Posted by Tim Sun, 27 May 2007 15:41:00 GMT
The ‘Ludologist’, who wrote the article “A History of Matching Tile Games’, recently released their well-researched “High Seas – The Family Fortune” game. No kidding!
I stand corrected if this game manages to sell more copies than other match-three puzzlers in the market.
(Source: GameSetWatch)
Posted by Derek Yu Tue, 15 May 2007 16:35:00 GMT
Jesper Juul, video game academic and self-proclaimed “ludologist”, has written an article titled “Swap Adjacent Gems to Make Sets of Three: A History of Matching Tile Games.”
I’m actually really fascinated by game studies. Actually, it’s more like I’m alternately fascinated and repulsed by game studies. It’s very interesting and there are real positive, tangible effects to analyzing games from an academic perspective. On the other hand, a lot of it is absolute baloney!
(Source: GameSetWatch)
Posted by Derek Yu Mon, 14 May 2007 15:46:00 GMT
NIGORO (formerly GR3PROJECT), creators of La Mulana, continue their tradition of making really, really friggin’ hard games with Death Village, a decidedly smaller, more casual title that will nonetheless have you crying by the second level. At least, that’s where I started crying. But then again, I always cry when I play games. (And also when I touch myself!)
I’m not certain what the story is behind Death Village, but your goal in each level is to get a funny old man through a haunted house and to the exit door. You don’t have direct control over him, but by slamming doors and enabling a variety of traps and scary things, you can lead him over. The atmosphere is spot on, with creepy graphics and sound effects bringing the haunted houses to life and pushing you onward.
The learning curve is deadly high, however, so make sure you at least watch the Level 1 video to get a handle on how the traps work. I couldn’t beat level two, which, on the bottom floor, requires you to somehow jump a gap. So yeah, anyone have any ideas?
(Source: Tim W.)
Posted by Derek Yu Thu, 10 May 2007 16:49:00 GMT
During the intro sequence of Mike Bithell’s Reunion, I was really hoping that I would end up playing a full-length game in the vein of Orisinal. Unfortunately, while Reunion has the same aesthetic, it lacks the tightness of Ferry Halim’s game design.
In the game, you control a sleeping boy by leading him with fireflies. Even though I really dig the concept, in practice it ends up being rather unwieldy. The worst part is that every time you fall into a pit or otherwise go off the path, the wind sends you back to the beginning of the level. And given how slow the movement is, it’s pretty disheartening.
(Source: Tim W.)
Posted by Derek Yu Wed, 02 May 2007 13:30:00 GMT
The Last Stand is a “defend the castle” type game with zombies, so if that sounds fun to you, try it! It’s short (20 rounds), it’s easy, and it’s pretty fun. The graphics are good.
I notice there are no minorities in the game. Why is that? I thought they would have at least thrown a token black guy into the survivor pool. Geez.
Posted by Derek Yu Wed, 04 Apr 2007 02:34:00 GMT
Sprout is a cute game about a little bean that dreams of someday becoming a big oak tree. While I can’t necessarily sing the kinds of praises that the Jay is Games guys are singing, I did find the game to be extremely endearing. This is definitely trial-and-error type gameplay, but because your options are so limited, it never gets frustrating.
Posted by Derek Yu Mon, 02 Apr 2007 14:36:00 GMT
Joseph White’s games are always brimming with charm and atmosphere, and Chocolate Castle is no exception! Really, as soon as you see that wonderful Lexaloffle logo, you know you are in good hands. Little details, like the windows in the castle that light up as you complete stages, and the way the chocolate gets munched up and leaves crumbs, make me feel like I’ve been stuffed into the warm belly of a Taun Taun after spending hours on the cold, frozen surface of Hoth.
Like Zen Puzzle Garden, one of Joseph’s previous games, the gameplay is simple but the puzzles can be devious. I really love the mouse control… it makes playing a breeze. The object is to click and drag chocolate (and other obstacles) around so that your animals can eat them without leaving any chocolate left. Chocolate of the same type sticks together, making your task more difficult.
The full game costs $20 US. For real fans of the genre, I think you’re getting your money’s worth, since Chocolate Castle comes with a whopping 120 levels and an editor. For me, it’s a little steep, but I’m going to buy it anyway, because this is a developer I want to support!
Posted by Derek Yu Sun, 01 Apr 2007 16:37:00 GMT
Because, er… I know that TIGSource readers are too smart to be fooled, amirite? Heh.
Posted by Derek Yu Tue, 20 Mar 2007 11:47:00 GMT
Gesundheit! is a beautiful little game (or should I say 12-level demo), and it’s not surprising, considering the creator is professional illustrator Matt Hammill. With “handmade scratchboard graphics and a soundtrack filled with toy instruments,” Matt has created a world that seems like it could stretch far beyond the simplistic gameplay. Which isn’t to say the single-level puzzle-solving is bad by any stretch of the imagination. But with a game that looks and sounds this good I really want to play a full-scale adventure. Maybe next time?
(By the way, I had no idea you could make a game like this with Adventure Game Studio.)
Posted by Derek Yu Mon, 12 Mar 2007 12:14:00 GMT
Who doesn’t love moai heads? The enigmatic stone giants from Easter Island have also made appearances in numerous Konami games (most notably Gradius). Well, no one probably loves them more than SKT, who’s made a bunch of simple moai-themed flash games. Try this one and this one (pictured in my screenshots). In the first, you just move your cursor over moai heads to “collect” them, in the second, you’re moving the tower with your cursor to try and get moai heads to safety.
I especially dig the music and voices.
(Source: Insert Credit)
