Back in 2009, developer Tiger Style released Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor for iOS devices. Long story short: If you haven’t played the game, you really should get on that because the game is brilliant. Since then, not much has come out from the studio other than an arcade-style tie-in to the first game. Now, though, the developer is gearing up to release a brand new title — Waking Mars — and it looks positively amazing.
Back in 2009, developer Tiger Style released Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor for iOS devices. Long story short: If you haven’t played the game, you really should get on that because the game is brilliant. Since then, not much has come out from the studio other than an arcade-style tie-in to the first game. Now, though, the developer is gearing up to release a brand new title — Waking Mars — and it looks positively amazing.
The premise of the game is centered on exploring the caves of Mars and the ecosystem growing within. The gameplay sounds like it will be a combination of exploration/adventure and gardening mechanics. As you wander through the landscape, you have to raise the biomass of an area in order to advance to the next area. As a result, you’ll need to plant seeds throughout the level.
While planting is a huge part of gameplay, the real challenge is that you’ll have to figure out how the environment works. Plants eat other plants (and some spew water, acid, or seeds), alien lifeforms will hover about and try to feast on the seeds you carry around. The game’s difficulty curve is set to be gradual, and the game provides an encyclopedia to help you keep track of all the wildlife you’ve encountered.
The game is going to be running on the same engine as Spider. The early screenshots look magnificent, thanks to the lush colors and rich detail. That’s a huge asset when it comes to games that require exploration.
Exactly when Waking Mars is due out isn’t certain, but Tiger Style have said on their Twitter that they’re currently targeting a release sometime this February.
