at islands, gathers resources, and conquers dungeons, lines of text are added to the player's journal. Depending on how the player completes these dungeons, the text written will change. The text includes various information about the player character, including how they defeated a boss, what they used, and how long it took them. Each one of the entries is intended to fit with the previous entry in order to create a seamless narrative archive of the player's adventure - their own odyssey.
Players explore procedurally generated islands similar to the survival game Stranded Deep.
Overview
Cash Out! is the premier casino management simulator, with players being able to control every facet of the burgeoning entertainment establishment. Rig the machines, shuffle the cards, and weight the pills as you grow your fine business into the premier destination for all things gambling!
Core Mechanics
Players start out with a very small set of rooms, only initially being able to offer three games; slot machines, blackjack, and roulette. Over time, players will gain access to more interesting, lucrative, and risky types of games. As their variety of entertainment in the rooms expands, players also have a larger variety of other entertainment to provide. Bars, theatres, lounges, hotel rooms, and many more diversions can be added around the casino, to entice more guests. Players do all of this through a typical strategy game interface; they can construct rooms similar to The Sims, and then place objects in each room as appropriate. Players can choose from a wide variety of casinos on the strip itself to own, and are also able to create and modify their own. Players are able to fill their casinos with a variety of gambling devices in order to maximise all of their potential profits. In order to attract customers, each device targets a particular type of patron. Large amounts of slot machines will attract cheaper patrons and generate bulk cash, but they take up a large amount of room.
The House
Usually, the house always wins. Unfortunately, players will find their fair share of players who win. As they develop more competitive and strategic games available, more skilled gamblers will arrive. Games like baccarat will attract expert card players; people who may take the casino for all it's worth. To deal with this, the player has a number of strategies , including simply paying out (most expensive), banning them (may cause issues with publicity), beating them(again, issues) and framing them (not as expensive but riskier). Options like these enable the player to operate the kind of casino they want to operate. The casino can actually go into debt as a result of paying so much to top-tier card players or extremely lucky patrons.
Players construct and design their casino in a similar way to the Sims build mode.
Overview
Ooh, Shiny! is not your typical heist game. Playing as a team of magpies, players are challenged with stealing various shiny objects from residential areas. Armed with the latest in BIRD-TECH™, the team of magpies move between houses, building a vast collection of treasures and collectibles.
Core Mechanics
Players control the team of magpies from a 3D, initially isometric, perspective. Much like a real time strategy game, players move their team members in real time. A number of areas within the large maps are available for the magpies to move to, as well as a number of movement options. Outfits and disguises for the magpies to look like other birds or even animals are options for the player to consider. As well as this, as the magpies move through levels, they will encounter hazards, like humans and their pets. These hazards may guard or be using particular objects. Alternatively, these hazards may be static or moving within the area, preventing the magpies from moving very freely. Environmental interactions (like knocking over pot plants, or pooping on things) may be used in order to move these hazards around. For example, knocking over a pot may draw a human and a dog, allowing another magpie to move to where they previously were. The game combines strategy with humour in order to entertain the player.
The Birds
The birds themselves are the 'personality' of the game. Each distinct bird has a set of attributes and a skill that differs from the others. Their unique personalities and distinct playstyles allow the player to experiment while attempting missions, to find the most entertaining ways to complete them. In addition to this, players may equip them with some BIRD-TECH™, making missions even more fun. BIRD-TECH™ involves tools like sound amplifiers, bird decoys, and inflatable humans in order to complete missions. The technology can be placed and used by the birds in order to reach different places within the levels. More interesting and valuable Shiny Things can be found the more the player explores.
Players take control of the most esteemed and respected Magpies.
Overview
Information is Power. In Memory Thief, players have the opportunity to see just how powerful that information is. As a detective investigating a series of crimes in a futuristic utopia, players witness firsthand this power. The ethical nature of 'memory theft' is questioned as players both use and investigate this powerful technology, and the effect it can have on society as a whole.
Core Mechanics
Memory Thief is a 2-D sidescroller presented as a cross between a typical point-and-click and a platformer. Memory Thief utilises dialogue systems similar to P&C games, while also using platforming for chase sequences and limited combat. The game is presented as a nonlinear series of stages (similar to FEZ) which are accessed through the police station, which functions as a 'hub world'. The game uses a number of real-world constraints - for example,. players cannot jump up or fall very far. Instead, ladders, stairs, and elevators are used to move up and down levels. This also allows the level design to mimic rooms and buildings similar to the game Gunpoint. As players progress through their assigned missions, their technology, items, and clothing can all be customised in order to better suit future missions. Similarly, players can also choose from a number of skill trees that affect their performance in missions. Many of these focus on memory manipulation and conversation, allowing players to further interact with NPCs in different ways.
Narrative
Memory Thief is a game that chooses to focus on delivering a lesson in the dangers of technology. Namely, the issues that can arise from a person losing their memories, calling into question who they really are. At the same time, the game attempts to portray the ethical issues surrounding it. As a supposed 'lawful' representative, players are given numerous situations where they can employ the same technology in order to 'fast-track' their way through situations. However, this can lead to narrative-constructed penalties, with their story changing depending on how well they 'toe the line'. It also opens the window for more strategies; players with information 'stolen' from suspects or criminals can also be used to the main character's advantage. Similarly, players may also find that some criminals have advance warning of their presence or intentions, due to their use of the same technology.
Memory Thief utilises a similar level design system to Noir Syndrome, albeit differing in the navigation between levels.
Overview
By Coin and Shot is set during the renaissance period, with players taking control of a brand new merchant caravanner, intending to make a name for themselves around the world. Starting from just one mule and a few bags of wheat, players build their own 'East India Company' from the ground up.
Core Mechanics
By Coin and Shot is a third person game, with a deep set of strategy options also available. Players take direct control of their character, and are able to guide them across the vast ingame map between destinations. Able to assemble a large party, the caravan that the player guides can be made up of up to 10 members initially. These members can come from any place that the player encounters them, and they are also able to hire individuals in bazaars or other places of commerce. As players grow and expand their companies, more destinations, goods, and tools become available. The objective for the player is to construct the biggest company possible, as the player looks to establish themselves as a global force.
The Market
The Market demands and flow within By Coin and Shot are dynamically generated. Each region within the game has specific demands and exports that rise and fall over time due to the seasonal and weather cycles. As the majority of exports and resources are organic (i.e. food) players have to predict, expect, and analyse what is coming. Real-World events that occurred in the regions that the player controls also change the landscape of the market. Players will be financially rewarded if they successfully manipulate this market, enabling greater returns. Some missions may also be assigned to players by other officials, and these missions may also affect the market themselves. For example, if a player helps a particular military group in supplying them with weaponry, market availability of weapons will decrease, driving the price up due to the increased demand for weapons. This will also affect other missions as the game progresses.
Players move around a world map in a system similar to the RPG/Management game Mount and Blade.
Overview
Taking control of an omnipotent being, players of Ascendance attempt to create the perfect, thriving society, by bestowing abilities and powers upon members of a tribe, guiding them through the early stone age. As they 'play god', players eventually select a member of the tribe to 'ascend', which will determine the direction the tribe will develop towards.
Core Mechanics
Ascendance is controlled from an initially isometric perspective, but presented fully in 3D. Players are able to shape the terrain around the village itself, control weather patterns, and animal movement. The objective of each game is to make sure the village itself survives long enough to develop basic self-sufficiency. Players are able to leave the village to its own devices, or intervene in order to make them grow. The village can be attacked by enemies as well as sustain a number of different environmental and societal issues. Tribal uprising and rebellion can occur, and the player can manipulate which leader takes control in order to steer the tribe in the direction they approve of. If the player continually intervenes, the tribe may not know how to deal with certain situations. The tribe will also worship the 'god' much more vehemently, more than they would if the player intervened less. If the player limits their input into the tribe's actions, they may become more self-sufficient (or alternatively die out entirely).
Ascendance
At critical points in the game, players may choose a member of the tribe to 'ascend'. This grants them semi-mythical attributes, and may increase the tribe's valuation of their deity. This prophet may also be shunned, however, if they are a less popular member of the tribe. Players can use this prophet to directly initiate or avoid some events, or they may be cast out and unable to be effective. Ascendance is intended to be a mechanic that changes the player's interactions with the tribe, rather than improving them. Ascended villagers may also be more valuable in dealing with other tribes, who may occasionally demand things from the player's tribe. An ascended villager with healing attributes may be able to broker a deal better than a normal villager, for example.
The player watches over a village similar to Cultures, but does not directly construct the village.
Overview
If nobody is listening, how do they know what you want from them? As a character unable to communicate through conventional means, players have to use their imagination in order to talk to the living. Utilising a variety of interesting interactions, Nobody's Listening provides an interesting and detailed look at life without verbal communication.
Narrative
The core of Nobody's Listening is the narrative component. As a character stuck between the land of the living and the world of the dead, players are unable to directly communicate with the NPCs within the game. As a result, players are only able to manipulate non-living objects in a way that other characters would find 'believable'. For example, a floating note would cause a character to faint and the puzzle to reset. However, writing a note and leaving it on a table, then making something fall over near the table would cause the character to 'discover' it. Getting NPCs to complete these tasks allows the main character to 'right' the 'wrongs' that they have previously committed. Appearing to be involved in these resolutions is a core component of the game; the entire reason that the player character remains in limbo is to accomplish these objectives.
Core Mechanics
Within Nobody's Listening, the mechanic of 'noticing' interactions within the world is the key to accomplishing objectives. As players accomplish these objectives, more and more complex and interesting objectives are available for the player to complete. As the player completes more of these, their endgame goal of 'resolution' comes closer and closer. This goal of 'Resolution' is regarded as the win condition. As the game's focus is on the narrative, players are more encouraged to explore problems and their solutions in order to explore more of the story.
Plaeyrs control a character in limbo similar to Murdered: Soul Suspect.
Overview
In Lightning Rod, players manipulate the weather. Whether they want blistering hot sunshine or a swirling maelstrom is totally up to them. Players can choose to intensely balance air currents and flows, or attempt to create a second ice age - whatever their heart desires.
Core Mechanics
Players are initially presented with a 3-D representation of Earth, and are guided through manipulating air currents in order to direct air flow around the planet. When players mix a certain direction of air with a heat node, it creates an effect. These effects can range from creating a swirling tornado, to just dispersing heat over an area. Where player strategies develop is through the balancing of these nodes with air currents in order to avoid situations like cyclones and tornadoes. Players can direct air currents through rain nodes, dispersing rain over an area if it is too hot. In addition to this, if a player disperses a rain node over a cold area, it creates snow. If a player does either of these too much, it can cause snowstorms and flooding, damaging populations in a certain area. Some scenarios require players to keep consistent weather patterns over a length of time, while others require players to create a specific weather pattern. Wind patterns and heat pockets shift constantly, forcing players to constantly manipulate weather patterns in order to complete their objectives.
Wind Mechanics
The wind in Lightning Rod sometimes takes on a mind of its own. Because it is constantly moving and shifting, players need to keep track of which directions a strong win is moving. If a strong wind moves into a pocket a player is trying to manipulate, it may cause unintended side effects. These side effects could range from a giant storm to a simple raincloud over a dry country. In order to fully take advantage of the wind, players need to micromanage the assets they have moved, as failing to keep track of them will lead to disastrous side effects.
Players create and manipulate storms and weather effects. Much to the displeasure of the population.
Overview
Stranded on a frozen planet with no means of communication, Winter's Bite delivers a survival experience both unique and engaging. Integrating a constant feeling of suspense through a dynamic and changing weather system, Winter's Bite makes players feel the cold, all the time. After crash-landing on an almost inhospitable planet, players fight against bandits, creatures, and their character's mind as they slowly descend into madness.
Core Mechanics
Winter's Bite is controlled from the third person, with players taking control of Khaz Hamal, an engineer and only survivor of a freighter crash on a backwater planet. Hamal, due to his engineering background, is proficient enough at rigging together gear in a tight spot, but lacks proficiency with weapons and possesses a general lack of survival instincts. As a result, the gear available initially is more of a defensive nature; stunning and incapacitating enemies is the norm. As Khaz gains experience, players can choose which areas they want him to specialise and further develop his skills. He will never become an unstoppable killing machine, and as a result players have to continually develop more strategic options than 'make gun strong'.
Narrative
Khaz is a reasonably well-off engineer who has never really faced adversity. As a result, the reactions that he has to particular events within the world are intended to mirror the average person's reaction. As he progresses through the storyline, Khaz encounters several of his crewmates, and his decisions on their fates also impacts the rest of the storyline. Depending on these decisions, crewmates may accompany him on some of his missions. These individuals may offer Khaz benefits and assistance as well as general exposition depending on Khaz's position within the storyline itself.
Players progress through a storyline similar to Dead Space 3.
Overview
Welcome to Hell! is a game all about the destination. As the overlord of hell, the player takes control of a new section of land situated in the picturesque location of the underworld. Players build up attractions and locations for the newly arrived denizens of hell to visit and explore, as well as live, as they build Hell into the 'new place to be'.
Core Mechanics
The map is presented as a fully 3D world, and players control it from the top down, like most tycoon games. Players start with an entry gate, where individuals new to hell spawn, like guests. Players place structures, connecting them with paths to encourage the new 'guests' to move around. A large amount of structures are available to be placed, ranging from entertainment and food establishments to workplaces. In order to keep their small 'town' growing and flourishing, players need to make sure their little slice of hell is better to move to. Players are able to view statistics of other 'slices' around, so they can understand what they need to build in order to attract different residents. These residents come in a number of different varieties, and each one requires certain objects and needs to be filled in order for them to stay. In turn, players create these resources by tasking lesser demons to collect them by constructing production areas. As demons and other creatures move into the player's town, players will be able to create more and more resources, unlocking additional buildings and areas that the residents can use to occupy themselves.
Narrative
The player takes control of a disgraced underdemon, one that is eager to move up the food chain of command within hell. Players are able to choose the missions and tasks to complete within the map, and these tasks provide more exposition and story about the player character as they complete them. This 'chain' is actually represented within the game; moving ahead of other demons in terms of power will cause them to fall by the wayside. Players gain additional skills and attributes as they overtakes these soon-to-be lesser demons. These attributes allow for faster growth of their location, and may also provide special buildings or attractions.
Players manage different citizen types and structure placement, similar to the ANNO series.
Overview
Blend is an exciting asymmetrical multiplayer game that combines stealth and intense action. One team of two players is assigned an objective to reach, and must move through the environment to reach their goal. The other 5 players are tasked with discovering these two 'blended' players within the dense AI controlled crowd.
Core Mechanics
Blend hinges on the player's abilities to move quickly through the level in search of their respective goals. The 'Seekers' are equipped with a variety of abilities, but are also slower and less maneuverable than the sneakier 'Blenders'. The Seekers receive hints whenever AI characters are disturbed (attacked, shoved, etc) via NPC dialogue among the crowds. Other NPC characters provide hints to the seekers through their actions - keeping away from an area may suggest a 'blender' may have been there. Similarly for the Blenders - they are able to see faint trails of where a seeker has just been, so they can work out the best paths to avoid them. Blenders are also naturally faster. Their natural speed also means that AI crowd members around them will make noises and move quickly when they attempt to push through them. In addition to this, any of the NPC 'seeker aids' (think authorities) will alert the seekers via radio communication if they spot any of the Blenders.
Blending
Blending itself can function in a number of ways. The 'Blenders' can utilise a variety of equipment that allows them to hide and move in a variety of ways. Movement enhancers, disguises, different outfits, and disabling gear are just a few of the means the 'Blenders' have available to them. Differing toolkits between the Blenders and the Seekers means that the players of the respective teams are forced to play to their strengths - Blenders are forced to skirt the edges of the map, relying on their maneuverability and hiding performance to survive. For the Seekers, their only objective is to make sure Blenders do not reach the objective at the end of the level.
Players move through environments cluttered with dense NPC populations, Similar to Hitman:Absolution
Overview
Over the Top! is the premier World War 1 simulator, taking players deep into the mid of a soldier, into the trenches and into the gas. Players take control of a wide variety of soldiers, ranging from snipers to flammenwerfers, and attempt to change the focus and swing of a battle.
Core Mechanics
is a combination of RTS and FPS, with players directing soldiers from central barracks on the backline, as well as taking direct control of soldiers and controlling them with the WASD keys. Selecting from a wide variety of weapons, the game's missions begin at the fall of night, and players have to prepare for the dawn attacks, when their soldiers will go over the top. Presented as a 3D Real Time Strategy game, the faction has the night to prepare to go over the top, or to prepare defenses in anticipation for what is about to happen. Wide variety of troop deployment methods and troop types mean that the player has to make the decision between the advantages and disadvantages that the different unit types present. Upgrades like prototype gas masks, camouflage nests, and spotlights are designed to anticipate methods that the player's opponents will use in order to seize victory.
Narrative
The player takes control of a commanding officer, with their back story and history differing depending on the faction chosen. For the Allies, players take control of a disgraced commanding officer who has to prove himself in order to keep himself within the army. As the Axis, players take control of a prideful but elderly senior officer attempting to leave a lasting legacy on the battlefield itself. As the two differing leading characters progress through the narrative, their stories interweave and overlap, encountering each other multiple times as the narrative builds to a climax.
Image of Red Orchestra 2, a similarly tactical shooter game.
Overview
In Blink, a minute can be all the time you need. Players take control of a fast and agile burglar, skipping in and out of locations of interest without even being heard. Following the deep and twisting story of a man wronged, Blink involves taking risks and exposing players to the basest of human desires; greed.
Game Mechanics
The game takes place in a relatively dense open world, covering a gigantic city that players can traverse with a wide variety of interesting magical abilities. Gear that the player requires mostly revolves around moving around the map. Mechanical hooks, climbing boots, and ropes form a core of equipment designed for fast movement. The houses and buildings that the player can enter provide lucrative loot hidden in intricate puzzles that the player has to solve. Each location offers different types of loot, as well as different types of puzzles. Some warehouses may require jumping between things, while some residences may require the player to find hidden rooms. Equipment like lockpicks, hooks, and crowbars can all be used to accomplish the same objective, so players will not be disadvantaged if they lack a particular item. Players are encouraged to explore the wide variety of items and tools available in order to experience as much of the game as possible.
Narrative
The narrative within Blink revolves around the main character, and his rise to infamy within the city's underbelly. The loot that the player acquires through the story not only proves valuable, but also changes the ways that a player can approach one of the many side objectives within the game. All of the environments stay the same, but the gear that the player gains through the narrative allows the player to move through those environments via different paths.
The game utilises multiple tools and abilities similar to Dishonored.
Overview
Within the Abyss, there are many terrors. As an unnamed researcher, players climb into a rickety submarine and brave the darkness of the deep ocean in search of a mystery 'ghost ship' on the seabed. Once inside, players will encounter intriguing and terrifying challenges that await them.
Core Mechanics
Abyss is split into two very distinct methods of play - first, the submarine that carries the player around the outside of the ship. The gigantic ocean faring ship, larger than any ship ever built, proves to be a challenge for the player to navigate. As such, the submarine provides a means for the player to quickly access major sections of the ship. Internally, navigating the ship takes place in first person, with the character being able to equip a few tools (like torches) as they explore the creaking and flooded vessel. Mysteriously, the availability of oxygen is widespread in the ship, but so are the dangers. The ship fights as much against the player as do its inhabitants. A wide variety of challenges (leaking, rusted doors, rickety ladders, etc.) present themselves to the player, who has to defeat them in order to progress. Inhabitants of the ship include humans as well as a variety of large fish, all of whom consider the player a tasty snack.
Environment
The ship in Abyss is just as much of a character. The rusting, leaky bulkheads and the vast open cargo holds are just some of the results of spending years submerged in the darkness. The ghosts of a profitable past inhabit the ship - empty dining areas, vacant accommodation, and equipment areas still left full are a few of the locations a player can visit within the ship itself. Items and records the player can gather provide exposition and part of the backstory behind the mysterious nature of the ship.
Within the Abyss, fortune finds the fortunate.
Overview
Bedouin begins during the late 19th century, leading up to the events of the first world war. Taking control of a small tribe of nomadic bedouin, the initial stages of the game merely set the scene as the player becomes a dominant tribe during the dying stages of the old Africa, and the horrific event that is the second world war.
Core Mechanics
Bedouin is controlled by the player in the third person. Players can travel across vast deserts and through bustling towns either on foot or on a variety of means of transport. Camels, horses, and vehicles (in the later sections of the timeline) become more and more available as the game progresses. The open world allows players to move their small tribe from place to place, and players must choose the best times to move on. Moving during a sandstorm may kill off members of the tribe, or moving in the middle of the day may lead to a bandit attack. Players must manage the resources and requirements of their tribe, as well as playing off the various factions that spring up in the deserts around. As the game progresses, new factions and equipment, as well as new missions, present themselves.
Environment
The environment in Bedouin is hugely functional as well as simply nice to look at. The oases, trees, dunes, and even the wind can prove detrimental to the player. If the player chooses to camp near an oasis, the water gathered will slowly deplete it. As time goes on, the player will have to move the tribe to another oasis to allow it to replenish. If the player does not do this, the tribe will be starved of water and will start to lose members. Similarly, the wind mechanics within the game can whip up a devastating sandstorm at any time, and if the tribe does not have warning, they will be decimated by it. Careful micromanagement of tribe lookouts and resources will ensure that they won't die out.
Players guide a Bedouin tribe that roams the vast deserts of northern Africa.
Overview
Final Spark is a puzzle game about light. Players control a small orb of light that can move around in the worldspace, illuminating various areas. The objective of each level is to reach the end, which players can do by navigating the pitch-black levels.
Core Mechanics
The ball of light that players control is heat-sensitive. That is, the longer that the light stays in one place, the colder it gets. As the light gets colder, it slows down and dims. As the light gets dimmer, players see less. Therefore, it is in the player's interest to keep moving as fast as possible, to go as far as possible. The light illuminates paths through the game, allowing the player to navigate easier the brighter the light is. As players progress through levels, there are multiple paths that they may take, as well as waystations along the way that they can visit. Passing through a waystation allows the ball to fully charge up, while also providing a boost of movement speed. Waystations also act both as checkpoints and makeshift navigation aids, allowing players to see where they have already been. The final point that a player has to make it to is not indicated for the player - they have to find their own path through the maze.
Visual Style
Final Spark is a very desaturated game, with the majority of the game map being a simple combination of black, with white lines indicating the path through the maze. The light itself illuminates the area around it in shades of white and grey, making the game easy on the eyes while also being visually striking. With the game's core mechanics not being hugely affected by the visual representation, it makes it easier for the player to concentrate on navigating the maze while also appreciating the simplicity of the visual design.
Final Spark utilizes shades of white and grey to emphasize a different visual style, similar to LIMBO.
Overview
Cube.Net involves manipulating a cube and its net in order to puzzle through levels. Players can deconstruct the cube into its 2-dimensional net - the pattern of squares - to traverse gaps or move through gaps. Players utilise this ability to switch between forms to solve puzzles and complete levels.
Core Mechanics
The focal mechanic in Cube.Net is expanding and retracting the cube.At any time, the player can target a square and the cube will unfold in that direction. The cube can slide at any point, with any piece of the Cube being free. Each level is completed once the full cube is present on the ending space. Functioning in real time, players move their cube around in the environment by rolling it on its sides. As players shift and change their cube, they can reassemble their cube at any point in the net. This allows the cube to move along the ground, around corners, and even up and over small walls. The cube also interacts with the environment - moving the cube onto a lift will make it rise up, and can allow the player to move over walls.
Puzzle Design
The puzzles within Cube.Net revolve primarily around grid-based movement, and also incorporate elements of physics and problem-solving. Puzzle design of course revolves around the cube, but additional mechanics (such as moving up walls) are introduced progressively, ensuring players aren't instantly overwhelmed. Puzzles can be completed using any of the many inherent mechanics of the cube, and new techniques players are taught in later levels may also be applied to earlier levels to offer players a different way to solve them.
An example of the net. In this case, the player could reassemble the cube at any of the pieces of the net.
Overview
How to Snowball? is about snow, and its balling capabilities. As a small ball of snow, your objective is to progress through each level, moving up and down ramps, balancing across planks, and collecting as much auxiliary snow as possible.
Core Mechanics
The game starts with the snowball the size of a golf ball. Players control the ball with wasd/a controller stick, and can collect snow by rolling over patches of snow. This snow then becomes part of the snowball. Any non-snowy surface like grass reduces the snow on the player's ball, and it appears back on the ground. Players can re-acquire this snow by rolling back over it. The objective of each level is to get the player's ball, however big it is, to the end. Players are awarded scaling points for having as big a snowball as possible. Some levels require the snowball to be of a particular size to progress (e.g. a small hole, or a jump requiring mass to cover.) Each level requires a number of puzzles to be solved, and the snowball may also need to push objects around or perform other physics-based tasks to complete various puzzles.
Style
The style of How to Snowball? is one of humour and lightheartedness. The levels themselves are reminiscent of all kinds of locations - a suburban house, a log cabin, a shopping mall carpark, etc. The snowball itself narrates its trip, with various voice lines triggering depending on what the player passes by/interacts with. The environments themselves are colourful and vibrant, allowing the player to enjoy interacting with the area around them visually as well as mechanically. The game features relatively calming music as well, ensuring that the player is also able to relax and enjoy themselves snowballing through challenges and levels.
It's a Snowball with a face. Much like the one intended for this game.
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