"Another Castle combines classic platforming gameplay with the randomness of a roguelike. You play as Andy, a dude who's looking for a random item, whether it be a kick ass magical sword, a wizard hat, or royalty. To find the item you must run, jump, and fight your way through a randomly generated castle. When you beat the game, you sadly won't get the item, as it's always in another castle. Instead, the item is now unlocked and can be found in future playthroughs of the game."
As I scour the depths of Kickstarter I want to bring you guys the best bits I find and "Another Castle" looks to be one of the better looking games. I like the idea of a Retro roguelike 2D... Read All
"Another Castle combines classic platforming gameplay with the randomness of a roguelike. You play as Andy, a dude who's looking for a random item, whether it be a kick ass magical sword, a wizard hat, or royalty. To find the item you must run, jump, and fight your way through a randomly generated castle. When you beat the game, you sadly won't get the item, as it's always in another castle. Instead, the item is now unlocked and can be found in future playthroughs of the game."
As I scour the depths of Kickstarter I want to bring you guys the best bits I find and "Another Castle" looks to be one of the better looking games. I like the idea of a Retro roguelike 2D sidescroller with procedural levels and loot. Plus it also looks like quite a lot of fun!
As the year marches forward we want to keep up with awesome giveaway contests. And as such we are rolling into our next foray: The Bioshock Infinite EXTRAVAGANZA! Like many of you, we enjoyed taking a journey through the world of Rapture and want to help you experience the next set of awesomeness alongside Booker and Elizabeth.
We are giving away a copy on Steam Gifts as per usual to drop in one lucky person's Steam account on March 25th. No strings attached. Head over to SteamGifts to enter that contest:
To increase your chances to win we are pulling out some pretty weighty American Exceptionalism... Read All
Hey all,
As the year marches forward we want to keep up with awesome giveaway contests. And as such we are rolling into our next foray: The Bioshock Infinite EXTRAVAGANZA! Like many of you, we enjoyed taking a journey through the world of Rapture and want to help you experience the next set of awesomeness alongside Booker and Elizabeth.
We are giving away a copy on Steam Gifts as per usual to drop in one lucky person's Steam account on March 25th. No strings attached. Head over to SteamGifts to enter that contest:
To increase your chances to win we are pulling out some pretty weighty American Exceptionalism sprinkled with a dash of Ayn. Add Bioshock to your game list here on Cheerful Ghost. Once it’s added to your list write a bit about your thoughts and experiences with the original Bioshock and your entry is set!
We will choose the winner based on which post we like the most.
Remember to have fun but be cool, Cheerful Ghost is a community of totally awesome people.
THE FINE PRINT: * Make sure “Bioshock Infinite Contest” is somewhere in the body of your post. No worries, we will find it but this will help. * We are giving away one copy of Bioshock Infinite on Steam Gifts and one copy on Cheerful Ghost to the winner. All winners will be chosen by March 25th at 9PM EST. * All posts to Cheerful Ghost center around games in your list SO your post must be for "Bioshock Infinite" to be counted for the contest. Comments do not count. * This contest is only for people who do not have Bioshock Infinite, not to add something to add to your inventory for trading. We will check the winner's Steam inventory to check that the winner doesn't already own the game before giving it out. * We rule on the side of fun in the case any problems arise.
Bioshock Infinite Contest Entry: Bioshock,the game that shocked me.I dont remember when I played it.But I know something.The game changed me.The game,changed my life!It give me something different.I had much fun with that game.But I dont have a credit card,so I cant buy this one.I said my father,I will give 70-80 dollars for a 60 dollars game.But he didnt trust this gaming sites.He dont even trust Steam.I was going to be a master,when I play this.Now I cant.I asked a lot of people.I want help from them to let me buy this game.But they didnt give me chance too.They didnt give me a chance to let me be a master of shocking.Yes,I call this master of shocking,its a cool name for a cool game..Now,I am asking you.Will you change me?Will you make me the shocking master?
In only thirty minutes we'll be playing UT3! A little late on the reminder, but I couldn't get here sooner, hope you can all join!
In only thirty minutes we'll be playing UT3! A little late on the reminder, but I couldn't get here sooner, hope you can all join!
I'm only a half hour into the PS4 Announcement, and I'm already hearing a lot of themes that we're already sharing here on Cheerful Ghost. Sony is focusing a lot on connectivity between players, and shared gaming experiences. I'm really interested in seeing the PS4 in person (especially Watch Dogs, not mentioned yet in this announcement, but that freaking looks rad!)
I'm only a half hour into the PS4 Announcement, and I'm already hearing a lot of themes that we're already sharing here on Cheerful Ghost. Sony is focusing a lot on connectivity between players, and shared gaming experiences. I'm really interested in seeing the PS4 in person (especially Watch Dogs, not mentioned yet in this announcement, but that freaking looks rad!)
I have been advised by Sony of America to make the following statement in pursuant with our recent settlement. Sony of America has an always will be an innovator in the tech space in in now way "steals" or has "stolen" any intell.... lasjkdflajsdfklkasdf
Holy crap is all I can say after watching the full 2 hour announcement. It's almost intimidating how much gameplay is going to be available with this system.
I absolutely cannot wait for Watch Dogs and Destiny!
I am very impressed with the looks of these games. Part of me feels like maybe there's nothing new happening, except for the improved processing capabilities. But really, some of the most fundamental breakthroughs happen just because of an incremental change. Who knows what kind of creativity someone will come up with.
I am a little torn with Playtstation, though. I've stuck with the Playstation platform because of my particular like of Final Fantasy games. PS3 and Xbox360 was the first console (right?) where Final Fantasy was available on both. I support Microsoft, although not exclusively, and wouldn't mind getting the next Xbox console, but I have never been unhappy with a Playstation purchase.
I've always been an Xbox guy myself. I think it goes all the back to the Super Nintendo...
I remember back in the early 90's, the console war between the SNES and the Genesis. Growing up loving Nintendo, I felt like Sega was "butting in" and the bad guy (I have thus since learned that competition is a good thin lol).
I believe at this point my loyalty to Nintendo was solidified, and during the following years I always preceded the latest Nintendo product. So when PlayStation came out, it felt like another Genesis to me, and I avoided it. Then I got married and had a daughter and stopped play console games all together.
After my divorce (nice transition, right?), one of the first things I did was go out and buy a console lol. At the time, my options we a Wii, a PlayStation 3, or and Xbox 360. I wasn't really interested in the Wii; it's a great group activity console, but I wasn't interested in that aspect of gaming. And with PlayStation still in my subconscious as the heir of the Genesis, the Xbox 360 was the only choice for me lol.
Now I'm interested in what Microsoft puts out, but I'm already sold on the PS4!
Interesting. I had the same Nintendo loyalty. I don't know that I felt that Sega was butting in, but they weren't "as good" to me. Funny enough, I was really just loyal to Final Fantasy when it came to making the decision to buy a Playstation. That's the only reason. Then I came across Metal Gear Solid, and some others, and I was a brand junkie. I've stuck with Playstation ever since, though I got the Wii because I am still a Zelda and Metroid fan. (BTW, Metroid Other M is fantastic!)
But now that it seems I can get any game multi-platform these days, and my Final Fantasy fanboyness is fading (sorry Square Enix, but it's just not the same anymore), I'm tempted to give the next Xbox a chance instead.
I nabbed a PS3 primarily because of its up-converting DVD functionality and BluRay. I bought a few other DVD players that upconverted and the PS3 beat them all hands down. Later on I bought The Orange Box and then many more games. Later on it got Netflix and now I circle back to using it as primarily a video machine and play some games on it.
I am not too sure if I will get a PS4 though. I am just not sure what purpose it will have beyond what I can already do, but I can be convinced over time. In the end, the Steam Box seems more likely. Even if it just plays Indie games and all Valve titles that would be perfect for me.
my friend has the wii u i want to grab one for myself some day, but its wicked fun and what developer can possible do with it might make it the right way to go in the future with, by that i mean 2 screens one in your hand and on on your tv
"Super excited to announce the release of CORPOREAL - a 4 song EP featured in the award-winning game, Sound Shapes by Queasy Games for PS3 and PS Vita. The EP consist of music taken from the CORPOREAL level which saw Jim Guthrie teaming up with superbrothers (for the first time since Sword & Sworcery) to create more video game magic (if I do say so myself!)."
I picked it up today and listened to this 4 song EP a few times. Overall its a good addition to your Jim Guthrie fan catalog and will mix in very well with your Video Game music library. If you don't have a video game music library, I recommend you also nab the Sword & Sworcery & Indie Game: The Movie... Read All
"Super excited to announce the release of CORPOREAL - a 4 song EP featured in the award-winning game, Sound Shapes by Queasy Games for PS3 and PS Vita. The EP consist of music taken from the CORPOREAL level which saw Jim Guthrie teaming up with superbrothers (for the first time since Sword & Sworcery) to create more video game magic (if I do say so myself!)."
I picked it up today and listened to this 4 song EP a few times. Overall its a good addition to your Jim Guthrie fan catalog and will mix in very well with your Video Game music library. If you don't have a video game music library, I recommend you also nab the Sword & Sworcery & Indie Game: The Movie score on Jim's band camp page as well.
The BBS talks to Gabe about the Steam Box and he dropped details that Steam Box prototypes will hit people in 3 to 4 months. When asked what the reason its taking a bit is:
"The main thing that's holding us up... we have a couple of different controllers prototypes we're using."
And...
"We'll be giving out some prototypes to customers to gauge their reactions, I guess, in the next three to four months."
"There are noise issues and heat issues and being able to [deal with] that while still offering a powerful enough gaming experience is the challenge in building it."
To watch the video on the BBC and read the entire article with Gabe himself check the link below:
... Read All
The BBS talks to Gabe about the Steam Box and he dropped details that Steam Box prototypes will hit people in 3 to 4 months. When asked what the reason its taking a bit is:
"The main thing that's holding us up... we have a couple of different controllers prototypes we're using."
And...
"We'll be giving out some prototypes to customers to gauge their reactions, I guess, in the next three to four months."
"There are noise issues and heat issues and being able to [deal with] that while still offering a powerful enough gaming experience is the challenge in building it."
To watch the video on the BBC and read the entire article with Gabe himself check the link below:
I can't wait for steam box its going to be wicked i hate lugging my pc to my TV every time i want to play game on a big screen and i have yet to find a good wifi system that will allow me to push my pc screen to my tv
If you want to join this conversation you need to sign in.
I am kind of torn on the latest Humble Bundle. What do people think, should I spring for this? Already have Dungeon Defenders and I haven't heard much about the other games. They might be awesome, I just don't know.
The video seemed to make them look really great though.
I've only played Beat Hazard and Solar 2 from that bundle, but I think Solar 2 alone is worth it. Reminds me of flOw, but in space, with pseudo-sim behaviors (e.g. Habitable planets that develop defense systems), evolving from Big Bang to Big Crunch. Quite fun!
That's a nice bundle of fabrics, by the way, Travis. Has there ever been discussion of building a Cheerful Ghost community quilt? It could even be virtual! User avatars joined to make a quilted mosaic?! Eh?
Another aspect of these bundles, which gets lost in the amazing deals, is that it's designed to be a donation/charity as much as it is a retail opportunity. The money collected is dispersed to the recipient of your choosing, be it developer, site admin, or often a charity (like Child's Play). The games/movies/soundtracks are the draw, but really they are a bonus. The creators of the bundled projects are essentially donating their creations, not really expecting a specific return, rather trying to help a good cause, spread the joy of gaming, and if they make money in the process, so be it. If a game in the bundle is something you already have, give it as a gift to someone you think might enjoy that experience.
This is just a reminder, not a judgement by any means, as I'm certainly one that has, in the past, decided which bundle to give to, based on the kinds of content in it.
I have really been enjoying the Zelda Sundial of Shadows animations created by Isobel Kelly. I wanted to ask her a few questions about the series, her process and thoughts about creating it. If you haven't checked out episode 1 I highly recommend it!
jdodson: I really like the style of Sundial of Shadows as it has the guts to do something a bit different. Instead of providing a paint by numbers generic story it takes its time to build its own style, and narrative. I wonder what you wanted to accomplish when you started the concept of Sundial of Shadows and wonder how you look at your first few episodes?
Isobel Kelly: I could've illustrated a comic book of this fan... Read All
I have really been enjoying the Zelda Sundial of Shadows animations created by Isobel Kelly. I wanted to ask her a few questions about the series, her process and thoughts about creating it. If you haven't checked out episode 1 I highly recommend it!
jdodson: I really like the style of Sundial of Shadows as it has the guts to do something a bit different. Instead of providing a paint by numbers generic story it takes its time to build its own style, and narrative. I wonder what you wanted to accomplish when you started the concept of Sundial of Shadows and wonder how you look at your first few episodes?
Isobel Kelly: I could've illustrated a comic book of this fan fiction but I wanted to really bring the story to life through animation. Sometimes I regretted creating it this way because of how long it takes to produce just one episode. I continue to remind myself of how worth it this will be in the end and of what a great self accomplishment it will be.
To create this Zelda fan fiction I had to first choose a concept, what character was the story going to be focused on and in what era of the Zelda timeline was the story going to occur? Ocarina of Time was my immediate choice, for the protagonist; typically, Link would've been the first choice but I wanted to try something different.
I thought back on the confrontation between Link and Dark Link in the Water Temple, it always used to bother me how the doppelgänger of the Hero of Time was never given a significant role in the game, he wasn't even made a boss monster. That's when I decided to shine the spotlight on the villain for once. I went with the concept that not everyone begins evil, there was a time where even the Great Ganondorf sucked on a pacifier. So where's a better place for the story to begin then at the birthplace of Dark Link, at the peak of his innocence.
The plot is of Dark Link's delve into darkness and his journey takes place during the same time as Link's. Their paths eventually intertwine at the fated location, The Water Temple. I wanted to do Dark Link justice and give him a proper purpose.
jdodson:The choice of using text to convey dialog and story as it harkens back to the original Zelda games. I wonder how you decided on this and if you considered voice acting for SoS?
Isobel Kelly: I've always considered voice acting for the series, for one it means viewers can enjoy watching the animation without the distraction of text and it's also nice to know what the characters sound like. I'd chosen simple subtitles to stick to tradition, I believe it also adds to the nostalgia of the Nintendo 64 classics.
jdodson:Link’s Awakening is one of my most beloved Zelda games, I wonder for you what game or games come to mind?
Isobel Kelly: If you're asking me which of the Zelda games are my favorite? Ocarina of Time N64 version, hands down. The first game I'd ever played, I was 6 years old at the time. I've played that game so many times (still do) I remember every puzzle by heart, I could play that game with my eyes closed. And then there's Majora's Mask. I can only ask, what happened to the keaton after that!? Any Zelda fan who has not, I implore that you play the classic Zelda games. Last time I'd visited an expo wearing a keaton mask with Link's cap, people were asking if I was pokemon crossed with Zelda.
jdodson:I wonder what prompted you to create Sundial of Shadows?
Isobel Kelly: I was first inspired to create this fan fiction after watching another person's animated Zelda series on Youtube. Seeing this person bring his story to life channeled the Zelda fan within me, before then it lay dormant for ages.
jdodson:I found SoS on one of the many game sites on the web. I wonder, as the episodes reach a wider audience how you look at this and what you think about it? Did you anticipate people to respond in the ways that they have?
Isobel Kelly: To imagine that more people could discover and enjoy this series excites me, I have what I believe is a great story that I want to tell everyone! But at the same time it worries me. Because I produce the episodes at such a slow pace, I can only hope that they can be patient. It's certainly a story worth waiting for. Thinking back I sometimes wish I could've saved up the episodes before releasing them, I was much younger at the time though and didn't realize how the series would catch on. Being a one person team I can only push forward and do the best I can.
jdodson:How many episodes of Sundial of Shadows do you plan on releasing to conclude the story or is SoS a story that can continue on for many seasons?
Isobel Kelly: I can't even determine how many episodes it will take to produce this series. HEAPS. Each episode I try to make at least 8 minutes long (not counting the 2nd ep since that had a specific deadline I had to plan around.) The series consists of the three stages of Dark Link's life, childhood, teenhood and adulthood. Each of which are almost an entire story on their own. However, I don't mind how long it will take to complete this series, it's the journey I should enjoy.
jdodson:Episode one takes its time with the characters to exist in the world and ends on a tense moment. Episode two takes us back to explain a bit more backstory. As you are charting out the Sundial of Shadows narrative how do you figure out what elements of the story should be shown in each episode?
Isobel Kelly: I've planned the whole story through a script, marking the key elements. I write a separate script for each episode using the overall script as a guide to ensure the story is told in the proper order. For the first sequence of episodes I plan to intertwine the stories of Dark Link as a child (under the age of 10) with the episodes of his current adventure. For example, the 1st ep was of his current adventure, 2nd ep was a flashback, 3rd ep will be current, 4th will be flashback and so on. This way you will get to know the relationship between his mother and him and the sort of character Uhu is.
jdodson:I want to thank you for taking the time to talk to me about SoS and wondered if you had anything you want to say before we wrapped up?
Isobel Kelly: No matter how long it takes this series will continue. And I just want to say that I appreciate everyone's support on the production of the series so far. Your encouragement has really kept me going during this large project. So thank you!! And thanks for this interview, I'm happy to have been given the chance to explain my process to everyone more thoroughly.
I take Cowboy Bebop style space shooter Dawnstar for a spin. The soundtrack alone is worth the trip.
I take Cowboy Bebop style space shooter Dawnstar for a spin. The soundtrack alone is worth the trip.
You're right, the soundtrack seems really wicked! Makes me wish the rest of the game was at least stylized to look the part. Seems a mishmash of several ideas, but not cohesively joined. Definitely a cool soundtrack, though.
Lounge music in a space game, unique touch for sure.
I love how many games you review with your videos. I sort of love that you play these games because I don't have time to!
Oh one question, will you do the continuing episodes of The Journey Down?
SignalWarden Post Author
wrote on 03/06/2013 at 03:37am
scrypt: I absolutely have. I haven't gotten a chance to go too deep into it though and with Simcity and Bioshock dropping I don't see myself getting around to it in March. From the very little I've played though it seems phenomenal.
J-Dod (yeah, I'm trademarking that): I have been thinking of revisiting some of the games that are longer and give a perspective from deeper into the game. As for the Journey Down specifically, the title "Chapter One" belongs to the game, not the video. It is being released in chapters ala Walking Dead and Back to the Future. When it is released I will without a doubt do a quickplay of it, but they are just hammering down the art right now, so I doubt we'll see it until Q4 at the absolute earliest.
Oh and when you do the Simcity video, please post it here I am not sure if I am going to jump into Origin and if this game is that bad-ass I may have to.
If you want to join this conversation you need to sign in.
I love Starcraft and as such need to let you all know if something awesome happens in that arena. As it so turns out now until March 12th you can get Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty for $20 on Battle.net which just so happens to be the release date of the Heart of the Swarm Expansion as well.