After looking at hundreds of Kickstarter pitches, I’ve begun to understand what it is that may or may not “sell” campaigns to passerbys. The most obvious thing, however, is to ensure that your game’s specific concept is defined easily and immediately. Planet Centauri offers an incredibly vast description with “2d rpg sandbox” in the title. Does that tell you much? It certainly doesn’t for me! With that said, after reviewing all developer Permadeath has to offer, it’s more obvious what exactly this game is and what they really should have focused their campaign on (in my opinion!).
Planet Centauri is a bit like other games you may have played (Terraria, Starbound, etc). In fact, it’s a lot like those words because you’re free to explore these vast 2D pixelated worlds and craft items, build homes, and fight against monsters. However, some of the more unique, and intriguing, aspects include catching and taming enemies ala Pokemon. One a part of your team, these creatures can then be used to fight against wild enemies. You’ve also got the option to take on quests so the entirety of gameplay isn’t dependent on your imagination. Finally, players can create a super unique character to match their needs and stand out in multiplayer mode.
If this game were framed more as “Terraria meets Pokemon” it might draw more attention, even though that’s probably an incredibly reductive way to look at Planet Centauri. But hey, smart marketing rarely hurts a crowdfunding campaign! Permadeath are asking for $29,566 (converted from Euro) to make their Kickstarter dream a reality.
Track the progress of the Planet Centauri Kickstarter in our Campaign Calendar.
That sounds great and kudos to them supporting the Vita!
I’m glad indies are bringing their games to Vita still, too :). The handheld deserves more love.