This year I played around 42 new digital games (most part of them were indie games). It's difficult to select only 10, but I tried. Below, a list with my favorites from 2021:
• Mundaun
The best game I played this year. Mundaun is an immersive deep into a lovingly hand-pencilled horror tale set in a dark, secluded valley of the Swiss Alps. I walked the scenario two times in a row. Everything is perfect in this game: ambience, soundtrack, enemies. If you are a fan of horror games, this one is for you.
• Little Nightmares 2
The first part is awesome and the second is much more incredible. Little Nightmares 2 is an oniric travel inside a disturbed mind with a glorious plot twist in the end. Graphics are insane!
• Curse of the dead gods
Walk, kill enemies, return, do it all over again. A good title for roguelike fans with an Incan theme in the background. The game is a little unbalanced, but fun is guaranteed.
• Linelight
Well, I'm a big fan of abstract games. Linelight is a game created only with lines, points, and dots of light. Puzzles have an interest progression with the gameplay and the soundtrack is very relaxing. Beautiful with simplicity.
• Heal
A game about an old man with dementia. You must solve enigmas from the past of his memories to discover a love narrative fulfilled with pain and sadness. I loved the dark art and the somber atmosphere in the 2D scenario.
• Dead Cells
Little bit old, but excellent. I played this year for the first time. Classic roguelike game with an interesting medieval/high-tech ambience.
• Death Crown
Strange visual. Bizarre ambience. Death Crown, in a first view, looks like an old PC game from the 80s, but there's great mechanics inside the gameplay. A true indie game.
• Kholat
Based in The Dyatlov Pass incident. The incident was an event in which nine Russian hikers died in the northern Ural Mountains between 1 and 2 February 1959, in uncertain circumstances. The experienced trekking group from the Ural Polytechnical Institute, led by Igor Dyatlov, had established a camp on the eastern slopes of Kholat Syakhl. During the night, something caused them to cut their way out of their tent and flee the campsite while inadequately dressed for the heavy snowfall and subzero temperatures. The game explores supernatural forces and puts you as an investigator on the scenario.
• Children of Morta
RPG, roguelike, awesome pixel art, and a very unique narrative. Go get your copy now!
• Hook
One of the most interesting minimal puzzles games I played in my life. The studio created a great gameplay using lines and dots with very clever solutions. Very relaxing game, by the way.
Wow! What a list! I want to play all of them again.
#GoGamers
Mostrando postagens com marcador indie games. Mostrar todas as postagens
Mostrando postagens com marcador indie games. Mostrar todas as postagens
quarta-feira, 1 de dezembro de 2021
segunda-feira, 7 de dezembro de 2020
10 best games I played in 2020
2020 was a terrible year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but it was a good year in terms of games (at least for me). I played a lot of good games this year and I present in this post a list of the 10 that I liked the most. Check it below and I'm crossing my fingers for a better year in 2021.
THE GARDENS BETWEEN
What I liked about the game: beatiful narrative; delicated graphics; great puzzles (using time travel mechanics).
FRACTER
What I liked about the game: dark atmosphere; unfamiliar soundtrack; abstract narrative; awesome puzzles.
CARRION
What I liked about the game: the monster's movement system is epic!; excellent pixel art.
PARATOPIC
What I liked about the game: it's strange (a lot).
THE LAST OF US 2
What I liked about the game: narrative is perfect; graphics are perfect.
ALMOST GONE
What I liked about the game: the "3D" puzzle system is very interesting; narrative is nice.
HYPER LIGHT DRIFTER
What I liked about the game: there's a beatiful story behind the game creative process; awesome pixel art; the dash mechanics is perfect!
PAN PAN
What I liked about the game: cute and clever.
OVER THE TOP TOWER DEFENSE
What I liked about the game: very funny tower defense mechanics; characters are awesome.
HADES
What I liked about the game: insane procedural scenario; combat is great; narrative is perfect; Zagreus (main character) is very charismatic
#GoGamers
THE GARDENS BETWEEN
What I liked about the game: beatiful narrative; delicated graphics; great puzzles (using time travel mechanics).
FRACTER
What I liked about the game: dark atmosphere; unfamiliar soundtrack; abstract narrative; awesome puzzles.
CARRION
What I liked about the game: the monster's movement system is epic!; excellent pixel art.
PARATOPIC
What I liked about the game: it's strange (a lot).
THE LAST OF US 2
What I liked about the game: narrative is perfect; graphics are perfect.
ALMOST GONE
What I liked about the game: the "3D" puzzle system is very interesting; narrative is nice.
HYPER LIGHT DRIFTER
What I liked about the game: there's a beatiful story behind the game creative process; awesome pixel art; the dash mechanics is perfect!
PAN PAN
What I liked about the game: cute and clever.
OVER THE TOP TOWER DEFENSE
What I liked about the game: very funny tower defense mechanics; characters are awesome.
HADES
What I liked about the game: insane procedural scenario; combat is great; narrative is perfect; Zagreus (main character) is very charismatic
#GoGamers
domingo, 8 de novembro de 2020
Strangeness in games
If you, like me, are a fan of Kafka’s and Don DeLillo’s books, like the way David Lynch directs his films, and know how to appreciate the dark atmosphere from Lustmord’s compositions, you are certainly a person who loves to experience a feeling of strangeness in different mediatic productions.
It’s hard to explain; you read the book, watch the movie, listen to the music etc. and, at first, can’t say with clear words why you liked the content so much. This bizarre feeling of strangeness possesses your inner self as a familiar memory and generates an equal strange feeling of pleasure.
It’s also difficult to explain in a few words all the sensations in this context, but in this post, I want to talk about some games that brought up this feeling of strangeness in me. It’s a short list with brief comments of each one. I hope you like the titles and feel free to share in the comments what kind of game gives to you this feeling of strangeness, too. =)
1. Paratopic: characters with distorted voices and faces, extremely dark soundtrack and a fragmented script that invites the player to complete the narrative in his mind. Paratopic is a short game but with a great experience (especially if you like David Lynch’s movies).
2. North: this is a bizarre title about an immigrant from a distant land arriving in an industrial city trying to earn money for his family. Gray aliens NPCs, cameras following you all the time, a temple filled with people praying for a huge eye are some of the elements that make North a unique game.
3. Here they lie: this one is a Kafkian nightmare filled with anthropozoomorphic beings. It’s a narrative about finding love in the middle of corruption and filth. One point to highlight: the sound design is extremely exquisite.
4. Bloodborne: well, when I talk about games that bring up a feeling of strangeness in me, I’m not talking only about indie titles. Bloodborne is strange from the beginning to the end. The scenario’s medieval structures with demons and the elements of steampunk are a perfect mix for a very rare experience.
5. YINSH: this is a board game. So, you can ask me: how can a board game create a sense of strangeness in its experience? I can tell you that the game’s box cover always takes me to a distant place; to an alien landscape in which we are commanding living geometric shapes dueling in a colossal arena. I think all abstract games have this effect in me, but YINSH specifically affects me more in this sense.
Well, without doubt, this post is one of the strangest from the last years. Hope you like the references and the ideas.
#GoGamers
It’s hard to explain; you read the book, watch the movie, listen to the music etc. and, at first, can’t say with clear words why you liked the content so much. This bizarre feeling of strangeness possesses your inner self as a familiar memory and generates an equal strange feeling of pleasure.
It’s also difficult to explain in a few words all the sensations in this context, but in this post, I want to talk about some games that brought up this feeling of strangeness in me. It’s a short list with brief comments of each one. I hope you like the titles and feel free to share in the comments what kind of game gives to you this feeling of strangeness, too. =)
1. Paratopic: characters with distorted voices and faces, extremely dark soundtrack and a fragmented script that invites the player to complete the narrative in his mind. Paratopic is a short game but with a great experience (especially if you like David Lynch’s movies).
2. North: this is a bizarre title about an immigrant from a distant land arriving in an industrial city trying to earn money for his family. Gray aliens NPCs, cameras following you all the time, a temple filled with people praying for a huge eye are some of the elements that make North a unique game.
3. Here they lie: this one is a Kafkian nightmare filled with anthropozoomorphic beings. It’s a narrative about finding love in the middle of corruption and filth. One point to highlight: the sound design is extremely exquisite.
4. Bloodborne: well, when I talk about games that bring up a feeling of strangeness in me, I’m not talking only about indie titles. Bloodborne is strange from the beginning to the end. The scenario’s medieval structures with demons and the elements of steampunk are a perfect mix for a very rare experience.
5. YINSH: this is a board game. So, you can ask me: how can a board game create a sense of strangeness in its experience? I can tell you that the game’s box cover always takes me to a distant place; to an alien landscape in which we are commanding living geometric shapes dueling in a colossal arena. I think all abstract games have this effect in me, but YINSH specifically affects me more in this sense.
Well, without doubt, this post is one of the strangest from the last years. Hope you like the references and the ideas.
#GoGamers
domingo, 1 de dezembro de 2019
My list of the best games played this year, and a small reflection for 2020
On the last post of this year, I decided to make a list of the best games I played during 2019. Curiously, during the process of this ranking, I found myself reflecting on the content of Jesper Juul’s new book “Handmade Pixels” (2019).
In his new book, Juul discusses how independent games became a historical movement that borrowed the term “independent” from film and music while finding its own kind of independence. The reading of Juul’s book makes me reflect about how truly independent games that I played this year are, and what makes an indie game a really independent product.
Well, I’m still reading the book and I’ll make some considerations about it soon. It’s a really interesting content for game design and game studies classes.
For now, I want to share the list with the best 10 games that I have experienced in 2019. Important: 1) some of them are a little bit old, but I only played them this year; 2) they aren’t listed in a scale “from best to worst”, I just put them together.
Hope you enjoy it! See you next year!
#GoGamers
Reference:
JUUL, Jesper. Handmade Pixels: Independent Video Games and the Quest for Authenticity. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2019
In his new book, Juul discusses how independent games became a historical movement that borrowed the term “independent” from film and music while finding its own kind of independence. The reading of Juul’s book makes me reflect about how truly independent games that I played this year are, and what makes an indie game a really independent product.
Well, I’m still reading the book and I’ll make some considerations about it soon. It’s a really interesting content for game design and game studies classes.
For now, I want to share the list with the best 10 games that I have experienced in 2019. Important: 1) some of them are a little bit old, but I only played them this year; 2) they aren’t listed in a scale “from best to worst”, I just put them together.
- Baba is you
- What remains of Edith Finch
- Blasphemous
- Return of the Obra Dinn
- Cuphead
- Gris
- Gorogoa
- Katana Zero
- Hue
- Resident Evil 2 (remake)
Hope you enjoy it! See you next year!
#GoGamers
Reference:
JUUL, Jesper. Handmade Pixels: Independent Video Games and the Quest for Authenticity. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2019
segunda-feira, 11 de março de 2019
A word about the Polish gaming market
Last January, I was travelling in the European east. The main purpose of this trip was to finish my post-doctorate research about “Advergames: games as marketing tools” that I developed with Paneurópska vysoká škola at Bratislava (Slovakia). I presented the results and it was great (one more trophy achieved on the academic game).
After some days in Bratislava, I travelled to Kiev (Ukraine) and then to Krakow (Poland). In the last part of this trip, in Poland, I visited one awesome gaming studio named Moonlit. Knowing that the Polish land is a great market for games, I sent some e-mails trying to contact people from the local industry to share some ideas and discover new points of view. I talked to Mateusz Wanatowicz, PR and marketing specialist in Moonlit Games. Below, I surmised our conversation, sharing highlights of the polish gaming industry, Moonlit projects and an overview of polish gaming market.
1.Why do we need to pay attention to the Polish gaming market?
Well, it’s one very important market in the central Europe. According to the last Newzoo gaming research, the country (with a population of 34 million people) has profited around 500 million dollars with gaming products. In comparison to Brazil - a country with 210 million people and a profit of 1.3 billion dollars in the gaming market - it’s a very interesting emergent market to pay attention to.
2. About Moonlit Games studio
Moonlit is a gaming studio and a software house. In 2018, the company started to produce two authorial projects: Playerless - an arcade game where you need to fix bugs and the NPCs to run it correctly (PC); and Ignis - a battle arena game with wizards, sorcery and combats (PC and Xbox). Below, you can check some trailers and contents from both games.
3. Some aspects of the Polish gaming industry
It is a promising industry as we saw in the first topic. According to Wanatowicz, the government of Poland sees this industry as a profitable area to invest money in and an entry door for many startups and small initiatives for new business. Wanatowicz highlighted that big events, games jams and young talents are receiving support from the government; and, another important point: careers in gaming area (coding, game designing, 3D art etc.) are also prominent in the academic area.
Another important thing to mention is the fact that the games from the series “The Witcher” were a way to present the Polish gaming industry to the whole world.
It is important to say that board games and card games have a main role in this context too. Local production of analogic games is growing year by year.
4.Polish gamers
Wanatowicz also said that Polish gamers, in a general way, support the local industry and they are proud of the national industry and gaming production.
5.A final message to the Gaming Conceptz audience
Mateusz Wanatowicz emphasizes that part of the success of a gaming industry is about how government, gamer community, studios/companies and universities can join powers to create a fertile ecosystem for different kinds of projects. Big initiatives as “The Witcher” series are fundamental, but supporting indie studios, small startups, events and clear marketing rules are also a key for a good gaming market.
Note: check Moonlit works in the official site and social media by clicking in the links!
#GoGamers
After some days in Bratislava, I travelled to Kiev (Ukraine) and then to Krakow (Poland). In the last part of this trip, in Poland, I visited one awesome gaming studio named Moonlit. Knowing that the Polish land is a great market for games, I sent some e-mails trying to contact people from the local industry to share some ideas and discover new points of view. I talked to Mateusz Wanatowicz, PR and marketing specialist in Moonlit Games. Below, I surmised our conversation, sharing highlights of the polish gaming industry, Moonlit projects and an overview of polish gaming market.
1.Why do we need to pay attention to the Polish gaming market?
Well, it’s one very important market in the central Europe. According to the last Newzoo gaming research, the country (with a population of 34 million people) has profited around 500 million dollars with gaming products. In comparison to Brazil - a country with 210 million people and a profit of 1.3 billion dollars in the gaming market - it’s a very interesting emergent market to pay attention to.
2. About Moonlit Games studio
Moonlit is a gaming studio and a software house. In 2018, the company started to produce two authorial projects: Playerless - an arcade game where you need to fix bugs and the NPCs to run it correctly (PC); and Ignis - a battle arena game with wizards, sorcery and combats (PC and Xbox). Below, you can check some trailers and contents from both games.
3. Some aspects of the Polish gaming industry
It is a promising industry as we saw in the first topic. According to Wanatowicz, the government of Poland sees this industry as a profitable area to invest money in and an entry door for many startups and small initiatives for new business. Wanatowicz highlighted that big events, games jams and young talents are receiving support from the government; and, another important point: careers in gaming area (coding, game designing, 3D art etc.) are also prominent in the academic area.
Another important thing to mention is the fact that the games from the series “The Witcher” were a way to present the Polish gaming industry to the whole world.
It is important to say that board games and card games have a main role in this context too. Local production of analogic games is growing year by year.
4.Polish gamers
Wanatowicz also said that Polish gamers, in a general way, support the local industry and they are proud of the national industry and gaming production.
5.A final message to the Gaming Conceptz audience
Mateusz Wanatowicz emphasizes that part of the success of a gaming industry is about how government, gamer community, studios/companies and universities can join powers to create a fertile ecosystem for different kinds of projects. Big initiatives as “The Witcher” series are fundamental, but supporting indie studios, small startups, events and clear marketing rules are also a key for a good gaming market.
Note: check Moonlit works in the official site and social media by clicking in the links!
#GoGamers
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