Title: Broforce Developer: Free Lives Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, PS4 Price: $14.99 ---
It's been a few years since I last covered Broforce, so long that the game has since left Early Access and been expanded and updated in myriad ways. The most recent update grew the already diverse broster with three more heroes, building upon an already engaging foundation.
The quite fitting July 4th update introduced the fearsome trio of bros stylized after Bruce Lee, Dirty Harry, and Tank Girl. As usual, each adds their own unique strengths and attacks to your arsenal, from Lee's famous fighting skills to Tank Girl's own personal tank to obliterate mooks. Other post-release updates injected some electric action into the mix, with the combined power of Highlander and Mortal Kombat-alum Raiden.
You can test your skills with these new bros, and the rest of the game's line-up, in new single-character Tactical Missions, and unleash powerful perks with useful Supply Drops that can boost your abilities or distract aliens, among others.
Three years ago when I wrote about Rimworld, it was still gathering backers on Kickstarter and seeking votes on Greenlight. So it's only appropriate that, when I come back to the game now, it's slated to come to Steam Early Access next month. Between then and now, Rimworld has evolved and expanded exponentially, growing into what is easily the closest we've gotten yet to a sci-fi Dwarf Fortress.
The basic idea of building a colony from scratch, and then expanding into a thriving settlement, remains the same, but it's grown and expanded in all directions. Colonists aren't just schedule-driven robots; they have emotions, and activities that bring them joy like sky gazing and mediation, and have opinions of each other.
Families extend from fathers and sisters and cousins and uncles, colonists can become couples and get married...and then divorced. Colonists are carpenters, or sculptors who past the time making artwork, or animal tamers with their favorite pets, or drunken narcissist, or doctors and hunters. They grow old, and their backs give out, or they fall ill with malaria, or they get badly burned in a raging fire and lose their legs (only to replace them with bionic prosthetics).
And all that happens in a dynamic world that doesn't wait for you to change and thrive. Predators and prey roam, both the animal kind and the human kind that raid your colony and perform devastating sieges. Time passes literally, seasons changing bringing downpours and feet of snow that has to be shovelled. With weather comes heatstroke and hypothermia and frostbite and spoiling food.
Thankfully with the right tech and gear, you can endure all of that, through clothing such as parkas or equipment like heaters. A vast arsenal lets you hunt roaming herds, and fend off attacks with mortars and rocket launchers. But even your best laid plans and tools might not prepare you for the long-lasing chill of a volcanic winter or the insanity-spreading psychic pulse of a crashed alien vessel. Survival in Rimworld is never easy.
Rimworld is expected to arrive on Steam Early Access in July, along with an new alpha update that adds a host of changes and, more importantly, a deep scenario creator that lets you edit everything from the traits your colonists might develop to what gear they start with and what random events might befall them.
You can purchase the alpha from the game's site and add Rimworld to your Steam wishlist here.
Title: Rain World Developer: Videocult Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, PS Vita Releasing 2016 ---
When I last wrote about Rain World, the atmospheric alien survival platformer was being shown at PAX 2015. Now over a year later, the game made substantial progress in every aspect and is steadily creeping towards release this year.
Perhaps the greatest progress made is in the overall sense. Each of the game's 12 regions are compete, totaling over 1,400 rooms across Rain World's sprawling world. The UI and in-game map has been overhauled and polished, new creatures have been added, music and audio now adds a rich soundscape to the environments, and the developers are now focusing on polishing each region, add set-pieces, more secret species, and other late-stage features.
One particular region is so massive that it's estimated to be six-times the size of a typical area in the game. This Superstructure will be a late-game region that will test all your skills and knowledge honed over your journey through Rain World's other diverse locations.
But no addition is as impressive as the scavenger. The developers had a goal with this species, designing one as effective and intelligent as your own slugcat. These creatures are expert climbers, are able to wield spears and debris with deadly accuracy, but most importantly, they're social animals. Packs are lead by alphas, they spread information amongst themselves, and share tools. Working together, they can take down predators like the fearsome vultures. Interestingly, scavengers have personalities and memories, so saving a long scavenger could help you earn a pack's trust; they may even let you travel alongside their group. But act aggressively, and they'll welcome you with a spear to the gut.
Rain World is slated to release this year, and is currently at the IndieMix showcase at GDC. You can learn more about the game in its TIGSource devlog and Twitter page.
Title: Somerville Developer: Chris Olsen Platforms: PC ---
When I wrote about Somerville last year, I was already impressed. From its brilliant narrative framework of a teacher telling her class the story of humanity's war against an alien incursion, to its smoothly animated movement and low-poly aesthetic, the game was shaping up to be one promising cinematic platformer. Since then, the game has only evolved further, especially in the art department.
Perhaps the biggest change since the last article is visually. Somerville's environments have gone from simple test levels to atmospheric landscapes. Dark forests, midnight skies filled with menacing monolithic alien vessels, ruined churches and bridges, and much more await our hero.
But these environments aren't just static places to be explored. Wildlife roams the woodlands and wind whips at the underbrush and other loose items like leaves and tarps.
These beautiful but dangerous levels must be traversed with caution, watching out for patrolling drones, mines and other threats. But John is as versatile and ready to fight as ever, now able to wield a knife with smooth efficiency,
Somerville's development is moving at a steady pace; you can follow its progress on the developer's Tumblr and Twitter pages.
Title: Slain Developer: Wolfbrew Games Platforms: Releasing January 27th (PC), May 2016 (PS4, Xbox One, WiiU) --- Last time I posted about Slain, it was February and the game was in the midst of a Kickstarter. Since then, the Gothic hack-n-slash was only gotten more gorgeous and gory.
In Slain, you play as white-haired hero Bathoryn, as he embarks on a quest to defeat seven dark overlords. From the crimson halls of The Blood Tower to the great lupin effigies around the Wolf Tower, each area is unique and filled with deadly traps to avoid and dangerous beasts to slay.
Since the Kickstarter, the developers have been working on new enemies, areas, and effects, each rendered in smooth and lavishly detailed pixel art. The gameplay has been improved, with a slick new dodge maneuver, faster animations, and blade power-ups like the flame sword and ice axe. Below is a collection of GIFs from the past months showing off Slain's monsters, locations, and art style.
Originally planned to release in December, Slain had a slight delay till late January, so the developers can further polish the game. The PC version is slated to release on January 27th, with console versions coming later in 2016.
You can learn more about Slain here and find more GIFs and screenshots on the developer's Twitter page.
I had last wrote about Subnautica in June, stating how its alien ocean environment fostered an atmosphere of wonder and discovery. Since then, the game has only gotten bigger and even expanded to a new platform,
Subnautica came to Mac over the summer, and with that new platform also came a plethora of new content. The underworld world has grown to include two new biomes: the Underwater Islands and Sparse Reef. The former consists of massive chunks of rock and soil supported on the backs of buoyant growths; be careful navigating the waterfall of sands as sharks and other predators lurk around these islands. The latter is an emptier place of rolling dunes and new flora to discover.
Your tech arsenal has expanded as well. Along with the Repulsion Cannon, you can now build larger more complex habitats. Bases can include structures such as a Seamouth dry dock, an observatory to enjoy the underwater vistas safely, new storage compartments, and bulkhead doors.
An upcoming update will allow players to customize the Seamouth submersible with different colors and upgrades like sensor torpedoes.
You can purchase Subnautica and follows its development here.
Title: Twin Souls Developer: Lince Works Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One Releasing mid-2016 ---
Last time I wrote about Twin Souls, back in June 2014, the game was in the midst of a Kickstarter campaign. Unfortunately Lince Works didn't meet their funding goal, but despite that setback, development continued. Now over a year later, Twin Souls is looking better than ever and is even coming to consoles.
While the core concept of a revived assassin who can control the shadows remains the same, Twin Souls has evolved in every other aspect. Aside from creating shadows to aid stealth, your powers are more versatile now, from the ranged Kunai shadow dagger and explosive Shinen trap to creating decoys with your Sakkaku ability, among others. You can devour your foes with shadow dragons and serpents, erasing their bodies from existence, or emerge from ceilings and walls to strike. A cover system and crouching compliments your powerful abilities.
However, your enemies are also better equipped to deal with your shadowy tactics. There are light barriers and runes that can block your path and make it harder to sneak around. Guards can wield light-imbued swords, use light spells to illuminate the darkness, and fire light arrows from a distance.
Twin Souls' gameplay isn't the only element to receive an upgrade. Your protagonist Aragami was given a complete re-design, now sporting a more colorful, form-fitting outfit, and brought to life through motion capture and cloth physics. The cel-shaded visuals are more vibrant and vivid, thanks to new shaders, lighting, and other graphical effects.
Twin Souls is aiming for a mid 2016 release, and is currently playable at Gamescom. You can learn more about the game here and follow development through its TIGSource Devlog and Twitter page.
Title: Besiege Developer: Spiderling Games Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux ---
Back in January, I posted about Besiege and its medieval physics-based vehicular chaos. For an early alpha, the level of polish was astounding, and the game has only been improved since then.
The new island of Tolbrynd joined the original island, with five new levels of fortifications to raze. The next update, coming in July, will expand this island with five more levels.
To compliment the challenges, a varied array of new parts have been added. Drill heads, different sized cogs, a powerful shrapnel cannon, new wheel types, and more, as well as improvements and refinements to the building interface, have provided myriad new ways to design machines.
The upcoming update will also add Steam Workshop support, making it easier than ever before to be amazed by the inventive designs from the community.
Title: Rain World Developer: Videocult Platforms: PC, Mac Releasing Summer 2015 (Steam) --- I've written about Rain World four times on my blog. I participate in the game's devlog regularly and update the Rain World thread on NeoGAF. Suffice to say, I'm a big fan and can say, without a doubt, that it's my most anticipated indie game. So after following Rain World's progress for months, I was very excited to finally play the latest build, which will be available at PAX and soon for Kickstarter backers.
First a refresher: Rain World is a platformer with a focus on stealth, exploration, atmosphere, and AI. It's set in a world once inhabited by some intelligent civilization; now only the local ecosystem roams and thrives in the weathered, ruined industrial landscape. You play as a slugcat, a lithe agile creature, both predator to the fluttering bats that migrate throughout the world, and prey to the beasts that hunt you such as deadly lizards and terrifying alien vultures. Rain batters the surface periodically, crushing and killing everything, so between downpours, you need to leave your den and gather food while evading and dealing with predators. Rain World's procedural animations and atmospheric visuals bring this struggle for survival to life.
The PAX build consists of four regions out of a planned twelve: the overgrowth-choked rooms of Suburban, the dank water-logged tunnels of Drainage System, the rusted machinery of Heavy Industrial, and the open spaces and heights of Chimney Canopy. Lizards roam the lower regions, leeches swarm in the sewer water, and vultures rule the skies around the canopy. Your goal in this build is simple: explore, eat bats, and return to your shelter before the rain comes.
Visually, Rain World has progressed massively since the early screenshots and videos seen on the game's Kickstarter page over a year ago. This alien world feels alive, as shadows shift across the background, water drips from above, and the sky rumbles. The game's ecosystem cements the atmosphere. Each lizard looks unique, with different body sizes, spines, ridges, tail turfs, and each species reacts to each other and to your slugcat in their own unique way. White lizards blend into the environment, surprising you with their chameleon-like tongue, while heavy green lizards charge forward with unexpected speed. Blue lizards scale walls and ceilings and pink lizards chase you down relentlessly.
Enter a room and you might see lizards of the same species fighting for dominance or hunting another lizard. But lizards pale in comparison to the vultures. These aerial creatures swoop down from above, their fleeting shadow your only warning before they descend for the kill. Using biological thrusters and their tentacled appendages as both wings and walking limbs, vultures are fast, agile, near-unstoppable apex predators. As a slugcat, your best options are to flee and hide or...better yet, lure a lizard into the vulture's waiting mandibles.
The world of Rain World isn't the only aspect that's been improved. Your slugcat is more agile than ever before, able to backflip over lizards, roll and perform high jumps, and chain these new maneuvers together. These skills are your greatest strength, allowing you to deftly evade predators and scurry out of sight or provide some breathing room to nail a devastating spear throw. Jumping and climbing around is fun thanks to the fluid animations, and using your agility to avoid or fight predators makes each encounter a tense game of cat-and-mouse.
Rain World is far from complete. New creatures and regions in development, such as the pack-hunting yellow lizards and the Garbage Wastes, promise to evolve the game even further. But even now, as an alpha with a few (albeit quite large) regions and species, it's already an impressive and engaging experience.
You can follow Rain World's progress and find many more GIFs and in-depth development updates in the game's TIGForum devlog. You can also add Rain World to your wishlist on Steam.
Title: Starship Corporation Developer: Ratakari Platforms: PC
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I last posted about the upcoming shipbuilding sim Starship Corporation in March. In this intriguing game, you build a variety of different space-faring vessels and test their effectiveness in diverse simulated scenarios, as well as maintaining your corporation on a macro level through contracts and business connections. Since then the developer has been working on and implementing a plethora of mission types and additions, including everything from alien infestations and mutinies to infiltration by special forces and navigating minefields. Here's a collection of some of the videos showcasing these missions, along with commentary from the developer; the full list of updates can be found here.
Mutiny
Minefield
Special Forces Attack
Infestation
Galaxy Map Teaser
Starship Corporation is still in development; you can learn more about the project and preorder the game on its official site.
Title: Catacomb Kids Developer: Fourbit Friday Platforms: PC, Mac Still in alpha, Early Access planned, tentative early 2015 release ---
I wrote about Catacomb Kids back in January. The roguelike platformer impressed with its fun gameplay and reactive world. Six months later, Catacomb Kids remains just as fun and intense, and the games makes steady progress towards a public alpha release.
Alpha 0.0.3 was released recently to Kickstarter backers, offering a wealth of changes and additions. The most game-changing feature is footwear. Stone Boots allows you to crush enemies from above but cause you to sink in water. Sandals of Blazing set enemies on fire; other shoes can grant you the ability to walk on water or accelerate the movement. This new category gear gives you new ways to approach situations and defeat your enemies. Along with footwear, the recent update added new magic that grants you mastery over time and deadly new enemies. Character portraits and leveling up have been revamped and a multitude of tweaks offer a refined experience.
Catacomb Kids still has a long way to go before completion; the developer is hard at work creating the new Anticropolis area. Future plans include co-op, mercenaries/companions for hire, new classes, devastating new enemies like mages, new weapons and gear such as wands, bows, and hammers, and of course new levels, secret areas, and powerful major and minor bosses.
Title: Fancy Skulls Developer: tequibo Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux Recently released on Steam Early Access ---
I covered Fancy Skulls back in October, and since then the game has only been expanded and improved. The same core mechanics and aspects that made the game so enjoyable remain: the abstract visuals, the mix of frantic evasion and precise shooting, the mysterious items and enemies, the diverse weapon mods and abilities. But developer tequibo has made steady progress in the past eight months, and Fancy Skulls today feels more complete and even more fun.
New and enhanced enemies threaten you at each room, from teleporting pods to deadly variations of the projectile-spewing turret...things. The levels feel more diverse, thanks to a more varied color scheme, new textures, and weird twitching flora. New items and weapon mods offer more ways to alter your playstyle, and the mana system was revamped, changed from a set number of uses to a recharging bar. Completing in-game challenges unlock special starting builds and modifiers, such as random gun, Alchemist, and Thief.
Fancy Skulls is still in beta, and was recently Greenlit and released on Steam Early Access. The development roadmap includes improved visuals; new enemies, weapon mods, and items; a story, and more. You can purchase the game from the developer's site, Steam, and IndieGameStand.
Title: SuperHOT Developer: SuperHOT Team Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux Currently on Kickstarter, Summer 2015 release ---
SuperHOT was one of my favorite indies of 2013. While only a short prototype developed for the 7DFPS challenge, it was a promising game that combined stylish minimalist art with a unique "time moves when you move" mechanic, turning shootouts into art in motion and a puzzle action as you weaved between bullets and planned around your limited ammo. It was a project just begging to be expanded and explored further...and thankfully the developers thought the same. SuperHOT is back, bigger and more stylish than ever before.
The innovative mechanics and oh-so-satisfying gunplay remains intact, but the appearance and scope has evolved and matured. The minimal art has been upgraded to a textured, more detailed look that retains the contrasting red-on-white color scheme of the original. The gameplay has seen similar growth, promising a larger arsenal of guns and explosives, smarter and varied enemies, an endless arena mode, and Oculus Rift support. Perhaps what's most exciting about this expanded SuperHOT is the developer's vision for new levels: "shootout in a subway train, showdown on the top of a skyscraper in rain, jumping into a moving elevator...fighting in the middle of a motorway during rush hour." No longer will SuperHOT's action be confined to corridors and simple rooms, but expanded to visceral scenarios that rival the best action scenes.
Oh, and swords. You can slice bullets in half with a sword.
SuperHOT is currently seeking funds on Kickstarter (almost 50% funded in only a few hours!). You play the original prototype here.
Title: Prisonscape Developer: Heaviest Matter Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux Currently Kickstarting, late 2014 release ---
Prisonscape was among the first games I previewed all the back in September. Now the RPG is aiming for a December release and progressed leaps and bounds since last fall.
Prisonscape is an adventure RPG set, not in a sci-fi future or the grand halls of some fantastical world, but in the gritty grimy corridors of prison. Through bloody violence, sharp tongue, intimidation, intelligence, or a combination of all those elements, you must navigate the various gangs, the racial factions, the guards, friends and foes alike to endure prison life. While the gameplay discussed in the last preview remains intact, new details have emerged. The player will progress from county jail to state-of-the-art Miranda Unit, followed by two other areas. Crafting is far more realistic than other games, a layered deep process even to make something as simple as a basic shiv. Drug addiction and withdrawal, working with guards as a snitch, the ever-looming threat of a cell shakedown, Prisonscape promises to offer a "gritty, uncompromising atmosphere", compared to other prison games such as The Escapists or Prison Architect.
Prisonscape is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter. You can also vote for the game on Steam Greenlight. If you're going to be PAX East this weekend, the developers will be showcasing the game there as well.
Title: XenoRaptor Developer: Peter Cleary Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux Beta available now ---
I shared my thoughts on XenoRaptor in early February, and I've been enjoying this franctic action shooter and its bullet hell mayhem ever since. The developer has been working tirelessly on the game, providing regular updates on his Tumblr and TIGForums, and XenoRaptor has only gotten bigger and better over the weeks. This is a game best seen in motion so I hope you don't mind some excessive use of GIFs.
Additions have included: Doubling the amount of enemies and bullets onscreen, allowing for even more chaos and making explosive weaponry more effective
New weapons, such as the tactical nuke (with lasers!), improved laser, and multi-directional firepower
New engines abilities like hyperdrive
Bigger bosses and the ability to mind-control bosses
The developer is also improving the menus and working on an objectives system, that will provide missions such as defending a base or friendly ship and surviving while confined to specific area. You can buy Xenoraptor or try the demo here, follow the game on Tumblr, and vote for it on Steam Greenlight.
Title: Heart & Slash
Developer: aheartfulofgames
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Dec 2014
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Back in October, I previewed Heart & Slash, a promising game I had found on TIGForums. Better yet, it even had a playable alpha and while still early, the 3D roguelike brawler's promise and potential was evident. Now the game is on Steam Greenlight and recently launched a Kickstarter.
From the early alpha, the core mechanic's proved fun and filled with potential, as you executed fast paced combos with a variety of weapons. In the time since, a plethora of content has been added to the game: powerful new weapons from boxing gloves and brass knuckles to the cleaver and the decimating particle gun, new enemies and myriad variants such as rocket-firing Heavy Lifters and chainsaw-wielding BigGrunts to the aerial Flybots and agile NimbleBots, more body parts, and an improved tutorial.
Heart & Slash is planned to released in December; you can learn more about the game's development on TIGForums, vote on Steam Greenlight, and support it on Kickstarter.
Title: Broforce Developer: Free Lives Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux ---
I first covered Broforce back in August; it had actually been my first impulse buy and since then, it's become my most played game besides Overgrowth. The hectic over-the-top ode to beloved action movie heroes has made huge progress since then, now being published by Devolver Digital and set to release on Steam Early Access next month
But the gameplay, the wild premise, and awesome heroes is what defines Broforce and those regards, the game has expanded greatly. Popular heroes such as Neo, Boondock Brothers, Machete, and Conan have joined the roster. New environments and effects have added variety and diversity, from the rain-drenched city, vents to sneak through, elevators to crash, pipelines to explode, sand to collapse, dynamic weather, and more. Multiplayer has improved, with new modes like Explosion run and now the official addition of online gameplay in the latest update. And at its core, the fast challenging gameplay remains as fun as ever, as you raze environments to the ground, reduce enemies to blood stains, and plan the best approach to kill everything.
Title: Door Kickers Developer: Killhouse Games Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux ---
When I first reviewed Door Kickers in August, the game had just been Greenlit on Steam and while still in Alpha, was very playable and great fun. The game has come a long way since those summer impressions and only continues to improve. Like Prison Architect, it's the kind of Early Access game where every update feels significant and game-changing.
The recent Alpha 7 release was Door Kicker's biggest overhauls, offering a plethora of additions and improvements. The visuals and animations have been enhanced and improved greatly; the enemy AI is smarter and mobile, allowing for those wonderful "Oh crap!" moments when an enemy walks in on your team as it prepares to breach. Trooper classes have been added, from assault to breachers to the suppressed weapons-wielding stealth troopers. New maps and mission types have been added, a mission generator provides extra challenge if the other missions aren't enough, and the whole planning interface has been fine tuned.
These additions have made Door Kickers even more fun and satisfying than before, and the game will only be getting bigger in the coming months, with non-lethal options, snipers, shields, and more planned for the next Alpha. Better yet, the success of the game means multiplayer and co-op a definite addition to the developer's to-do list, but those additions will be coming at some undetermined point in the future.
Title: Interstellaria Developer: Coldrice Games Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux Releasing late 2014 ---
When I first previewed Interstellaria in November, it was still early in development, with a demo and a Kickstarter that was just gaining momentum. Now, the successfully funded space sandbox has entered alpha, and the progress since that early demo is evident and promising.
The pixel art is just as vibrant as before, but the gameplay has been fleshed out and improved. Interstellaria could be best described as FTL mixed with an action platformer and deeper crew mechanics. Like FTL, you'll travel the galaxy in your precious ship, gather crew, assign jobs, and deal with hostile ships as you travel from planet to planet. Managing your various systems and power levels for each is as critical as repairing damage that threatens to depressurize and destroy your vessel.
However that's only one facet of Interstellaria. Once you reach your destination, you can drop to the surface and explore. But planets offer more than exploration. Armed with a variety of weaponry and gear, you'll need to platform around alien planets, defeat hostile lifeforms, and discover secrets and new locations. This mix of ship simulation and action-focused exploration makes Interstellaria already fun to play, even in alpha, and thanks to the success on Kickstarter, only more worlds and aliens species will be available to find and explore as Interstellaria continues to grow. You can follow the game's development on the developer's site or TIGForums and vote for it on Steam Greenlight.
Title: Rain World Developers: Joar Jakobsson, James Primate Platforms: PC, Mac ---
I've shared screenshots of Rain World before and discussed the game back in October. It's a game I've been followed for a while and since that preview last year, it has made great progress.
Considering some of the games I've previewed and reviewed in the past, it's easy to see why I'm eagerly anticipating Rain World. Set in an abandoned world overgrown by nature and hammered by rain storms, you play as a slugcat in this hostile landscape, where you must gather food, hunt prey, and evade the ruthless predators doing the same. I've been impressed by its atmospheric pixel art, intelligent AI, and emphasis on stealth and survival since I first saw the game, but it's the gameplay that has grown in the past months. Multiplayer modes (which are also playable solo ala Samuri Gunn) have been added and honed, enemy AI has been improved, and subtle narrative elements have been weaved into the game. It's optional, but now you'll stumble upon small cubs in one of the shelters throughout the game; do you care for them, feed them? Abandon them? Protect them despite the greater danger to yourself?
After years in development, Rain World is finally set to release sometime in 2014. The game recently launched on Kickstarter, with potential additions including new and more intelligent enemies, a fleshed out single player campaign, and greater overall polish. You can follow Rain World's development on TIGForums and vote for the game on Steam Greenlight.
