Thanks to both Delirium and Andrew for tipping us off to ImmorTall by Evan Miller, a short, sad Flash game in which you (barely) control an invincible alien blob amidst one of humanity’s less impressive moments. There’s really not much more that can be said about this game in particular, since it’s barely two minutes long, and about experiencing it for yourself. Other than the really smart use of music. Discordant notes create all the sounds necessary in a simple ..read the full article

We mentioned Primal Carnage last month, the mod-gone-commercial multiplayer FPS that pits humans versus dinosaurs. Which is awesome even just to type. At the time we had a couple of videos of dinosaur movement, and some impressive screenshots. We all got appropriately excited about it. And now, crikey. You really should watch the video below. Twice.

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Writer: John Walker. | No comments ..read the full article

Miegakure is one of the most enigmatic designs in all of the IGF. It’s a competition which has been known for highlighting brain-bending designs. Not many have actually gone as far to be based around the conceptual headflips of a 19th century novella. Marc ten Bosch’s Experimental Gameplay Workshop presentation at last year’s GDC was widely commented upon. This year, he’s picked up a nomination in excellence in design. And now, he’s speaking to use. Read on. (more…)

Related stories: IGF Factor ..read the full article

RPS are big fans of Owls – they’re wise! Athena digs them! That freaky neck thing! We’re not so fond of boys – they’re made of slugs and snails and similar material. So we have mixed feeling about the approaching lusciously-retro-formed platformer. Let’s over-come them, because it looks beautiful as hell in a gota-a-visual-arts-nomination-in-the-IGF way. You’ll fine our interview with Adrian Bauer of D-pad studio about the artist-probably-being-called-Owlboy below, along with footage – or maybe talon-age, if we’re being appropriately ..read the full article

I first saw Joe Danger about a year ago, in a fairly awful pub just off Soho. I liked it so much, I gave Hello Games pretty much every useful contact in my big bag of games journo-names. It’s a high-concept bike game for people who thought Trials 2 a little too trialing. It’s picked up a nomination for technical excellence and the grand prize in this year’s IGF. And it’s totally coming out on the PC. No, really. We ..read the full article

Speedypost: Shank, the really very splendid-looking 2D action platformer that’s currently in the running for the Visual Art Excellence award at the IGF, has been confirmed as coming out on PC as well as PSN and XBLA. There’d been doubts before, so hip hip hooray – all three, with EA Partners doing the publishing. Which is rather splendid news. I know this because IndieGames tells me so. You can read Kieron’s interview with Klei, the makers of Shank, by clicking ..read the full article

The demo for adventure game Clover, by Binary Tweed, is out now. I’ve been playing the full game for a short while, and shall have some more thoughts about it for you next week. Meanwhile, have a quick explanation and some first impressions.

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Writer: John Walker. | No comments

Post tags: adventure, clover, demo, free, indie | Help RPS: donate or subscribe This article is © Rock, Paper, ..read the full article

That subject line makes no sense, but bear with me. It’s early and I’m tired. If you’re coming to Avernum now, of course, you’re not early. You’re late. In fact, as late as it’s possible to be. Except not too late. And… start again. Shorter sentences. Control. Avernum VI released. Demo available. Final part in Avernum series. Long-running, successful niche-targeting indie-RPGs. There’s also a deal to buy the whole second trilogy in one go. Hurrah! Well done Spiderweb for finishing ..read the full article

After all the hype, you’re probably a little sad you can’t play Heavy Rain on the PC. But now, thanks to Alex Austin of Cryptic Sea, you can. No, really. He’s done another game. “It’s a text-based adventure tightly-based on a Youtube video I watched of Heavy Rain,” he says helpfully. You can get it from here. And in a rare moment of fairness, here’s Phill Cameron saying why he dug the hell out of Heavy Rain which is ..read the full article

It pleases me greatly when a game’s developer describes his own game character as, “a small jelly stone/insect-like thingy”. It saves me having to work so hard at being ambiguous. This jelly thing can attach weapons to his body in a Gamemaker action platformer, created by one-man team GreenCream. Sam, who alerted me to the video, points out how it’s reminiscent of RunMan’s bright silliness. Run, jump, double-jump, and fire painty blobs everywhere. It’s created as a student project, and ..read the full article

Minimalist, beautiful, vicious. We loved Star Guard when Alec first played it, and it remains lovable now. It’s picked up a nomination for Excellence in Design, and – of all the shortlisted game – is the standard bearer of arcade-brutality mixed with modern-accessibility. We sit down to talk with Loren Schmidt about all things Star Guard… (more…)

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Writer: Kieron Gillen. | No comments

Post tags: free, ..read the full article

The reverend of reductions, the bishop of budget, the primarch of (er) primark-esque prices, LewieP notes that Steam are doing another Indie Midweek thing which will be gone by the Bargain bucket at the weekend. Altitude, Bob Came in Pieces, Bullet Candy, Galcon Fusion, Gridrunner Revolution, Space Giraffe and Super Laser Racer are available for two quid a pop. You can buy all seven for a tenner, saving four quid. John loved Bob. I dig the hell out of Galcon ..read the full article

It is, quite simply, the best Bear-based driving sim of all time. It’s picked up a Nuovo nomination in this year’s IGF. It’s time to meet up with Justin Smith and give him a great big Bear hug… (more…)

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Writer: Kieron Gillen. | No comments

Post tags: enviro-bear 2010, igf, igf 2010, igf factor 2010, indie, justin smith | Help RPS: donate or subscribe This article ..read the full article

He’s a boy! He’s made of meat! He’s super! He’s Super Meat Boy! He’s up for the Audio and Grand Prize at this year’s IGF! He’s made by Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes (aka Team Meat)! We’re talking to them! Like, right now! MEAT! MEAT! (more…)

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Post tags: edmund mcmillen, igf, igf 2010, igf ..read the full article

As many people have wrote to say, Blendo Games’ Flotilla has been released. You can get the demo or buy the full game for ten dollars on their site. I’ve only managed to have a quick crack, but it marries random generation to the playfully cool presentation of his previous Gravity Bone to a turn-based game of tactical-space combat. The only sad thing about this release is that “Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Boating In Space…” won’t fit on the ..read the full article

No, Microsoft haven’t taken the Empire franchise in an unforeseen direction after disbanding Ensemble. To celebrate the end of the Winter Olympics (aka Everyone I know spending far too much time lusting after the women’s curling teams), The Black Bandit suggested posting this highly accurate historical sim of curling would be worth posting. Never before has the art of lobbing stuff across ice and staring been so accurately re-created (Probably). You can get the demo or buy the full game ..read the full article

You were excited when John brought this up last week. As is only right. Shank is one of the most visceral games in this year’s IGF, and picked up a nomination for Visual Excellence for its efforts. We took time to talk to Jamie Cheng of Klei to find out about the origins of this love-letter to the idea of classic brawlers. (more…)

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Writer: Kieron ..read the full article

Aw, I feel so proud. It’s like seeing your own children in the papers, but without their having had to stab someone to get there. For winning a really tough swimming race or something. Because today on the real actual Queen’s official BBC News is a story about Mr Cliff Harris and Mr Dan Marshall. That’s Cliffski and Dan Off Of Time Gentlemen Please to you and me. It’s a story about the “return of the bedroom coder”, focusing on ..read the full article