"The vision, in a nutshell, is to let players experience different types of loneliness. But all in a playful way," says Cornelia Geppert of Jo-Mei Games. And that's about all I could get out of her at this point. It's not a lot, but it hardly matters once you've seen what Geppert and her team have done with that concept.

Somehow only in the conceptual stage, it's called Sea of Solitude, and the images released so far sell themselves. We see a young girl called Kay, who has been turned into a black and blobby monster, as she journeys through a sunken city to find out what happened to her. Of course, she also seeks a way to change her form, but this is hindered by the presence of large monsters. Jagged-tooth fish swim the waters when the grey storms strike lighting down from the skies. A huge bedraggled crow guides Kay, tells her how to survive, acting as her only friend, for now.

she is an inky drop in the vast volume of a crystal ocean.

My first thoughts upon setting eyes on Sea of Solitude was that it was beautiful in the same way Team Ico's games are. But what does that comparison mean? Geppert has already said it: loneliness. Team Ico pits its protagonists against colossal foes all in order to illustrate the loneliness nagging at their souls.

In Ico, it's the desolate castle that bears over the eponymous horned boy, just as it does the oceanic waves that crash against the craggy rocks supporting it. The castle is symbolic of Ico's exile from his village, as it is there that his elders locked him away in a stone coffin, alone, and for good. The towers and steep, crumbling walls of this overbearing presence separate Ico physically and metaphorically from everything else in the world as he attempts to climb its heights, and solve its puzzles.

Likewise, in Shadow of the Colossus, Wander's heart-wrenching detachment from Mono, caused by her death, is what leads him to the forbidden land where he hunts and kills the colossi to resurrect her. Not only is his foe mountainous, but the terrain also rises enormously so that he has to travel through darkened valleys, and over large barren plains finding nothing else but grass and rock. Often, there is nothing but open air to gallop across on the back of his steed. Completing the effect is the way the camera positions Wander against the backdrop so that it belittles him. Yet, as with Ico, he overcomes the odds that the visuals illustrate as being such a heavy friction to his goal. He fights against his isolation by climbing hand-over-foot toward the sky, collapsing the giants between him and consolidation, one at a time.

"her biggest enemies are not the huge monsters that she meets"

In Sea of Solitude, Kay will have to face similar challenges. We know this as these first screenshots tell us as much. When she leaves her boat to swim in the waters, she is an inky drop in the vast volume of a crystal ocean. Even though the buildings are submerged they still tower above her with chimney breasts and slanting roofs. She has to stack crates and find alternate routes to bypass the city's geometry. Then there are the creatures that appear and disappear as if part of a dream. They dwarf her size by tens of times, and must see her as we would a single worm flailing in a field; a weak morsel barely worth bothering with.

But, according to Jo-Mei Games, "[Kay's] biggest enemies are not the huge monsters that she meets on her way through the Sea of Solitude, but something way more dangerous." What a tease that is. Could it simply be the "naked terror" of loneliness with which author Joseph Conrad was so familiar? All we do know is that this is a game about exploration, love, and endurance. And at its heart is an aching isolation that some of us will be able to relate to. You'll know whether that applies to you as soon as you meet eyes with it.

You can find out more about Sea of Solitude on its website.

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Published on March 03, 2015 06:00

In space, everyone can hear you sing along

The Universe is a Small Hat blurs the line between audience and performer.

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Published on March 03, 2015 05:00

Three beautiful, upcoming medieval fantasy games to gawp at

This past week has been a treasure trove of early looks at some really pretty, really difficult, and really secretive fantasy videogames.

Each one is worth noting in its own respect, but since they're early looks, not a whole lot of information is out there to discuss. So instead, we'll do a round up—and for funzies, we'll write that roundup in the style of a storyteller reciting the tales of fabled legends. Because, you know, journalism.

Death's Gambit

Ahh, the deathly gambit is an old story, which began all the way back in 2012 as a prototype by Jean Canellas. After teaming up with Alex Kubodera in 2014, these two adventurers sought to finish what Jean began. It was born "out of a desire to make a game we felt we HAD to make," Canellas is known to have said. "We felt that if we didn't make this game now, we might be missing out on a great opportunity."

the flickering flames of a mass burial.

Lo and behold, what a great opportunity it was! Feast your eyes upon the medieval planet of Death's Gambit, an action-RPG that will put you through your paces. You begin the journey by making a deal with Death, exchanging your existence with becoming Death's agent, and in a world of immortals (is that really a wise choice?). Battles require strategic maneuvers, a combination of sword and gunplay, and a touch of magic to season. What you'll face is far mightier: a host of unique, aggressive, and sometimes gigantic foes that you'll have to climb with a grapple hook.

The window of premonitions (otherwise known as a trailer) predicts epic scenery, including the flickering flames of a mass burial. Phoenix-dragons and colossal enemies abound, along with some friends to help you battle them along the way. The protagonist makes a pretty bold fashion statement, too, by sporting what appears to be a combination khakis with a steel armor get-up.

The creators even allow those who dare to look through another virtual portal (otherwise known as a Twitch live stream) to see the development process every Saturday at 2:30pm PST. Death’s Gambit will be available on PCs across the realm, though no exact release date has been prophesied yet.

Necropolis

From the creator of Shadowrun comes our second legend: Necropolis.

Though the powerful archmage Abraxis took his secrets to the grave, his epic gravesite survives in the form of a deathly maze. They say Abraxis still resides within, an immortal practicing his dark magic under cover over the Necropolis, far from the prying eyes of society.

dark reflections of perished adventurers

This magical maze is governed by the Brazen Head. Half butler, half taskmaster, the Brazen Head changes the Necropolis at whim. Many adventurers have sought the trove of magical treasures enclosed within these tombs, but few escape. The Brazen Head calls out to adventurers, though, coaxing them in so it can zap their life force to fuel the powerful shrine.

It’s a trap, and in ten centuries, no one has ever escaped—but that won’t stop you from descending into Necropolis' depths, will it, oh brave adventurer?

Aside from undead enemies known as the Grine, who are dark reflections of perished adventurers, you will also fight germeaters and blackguards. For more information, reference the great tomes writ on the developer’s blog. Though the oracles fail to predict a release date for this one as well, it will be available on Mac, PC, and Linux.

Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power

Trine 3 comes into the foreground with a lineage of greatness already in its blood. Though, in this edition, the side-scrolling aspect of the action-puzzler will be replaced by a full-scope perspective. The well known band of adventurers—including a thief, a knight, and a wizard, all with their own set of capabilities—will work together to solve puzzles and save the world, allowing the player to switch between all three seamlessly. Though details about the trio's newest journey are hazy, it will most likely involve some form of realm-saving to satisfy the female narrator in the trailer (I mean, er, window of premonitions).

Aside from a grand-finale announcing a fish-stew dinner, the trailer also highlights the breathtaking fairytale atmosphere and dream-like quality of the character animations. Frozenbyte is predicting a 2015 release, though there's no confirmation on any platforms.

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Published on March 03, 2015 04:00