Indie Games Summer Uprising: The Trailers
As reported the other day, the Indie Games Summer Uprising–an initiative by the Xbox Live Indie Games development community meant to highlight quality releases from August 22 through September 2, 2011–has been officially announced, along with eight of the ten featured games. The two remaining slots will be filled with games selected by the community. But what about the trailers, you ask?
Given the hit-or-miss (but let’s be honest, mostly “miss”) nature of typical XBLIG releases, the games selected for the latest Indie Uprising might surprise you with their overall quality. That’s a good thing! But you don’t have to take my word for it. Below are trailers for the eight selected entries, along with some brief information about each title. Enjoy!
Notes: Developed by a three-person development team from Serbia, T.E.C. 3001 is a single-player action game where you’ll guide a robot through twenty levels of 3D virtual space, collecting energy for humans.
Speedrunner HD by DoubleDutch Games
Notes: Speedrunner HD is a 2D side-scrolling competitive parkour game for up to four players, developed by the aptly-named two-man Dutch development studio, DoubleDutch Games. Race against the clock (by yourself), or outrun your friends to try to push them off the screen. Plus, grappling hooks! There’s also a free-to-play (single-player) browser version available now, if you’re interested in checking it out.
RavenThorne by Milkstone Studios
Notes: Milkstone Studio’s three-man team’s Uprising selection, RavenThorne is a very pretty-looking hack and slash side-scroller with a “unique combat system.” Revenge is always compelling motivation, as is the case for RavenThorne’s hero.
Notes: Two-man, U.S.-based developer Discord Games’ title, Take Arms, is class-based, multiplayer, twin-stick shooter that pits Earth’s two remaining superpowers against each other in a gritty, near-future setting. It includes Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and Capture the Flag modes, three different maps, three character classes, and eight-person online multiplayer.
Train Frontier Express by Team Train Frontier
Notes: San Diegan developers Team Train Frontier’s contribution to the Indie Uprising is Train Frontier Express, a game the developers describe as a “landscape building and train riding good time.” It’s an intriguing title that’s sure to pique the interest of fans of model trains, or anyone who has wanted to be a train engineer, for that matter.
Cute Things Dying Violently by ApathyWorks
Notes: Perhaps the best-titled game of the bunch, Cute Things Dying Violently by ApathyWorks is an action-puzzle game in which you try to rescue groups of “Cute Things” by getting them to the exit of each level. The problem is, each of the game’s sixty stages is full of deadly traps designed to turn your critters into mincemeat. The game also includes six “Challenge Levels,” local multiplayer, and a level editor.
Doom & Destiny by Heartbit and The Benjamin Ficus
Notes: Described as “An Heartbit and The Benjamin Ficus Production,” Doom & Destiny takes the traditional old-school JRPG format and uses it to tell a story of four friends and an unspeakable evil force. According to the developers, they’re taking a tongue-in-cheek approach to storytelling, and promise a “fantasy world made of cliche, strange people and a lot of humor.”
Battle High: San Bruno by Mattrified Games
Notes: Developed by Mattrified Games, Battle High: San Bruno is a 2D fighting game in which players select one of eight different characters and “battle for justice or greed” and choose sides in a battle with a powerful gang called “The Rivals.” It’s certainly one of the best-looking 2D fighters I’ve seen for XBLIG.
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