Almost-Human
Latest
Legend of Grimrock 2 plumbs the depths in mid-October
Developer Almost Human has revealed that its classically-styled first-person dungeon crawl Legend of Grimrock 2 will debut on October 15. Alongside the announcement, the developer also revealed that pre-orders for the game are now open, and those who purchase the game within the next 22 days will receive a 15 percent discount, which reduces the game's price to $20.39. Additionally, fans who somehow missed the original Legend of Grimrock can purchase a bundle which includes both that game and its upcoming sequel. Like the aforementioned pre-order this bundle has also been discounted, allow players to grab both fantasy adventures for a total of $25.49. For more details on Legend of Grimrock 2, including its required tech specs and a bullet list of features, visit the game's website. If you'd rather just toss your money at Almost Human immediately, drop by the new pre-order page. [Image: Almost Human]
Legend of Grimrock iOS port announced, sequel enters beta
Finnish developer Almost Human Ltd. has two pieces of great news for fans of its classically-styled first-person dungeon crawl Legend of Grimrock: Not only has the game's sequel reached beta testing, but the original Legend of Grimrock is now coming to iOS. According to an official press release, entering beta means that all content to be included in Legend of Grimrock 2 is now in place and needs only polish and quality assurance testing before the game will be available to the public. "We feel the game is like a raw diamond and now we're concentrating fully on polishing every aspect of the game until everything is perfect and shining," said Legend of Grimrock artist Juho Salila. The developers plan to begin beta testing soon, after enlisting a "carefully selected" group of testers. Almost Human believes this tight-knight testing group will allow for better developer feedback and more fluid interaction between testers and the people building the game. Barring any major problems, Almost Human hopes to launch Legend of Grimrock 2 on PC this Fall. Unfortunately, information on the iOS version of Legend of Grimrock is currently lacking. Almost Human has yet to confirm a release date for the game, or even which iOS devices will be supported (though the above screenshot indicates the iPad is a very likely candidate). The developer claims that more information on the mobile dungeon crawl will be coming soon. [Image: Almost Human Ltd.]
New Legends of Grimrock 2 details, screenshots emerge from depths
Legend of Grimrock 2 will not be a direct sequel to the original dungeon crawler RPG, according to a post from developer Almost Human. It will, however, feature a new character class, playable race, skill system and interface, among other improvements that were recently detailed. Grimrock 2 will take place on the island of Nex; why an island? According to the developers, "the island is the perfect microcosm, where the party may explore dark woods, misty swamps, underground tunnels and ancient ruins without need to travel great distances. For us, an island is the perfect 'dungeon.'" The inhabitants of Nex won't take kindly to your presence there, and Almost Human has completely re-written monster AI for the game. Monster behavior will depend on intelligence, so a smart enemy may call in reinforcements and use group tactics while a stupid brute may charge forward. If it sounds like facing down monsters will be harder, the good news is that the game itself should be less of an obstacle, as the user interface has been reworked to be smoother and more convenient, requiring fewer clicks from the player. Potions, for example, no longer need to be crafted in the inventory - they can be mixed out-of-hand. Spellcasting is activated by holding down the mouse button while swiping across runes to create specific gestures. Lastly, the developer revealed several new screenshots for the game, two of which show off the island's surface - it's quite a shift from the dark, dungeon corridors of the first game. Oh the times, they are a-changin'. [Image: Almost Human]
Take your first, singular look at the greenery of Legend of Grimrock 2
Developer Almost Human released the first screenshot of Legend of Grimrock 2 this week, and it's a lot greener, less dungeon-y then expected. In announcing the follow-up to the 2012 action-RPG last month, Almost Human's Petri Häkkinen mentioned a "big engine update," and that looks to have gone into something very outdoorsy. Check out a larger 1080p sample here.Last week, Häkkinen revealed some of the rejected ideas for Legend of Grimrock 2, namely a roguelike amalgamated with the first game's ethos, and, more pertinently, a much more exploration-based game in the outside of the Northern Realms. Grimrock's world. However, Häkkinen noted that Almost Human believes the charm of Grimrock is "compactness, tight focus and emphasis on fun core gameplay."Based on that, it sounds like Grimrock 2 isn't going to deviate too far from the first game's style, but it looks like it may offer a bit more fresh air.
Legend of Grimrock 2 is official
Remember the project that Legend of Grimrock developer Almost Human teased last month? It turns out that the project is indeed Legend of Grimrock 2, although that wasn't originally the plan. The developer has already created a great deal of new content, wrote Petri Häkkinen on the Almost Human blog, and it was originally intended for an expansion."We still have a lot of ideas we'd like to explore, lots and lots of new content already done (originally made for a DLC/expansion) and a big engine update in the works," he said, adding that approaching the next project as DLC "would have limited too much what we can do."The announcement is light on details, though we can assume another retro-inspired dungeon crawl is in the works.
Legend of Grimrock caps off 2012 with 600K copies sold
Legend of Grimrock, the first-person dungeon crawler with a modern twist, had a very good 2012. Developer Almost Human has revealed that Legend of Grimrock sold over 600,000 copies last year. "We would've been happy with just one tenth of the sales numbers," the developer writes on the Grimrock blog, "so needless to say we're very happy and the future of our company is secured for a long time."Almost Human isn't resting on its laurels though, offering fans a sneak peak of what's next via two new images. They appear to be either an expansion for Legend of Grimrock or a new project in the same vein. See both images up close and personal in the gallery below.%Gallery-176722%
Crawl Legend of Grimrock's dungeons for $7.49 on GoG.com
Been waiting for the perfect time to dip into the blend of old-school and modern RPG goodness that is Legend of Grimrock? The wait appears to be over, as GoG.com currently has the game on sale for a measly, paltry, insignificant $7.49. The deal is only valid until July 11, 5:59am Eastern time, so get crackin' if your life is in need of some soul-crushing, first-person dungeon crawling.
Legend of Grimrock review: Less is more
I think I have video game amnesia. Nowadays, I play something, watch the credits roll, and then involuntarily purge it from my memories. Admittedly, that's a bit odd, seeing as today's games are chock-full of lavish setpieces and retina-searing "water-cooler moments." Meanwhile, my childhood memories of the lo-fi Game Boy Dragon Quest games are still crystal clear. Legend of Grimrock reminded me why.Much like those 8-bit bites of role-playing bliss, Grimrock leaves nearly everything to the imagination. Who are these four prisoners, what did they do to deserve this frequently fatal, square-by-square dungeon crawl, and why is one of them a minotaur? While there is a minimal overarching plot, I got to fill in those blanks moment-by-moment and really own my experience. With no overly chatty character nor long-winded cut-scene in sight, character motivations and interactions were mine to imagine.In all things – plot, combat, and even the act of simply moving forward – Grimrock is refreshingly minimal, an extremely satisfying whole cobbled together from your every little "aha" puzzle-solving moment and "ahhh!" near-death experience.%Gallery-154247%
Legend of Grimrock has already recouped development costs
The recent independent release, Legend of Grimrock, is fast proving that first-person dungeon crawlers are far from dead. After less than a week on digital shelves, the role-playing game has already recouped its development costs "many times over," developer Almost Human Games told Gamasutra, who added that the studio now "seems pretty secure."It's good news for Almost Human and, more importantly, bodes well for Myth of Bleakstone, our hastily assembled attempt to cash in on the upcoming resurgence of first-person dungeon crawlers.
Indie studio Almost Human is more human than most
Yesterday morning, Juho Salila went to work as usual, expecting to streamline the graphics and build a few monsters for Legend of Grimrock, Almost Human's imminent dungeon crawler. He sat down, booted up his computer, and noticed the Grimrock site had crashed multiple times throughout the night due to traffic overload, and his inbox was inundated with new emails.Hours earlier, Reddit user meandertal had posted this screencap from the Almost Human blog, highlighting a fan's question about the inclusion of on-screen arrows in Grimrock. That wasn't currently an option, programmer Petri Häkkinen said, asking the fan why he wanted to know. "I'm disabled and use a mouth stick for typing," he responded, saying he'd adapt to the existing controls and couldn't wait to play the game.Two and a half hours later, Häkkinen posted this: The fan was blown away -- and so were the Redditors who read meandertal's post. "When we got our inbox open, we almost couldn't believe our eyes; it was just pouring with encouraging emails," Salila told Joystiq. "All these people writing in saying thanks and wishing us good luck, just like in the mountain of comments on Reddit. "For us it was a rather simple thing to implement, but we couldn't imagine that it could mean so much to somebody else. It kind of gives you perspective on life itself."
