Microsoft’s E3 trailer for The Darwin Project opens on a desolate night as a man furtively tries to warm his bloodied hands by a fire. Turning away to investigate a noise, he doesn’t see an assailant sneaking up behind him. After a flurry of combat,…
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
1 Min Read
Next week, E3 attendees will get the chance to check out the sequel to Mouldy Toof Studio’s hit prison break sim, The Escapists 2. Part two features familiar elements from the first installment set apart by a more robust combat system and flashier art style….
Joanna Mueller
2 Min Read
It’s not often a campaign launches that just has so much going for it that it’s difficult to pin down what makes it so special. And yet, developer AurumDust’s gorgeous turn-based narrative-driven RPG, Ash of Gods has managed to do just that. The project is…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
In January, Team17 announced it had partnered with Texas-based indie developer, Mothership Entertainment to publish a sci-fi building and management sim, Aven Colony. The four person studio has been developing Aven Colony since 2013. Now, Team17 will be presenting the game as part of their E3…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
Developer Supergiant Games isn’t shy about bucking trends and mixing things up when it comes to their projects. Their first two action RPG’s Bastion and Transistor both demonstrated the team’s commitment to rich atmospheric presentation and storytelling. So when they announced that their third game…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
In December of 2016, Photoplay Games launched a Kickstarter campaign for their classic RPG puzzle adventure, Back From Hell. When we initially covered the campaign, Josh was a little put off by the project’s unique character digitization. This time around the funding goal has decreased,…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
Indie horror games, perhaps more than any other genre, seem to suffer a lack of originality. How many haunted asylums can you reasonably traverse before you feel like you’ve seen it all before? So, when developers experiment with a new mechanic, gamers take notice. This brings us…
Joanna Mueller
2 Min Read
More and more video games are coming into their own as a storytelling medium. Indie games especially have made incredible strides towards exploring the possibilities of narrative-driven experiences. Dim Bulb Games is looking to push the envelope even further with their collaboratively written, narrative game,…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
In 2013, Coffee Yao set out to craft a horror title derived from East Asian elements rarely utilized in games. His 2D atmospheric side-scroller, Detention incorporated a mixture of Taoism and Buddhist beliefs set against traditional Chinese culture. The game was selected for the E3…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
After being Kickstarted back in 2015, developer Nathanael Weiss is nearly ready to release his procedurally generated, Zelda-like action-adventure RPG, Songbringer. Funded for $15,063, the game was selected as one of the 12 participants in the Indie Mega Booth for E3 2017. Here’s what you…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
Known for teaming up with Sony to bring us Life is Strange, Dontnod Entertainment is planning to give E3 2017 attendees a bite of their newest title. They officially announced Vampyr in January of 2015. The developers have said to expect the game’s release later this…
Joanna Mueller
2 Min Read
Back in the Spring of 2016, developer Foam Sword raised £126,447 to fund the creation of their hand-drawn adventure, Knights and Bikes. While they haven’t been able to complete the game in time for their estimated Spring 2017 release, they have continued making progress behind…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
From the early days of couch co-op, gaming has been a social activity. Even so, it can be hard to find a co-op game that appeals to players of different skill levels and interests. The folks at Piece of Cake Studios may have found a solution…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
Telepaths Tree’s surreal FPS horror project, Inner Chains has had a troubled launch. Between repetitive gameplay, game breaking glitches, and a host of bugs, the title has already managed to garner a “Mostly Negative” review rating on Steam. Now the developers are playing “patch catch-up” to…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
For the uninitiated, Ape Law’s surreal, psychological horror adventure, Albino Lullaby feels like some sort of sick joke. Meanwhile, fans of psychological horror have come to relish the game’s peculiar world. Now, they’ll be able to access even more of it. Ape Law follows the David Lynch…
Joanna Mueller
1 Min Read
One of the key aspects of crowdfunding that most new developers overlook is the whole “crowd” part. It’s difficult to meet your Kickstarter goal if nobody knows about your project. This is why successful developers typically start marketing before the campaign launches. Standing out in the…