Good evening fellow gamers and welcome once again to another releases and indie showcase post!
As it’s been a while since I last described what this post is all about let me inform you.
The post is split into two core segments, Steam Releases and the Indie Showcase.
The Steam Releases segment is mostly about the most (in my opinion) interesting/fun games I think you will enjoy that have been released on Steam over the past 7 days, these could be anything from Indie games, Early Access or full release games, information will be laid out in the game title before you get hit with the main information and under this I try and include a gameplay/release trailer for you, if not then screenshots. Note that sometimes there are jumps in the dates, this will either be that there was nothing released in between the dates or I found nothing that I deemed worthy of your eyes.
The Indie Showcase is an area where I feature an Indie Developers’ game that may not be necessarily be either released on Steam or indeed even be available for purchase yet and is designed to get the developers extra promotion for their game. Although the features are generally more like a preview, I am NOT in any way shape or form paid by said developers for doing this feature, I do this for free and will always fully disclose if a game has been gifted to me or I have indeed been paid for the feature/donated to by the company (that would be nice :P).
So with the debrief done with, on with the post!
NOTE: All prices were correct at time of editing
11/05/2015 Releases
Inside My Radio [Full release, £8.79]
Developer description:
“Can you beat the beat? Journey as a green LED mysteriously trapped inside a dying boombox and play the ultimate musical experience. In this rhythmic platform adventure where your every action needs to be right on the beat, bring electro, dub and disco music back to life!
FEATURES
- Rhythmic awareness is vital when you jump, dash or slam. You have to hit that beat! Never under any circumstances should you play on mute!
- Feel creative, play with the music and unleash your inner musician! Inside My Radio lets you compose the track: YOU are in control, either with your actions, movements or jam zone, where you can freely choose and mix the tracks the way you want.
- The game is a mix-tape where every level is a different track: every level brings different variations to electro, disco or dub!
- Enjoyed the experience but want more? Try to finish the levels before the clock expires, in Time Attack mode. It’s rhythm or die time: the more you hit the beat, the higher your score multiplier goes, the better your score. Don’t miss a beat or you will lose your multiplier AND get a time penalty!“
Official Video:
Toren [Full release, £6.99]
Developer description:
“Experience the mysterious, timeless world of Toren, the first adventure game from Brazilian indie developer Swordtales. You are Moonchild, destined to climb the tower (known as Toren) on a hauntingly solitary journey to find your purpose. You must solve puzzles and face monsters as you struggle to climb to the top of this beautiful, yet treacherous environment, driven by the will to find your freedom.
A Journey of Learning & Fulfilment – As the story progresses your character will age from a mere infant to grown woman creating new mechanics and challenges for each learning experience and phase of her life. In addition, the Tree of Life within the tower grows as she does, providing access to new areas to explore and new items to find.
Poetry brought to Life – Toren features dark fantasy storytelling in a universe filled with symbolism. The mysterious, fantastical atmosphere is conveyed through an award-winning art design and original score. As your journey unfolds you will discover scrolls of poetry, which reveal the story and true origins behind Toren and aids the Moonchild in discovering her purpose.
Rich Puzzle Solving – Every stage of the game features new and progressively more deadly challenges for the player: solving environmental puzzles, how avoid and survive attacks from dangerous creatures, and eventually defeating the end boss.”
Official Video:
12/05/2015 Releases
Lemma [Full release, £9.89]
Developer description:
“Immersive first-person parkour in a surreal, physics-driven voxel world.
Lemma enables creative building through movement. Spawn structures just by moving through space. Extend platforms, smash through walls, and build new ones, all through parkour moves.
- Non-linear story – four possible endings
- Oculus Rift support
- Time trial mode
- Built-in level editor with Steam Workshop support
- Xbox 360 Controller support“
Official video:
Windward [Full release, £9.34]
Developer description:
“Designed from the start to be a fully procedural co-op game, Windward can be played both by yourself and with friends. Start by generating a procedural world that will be unique to you, then sail forward fighting pirates, trading with towns, doing quests or simply exploring — it’s up to you how you want to play.
As you sail about you will find resources you can make use of, upgrades for your ship, new towns that will ask your assistance, and as you get farther out from the starting area — various pirates that will attempt to take what’s rightfully yours. Combat experience will let you unlock new talents and abilities to make that particular line of work easier.
As you take up consignments with towns and fulfill their production shortages, the towns will grow, offering more quests, more resources and better items. As the towns continue to grow they will offer you a choice to upgrade your ship itself. Would you prefer a fast Schooner to explore the world, or a heavy Galleon that’s able to take up 5 consignments at once? Or perhaps a massive Ship of the Line to take the fight with the pirates to their heartlands?
As you explore the world and get farther away from your starting area, the game will become progressively more difficult — but so will the rewards. Throughout all of this you can expect the pirates to put up a fair fight, as the AI is bound by the same rules as the player: they have sight, and must explore the map before they can know what’s there.
Speaking of AI, build a fearsome reputation and the AI will respect you, even fear you — avoiding you if at all possible. Some friendly AI will even choose to follow you and assist you in your own adventures.
And so, on the topic of adventures — ready to have yours?”
Official video:
14/05/2015 Releases
Skyhook [Early access, £6.99]
Developer description:
“Skyhook is the local multiplayer platformer where you fight with grappling hooks and fly pirate ships! The core mechanics are easy to pick up, but arenas in the sky, mid air combat, and intense ship battles make it difficult to master. No platform is safe! Your opponents can dodge through platforms from below or grapple you as they swing by from above. Stealing a pirate ship will grant you some serious air power, though you might find all your enemies banding together to dethrone you from the sky.
Skyhook is a unique blend of platforming, chaos, and best of all, playing as a shark!
Current features
Local Multiplayer Arena Combat for 2-4 Players
- Choose from four characters, all with the same skills but each with a unique personality.
- Three worlds to choose from each with multiple variations in the stage layout.
- Watch for chests that fall from the sky, stuffed with powerups like the berserker helmet, the shield, and the doppelganger mirror.
- Play with controllers and/or keyboard.
Multiple Game Modes
- Deathmatch – Fight to the death until the last man, woman, shark or cat is standing.
- Team Deathmatch – 2v2 or 3v1 battles where you can hook onto your teammates for gravity defying swings.
- Steam Tank – Fight more tactfully with a limit of three hooks that only regenerate when you’re on solid ground.
Planned Updates
Single player/co-op quest mode
- 40 new levels where you solve challenging grappling hook puzzles to try to collect the most treasure and get the highest score.
- Unlockable quest content, achievements, and hidden secrets.
Tons of new versus mode content
- More characters to unlock and choose from.
- More levels, hazards, and environments for versus mode.
- More powerups and environmental effects.
- New kinds of vehicles and mounts.
- Continuous polish to gameplay, music, sound, and art.”
Official Video:
15/05/2015 Releases
room13 [Early access, £5.59]
Developer description:
“Faceless Nightmare
You have no face…..they have no chance. Travel room by room emptying your magazine into hordes of the undead as you unlock the secrets of the labyrinth you find yourself trapped in. Unlock new faces, customize your weapons, collect zombie chunks, battle bosses, and unlock the mystery of who you are.
Created by a one-man development team, room13 is a non-stop action-platformer, blended with exploration, weapon crafting, face swapping, and the undead.
Gameplay
You begin each game trapped in a room that is overcome with zombies, while armed with just a basic handgun that you can customize and tweak between rounds.
Each room has its own, unique, Killtrap that is randomly activated at the beginning of a round. Killtraps can harm both you as well as the undead horde. Surviving a round with a Killtrap unlocks the room adding it to the list of random, possible starting rooms for your next run.
When you terminate zombies you will need to gather their gibs/chunks (remains) which, after you have gathered enough, will earn you a battery. Get three batteries and the round ends, the doors open, and you can venture into the next room.
Endless mode An endless, arcade mode. Offers additional faces and weapon upgrades to unlock that can be used in other game modes.
Memoir Run Unlock the secrets of your past, and ultimately, unlock room13. In this mode you will learn your characters history, unlock weapon attachments, as well as summon 13 bosses to battle. Defeat a boss and you can wear their face in future runs. in development
Boss Battle Unlocked upon the completion of Memoir, a speed run through the 13 bosses. in development
Additional Features
- Nonstop pulse-pounding action
- 13 uniquely dangerous rooms to survive with 13 even more uniquely dangerous bosses (in development) to battle
- Over 26 faces to earn, unlock and wear as your own in development
- 100’s of possible weapon configurations to assemble each time you play
- Original soundtrack composed by Orb Soundwerx
- A reanimated Shark’s head because why not“
Official Video:
Indie Showcase
Puzzle Go Mine by Joshdbb [early stages, expected on all popular platforms]
Developer description:
“Puzzle Go Mine is a simplistic puzzle game. I started making it during Ludum Dare 29 where the theme was ‘Beneath the Surface’ and liked the puzzle mechanic so decided to continue developing it. I have taken a pretty relaxed approach to development and have two other games that I’m actively developing (alongside earning a living) so it is hard to say when the game will be 100% finished. I’m currently trying to get a feeling for what people think of it, If I get a good response (going well so far) then I’ll focus more time on it and get it done faster.
I’m just working on an in-game level builder so that I can start making lots more levels and also allow for user generated levels. You can expect many more levels and I also have lots more puzzle mechanics planned to keep things interesting (explosives for example). I’m developing this with the intention of releasing it on all mobile platforms but I think there will always be a browser version as well; It is built using Unity3D so I can potentially release it on nearly every platform; I will aim to release on PS Vita as well. I haven’t really thought much about pricing yet but it definitely won’t be expensive on mobile devices.“ There is no official video as of yet but here is an in-game screenshot and GIF for you to see! 
Gamescroller thoughts: I like the look of this game, I do enjoy the odd puzzle game from time to time and this has some great particle effects and a nice art style, I’ll be sure to keep an eye on this as it develops! Until then if you wish to take a look yourself you can go to the following links:
Website: Joshua_burr.itch.io
Twitter Page: Twitter.com
Reservwars by Triplett Studios
Developer description:
“Gather your friends to enjoy this fun real time strategy game with single and LAN multiplayer. The land is drying up, your home is in danger and it’s up to you to protect and solve your problems. Fight for water and territory in multiplayer battles with your friends. Multiplayer game types include possessing territory, control critical resource points, subdue all your opponents and destroying specific targets before the other team does. Learn about the game’s creatures and importance of water as you play through single player story campaigns as super evolved mammals, plants and constructs. Unlock playable creatures, maps and rewards as you complete the game.”
At present I cannot find any sort of gameplay video or screenshots however I can share some of the excellent concept artwork!
If you would like to find out more about Reservwars then you can do so by following these links!
Website: reservwars.com
Twitter Page: Twitter.com
Facebook: Facebook.com
