By "Tempura," I am of course referring to easily one of the best Xbox LIVE Indie games available today, Tempura of the Dead. Yep, 8bits Fanatics is back with another game for the independent channel, and this one is looking to be another quality throwback title.
It's a platformer called Aban Hawkins & the 1000 Spikes, which will be due out sometime this month for one dollar. These dudes really like to go all out with their names, huh? The official site has some screenshots to supplement the debut trailer above, so check it.
Aban Hawkins will allow us to "Return to the golden ages of video game." I'd like that very much.
Jordan Devore is Destructoid's PC gaming manager and founding ginger editor. He is said to be easy to love but difficult to know. When Samit inquired about his curious bio photo Jordan simply replied: "bitches love sandcastles" ... yet, there is no sandcastle in that photo. We may never truly understand his ways.
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Tempura was pretty rad (definitely in the top ten on XBLIGs, which speaks more to the quality of the highs on the platform than Tempura's lack of quality) so I'm in for this. I'm glad devs are figuring out how to do good work on this platform.
These guys aren't joking around. I got to playtest this game a few weeks ago, it is definitely a "hardest, extremest, craziest platform adventure". I died probably about 20 times in the first room and only made it halfway through. My friends were watching and pulled a "YOU'RE JUST BAD, LET ME TRY", and they only managed to make it part of the way into the second half of the room.
Looks pretty good, so the author can count me in for a sale. I can't call Tempura the best title on XBLIG right now (that one's currently a three-way tie between Vorpal, Zombie Estate, and Cthulhu Saves The World), but it's certainly in the top 10.
Like exobyte, my first thought here was La Mulana. I don't think that's a bad thing, however, and I'm excited to see what else comes down the pipeline from 8BF.
Vorpal is basically a mashup of Touhou Project boss fights meet Mad World's art direction. So a black and white bullet hell. It's a hell of a lot of fun, if you're into that sort of thing. Don't go expecting Boundary of Life and Death-levels of difficulty, but it's not easy by any stretch of the imagination and has some very solid hit detection. Easily worth the dollar just for the soundtrack.
Zombie Estate is basically a twin-stick 3D shooter. The entire game takes place around a large house, where you basically have to weave around and shoot zombies (and other things) as they come to kill you. A nice variety of weapons and the ability to duck into the house to narrow the field of fire make the game worth a look.
I'd suggest just downloading trial versions for both and seeing if they're your cup of tea. The quality for both titles is really top-notch, and they can be a lot of fun. I've probably logged about eight hours into Vorpal already, and the game only costs a dollar, so...
@Meteor
Say no more, I bought 'em both! Your comments over the past weeks seem to indicate we share a common taste in games, so I can't wait to play them.
Great find Jordan - these guys are srsly f'real
I always get that opening track from "Tempura" randomly in my head, and it's never a bad thing. Will be picking up.
THANK YOU SO MUCH hageoyaji. I've been trying to remember a game I played well over a decade ago and haven't been able to think of it for the life of me, and it's been annoying me for at least a couple of years now as to what it is. I recognized the name Rick Dangerous for an unknown reason so looked it up, and there it is. My memories came flooding back. I thought I'd never find out what it was again...
Anyway, on to the game. It's things like this that make me actually want to get an Xbox. There's pretty much no exclusive releases that interest me on disc, but XBLA seems to have a whole bunch of interesting stuff that I want to play. It does remind me of LA-MULANA a little, although that isn't a bad thing. Wonder if I can get one of my friends to pick it up so I can give it a play like I did with Limbo...
Cool! The first thing I thought about was La-Mulana, I don“t know if this game could be more tedious and challenging though ;D I love the fact that you have like 1000 extralifes !
@ Seasonreaper
Ha! I finally signed up to Destructoid just to post that comment. I played both Rick Dangerous 1 and 2 on the Amiga 500. You probably already found it, but there's a flash version here: http://rickdangerousflash.free.fr/
I like the look of it. You've got the spikes telegraphing their appearance, and the falling blocks gradually sliding away rather than disappearing.
It's playing the 'lol this game is really hard' angle, which has never been enough for me on its own. But I get the impression it won't just be a frustrating memorization fest like syobon action or I wanna be the guy if they're making an effort to show the player at least some of the potential threats. Could be good!
Anyway, no platformer has more spikes than VVVVVV. It can't be done.
Look, there on your console! It's La-Mulana! It's Spelunky! It's... some other dungeon delving platformer featuring Indiana Jones' third cousin on his mother's side in a world vaguely inspired by Mayan architecture, dying hundreds of times in a quest for treasure!
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Contest:
6:30 PM on 01.11.2011 | 
Like exobyte, my first thought here was La Mulana. I don't think that's a bad thing, however, and I'm excited to see what else comes down the pipeline from 8BF.
What are Vorpal and Zombie Estate like?
Ok: well Vorpal seems to be a Touhou homage...SOLD JERRY, SOLD!!!!!!!
I'd still like to hear about Zombie Estate, haha.
Zombie Estate is basically a twin-stick 3D shooter. The entire game takes place around a large house, where you basically have to weave around and shoot zombies (and other things) as they come to kill you. A nice variety of weapons and the ability to duck into the house to narrow the field of fire make the game worth a look.
I'd suggest just downloading trial versions for both and seeing if they're your cup of tea. The quality for both titles is really top-notch, and they can be a lot of fun. I've probably logged about eight hours into Vorpal already, and the game only costs a dollar, so...
Say no more, I bought 'em both! Your comments over the past weeks seem to indicate we share a common taste in games, so I can't wait to play them.
I always get that opening track from "Tempura" randomly in my head, and it's never a bad thing. Will be picking up.
But I'm thinking its la-mulana meets IWTBTG difficulty... makes me wish I had a 360. :(
Anyway, on to the game. It's things like this that make me actually want to get an Xbox. There's pretty much no exclusive releases that interest me on disc, but XBLA seems to have a whole bunch of interesting stuff that I want to play. It does remind me of LA-MULANA a little, although that isn't a bad thing. Wonder if I can get one of my friends to pick it up so I can give it a play like I did with Limbo...
I second meteorscrap's recommendation of Zombie Estate; it's my favorite game on the Indie Channel!
Ha! I finally signed up to Destructoid just to post that comment. I played both Rick Dangerous 1 and 2 on the Amiga 500. You probably already found it, but there's a flash version here: http://rickdangerousflash.free.fr/
Demo blew me away, good lookin out guys.
It's playing the 'lol this game is really hard' angle, which has never been enough for me on its own. But I get the impression it won't just be a frustrating memorization fest like syobon action or I wanna be the guy if they're making an effort to show the player at least some of the potential threats. Could be good!
Anyway, no platformer has more spikes than VVVVVV. It can't be done.
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