Locate and Terminate is a hidden object game for PC and mobile platforms.
The context of the game revolves around the player taking on the role of a specialised form of hitman. This hitman does not terminate people physically, but rather sneaks into the targets home, workplace or so on, locates specific information or document and terminates that.
The game itself utilises a level based format, with each being set in a particular location and focused on locating said sensitive time of the target.
However it should be noted that is game is heavily puzzle based and takes inspiration from puzzles scene in point and click adventure games. Because of this, the player will encounter many a locked box and door and will require an astute sense of observation and logical reasoning to solve the environment based puzzles to progress and open locks.
It should be noted that some levels are also under a specific time limit to add pressure to the task.
An example of a levels puzzle structure is as shown below.
Several paintings in a bed room/reading room. The one above the bed and a smaller one hanging where a larger one once hung are key. This is as their positions have been swapped. The hint to the player is the large faded mark below the smaller painting, however which painting to replace it with is the question.
The painting above the bedhead should stand out due to its location and abstract pattern. The player must take the painting off the wall and place it on the picture hanger where the smaller once hung. If the player is observant they will notice from this position that the painting is reflected in the mirror of the ensuite bathroom. The reflection will reveal that the pattern is actually an upside down and backwards key code.
Using this key code the player is able to open the safe hidden under the bed, should they find it. Within the safe will be documents relevant to the puzzles plot line and a key. This key will unlock a box hidden in the bedside table drawer (which itself is not locked). Within the box is a very generic book.
The book contains half a bookmark, with inherently half a marking on it. The next step relies upon either the player's observation skills, or them having taken the initiative beforehand and already completed the next step intentionally or otherwise.
Once the book and bookmark is obtained, should the player be observant they should, or should have, noticed the full, meticulously and alphabetically organised bookshelf in the room. The solution to this segment is that the book in question already exists upon the shelf. Upon finding the counterpart, they should also find the other half of the bookmark within.
Naturally this step may have been completed if the player raided the bookshelf beforehand looking for clues. However due to the matching half of the bookmark located within the shelf is in a locked box as stated prior, this does not actually effect the progression or solution to any of the other puzzles. Therefore this theoretically means there are two paths to solving the bookmark puzzle.
Upon obtaining both parts of the bookmark, the player will be able to put them together to reveal a marking/pattern essential for progression in later puzzles.
Image source: http://front.sashe.sk/data/2014/10/22/photos/19426/c/c-N4602130_19426_20141022_96088.jpg
SlumbRPG is a game and sleep tracking/lifestyle app of mobile devices. An adventure while you sleep! (Also an obvious portmanteau of slumber and RPG.)
The app is designed to motivate healthy sleeping patterns and enable users to track and observe their sleeping habits all the while playing a game. The game itself is a rouge-like dungeon crawler that is simulated whilst the player is asleep.
The app/game functions as follows. During the day or before the player goes to sleep, they have access to their characters inventory, stats, progress, wealth and so forth. Utilising this they are able to purchase upgrades such as armour and weaponry, level up using accumulated experience points and so forth. Furthermore more they have access to graphs and statistics gathered the night prior summarising such things as movement/restlessness, how many times the user checked their phone etc. The player is also able to answer questions and manually enter statistics to increase the accuracy of readings.
Once the player is about to sleep, the player must set their character to disembark into the dungeon. From this point onward until an alarm sounds or the player sets the mode to "awake", the game portion will simulate in the background in accordance to character statistics, items bought/used during the day and so forth.
However as per the name, the app will also take into account statistics gathered from the players sleep utilising such things as the accelerometer to gauge movement (if placed under a pillow), the microphone to measure such things as snoring, how long the phone was used when the player should have been sleeping etc.
Each run will utilise both statistics gathered the night before and the current. This is so for example, should the player have had a poor sleep the night prior (i.e., only a few hours or they moved around a lot), such will be reflected in the characters performance as they too will be exhausted. Other aspects of the simulation will play out based on the information gathered that night, in addition to the things listed prior such as items and so on. In the morning the player will be given a the statistics and summaries of their sleep and that nights dungeon run and will be able to act accordingly in preparation for the next.
Simply put, should the players sleep behaviour appear positive, so too may the results of the run, and of course the opposite applies with negativity.
It should be noted however that the "game" portion of the app is never actually seen, as it is merely simulated and calculated based on the gathered statistics. Instead the player interacts with the app through the provided menus, lists, diagrams and so forth provided. Thus a graphical style need not apply.
Image source: http://www.eclipsemattress.com/eclipse/images/SleepInfoPic.jpg
Frantic Pharmacist is a race against the clock game for mobile devices.
Within the game the player takes on the role of a regular pharmacist in a regular world full of impatient people. The goal of the game is to simply fill a quota of prescriptions before the day is done. But alas the life of a humble pharmacist is not so simple. Doth one not give pity nor see the struggles of our hero?
Indeed the game is not that simple. For of course each prescription is written in near illegible doctor's handwriting, the labels on all the pill bottles have nearly worn away and your customers are excruciatingly impatient. As such the game can be seen to be segmented into three parts; Identify, locate and prescribe, all while under the pressure of time limit while the customer waits. Should the player make any error in the process; this counts as a failed prescription. If the player fails to fill a prescription within the timeframe, this also counts. The day is failed should the player fail 4 prescriptions.
Gameplay consists of the following. Identify; at the start of the round the player is displayed the written prescription which they must read. Once deciphered, they can simply swipe it away to enter the location phase. From here the player is presented with the large shelf of pill bottles, of which the player must tap and drag the correct bottles onto the table below to enter the prescribe phase. Now the player must place the correct pills (and amount) in an empty bottle to finish the round. At any time the player is able to swipe from the right of the screen to bring up the written prescription.
Image source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/4989652-3x2-940x627.jpg
Reconnaissance Action Team (R.A.T) is a stealth based game for consoles.
R.A.T is a game in a similar vein to Metal Gear Solid, involving infiltration, wit and stealth. However instead of secret military organisations, terrorists and one lone gruff voiced man; the game centres around rats, birds and one gruff voiced mouse, vying for control of the upper attic of a large house they both seek to inhabit.
As per the games title, the player is on the side of R.A.T and takes on the role of our gruff voiced hero.
Plot aside, the game has a simple premise; find your way from HQ in the basement through the human zone and to the attic (which the birds currently have control over). Once there the player must find and secure The Egg, with which the rats may "negotiate" (blackmail) the birds into submission.
Of course all is easier said than done as the player must traverse each area with no weaponry other than bare claws and wit. They also avoid detection at all costs as such may alert the humans, or worse, the house cat. Naturally these hazards are near impossible to confront and one must find solace anywhere they can from holes in the wall to shoeboxes. Birds on the other hand can be dealt with, but one must be wary.
The player will also encounter environmental puzzles and hazards throughout their one man mission, including a variety of high tech mouse traps.
To survive and secure The Egg, the player must be stealthy and use their wit, as violence is not always the answer.
Image source: http://orig14.deviantart.net/26ac/f/2012/095/a/e/rat_soldier_by_johnariosa-d4v5gn5.jpg
Night Driver is a relaxing narrative infused driving game for home computers.
The game takes influence from games such as Euro Truck Simulator in the regards that gameplay is simplistic, relaxing and revolves around somewhat simple driving based tasks.
In Night Driver the player takes on the role of a late night taxi driver with the sole goal of taking customers to and from destinations. The player is armed with simple GPS unit and their wits as they traverse and observe a living city of perpetual night (and varying weather conditions), trundling alone without a care in the world.
This is not the only aspect to the game however, as certain jobs can take quite some time. Naturally the player can simply sit back and enjoy the view or they may listen to the in game sound track and radio. However some of the passengers will choose to initiate in conversation with the player, thus beginning another integral aspect to the game.
Each conversation encountered is designed to be unique, with multiple topics and branching dialogue paths for the player to choose from. The idea behind this is to further immersion and make the player feel somewhat attached to their customers as they come to learn about them on their (sometimes) long drives, only to eventually see them leave. However the player will occasionally encounter regular customers and through each conversation, unlock further dialogue options and topics to discuss as they learn about their client.
Naturally some element of challenge must be present in the game. Thus throughout, the player must (should they so choose to) converse and drive at the same time, all the while adhering to traffic conventions and laws. It is also notable that they player may choose to initiate conversation themselves.
The game takes a first person perspective and is designed to be played for extended periods of time as a leisure activity.
Mass Destruction is a game for mobile devices.
The game takes inspiration from the idea of Godzilla. As such, the player takes on the role of a giant monster terrorising an area.
The game has multiple goals depending on the chosen scenario/mode. The first involves the player having to cause as much destruction to the surrounding buildings, people, environment etc as possible before dying. The second requires the player to cause a certain amount of destruction within a set time limit and the third revolves around battling other giant monsters.
In the game damage equates to score, and dying/failing occurs upon either not completing the modes set task or from taking too much damage from the onslaught of military forces or other monsters. Attacks can take the form of anything from a claw slash to fire breath, some can be unique to certain monsters.
As the game progresses and tasks are completed, new monsters to play as will be gradually unlocked. Once all monsters are available, a customisation option is unlocked.
Image source: http://static1.squarespace.com/static/51b3dc8ee4b051b96ceb10de/t/537189d0e4b0c4a5e90c2234/1399949780729/
Tiny Tanks is game for mobile devices.
The game is designed to be a small "pick up and play" sort of game, that one would play for short periods simply to fill in time.
The game follows a basic premise and formula. You are one of three tanks on a team placed in an arena, pitted against three other tanks. The goal of the game is to navigate the arena and eradicate the opposing team and not be wiped out yourself. The tank is controlled via on screen controls, allowing for acceleration, reversing, turning and shooting. All other tanks are AI controlled.
The game will utilise a low poly, cartoon aesthetic as it falls hand in hand with the simple premise and is appropriate for the chosen platform.
Arenas will take varying forms and sizes. They will also contain varying terrain, such as hills and canyons, and additionally power ups such as lives, ammo etc.
Furthermore an additional deathmatch mode will be available, removing teams and creating a "last man standing" scenario.
Image source: https://sites.google.com/site/ww2tanksmod/FHH_3.jpg
Will You Follow Me? Is a first person action and consequence driven parkour/free-running game for consoles and PC.
The game takes place in a modern metropolis and centres around a group of young parkour enthusiasts. The player takes on the role of a new member into the group, the silent, unnamed protagonist.
The game starts off on an expected note, consisting of "chapters" involving participating in group runs. Near the beginning, gameplay revolves around the player having to follow and keep up with other group members, and successfully making it from checkpoint to checkpoint. As the game progresses the player will begin to gain a more significant role within the group, now having a key role in runs as opposed to just following. The player will now have to complete runs involving such responsibilities as grabbing a fellow members hand as they make a jump, preventing them from falling and so on.
After this point, plot will also progress, involving the local law enforcement attempting to locate the group. Additionally, choice based elements will start becoming introduced. Such may involve a team member attempting to persuade the player to make an incredibly dangerous run/jump, or do something involving the police and so forth. How the player chooses to respond to these decisions will modify how the plot progress and how different entities react to the player and group.
Not only this, to add to gameplay variance, jumps will become slowly more difficult and dangerous and the likelihood of error shall too increase. Such not only increases the games challenge factor, but will impact the games characters and story should something go wrong.
An example of such may involve player error resulting in a team member missing a jump. Dependent on the jump it is entirely possible for said team member to die. From this point, should the player succumb to the collective panic and stress of the group, and following along with their decisions, the plot may take a turn for the worst and involve the group on the run from the law. This time for a murder charge.
Of course all these potential scenarios will only occur if the right conditions and decisions are made. Because of this it is entirely possible for the player to finish the game and experience almost nothing more than a variety of parkour challenges.
Image source: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/b8/be/bc/b8bebc0b831aae7d56df96fa2357b7d6.jpg
The Library is a first person exploration based game for PC.
The game takes place primarily in a seemingly ancient library of monolithic proportions. The building comprised of thousands of floors and chambers and corridors, all of which randomly generated.
The player takes control of a person, of the gender they so choose. This person awakes to find themselves in a random room in said library. With no knowledge of where they are or why, the character portrays mild curiosity through the rare, occasional contextual internal dialogue or utterance, to motivate the player. Other than this the protagonist is mostly silent, leaving the player with nothing but ambience and their own thoughts as they wander the sconce and book lined halls of the complex.
The library is not empty however, as the player is bound to come across one of the many hooded custodians of the library, wandering about, humming or muttering.
However it must be noted however that no matter how big the library is, nor how lost the player may get, they will always come across a specific room.
This room is the focal point of the game, and quite literally extends it beyond the realms of what the player will find without it. This room in particular is not too dissimilar from any other. However it is much smaller in size and contains but a single bookcase and a table with a chair.
Upon approaching the bookcase the player, as with any other bookcase in the library, is given the option to read one of the many stories and books upon it. However, should the player take a book to the table and read it, the room will change.
The room will change not only in appearance, but in size and realm. For whatever book the player so chooses, they shall be transported to an instance of its world, so that they may explore and discover. Such may mean they find themselves no longer in a library but in the centre of a dense rainforest, or perhaps the house of an old widow.
Naturally these worlds the player can visit are limited in size. But they are plentiful and contain many an inhabitant, conversation to be had and task to be given. In some cases, these worlds and characters may be randomly generated.
How the game plays and what the player chooses to do once they find this room is entirely up to them, as it opens up literally worlds of opportunities. But should the player become tired of their newfound world or seek solace in the library, they must simply need return to where they first found themselves. For this is as although the world may change and morph around them, the bookcase, table and chair will always remain constant, no matter the world.
Image source: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/51/f4/85/51f4854d1b432542f30fb7bfe4909871.jpg
Graveyard Dash is a third person beat 'em up/hack and slash game for mobile devices.
The game begins with the protagonist waking up in an expansive graveyard late at night. They know not of how they got there nor of why, simply that they desire to go home as quickly as possible.
The player takes on the role of said protagonist on their quest to find their way out. There's only one problem, the ghouls and beasties are out on the prowl. The game, as with all other beat 'em up style games progresses in a segmented fashion, with the player having to defeat a horde of enemies before they may continue on their way.
Along the way the player will have to battle a variety of beasties with their own individual patterns of attack and so forth. Said beasties will include ghouls, zombies, werewolves, vampires, bats and more. At the end of each significant segment a boss enemy, a large powerful version of an enemy previously encountered.
At the beginning of the game the protagonist will only have their fists to fend off the horrors that be. However, further means of defence are available should the player have a keen eye and be resourceful. An example of such may be a fallen tree branch, a broken headstone, or perhaps a hidden scythe. However these weapons are neither compulsory nor given/presented (for the most part) to the player. The player must find these themselves, meaning that one could play the game and almost entirely pass over them. Thus making observation a key element to the game.
Image source: http://media.indiedb.com/images/games/1/18/17906/Graveyard.jpg
They did the Dash... They did the Graveyard Dash...
Spam Guard is a game for mobile devices.
Have you ever wondered how spam filters work? Most of the time your inbox is free of those pesky emails, but sometimes one might just slip through. Ever wondered why that is? Some nifty algorithm surely? Nope it's just some poor bloke named Greg.
What does Greg do? Well I'll tell you. Greg (although his boss calls him Gregory) sits at his desk all day long staring at his device, sorting and filtering all the incoming emails into a designated persons inbox. We all have our personal Greg, sitting there flicking emails left right and center at lightning speed. If you never get spam, you can thank Greg. If one slips in, blame Greg.
You play as Greg, on a typical day at the office. Today you are managing person A's emails through your phone because your computer is broken. Your work interface is similar to any inbox, however there is no sorting system. That's your job.
The goal of the game is to swipe emails from the list, as they appear, into the correct category at the top of the screen as quickly as possible. The categories are; Inbox, Outbox and Spam. The player must swipe the email into the correct box before the visual timer (10 seconds or less) attached to the email expires and it is sent to the wrong one. Not only this; the player can only utilise the subject header and sender as a means of identification.
It must be noted that as the game continues multiple emails may appear onscreen at the same time, with varying expiry times on them, requiring the player to be swift. The player is scored via how may correct emails they filter and are given bonuses for speed.
Should the player miss or incorrectly filter five emails, that round is lost, Greg is fired and the player must restart.
Jet Set Go is an endless runner game for mobile devices.
JSG is heavily inspired by the classic Dreamcast game Jet Set Radio, both in regards to graphics and context as well as being a pun on the phrase "Get set go". The game is set in a city inspired by the likes of Tokyo and Akihabara, the player takes on the role of a rebellious teen simply belting down the footpaths and streets on their newly released "Jet Board", giving not care in the world.
The game utilises lane based movement and requires the player to dodge anything from pedestrians to cars, to even market stalls as they make their way on their endless high speed journey. But the player must take caution as the local police force have been notified of your reckless shenanigans and are hot on your trail. To keep on going and stay out of reach from the mostly incompetent PD, the player will need to collect energy orbs to keep their board powered up.
Naturally these orbs are of utter importance and the player must have the will and the "skillz" to get them. They player must jump, wall run, rail grind and slide to reach them. The player can further utilise said "skillz" to perform tricks in the air to earn more points.
As a nod to Jet Set Radio, the player may also be able to collect rare spray cans throughout the game to heighten their score even more.
The game utilises vibrant colours, cell shaded graphics and explores varying areas of the fictional city from highways to street markets.
Image source: http://s.pro-gmedia.com/videogamer/media/images/xbox360/jet_set_radio/screens/jet_set_radio_1.jpg
The Last Outpost is a game for handheld platforms.
Your radio has been silent for nearing two weeks now, it might be dead. They probably are too. No one is coming to rescue you, you'll die here. Just not yet. Not if you can help it.
The Last Outpost is first and foremost a zombie shooting game. You play a survivor amongst the apocalypse stationed at the furthest outpost from the last surviving camp of humans. The last thing you heard from your radio was the camp was being completely overrun and the outposts were also being taken out. Your supplies are dwindling and there is no salvation.
The game only has a few simplistic goals; shoot zombies and stay alive for as long as possible before you are overrun by the seemingly endless horde. However unlike most first person zombie shooting related games, you are by no means powerful and you are completely restrained to confines of your outpost. Furthermore the only vantage point from which you can shoot the nightmare is the very top of the tower. From here you will have a 360 degree view, and you must utilise it, as they will come from all directions.
If the player feels they can risk it, they can move to the lower level/floor of the outpost to upgrade their weaponry using points scored via killing zombies. However the player must be careful as the zombies never stop attacking. Furthermore it should be noted that some zombies will endeavour to break down the door or even climb the outpost in an attempt to enter through the top.
The players efforts are noted via time and score and upon death, are saved and should the player wish, uploaded to a leader board.
Image source: http://pre08.deviantart.net/42a3/th/pre/i/2014/051/2/9/alcatraz_watchtower_by_violent_inspira-d778hix.jpg
Submerged is a unique first person dungeon crawler-esque game for PC and home consoles.
The game takes place on a sinking cruise ship. The player takes on the role of a passenger located neve the very bottom of the ship, in their desperate quest to make it to the deck of the ship before being utterly submerged.
The main goal of the game is to make it through each of the 50 floors of the cruise ship, by finding the single main staircase on each one. Each floor has a randomly generated layout. At the same time the player must battle the rising water levels, meaning time is precious. Each level starts with the water at knee height, and steadily rises until the level is entirely submerged. Should the player not be swift enough in their exit, they will experience a variety of changes to the game.
The first change occurs once the water reaches waist height, at this point the player's movement becomes mildly impeded as it would in reality as they now must wade through the water. Should the water reach chest height, most forms of physical movement will become severely impeded. At the point the water is above the player's mouth and/or nose, the have the option to switch to swimming which of course will change the way movement controls entirely. Should the game get to this point, the player is given essentially one last chance to find the stair case, as they will be able to survive utilising scattered air pockets. However should the player take any longer and the water rise further, they must resort to their last breath before dying and having to restart.
It should be noted however that the rising water, rogue-like gameplay, and maze-like levels are not the only challenge. Throughout, the player will encounter locked doors, frightened passengers that will resort to violence in an attempt to escape, and hostile sea life that have found their way into the ship through breeches in the hull.
It is notable that the player is able to find and gather valuables throughout their escape to be brought to the surface (acting as a score) as well as friendly passengers willing to assist you for as long as they can.
Should the player stand any chance of survival, they must think and act swiftly, be resourceful and overcome any obstacle or threat in their way should they wish not to be completely submerged.
Image source: https://theheartthrills.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/titanic-sinking.jpg
Divided Attention is a small game for the PS4 to be distributed on PSN.
The game has a simplistic context, you are a completely average person driving your car on the motorway on your way home. Except today you downloaded the most amazing phone game you have ever seen and you just can't keep your eyes off it, quite literally.
The game takes a first person perspective of your character in their car and the player is made to divide their attention between two simultaneous tasks, play on your phone and driving. The game works in the way that both the world around the character and the game on their phone simulate simultaneously. However the player can only look up from their phone to drive once they've completed a level on their phone. This means that as long as they are looking at their phone, they are not in control of the car and vice versa. Naturally, the player must aim to get home without causing an accident of any kind, including veering off the road. Every so often the character will succumb to the addiction and look back at their phone, requiring the player to again beat the level presented to them.
As the game progresses, the character will have a tendency to look at their phone more and more often, and the levels presented will increase in difficulty requiring the player to think and act quickly as to get back to driving and avoid an accident. Furthermore, the player will find themselves confronted with a more difficult driving environment incorporating such things as corners, multi-lane/directional traffic and so forth. All these elements make the experience gradually more difficult and create tension as the tasks at hand become ever more perilous.
The game is lost should the player be in any form of accident or lose any of the levels on their phone.
Image source: http://www.technobuffalo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/texting-and-driving.jpg
Strategic Combat is a strategy based third person shooter for the PC.
The game, as its name suggests is based around strategy over anything. Strategic Combat is unique compared to other mainstream shooters in the regards that it is entirely turn based. The game works in such a way that every "action" is given a time frame in which it can occur. At the start of the round, the players are given an opportunity to plan out a path of movement and any actions they wish their character to perform. Once all players have confirmed their desired course of action for that round, the game will simulate for x seconds (by default 5) and all characters will move simultaneously, acting out as much of the pre-planned action/s the time will allow. The game will then cease simulating and re-enter planning mode in which player will again plan out moves, utilising a basic on screen map and critical thinking to interpret and predict their opponent's intentions and future movements. This continues until the combat is over and a player or team emerges victorious.
This method of play can be comparable to that of chess, and turns a shooting game into a battle of wits and intellect as opposed to reflex and firepower.
Image source: http://game-insider.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/35494Survival_02_o.jpg
Architect is a game for PC.
Have you ever played The Sims and spent more time building dreams homes than actually playing the game? Does this bother you that you've spent so much money just to have an entire base game sitting on your hard drive staring you in the face whenever you just want build a house?
In Architect these worries will plague you no longer! For this game this as its name suggests, for house building and house building alone. The game plays similarly to the house building mode in The Sims, keeping it simple, intuitive and familiar. It also (and quite obviously) features a "free" mode, allowing the player to build with all base materials available with no limit.
The main game involves the player having to construct houses for clients. The player is given a brief set of visual references, perhaps part or a floor plan or even just a simple description of what is desired. The player must interpret this and build a house as close to the desired specifications as possible within a given time frame. Once this is complete, the player is given a score and a rank (A, B, C etc.) based on the end result. As the game progresses, the player will be faced with more complex builds requiring both precision and creative thinking.
Image source: http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/screenshots/homebuilding/15154-03.jpg
To Forget is a first person narrative driven game for the PlayStation 4.
To Forget is in the vein of my recent ideas revolving around people coping with debilitating conditions. However unlike the previous ideas, this game contains few objectives and when game begins, the protagonist is perfectly fine.
This is as To Forget is heavily plot based, follows the character right through their ordeal and most importantly, focuses on conditions like Alzheimer's.
As stated, at the very start of the game the protagonist is fine. They live a happy life, have a partner, children, a nice home and stable job. The player is tasked with simple, menial objectives such as interacting with their family, exploring their environment, going to work and so on. The purpose of this is to build a foundation of knowledge about the people and world around the player as well as to create a strong sense of immersion.
The game continues like this for a little bit, to almost relax and lull the player, to build the metaphorical walls that must be torn down. In all interactions the player hears the protagonists responses and voice and quite frequently throughout the game their inner thoughts. Furthermore, the narrative is quite fixed, meaning the player must accept and witness occurrences as they happen. All of this is rather important as one day the protagonist wakes up to realise something does not feel right. There is something they have forgotten.
This is conveyed through interactions and/or the inner thoughts of the character. This may begin simply as the character forgetting an important detail their partner told them the day before, something the player is likely to remember. Gradually the condition will worsen, but of course the player is powerless to stop it and will be fully aware of the details and things their character is forgetting.
The purpose of this is to elicit an emotional response from the player as they become almost detached from the protagonist. The player must continue to listen to the inner thoughts of the protagonist becoming ever more doubtful and faded.
Eventually such occurrences will happen as the character no longer recognising their partner, and the player will have the soul wrenching experience of having to guide their character through a conversation with their partner as they desperately try to make the protagonist remember. All the while, the player is fully aware of who the partner is and what is happening but again is powerless to do anything.
To Forget is designed to create a sense of dissonance, almost a sense of unease within the player and to evoke emotional response. It does not have an overly happy ending and the player by no means must experience it all. But should they choose to they will find the game will almost seem to fade away as the thoughts and events regarding the player become repetitive and seemingly meaningless as their mental state deteriorates and those around them desperately cling to hope.
Image source: http://www.glennellis.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/alzheimers.jpg
Crawler is a first person dungeon crawler for PC and home consoles.
In the game the player takes the role of an exterminator hired to deal with an extreme pest problem in a ridiculously large and derelict apartment building. You have been told that the pests have completely taken over the complex and have grown to extreme proportions.
Whilst exploring your way through 100+ randomly generated floors, you will encounter beasties of all sorts from giant rats, cockroaches to things one could only dream of. But you are prepared! Blast those beasties with the most overpowered and ridiculous extermination tools money can buy, from the Friendly Flamethrower to the Bugzooka, you have the fire power!
But of course you are far from invulnerable and will have to scour for parts to repair and construct weapons and armour as well as food to maintain your "go get 'em" attitude.
This is quite possibly the biggest job you'll ever have to do. Gather your wits. Good luck.
Image source: http://download.gamezone.com/uploads/image/data/1111804/article_post_width_Legend_of_Grimrock.jpg
Caught in the Rain is a minimalistic isometric, grid based puzzle game for mobile platforms.
The premise is simple, you play as a person caught in the rain within a city/urban setting. The player must get their character from point A to B in each level whilst getting rained on as little as possible. The player must move square by square (note, this game could be turn based) utilising sparsely placed awnings, trees and so forth as cover to avoid the rain as it periodically passes over the level.
However this is not the only method for passing levels. This is as the rain will move in patterns over the grid/level, row by row (and inherently turn by turn). Thus meaning that it is entirely possible for the player to partially outrun the rain if they are clever or position themselves so that they are in a square the rain does not occupy as it passes over.
As the game progresses, levels will become larger and more complex, containing obstacles such as cars and so on. Cover may also become further apart or sparse.
At the end of the level, the player is given a ranking based upon how many times they were caught in the rain. Naturally the fewer the better.
Image source: http://www.fubiz.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ItsPaper2-640x354.jpg
Arcade Jumper is a multiplayer party game for consoles and handheld platforms.
The game has a fairly simplistic premise. Set in a 80s/90s style video game arcade, the players take the role of corrupted data existing within a malfunctioning cabinet. The players must compete and race against one another in an attempt to spread, take over and corrupt every game within the arcade. As the name suggests, this involves "jumping" from cabinet to cabinet in an unspecified manner.
Gameplay is similar to any other party game (for example, Mario Party) and consists almost entirely of minigames. However as per the theme, these minigames are actually bouts of arcade style games, original or some cases games similar to existing arcade games. However every game will either only last a short time span, be "unstable" and/or feature modified graphics to convey the idea of data corruption upon entry. To survive and continue, the player must complete these rapid minigames as they are presented to them (for example, a 30 second bout of corrupt Space Invaders on its fastest setting).
Multiplayer or duel based minigames occur should players ever happen to possess the same cabinet at any one given time. A player wins by either corrupting all or more games than the opponents in the set number or rounds, or should they reach the elusive control room.
The game will employ a variety of graphical and musical styles, minigame dependent, for example from pixel art to low poly.
Image source: http://www.thespaceinvaders.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/luna-city-arcade.jpg
Nox is an audio based text adventure for PC and potentially consoles.
In Nox, the player takes the role of Gabriel, a man struck blind due to a recent accident. The game takes place mere weeks after being discharged from hospital, and the player must guide Gabriel through his day to day life as he fights to stay positive and independent despite the circumstances that have befallen him.
The game is partially text based as to intentionally strip all visuals from the player, as they were from Gabriel that fateful day. This is designed to give the player a sense of immersion and empathy for Gabriel throughout the game, as they too must feel the frustration of living without sight. The text is utilised in a very minimalistic sense, only used to convey basic descriptions and to supplement dialogue.
The rest of the game is conveyed almost entirely through stereo audio. Everything that would or should make noise, does in order to provide feedback to the player. This means anything from footsteps to dialogue to mere ambient noise is present, as it is in the real world. The player must interpret, understand and rely upon what they hear to guide Gabriel around and complete tasks we of sight deem so simple.
An example of a mundane occurrence within the game may be the phone ringing in a room of Gabriel's apartment. Gabriel knows the call is important and must reach the phone before it stops ringing. To do this, the player must listen for the phone and understand where it may be in relation to Gabriel, in addition to relying on basic descriptions of the environment Gabriel relays based on memory, in order to find and answer the phone.
Other tasks may include attempting to walk to the shops, to even going to work and interacting with colleagues and so forth.
The game can control through basic text based game input. However the game is designed to be played primarily using either the keyboard and mouse or a controller, as one would with any other three dimensional game. This means that the player must physically move Gabriel through his environment using WASD and the mouse or the analog sticks. Furthermore other tasks may involve other buttons and again require understanding of the environment, three dimensional space and the correct interpretation of the sounds surrounding you. Should one be playing this game on a console, the game will utilise controller vibration to provide further feedback to the player.
The game as a whole contains no extraordinary plot, despite being heavily plot based. The game is designed to reflect and induce the emotion, experiences and at times, frustration a person such as Gabriel would face in their day to day ordeal. Throughout the game, the player must interact with the environment, items, people and complete tasks as Gabriel. Frequently, Gabriel will voice his inner thoughts to the player, and not all of them may be pleasant. Naturally due to the nature of this game, the player will struggle and suffer. But of course such is a reflection of the protagonist's state.
How the player chooses to cope, interpret and interact with the world around them will affect the plot and how other characters behave towards and perceive Gabriel. To succeed in Nox, the player must do as Gabriel must and stay positive, persist and endure.
Image source: http://s70.photobucket.com/user/brightsoul/media/blindness.jpg.html
Puzzled is a game for all major platforms.
The game is quite literally a series of traditional piece based puzzles within a video game. However Puzzled takes heavy influence from infuriating and mildly complex game, Surgeon Simulator. As such the play must not just complete puzzles ranging from 50 to several thousand pieces, they must do so utilising a clumsy physics based hand.
This mechanic means that the player must physically pick up and place each piece, from a pile scattered on a table, into a specific area in which the puzzle must be constructed. Due to the method and way the player interacts with the pieces, they too have physics applied to them. Such can mean that (quite literally) a slip of the hand may result in pieces being knocked out of place, or even fall of the table. If such occurs, the player must utilise their skill in order to replace said piece.
However there is more to this game than being a Surgeon Simulator like game, after all it is designed predominantly as a means to complete puzzles.
Naturally this game is designed to be infuriating and difficult to master, at least for a while. Once the player has mastered the necessary skills, the game can become a relaxing and unique way to complete traditional puzzles. The game will feature numerous puzzles, in varying themed packs including anything from famous paintings to custom downloadable artwork.
The game does not employ any means of pressure upon the player due to the nature of the controls, however it does time how long the player takes to complete a puzzle. Once completed the time is listed upon a global leader board for player to observe and compare times.
Image source: http://www.reidaverdade.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Brinquedo-Quebra-Cabe%C3%A7as-1.jpg
Ethereal Lights is a puzzle game for PC and home consoles.
The game revolves around a person, suffering severe depression and potentially. This person has decided to take walk out in the streets late at night. The player does not play or control this person. Instead the player takes the role of an ethereal being, a small glowing orb of light, tasked with protecting this person and staying with them in their time of need.
The player must stay in close proximity to the protagonist at all times and keep any harm from befalling them as they walk along from checkpoint to checkpoint. This system essentially makes all "levels" seamless. The level is lost and must be restarted from the most recent checkpoint should the protagonist come to any harm (self-inflicted, such as ambling into traffic, or otherwise for example, a mugging), or should the player get too far away from the protagonist, whose movement rarely ceases.
The player can in no way interact with the protagonist, but instead move and manipulate objects and people in the environment (should they be in range) so that the protagonists path is clear or they are out of danger. The player is also able to obstruct and redirect the characters movement should it keep them out of danger.
The key element to this game is the player's movement. Unlike most games, the player's movement is heavily restricted and acts as one of the puzzle elements of the game. Due to the players form, they can only move and exist by darting from light source to light source. This may mean finding paths through scattered street lights or so on, in order to stay in close proximity to the wandering protagonist. However, the player can only inhabit a light source for so long before, for example, the light bulb shatters. This forces the player to be strategic and swift with their pathfinding throughout the game. These elements combined mean the player must not only look after the protagonist but also manage and plan their own movement.
Image source: https://mikkohiukka.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/walking-by-night.jpg
