So many survival/exploration style games get off on gritty realism. What if they could be beautiful instead? Perhaps this was the thinking that lead to the minimalist graphic style of Holden Boyles newest Kickstarter project, Torla. Boyles had previously found success in crowdfuding for his…
Joanna Mueller
516 Articles
Joanna Mueller is a lifelong gamer who used to insist on having the Super Mario Bros manual read to her as a bedtime story. Now she's reading Fortnite books to her own kiddo while finally making use of her degree to write about games as Cliqist's EIC.
Joanna Mueller
3 Min Read
As the clock ticked down the final hours on their Kickstarter campaign, Owlcat Games took to Reddit for an “Ask Me Anything,” community interview. This was the second AMA for Creative Director Alexander Mishulin and Narrative Designer Chris Avellone about their upcoming RPG, Pathfinder: Kingmaker….
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
Depending on who you ask, early access is either the best or worst tool for smaller game developers. On the one hand, devs get a chance to put their game in front of an audience. This allows them to more accurately gauge interest and polish…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
For a game about communication, All the Hidden Corners sure feels convoluted. On the surface the project is a social puzzle adventure game with an offbeat aesthetic. This is the type of unusual premise that usually stands out on crowdfunding platforms. Yet, Odplot Production’s Trans-Siberian…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
Online game marketplace, Itch.io prides itself on being an “open marketplace for independent digital creators with a focus on independent video games.” Here even small developers are able to get their products in front of a sizable audience without going through any gatekeepers or vetting…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
Apparently, somewhere in the world exists a unique subculture of Hula Hoop fanatics just waiting for their hobby to go mainstream. These “Hoopers” are a force to be reckoned with once they take to the streets and master their craft. At least, that’s what the…
Joanna Mueller
2 Min Read
Technology has come a long way, to the point that graphics that would have been impossible to fathom 10 years ago are now the norm. Despite this, movie audiences frequently lament this reliance on modern tech over practical effects. In much the same way, many…
Joanna Mueller
3 Min Read
Last week, Five Nights at Freddy’s creator Scott Cawthon confirmed that he had been working on the next game in the series, before promptly announcing it’s cancellation. Cawthon cited the growing expectations of his especially enthusiastic fanbase as part of his struggles. “Each game SHOULD…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
Crowdfunding is rife with zombie survival games. Yet, zombie aficionados are still holding out hope for one that ticks all the right boxes. Sure you want open-word sandbox survival, but too many games give up after that. This leaves well-fortified players with nothing to do…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
Now that we’re about a week into Steam’s Summer Sale and you’ve picked up all your must have deals, you’ve finally got time to check out some new stuff you didn’t even realize you wanted. Enter Phantom Halls, the action/adventure RPG where you have to…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
The game industry can feel a little obsessive in it’s race to make every game bigger and better than anything that has come before it. Enough so, that if a AAA game isn’t absolutely innovative in every aspect it runs the risk of failure. Meanwhile,…
Joanna Mueller
2 Min Read
There are few experience more painful than to spend years working on a project only to have it poorly received. When publisher, aeiowu released their deceptively deep, dual-stick roguelike, TumbleSeed last month it’s lackluster reception was difficult to accept. After two months of reflection, developer…
Joanna Mueller
2 Min Read
Psychological horror reaches deeper into our primal fear reactions. Rather than overt jumpscares and spooks our terror is born from attempting to understand the inexplicable. Desperately trying to make sense of the many forms of abuse and suffering that plague us. Those seeking thrills may…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
It’s been a while since developer OhNoo Studio has reached out to touch base with their Kickstarter backers. With the Steam page for their upcoming adventure game, Tsioque calling for a late 2017 release, it was probably time to check in once again. The gloriously…
Joanna Mueller
2 Min Read
Science sure is swell, isn’t it? It makes up the very fabric of our existence and yet it has never enjoyed the level of celebration readily heaped on pop culture icons. Luckily, Astrophysicist, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson graciously stepped up to assume the mantle of…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
Developer agendas have become the activist’s Rorschach test in video games. Some people claim to see them spelled out clearly while others only see pixels. In that respect it’s refreshing for a game to wear it’s motivation unabashedly on its sleeve. In the case of…