Indie games are often fascinating, magical little gems that ooze the heart and soul of their creators. They are, after all, independently developed, funded and created. While creative endeavours strive in an environment where the artist has full control of their craft, what is produced can often be (unfortunately) swept under the rug. With companies like EA Games, Blizzard and Ubisoft pumping out big AAA titles in full visibility of the gaming community, indie developers often have to work harder at being noticed, and at getting the money needed to bring their idea to life. Thus we have Kickstarter, the neat little website that strives to community-fund creative projects.
With Canada having the third-largest video game development industry in the world, and Quebec leading the provinces, it’s no surprise that many projects are started in the heart of Montreal. In the spirit of bringing attention to homegrown games, here are two Kickstarter projects out of Montreal for you to look forward to:
Jotun:
“Jotun is an action-exploration game for PC, Mac and Linux that takes you on an epic journey through Viking purgatory…In Jotun, you play Thora, a Norse warrior who has died an inglorious death and must face the challenges of Viking purgatory to prove herself to the Gods and enter Valhalla”.
Who doesn’t like a little Norse mythology? Developed by Thunder Lotus Games, founder William Dubé describes it as a “love letter to classic games such as The Legend of Zelda”. The beauty of this project lies in its simplicity; the controls are easy and the gameplay isn’t muddled with complicated stats and experience points. Rather, it aims at allowing players to focus more on combat skill and wits, and the gameplay lies somewhere between high action and exploration. Bonus: the 2D old-school art style graphics are just mesmerizing.
Though you can’t fund the kickstarted project as it was successfully closed on August 20th, you stay updated through their website. It’s set to be released September 2015.
http://jotungame.com
Moon Hunters:
“Moon Hunters is a myth-weaving adventure for 1-4 players, solving ancient mysteries and building mythologies. Explore a hand-painted pixel art world that’s randomly generated yet rich with legends, non-linear stories, and secrets. How will you be remembered?”
Developed by Kitfox Games, Moon hunters is a non-linear, co-op, action RPG (though solo is supported) where every action and decision you make effects the world around you, and in turn, your own mythology. True to the genre, exploration is key; your character progression is dependent on where and what you discover. Though they’ve reached their kick-starter goal, their funding officially ends on September 26th 2014, with a tentative release date of Summer 2015 on PC and Mac. To find out more, or to support them, visit their kickstarter page, or website:
http://www.moonhuntersgame.com
Kickstarter
What other Montreal projects are you guys looking forward to? Sound off in the comments and let us know!