One of my favorite NES games growing up was Trojan, an average quality side scroller that while it paled in comparison to the arcade version, was still a lot of fun for my 12 year old self. I played Trojan so much that I got to the point where I could beat it in a single life, I owned that game. Looking back at that particular life accomplishment, it probably had more to do with the repetitive nature of the game than any sort of gaming prowess on my part.
What do my hazy days of gaming glory have to do with the subject of this piece? When I look at Savage: The Shard Gosen I see Trojan all over again. Except, instead of a predictable cavalcade of baddies attacking in a row, I see a variety of creatures assaulting from all sides. And while the levels in Savage may appear to be a slightly more colorful version of my sweet beloved, seeing in the Kickstarter description that the levels are open and non-linear makes me want to prove myself all over again. Toss in multiple weapons, upgrades, quests, and leveling up into the mix and you’ve got a game that’s more Zelda and Super Mario Bros 2 than Trojan.
Then there’s the fact that the developer never mentions Trojan, and instead summons the ghosts of Zelda and SMB2 and I’m left feeling a little silly.
Take a close – closer than I did – look at the Savage: The Shard of Gosen Kickstarter and see if it’s worth your while. If you’re skeptical you can always download the Alpha and try the game out for yourself. The funding goal of $6,000 needs to be met before February 23rd otherwise the princess dies, or something.
[…] narrative structure and you’ve got a game that just might break the mould of it’s own roots; if Matt can complete it. We recently asked Matt about his game, it’s Kickstarter campaign, […]