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[More_Badass]

If you want to vote for IGF audience awards:

http://igf.com/2016/02/vote_now_for_the_2016_igf_and_.html

So many good choices

Trying to decide between Circa Infinity, Darkest Dungeon, Her Story, Infinifactory, and Oxenfree

 

[PurpleMoustache]

Really excited about this:
Steam now has its first DROD game, with more to come!: http://store.steampowered.com/app/351330/

DROD: RPG is out now, a spinoff with different mechanics, and Steam keys are available for Gunthro's Epic Blunder, the 4th game (and easiest). DLC for all the previous games and expansion packs will be available for GEB, and the most recent game, The Second Sky will be it's own Steam game.

 

[Toma]

Alright, added some more of the texts in the GOTY list thread. Now we have 16 games left for which we need blurbs:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=195070067&postcount=93

 

[One Foul Note]

I haven't got time today, but I will try to get a few filled in tomorrow. Although I am afraid given the list game games left their is not a lot I can actually do due to me not knowing anything about them. I can do about 2-3 of them though.

 

[PandaPedinte]

Changed from ISP and got a plan with better speeds and prices, second day using and it's down.

 

[Toma]

Changed from ISP and got a plan with better speeds and prices, second day using and it's down.

Aw, sucks.

 

[PandaPedinte]

Aw, sucks.

At least I still have a 3G connection. Now I need to wait for the ISP technician come to see what is causing the problem.

 

[Alex Connolly]

I did a Quick Look on it over a year ago. I'm pretty sure when I played it didn't even have Multiplayer, but I'd have to take a look at my video to be sure. It was pretty cool single player though.

SBTF is really at its best with friends, particularly with friendly fire. It's not marathon material, but to fill in half an hour, SBTF is pretty spesh. Worth a return look.

Wrote a spiel on Dual Gear, which I thought was smashing. Not at all perfect or tuned right now, but the Valkyria Chronicles/Mordheim: CotD combat fused with Armored Core/Front Mission is inspired. Tidy use of UE4, too. None of that busy, buzzy chromatic aberration that dominates a lot of other indie projects (looking at you, Guardians of Orion).

http://www.wargamer.com/news/access-granted-dual-gear/

 

[More_Badass]

Spinnortality

http://james-patton.net/2016/02/04/announcing-spinnortality/

Spinnortality is a cyberpunk simulation game where you play an insidious megacorporation.

Coreupt - PC, Xbox One, PS4

https://www.facebook.com/COREUPTGAME/

An action beat'em game

Vigilantes - PC, Mac, Linux

http://www.indiedb.com/games/vigilantes

Take to the decadent streets of Reiker City, and bring the fight to the three criminal gangs that dominate the urban landscape: the Mafia, the Survivalists, and the Church of the Final Exodus. Run surveillance operations to locate and assess the criminal threat, craft or purchase new equipment, hone your skills, and recruit other vigilantes to back you up in tense tactical battles.

Ooku - Free alpha demo (Browser)

http://ooku.org/

Experience a dream-like atmosphere in this "point & click music album"
Solve music- and time-based puzzles to reveal the true nature of oOku.

Crimson Keep - PC, Mac, Linux

http://www.indiedb.com/games/crimson-keep

A first person slasher with roguelike elements

Red Light - ????

http://www.vogelfanger.com/index.php/projects/red-light-blessing-in-disguise

"Red Light: Blessing in Disguise" is a platformer that blends action and comedy. Michael decides to abandon his everyday life to become a ninja and retrieve his dearest connection.

The Case of The Mansion - PC

https://twitter.com/TCOTMansion

An Online Turn Based strategic Investigation game.

Super Red-Hot Hero - PC, Mac, Linux

http://www.superredhothero.com/

Super Red-Hot Hero is a frenzied action-platformer indie game inspired by Super Mario Bros, Super Meat Boy and Megaman. Play as Super Red-Hot Hero, the guy whose heart was replaced by a cell of thermal energy. But not just any energy. His heart was replaced by a cell of Red-Hot Energy, the most powerful thermal energy ever created.

Previously Mentioned

Everspace

Swordy

Children of Morta

RK3000

 

[Geminosity]

Oh! So we can post stuff we made ourselves? Awesome! I rather like the game anyhoo despite obviously being biased XD

ADVANCE - PC, OSX, Linux

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=618322914

A multi-tasking, multiplayer, stealth robot racing shootemup for 1 to 4 players :3

I take this to various events in scotland and it's always fun watching people screaming and laughing by the end of a race

 

[Wok]

I did not know that SpyParty was already using the new visuals.

 

[Toma]

Crossposting from the Frozen Synapse tournament thread:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1183361

Well, would you look at that.

The Frozen Synapse dev contacted me to mention that they are throwing in a Beta invite for Frozen Synapse 2 (Beta might start in ~2 months). For the last Beta I entered with Mode7, I got to keep the game after the Beta ends, so maybe that is an interesting aspect for some of you

Since getting 30$ in price money AND the Beta is a bit much, I might restructure the price pool a bit though, like:

The best 3 players can choose from one of those 3 prices:

• Frozen Synapse 2 Beta invite
• $30 in Steam gifts
• $10 in Steam gifts

What are you guys thinking about that?

And huge thanks to Mode7 for this opportunity

Maybe that is interesting for some of you as an added incentive to join the tournament Still about 2 weeks to sign up and train your tactical skills

Considering many of you already own FS, I would say that this is a decent reason to finally play it a bit and participate.

 

[yyr]

I posted about my game, Multitasking, on the previous page. I've now just posted it on Steam Greenlight, where it's in the recently added section. You can also Google "Multitasking Greenlight" to find it. It's an experimental, action-packed, arcade-style experience, and if it sounds like fun to you, I'd appreciate the support! Thanks!

 

[Wok]

You can try the first episode of Californium. The demo stops at the beginning of World 2.

World 1: Berkeley in 1967, hippies and the widespread use of various substances. You're facing a desperately blank page.

World 2: Berkeley is now the ultra patriotic capital under a global surveillance society. Despite the recognition, are you subject to an existential instability?

http://californium.arte.tv/fr/#/episodes

http://californium.arte.tv/build/pc/californium-episode-1.zip

 

[More_Badass]

 

[Moobabe]

You can try the first episode of Californium. The demo stops at the beginning of World 2.



http://californium.arte.tv/fr/#/episodes

http://californium.arte.tv/build/pc/californium-episode-1.zip

Is this the Twin Peaks inspired one?

 

[Wok]

Is this the Twin Peaks inspired one?

Not really. It is kind of a hidden-object game in a small game area experienced in different realities. Gameplay is average, but hey, it is free!

 

[Alex Connolly]

If you're looking for a multiplayer game with a bit of a different pace, do check out Heliborne. A tiny Lithuanian team have crafted a very competent World of Tanks-esque Cold War chopper game. Early access version is a tenner. Played a ton of the alpha, really good stuff.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

My team, comprised of myself, another GAF, and others, released this beautiful son of a bitch yesterday:

Army of Tentacles: (Not) A Cthulhu Dating Sim - $4.99 (PC)

http://store.steampowered.com/app/427930/

It's, like, a romp through Lovecraftian New England, maaaan. With RPG stuff like choices and stats and dialogue.

 

[Alex Connolly]

Heliborne - 9.99 (PC)

http://www.jetcatgames.com/

Team-based helicopter multiplayer game, spanning the length of the Cold War.

If you'd like to read the alpha preview/interview I did with Jetcat, roll on in: http://wargamer.com/news/access-granted-heliborne/

 

[Moobabe]

Heliborne - 9.99 (PC)


If you'd like to read the alpha preview/interview I did with Jetcat, roll on in: http://wargamer.com/news/access-granted-heliborne/

I'll read it over my granola!

 

[Alex Connolly]

It's a bit outdated now, but my impressions remain the same. Very accomplished.

 

[Purkake4]

Battlestation: Harbinger seems pretty interesting.

 

[More_Badass]

Will post impressions soon

Oxenfree

You won't find puzzles in Oxenfree, besides using Alex's radio to tune into different frequencies, nor moments of fast-paced action. Oxenfree is a game about atmospheric exploration and dialogue, and it absolutely excels. The landscape of Edwards Island is one of quaint shops, of colorful forests tinged brown and yellow from the autumn weather, of sheer sea-side cliffs and dank caves, of abandoned buildings holding chilling secrets. The place is as much as character in Oxenfree as Alex and the other teens, and a joy to explore. And every moment of exploration is accompanied by some of the most natural likable dialogue I've heard in a game. Natural not just in tone and cadence, but in execution. Oxenfree evolves the choice-driven narrative genre popularized by Telltale by adopting a walk-and-talk pacing, letting you choose dialogue while on the move or in the midst of other actions. From trying to rationalize terrifying occurrences to making jokes and revealing hurtful secrets, the choices never feel like the mechanical good/bad/neutral options of other games, but natural responses to the situations.

The Witness

Eight years in development. That's a long time for anything to be a work in progress, for hype to build and wane. How can something live up to so many years of anticipation? And yet somehow The Witness does. Hundreds of puzzles await. Each puzzle revolves around a deceptively simple concept of drawing a line from a starting point to end point, but the more you play, the more you learn, you realize these panels are less about puzzles and more about learning some odd language. Soon the markings on panels that once seemed like nonsense make perfect sense and you can "translate" them to place the proper line figure. It's a delicate balance between confusion and knowledge, especially as panels begin to integrate with the environment themselves. And what an environment that The Witness offers. Vibrantly colored and dense, something new waits over the next hill, or underground, or inside some previously locked structure.

Darkest Dungeon

I once described Darkest Dungeon as "The Road of dungeon crawlers" and that's still an apt summary. Exploring the dank dark catacombs, the winding twisting tunnels, infested with horrors beyond comprehension, sanity unravels and flaws and fears worm their way to the surface, amidst the blackness that the flickering light of torches barely hold back. It's into this terrifying conditions that you send your parties of warriors, like waves crashing against rocks, cracking their minds and breaking their spirits in your efforts to exorcise the inhuman horrors lurking in the dungeons. The game's tactical combat offers you a fighting chance, with its in-depth focus on positioning and complementary skills. And it's all presented in a wonderful aesthetic reminiscent of Mignola's Hellboy

DarkMaus

Need to play more of this one, but it surprised me. I had initially dismissed it as being too much like Dark Souls - and to be fair, it is pretty much Redwall meets Dark Souls - but DarkMaus stands out enough to be worth playing. The combat has the same tension that the Souls game captured, but also feels faster, a more arcade-y edge with its quick dodge. And as you progress, death becomes a tactic, as you are accompanied by ghostly specters of your past selves. The minimalist look works too, with the faint swirling mist moving in your wake and the crashing waves and tongues of flames at campfires.

Crashlands

Think Don't Starve, but not as brutally hard, sci-fi, more arcade-y, and with the humor you'd expect from Butterscotch Shenanigans. It has a lot of little touches that help alleviate some of the frustrations of the genre: automatically equipping the right tool, a limitless inventory, being able to teleport back to your base from anywhere on the map, etc. That last one definitely helps to promote exploration when you don't have to trudge back home. The combat also has a fast arcade pace, focusing more on evasion as enemies each have their own unique telegraphed attack ranges and patterns. I've been enjoying my time with Crashlands, but I have read impressions that the mid/late game becomes grind. But the first biomes and quests are solid enough

Space Grunts

A fast-paced action roguelike. Space Grunts' action is turn based, moving one tile at a time, but also feels faster and more arcade-y than other games as you careful step around flame jets and unleash powerful armaments on your foes. Your arsenal ranges from a single-shot blaster and grenade launcher to items like mines, damage absorbers, EMPs, cloaking, double and triple shots, among other buffs and skills. But while all those elements are fun, Space Grunts can feel too repetitive for its own good, without enough variety especially in the early areas. It's good for quick sessions when you're have a few minutes to spare, but nowhere as long-lasting or challenging as other games in the genre

Broken Puppet

Visually, Broken Puppets is pretty impressive, and the environments are interesting to travel through. But the gameplay is where the game stumbles. The physics-based thread puzzle/combat is fun but a bit too janky and glitchy, But definitely still worth checking out for its art style and short duration

---

1) Oxenfree
2) The Witness
3) Darkest Dungeon
4) DarkMaus
5) Crashlands
6) Space Grunts
7) Broken Puppet

 

[Moobabe]

Will post impressions soon

Oxenfree
The Witness
Darkest Dungeon
DarkMaus
Crashlands
Space Grunts
Broken Puppet

---

1) Oxenfree
2) The Witness
3) Darkest Dungeon
4) DarkMaus
5) Crashlands
6) Space Grunts
7) Broken Puppet

Interesting!

 

[Toma]

Interesting!

quite surprising even.

 

[More_Badass]

Interesting!

I loved it. The characters, the pacing, the natural dialogue that never felt like the good/bad/neutral choices of most games, the horror, the setting and atmosphere. And it was a short and concise 5 hr experience, while I haven't come close to finishing The Witness yet

 

[Toma]

I loved it. The characters, the pacing, the natural dialogue that never felt like the good/bad/neutral choices of most games, the horror, the setting and atmosphere. And it was a short and concise 5 hr experience, while I haven't come close to finishing The Witness yet

I finished Witness after a few days and would rate it higher if it had more content Its a stupid thing, but I really wanted MORE of everything. The puzzle areas stopped once they became interestingly challenging.

 

[More_Badass]

Well, this review of Devil Daggers sold me on the game
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/02/18/devil-daggers-review/

Devil Daggers - $4.99 (PC)

http://devildaggers.com/

Inspired by 1990s FPS and arcade games, Devil Daggers is a fast-paced shooter that places you in an abyssal arena to face endless legions of demons. Armed with versatile magic daggers and a fluid movement system, fight to survive as long as you can. Compete for precious seconds with Steam Friends or on global leaderboards.Your spirit and skill will be tested.

 

[Wok]

I finished Witness after a few days and would rate it higher if it had more content Its a stupid thing, but I really wanted MORE of everything. The puzzle areas stopped once they became interestingly challenging.

Did you find the secret areas though?

 

[Toma]

Did you find the secret areas though?

Yeah, I am halfway through the big secret area I think, but I really liked the area structure. Unfortunately you could mostly sleepwalk through it and there only seem to be a few dozen puzzles left, so even if they are more challenging now (which they are), I would want more.

 

[Wok]

Yeah, I am halfway through the big secret area I think, but I really liked the area structure. Unfortunately you could mostly sleepwalk through it and there only seem to be a few dozen puzzles left, so even if they are more challenging now (which they are), I would want more.

That was already a ton of contents in my opinion.

Maybe a random puzzle generator would suit you.

 

[Toma]

That was already a ton of contents in my opinion.

Maybe a random puzzle generator would suit you.

They do (or if you have basically never ending content: Everyday Genius Square Logic <3)

As I said, its nothing to downrate the game for. It just mostly left me wanting for more in the puzzle department as I dont think it was particularly hard and it left me wanting for other developers to explore the island concepts some more, as it never felt truly unique or interesting to me - nothing I could lose myself into. Most corners were quickly explored and I cant remember many mechanics or concepts that were unique either.

But I wrote that in the january thread somewhere already. Its a great game, but it didnt really raise the new gold standard at any single task in particular. Its probably the best mash up of a 3D exploration game with integrated and subverting puzzle elements that we'll see in a long time, but I currently prefer games that try to focus on one aspect and are just exploring a novel idea or excel at that single aspect if we are going in that game direction. Even the most lauded aspect of teaching the player without words and only world design - we saw that before.

Other than that I dont really know why the Witness never really caught on with me as it did with others. I should love it to death, but for some reason I dont. Still will end up in my top 10 this year most likely, though - just to put this a bit into relation.

Addendum: Even though I didnt think it was particularly hard, I was exaggerating a bit with the sleepwalking comment. There was one spot in particular, which one of my friends called the easiest part of the game, that had me stuck for over an hour and I am not sure I would have ever gotten it. -___-

 

[Nivert]

Well, this review of Devil Daggers sold me on the game
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/02/18/devil-daggers-review/

Devil Daggers - $4.99 (PC)

Didn't realize this came out today! Only played a very short amount but this game actually creeps me out. The sound design is really eerie. In combination with how frantic the action is it gives me a real rush of adrenaline and panic.

Instantly loving it.

 

[More_Badass]

Didn't realize this came out today! Only played a very short amount but this game actually creeps me out. The sound design is really eerie. In combination with how frantic the action is it gives me a real rush of adrenaline and panic.

Instantly loving it.

The sound design is incredible. It absolutely makes the game IMO. It turns what is a solid arena shooter with a cool visual style into this cacophonous hellscape of otherworldly sound, growls, skittering, hums and roars

Started an OT
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1186430

 

[Alex Connolly]

Wow, Devil Daggers. That's some inspired design right there. Big, crunchy graphics, too.

 

[Moobabe]

The sound design is incredible. It absolutely makes the game IMO. It turns what is a solid arena shooter with a cool visual style into this cacophonous hellscape of otherworldly sound, growls, skittering, hums and roars

Started an OT
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1186430

Yeah this looks pretty cool - I'll check it when I'm home tonight.

 

[spineduke]

Will post impressions soon

Curious to see what you have to say on Crashlands.

 

[Moobabe]

Darkest Dungeon
The Witness

All I've played so far. Will try and add a couple more to the list this weekend - I've got to play a bunch of The Division though for freelance...

Hopefully it's good!

 

[managore]

Yeah, I am halfway through the big secret area I think, but I really liked the area structure. Unfortunately you could mostly sleepwalk through it and there only seem to be a few dozen puzzles left, so even if they are more challenging now (which they are), I would want more.

I'm interested to hear what you think when you've completed the big secret area! As with the rest of the game I think it had some nice surprises still.

 

[Wok]

Factorio has come to Steam.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/427520

 

[inkls]

Factorio has come to Steam.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/427520

I'm a bit confused. Is it released on early access on feb 25 or is it fully released on the 25th?

 

[Nivert]

I'm a bit confused. Is it released on early access on feb 25 or is it fully released on the 25th?

EA version is released on the 25th

 

[Wok]

I'm a bit confused. Is it released on early access on feb 25 or is it fully released on the 25th?

It appeared on the Steam store today, I think.

In fact, there is no review yet, so the game has no player in early access for now.

The full game shall be released next week though.

By the way.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUCEMENT

Factorio is sold for 15&#8364; / $16 on the website.

Transport Belt Repair Man

You get an access to the game alpha right NOW. You will be entitled to ALL the game updates in the future as well. Even after the game is officially released. We deliver new alpha versions about every 2 months so you have new features and improvements to look forward to all the time. In case we manage to get on the Steam in the future you will also get a steam key.

However, the price will go up soon.

And there shall be no other sale according to the Steam store

 

[Jimaroid]

Fragmental - February (PC)

If you don't mind a little update on this, we announced a release date today.

 

[One Foul Note]

Great to see Factorio again. I think the last time I played that game was sometime just after they added in the trains so it will be good to have an excuse to get back into that world and build yet another terrible terrible factory.

 

[SnakeLordJelly]

Well, this review of Devil Daggers sold me on the game
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/02/18/devil-daggers-review/

Devil Daggers - $4.99 (PC)

It's pretty fun, but I'm terrible at it. My best time is about 94 seconds. Haven't even lasted long enough to see the cool centipede skeletons from the trailers yet.

Also, has anyone picked up Downfall? I was a huge fan of the Cat Lady so I jumped on Downfall pretty quickly, finished it early this evening, it's an interesting experience to say the least.

 

[Wozman23]

Anybody play Unravel? It stole E3 for me, and lived up to my hype. It was a lot more akin to a charming Limbo than I expected. The entire game had a very intimate feel, from the beautiful environments, to the larger-than-life scale, to all of the lovely Yarny animations. I really can't get over how well they animated Yarny. His reactions to the environments, hazards, and overall mood really crank up the empathy. Plus, I could unspool him and watch him gather his yarn tail back up for days.

On to Firewatch now. Don't really know what to expect from it, but I love Olly Moss' work and that letter about refunds from the dev sold me.

Edit: Finished Firewatch too. Yeah it's short, but it kicks you in the heart immediately, then soothes you with some really witty humor throughout. It looks pretty, like a slightly more realistic Witness, though I'd say they could have went even further and taken more risks in implementing Olly's style.

 

[More_Badass]

The pixel art in this...

 

[One Foul Note]

The pixel art in this...

Lemmings meets eldritch beings? That is certainly one way to get my attention. I'll have to keep an eye on that one.