The Indie Game Magazine » experimental

O.R.C.A. Release Their First Free “Experimental” Game ‘Psychic Frog’

Chris Priestman — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:07:13 +0000

White Whale Games are currently deep in development with their debut title, God of Blades, but that hasn’t stopped them launching an experimental division of their company, O.R.C.A. who have just released an adorable Flash game they call Psychic Frog.

Psychic Frog is deemed an experimental Flash game presumably because it was made in 72 hours by O.R.C.A. There’s not much to it really, but the central mechanic is at the very least interesting and the classic music soundtrack adds a certain elegance to the whole experience. We’re tempted to deem it a modern version of Frogger but just as soon realised how nonsensical that is considering the only similarity is that you play as a pixelated frog.

There is even a odd little back story to Psychic Frog which we are certain must have been fueled by some form of drug: “In 1972, agents of the international supercriminal organization M.A.Y.H.E.M. bioengineered an extraordinary frog. M.A.Y.H.E.M. intended to send the frog into space. The frog did not want to go to space. Witness now a great escape.”

Yep. Utterly bonkers but we can run with it. So your task is to escape from the facility while several bizarre-looking armed men shoot at you. With your psi-shield, however, you can block their bullets and actually gather them before firing them back. You can also collect other items such as mugs and fire them as deadly projectiles at the guards. We haven’t got very far in our escape but you go through increasingly difficult levels until you die and get given a score, or presumably escape.

You can play Psychic Frog on the official website for free, just click here to play it in your browser.

More information on White Whale Games, O.R.C.A. and Psychic Frog can be found at the official website.

Terraria Review

Mark O'Beirne — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:30:08 +0000

When a game involves crafting, building, exploration and killing monsters, it is very easy to draw comparisons to the excellently received Minecraft. While this can be done with Terraria, the Re-Logic team has worked to make it unique in its own ways.

The most striking initial impression is that Terraria features a beautiful 2D landscape. While it is possible to construct elaborate structures that is not the end goal. Instead, players are encouraged to explore, craft items, hunt monsters, loot and summon bosses. Players can even build additional houses or structures in the hopes that other characters will come to live there. There is plenty to keep both creative and quest driven players appeased and satisfied.

Players are expected to learn by doing. No manual or tutorial system has been implemented. Instead, players are accompanied by a guide. Rather than explicitly teaching the player, he prefers to give vague notions by which to live by. While it is better than nothing, a game of such magnitude could use a formal introduction. Thankfully, there are some generous community members who have put together some basic tutorials along with a Wiki.

While the first day can be overwhelming, players quickly learn that there is a world to explore and an abundance of possibilities. There is a wide open 2D plain to explore. The surface presents opportunities in the forms of unique enemies, resources and events such as falling stars or meteor strikes. The underworld, on the other hand, requires intricate navigation, clever tunnelling and a sharp eye to watch out for Giant Worms. There are multiple environments within every world, each with their own intricacies.

The worlds are meticulously crafted. Each sprite used in the game world is simply beautiful. Care has been taken in all graphical elements from enemies, such as the Demon Eye or Goblin Warriors, to sprawling caverns or dungeons. While each world does have a restriction to the left and right, there is ample opportunity to explore within each world. Of course, it is possible to trek across a world but that would ignore one of the key features of Terraria; digging down and caving.

There is plenty to do in Single Player. But then, the game opens further with a multiplayer mode. Players can assist each other in quests and cave exploration, or can take the route of player versus player combat. All data is saved to the player’s character. This means that it is quite simple to take a character and equipment that have been refined in single player and use them online.

This is one of the key points of Terraria. Re-Logic has simplified a few elements in order to let the player play as they like. Crafting is done by simply possessing the correct resources and equipment, and then choosing to make it. Explorers are kept satisfied as items do not degrade. Torches will stay lit unless water falls upon it. Those that wish to quest may do so with a stacked inventory, safe in the knowledge that death will impact their finances alone, rather than wiping out a valuable collection of items.

Terraria is the new definition of value for money. There are three world sizes and a seemingly infinite number of combinations and world possibilities. Players have so much choice over the way that they play each time. It is possible to create up to five different characters, so players can take it upon themselves to play each in a different style. There really is something for everyone in Terraria.

Auditorium HD Review

Mike Gnade — Tue, 24 May 2011 15:15:05 +0000

Much like the grand theaters it shares its title with, Auditorium delivers a potent blend of light and sound. The first game from Cipher Prime is a puzzler in which you must bend the flow of light and transform it into music. Combining unique gameplay with a complimentary orchestral score ensures that Auditorium is a game that simply must be experienced to appreciate. There is a free Flash demo of the game available at www.playauditorium.com. Auditorium is also available on iPhone and the upgraded Auditorium HD is available on the Playstation Network.

Auditorium’s gameplay is innovative and unique. It is much easier to pick up and play than explain. The objective of the game is to manipulate light particles and fill audio destinations with the appropriately colored particles. Every level in Auditorium gives you a different set of controls to manipulate these particles. These controls range from the basic four directions to the more complex black hole and reflector controls. The freedom to experiment and solve every puzzle however you want is what makes the gameplay so enjoyable. Effectively, there is no right or wrong way to solve a level. This freedom makes each level feel more like a playground than a puzzle. The diversity of puzzle solutions coupled with no time limits and no failure conditions makes Auditorium a relaxing and enjoyable interactive experience.

Despite the lack of failure conditions, Auditorium’s puzzles are still challenging (especially Auditorium HD’s Modern Levels). Whereas some levels can be solved in mere seconds there are others that will have you stumped for minutes, hours, or even days. The simplicity of the gameplay and cleanliness of the user interface enable Auditorium to feel more like interactive art than a video game. Including a timer, lives, and other intrusive HUD elements would certainly have a negative impact on the experience.

Auditorium benefits from a simple design, excellent visual effects and a sublime soundtrack. The visuals of Auditorium are simple enough; colored particles fly across a black background. In motion though, these particles bend and move to create some truly mesmerizing visuals. The dynamic nature of the special effects is amusing and supports the experimentation and freedom offered in the gameplay.

As the name indicates, the real star of the show in Auditorium is the excellent music and orchestral score. What is the point of a game about turning light into sound if the sound is abysmal, right? Fortunately the developers have composed an excellent soundtrack that serves as more than just a pleasure on the ears. As you get closer to solving a level’s puzzle, the music will evolve and become richer with more instruments and musical elements being added to reward the player. Every puzzle is neatly wrapped up with an excellent snare drum roll effect and a slick visual fade.

Auditorium excels because all of the elements come together to create an enjoyable whole. However, Auditorium does have its shortcomings. The slow pacing of the game is not for everyone and apart from fulfilling any curious desire to find additional level solutions, there is not much replay value to be found here. The methodical gameplay is not meant for long play sessions and Auditorium is best experienced in short bursts. Auditorium is most effective when you boot it up to relax and experiment with the dazzling lights and sounds. Approach Auditorium as an interactive art experience and the $10 admission fee is an absolute steal.

Pros:

Amazing music and visuals create a relaxing and memorable experience

Cons:

Low replay value, slow pace

Rating:

88%

From Cupcake To Gateau: Portal 2’s Indie Story

Chris Priestman — Fri, 13 May 2011 19:22:35 +0000

Portal 2 is not an indie game. Big surprise. What it is, however, is the most prominent example of how the indie gaming scene is the figurehead of innovation within the industry. As fellow supporters of indie games, it is our duty to be aware that both of the highly successful Portal games are [...]

Helsing’s Fire Review

Mike Gnade — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 14:07:46 +0000

Helsing’s Fire is a spectacular game for iOS devices. There is an elegance to its design. It takes a simple game mechanic and continues to add new wrinkles to the core gameplay that keeps the game challenging and fresh throughout.

In Helsing’s Fire, you take control of Dr. Helsing and his partner Raffton. Your mission is to eliminate the evil blight and monsters that have invested the land. The main campaign pits you against Count Dracula, but there are two other campaigns as well. Helsing’s Fire is a truly unique game with refreshing game mechanics. I guess the easiest category to put the game in is the all-inclusive puzzle genre – but it is undeniable that this game is inventive.

The game revolves around Helsing’s torch. The Player must illuminate every monster of the same color by placing a torch in the game field. Once your torch is lights up a baddie, they can be eradicated by tapping one of Raffton’s corresponding tonics. The goal of each level is to destroy all the monsters while avoiding the murder of any beautiful maidens. The game never stops introducing new monsters and new twists to the basic light and shadow mechanics. Whether it’s werewolves that turn into fair maidens, explosive toads, teleporting mummies, or light-bending crystals – Helsing’s Fire keeps introducing new things that will keep you forging ahead.

The dialog in the game is amusing and witty. A nice rapport between Helsing and Raffton is developed throughout their exchanges. The writing uses humorous old English and the whole thing is reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes…with monsters.

The torch lighting effects in the game are awesome. Everything else in the game looks great, but there’s not much animation here. The good news is that you don’t notice how static most of the monsters are while you’re playing the game. The Developer, Ratloop made a smart choice with the graphics since the most impressive visuals revolve around the torch, the very game mechanic that makes this game so innovative and engrossing.

The music and sound creates a great atmosphere for the game. The creepy tunes and organ heavy music sound like they come right out of an old monster movie. It’s not the most memorable music, but it fits the game. The dialog is so good that I couldn’t help but wish for it to be voiced, but I understand the space requirements of a touch device.

Helsing’s Fire is an incredible value. It’s less than a buck for the iPhone or iPod Touch and the HD iPad version is only $2.99. The gameplay is so fresh that you’ll want to play every level that this game has to offer. Every level has new challenges, enemies and mechanics to master. Ratloop has been kind enough to expand the game by releasing two additional free campaigns (90 Levels) doubling the size of the original campaign game. The game is worth every penny and is one of the best iOS games that I have played. It was tailor made for touch devices and is an exceptional mobile game.

Pros:

Innovative Gameplay, Elegant Design, Fantastic Value

Cons:

Static visuals

Rating:

93%

A House in California Mini Review

Zak — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:35:45 +0000

A House in California by Cardboard Computer is a uniquely presented point and click game. The graphics are certainly not the most visually striking, but harken back to the 8-bit era of the 80s. It reminded me of the old games I used to play on the old computing box back in my childhood, which I believe the developer was trying to capture. The developer’s website describes the game as a “surreal narrative” with the characters based in part on relatives of the developer. It is definitely surreal and almost too narrative. At times the player has go down the line of available interactions (supplied on the bottom of the screen) to try out each one with the various elements of the game screen in order to progress. Overall the gameplay became a little tedious and at times I was seeking some assistance or someone to throw me a bone. The interaction with the environment could have been a little more user friendly.

On Trial: Paper Moon

Mike Gnade — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:46:32 +0000

Paper Moon is beyond a Blurst project and was done in collaboration with Adam Atomic and Infinite Ammo (Alec Holowka). As a result, the game feels a lot more innovative and ‘indie’ than any of Flashbang’s other projects. The game is a platformer but with a twist; the graphics are an extremely unique blend of black and white noir with a flat paper aesthetic which creates a charming pop-up book world. The pop-up world mechanic is the main twist and innovation in this platformer. Tapping the spacebar will instantly transform and move pieces of the environment in Paper Moon’s world. Popping an object into an enemy (or yourself) will kill it and the mechanic along with the visuals make Paper Moon an extremely memorable game. In fact, my only complaint about Paper Moon is that the game ends to quickly. Luckily, there are some branching level paths that allow you to explore different levels on repeat plays. The time limit is also challenging and motivates you to keep replaying levels to get faster and farther in the whimsical story and land of Paper Moon.

Score: 9/10 – Rank: 2nd

On Trial: Time Donkey

Mike Gnade — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:42:43 +0000

Time Donkey is another one of Flashbang’s humorous concepts. The game is a 3D platformer where you play a Donkey with a Flava-Flav Clock around its neck that allows it to time travel and create recorded copies of itself. The goal of the Time Donkey is to collect as many Tacos as possible within the allotted time frame. The game’s time travel concept takes what would be a boring game and infuses it with a really enjoyable challenge that allows you to strategically plan taco collection routes. Nothing beats watching 10 Donkeys burst out of a checkpoint and scatter in different directions. Like most of Blurst’s best games, Time Donkey is over too quickly and leaves the player yearning for more levels and objects to interact with and enjoy. Time Donkey is definitely a title Blurst should look at developing into a full title…if they were still doing that sort of thing.

Score: 8.5/10 – Rank: 3rd

On Trial: Off-Road Velociraptor Safari

Mike Gnade — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:32:09 +0000

Off-Road Velociraptor Safari is by far Blurst’s most popular title. It was so popular that the team at Flashbang was working on a full HD version of the game that would have included enhanced graphics, more features, more levels, level objectives and much more. After playing Raptor Safari, it’s easy to see that the core gameplay mechanic is fun and would benefit from expanding the core idea and giving the player more direction and goals. In Raptor Safari, you play a monocled Velociraptor with a Jeep tasked with mowing down and dragging other raptors to corporate delivery pads. Like nearly all of Blurst’s games, you are only limited by time and are dropped in an open world full of Raptors to run over. The game’s physics, jumps, stunts and slow-mo effects work together to create memorable moments every time that you play. There’s also an incredible sense of satisfaction that comes from hitting a raptor in an explosion of feathers. My only problem with Raptor Safari (beside the fact that the HD version was canceled) is that the game could use some music. The hum of the jeeps engine gets repetitive and the sparse sound FX make the world itself feel a little sparse. This may be the most popular Blurst title, but it’s not the best.

Score: 8/10 – Rank: 4th

On Trial: Crane Wars

Mike Gnade — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 19:21:26 +0000

In Crane Wars, you work for the loyal, but expensive Construction Union and compete with the good-for-nothing scabs that are building adjacent to you. The goal of the game is to stack building blocks on top of one another to build skyscrapers while chucking excess debris and cars into the scabs buildings to damage them. You’re money is constantly depleting and when you hit $0, the game is over. The simple arcade setup works well for this Blurst title and the banter between the two factions is a definite standout. While I like the overall concept, I found the controls to be a little difficult and frustrating. Unfortunately, Crane Wars’ controls and gameplay don’tquite reach the same high quality as the writing, graphics, presentation and concept.

Score: 7/10 – Rank 6th