Indie Game News

Skyward Collapse Launches May 23

2013-05-18T19:49:00.000+01:00

Unique turn-based god game to be priced at $4.99 for Windows PC and Mac OS X

Arcen Games is pleased to announce its turn-based god game Skyward Collapse is set to launch on Steam next Thursday, May 23rd.

How do you balance a war between towns without letting either side obliterate the other? How do you rule over gods, creatures, and men who refuse to obey you? How do you build a thriving landscape of villages against the threat of bandits and mythological powers? Skyward Collapse places you into the role of The Creator, and frees you to tackle these problems your own way.

Create -- but not control -- gods, creatures, and artifacts from both Greek and Norse mythology. The power you wield with these is immense. Your task is to keep both factions alive until The Master calls you home -- but this is harder than it sounds. Bandits, along with periodic Woes add to the variety of challenges that you'll face in any given game. Every game plays out completely differently, and you'll need even the craziest of your powers in order to survive what lies in store.

A short trailer for the game can be viewed now, showcasing both showcasing both sides of the fight. Additionally, Nick Trujillo of Penny Arcade’s Strip Search has created a series of web comics based on Skyward Collapse – the first of which is out now.

The Skyward Collapse OST was also just recently completed by composer Pablo Vega, and is now available for purchase through Arcen Games BandCamppage – where the entire soundtrack can be previewed online.

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Rotoscoping Tutorials

2013-05-18T19:16:00.002+01:00

Grundislav, creator of the Ben Jordan adventure game series, has produced a couple of very useful tutorials on rotoscoping. Very useful stuff if this is something you're thinking of using in your own game development.

"Rotoscoping is an animation technique in which animators trace over footage, frame by frame, for use in live-action and animated films." - thanks Wikipedia, although you have of course forgotten one the most important uses for rotoscoping - computer games!

Follow his blog for more tips! Of course don't forget to keep tabs on his new game project, A Golden Wake.

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BattleCraft shows off an engaging online card-trading strategy game

2013-05-18T19:08:00.001+01:00

The World of Asteras awaits...

BattleCraft shows off highly customizable, collectable cards and an engaging online card-trading strategy game

San Francisco, California - May 9th, 2013 - Independent developer Proteus Games Technologies is pleased to release a new gameplay video for their free web-based online trading card game, BattleCraft. BattleCraft offers immersive fast-paced tactical combat and vivid collectable cards within a full interactive strategy game; players can learn by trading and playing their cards. Players can engage in multiplayer and take down challenging bosses in raids, combat each other in worldwide PVP arenas, and explore the Lore and Factions of of Asteras through a repayable campaign mode.

In BattleCraft, players take on the role of a Commander that assembles a squad of heroes in the war-plagued world of Asteras. Players craft their deck to suit their individual play style and strategize by gathering heroes and mythical creatures from various factions in Asteras. Players grow and customize their squads through battling and trading with other players.

Game Features:

Free to Play, everything in-game is available by playing

400 + unique cards and growing

5 unique Factions with varying play styles and strategies

Strategize using Support Cards and Formations

Auction and Trade your cards with other players

Engaging single player campaigns that can be replayed

Challenge other players in PVP arenas and tournaments

Multiplayer co-op play with raids

Unlock new cards and earn in-game achievements

The gameplay video features the new Public Card Tool, where the BattleCraft community can create their own heroes; each featuring their own unique skills. Players have the ability to improve card collection, general gameplay and balance, and even win prizes if their cards are selected. “The Public Card Tool opens up new opportunities for even more customization and character strategy,” states lead developer Mohan Low. “This tool allows the community the ability to vote on characters and skills that they’re interested in playing. This should result in a even more diverse and interesting card set for players to use in their battles.”

BattleCraft is currently available to the public via Kongregate and Gameshydra.

For more information about BattleCraft, visit the game website (http://www.gameshydra.com/) become a fan on Facebook or follow on Twitter .

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A new place to sell your indie games - IndieSale.com

2013-05-17T12:03:00.000+01:00

This was posted on the AGS forums and it's worth putting here as well - I have no personal experience of this site but every new digital distribution platform for indie games is at least worth a look!!

"I am part of the of a team that built a new free digital marketplace we call indeSale. (www.indesale.com).

The idea is that indeSale will be a marketplace for everything indie and digital, including music, ebooks, games, software and so on.

Anyone can signup for free, start their own store, upload products and sell them online, all you need is a Paypal account.

Then you just click "add a product" select "game" and start entering the game's information and upload it. You can upload screenshots and even a fee demo. You can also indicate if the game has adult materiel in it. When someone buys the game, they are paying at Paypal directly to your Paypal account, then they receive a download link to their purchase, which expires after 3 days or 3 download trials.

We also offer the ability to completely design each store page and each product page, to the level where you can just click and drag elements of the page to where you want them, then change their colors, text colors, borders and pretty much everything about them... Thus giving each product page the taste and feel of the product.

We also offer the possibility to offer special offers and discounts on products, and will introduce new promotional tools in the near future.

Our motto is that indeSale is your independence to be creative!

The deal is that everything is free, and if people make a sale, we collect a 12% fee. So we collect a fee only if and when people earn.

But now we are at our alpha trial stage, so anyone who will sign up before June 1st, will get the services completely free(we WON'T COLLECT ANY FEE) for the next 6 months.

We really want people to try the system and send us some feedback about their experience, what is good, what is bad, what we can improve and so on... It would be really great to hear your opinions as game designers as well as players.

You can send us feedback or issues to feedback@indesale.com or support@indesale.com

The web address is www.indesale.com

Thank you very much, The indeSale team."

Obviously if anyone has any experience of using this distributor, I'd be very interested to hear it in the comments section!

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Yet Another Bird Game Launches on iPhone

2013-05-16T15:27:00.001+01:00

Yet Another Bird Game Flies into the iOS Store

Action, comedy, birds, what could go wrong?

May 16, 2013 – SuperSike Games (http://supersikegames.com/) is a flutter with the news that Yet Another Bird Game (YABG), 2012's Square Enix Game Development Contest Runner Up, is now available on the iOS store for iPhone and iPod Touch. In YABG a mad scientist who hates birds has developed "Current-X" to rid birds from their natural habitat: Electrical wires. This action game of positioning includes 6 bird types, each with their own very distinct personalities and abilities and an endless high score mode that will put players' finger tapping to the test.

Join Beanbag, Forkwing, Spartan, Scarecrow, Dr. Strangebird, and Ben in a wacky action game that takes place high above the ground on the power lines above a fair city. Screen management skills will be put to the test as each bird, with its own unique abilities and problems, has to avoid the deadly current-x! With a wacky story and strange characters Yet Another Bird Game will really worm its way into the heart of even the most hardened bird hating mad scientist.

Yet Another Bird Game is now available for iPhone and iPod Touch with a full range of achievements and leaderboards. Get it now at iTunes.

ABOUT SUPERSIKE GAMES

SuperSike Games is an independent mobile development studio located in New Dehli, India. Their first game, Yet Another Bird Game, was Runner Up in Square Enix's 2012 Game Development Contest and was selected for the Indie Showcase at Casual Connect Asia, 2013.

Yet Another Bird Game - Screenshots and Trailer:

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Zenith Chronicles

2013-05-15T12:23:00.001+01:00

What do you get when you cross a visual novel with a 2d arcade game (and add DRAGONS)? Why, you get the Zenith Chronicles of course!

Gameplay:

Missions are where most of the action takes place! Each mission is an arcade-style shooter level. Goals range from destroying a certain number of monsters to protecting a building. Actions taken during missions can affect the story as well, such as killing or saving civilians.

Dain's choices during the story and missions determines his companions' affection for him, as well as their destiny. Multiple plot branches and more than 7 endings let you enjoy the world of Zenith for several unique playthroughs!

Features:

Intended for ages 15+ due to suggestive themes, mild adult language, and violence.

Engaging story with three main paths and over 7 endings
Customize your characters with dozens of special abilities
Three difficulty settings ensure an enjoyable challenge for gaming novices and experts alike
Enjoy hours upon hours of arcade-style shooter fun through 40 missions
Mission select: Replay any missions you've completed whenever you want
Achievement system: Fulfill "Legends" to unlock tons of bonus content!

Recommended System Specs:

Windows 7/Vista/XP, OpenGL v.1.1+ capable video card with at least 64 MB of video memory, 1 GB of RAM, 200 MB free hard drive space, 800 x 600 or greater screen resolution, 1 GHz or faster processor

More info / demo / purchase

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Assault Android Cactus

2013-05-14T23:36:00.003+01:00

Assault Android Cactus is a fast-paced (often manic!) single or local multiplayer arena shooter that's currently looking for support for it's Steam Greenlight campaign. I've just played a preview build and have to say that it looks and sounds pretty darn impressive. I'm also grateful when developers remember that some of us aren't blessed with powerful systems (my gaming rig kind of imploded on me ages ago and I've had to use a borrowed laptop ever since due to lack of money) - the game looks fantastic but there are also options to par down the options so that it will run at a nice speed even on this decrepit machine.

Assault Android Cactus Screenshots:

Remember, the game is currently on Steam Greenlight seeking votes to be released in the Summer of 2013 on Mac, PC and Linux.

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"Hope: The other side of the adventure". Playing with the frontiers of video games.

2013-05-14T23:05:00.000+01:00

So we've all played the handsome prince dashing to the rescue of the princess who is, invariably, imprisoned in a tower somewhere. But what's it like for the princess? That's the unusual scenario that Madrid-based indie studio Mr Roberto have taken with tier debut title "Hope". Even stranger is that they've described their first game as an "anti-game". It's designed as an experience that takes you 5 minutes per day for 6 days, allowing you to share the experience of the imprisoned princess.

It's the sort of thing that you would never get from mainstream gaming publishers. I don't know if it's weirdly wonderful or just weird, but you can play it for free and find out yourself. Here are some screenies:

PLAY IT FOR FREE NOW:

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Darts Up 3D announced

2013-05-13T17:05:00.002+01:00

Enjoy Up have announced Darts Up 3D on Nintendo 3DS - here are the first screenshots:

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SEAVEN STUDIO REVEALS ETHAN : METEOR HUNTER

2013-05-13T16:58:00.002+01:00

"After the release of our enigmatic teaser, here is the big announcement: we are delighted to reveal our first game currently in development: Ethan : Meteor Hunter, release aimed for this summer 2013 on digital platforms on PC and Playstation 3.

Following unknown events, Ethan got touched by meteorites giving him the power of telekinesis. In a journey through 3 different worlds and 50 levels, Ethan will try to regroup all the pieces of the meteorite that hit him in the first place in a tremendous puzzle-platformer adventure."

Trailer looks interesting... a combination of platforming action and logic puzzling:

Links:
Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SeavenStudio
Twitter @SeavenStudio
Steam Greenlight page: http://www.seaven-studio.com/greenlight
Alpha demo download link: http://www.seaven-studio.com/alpha_demo_download

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Show Me The Sales: 32 Indie PC games on sale for the next 7 days

2013-05-12T16:17:00.002+01:00

The showmethegames.com summer sale is here! 32 Indie PC games will be discounted for the next 7 days at indie pc gaming site www.showmethegames.com. The full list of games and their discounts is on the sales page here: http://www.showmethegames.com/sales.php

Unlike all the other indie sales and bundles, showmethesales is run entirely by developers with nobody taking any cut of the proceeds. The individual developers have all put their games on sale together, and all sales are made direct to the developers through their own indie websites. SMTG doesn't earn a penny from it (it's run by Cliffski from Positech Games).

Games in the sale include Hegemony Gold, Defcon, Revenge of the titans, Gratuitous Tank Battles, and loads more. ShowMeTheGames now lists over 90 PC indie games you can buy direct from the developers websites.

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A game of grave concern...

2013-05-11T20:33:00.000+01:00

...

Wandering around graveyards reading epitaphs has a long tradition in video games, with Monkey Island 2 being probably one of the most memorable examples, but can you actually make a whole game from this concept?

Indie game developer Matthew Ritter certainly thinks so, with a Kickstarter currently in progress for Welcome to Boon Hill. The initial target of $5K has already been achieved, but there are potentially 5 more stretch targets to be achieved (up to a maximum of $20K for everything).

This is what the developer says about it:

"The game is called Welcome to Boon Hill and it's primarily about exploring a graveyard and reading epitaphs. The subtextual plot is about the legacy we leave behind when we die and the subtle history of the town Boon Hill as told by those who have passed away."

I have to admit that I'm struggling to see how this could make a good game, but it's certainly an interesting concept - interesting enough for almost 400 people to have already backed the concept!

Check out the Kickstarter Page for Welcome to Boon Hill. At the time of posting this, the funding campaign has 15 days left to run.

In the meantime, here are some screenshots and the game's trailer:

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Sony waives $99 mobile development fee in play for indies

2013-05-09T12:38:00.002+01:00

"It used to be that anyone with a dream and $99 could develop a PlayStation Vita game through the PlayStation Mobile development program. Now, all you need is the dream."

Read the full story here.

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RED PANDA GAMES ANNOUNCES BETA FOR NOWHERE SAFE 2: UNINTENDED SILENCE

2013-05-09T12:34:00.004+01:00

Seattle, WA. -- May 9, 2013 -- Red Panda Games is pleased to announce the beta release of Nowhere Safe 2: Unintended Silence, a visual novel game.

Please note: This game contains mild language and subject matter that may not be appropriate for users under 16.

Kimiko Yui has been unable to leave her house for over ten years. When her daughter comes down with a mysterious mental illness that requires a chaperone at school, Kimiko finds herself more desperate than ever to conquer her agoraphobia once and for all. More information can be found on their website:

http://www.visualnovelgames.com/Nowhere-Safe2.html

The game is currently in beta, and is expected to be released at the end of this month. The downloadable title will be available for Windows. There will also be a complete free online version of the game for Windows, Mac, and Linux, but with some limited options.

Features:

-Multiple endings and numerous choices to make

-High quality character and background art

-Robust soundtrack and theme song

-Original storyline with unique characters and plot twists

-Modern setting in suburban Japan

-A must play for parents who have children with selective mutism

Game Information:
Title: Nowhere Safe: Unintended Silence
Genre: visual novel
Platform: PC and Flash
Release Date: June 1, 2013
Price: $2.99 (online version will be free)
Minimum System Specifications:
Windows XP/ Vista/ 7

About Red Panda Games:

Red Panda Games is an independent game developer that started in Seattle, WA. Their commercial titles include Bipo: Mystery of the Red Panda, Curse of Slate Rock Manor, and Host Holic. They are the leading commercial source for original English language visual novels.

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New Indie Game Category launches on PlayStation Store

2013-05-08T12:25:00.002+01:00

Sony have announced the launch of a new indie game category on the Playstation Store as part of their big to bring more indie game developers to their console platforms.

"One of the best things about working in this business is the amazing imagination of developers – and I notice this most when talking to the indies. Since the launch of PSN we have encouraged smaller teams and individuals to bring their games to our platforms. This has attracted some really exciting ideas that range from fun, to beautiful, to completely insane.

This week, together with the Sony Network Entertainment team, we are happy to introduce a new indie game area to the PlayStation Store.

This is an exciting space where indie content can receive additional exposure. It’s an opportunity to showcase the best of these great games for PS3 and PS Vita – and for this to be constantly refreshed with the latest releases and promotions. It’s the first and best place to go for indie content (though of course content can still be found through the normal channels too).

I’m delighted that the indie devs have really taken advantage of how open PlayStation is to this tremendous mix of designs and ideas, and that we’re happy to work with everything from traditional buy-and-play games, to free-to-play. We haven’t asked you to trade in sheep for games yet, but I’m sure it’ll come soon.

So, check out the new Indie Game area on the store – where you can download everything from the very best of our indie partners.

To celebrate the launch, you can pick up a copy of one of our favourite independent games, Retro City Rampage by the talented Brian Provinciano of VBlank Entertainment Inc. at a 50% discount."

Full story on the Playstation Blog

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2013 Unity Awards Open Nomination Begins

2013-05-07T20:15:00.000+01:00

San Francisco, CA - May 7, 2013 - Unity Technologies, provider of the Unity multi-platform engine and development tools, have opened up public nominations for their annual Unity Awards event held during the Unite conference, this year at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, Canada. Nominations for awards categories will be accepted through June 30.

The Unity Awards, first celebrated in 2008, recognize the most outstanding examples of games, simulations, visualizations and other projects created using the Unity development platform across a variety of categories. Winners will be revealed in front of the Unity community during a ceremony at Unite 2013 in Vancouver on August 29th.

“When we began creating Unity so many years ago, we had high hopes, but seeing the continuous and shockingly rapid improvement of the interactive games and experiences made with Unity is mind-blowing,” said David Helgason, CEO of Unity Technologies. “Having the chance to recognize these projects and the talented men and women that so passionately create them is one of the best parts of our year. These individuals and organizations are what drive the technology forward and help us strive to make our technology more powerful and more complete.”

Categories for the 2012 Unity Awards include:

Best 3D Visual Experience
Best 2D Visual Experience
Best Technical Achievement
Best Gameplay
Best Student Project
Best VizSim Project
Best Non-game Project
Community Choice
Golden Cube (best overall game/project)

Nominations and winners are chosen by the Unity Technologies team with the exception of the Community Choice award which will be voted on by the Unity community beginning in July.

To find the rules and submission guidelines and submit a project for consideration, please visit: http://unityawards2013.unityproposals.com/

About Unity Technologies

Unity Technologies is the creator of Unity, a flexible and high-performance development platform used to make creative and intelligent interactive 3D and 2D experiences. The "author once, deploy everywhere" capability ensures developers can publish to all of the most popular platforms. Unity Technologies boasts a thriving community of 1.8 million developers including large publishers, indie studios, students and hobbyists. To remain at the forefront of innovation, Unity Technologies tirelessly re-invests in its award-winning 3D development tools and its democratization initiatives, such as the Asset Store digital content marketplace and Union game distribution service. Unity Technologies is headquartered in San Francisco and has offices in Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Singapore, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit: http://unity3d.com.

About Unite 2013

Unity Technologies is holding Unite 2013, its seventh annual developer conference, August 28 - 30, 2013 at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, Canada. Unite 2013 is an event for developers, publishers, enthusiasts and others interested in Unity to come together to learn more about the market-leading platform for creating high quality video games, training simulations, medical and architectural visualizations and other 3D interactive content -- and how to get the most out of it.

Unite 2013 offers three days of learning including advanced hands-on class tutorials, technical sessions and an opportunity to attend awesome parties. Unity Technologies will host a Unity Training Day on August 27, the day before Unite 2013 to give new and inexperienced users a foundation for Unity development through a full day of hands-on work. For more information on Unite 2013 and the Unity Training Day, visit: http://unity3d.com/unite/unite2013/.

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Upcoming MMORTS Samurai Taisen is now on Open Beta Phase

2013-05-07T15:10:00.001+01:00

SURABAYA, INDONESIA - May 6th, 2013 - PST Team proudly announces that the upcoming Samurai Taisen is now on Open Beta phase. It is now open and available for everyone starting from today May 6th, 2013 at 03:00 AM (EDT - Eastern Daylight Time).

The great battles to claim the title of Shogun has just been started. Are you ready to do whatever it takes? Join one of four major factions and fight for glory, or stay as Ronin and fight for your freedom. Develop your lands, train your samurai, and crush others who are trying to obstruct your path.

The fate of Japan rests in your hands, join the battle now at Samurai Taisen (http://taisen.co)

We will be waiting for you.

About Samurai Taisen

Samurai Taisen is an anime-styled massively multiplayer online real-time strategy game. Samurai Taisen takes place at alternate universe of the warring states period in Japan, or also known as Sengoku Period. A time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century.

The players will assume their role as Ji-samurai, lords of small rural domains in feudal Japan. Develop your lands, gather your troops, train your samurai, build your own mighty alliances, do political manouvers, and or crush others who are trying to obstruct your path to the title of the "Shogun".

"Employ Komuso to gain intelligence, Hire ninja and geisha to eliminate your foes. Make allies or enemies, the choice is yours."

About PST Team:

Formed in early September 2011, we are the group of people that is currently developing Samurai Taisen, our second project. Our team consists of small number of people from all over the world that trying their best to realize this project into reality. If you would like to contact us or anything, don’t forget to visit our official homepage to see our progress here:http://pstteam.com

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Tipping Point adventure game series finds new life on iPad

2013-05-02T12:15:00.000+01:00

Charlotte, North Carolina - Tipping Point, the latest release from game designer Dan Russell-Pinson, is now available for iPad. Tipping Point is an immersive, photorealistic adventure game with unexpected plot twists, original music, lifelike characters and beautiful scenery.

Tipping Point is best known for its unique and challenging puzzles. Ranging from logical to visual, each puzzle challenges you to think outside the box and look at the world just a little differently. If you ever get stuck, the built-in hint system will give you a nudge in the right direction.

Solving each puzzle reveals another layer of the intriguing story behind Tipping Point. The gameplay revolves around a team of father and son inventors who were on the cusp of completing their greatest invention ever - human teleportation. However, after an unexpected glitch in the system, something from out of this world was summoned causing the father to lose his mind. His son, Tommy, enlists your help to solve the mystery, which places you right in the middle of the discovery that changes everything. Tipping Point offers an almost cinematic experience with scenes that range from funny to sad and every emotion in between.

Tipping Point began as an online point and click adventure game and drew a large following on the web. This long awaited release finally completes the Tipping Point series with the final 5th chapter and an epilogue. The iPad version features improved high resolution graphics, better sound quality, an in-game hint system and the ability to save game progress for up to five players.

Tipping Point Features:

* 5 Chapters full of fun and challenging puzzles

* An in-game hint system so you'll never get stuck

* An engaging storyline and realistic characters

* 55 photorealistic screens

* Almost 400 unique sound effects

* 12 Original music compositions

* Easy single-finger controls

* Ability to save your game progress

* Ability to create up to 5 player profiles

Device Requirements:

* iPad (iOS 4.3 or higher)

* 255 MB

Pricing and Availability:

Tipping Point 1.0 will be offered at an introductory price of $1.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store.

http://TippingPointGame.com

Dan Russell-Pinson is an independent game designer and author of many top-rated iPhone and iPad apps including Tipping Point, Stack the States and Monster Physics. He operates out of his home in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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Guns of Icarus Content Update (V1.2)

2013-05-01T21:27:00.000+01:00

Guns of Icarus Online Update: Version 1.2

New Map, New Tutorials, New Achievements, and More Costumes!

Apr 30, 2013 – Guns of Icaurs Online is pleased to announce yet another major free content update to its post apocalyptic airship combat game. This update includes a new 2v2 King of the Hill map set in the burned out shell of a once great metropolis, scripted tutorials for new players, a new commendation system to award players for their sportsmanship, skill, and tutoring, and a bunch of new costumes. Additionally Guns continues to push for its first milestone stretch goal on Kickstarter with 20 days remaining. Get involved at http://kck.st/YtnfSW or directly on the website at www.GunsofIcarus.com.

The key features to this update include

· The Labyrinth: A 2 vs 2 King of the Hill match set in the forgotten ruins of a dark metropolis. See the map teaser video athttp://youtu.be/gvwSwtTjGNM.

· Scripted Tutorials: A major improvement for new fans will be actual in game tutorials for each class, including expanded text and the ability to create stationary and moving targets for target practice.

· New Achievements and Commendations: To further promote new player learning each match now allows players to award commendations to people they feel were especially excellent during the match. These commendations can trigger new achievements and rewards! Additionally the level cap is now 11.

· Beginner Only Matches: Lastly for new players will be a beginner only tier of play, which can be entered only by players at level 1 or by community staff who have been approved for teaching their beloved newbies.

· New Costumes: Because you can never have too many hats.

· New Effects: More particle effects for weapons, new flare gun model, gun handles, and maybe a bird or two.

Guns of Icarus Online is the premier airship combat game where up to 4 players man a single ship in their attempt to coordinate with their team to bring down the enemies in a variety of game modes. Adventure Mode expands on this format, creating a living online world with true player, town, and meta progression. Kickstarter backers will receive some amazing rewards for their support, including the return of the ultra-popular Bullet USB, now in a polished aluminum style as well as the original brass. More information at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/musegames/guns-of-icarus-onlineadventure-mode.

ABOUT MUSE GAMES
Muse Games is an independent game development studio in New York City that creates original 3D games using the Unity engine. Their flagship products, CreaVures and Guns of Icarus Online, are available on Steam. Find out more at www.musegames.com

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New Star BAFTA!

2013-04-30T21:07:00.000+01:00

Massive props to Simon Read of New Star Software, whose game New Star Soccer was nominated for BAFTAs in the Sport and Mobile Gaming categories, and actually beat off the likes of FIFA2013 to win in the Sports category!

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RECEIVE THE JAGGED ALLIANCE CLASSIC PACK WHEN YOU BACK THE JAGGED ALLIANCE: FLASHBACK KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN

2013-04-30T21:00:00.002+01:00

RECEIVE THE JAGGED ALLIANCE CLASSIC PACK WHEN YOU BACK THE JAGGED ALLIANCE: FLASHBACK KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN

Full Control teams up with Humble Bundle to offer backers the limited edition Classic Pack

Copenhagen, Denmark – April 30th, 2013 - Danish development studio Full Control announced today that it has partnered with Humble Bundle to give each backer of the Jagged Alliance: Flashback Kickstarter campaign a copy of the limited-edition Jagged Alliance Classic Pack. Upon successful completion of project funding, all backers who have contributed $5 or more will receive a collection of Jagged Alliancetitles, including Jagged Alliance, Jagged Alliance: Deadly Games, Jagged Alliance 2 and Jagged Alliance 2: Unfinished Business in English. Additionally, the Classic Pack features Windows 7 support – a first for the franchise.

All Jagged Alliance Classic Packs will be distributed through Humble Bundle a few weeks after Kickstarter funding is successfully reached. The DRM free Windows, Mac and Linux versions of Jagged Alliance: Flashback will also be shipped through Humble Bundle to backers who pledged $25 or more upon commercial launch of the title in 2014. To contribute funds and qualify for the Jagged Alliance Classic Pack, please visit: http://kck.st/11A8VYf

“We are excited to be able to offer our Kickstarter supporters this valuable, limited edition Classic Pack to keep them entertained during the full development phase of Jagged Alliance: Flashback”, said Thomas Lund, CEO of Full Control. “Humble Bundle is a great partner, and we are grateful for their support during the funding phase of what we know will be an excellent addition to the Jagged Alliance brand”.

CEO Thomas Lund will be doing an IAMA on reddit today at 2pm Eastern Daylight Time (19.00 BST / 20:00 CET) to promote the Kickstarter and answer serious and fun questions from the fans.

Set in the late-1980’s on the Caribbean Island of San Christobal, Jagged Alliance: Flashback transports players back in time to the cold war era. They are to experience the events surrounding the foundation of A.I.M. the international mercenary organization. A destabilizing coup d’état establishes a powerful socialist regime. A hard-line fanatic U.S.S.R. General seizes the opportunity to establish a military base right under the nose of the U.S. Under the secret orders of the CIA, players must re-stabilize the balance of power in the region, restore the democratic government of San Christobal and drive out the U.S.S.R. presence by any means necessary.

Gameplay features will emphasize the core pillars that made the original games great: deep strategy, thrilling action and character RPG elements. The Kickstarter campaign gives the fans the opportunity to determine the scope and scale of Jagged Alliance: Flashback, directly influence the shape of the game and participate during its development. With funding currently standing at over $104,000 over the first seven days, pledges beyond the funding goal of $350,000 will kick off new stretch goals to expand the core game by adding content and gameplay features.

For more information about Jagged Alliance: Flashback and Full Control news:

Visit Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2079547763/jagged-alliance-flashback?ref=live

Visit the Jagged Alliance website:www.jaggedallianceflashback.com/

Visit the Full Control website: http://www.fullcontrol.dk/

Visit us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JaggedAllianceFlashback

History of the Jagged Alliance Franchise:

Jagged Alliance was first released in 1994 and is still counted as one the best turn based strategy games of its time. After the release of Jagged Alliance 2 in 1999 the series slipped back into the cold war and received a reboot in 2010 with Jagged Alliance – Back in Action. Full Control plan to reset the franchise with the launch of Jagged Alliance: Flashback through Kickstarter.

About Full Control

Full Control is a small independent studio based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Over the years they have specialized in the genre of turn-based strategy games and have several productions in their portfolio: Their current project is a turn-based videogame adaptation of the hugely popular Warhammer 40k title “Space Hulk”.

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Kickstarter for a 4-Player Co-op Metroid-vania game launches today

2013-04-26T21:10:00.001+01:00

The Dream King now has a funding campaign up and running.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/825994460/the-dream-king

More info and screenshots can also be found here.

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Don't get bored, get AmaiSed - New word game released for iOS

2013-04-26T13:13:00.001+01:00

Glenrothes, Scotland - Independent publisher Stuart McLean today is happy to announce AmaiS for iPhone and iPod touch, a word game with a firm focus on fun and interaction. The goal of the game is deceptively simple, as these things often are. Make words from a grid of nine given letters to get as many words and as high a score as you can before the time runs out. Use multipliers, power-ups and bonuses to maximise your score, extend time or swap the letter set. Freeze power-ups can be used against your opponent in multiplayer.

Multiple game modes combine with Game Center local and online multiplayer and a novel email challenge mode which allows you to get the two player experience while in single player mode, without requiring Game Center or any other connection. Achievements and an ever expanding cache of games being added keep things fresh and fun.

Version 1.0 highlights:

* Classic mode, aim for the most words or the highest score

* Beat The Clock, devilishly challenging quick-fire rounds against the clock

* Use Game Center to play real-time against friends or a random player from anywhere in the world

* Local Bluetooth and WiFi multiplayer for face-to-face battles

* Send challenges by email from within the app to other AmaiS players, even if they don't use Game Center

* In-game power-ups change out the letters or add some vital time to the game

* During two player matches power-ups can freeze an opponent out for a few seconds

* Online leader-boards and achievements

Device Requirements:

* An iPhone or iPod touch with iOS 5 or later

* Optimized for iPhone 5 and iPod touch Fifth Generation

* 3.0 MB

Pricing and Availability:

AmaiS 1.0 is priced at $0.99 USD (or equivalent in other currencies) and is available worldwide exclusively through the Apple App Store in the Games/Word category.

Purchase and Download: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/amais/id622500854

Stuart McLean is an independent app developer. Self taught after an accident left him disabled and unemployable, he works far too many hours for the love of the game. Stuart McLean develops and publishes games and apps exclusively for the iOS platform.

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Football sensation Score! goes global with biggest ever update

2013-04-25T15:19:00.001+01:00

London, United Kingdom - Independent developer First Touch Games today is proud to announce the release of the biggest ever update to its hit game Score! on the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The arrival of the update also coincides with Score! passing over nine million downloads to date. The update brings a vast assortment of graphical and gameplay enhancements, including the addition of over 200 goals from around the World. To reflect the game's new global outlook, the name has also been changed from Score! Classic Goals to Score! World Goals.

In addition to new goals Score! World Goals update includes updated graphics and sound effects, a brand new turn-based multiplayer mode via Game Center, a Daily Goal Challenge mode with global player rankings. Integration with social networks means that players can now post their achievements via Facebook and Twitter. Additionally, new goal packs will be added on a regular basis.

Score! World Goals is a free to download football-themed puzzle game that allows players to recreate fantastic historical goals from around the world. Since its launch, Score! has hit the #1 spot in over 80 countries as well as winning a host of awards. The game features an advanced 3D graphics engine that utilises full motion capture coupled with smart defensive artificial intelligence that reacts to shots and passes, making the players feel like they're part of the action.

Key features of Score! World Goals:

* NEW More Goals! - 200 new goals from around the world

* NEW turn-based multiplayer via Game Center

* NEW Daily Goal Challenge mode

* NEW graphics and sound effects

* NEW Integration with Facebook and Twitter

* NEW goal packs to be added regularly

Device Requirements:

* iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad

* Requires iOS 5.0 or later

* 47.5 MB

Pricing and Availability:

Score! World Goals 2.0 is Free and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Games category.

First Touch Games: http://www.firsttouchgames.com/w/

Score! World Goals 2.0: http://www.firsttouchgames.com/w/?page_id=1493

First Touch Games is an award-winning independent studio, developing sports games across digital download platforms. With over 18 million downloads of their games to date, and multiple number one spots throughout the app store charts, they are 110% focused on delivering games of the highest quality. Their most critically and commercially successful games include Score!, Dream League Soccer & First Touch Soccer.

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Active Soccer - a VERY exciting multi-platform football game in development!

2013-04-25T12:21:00.001+01:00

Hands up if the name Dino Dini is forever engraved in your skull? Or if you get incredibly nostalgic when people talk about Kick Off / Kick Off 2 and Player Manager?

Thought so ... a veritable sea of virtual hands going up. Well, prepare to get excited!

Gianluca Troiano (AKA "The Fox" of "The Fox Software") was, back in the heyday of the 16-bit machines, World Kick Off 2 Champion on several occasions. His freeware PC game Throw In, essentially a modern homage to KO2, is a great little game that stole a lot of my life a few years ago when I first discovered it. However things are about to be taken to a whole new level...

After toying with our affections by promising a remake of Player Manager, Gianluca has gone one better - creating a multi-platform (iOS and Android at the moment, although check that your device is compatible because my slightly outdated Galaxy Ace can't run it) football game called Active Soccer, with which players can challenge each other independently of the platform they are running it on.

Here's what the developer says about Active Soccer:

"We are an indie studios that is producing Active Soccer a multi-platform football game that take inspiration by 90's classic games like Sensible Soccer and Kick Off 2. The game is a fast paced arcade game and it is the first online cross-platform football game ever!

Here are some features:

- Classic gameplay

- 360 degrees movements

- Total control of the game

- Exciting online multiplayer match

- Choose your preferred player and climb up the international ranking

- Compete in the world cup and try to prevail

- Draw the most effective tactic on the pitch and win

- Practice with free kicks and penalties

- 3D game engine

- iCade support (even on Android)

- Display retina support, iPhone5 4-inch display support.

- Soundtrack created by Chris Huelsbeck (Turrican, Jim Power, The Great Giana Sisters, x-Out and many other titles)

- Extremely fun!

The game is available for iOS on Apple Store

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/active-soccer/id581463177?l=en&mt=8

and it is available for Android on Google Play Market

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thefoxsoftware.activesoccer

Soon will be release PC Windows, Mac OS, Windows Phone 8, Playbook and BlackBerry 10 versions."

I am assured that a career mode is being worked on, though presumably after the initial porting to other platforms has been done.

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