The Indie Game Magazine » game trailer

A Review of Fate of the World: Tipping Point

Dale Beerling — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

“There’s so much pollution in the air now that if it weren’t for our lungs, there’d be no place to put it all.” ~Robert Orben

Fate of the World: Tipping Point is a game that makes you think. As has been scientifically proven, mankind is ruining this planet. In Fate of the World: Tipping Point, it is your job to make sure we don’t completely ruin it. But how?

The game is essentially a turn-based, save the world and crisis management game. In it, you need to watch the news broadcasts for multiple regions and assign GEO (Global Environment Organization — which you are leading) agents to the regions that need them, where you can use cards to perform certain actions. By starting off with Office cards, you get more options to choose from in the category of the office; for example: A Local Wealth Care Office will enable more cards to play in the wealth category, which would be ideal when people are complaining on the news about their low living standards.

The Card Selection Screen

Sometimes it happens that people revolt against the GEO. This tends to happens when you don’t listen to what they need and what they want. If you do what’s best for them, but they want something else… Let’s just say that you need to do something for them if you don’t want to lose any agents.

Something that bothered me about Fate of the World: Tipping Point, is the low amount of interaction. Sure, you can influence practically everything by playing your cards, for better or worst, but it can get repetitive after a few levels. What would make this game more interesting, would be like showing video clips of the events that take place, such as a tsunami, earthquake, withering crops, etc… One of the things you can do in the game is deploy more safety personnel to an area. What would be cool is to see your ‘safety personnel’ actually fight off some people, to see if you sent in enough. Sometimes you actually get to see a screen like the following one, but that’s just not enough.

Another down-point of the game is the average time you take to complete a level. At one point I was done with a level in 15 minutes. Maybe I’m just missing a lot, but it’s definitely a bit too fast.

A plus-point of Fate of the World: Tipping Point is the (sometimes too) big amount of statistics and reports you get. It can take forever to check all of the ‘heath increasing graphs‘ and such. After a few rounds, I just stopped doing that, which is probably why I finished these levels so quick. However, if you like heavy games, it’s definitely a plus-point. You get a lot more involved and you really learn to understand how big an issue ‘global warming‘ actually is. Add that all the data in this game comes from actual research done by someone who has the papers to call the research trustworthy (Prof. Myles Allen of Oxford University) and it makes this game so much more realistic.

The graphics are ‘okay’. I don’t have much to compare it with when it comes to this specific genre, however, they could definitely be a lot worse. The earth in the background is of a decently high quality, almost satellite like, and the menus and such look good as well. The music is fine, but not memorable in any way.

Overall, Fate of the World: Tipping Point is a fine and realistic game, but for the more active gamers, this game can get quite boring. Short missions, lots of stats, lots of graphs and there’s just not much action to be found.

It’s different from most games, but I think that its main focus is to shake people up. To make them realize how much harm we are doing this planet… and I think they succeeded.

Fate of the World: Tipping Point Trailer

More information on Fate of the World: Tipping Point or @FateoftheWorld

Developers: Red Redemption

Pros:

Realistic, fun and a real eye-opener

Cons:

It can be overwhelming, the graphics and music could be better. Not much action.

Rating:

68%

For further reading of my work, my archived articles can be found here. Please leave some feedback so that I can improve my skill.

What I’m wondering, is what YOUR opinion, as reader of this article is about Fate of the World: Tipping Point. Did it meet your expectations? Did my article disappoint you, or confused you since your opinion is waaay different? Please leave your thoughts below.

Pulse Gameplay Footage

Mike Gnade — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 18:10:36 +0000

Cipher Prime was kind enough to send over some of the first gameplay footage of their upcoming iPad game, Pulse. IGM was lucky enough to play a near final build of Pulse when we visited Cipher Prime Studios a few weeks ago. Fans of rhythm games are in for a real treat when Pulse comes to the iPad App Store.

The game begins with a pulse that radiates over a series of concentric circles. Players tapnotes as they are crossed by the pulse as it expands in time with the music. Beautiful graphics blossom and float outwards with each successfully timed hit.

Pulse is propelled by its original soundtrack. Each level showcases a different song, and the game features eight original tracks from the Cipher Prime team. Cipher Prime will also regularly release free tracks written for Pulse by independent local Philadelphia musical artists. These songs will be available specifically for individual levels. This provides an eclectic soundtrack for the game, incorporating genres from chip-tune to nerdcoreto death metal all while supporting the burgeoning Philadelphia music scene.

Rush is available on Steam Today

Mike Gnade — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:41:10 +0000

RUSH is a unique 3D puzzle game concept. In the game’s fully three dimensional levels, players need to guide cubes to color coded exit points using Conveyor belts, Warps, Stop Signs, Splits and more! The game can be easily controlled with just the mouse, allowing your brain to fully focus on the solutions!

More info can be found on our website: http://www.twotribes.com

Trailer: Nimbus

Mike Gnade — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 20:53:34 +0000

This game trailer really caught my eye and looks really interesting. The website doesn’t really shed any light on the game, but this looks like a game to watch for.

Nimbus is an open ended puzzle-racing game. The player controls a craft with no means of directly propelling itself and needs to use whatever is scattered around the levels to acquire enough speed to reach the goal on each level.

Mommy’s Best Games Releases Explosionade

Mike Gnade — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 18:21:36 +0000

Mommy’s Best Games has released Explosionade after a heated blog post that criticized Microsoft’s Top Downloads section announced it was holding the release. Explosionade is available on Xbox Live’s Indie Game Channel for only 80 MS Points ($1) and features 2D Action Platforming.

The game features:

INFILTRATE subterranean strongholds manned by cunning bipedal aliens and their mind-blasting hellions!
Recharging MegaNades, and an earth-shaking machine gun rip DESTRUCTIBLE environments to hand-drawn bits!
Dozens of CHALLENGE-ROOM style gameplay with a zoom function that let’s in you close or zooms out to see all the action!
2-PLAYER COOP so you can share the alien-stomping, grenade tossing joy!
ONLINE High Scores to show off your skills! (*Gold LIVE members only)
Hand-drawn, silky-smooth effect animations just like Mom used to make! (If your mom was SNK)

Alpha Squad Preview

Mike Gnade — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 20:03:44 +0000

I stumbled across Alpha Squad from Dragon Divide today. The game caught my eye because of its buxom beauties, but I was shocked to find that the game looks gorgeous and has very high production values for an XBLIG. The game is an over the top dual stick shooter that features several characters and takes place in a desolate future. You take control of a member of Alpha Squad by yourself or with a friend and attempt to take on the future’s evil dictatorship: The Alliance. Alpha Squad will cost only $3 and should be released in early November 2010. It certainly looks promising.

XBLA Game to Watch: Ilomilo

Mike Gnade — Mon, 24 May 2010 18:30:26 +0000

Ilomilo is an interesting and unique looking puzzle platformer coming soon to Xbox 360 from SouthEnd Interactive. There’s not a ton of info on the game mechanics, but the trailer reminds me of a 3D Adventures of LoLo. There looks to be polaroid pictures to collect, multiple characters to switch between and some cool gravity changing and cube trickery going on. My guess is that a level is completed by getting the red and blue characters together again. Bottomline is that the trailer is very compelling and makes this charming game one to watch out for.

Looks to be a very interesting and unique world…plus that character is kinda cute

Game Trailer: Cletus Clay

Mike Gnade — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:26:53 +0000

This is the old Blitz Cletus Clay trailer, the game created completely from clay using stop motion animation. This is the version that Anthony Flack was originally working on before the HD version went into production.

Watch more Indie Game Videos on our YouTube Channel

Game Trailer: Vessel

Mike Gnade — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:28:08 +0000

Vessel is a 2d action and puzzle game played in a physically simulated world, built on a physics and fluid engine featuring the unique ability to simulate characters composed entirely of fluid. Intended platforms are PC and console, and release date is not yet set (still in production).

Visit http://www.strangeloopgames.com for blog and more info

Watch more Indie Game Videos on our YouTube Channel

Game Trailer: BattleBlock Theater

Mike Gnade — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:24:23 +0000

Take a peek into the world of BattleBlock Theater from the behem0th makers of Castle Crashers and Alien Hominid. Having shipwrecked on a mysterious island you find yourself both betrayed by your best friend Hatty and captured by the locals. All of this is happening while being forced into deadly performances. This however, is just the start of your problems.

Watch more Indie Game Videos on our YouTube Channel

The Indie Game Magazine » game trailer

A Review of Fate of the World: Tipping Point

Review summary

Pulse Gameplay Footage

Rush is available on Steam Today

Trailer: Nimbus

Mommy’s Best Games Releases Explosionade

Alpha Squad Preview

XBLA Game to Watch: Ilomilo

Game Trailer: Cletus Clay

Game Trailer: Vessel

Game Trailer: BattleBlock Theater