[03.26.16] ‘RollerCoaster Tycoon World’ surprises with Early Access announcement

Atari

Fans of the RollerCoaster Tycoon series have been long anticipating an update to the game that would do the series justice. That answer seemed to come when “RollerCoaster Tycoon World” was announced back in August 2014. Unfortunately, the game was faced with delays and the deadline came and went. Many fans began to wonder if the game was ever going to release or face a development cycle like “Duke Nukem Forever.” Then, out of the blue, an announcement was posted on Thursday, March 24, 2016, that “RollerCoaster Tycoon World” is coming to Steam Early Access and releasing very soon!

“RollerCoaster Tycoon World” was originally supposed to release in “early 2015.” Obviously, that never happened, but it was probably for a good reason. The game underwent a massive overhaul and had shuffled through multiple developers, each of whom was adamant that they would not settle for anything less than a product that truly captures the spirit of the original series. Whether or not that is the case remains to be seen, but we do know one thing about the current developers Nvizzio Creations: They are going to get this long-overdue title in the hands of fans as soon as possible.

To do so, Nvizzio decided to move the game into the Steam Early Access program. This has its advantages and disadvantages. While it may be quite some time before the game hits the shelf in retails stores, eager fans can now get their hands on “RollerCoaster Tycoon World” as early as March 30, 2016.

So why Early Access? Well, in a way, the development process has been treating the game like an early access title ever since the first delay. A series of public betas were announced; however, after the first one, it was clear that the betas also needed to be postponed. In the end, only one of the three planned public betas ever took place. After that, the “RollerCoaster Tycoon World” sat in the dark for a while – for most of us, anyway.

“As some of you may have guessed, we’ve been silently running a large test group with some members of the community since the beginning of the year. We’ve made so much progress with this group - getting invaluable feedback, testing ideas, and more – that we realized how much of a boon letting the rest of the community in would be in shaping our game.”

Thus, the decision to move to Early Access seemed like a no-brainer. There is a whole list of features that are planned for the Wednesday release which you can find over on the Steam Community Page. Some of the highlights include a brand-new coaster builder (which was highlighted in the public beta), freeform object placement, curved pathways, a campaign mode with an initial set of scenarios, and UGC and Steam Workshop support. There was also a sneak peek at some of the planned future updates, which will add a scenario editor, new themes and rides, and the fence builder. If that last one comes as a surprisingly odd highlight to you, don’t underestimate it. The fence builder was actually a primary cause for one of the delays earlier in development.

"People are very passionate about their fences. So are we. Our fencing tool will be improved, allowing you to place fences more quickly, and align them exactly how you want."

That is a direct quote from Atari back in November 2015. Of course, Atari cited other issues - such as bugs, memory leaks, and optimization issues – but nonetheless, the fence builder has been held back beyond the initial early access release! This had better be the best fence builder RCT fans have ever seen!

In all seriousness, though, the plan for Early Access did cause some concern for those who preordered the game expecting a full retail release. Anyone who placed an order from either Atari.com or RollerCoasterTycoon.com will be able to request a refund, no questions asked, through March 31, 2016. This gives everyone who preordered a day to check out Steam Early Access and decide whether or not they want to continue to fund the project in its new form. Anyone who preordered through Steam or another retailer has the ability to opt out as well, only through their companies’ respective policies.

Last comes the official retail street date. At this time, Atari has decided not to set one and instead focus on improving the game as much as possible during Early Access.

“We will be in Early Access until we all feel the game is ready to be shared with the world as a finished product. Yes, there really is much more work we want to do. This is not about just improving and polishing but also adding new functionalities that the game needs. As Early Access progresses our timeline for final release will become clearer.”

At some point, Atari plans on a physical release in stores even before the game has an ‘official launch.’ However, this physical copy will still be exactly the same as what is purchased on Steam and, thus, requires the same authentication and updates as what is purchased directly through Steam. Think of it as being similar to the cards that could be bought for “Minecraft” in retail stores, despite the game still being in Beta at the time. The product itself will be no different; it merely offers an alternative venue to purchase the game.

If you want to get your hands on “RollerCoaster Tycoon World as early as possible, though, you will have to preorder it through steam. You can then pre-download the game and start playing as soon as possible come March 30, 2016.

[10.13.15] ‘Secret Ponchos: Most Wanted’ officially launches on Steam

Switchblade Monkeys Entertainment

After a successful Steam Early Access run, “Secret Ponchos: Most Wanted” came out guns-blazing as it rode off into its official release today, Oct 13, 2015. Following a strong opening on PlayStation 4, Switchblade Monkeys Entertainment made the decision to bring the competitive isometric shooter to PC in a whole new way. Over ten months, the developers put together an action-packed expansion loaded with new game modes, improved gameplay mechanics, new maps, and more than double the original roster of colorful characters.

“Secret Ponchos: Most Wanted” is a wild 3v3 multiplayer experience that combines precision combat and strategic team-oriented gameplay with a breath-taking, hand-drawn, spaghetti western ambiance. The twin-stick shooter also draws inspiration from the ever-popular MOBA genre. Every shot requires a precise hand as there is no target lock or auto-aiming in sight. Instead, players will have to shoot from the hip while keeping an eye on their stamina and ammo supply during every firefight.

Switchblade Monkeys Entertainment is devoted to creating one-of-a-kind, artistic experiences and it shines through in this game. The ragtag cast of characters features ten different outlaws with unique motives, movements, and powers. Every character has an exclusive set of animations suited to their style. The Matador dances about fluidly with flair, the Wolf swiftly pounces around like a true predator, and Gordo… well, he moves about exactly how you would expect a man of his size and stature to move.

“We never imagined our game would reach this many people – we’re a studio founded by artists and musicians, working out of our kitchens and our bedrooms on the ultimate six-year passion project,” said Switchblade Monkeys’ Creative Director, Yousuf Mapara. “But with the help of countless hours of playtesting by our amazing community, we’ve managed to build something entirely unique, a game with both brains and brawn: mechanically precise, meticulously balanced, lovingly hand-drawn, savagely competitive, and (we think!) incredibly fun.”

To celebrate the launch, Switchblade Monkeys Entertainment unveiled an all-new launch trailer to help you become acquainted with the bandits. The trailer may look gorgeous, but don’t cozy up too close to anyone. These guys and gals are ruthless, and it shows in the cut-throat style of multiplayer.

“Secret Ponchos: Most Wanted” is available immediately on Steam for $14.99. Like a true outlaw, you can get it for a real steal at 25% off, but only during launch week!

[09.09.15] Review: ‘Conflicks: Revolutionary Space Battles’

Artifice Studios

Conflicks: Revolutionary Space Battles

Rating:

5 Stars

Have you ever wondered what would happen to humanity if Leonardo Da Vinci had transmuted egg yolks into infinitely-powerful metamatter in the 16th Century? If you find yourself answering that question with a resounding “yes,” as you should, then fear not for the answer has arrived. “Conflicks: Revolutionary Space Battles” is a mashup of the popular physics-based puzzle genre and the established real-time strategy formula.

After Da Vinci’s astounding discovery, the course of history has been changed forever. Hen houses, as the source of the invaluable metamatter, have now become the most essential resource in the galaxy. As henhouses sprung up all over the world and, eventually, other planets, war followed while leaders everywhere struggled to gain control over the byproduct of the greatest discovery in history. Rumor has it that even the chickens are looking to rise up and take power, and this seems highly likely with the ongoing distraction the war provides.

As one of five lead characters, you fight to bring your forces to the top. Alongside the war comes an internal battle, one of moral struggle over eternal glory and unimaginable power. During this conflict, General Wilbur Pitbottom, Brother Octavio, Léonne d’Artagnan, Kain & Kaan, and Olympia traverse the galaxy each in a unique fleet of ships. Every protagonist takes on a wide variety of characters ranging from Hildegarde Von Chicken and Marquis de Moustache to Sheriff Drinkwater and Barron Pinkblossom. The battle rages on throughout a 21 mission single-player campaign packed full of variety and entertainment. There is also friendly and competitive multiplayer if you find yourself itching for more warfare after wetting your beak in the campaign. The real question is, does all of this add up to a blue ribbon prize or one big, rotten egg?

The Fun Stuff:

“Conflicks” is as goofy and self-humoring as they come. From the opening cinematic to the final battle of the campaign, the game never loses its identity or gives up on the comedy. Beyond the goofy premise, the game is loaded with lighthearted dialogue that deserves the occasional laugh-out-loud moment. From character names to spaceship designs, there are subtle touches everywhere that remind you of the ongoing comedy reminiscent of “Monty Python.”

In fact, this theme carries over to the visual style of “Conflicks” as well. The blend of humor, time periods, and… chickens create a unique art direction only Artifice Studio, the creators of the game, could claim. The game opens with a breathtaking cinematic which sets the overall tone of the game. The game then transitions to being told storybook style with pages that emulate the renaissance-like time period it has claimed interwoven with comic book style pop art.

Speaking of the gameplay, it is as unique an experience as the rest of the game. There are four separate factions with unique ships all perfectly balanced. “Conflicks” builds upon the standard RTS gameplay but throws a major curveball with its physics-based combat. Imagine taking the mechanics of “Angry Birds Space” and overlaying it on the battle system of “Starcraft.” If that makes any sense to you, then you should be eagerly anticipating your chance to play the game.

Once you dive in, there is plenty to experience. As mentioned, the single-player campaign spans a 21 missions. For players who may be new to the genre or find themselves confused by the RTS meets physics gameplay, there is a substantial tutorial available in the options menu which will have you feeling like an expert in no time. The campaign does an excellent job of pacing as you become acquainted with the battle system and fleet of ships available. The missions feature a nice variety of changing environments and interspersed multi-enemy battles. You can change the difficulty before each mission, ensuring you will not ever find yourself bored or dissuaded by the level of difficulty. After that, the gameplay is virtually limitless with the friendly and competitive multiplayer.

There’s also a nifty “Power Progression” system that improves your experience as you play. More importantly, it rewards you for experimenting and adding variety to your attack methods. Various ships have the ability to upgrade as you fulfill unique requirements. Some conditions are as simple as finishing one character’s chapter of the campaign. Others require a significant dedication, such as finishing 1st in 200 competitive mode matches with a particular ship. Ultimately, you end up with greater range in movement, faster cooldowns, and stronger attacks.

On a technical level, the game is flawless. Everything looks great, sounds great, and runs great. Even with a modest PC, the game does not demand much to give you the full experience. As expected, it comes with recommended setting but you can customize to fit your needs without really detracting from the experience. There aren’t excessive load times or poor textures – everything just works.

“Conflicks: Revolutionary Space Battles” is the rarest kind of early access game.

The Frustrating Stuff:

The greatest letdown you will face during “Conflicks” is with the visual presentation. Although everything looks great, and there is plenty of backstory to page through for each mission, it is impossible to get away from one disappointment. The game launches with an incredible cinematic that leaves you eagerly awaiting more and then lets you down by never delivering again. Although the storybook presentation is neat, it does not have the same awe factor as the beginning of the game. It is understandable for many reasons why the presentation takes this route, but you cannot help but wonder what glorious experience we could have had if the whole game received the same treatment as the opening sequence. At first glance, the mission selection scene is incredibly intimidating and confusing. Presented with a map of the galaxy, you have an abundance of things to click on and read. You can get lost in the overwhelming amount of information before becoming acquainted with the basics and realize all you actually needed to do was just press the “start mission” button to progress to the next challenge. The rest is done for you, automatically piloting your ship to the next location before pulling up the next part of the story.

From a technical level, the biggest thing “Conflicks” would benefit from is expanded camera controls. As is, they are not bad (think “The Sims” style controls). They would, however, benefit greatly from an ability to “quick jump” between different groups. Currently, the only option is to use the F-keys to jump between individual ships based on class. This means the F1 key will take you to a random patrol ship whereas F8 will jump to the mothership. Using this method requires you to remember what ships are grouped together. It also requires multiple button presses to jump between squads until you rotate to the one you were looking for.

Again, the current controls are not bad, they are just a little sluggish when you are trying to jump between grouped squads. It would be better to use keys to sort based on the number of ships grouped together. In other words, F1 would return to the mother ship. F2 would jump to singles so you could wrangle up the stragglers. F3 could jump to smaller clusters, such as the Henships (assuming you posted a few guards nearby). This continues up to F8, which would jump you to your largest group, presumably right where the main battle is taking place. Admittedly, this is not a perfect solution either, but it would provide a little less randomness to the controls.

Currently, if you want to zoom in for a more precise flick, you are left in the blind with your other ships. The process of zooming and panning afterward is laborious enough that your ships could easily die in the time you spend trying to get to them for a rescue. This sneak attack can be thwarted by using the Enter/Return key to engage “Tac-Chickal” mode that freezes time, but this also prevents you from attacking or moving until you un-pause. While this may save your ships, it does not cut down on the amount of time needed to navigate the camera.

This becomes exceptionally important during a couple later missions. When playing as Brother Octavio, you are given the duty of protecting your brother, Antonio. He starts under your control, but you eventually lose it if you do not launch an attack quick enough for his taste. At that point, he begins to take matters into his own hands and flies around at free will, aggressively pursuing the enemy. This would not be the worst thing in the world, except that his ship takes the “defense makes the best offense” stance. Antonio’s ship only has a large circular saw around his ship’s edge and does not feature any guns or missiles. This means he can only attack by slamming into enemy ships and sits vulnerable in between flings. Another fun mission quickly diverts into the begrudged “escort mission.” A similar process is repeated later when your brother is imprisoned, and you are racing against the clock to rescue him. These mission are undoubtedly the most frustrating in the whole game, which is why it is fortunate they only last one mission each.

Bottom Line:

“Conflicks: Revolutionary Space Battles” is the rarest kind of early access game. It is a substantial package, excessively refined before its release, and features an incredibly unique premise and design. This exceptional RTS game will have you chuckling, exploring, and battling to your heart’s content. If any early access game is deserving of your money, “Conflicks” is it. In fact, it does not even feel like an early access title. It feels more complete than many recent blockbusters we’ve seen! Above all, “Conflicks” feels like the next game you need to be playing.

“Conflicks: Revolutionary Space Battles” was developed by Artifice Studio. It was released in North America as a Steam Early Access title on August 20, 2015, with an MSRP of $19.99. A preview copy of this game was provided for review by Artifice Studios