Warp Zoned Presents
Most Recent: Mobile
Kickstart This! The Indiegogo-What-Now? Edition
Like it says on the tin, Kickstart This! usually covers game projects currently seeking your funding and support on Kickstarter. However, there is a whole world of crowdfunding platforms out there, and so this month, we’re venturing into the uncharted waters of Indiegogo.
The main difference between the two platforms is that Indiegogo features Flexible Funding, which means a campaign doesn’t need to reach its goal in order to get your cash. Every dollar you pledge goes straight to the developers. While this means more people will most likely gain some form of funding, it also opens the crowdfunding platform up to what we in Scotland would term a “chancer.” In order to find an actual game project, I had to wade through endless endeavours of people trying to raise money to buy a game, build a gaming PC or open a YouTube channel. While the occasional ridiculous project makes it through Kickstarter’s quality control (like Zack Danger Brown’s creamy potato salad), Indiegogo has no filter, allowing someone to beg for a new pair of jeans in the gaming section.
But lurking amidst these vanity projects are some great games waiting for an adrenalin-esque cash injection to push them into full-steam development. First up is steampunk FPS Fabula Mortis, tower defence / FPS hybrid World of Undead, and medieval strategy title Nocturion. Following that is the colourful puzzler Panic Pump, and last but not least, God sim Crest
Let’s Indie-go-go-GO! (more…)
Square Enix @ PAX 2014: Lara Croft, Kingdom Hearts 2.5, Dragon Quest mobile games, more
Square Enix has got quite an impressive array of titles in development including Final Fantasy XV, Kingdom Hearts III, and Rise of the Tomb Raider. However, all of those games are currently on track for a release in 2015, so they won’t be appearing at next weekend’s PAX Prime convention.
Instead, the publisher will put out playable demos of overhead puzzle platformer Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, Kingdom Hearts compilation Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMix, and free-to-play team fighter Nosgoth. Square Enix will also show off some of their handheld offerings including the upcoming Hitman: Sniper, musical sequel Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call, and a pair of currently available Dragon Quest games for mobile devices (Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen and Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King).
The 2014 PAX Prime convention will be held from August 29 to September 1. I hope you’ve already got your tickets, because it is sold out. More information on everything Square Enix plans to bring to the expo can be found after the break. (more…)
There’s “No Going Back” as The Walking Dead Season 2 ends next week
Telltale Games has announced that “No Going Back,” the final episode of The Walking Dead Season 2, will be available next week. But before you watch the trailer embedded above, you may want to heed the warning that came with it (all the bolding was done by Telltale to let you know they’re serious):
This trailer includes a special all-new scene just for the trailer and some MAJOR spoilers for previous episodes in the past two seasons, but contains no spoilers for the upcoming season finale.
Here’s the release schedule for the final episode of The Walking Dead Season 2. If you’ve been playing the game on an Android device, Telltale asks that you be patient as they’ll have an official release date for all Android devices, including tablets and micro-consoles, “as they become available.”
Tuesday, August 26:
PC/Mac via Steam, the Telltale Online Store, and other digital distribution services
PS3 and PS Vita via PlayStation Store in North AmericaWednesday, August 27
Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Marketplace
PS3 and PS Vita via PlayStation Store in North America in European territoriesThursday, August 28
iOS App Store
As always, “No Going Back” will be individually priced at $4.99 on each platform. It is also included as part of the Season Pass, which carries a $19.99 price tag.
Indie Megabooth lineup for PAX Prime 2014 announced
After a successful trip across the Atlantic, the Indie Megabooth is coming back to North America with a massive PAX Prime 2014 installation. But before I begin this news article, I’d like to congratulate Warp Zoned’s Nicole Kline and Anthony Amato, who will be sitting in with this iteration of the Indie Megabooth with their card game, Resistor.
But if you’re looking for some video games, there are plenty of great titles on display. All told, 78 games will be available within the confines of the Indie Megabooth… 58 featured games and 20 more as part of the Minibooth. Some of this year’s heavy hitters include a new game from Team Meat (A Voyeur For September), the next game from the Threes guys (Close Castles), the intriguing Oculus title Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, and N++ (a game which needs no introduction). Over in the Minibooth, you’ll three of our favorites from PAX East 2014: Max Gentlemen, Catlateral Damage, and Tetropolis.
You want more? You can find the complete lineup after the break and more details on every game at the Indie Megabooth’s official website. (more…)
Posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS4, Vita
Tagged Catlateral Damage, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, Max Gentlemen, N++, PAX Prime 2014, Refactor, Tabletop Games
NextGen Pants launches Kickstarter campaign to complete Tetropolis development
Tetropolis was one of our favorite games on display at this year’s PAX East convention. The Metroidvania-style puzzle platformer puts players in the minos of a pair of deformed tetrominos as they attempt to escape the obstacles laid out before them. It’s an interesting new take on the genre and I’m looking forward to the rest of its progress.
However, developer NextGen Pants announced today that they’re need of a bit more money to complete Tetropolis and they have launched a Kickstarter campaign in their quest to complete its development. The team is seeking $50,000 to finish the game and hopefully eager backers won’t be as elusive as one of those line pieces.
In addition to the previously announced PC edition of Tetropolis, the game is in development for Mac and Linux. An Ouya version is also in the works and NextGen Pants is participating in their FreeTheGames Fund, which will provide matching funds up to $250,000.
If all goes well, Tetropolis will be available sometime next Summer. In the meantime, be sure to check out the demo available through the Kickstarter page.
BioShock will be released for iPhone and iPad later this Summer
That BioShock Twitter tease riled up the fan community and many hoped that the seemingly defunct franchise would re-emerge via a splashy Comic-Con announcement. That didn’t happen, but now we know what 2K was teasing: an iOS port of the original game.
BioShock will be available through the iOS App Store later this Summer as a “premium title.” The port is in development at 2K China, the same team that brought XCOM: Enemy Unknown to mobile platforms last year.
Like Enemy Unknown, the iOS version of BioShock will match up very closely with its console counterpart and include the full game as it appeared on consoles and the PC in 2007. Bluetooth controller support will be included, but a touchscreen control option will also be available. Because it needs to push your iDevice to the limit, BioShock will only operate on the iPad Air, iPad Mini 2, iPad 4, iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, and iPhone 5.
Since we’re already well into August, BioShock’s “Summer” launch date is probably right around the corner.
Indie Megabooth is bringing 36 games to Gamescom 2014
The Indie Megabooth is going international as the game showcase has announced that they plan to bring 36 indie games to this year’s Gamescom convention, which will take place from August 13-17 in Cologne, Germany.
The Gamescom installation will include indie favorites such as Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians, Below, Broforce!, Dragon Fin Soup, and Super Time Force Ultra as well as a variety of newcomers with a “particularly exciting European flavor.” If you’re attending this year’s Gamescom, here’s what you can expect to find in the Indie Megabooth (which will be in Hall 10.1):
- Affordable Space Adventures (Knapnok)
- Alpha Muse (Current Circus)
- Armello (League of Geeks)
- Back to Bed (Bedtime Digital Games)
- Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians (Threaks)
- Below (Capy)
- Broforce! (Free Lives)
- Chroma Squad (Behold Studios)
- Cosmonautica (Chasing Carrots)
- Desktop Dungeons (QCF Design)
- Dex (Dreadlocks Ltd)
- Dragon Fin Soup (Grimm Bros)
- Dungeon of the Endless (Amplitude Studios)
- Endless Legend (Amplitude Studios)
- Fearless Fantasy (Enter Skies)
- Forced 2: The Rush! (Beta Dwarf)
- Gang Beasts (Boneloaf)
- Inside My Radio (Seaven Studio)
- Machineers (Lohika)
- Out There: Omega Edition (Mi-Clos)
- Renowned Explorers: International Society (Abbey Games)
- Rive (Two Tribes)
- Robocraft (Freejam)
- Shadowrun Online (Cliffhanger Productions)
- SpeedRunners (Double Dutch)
- Super Time Force Ultra (Capy)
- Swords & Soldiers II (Ronimo Games)
- Tengami (Nyamyam)
- The Next Penelope (Aurelien Regard Games)
- The Talos Principle (Croteam)
- TRI (Rat King)
- Tristoy (Uniworlds Game Studios)
- Typoman (Headup Games)
- Unclaimed World (Refactored Games)
- Wander (Wander MMO)
- Wayward Souls (Rocketcat)
- Where is My Heart? (Schulenberg Software UG)
You can head over to the official Indie Megabooth site for more details on all of these games as well as a booth map. And if you can’t make it to Gamescom, don’t forget, the Indie Megabooth selections for PAX Prime 2014 will be announced very soon.
Kickstart This! The Common Creative Wealth Edition
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! (more…)