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Capy flies 'Below' the radar on the Xbox One
Microsoft's E3 press conference yesterday was full of gigantic new titles like Titanfall, Ryze, and Metal Gear Solid 5, but in among the blockbusters, there was one little announce that stood out in a big way. Below is the latest game from Capybara Games, the indie Canadian studio behind Critter Crunch and Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes, who most recently won all the awards with the beautiful iOS title Sword and Sworcery EP. Below is about as far from an early next-generation console title as you'd imagine: Instead of bombastic, flashy, and loud, it's quiet, subtle, and slightly menacing. "You are small," Capy co-founder Nathan Vella says while smoking a cigarette outside a Microsoft E3 showcase last evening. "Death is at every turn if you are not smart about it." Below is "a roguelike like," he says, focusing on sending the player through a series of randomized, one-screen dungeons, with a sword, shield, and some other not-yet-revealed tools and weapons.%Gallery-191148%
Capy's 'Below' revealed for Xbox One
Minecraft isn't the only subterranean-themed indie on Xbox One. Capy, working with Superbrothers Sword & Sworcery EP composer Jim Guthrie, is making a roguelike for the platform called "Below." The trailer shown on stage can be seen right here.
Capy's success and sworcery catchphrase: 'It's getting there'
At the conclusion of his GDC 2013 panel, Still Kicking: The Viability of Paid Apps in the Era of F2P, Capybara Games co-founder and president Nathan Vella offered unique insight into the trials endured by the company. The developers were pushing for creativity and originality in their games, but were beset by problem after problem."It's getting there" quickly became the company mantra, a mission statement of sorts and catchphrase that succinctly sums up the Toronto development house's endeavors.
Capy Fine Racing GP is a game on a floppy disk at PAX East
We never believed that in the year 2013 we'd be talking about games found on a floppy disk, but Capybara Games has proven us wrong. The developer is bringing 3.5 inch floppy disks to PAX East housing copies of Capy Fine Racing GP – a new racing game featuring characters from games created by Capy and Double Fine.Capy co-founder Nathan Vella told Edge that both developers teamed up to create the game, which seems like an excellent offering for the two studio sharing booth space in Boston. The game itself is described as an "OutRun-style racer."If you won't be at PAX, the floppy disk will also be included in the 200 retail versions of the Double Fine/Capybara Games Steam collection. Those that get hands on the disks are encouraged to share."It's just something we did for pure fun and loving the idea of doing cool shit with our friends, in the spirit of the Capy Double Fine PAX combo. While it's totally a real game, it's also not at all a real game," Vella said.
Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes out now on iOS
Capybara Games' Might and Magic Clash of Heroes is available now on iOS for $4.99. As noted in our mini review from earlier this month, an Android version should arrive sometime after nowish.Clash of Heroes, a DS game that was HD-ified and ported to several other platforms, is a match-three puzzle game with fantasy armies. It's pretty... and pretty wonderful. If you've somehow missed it on every other platform up to now, don't miss out on it in its re-portableized version.%Gallery-175269%
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery now out on Android
If you missed your chance to grab the Android version of Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP during its surprise spotlight in the Humble Android Bundle 4, now's your time to pounce. The Android version is the full game, unchanged from its iOS and Steam siblings.Sword & Sworcery on Android requires devices running OS 2.3 and higher, and is available as a $1.99 download on the Google Play store right now. It's a great game and, in the humble opinion of this editor, one of 2011's best.
Fez programmer Renaud Bedard joins Capy
Capy Games announced earlier this afternoon that Fez programmer Renaud Bedard has joined the team at the Critter Crunch, Clash of Heroes and Super TIME Force developer. Bedard was one half of the Polytron team, with Phil Fish, who put out the critically acclaimed game, Fez. The game's lengthy and volatile development was chronicled in Indie Game: The Movie (on Netflix streaming)."The remaining employees of the Polytron Corp. would like to say goodbye and thank you to [Bedard] for all the years of amazing work," Fish tweeted out.Asked for more details on how Bedard came to Capy, studio founder Nathan Vella told us that the company wasn't saying anything beyond the tweets it put out.
The Super TIME Force cartoon is our favorite manufactured childhood memory
What's Capy been up to in the weeks leading up to PAX? Oh, not much, just creating an original animated trailer for Super TIME Force, complete with an educational message about never giving up even if you're going to burn to death, because you can always just rewind time!Of course, no vintage cartoon – no matter how new it actually is – is complete without a totally awesome animal mascot, and Super TIME Force is no exception. Kookabunga!
Attract Mode and Fangamer host all-ages video game art show Saturday night at PAX
If you're in Seattle this week – perhaps for PAX Prime – then your Thursday night plans have been taken care of. You'll be at Joystiq's Borderlands 2 party, and you'd better say hi when you see us there. But PAX goes for four days, you say – what about the rest of the weekend? We'll cover Saturday for you as well: "Videogame collective" Attract Mode and videogame apparel site Fangamer are teaming up to hold a great big live art and game show, starting at 7pm on Saturday, September 1 in Seattle.Cumulo Nimblers, Capy's Super Time Force, and Eric Zimmerman's Metagame will all be there and playable, 8-bit artist Danimal Cannon and hip-hop gamer MegaRan (he's good) will provide the tunes, and the whole show will be drenched in some of the best video-game related artwork you'll find (and which you can see examples of in the gallery below). It'll be a rad time indeed; it's an all ages show that's open to the public, and admission is $5.The event starts at 7pm and goes until 11 on Saturday September 1, and you can find it at the 1927 Events space, at 1927 3rd Ave. in Seattle. As for your Friday and Sunday nights at PAX, well, you'll have to find your own party space for those.%Gallery-163481%
Sword and Sworcery's Nathan Vella on returning to iOS: 'Absolutely'
Nathan Vella is the co-founder of Capybara Games, the company that worked with musician Jim Guthrie and the artist Superbrothers to put together the extremely popular and critically acclaimed Sword and Sworcery EP, originally released on iOS. Capy, as it's sometimes called, is a Toronto-based game developer that started out making puzzle games, including Critter Crunch and the Ubisoft-published Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes. But Vella told me during a quick conversation at WWDC last week that Capy "had no plans whatsoever of being a puzzle game studio." Capy's developers followed their own interests into puzzle games early on. It was that interest that led to collaboration with Guthrie and Superbrothers and, ultimately, success on the App Store. Vella said that he and the S&S EP team didn't anticipate the success they'd eventually have on iOS, but as the development time went on, the team got more and more feedback from players and critics that showed them they had something good happening. The IGF Mobile Award for the game was a big bonus, says Vella. "That helped instill some confidence." In the end, however, the real reason Vella says Sword and Sworcery did so well was because the team decided to "make stupid decisions" during development, like add in crazy systems or try really wild approaches to storytelling. "Those were the decisions that made it a success," says Vella. In fact, his advice to any iOS developer out there would be to "make those dumb calls," he says. "If you're making safe, easy decisions on iOS, I give you a 50/50 chance of success," he told me. But for developers who break the rules and try something new on the App Store, "your chances will go up for success, and you'll at least have more interesting failures." These days, Capy is hard at work on Super Time Force, a console title that, because of the way it works, probably won't transition to iOS. But when asked if his company will return to iOS in the future, Vella says that "absolutely" will happen. The studio really just chases its passions. "If everybody really believes in [a game], we'll try to make it," says Vella. Capy routinely hosts internal game jams, and Super Time Force actually came from an event like that. "We will not be ignoring iOS" in the future, says Vella. Between Capy's earlier work on the platform, and its enormous success with Sword and Sworcery, we can't wait to see what they're going to do next on Apple's devices.
Humble Indie Bundle V includes Psychonauts, Limbo, Superbrothers, Amnesia, Bastion (as a bonus)
The fifth iteration of the Humble Indie Bundle has gone live, granting donors their choice of Mac, PC or Linux versions of Psychonauts, Limbo, Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP and Amnesia: The Dark Descent, as well as the soundtracks for each game. Anyone that pays above the average price (currently $6.71) will also receive Baston and its soundtrack.Seeing as the Steam release of Sword & Sworcery EP is still only available on PC, this bundle is currently the only way to buy it for OSX. As per usual, patrons can decide how much of their purchase price goes to the developers, to charity, and as a tip to Humble Bundle folks.
Sworcery enchants Japan June 21, accompanied by remix album
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP will make its Japanese debut on June 21, in both iOS and PC iterations. Localization firm 8-4 is partnering with Capy and Superbrothers, to handle localization of the idiosyncratic dialogue along with promotion.Even if you're not personally interested in playing Sworcery in Japanese, you can reap the benefits of this new collaboration. Concurrent with the game's release, a new remix album will be available online, featuring interpretations of Jim Guthrie's Sworcery soundtrack by Akira Yamaoka, Michiru Yamane, Baiyon, and more.
Sword and Sworcery devs hosting a creative jam
Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP has earned accolades from critics and players for its creativity. Now its developers are asking the community to show off their own creativity, in the "Create in the Key of Sworcery" virtual jam. Over on the game's official tumblr, they're sharing some really incredible fan art from the game, and they're asking for more to be made and sent in during a virtual jam, happening on May 11-13. It's not a contest and there are no prizes, as far as I can tell. I believe it's just making some art for art's sake. The world of Sword and Sworcery is certainly gorgeous, and has already inspired some great work from fans. If you are a fan with some artistic talent, we'll be waiting to see what you and others put together with Jim Guthrie, Capy, and Superbrothers next weekend.
PSA: Superbrothers Sword & Sworcery EP on Steam today, 25% off
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP is available on big-boy computers today, in the form of a Steam (Swteam?) release. Right now it's PC only, but a Mac version is due to follow.Purchasing the Steam version of the formerly handheld-only game gets you a digital copy of the companion soundtrack Sword & Sworcery LP: The Ballad of the Space Babies; watch (and listen to) the trailer above to see why that's such an impressive offer.The whole bundle is on sale for $5.99 (normally $7.99) through April 23.%Gallery-153287%
Clash of Heroes free-to-play this weekend on Steam
Capy, which has been making ripples in our continuum with Super TIME Force, will host an earlier effort, Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes, for half off and free to play this weekend on Steam.Regularly priced at $14.99, the color-matching puzzle RPG will be $7.49, with the ability to try it out for free until Sunday at 1PM Pacific. Our review suggests you take Capy up on the offer.%Gallery-96062%
Superbrothers Sword & Sworcery EP coming to Steam 'before the next dark moon'
Superbrothers Sword & Sworcery EP is officially bringing its weird Twitter-enhanced narrative to the PC. Superbrothers Inc. reports that the new "point & click" version will be available for PC via Steam "before the next dark moon." A Mac version will follow "before the summer solstice." If you'd like to see how the game transitions to a big, big screen and a mouse, you'll be able to try the PC port at PAX East. It's playable at the Capy booth, which is located within the Indie Megabooth.
Super T.I.M.E. Force infiltrating PAX East
When you first enter the outskirts of the Boston area, you may feel a certain sensation. Relax, that's not another Highlander in the vicinity, it's your body knowing that something special is about to happen. You're about to attend an awesome gaming convention and possibly come hang with your pals at Joystiq!Today, we're glad to report the show will be even better: Capybara Games will have a playable build of Super T.I.M.E. Force at its booth, the developer has revealed. Super T.I.M.E. Force is an IGF 2012 entry and won the XBLA prize this year, meaning we'll see it arrive on Xbox Live Arcade eventually.Capy will be situated at booth #764, so stop by if you want to play. You may have to push us out of the way, though -- fair warning and all of that.
Sword & Sworcery EP and soundtrack on sale today
Today is the vernal equinox (technically it was yesterday, but close enough), and you know what that means: a special price on Superbrothers Sword & Sworcery EP. Also something about the sun, we think? It's $1.99 in the App Store for today only.Already have the game? Celebrate the mysterious change of seasons (and the upcoming one-year anniversary of Sworcery's release) by picking up the soundtrack, Sword & Sworcery LP: The Ballad of the Space Babies, digitally at a price of your choice. Or you can buy it on LP with art by Adventure Time creator Pendleton Ward. Or you can buy it on cassette. Those aren't discounted, but they are awesome.
Capy Games wins 'XBLA Award' and guaranteed MS publishing deal for Super T.I.M.E. Force
Capy Games, developer of adorable guzzle-'em-up Critter Crunch and the gorgeous Superbrothers Sword & Sworcery EP, has won the Microsoft-sponsored "XBLA Prize" during the 14th Annual Independent Games Festival Awards, held this evening in San Francisco. The recipients receive a rare digital copy of the now-delisted advergame, Yaris.No, wait, it says here they get a guaranteed first-party publishing deal via Microsoft's Live service, including Xbox Live Arcade, Windows Phone and Windows ... Computer. In this case, the game headed to XBLA is Super T.I.M.E. Force!The award comes with a few other bonuses too: Microsoft will provide funding to complete the game if necessary, and augment its development with several first-party support services, including usability, testing, and a guy who never looks up from his Blackberry.
The original plan: Sword and Sworcery in seven months for $110,000
The best laid plans ...GDC is a great place for budding developers to learn from other, more seasoned developers. During a postmortem focusing on the success of Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP, Capy president and co-founder Nathan Vella admitted the game ended up going over budget and past its planned launch late -- it's more common than you think in game development.The original plan for Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP was a seven-month development cycle, with a budget of around $110,000. In the end, the game ended up costing "around $200,000" over the course of 18 months. As of today, 350,000 individuals have spun some vinyl.After his talk, I got some face time with Vella to ask him about a personal curiosity: Twitter integration. Some games have caught flak for it, but the smart implementation and voice of the tweets in Superbrothers -- written in the same narrative style of the game -- caused a new trend in iOS gaming."The intention was always to give people the ability to broadcast something they enjoyed about the game," Vella told me. "I love that about the game. I even loved it when people were talking shit about it like crazy. I think the Twitter part of it was important because people loved the dialogue, the way that Craig wrote it, and blast Twitter -- it's important to me and it's important to the project, to know that we made something that somebody wants to put out there. And it was always a choice: you choose to press two buttons to tweet something, if you care about it. I would definitely make that call again."Finally, when asked by another attendee about a PC port of Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP, Vella slyly replied, "No comment on that question."
