Sometimes one, single, interesting mechanic can be the reason to play a game. Without its bullet-absorption mechanic, Ikaruga is another unremarkable Japanese 2D shooter. Without its dimension-flipping mechanic, Fez is a pretty but mostly unremarkable 2D puzzle-platformer. Without puck manipulation, Scatter is a breakout clone that is successful at cloning…
Read MoreI wanted to write a brief piece to highlight Gone Home, and specifically its narrative. The way this little indie title goes about the business of creating narrative is something that every game developer should take note of, because it’s a rare example of a developer taking advantage of the…
Read MoreA few weeks back developer Image & Form released a rather spectacular little platformer on the 3DS eShop. SteamWorld Dig is a hugely creative and charming game, and promises some great things for the SteamWorld franchise into the future. While Image & Form doesn’t restrict itself to Nintendo platforms, it…
Read MoreI get that Divekick is meant to be more parody than in-depth game, but I also didn’t find myself laughing. With that said, the premise is an interesting exercise in minimalism. Just how far down can you reduce the fighting game, in terms of both buttons and complexity, while maintaining…
Read MoreWhen developer Might and Delight decided it wanted to do something different coming off its successful release of the demanding platformer that is Pid, it wasn’t joking. With the gaming industry so overly saturated with shooters and retro, well, everything (including shooters), – where does an indie developer turn to…
Read MoreNic Watt (left) Twitter has proven to be a great resource; both for finding news and for finding like-minded people. For Australian independent developer, Nnooo, Twitter also found it its first business opportunity as a publisher. “We hadn’t actually met Seon (Rozenblum, CEO of 3 Sprockets) before we had organised…
Read MorePhil Gaskell To hear the small and independent publishers talk about the Wii U, it does not matter that the console has only managed to shift a couple hundred thousand units in the last quarter; it’s still a big opportunity. In fact, it works to their benefit that the likes…
Read MoreShelter is a game that’s going to be hard to put a score on. An artsy exploration title which to my hands plays as more of a tech demo than an actual game (not dissimilar to the likes of Dear Esther) means some people will find themselves loving it just…
Read MoreLet me begin by saying that I’m always a little wary of browser based Real Time Strategy games. I’m a big fan of the genre and yet many RTS games aimed at casual audiences abandon strategic depth for accessibility. In essence, the idea of a simplified strategy game is oxymoronic.…
Read MoreAt PAX Australia, Digitally Downloaded’s Sam caught up with Lance McDonald, the man who has somehow managed to build a game engine from scratch using QBASIC while also managing a full time job, with a wife and two kids at home. Lance talked about how important engaging with the player…
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