Fortified From Clapfoot Games Releases Next Month

I should of thought something was up when Clapfoot Games started posting some videos about Fortified. The Toronto indie studio went ahead and announced their 1950's inspired tower defence game will be hitting Xbox One and Steam early next month. Check out the launch trailer below!

Watch the official launch trailer for Fortified, available worldwide on Wednesday, February 3rd 2016 for Xbox One and Steam. Invasion is imminent! Steam http://store.steampowered.com/app/334210 Twitter http://www.twitter.com/clapfoot Facebook https://facebook.com/clapfoot

Fortified is an explosive strategy shooter where players will defend the Earth against a menacing Martian invasion in the 1950s. Play as one-of-four pulp inspired heroes as they fight swarms of terrifying robots with an arsenal of Cold War era weapons and experimental technology. Protect the city by building a network of defensive structures, commanding an army, and jumping into battle against dangerous sky scraping attackers. Fight for Earth alone or with up to four players for the ultimate co-op defense experience.

I got to play Fortified last year and really enjoyed my time, and was my most anticipated game for this year.  Fortified is out on Xbox One, and Steam on February 3rd. There is also a 15% discount if pre-ordering on Xbox One.

Dashy Square Now On Kickstarter

Just the other day we wrote about Dashy Square hitting Steam Greenlight. Well now independent developer Kastriot Sulejmani is taking to Kickstarter to help fund his game.

This project has been in development solely by myself (Kastriot Sulejmani) for the past 8 months. It was released for iOS and Android in August 2015. Thrilled with a lot of peoples support and feedback towards the game, I decided to dedicate all my efforts on continuing the games development and wanted to release for more platforms like Steam and possibly VR (Virtual Reality) in the future!

Currently, I am running a greenlight page on Steam in hopes of making it more accessible for a huge variety of gamers worldwide. The idea behind this Kickstarter is to raise the $110 dollars needed to pay off the Steam Greenlight fee but also raise awareness for the game's presence.

Make sure you check out the Kickstarter for the all the details, but also give Kastriot Sulejmani a follow on Twitter, he's extremely active. Remember to vote for it on Steam Greenlight as well.

Vote For Dashy Square On Steam Greenlight

Independent developer Kastriot Sulejmani has announced that he is trying to get Dashy Square greenlite on Steam.  Dashy Square, which can be downloaded on iPhone and Android, is a rhythm-based arcade platformer featuring 11 different levels, and 21 electronic soundtracks.

WILL BE POSTING ON GREENLIGHT NEXT WEEK! THIS IS JUST TO DISPLAY THE TRAILER + HYPE I need everybody to help vote the game if you want it to come on Steam! Update 1.2 is ready and has been uploaded for iOS (review - takes 7 days) and is currently active on Android!

The release date is planned for February if everything goes well, but make sure to hit up the games Steam page to vote for the game. You can also follow him on Twitter to keep up to date.

Early Access Preorder For Halcyon 6 - Buy Now To Get Early Access

Indie Toronto developer Massive Damage Inc announced that if you pre-order Halcyon 6, you can play it "weeks" before it hits Steam Early Access.

You will get to play Halcyon 6 weeks BEFORE it appears on Steam Early Access. Act One are available at launch, Acts Two and Three will be included as FREE updates during Early Access. - Access to the Backer Beta (est. delivery: Late February) - A digital download copy of Halcyon 6 (Steam Key at Early Access launch)

Pre-order #Halcyon6 & you can play before the Early Access launch! https://t.co/NCinSxpJds #pixelart #indiegame pic.twitter.com/xA4ZTTB3f9

— Massive Damage, Inc. (@Massive_Damage) January 15, 2016

You can preorder the game right here for $19.99, while also checking out there Steam page here.   Halcyon 6 hit Kickstarter last year and crushed a lot of their goals, thanks to the help of the Square Enix Collective.  It's expected to hit sometime this year, with the Backer Beta being late February.  

Edit: Thanks to reader @Coboney for pointing out a mistake that originally say "6 weeks" before release...it's just "weeks" in general.

Fortified Developers Chat About Theme, and Infantry Powerup

Clapfoot games is busy working on Fortified, the third person tower defence game that I got to play last Fall.  They'e gone ahead and released and videos, one going over the Infantry power-up, and the other going over the 1950's theme of the game. Check them out below!

Coming to Xbox One and Steam in early 2016 Join us on our Steam page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/334210 We take a deeper look into the Infantry system, one of the unique strategic options available in Fortified.

Coming to Xbox One and Steam in early 2016 Join us on our Steam page: http://goo.gl/fvsGqv See how 1950's pulp fiction and sci-fi inspired the look and feel of Fortified.

Fortified is currently planned for an early 2016 release on Xbox One, and Steam.  I really enjoyed what I played last year, and even named the game as my most anticipated title of 2016.  You can follow along with the developers on Twitter and FaceBook.

Phantom Compass Takes Us To 2080 In 'Auto Age: StandOff'

Developer Phantom Compass has been busy working on their 1980's action cartoon inspired car combat game, Auto Age: Standoff. 

In 2080, the future is bright but deadly. America is on the road to recovery after decades of disaster. Militarized motorists keep the peace in the east. Wheeled gangs rule the western wastes. A series of radio relays connects sea to shining sea. A mysterious voice crackles through the static, beckoning travellers into the desert canyons of the Dead Zone. Do you dare answer the call?

Auto Age will support 1-4 players, and is currently announced for PC, with other consoles being "TBD", and will also support VR.  Phantom Compass has announced before they had Oculus Rift developer kits.

Working on some volumetric VFX for "Auto Age: Standoff" to match the game's action-cartoon style and for best VR experience. This is a work in progress! More info on the game here -- http://www.phantomcompass.com/auto-age-standoff/

While no release date is set, we'll be sure to have more as Phantom Compass shares further details of the game. They've been tweeting a lot about it, so follow them on Twitter for the latest.

Mayor John Tory Plays Far Car Primal

Twitter follower Alex Gram let me know on Twitter that Mayor of Toronto John Tory swung by the Ubisoft Toronto offices to play Far Cry Primal.

Testing out soon to be released @UbisoftToronto game Far Cry Primal on tour of Ward 18 with Councillor @anabailaoTO pic.twitter.com/xgG9DqUn7p

— John Tory (@JohnTory) January 15, 2016

Checking out motion capture at @UbisoftToronto where they are digitizing the movement of a dog. pic.twitter.com/ry7caKnn6I

— John Tory (@JohnTory) January 15, 2016

Thanks to Mayor @JohnTory and Councillor @anabailaoTO for taking a tour of our studio #TOPoli #JunctionTO pic.twitter.com/AKPMJjZBe8

— UBISOFT TORONTO (@UbisoftToronto) January 15, 2016

Far Cry Primal is being assisted by Ubisoft Toronto, and is slated for release on February 23rd 2016 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Dragon of Legends Hitting Kickstarter Soon

Hamilton developer Thrive Games have released a teaser trailer for their upcoming pixel art online RPG, Dragon of Legends.  You can check out the teaser below:

Ragnarok is Nigh. On January 19th, be prepared to be a part of something big. Dragon of Legends will be heading to Kickstarter, and we need your help to make this legend a reality. WWW.DRAGONOFLEGENDS.COM

The Kickstarter will be launching January 19th according to the teaser, and we'll have more on the game when that date hits. In the meantime, make sure to follow Thrive Games on Twitter.

Explore A Charming Post-Apocalyptic Future In The Great Emoticon

Thanks to the fine gang at 13AM Games, I found out about The Great Emoticon, from the gang over at Hit That Switch.  You can check out a the trailer and some screenshots below:

"The Great Emotion is a top down action adventure game set in a charming post-apocalyptic future. Powered by the three prime emotional energies — glad, mad and sad — play the last Science Knight of an oddball world ruled by the nefarious and passive aggressive King of the Emoticons. Wielding a mysterious battery powered sword called the Battery Blade, switch between the three emotional energies to defeat all sorts of emotionally volatile enemies including glitchbugs, slombies, flutterscreens, and existentially-confused bots."

http://thegreatemoticon.com http://twitter.com/greatemoticon

This game looks awesome, and is currently slated for a 2016 release date on Wii U, Xbox One, and PC. Make sure to follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

Robo’s World: The Zarnok Fortress Gets Greenlit On Steam - Offers Free Demo

Late last year I wrote about Robo's World: The Zarnok Fortress from Bluish-Green Productions and Throw Away Games trying to get greenlit on Steam. The good news is that is was successful! Hooray! You can check out the trailer and description below:

Vote for us on Steam Greenlight!: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=561953066 Robo's World: The Zarnok Fortress is an Open World 2D Tactical Action Platformer. Take on the massive, interconnected Zarnok Fortress, and sabotage its crucial systems to halt its advance on your world. Your foe remains ever vigilant, learning from its mistakes and actively repairing sabotaged zones.

Robo’s World: The Zarnok Fortress is an Open World 2D Tactical Action Platformer. Take on the massive, interconnected Zarnok Fortress, and sabotage its crucial systems to halt its advance on your world. Your foe remains ever vigilant, learning from its mistakes and actively repairing sabotaged zones. Play as Robo, who’s about the most nimble machine you’ve ever seen sporting tank treads, and the acting guardian of the planet Saphirium. Master your abilities to take the Fortress offline, dynamically affecting every other zone as you work towards your goal of dealing the finishing blow to cripple the Fortress beyond repair and put an end to the dark reign of the Zarnok.

While there is no release date yet for the game, it is expected in 2016. In the meantime, you can download a free demo for the game on the official website.  We'll have more on Robo's World as we get closer to release.

Cally's Cave 3 Releases This Week On Steam

Cally's Cave 3, the indie platformer developed over in London was released on iOS a few months ago. Following a successful Steam Greenlight, the game will now release on PC's this Tuesday.  The game will be $7.79 here in Canada, with the soundtrack going for $4.49. You can get the two bundled together for $10.99.

If you want to try out the game, you can download the demo here.

Furthermore! The developer is currently running a contest! You can check out the full details here, but if you do some fan art of the game and email the developer at jordanfwc@gmail.com before January 4th, you'll get a Steam copy of the game.  The favourite entry will also get a Steam copy of Rocket League.  

Jordan has also been kind enough to provide some keys to our Patreons, so make sure to check your email in the enxt day or so! In the meantime, you should also follow the developer on Twitter.

Game of the Year - Fan Vote Results!

So for the last few weeks we have been doing a Game of the Year voting, and the results are in!  The Game of the Year voting resulted in the highest traffic for the site since it's creation, and I've posted the top five games below. Here are the official top Toronto developed games of 2015, as voted by you!

Number 5: Super Time Force Ultra (PS4/Vita)

The game was originally released in 2014, but a rerelease back in September on PlayStation resulted in getting the number 5 spot on our poll.  If you haven't already, make sure to check out this game on the large list of platforms its avaliable.  Be on the lookout for Below from the studio in 2016.

Number 4: Runbow (WiiU)

The 9 player party platformer was one on of the first games I ever wrote about, and was also one of the first I got to play before it came out. The game oozes with charm, and style, while boasting a lot of other indie characters.  Stay tuned to 13AM Games who are busy working away on DLC for the game.  The game is also on sale until January 14th.

Number 3: Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes (PC)

To be quiet honest, I didn't know this game was developed over in Ottawa.  Someone had put it in as a write-in and so I had to add it (the list was updated through out the week with other write-ins).  This multiplayer puzzle game pits one person in a room, with other players outside who have instructions for the specific part of the bomb to defuse.  You can pick it up on Steam right now, but make sure to check out the developers on Twitter.

Number 2: Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime (Xbox One, PC)

Our runner up for this year was one that I recently started playing, and I can see why it made so many people's lists.  The game is great single player, but shines with a friend to play with.  The game is currently on sale on Steam, but you can also get the Xbox One edition as well.

Number 1: N++ (PS4)

Woot! A big congratulations to Metanet Software for winning this years Game of the Year voting on TorontoGameDevs.com.  N++, the ninja platformer that is easy to learn and difficult to master, will make you die over and over again, and apparently that's what people love about it.  While the developer is busy working on a PC version, make sure to pick up the PS4 version here.

Thank you to everyone who voted. As I mentioned, this resulted in the highest amount of traffic in the history of the site. Make sure to listen to our podcast, and follow us on Twitter. On to 2016!

Check Out The Co-op Puzzle Game - Pitfall Planet

So I am *very* late on writing about this game, since I first saw it at the 2015 Level-Up event back in April, where Pitfall Planet won 'Best Overall Game'.  But I didn't want to leave 2015 without giving it some reconnition, since I was reminded by the charming title when I saw it at the Canadian Videogame Award FanFest a few weekends ago.

Pitfall Planet is a coop puzzle game which pits (hah) you and your friend against the dangers on an unknown planet.

In a faraway galaxy, two intrepid astronauts have crash-landed on a mysterious planet, long-abandoned by those who once mined its precious ore. The two friends embark on a mission to scavenge enough ore to fuel their trip home. Beneath the planet's surface, they discover a labyrinth of puzzles and traps. Escaping will require agility and wits, not to mention mastery of their trusty grappling hooks. Scariest of all, the planet may not be as abandoned as they thought. Team up with a friend and use your grappling hooks to toss each other to new heights. Pitfall Planet will put your friendship to the test; will both of you make it out alive?

The announcement trailer for Pitfall Planet. Visit http://www.pitfallplanet.com for more information! Follow us on... Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/PitfallPlanet Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pitfall-Planet/1073290146030768

I'm excited to see more of the game in the new year. There doesn't appear to be any release date yet, but make sure to follow them on Twitter, and FaceBook to keep up to date.

Osnap Games Discusses The Lighting And Sound of Quasar

A game I've been meaning to write about for a while, Quasar is a top-down twin stick shooter that will be coming out early next year. Indie developer Osnap Games has been giving some updates that I thought I would share here.

3D Artist John Olabode, discussed the lighting in the game:

We began the lighting process for Quasar with a traditional 3 light setup (key, back and fill) and then additional lights in areas we thought made sense, being careful not to stray away from the look we were trying to achieve, outer space! After tweaking the lights, and using a combination of warm and cool tones, we started to integrate some post-processing in small doses. The post-processing in conjunction with the environment lighting, allowed us to obtain the feel we were striving for.

Additionally, late last month they discuss the music and gave a sample of what to expect. You can listen to the track here:

For a game like Quasar, a constant chaotic experience, I want the player to feel a sense of urgency and action when they’re flying around our universe. I approach the creation process in the simplest way possible. A few chords in succession that are designed to lure the player in and once I’ve found my base, a solid chord progression, I will take my time to find a drum line that both drives the song and pushes that sense of urgency. I treat the drum line with care. I try to keep them fairly simple and not overbearing. After creating the basic building blocks of my track, I will start working with arrangement, flow, and pace. I step back a bit and determine how I want the player to travel through the song itself. Crescendos, decrescendos, counterpoint melodies.. I find the flow and build my melody from there.

We've hit Greenlight (http://greenlight.quasargame.com)! Take a look at this gameplay teaser to get an idea of what Quasar is all about!

Quasar is currently slated for release early next year, and we'll have more on the game as we get closer to that date. Until then, make sure to follow Osnap Games on Twitter.

TorontoGameDevs.com - Our Personal Game of the Year Picks

While the voting for the Game of the Year is going on right now, Bret, Dan and I sat down the other night to discuss our personal Game's of the Year. I've decided to list them here.

We did four categories. Game of the Year non-Toronto games, Most Anticipated Game for 2016 non-Toronto games, Game of the Year Toronto games, Most Anticipated Game for 2016 Toronto games. So drumroll please...

Game of the Year non-Toronto developed:

Dan: Witcher 3 - "I'm going with it cause...I haven't played, and I really really want to"

Bret: Super Mario Maker - "Sticking with Nintendo for life, we're going with Mario maker...I have to go with Mario, that's a game I've been waiting my entire life"

Steve: Fallout 4 - "It was the right game, at the right time."

Most Anticipated Game for 2016 non-Toronto developed:

Dan: Uncharted 4 - "I am so so ready for Uncharted 4, the final chapter"

Bret: The Legend of Zelda (Wii U/NX?) - "It's Zelda, wherever it's coming, Wii U, NX don't care...I cannot wait"

Steve: The Legend of Zelda, and NX news

Most Anticipated Game for 2016 - Toronto developed:

Dan: Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King - "It brings me back to my old school Link to the Past days, and I'm really excited for that"

Bret: Below - "I'm really looking forward to that one"

Steve: Fortified - "I actually got to play Fortified...really really fun solid multiplayer shooter"

Game of the Year - Toronto developed:

Dan: Runbow - "Well you know I got to go with my boys, 13AM boys, Runbow...I really enjoyed playing it"

Bret: Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime - "Based off of purely visuals...I look forward to playing it still"

Steve: the Castle Game - "I can't sing enough praises about this game, I loved it"