June 13th, 2012 | By Arsen Nazaryan
Tagged in: D3 | E3 2012 | might and delight | PC Game | pid | Platformer | Preview | PSN | XBLA
Consisting of a couple of ex-members of the Bionic Commando team, Might and Delight are a Swedish studio of 14 developers who have created what seems to be one of the next big platformers coming out of the indie scene. Pid is likely to sit among the likes of Braid and Super Meat Boy upon release, due to its unique art style and distinct game mechanics, not to mention its intuitive feel. Following the story of a young boy named Kurt, the player must overcome the obstacles of a robotic world which is under the command of an all-controlling power. Every movement and motion of the world’s inhabitants is under intense scrutiny from security cameras and bots. What the game is truly an allegory for remains to be seen, but its impending release has us excited because Pid is a joyous little trip through a strange and sordid land.
Housed in its XBLA publisher D3′s kiosk, I picked up the Xbox controller on the E3 show floor expecting a good old-fashioned platformer. I wasn’t too far off: this is indeed a platformer and functions like so. However, Pid‘s main action consists of using what could be described as an instrument which shoots light beams. These light beams are your means of travel through the volatile environment and, although at first uncomfortably strange, they will eventually become second nature in your time with the game.
You can only have two active light beams at a time, which means you will have to be precise with your selection. As the robots in the world of Pid are at war with each other, there’s a sense of impending doom for Kurt. This aids in the developing of a sense of urgency; Kurt just wants to get home to his family. For the most part, though, you can take your time with the stages/levels and will want to do so to avoid dying repeatedly. While you’re doing that, the game is rather superbly creating a forlorn atmosphere.
While initially Pid‘s light beam mechanic is introduced rather lightly and simply as a means to roam the environment, later power-ups such as a slingshot will help you better your platforming skills by allowing you to shoot light beams in places that were once unreachable such as ceilings. This promises to be good news for campaigning hopefuls – who are promised 10 hours of gameplay if taking their time with the game. And even though the slingshot can be regarded as a weapon, it really isn’t one. In Pid, you want to avoid direct confrontations and focus on avoiding obstacles safely instead.
Might and Delight will also include a co-op mode in Pid in which Kurt will play alongside a female friend named Aurora. The two will be able to aid each other in puzzles but with one catch: they are unable to spam light beams and will only be able to shoot one at a time (for each). The co-op game mode will be same-screen and, provided both gamers have good chemistry with the in-game mechanics, should last a couple hours less than the single-player. With a delightful and luminous art design, Pid promises to likely be a hit on Xbox Live Arcade, as well as on PC and PSN. In 15 minutes of play, I was intrigued and really wanted to finish the story, but I will have to wait for my chance just as the rest of you this summer.
For more on Pid, check out the official website.
Arsen Nazaryan (31 posts)
As a long-time gamer and previous contributor to DIYGamer, Arsen is a fan of the indie gaming scene and hopes to find as many gems as possible. He is also a singer-songwriter, fronting the L.A.-based Indigo Child. When not gaming or playing music, Arsen can be found scouring Reddit and worshiping Arsenal Football Club.