Independent studios can make games as impressive as the big boys. Sometimes it’s the combined passion, sometimes a fantastic idea clicks or a technological innovation blows away gamers across the globe. Whatever may spark the powder keg, we gamers have seen a few unexpected hits in recent years. iTZKooPA hadn’t heard of The Game Bakers or Squids, the hardcore casual game the company is about to deliver, but we gave the small studio a chance.
Considering how addicting and replayable Squids turned out to be, we’re glad we did. The innocent product has a good chance to become one of the success stories from left field when it’s released next week (iPhone) and later this month (iPad, PC, Mac).
Check out the video to find out what makes Squids a hardcore game, the plans for its future, including content and updates, how to access the bonus map and why you should care. Yeah, a casual game with story!
You read that right. Night Owl Games has made a game it proclaims to be the first hardcore Facebook game to date. Frankly, after playing it since PAX Prime this year, I have to agree. Not only is Dungeon Overlord substantially more intense than say, Farmville, it has Mrs. Mordil and I logging in daily to check up on our dungeons and strategize together.
The first thing I have to comment on for Night Owl was the quality of the graphics the company offers for the game. Dungeon Overlordis a 2D game, but all the models and objects have great detail due to them first creating everything as a 3D model, then converting it to 2D. Making DO a perfect blend of 2D and 3D models.
After noticing that, and jumping into the meat of the gameplay, I felt right at home due to my playing of Tribal Wars all that time ago. The gameplay is very similar, in the fact that time is the handicap; with different “rooms” as the buildings from Tribal Wars.
However, there are so many more resources you need to gather to create things – and upgrade, of course – that the game constantly has you strategizing to earn the needed rewards. Taking it a step further, not every dungeon offers the same resource nodes, or the same number of nodes, forcing players to explore and conquer new lands out of necessity. From simple gold and iron, the quicksilver and diamonds, you need a plethora of resources to support your dungeon empire.
Also a different feature one must notice: all you have to start out with in a new dungeon is the “Vault” which holds all your gold. It’ll take some time to get it to Scrooge McDuck levels.
After the jump is the introduction video created by Night Owl Games. Read on for my last first comments, and gameplay footage. Continue Reading
Rolling around the prefabricated wall to the other half of Turbine’s booth, Executive Producer Aaron Campbell schools iTZKooPA on Rise of Isengard, the upcoming expansion for Lord of the Rings Online. He learns where the epic storyline is progressing, details on the new social hub, the removal of stat caps, aspects of the largest raid in the game’s history and so much more.
Fernando Paiz takes iTZKooPA down the windy path of the home turf for House Cannith, the technological epicenter in Dungeon & Dragon Online. The city nestled into a mountain side is not as humble as it appears. Something lurks beneath the incredible inventions of the house. Something sinister. A force that is threatening the technology hub. The force now yields untold powers. It must be dealt with. The house has been incapable of eradicating the Lord of Blades itself and has begun searching for outside help.
Executive Producer James MacCauley takes iTZKooPA on a whizzbang tour of FireFall. The dynamic duo preview the just-revealed Engineer class, detail the free-to-play title’s cash shop, jump into a dynamic event and discuss the all important library of loot.
Fernando Paiz and iTZKooPA get back together to discuss the latest developments in Dungeons & Dragons Online. Paiz breaks out his unfair – read GM-created – Artificer to showcase the first dual-wielding class in straight outta Eberron. The executive producer follows up the gameplay with details on House Cannith and the latest adventure pack before detailing the party buffs the new class has to offer.
But wait there’s more! Check the video for the latest.
Chris Lena and iTZKooPA catch up on the latest for End of Nations. Considering the pair originaly discussed the now free-to-play MMORTS over a-freaking-year ago there have been a few developments. Not only has Trion Worlds declared that the game is entirely F2P at launch, but it’ll contain standard RTS modes like 2v2 and 4v4, co-op RTS options and massive PvP battles scaling as high as 52 players. The title will be supported by the typical cash shop, which will offer everything from XP boosts to American flag skins as shown in the video.
Check out the video for more, including the beta status, overworld breakdown and one massive tank.
Todd Harris stands up with iTZKooPA to discuss the latest development of Tribes: Ascend. The online FPS is sure to glue long-time Tribes players to their screens once again, featuring numerous throwback features including freedom of movement, heavy aerial combat, skill-based PvP, skating, vehicular combat and so much more.
Independent studios can make games as impressive as the big boys. Sometimes it’s the combined passion, sometimes a fantastic idea clicks or a technological innovation blows away gamers across the globe. Whatever may spark the powder keg, we gamers have seen a few unexpected hits in recent years. iTZKooPA hadn’t heard of The Game Bakers or Squids, the hardcore casual game the company is about to deliver, but we gave the small studio a chance.
