Kickstarter has been trending for all the wrong reasons recently, and that’s because the company’s interim CEO, Aziz Hasan, fired two employees who had been at the forefront of trying to unionise the crowdfunding platform’s workforce. Of course, Hasan claims that’s not why Clarissa Redwine and Taylor Moore were fired.
Legal action is now being taken by the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) on behalf of Kickstarter United, the unofficial union at the heart of the matter. And Redwine directly challenged the reasoning behind her firing (given as “performance issues”) on Twitter.
Redwine is clearly a class act, because she cuts through the BS and tells people to keep supporting creators, because that is what Kickstarter is all about, and it does it far better than any other platform. Many creators and backers are taking the time to pause and reflect on whether the platform is still the right fit for them. But we’re going to follow Clarissa Redwine’s request and continue to support creators on the crowdfunding platform, while keeping a watchful eye on how the company continues to operate.
So let’s check out some games. This edition sees us humming along to Naima’s Melody, tearing up tarmac on our Real Arcade Bike, and chilling with the devil in Fallen Angel.
Project: Naima’s Melody
Developer: Jump Game Studio
Genre: Top-Down Action-Adventure RPG
Platform: PC (Stretch Goal for Switch)
Funding Target: $27,500
What Is It?
I have recently been playing The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past on my Switch while I wait patiently to receive The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening for my birthday in a few weeks (and I think I have grounds for divorce if I don’t get it). But Naima’s Melody looks like a lush cousin of that game, perfectly capturing that 16-bit retro SNES style. It even has a horse. And a demo!
Fans of the genre will be familiar with the story… our hero must stop the dark forces that threaten the world by seeking out the four legendary songbirds who can sing the titular melody to call upon the powers of an ancient goddess.
Why Fund It?
The open world of Naima’s Melody is, according to Jump Game Studio, “full of quirky characters, vibrant locations, challenging puzzles, and deadly monsters.” So far, so good. While the Zelda series is the obvious inspiration for the game, developers Lee Smith and Eddie Barron have managed to evolve that idea and craft something that feels both familiar and yet fresh at the same time.
From the video and the demo, the action is fast-paced and the control system is already quite refined. What really snared me in was the promise of an open expansive world with different environments and six dungeons to crawl. This will be spectacular on the Switch, so I hope they hit their stretch goals.
Best Rewards?
- $15 – “A digital copy of Naima’s Melody on a platform of your choice & your name in the credits!”
- $20 – “At this level you’ll get the original soundtrack” + All Previous Rewards
- $40 – “Receive a digital copy of Song of Adventure: Naima’s Melody Art Book” + All Previous Rewards
- $75 – “Gain Alpha & Beta Access to Naima’s Melody while its in development” + All Previous Rewards
- $150 – “A limited edition Naima’s Melody t-shirt” + All Previous Rewards
- $300 – “Create your own character to appear in-game” + All Previous Rewards
- $500 – “Create your own monster to appear in-game” + All Previous Rewards
Trailer
Project: Real Arcade Bike
Developer: Bernhard Wachter
Genre: Low-Poly Bike Racer
Platform: PC
Funding Target: €4,000
What Is It?
Real Arcade Bike is a game that does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s an old-fashioned racing game elevated by its polished art style. There are two goals in Real Arcade Bike… reach the finish line without crashing and beating your last high score.
The low-poly art style is combined with a depth of field trick that gives the game an almost hand-animated, Claymation kind of feel. Watch as your bike tears up the tarmac, across the desert landscape, or batters straight through fences. It is so simple and yet very effective.
Why Fund It?
Developer Bernhard Wachter has developed the arcade-style physics engine that is the beating heart of Real Arcade Bike. It offers up a simple yet addictive control scheme. There is also dynamic weather simulations which will directly impact how the bike handles across the terrain.
The final game promises multiple bike types, each of which will have its own handling style. There will also be multiple game modes, including obstacle courses. Players will also be competing against one another for the highest score. If the game handles as well as it looks, then this could be a very addictive and fun arcade style racer.
Best Rewards?
- €12 – “Get the game at release.”
- €25 – “Support the game and get access to dev-builds.” + All Previous Rewards
- €50 – “Support the game and get access to dev-builds and exclusive extras.” + All Previous Rewards
- €100 – “Design your own bike class by modelling the bike physics using parametrizable pre-built components.” + All Previous Rewards
- €200 – “Design your own track which will be present in the game.” + All Previous Rewards
Trailer
Project: Fallen Angel
Developer: Matrioshka Games
Genre: Pixel Hack ‘n’ Slash RPG
Platform: PC (Stretch Goals for PS4, Switch, and Xbox One)
Funding Target: $20,000
What Is It?
Think Hyper Light Drifter but with Lucifer and you’re pretty much get Fallen Angel (not to be confused with the recent Gerard Butler action-fest Angel Has Fallen. In a story of literally biblical proportions, Lucifer returns to the Kingdom of Heaven to seek revenge against God. Slay the angelic enemies who stand in your path as you explore the seven realms of Heaven, each one guarded by one of the fabled archangels.
Why Fund It?
If you loved Hyper Light Drifter or Wizard of Legend, then this is for you. The frenetic action and art style closely mirrors those games (both of which I still have yet to complete). A lot of time has gone into the combat system, where you can knock enemies into the air, and counter their attacks to stun or even execute. If you want to be blown away, check out the concept art by Jimmy Ip, which speaks to the scope and epic scale of this title.
Best Rewards?
- $12 – “Get the game and your name in the credits!”
- $19 – “Get the soundtrack and access to early builds!” + All Previous Rewards
- $28 – “Get a digital copy of the Art Book!” + All Previous Rewards
- $39 – “Get your name in the credits along with early access to game builds!” + All Previous Rewards
- $99 – “Immortalize yourself in the game as an NPC with a custom dialogue line of your choice.” + All Previous Rewards
- $199 – “Design an in-game item and get an extra copy of the game!” + All Previous Rewards
- $399 – “Help design a mini-boss encounter and get an extra copy of the game!” + All Previous Rewards
- $666 – “Design an in-game enemy!” + All Previous Rewards
Trailer
Until Next Time…
The last time I signed off, Spider-Man was no longer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now he is, and the world feels like a better place for it. Apparently we (the fans) owe it to Tom Holland, who didn’t give up fighting for it and called heads at Disney and Sony to get them back to the table.
The moral of this story is, never give up hope.
