I have been gathering together some more tip-bits on some of the most interesting independent, art house and just plan cool games on the web.

Braid

Braid(interesting name)...lots of blog have been playing test versions of this game and have been saying stuff like:

"The preview build of Braid comprises one of the most interesting, satisfying, beautiful game experiences I’ve ever had..."

And

"Let it be known that, at the time of writing, I envy every single person who reads this preview. Why? Because I’ve just started up … Braid for the first time, and I’ll never get to do it again. I’ll be able to play it again, sure, but it won’t ever be the same as it was just now. I can’t, unlike the game’s protagonist, rewind time and have the same experience again."

Rather high praise indeed, and to be honest. It’s hard not to get rather excited with those kinds of comments flying around. However, I haven’t played it, so I can’t really jump on the cock sucking bandwagon.

But we can all gawk at the rather impressive visuals...and they are impressive!

More games should have this hand drawn look; I think it make’s a game look loved. Like the people behind it actually care about what they are making. Not like these corporate clone games, rendered in their flawless 3D, with their voice acting and online multiplayer modes. Don’t get me wrong, I like a good mass marketed shoot ‘em up like the next guy. But I’m the first to admit that they lack soul – and a game has gots’ta have soul, its just gots’ta

I guess these Independent games are incredibly similar to independent film. The people behind them make up for the lack of finance with ingenuity and good old fashioned hard graft.

It’s a game for the Xbox 360, probably going to be sold through their Virtual console thingy. I think it looks worthy of my time and money. Just so I can give some of my money to the right peoplef for a change.



Braid Blog

Linger in shadow

Now, I have no idea what this is. Is it a tech demo? Is it in game footage?
Kotaku has no idea either. But it does show off the capabilities of the PS3.

Problem is that if it is just a tech demo, then it goes in the box with all the rest. It’s one of the PS3’s major flaws:

TOO MANY TECH DEMOS, NOT ENOUGH IMPLEMENATION OF THE TECHNOLOGY!

Give them games, actual games people can play. Imagine that. If it is a game, then it smells a lot like some kind of Final Fantasy clone.

Love

I’ve decided to follow this one. The MMO that I mentioned a few posts back. It sounds awesome. But I do have one reservation about it. What normally happens when you give people the chance to manipulate anything in a persistent online world, they tend to course utter Chaos. Just look at the mess that is Second Life.



I hope this doesn’t go the same way but it’s hard to see how it won’t. We just love to annoy each other, especially when it’s behind a face less avatar where you don’t have to take any responsibility for your behaviour.

I like the idea that people can create their own story. "Hey, you were that guy that ruined this section of the environment with all these annoying statues"