Indie team mounting small projects meant to remind people of eras gone by are a dime a dozen in today's gaming landscape. But I'll be damned if I'm not some sort of nostalgia addict, because every single time I hear about another throwback title, I get excited. With that said, indie duo Pixel Sunrise just might have something special with their sophomore title The Flight of Tyto, which looks to put a new spin on the good old days.
Why do they do it to us? Why do developers tantalize us with cool-sounding game ideas and then fail miserably to realize them? Where Angels Cry, the new hidden object game by Cateia Games, has the potential to be a dark religious mystery along the lines of Umberto Eco's incredible novel, The Name of the Rose. Instead, it's an ill-conceived, shabbily constructed narrative, weakly propped up by a collection of unattractive graphics and predictable puzzles.
When there's no more room in Wizardland, magic will walk the earth. That's the saying, right? I'm just going by what Wraithborne, an upcoming action-adventure game for iOS, seems to be heavily implying. I'm a big fan of supplementing the realities of our world with that of video game fiction, you see.
The Room is a puzzle-adventure game that will instantly remind you of the old Myst games - assuming you're as old as I am, that is. If it's before your time, keep it to yourself; I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact that The Princess Bride is 25 years old. Where were we? Ah yes, The Room. It's a riddle, wrapped in an enigma, wrapped in a box. A beautiful, devilish box.
I reviewed a game called Deponia last month, and gave it five stars because it was totally awesome. I'd like to say I'll spare you the details, but that would be a lie. I'm happy to use this preview as another opportunity to sing the game's praises. How's that for objectivity?
During your school career, you probably joined a lame-o club or two. Maybe it was a dilapidated ping-pong club. Or an anime club that owned one mouse-nibbled VHS of Fist of the North Star. Cherry Tree High Comedy Club is an adventure game that challenges you to recruit members into a high school comedy club. Video games typically ask you to slay monsters or venture into the darkest parts of your psyche, but putting together a high school club that doesn't suck? Whew! Talk about an unachievable goal.
A couple of weeks ago, we featured a Kickstarter that looks to be leading the charge in reviving the Choose Your Own Adventure genre. But what about building your own adventure? If independent developer Anarchy Enterprises has anything to say about it, that may soon be a reality. After launching dozens of games since the debut of their first project, Moon Tycoon, in 2001, the studio is turning to the public to crowd-source not only the funds for their next project, but the creative ownership of it too.
No fictional character has embedded himself in our culture as deeply as Sherlock Holmes. His name is as recognizable as Hamlet's or Johnny Appleseed's, and his adventures are as well-known as any Greek myth. He is the archetypal detective.