Reporting on the games made in Canada and the creators behind them
Announced last year, Ian Campbell's Bleed 2 will be avaliable on Steam next month on February 8th.
Bleed 2 is out Feb 8!! Air-dodge, reflect bullets, fight cowgirls on jet birds!
— Ian Campbell (@BootdiskRev) January 9, 2017
Steam page: https://t.co/TWRpvrYuty pic.twitter.com/4CFgshgPoO
Bleed 2 has you playing as Wryn, the last hero as you shoot, dodge, reflect bullets through 7 levels featuring 25 bosses. The game will also feature 2-player local coop. You can add the game to your wishlist right here, but make sure to follow Ian on Twitter.
As part of the Mix Showcase last month, Toronto developer Kitten Cup Studio showed off some gameplay from their 2022 game Pekoe.
Quebec developer Norsfell have announced their 10-player co-op action-RPG Tribes of Midgard will be out on PlayStation, and Steam on July 27th - the game is also available for pre-order on both platforms.
Triversal, the puzzle game from Toronto developer Phantom Compass has a release date, and thankfully we won’t have to wait that long. The game comes out on July 13th, and you can wishlist it on Steam here.
BOMBING!!: A Graffiti Sandbox, the graffiti sandbox simulation game from indie dev (and friend of the site) Devon Wiersma, is out now on Steam, and itch.io.
After launching on Steam last year, St Catharines based Rocketship Park will be porting their puzzle story-driven adventure game LOVE to Nintendo Switch “soon”.
PixelNAUTS Games, who last released Lost Orbit: Terminal Velocity on various platforms have released a new trailer for their upcoming space-racing brawler Rocket Rumble. You can wishlist the game on Steam right now which is scheduled for sometime this year.
Mad Devils, the twin-stick shooter from Itzy Interactive got a new gameplay trailer ahead of its May 10th release date. Mad Devils is an arcade co-op shooter set during World War 2 but has Allied special forces hunting down Nazi occultists resurrected as demons
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Hey! We're back with another video on gameplay for Lovers In A Dangerous Spacetime, consider this a review/preview sort of thing. But we also talk about Nintendo Switch, since the event is coming up. What we want from it, what we don't want from it.
Well, it was a solid 2016, and there were a lot of great games that were created in Toronto and Southern Ontario. Just like last year, supporters and fans of local content took part in the 2nd Annual Game of the Year voting, and here are the results!
10) Maize - Finish Line Games
9) Kapsul Infinite - Luke O'Connor
8) Far Cry Primal - Ubisoft Toronto
7) Alone With You - Benjamin Rivers
6) Watch Dogs 2 - Ubisoft Toronto
5) Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander - Massive Damage Inc
Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander had a huge Kickstarter. After a successful funding thank to Square Enix Collective, the game came out in Early Access, followed by a full release later in the year. The developers are still updating the game, so make sure you head over to Steam to pick it up.
4) Runbow: Satura's Space Adventure - 13AM Games
Back-to-back Years of placing 4th in voting, 13AM Games released a healthy chunk of DLC for its party platformer. Satura's Space Adventure gives players more single, and multiplayer content - while also releasing the game on Steam, and 3DS.
3) Severed - DrinkBox Studios
The first-person hack-n-slash found eventual homes on 3DS, iOS, and Wii U, but it was made from the ground up for the little Sony portable that could. Probably one of the last "exclusive" Vita games, Severed has you playing as a daughter trying to find out what happened to her family. Now I'll be praying for a Guacamelee 2.
2) Hard Vacuum Lullaby - One More Story Games
Friends of the site, One More Story Games claims our top two spots in this years Game of the Year voting, first with Hard Vacuum Lullaby. "After a savage battle in deep space, the 2nd Yagoshan Expeditionary Fleet Battlecruiser #6 retreats to the orbit of a gas giant with other damaged vessels to undergo repairs by the fleets logistics and repair corvettes."
1) Mandatory Upgrade X Marks The Spot - One More Story Games
Joining the ranks of N++, this years winner is Mandatory Upgrade: X Marks The Spot from One More Story Games. The story based game was written by Chris Tihor from Ironic Iconic Studios, and tells the tale of Special Agent Rachel Varley who has to investigate the death of a runaway cybernetic exosuit on her first day back to work. You can pick it up here for $3.99, which includes a demo as well.
Thanks to everyone for voting, and congratulations to everyone who released a game in 2016. Onwards to 2017!
Canadian indie game studio Red Meat Games have released their episodic, narrative-driven audio game Project Dark on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
As part of the Mix Showcase last month, Toronto developer Kitten Cup Studio showed off some gameplay from their 2022 game Pekoe.
Quebec developer Norsfell have announced their 10-player co-op action-RPG Tribes of Midgard will be out on PlayStation, and Steam on July 27th - the game is also available for pre-order on both platforms.
Triversal, the puzzle game from Toronto developer Phantom Compass has a release date, and thankfully we won’t have to wait that long. The game comes out on July 13th, and you can wishlist it on Steam here.
BOMBING!!: A Graffiti Sandbox, the graffiti sandbox simulation game from indie dev (and friend of the site) Devon Wiersma, is out now on Steam, and itch.io.
After launching on Steam last year, St Catharines based Rocketship Park will be porting their puzzle story-driven adventure game LOVE to Nintendo Switch “soon”.
PixelNAUTS Games, who last released Lost Orbit: Terminal Velocity on various platforms have released a new trailer for their upcoming space-racing brawler Rocket Rumble. You can wishlist the game on Steam right now which is scheduled for sometime this year.
Mad Devils, the twin-stick shooter from Itzy Interactive got a new gameplay trailer ahead of its May 10th release date. Mad Devils is an arcade co-op shooter set during World War 2 but has Allied special forces hunting down Nazi occultists resurrected as demons
Don't Starve: Shipwrecked, the DLC expansion to Don't Starve which was co-developed by Toronto based Capybara Games, and Vancouver based Klei made a surprise release on iOS late last year.
Surprise! Don't Starve Shipwrecked is available now on iOS for both iPad and iPhone!
— klei (@klei) December 26, 2016
Get it on the App Store here: https://t.co/RbnqrsKZD1 pic.twitter.com/wSlOeKfp1s
You can download the game on iOS right here for $4.99.
Canadian indie game studio Red Meat Games have released their episodic, narrative-driven audio game Project Dark on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
Kitfox will be publishing the sequel to 2018’s well-received strategy sim Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind.
Montréal-based indie studio KO_OP (@KOOPMode) has released Winding Worlds today on Apple Arcade, a “finger-wiggling puzzle-adventure about a girl, a worm, and goodbyes.”
M5 Games’ 16-bit mash-em-up platformer is coming to a mobile device near you next month.
I wrote about Use Your Words earlier this year, and now there is an official trailer for the upcoming party game. You can check it out after the jump.
Read MoreOver the Christmas Break, our friends over at Tiny Titan Studios released Tiny Rails on iOS and Android, a free to play tapping game where you take over a train company.
Set out on adventure in Tiny Titan's immersive, world-spanning train game Tiny Rails! Your grandfather has handed down his train company and it's up to you to expand your modest engine into a multi-car masterpiece! Upgrade and customize your train while unlocking new stations, delivering passengers and trading supplies all around the world! Become a railroad tycoon, or sit back and relax while you watch your train travel day and night through unique environments with weather and climate changes! Actively help your railway network grow or let your train travel at its own pace - your train will even make progress when you aren't playing!
Choo-choo-choose to grab our new game #TinyRails on iOS, one of Apple's Best New Games this week! https://t.co/TR6jbZ7kRI #gamedev #indiedev pic.twitter.com/7RLVx7FuFP
— Tiny Titan Studios (@TinyTitanGames) December 15, 2016
You can pick up Tiny Rails for free on iOS right here, and Android right here.
Solo indie dev expert and longtime friend-of-the-site Devon Wiersma joins us to talk their latest release Centauri Dark, working across AAA, mid-sized and solo indie dev and how to fix this goshdarn industry.
David B joins us from the west coast best coast to talk about the upcoming Quiver Games Incubator!
Bizdev extraordinaire Eric Beer joins us to give his Hades II impressions and chat v-bucks subsidized game preservation.
We break down Baldur Gate 3's unprecedented success & the knock-on effects it'll have on the industry and how we make games moving forward. We also speak to Ontario-based indie game devs Twinolli about their upcoming action-puzzler Highlighters which just got a (Dad Deck-verified) Steam demo!
We speak to Québécois game dev Dragon Slumber, creator of Tech Support, Aethernaut and many more!
We reveal the winners of our ‘23 Community Awards poll and discuss Drinkbox’s latest teaser for their next project- and more!
This week thousands more game developers join Stephan in the "terminated by evil, stupid people" camp as layoffs hit tons of studios all over Canada and the world. We discuss Sonic as well. Sonic supports Unionizing your Workplace!
Stephan got terminated but that’s okay he just has more time to cover Canadian games now.
Last year, N++ won the Game of the Year voting. Who will be the winner this year? Vote below, and in the new year I'll post the winners!
Only one vote per person, but you can vote for as many games as you want. If I missed any there is a Write In feature at the bottom, or let me know on Twitter.
Note: Ports didn't count (sorry Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, and N++), but DLC, and extra episodes do. Feel free to use the search on the right hand side to find out more about that game.
Snowman is probably one of the busiest developers out there right now. On top of everything else, they've now announced Alto's Odyseey which is scheduled to release in 2017. Not much is known about it, but Ryan Cash has stated that it was thought of long before Alto's Adventure release.
About 3 years ago I started thinking about what'd be next after Alto's Adventure. Announcing "Alto's Odyssey”: https://t.co/gFUvhTAza0 pic.twitter.com/42BdgzxBPg
— Ryan Cash (@ryanacash) December 7, 2016
We'll have to wait a bit more to find out what it all means, so in the mean time download Alto's Adventure on iOS.
Toronto developer Metanet Software have announced N++ Ultimate Edition, which is described as so large or an update "it might as well be a sequel."
We’ve been working on this since the PS4 version of N++ shipped in mid-2015, and the great news is that we’re almost done. N++ Ultimate Edition will be a HUGE addition to the game — roughly doubling the size of the original version, with new levels as well as new colour schemes to funlock — *and* N++ Ultimate Edition will feature a new singleplayer game mode designed for veteran players!
N++ is set to release early 2017 for both PlayStation 4 and Steam, though we'll have to wait a little bit longer on the finer details. On a possible Xbox One version, Metanet Software said "We’re trying to make that work"
Solo indie dev expert and longtime friend-of-the-site Devon Wiersma joins us to talk their latest release Centauri Dark, working across AAA, mid-sized and solo indie dev and how to fix this goshdarn industry.
David B joins us from the west coast best coast to talk about the upcoming Quiver Games Incubator!
Bizdev extraordinaire Eric Beer joins us to give his Hades II impressions and chat v-bucks subsidized game preservation.
We break down Baldur Gate 3's unprecedented success & the knock-on effects it'll have on the industry and how we make games moving forward. We also speak to Ontario-based indie game devs Twinolli about their upcoming action-puzzler Highlighters which just got a (Dad Deck-verified) Steam demo!
We speak to Québécois game dev Dragon Slumber, creator of Tech Support, Aethernaut and many more!
We reveal the winners of our ‘23 Community Awards poll and discuss Drinkbox’s latest teaser for their next project- and more!
This week thousands more game developers join Stephan in the "terminated by evil, stupid people" camp as layoffs hit tons of studios all over Canada and the world. We discuss Sonic as well. Sonic supports Unionizing your Workplace!
Stephan got terminated but that’s okay he just has more time to cover Canadian games now.
Caveman Cliff, the puzzle game from Shiny Talisman, is currently on sale right now on the iOS store.
Caveman Cliff on sale today for 50-90% off (country dependent) only on iOS https://t.co/h8HmVkaNPR #indiedev #iosgames #gamedev #iosdev #iOS
— Shiny Talisman (@ShinyTalisman) December 7, 2016
Clear off the cliff! Earn stars then find some more. Spend stars to upgrade your abilities, but watch out, the pterodactyls will upgrade as well.
You can pick up the game right here! Enjoy!
Solo indie dev expert and longtime friend-of-the-site Devon Wiersma joins us to talk their latest release Centauri Dark, working across AAA, mid-sized and solo indie dev and how to fix this goshdarn industry.
David B joins us from the west coast best coast to talk about the upcoming Quiver Games Incubator!
Bizdev extraordinaire Eric Beer joins us to give his Hades II impressions and chat v-bucks subsidized game preservation.
We break down Baldur Gate 3's unprecedented success & the knock-on effects it'll have on the industry and how we make games moving forward. We also speak to Ontario-based indie game devs Twinolli about their upcoming action-puzzler Highlighters which just got a (Dad Deck-verified) Steam demo!
We speak to Québécois game dev Dragon Slumber, creator of Tech Support, Aethernaut and many more!
We reveal the winners of our ‘23 Community Awards poll and discuss Drinkbox’s latest teaser for their next project- and more!
This week thousands more game developers join Stephan in the "terminated by evil, stupid people" camp as layoffs hit tons of studios all over Canada and the world. We discuss Sonic as well. Sonic supports Unionizing your Workplace!
Stephan got terminated but that’s okay he just has more time to cover Canadian games now.
Alto's Adventure's developer Snowman have announced another partnership (readers may remember they have Where Cards Fall in the works). They've announced a new partnership with Slingshot & Satchel and released a trailer for their first game: DISTANT.
A wondrous voyage through pastel dreamscapes. www.builtbysnowman.com/distant
DISTANT takes you on a wondrous voyage through pastel dreamscapes, to prevent a calamity from consuming the world you once knew. Along the way, you’ll confront an inescapable past, and learn how much you're willing to sacrifice in your search for solace.
DISTANT will be coming to PC, Mac, Consoles, and Apple TV, though we'll have to wait a little longer for a release timeframe, and price. In the meantime, you can check out the official Alto's Adventure Store and pick up some swag for the holidays.
Toronto-based developer Snowman will be releasing their currently Apple-Arcade-only Skate City to Steam, Epic Game Store, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, and Xbox on May 6th.
Well, we were late on this one! With Snowman announcing Skate City coming to Consoles soon it seems like their other Apple Arcade game Where Cards Falls is also coming to PC, and Switch in “early 2021”.
Skate City, the previous Apple Arcade exclusive published by Snowman, is heading to pretty much every other platform. Snowman confirmed today the game will come to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, Epic, and Steam “soon”.
Where Cards Fall wasn’t the only Snowman-developed game to launch on Apple Arcade yesterday - their 2D Skateboarding game titled Skate City also launched alongside the subscription service.
Apple has released its subscription service Apple Arcade on iOS this week and there are a few Canadian-developed games as part of the launch. First up is Where Cards Fall from Los Angeles developer The Game Band and published by Snowman, developers of Alto Adventure.
Some of our favourite Toronto developers were at PSX this weekend, and they tweeted about their games and experiences. Check it out!
Read MoreAnnounced earlier in the year, Maize is finally out as one of the last Toronto developed games to release this year (I think):
Maize is a first-person adventure game about what happens when two scientists misinterpret a memo from the U.S. Government and create sentient corn. And that last sentence is pretty much the least ridiculous thing about the game.
Explore an abandoned farm and a not-so-abandoned underground research facility as you uncover the mysteries around Maize, and possibly learn a bit about yourself along the way. Or maybe not.
With a colourful cast of characters and an absolutely absurd world, Maize offers up a unique experience that keeps the surprises coming. Seriously, they’re everywhere.
Kick back, relax, enjoy a cup of tea, and watch Maize's launch trailer. Unless you've completely forgotten about the kettle, in which case, go take it off of the stove. If the kettle is in fact on fire, stop reading this paragraph immediately and find a bucket of water.
You can pick up the game on Steam, the Humble Store, and GOG.
Halifax-based devs Max Inferno have released Cupboards & Drawers DLC for their 2022 puzzler A Little to the Left.
Achimostawinan Games have released their Indigenous cybernoir detective narrative adventure game Hill Agency: PURITYdecay for Steam and itch.io.
Vancouver-based indie developer Red Hook Studios has announced that Darkest Dungeon II, the sequel to their crushing 2016 roguelite, will leave early access on the Epic Games Store and launch on Steam in May.
Waterloo-based Odyssey Interactive (@OdysseyStudio)’s debut game Omega Strikers (@PlayOmega) has entered open beta on Steam after being in closed beta for 2 days.
Kitchener-based indie studio Fluxscopic Ltd (@FluxscopicLtd), with American publisher Tiny Build (@tinyBuild), have released action-adventure game Mayhem in Single Valley on PC storefronts.
Mighty Fight Federation, the throwback 3D arena fighter from Ontario-based Komi Games is out now on Steam and PlayStation consoles.
Rocketship Park have announced their puzzle game Love - A Puzzle Box Filled with Stories will be launching on Steam next month on October 21st.
London, Ontario-based Tiny Titan Studios (@tinytitangames) have announced their new project Rogue Souls (@RogueSoulsGame), an action rogue-like coming soon to PC.
Action-adventure roguelike UnderMine (@undermine_game), co-developed by Vancouver-based engineer Derek Johnson (@quasim0dem), has left Early Access on Steam and launched on Xbox Game Pass for Xbox One and Windows.
After almost a year of exclusivity on the Epic Games Store, Vancouver-based indie studio Klei Entertainment (@klei) has released their deck-building roguelite Griftlands into early access on Steam.
Back in July Jason Canam, a vet from DrinkBox Studios, went his own way and created his own studio - Household Games. They promised an announcement soon for their new IP. In an interview with me they talked about working on the new IP.
This week, the gang announced via the PlayStation Blog their new IP is titled Way of the Passive Fist, and will be an action beat-em up with a twist:
"In Way of the Passive Fist you play as The Wanderer, a mysterious figure of unknown origin who has mastered the art of the Passive Fist and fights enemies defensively to wear down even the mightiest of opponents. Unlike most arcade-style brawlers, The Wanderer doesn’t have a basic attack like a punch or a kick, instead you have an array of parries, deflections and dodges at your disposal."
Way of the Passive Fist is the licensed arcade brawler for the 90's cartoon you wish existed. http://www.wayofthepassivefist.com Fight defensively by using an array of parries, deflections and dodges to wear down even the mightiest of opponents. By mastering the Passive Fist technique, The Wanderer continues to endure in the face of desert raiders, mad scientists and fantaical sun worshippers.
From the very beginning, we set out to create a licensed game for the 90’s cartoon we wish existed. A lot of my favorite games are the licensed brawlers based on popular cartoons and comic books, and I wanted Way of the Passive Fist to have the same level of exuberance and flair. That feeling when you get to a boss fight and you come face-to-face with one of the villains from the show, that’s a feeling I’d like to create in the game.
The game’s setting is Planet Eiectus, a world ruled by its volatile and overwhelming sun. Everything on this world is solar powered, but the harsh conditions also make survival extremely difficult. Exhausting oneself is a death sentence. By mastering the Passive Fist technique, The Wanderer continues to endure in the face of desert raiders, mad scientists and fanatical sun worshippers.
Make sure to check out the gang over on Twitter, something else important to Way of the Passive Fist accessible, and working with @halfcoordinated.
What I've been working on with @HHGamesInc as an accessibility and design consultant has been revealed! So excited! https://t.co/gWdfz4q4rt
— halfcoordinated (@halfcoordinated) November 28, 2016
The game is expected to hit the PlayStation 4 in 2017. If you're at PSX this weekend you'll be able to play the game.
Hey! I'm starting up the "The Week In Review" again, so check out the video below and subscribe to me on Youtube!
We're back with another Week in Review! Short week this time since I was sick, and still getting over it. But make sure to check out Waiit! http://www.torontogamedevs.com/blog/galactic-thumb-releasing-puzzle-game-waiit-on-ios-next-month As Well as our Black Friday sale over on the official shop: http://www.designbyhumans.com/shop/TorontoGameDevs/ - Use the cod BFCM for 20% off and free shipping.
Canadian indie game studio Red Meat Games have released their episodic, narrative-driven audio game Project Dark on Steam and Nintendo Switch.