For all the sports fans out there who are saddened by the end of the World Cup and Wimbledon, fear not! The Commonwealth Games have kicked off in my backyard in the Scottish city of Glasgow. The royal baton ran right by my house last week, and it was great to see so many people out in the typically wet Glaswegian weather, clapping and cheering the baton bearers on.
Of course, this is what we do with Kickstart This! We pick out projects that we want to see succeed, and cheer them on along with all of our readers around the world. It’s humbling to think that somehow our words have managed to bring just enough extra donations to make the difference between a game being released and a development team drowning their sorrows in a stale pint of beer.
So which games do we have the need to see succeed in this edition? First off is the cartoony tower defense game Fire With Fire, followed by comical point-and-click adventure Kaptain Brawe 2: A Space Travesty. After that, we jump into 2D foodie platformer Bacon Man, cutesy platformer Snot, and, last but not least, Subject 13, a new 3D adventure thriller from Flashback creator Paul Cuisset.
On your mark, get set, go!
Project: Fire With Fire
Genre: Tower Defense
Platforms: PC (Windows, Mac, Linux), Android, iOS, Ouya
Funding Target: $10,000
In A Nutshell…
Fire with Fire is a cute top-down tower defense game, with an engaging single-player campaign, as well as one-on-one cross-play battles, where players can attack as well as defend.
Why Flash Your Cash?
Tower defense games are a dime a dozen (yes, the Scottish guy knows an American idiom. He also likes Blue Moon). However, developer Theory Georgiou and his team have managed to give the saturated genre a fresh coat with its simple-yet-vibrant graphics, coupled with the sheer range of tower mods and ‘creeps’ available to customise. The love that the three-man team has injected into the game over the course of its two-year development is evident. Throw in the promise of cross-play multiplayer, and this game could shoot into the stratosphere. Also, the game is part of the Kick It Forward initiative, meaning 5% of the game’s profits will be used to fund other Kickstarter projects.
Also, if Fire With Fire reaches $1 over its $10,000 goal, Theory will share his potato salad recipe.
Rewards?
The game will be free-to-play, but for $6 you will have beta access to the game, as well as additional content. This is the Early Bird price for 250 people – after that, it’s $10. A donation of $15 adds on a digital copy of the soundtrack and five pins sent in the post. Raising this up to $25 will buy players a poster signed by the team.
For $35, 30 lucky donors will receive the uber-cute Fire Ball Plushie as well as beta access. If you are not one of the lucky 30, then add $5 to that for the same deal. But seriously, these plushies are awesome. If you want the plushie and the poster, make a pledge of $50 or more. The penultimate pledge of $80 or more is limited to just 15 lucky players, and will see artist Brian Shepard design a customised avatar for you from your own description. You will also see your name emblazoned in lights in a special section of the credits. The highest tier is for donations of $350 or more, and is limited to five flush individuals. This will allow you to actually have input on the game, working with the team to create a character and the back story for them. Backers will then receive two digital prints of the character.
Project: Kaptain Brawe 2: A Space Travesty
Genre: Point and Click Sci-fi Adventure
Platforms: PC (Windows, Mac, Linux), Android, iOS, Apple TV, Ouya, Amazon Fire TV
Funding Target: $50,000
In A Nutshell…
Kaptain Brawe 2: A Space Travesty is a sequel to the 2010 game Kaptain Brawe: A Brawe New World, which was inspired by classic LucasArts point-and-click games such as Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle. This time, Cateia Games has hired writer Steve Ince, who worked on Broken Sword, and partnered with Frontmen Studio to give the graphics a dazzling overhaul, while retaining the classic, hand-drawn style.
Why Flash Your Cash?
If you have not played the first game, do not fear, as it is part of nearly all of the reward tiers. While many enjoyed the first outing of this crazy space Lothario, some criticised the length of the game, the plot, and the humour, or lack thereof. This is presumably why Cateia Games has roped Ince in to be the lead writer. The studio has also promised that the game will last 10 hours, several hours more than its predecessor. Wrap these improvements in the colourful, gorgeous graphics that Frontmen Studio has delivered, and it seems like a worthy endeavour.
Rewards?
The Early Bird tier has proven so popular that 100 people have snatched them all up, meaning that in order to have a digital version of both this game and the original, then donors must pledge $20. This also grants access to a backer forum and gifts some shiny digital wallpaper for your devices. Add $15 to this if you also wish to receive the digital soundtrack and comic.
At the the higher end of the spectrum, making a hearty pledge of $1,000 or more, limited to 10 people, will see you showered with a spaceship load of goodies. Not only does this include a physical copy of the game and its soundtrack, but also a sketchbook, T-shirt, mouse pad, and printed comic, all signed by the team. In addition, donors will be gifted with a 5 inch 3D-printed model of the titular hero, as well as having their likeness imprinted on a secondary character within the game. The second-highest tier of $5,000 is limited to just two lucky fans, and offers all of this plus the opportunity to design a puzzle with Steve Ince. The highest donation level of $10,000 is for one very fortunate soul, who will be crowned Admiral of the Fleet. It includes all rewards plus an invite to the launch party in Croatia (flights and accommodation are unfortunately not included).
Project: Bacon Man
Genre: 2D Side-Scrolling Shooter
Platforms: PC (Windows, Mac)
Funding Target: $20,000
In A Nutshell…
Bacon. It’s pretty awesome. Everyone except for vegetarians and weirdos love the stuff. British comic Al Murray once argued that it proved the existence of God. Enter Bacon Man, a spiritual cousin to Super Meat Boy, who has been framed for the death of King Roast Beef. Bacon Man must fight the minions of the Food Kings to reveal the conspiracy and claim his rightful place on the Meat Throne.
Why Flash Your Cash?
Bacon Man is one of those zany titles that is so ludicrous and full of imagination that you just want to have a go. Not since Dave Perry unleashed Earthworm Jim has there been a character so instantly memorable or fun as this streaky, tasty superhero.
Rewards?
While the team at Skymap will gladly take what the studio has termed $1 “Pity Donations,” in order to receive a copy of the game, backers will have to pledge the nominal amount of $15. However, if you add some extra sizzle to your donation and reach $20, players will be rewarded with the Digital Deluxe package, including beta access to the demo, digital art book, and soundtrack. This is limited to the first 100 people, otherwise it is available at the $25 tier.
At the meatier end of the rewards, pledges of over $500 will see you reach the Houlihan Edition, limited to 45 people. It features a dazzling array of goodies, including signed posters and physical copies of the game and art book. However, the best part is that you get to video chat with the developers, receive an in-game credit, and have your likeness inserted into the game somewhere fitting. As if that was not enough, Skymap Games will send you a copy of any game they make in the future. The ultimate tier, the Mortgage Edition, is $1,000 and only has five slots to be filled, and includes all of the Houlihan rewards plus spending a full day with the developers before joining them at the launch party. Travel is not included, but bacon presumably is.
Project: Snot
Genre: 2D Platformer
Platforms: PC (Windows, Mac, Linux), iOS, Android, Windows 8 Phone, Wii U
Funding Target: £25,000 (approx. $42,600)
In A Nutshell…
Take the cutesy graphics of Yoshi’s Island, transform the main character into the titular green mollusk, and add a crazy number of shell-based powerups, and you get Snot.
Why Flash Your Cash?
Don’t let creator Michael Hodkinson’s tea-slurping put you off (it’s what all British people do); this is a well-thought out platformer. While Hodkinson describes it as “MetroidVania,” it has its feet firmly buried in the platformer genre, and feels like a combination of Nintendo’s favourite green dinosaur and Codemaster’s old classic Dizzy. Snot’s powerups can combine to form many different types of weapons or tools. The initial development and design stretches back to 2008, and the slow, methodical process has clearly paid off.
Rewards?
A donation of £10 will secure you a copy of Snot on the platform of your choice, along with a mention in the credits. Doubling this will allow players access to the exclusive backer DLC set in a museum showcasing Snot’s development. £35 will gift you with an exclusive backer-only poster, while a donation of £60 adds a digital sketch book and developer commentary DLC for the game.
At the top end of the reward tree, pledges of £2,000 are limited to just five people, and include a shell-full of goodies, three copies of the game, and the opportunity to design your very own enemy character. You also get early access to the game, the ability to contact and talk with the development team, and a hard copy of the walk-through book. The next tier of £2,500 is restricted to just three donors, and means would-be developers can design a mid-level boss instead of a grunt enemy. The highest level is for donations of £3,000 or more, and means you get four copies of the game, all DLC for free, weekly chats with the development team about the direction of the game, and your own logo showing at the startup screen.
Project: Subject 13
Genre: 3D Adventure Thriller
Platforms: PC (Windows, Mac), iOS, Android
Funding Target: $40,000
In A Nutshell…
Legendary French designer Paul Cuisset is back, working with New York-based company Microids to develop a 3D puzzle and adventure game that looks to bring his trademark engaging gameplay and story to a new audience.
Why Flash Your Cash?
Apart from Cuisset’s involvement, the game’s alpha footage already looks spectacular, thanks to the Unity engine. The story revolves around Franklin Fargo, a former physics professor trapped in an underground laboratory. It certainly sounds like the classic sci-fi scenarios of past Cuisset games, and the team’s main focus seems to be on the feeling of mystery and ambiance, and they’re not trying to give away much of plot at this point. There has also recently been discussion of developing the game to be played with Oculus Rift.
Rewards?
Cuisset’s reputation precedes him, as all the Early Bird backer rewards have vanished. In order to guarantee a DRM-free copy of the game, players must donate $20 or more. However, if you know a friend who might want to play, you can claim two copies of the game, plus a digital artwork book, all for $35.
The penultimate pledge tier of $5,000 is The Knowledge Gatherer, and is limited to just two people, with one already having been nabbed. This includes a megaton of goodies, including a t-shirt, 3D printable model, notebook, USB stick, stickers, and a boxed version of the game. However, the major draw is not only production documents signed by Paul Cuisset, but a private gaming development course with the man himself. The highest tier, I Am Subject 13, is for the super-rich only, at $10,000 a pop. There are four places on this level, and as well as all of the swag from the previous tier, donors are invited to spend three days in Cuisset’s Paris studio. Accommodation is included, but travel is not. These four people will have the chance to see their likeness be used as the main character.
Until Next Time…
So there you go, folks: another collection of amazing gaming projects that need your help, support, and cash to transform from a developmental cocoon into a beautiful, pixel-shaded butterfly. While I watch the athletes competing in Glasgow, I’ll be rooting for all of these game developers as well.
