Currently Funding - Hyper Light Drifter

Hyper Light Drifter is an ambitious project, aiming to mix together some of gaming's best ingredients into an artistically strong RPG adventure. The developer, Heart Machine, describes the game as 'a 2D Action RPG in the vein of the best 8-bit and 16-bit classics, with modernized mechanics and designs on a much grander scale.'

Currently seeking funding on Kickstarter (and now deep into stretchgoal territory), Hyper Light Drifter draws influence from past classics like A Link to the Past and Diablo. There is a focus on fluid combat, mobility and exploration, with an intriguing science-fantasy world to wander through. There is some preliminary detail on the combat and equipment on the project page, along with a little lore for the game. I recommend checking out the project's posts and updates as they're written in an effortlessly interesting and engaging tone that other projects could do well to take note of.

Something that really drew my interest here is the science-fantasy aesthetic. It may be personal preference, but something about this kind of setting just screams out to be explored... The varied dungeon and forest environments shown on the Kickstarter trailer hint at the greater world, and the titbits of lore shared on the project page sound intriguing. Whilst clearly inspired by 8-bit and 16-bit games, there are also aspects of the art reminiscent of Hayao Miyazaki's classic animé Nausicaa, and Miyazaki's work is cited as inspiration for the animation and design. This blend of inspirations and influences have come together through Heart Machine's art direction and created something that is visually arresting.

The trailer is scored with an airy and energetic piece of music by Baths, who may also be providing an additional piece for the games soundtrack. Main soundtrack duties are being covered by Disasterpeace (composer of the phenomenal Fez soundtrack), which is pretty exciting. Between these two, the soundtrack is in good hands.

Between the gameplay, the setting, the art direction and the soundtrack... There's a strong foundation here for something quite special.

Hyper Light Drifter is initially aiming for a PC, Mac and Linux release in 2014. There is a stretchgoal for PS4 and Vita versions, with potential for other consoles further along too. You can check out the game on Kickstarter, vote for the project on Greenlight, or follow @HeartMachineZ on Twitter.

Currently Funding: Gods Will Be Watching

Currently Funding provides a look at games that are in the process of running a crowdfunding initiative.

Gods Will Be Watching by Deconstructeam

Funding Target: €8,000
16th July to 15th August 2013 on IndieGoGo
PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android

Gods Will Be Watching is a survival point 'n' click pixel art adventure. Originally conceived during a game jam, Gods Will Be Watching is an endeavor to expand the game into a fuller experience with new scenarios, animations and options.

In the original prototype (playable for free here) the player takes control of the leader of a group marooned on a distant planet, their only hope of survival lies in repairing their broken radio and scraping together food, medicine and firewood until another ship passes in range.

Each member of the group has a morale level that drops over time, with events and your actions influencing their fragile state further. Whilst the gameplay is relatively simple and minimalist, the decisions you are faced with, combined with the pixel-art and the effective soundtrack, work together to conjure up something that feels worthy of your time and is greater than the sum of its parts. The game manages to pass between being quirky and haunting. You will face some tough decisions when food, medicine and morale starts running low.

The demo can be over in a matter of minutes, yet it had me playing for a number of hours trying to figure out an effective strategy to survive the 40 days on the harsh planet... and going to some dark places on some of those attempts in the name of survival.

The larger game being funded by the IndieGoGo campaign promises 6 expanded scenarios, along with animations for each action you choose. One stretch goal already hit has brought in unlockable cinematics, with future stretch goals promising a free DLC in the future, and another for English voice acting.

Deconstructeam is aiming for a February 2014 release.

Check out their website, their Facebook and Twitter.
The IndieGoGo campaign is available here.

Vote of Confidence: Chasm

Vote of Confidence provides a look at games that have finished their initial crowdfunding period, but are still open for pre-orders or donations.

Chasm is a procedurally-generated metroid-vania game with rogue-like elements. It sports a 16-bit pixel-art style and promises a variety of dungeon tile sets, monsters, bosses and loot as you fight your way through the passages under an old mining town.

The Kickstarter Campaign was a success, gaining over $190K in total by the end of the pledging period. The game is still available for pre-order through the official site, with $15 getting you a copy of the game, a donation of $25 includes early access and the digital soundtrack, whilst $45 includes a variety of PDF materials like game art, development notes and a tabletop gaming module.

There's a free demo available on the website, to give you an idea of the gameplay mechanics and lets you get a good look at the art style, it looks really nice in motion. You can tinker around with the equipment system, explore two floors of the mine and see a few different monsters. It takes about 20 minutes or so for a direct playthrough.

The trailer for Chasm

Personally I think Chasm possesses an interesting retro-charm, it stole my interest as soon as I saw the trailer. The dungeon-delving aspects look like they'll be entertaining, and with randomised layouts and loot drops no two playthroughs will be quite the same.

Further Reading

More information, the demo and the three tiers of preorder are available on the official Chasm website: http://chasmgame.com/

Chasm was recently Greenlit on Steam.
You can follow @Discordgames on Twitter, and like their page on Facebook.

Vote of Confidence: Broken Age

Vote of Confidence provides a look at games that have finished their initial crowdfunding period, but are still open for pre-orders or donations.

Overview

Broken Age is a 2D point 'n' click adventure in the style of the old Lucas Arts games in development at Double Fine Productions. The project is being led by Studio helm Tim Schafer, whose previous credits include being a writer on The Secret of Monkey Island, co-designer on Day of the Tentacle, and the lead designer on Full Throttle and Grim Fandango.

Broken Age started life as Double Fine Adventure on Kickstarter, where it stirred the heart of classic adventure gamers and managed to reach its funding goal in a matter of hours before going on to raise $3.3 million. The game is currently estimated for release in 2014.

Synopsis

The story revolves around two protagonists in living in different worlds, one science fiction, the other fantasy. A coming-of-age story, the two teens are trapped in situations they wish to escape, but doing so has consequences.


Why You Should Care

Well, for starters the game is being written by Tim Schafer. His witty dialogue and quirky style is an undeniable feature in the classic Lucas Arts adventure games he worked on, along with his own studio's platform adventure Psychonauts. His writing manages to be laugh-out-loud funny, subtle and laced with touching emotional moments when it needs to be. He has a real flare for writing endearing characters and creating bizarre worlds that follow their own set of rules, and what's been shown so far on Broken Age looks to be living up to that expectation.

Then there's the art style, led by Nathan Stapley. Nathan's vibrant, quirky, soft-edged painterly style seems a good fit for the game. Check out the trailer below to see it in motion.

Here's the teaser trailer, showing off the gorgeous art style.

A pre-order for the game also comes with access to the Double Fine Adventure documentary. A new episode is released roughly every six weeks or so, offering a look into Double Fine's creative process and a glimpse at the ups and downs of game development. It's an earnest lay-of-the-land that covers much of the process and is thoroughly absorbing. Ten episodes have been released so far, ranging from about 20 minutes to 40 minutes each.

The first episode of the documentary has been made available to the public, covering the initial funding period on Kickstarter. It's linked below, and gives a good impression of what you'll get from the further episodes of the documentary.

Double Fine Adventure - Episode One: A Perfect Storm for Adventure

My Opinion

Double Fine have made some great games over the years, but they haven't quite reached the sparkle of those old Lucas Arts games for me. Closest of them all was Psychonauts, although I hold a special place for The Cave, but that's for another post! Broken Age looks to be flying much closer to those old Lucas Arts games than anything they've done so far, perhaps due to the nature of the game itself being a Point 'n' Click adventure game. This Kickstarter has given Double Fine the opportunity to directly develop a game that Tim Schafer is clearly eager to make, and the fans are eager to pay for.

For me personally, I'd say the price of admission is worth it for the documentaries alone. Add on top of that the handful of 'Side Quests' that offer lengthy one-on-one interviews with members of the team and you've a considerable amount of footage to go through.

Whilst some have had concern over budget problems, that really is to be expected of most Kickstarter projects and shouldn't come as much of a surprise to anyone who understands the nature of creative developments working against a budget. Pledging to a Kickstarter or any other crowdfunding project there is always a risk, the project may never see the light of day, even if funded. You remove the publisher from the equation and the consumer takes the risk instead, that is the nature of the beast.

One thing is clear though; Tim knows what is resting on this project... Not only his studio's potential financial freedom from publishers, but the trust of his 90,000 closest friends.

Further Reading

You can find out more information and, if you are so inclined, place a pre-order through the official website at http://www.brokenagegame.com/.

Tim Schafer is on twitter as @TimofLegend.
Nathan Stapley is also on twitter as @NatelBagel.