Quick Fix: Adult Swim Games, Limbs, Hong Kong Massacre

Adult Swim Games
Mention Adult Swim Games and perhaps games that come to mind may be Robot Unicorn Attack or Super House of Dead Ninjas. But from the hard-as-nails action platformer Volgarr The Viking and musical twitch game Soundodger to the recently released Jazzpunk, Adult Swim Games has quite a wide repertoire of titles and that library has just expanded. Just a few days ago, the publisher announced that it would be releasing three new titles this year: atmospheric slugcut survival platformer Rain World (now also coming to PSN, PS  Vita, and "beyond"), the Dark Souls-inspired action adventure game Oblitus, and the improved expanded Westerado: Double Barreled.

You can learn more about Rain World and Oblitus at their sites and devlogs, and play the original flash version of Westerado here
Rain World - Site | Devlog
Oblitus - Site | Devlog

Freeware recommendation: Limbs
I discovered the flash game Limbs today and was instantly engaged by its premise and gameplay. From the developer of the stylish musical experience QbQbQb, Limbs is inspired by Paper's Please, but gives it an ingenious Cyperpunk Jam twist. Instead of checking documents and passports, you repair bionic hands, breaking down each limb to its components, removing synthetic skin and unscrewing capicators and CPUs. Checking warranties, matching skin types, disarming an assassin's weaponized hand, helping spies and engineers by fixing damaged parts, Limbs takes its inspiration and crafts a unique fun experience with its own compelling style.

You can play Limbs here.

The Hong Kong Massacre trailer
I wrote about the bloody top-down gunplay of The Hong Kong Massacre last month and now the developer has released the first trailer.

You can follow the game's development on TIGForum.

The Watchlist: Distance

Title: Distance
Developer: Refract
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Releasing 2014
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Distance is a survival racing game that combines the intense action of arcade racing with the exploration of an atmospheric world. You control a unique car that allows you to boost, jump, rotate, and even fly through a chaotic and mysterious city.

Facade introduced me to indies and PC gaming, but if there was one indie game that cemented that interest, it was Nitronic Rush. The DigiPen-made freeware game remains one of my favorite indie games three years later, thanks to its stylish neon visuals, fast agile arcade gameplay, wealth of content, and just overall polish. Take Nitronic Rush, make it bigger, better, faster, crazier...and you get its upcoming spiritual successor Distance.

Successfully Kickstarted in 2012 and Greenlit last year, Distance takes everything that made Nitronic Rush fun and turns it up to eleven. Refract has described the game as "survival racing", and no two words could fit the hectic hazard-filled game better. Distance isn't about realism; it's about barrel-rolling through a gauntlet of lasers. It's gliding between grinders, evading massive saw blades at breakneck speeds. It's weaving through a hailstorm of spikes, and maneuvering along tracks that twist and turn unfettered by gravity and physics. Similarly to Nitronic's numerous modes, Distance won't just offer races, but everything from online and split-screen multiplayer to Stunt, Challenge, and Hardcore modes, a story-focused Adventure Mode, and level editor. Better visuals, an atmospheric world, new and improved obstacles such as portals and lasers that can easily bisect your vehicle, Distance promises to surpass the high bar set by Nitronic Rush, and deliver an even more chaotic, more challenging, more content-packed game.

Distance is currently in private alpha, with a public beta on the horizon. Release is planned for sometime this year. You can learn more and preorder Distance on the official site, and download its predecessor Nitronic Rush here.

PC Spotlight #88: Space Engineers

Title: Space Engineers
Developers: Keen Software House
Platforms: PC
Price: $19.99
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It's safe to say that construction games have exploded in popularity in recent years. Space Engineer takes that core building-focus and places it in zero-g expanse of space, complete with detailed visuals, multiplayer, and physics-based chaos.

Across Space Engineers' single-player, multiplayer, and survival mode, you have one main goal: build stuff in its space sandbox. From small vessels to sprawling cruisers and expansive stations, physics, zero-g flight, and the detailed atmosphere makes the construction fun and engaging. Alone, the game can become boring (although survival mode makes for that aspect with its modifiers such as limited oxygen and fuel), but with friends, Space Engineers' true potential is revealed. Colliding head-long into your friend's ship, leaving debris and shattered vessel in your wake, mounting weapons and engaging in extraterrestrial dogfights among the asteroids, enduring a meteor shower, or just working together to build some elaborate structure while balancing oxygen and other needs, Space Engineers is most fun when you're working with (or against) others. Scenarios such as a salvaging a crashed ship or lone survivor add more replayability and challenge.

Space Engineers is still in development, with new features being added regularly; the most recent update introduced new block types and ship cockpits. You can learn more about Space Engineers here and purchase the game on Steam Early Access or Humble.

SitRep: Prisonscape

Title: Prisonscape
Developer: Heaviest Matter
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Currently Kickstarting, late 2014 release
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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.

IOS Spotlight #56: Instantion

Title: Instantion
Developer: Travis Fincaryk
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $1.99
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Let's get this out of the way first: Instantion is obviously inspired by The Swapper. They share a similar mechanic, shooting out clones that mimic your movements. But as far as I can tell, Instantion is the only game like this on IOS, and with its stylized graphics and other mechanics, Instantion stands out as a challenging puzzle platformer worth your time and brain power.

If there's one thing Instantion should be commended for, it's that the game doesn't waste time in regards to difficulty. Some games will spend a dozen levels easing you into the gameplay, a drip feed of easy tutorial levels. Three levels into Instantion (out of 50), I already found myself pausing to assess puzzles and considering how to approach them. The mechanics themselves are simple: move, jump, Angry Birds-esque controls to fire your clones, buttons to stand on, switches to toggle, lasers to avoid. Teleporters, gravity fields, and movable objects are soon introduced. But in conjunction, these elements combine to create a fun puzzle game where you must think to succeed. Timing, precise clone placement, unorthodox use of spaces and ledges and overhangs to maneuver clones, all these aspects come into play. In fact, it's quite easy to inadvertently trap yourself and have to reset if you don't plan ahead.

If the game isn't enough of a challenge for you, two more modes are available: a hard mode that limits the number of clone you can use and an even harder permadeath mode. You're also ranked each level for speed, deaths, and amount of clones used. The Swapper isn't likely coming to IOS any time soon, but Instantion is a worthy substitute if you're looking for some challenging clone-heavy puzzle platforming on the go.

You can purchase Instantion for $1.99.

IOS Spotlight #55: Power Grounds

Title: Power Grounds
Developer: Diego Cathalifaud
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $0.99
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Power Grounds originated as an entry for 7DRL 2014. Influenced by Cathalifaud's previous game Amber Halls, one might dismiss Power Grounds as being more of the same. But playing this new IOS roguelike reveals that the two games are very different, and personally I find Power Grounds far more strategic and fun.

As with more roguelikes, you find yourself traversing a randomized series of rooms, each housing more enemies than the last. Enemies move when you move, and you can only get hit a few times before dying. But unlike most roguelikes, you're (relatively) defenseless, only able to evade and maneuver around enemies. However various power-ups appear in the level; collecting them unlocks tiles on the map that grant special abilities while standing on one. This free-form mechanic allows for different strategies and tactics. Is it better to remain evasive, using movement abilities to keep space between you and your enemies? Or is it more effective to activate a shield and muscle your way through a gauntlet? Perhaps you want to freeze enemies, then teleport to a better position or smash through your frozen foes with a dash attack. The tile system lets you customize your skills on the go, but this doesn't make the game any less challenging or strategic. You will still die fast without planning ahead. In fact the gameplay makes planning even more critical since you can't normally attack. Assessing the level and enemy positions, seeing what abilities are available, which you want to use and in what order, if you can reach them without getting cornered...all this makes Power Grounds a fun challenging strategic roguelike.

The original 7DRL version is available to try here, but the IOS version is the definite edition of Power Grounds, introducing a cleaner look, challenging achievements, more balanced abilities, and a wave-based arena mode. You can purchase Power Grounds for $0.99.

The Watchlist: Four Sided Fantasy

Title: Four Sided Fantasy
Developer: Ludo Land
Platforms: PC
Releasing early 2015
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From the level designer of Perspective comes a successor to his award-winning game The Fourth Wall, a game about limits of the screen.

The first thing about Four Sided Fantasy that caught my attention was its dev team, since it composed of DigiPen students. From games like Nitronic Rush (and its successor Distance) to Perspective, DigiPen talent has proven to always deliver innovative quality experiences. Actually it was DigiPen students who developed Narbacular Drop and TAG: The Power of Paint, two indie games that inspired the acclaimed Portal series. Not only that, but the level designer of Perspective is developing the game; Perspective remains one of my favorite freeware games, a mindbending mix of 2D platforming and 3D perspective that I don't believe has been attempted since. It's those factors that attracted me to Four Sided Fantasy, a puzzle platformer about screen wrap.

Four Sided Fantasy is the successor to developer's Logan Fieth's freeware game The Fourth Wall. The core mechanic is the ability to manipulate screen wrap. At any time, you can freeze the screen, allowing you to loop around the edges. Something as simple as screen wrap might seem like it would be difficult to craft a diverse game around, but playing The Fourth Wall proved otherwise, using that mechanic to create a variety of interesting puzzles and challenges. Four Sided Fantasy builds off that original version, introducing vibrant colorful visuals and a story of discovery and exploration as a seemingly normal business trip turns into something more mysterious. The trailer hints at new mechanics, such as gravity fields and moving between background and foreground.

Four Sided Fantasy will be released in early 2015. You can support the game on Kickstarter and vote for it on Steam Greenlight. Play the original prototype The Fourth Wall here, as well as Perspective.