The latest update for Overload, the spiritual successor to Descent from developer Revival Productions, provides an unexpected surprise – all backers of at least $25 will receive a Steam code for Inferno 2 within a week of the Overload Kickstarter ending. A twin-stick shooter, Inferno 2 was well received on iOS and Android before being released for PC in June 2015.

This follows a number of other major updates for Overload recently including the announcement that Mac and Linux support will be included by default (rather than as a stretch goal), addition of mod tools to the stretch goals, the launch of their forums, Overload’s debut on Steam Greenlight and most crucially the news of a multiplayer expansion free for all backers.

Overload

Overload is now entering the dreaded ‘slump’ period of a Kickstarter campaign and with a week gone has only raised a third of its $300,000 target. This would normally be seen as a pretty ominous sign, particularly as only 87 video game Kickstarters have ever raised $300,000 – as you can see from Cliqisit’s very own Data Archive. However Revival do seem to have anticipated this and as well as the staggered release of announcements they’re already preparing for a second promotional push including a Reddit AMA.

Overload

The biggest obstacle however remains the existence of Descent: Underground which completed a successful Kickstarter campaign in April 2015 and is already available as an Early Access title. There’s a real risk that many Descent fans who’ve already backed Underground (which also benefits from having the official Descent license) will be unwilling to pledge again for a similar title – although admittedly Underground is primarily a multiplayer game while Overload is focusing on a single-player campaign.

Looking at the Underground Kickstarter can give some encouragement to Revival though. As with Overload, Underground had an explosion of early interest in the media but at halfway through their campaign only had less than half the required funds raised. A steady stream of updates seemed to work the trick and allowed them to ride out the slump and creep over their target, so there’s a fair chance Overload could do the same.

About the Author

Dan Miller

Dan’s gaming habit began in the 1980s with the NES and since joining Kickstarter in 2014 he’s backed over 100 crowdfunded projects - more than half of which were for video games. Hailing from the UK, he also writes for BrashGames.co.uk

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