cthulhu-saves-the-world
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MMO Blender: Larry's old-school 16-bit MMO
In August of 1991, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System launched in North America, kick-starting what would eventually be the biggest boom in console roleplaying games. Granted, some of us had been playing RPGs on consoles like the original NES, but RPGs didn't see as big a console boom as they did on the SNES. In fact, console RPGs haven't seen the same level of popularity since the SNES. A quick jump over to VGChartz shows us that out of the top 50 games sold world-wide on any individual console, RPGs on the SNES dominated the NES, the Playstation, and even the Nintendo DS, boasting titles like Dragon Quest VI, Final Fantasy III, and Super Mario RPG. If you take into account some adventure games that should be considered RPGs, like Super Metroid and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, then you have arguably the best platform of all time for the genre. Nowadays, with online gaming and indie companies sprouting up all over the place, a 16-bit online RPG would probably sell really well, especially if it took some of the best elements from the classic console RPGs of the NES/SNES era. Isn't that right, Cthulhu Saves the World? Let's see what I can throw together from some of my favorite 8- and 16-bit games.
Cthulhu saves Mac, iOS, and Android on June 28
Lovecraftian horror turned counterculture icon Cthulhu will attempt to reclaim his ability to destroy all of mankind once again this Thursday, June 28, when Cthulhu Saves The World launches on OSX, iOS and Android, according to Touch Arcade.Each version of the game will run you a smooth $1.99, making these releases $1 cheaper than the PC version on Steam and $1 more expensive than the original XBLIG jam. It's unclear whether the game will be a Universal iOS app, or if iPhone/iPad specific versions will be released at $1.99 each, though the game's classic JRPG-style interfaces should adapt well to touchscreen devices either way.Launching on additional platforms has worked out well for Zeboyd in the past; it'll be interesting to see if the game's street cred translates to success in the indie-saturated mobile market.
Cthulhu to Save the World on Mac, iOS, Android in 2012, Mayans wrong
Indie gem Cthulhu Saves the World has helped more than 150,000 people enact tentacled justice on XBLIG and PC since December 2010, and it will expand its reach with a release on Mac, iOS and Android devices in Q1 this year, developer Zeboyd Games announced. Zeboyd's Robert Boyd tweeted that he "waited until the ports were almost done before making the announcement," which marks a novel way of conducting game-release announcements, wherein developers wait until they're sure the game will be released before announcing that the game will be released. Revolutionary. Cthulhu Saves the World also got a price drop on XBLIG, to 80 MS Points ($1), effective right now. So go! The world won't save itself.
Indie Royale dishes out 'The Really Big Bundle'
For its third offering, Indie Royale is bundling together five new games because ... hey, we're all buying stuff right now and everyone loves cheap bundles of good games. A bit of quantity and quality, you know? And the Indie Royale folks must know what they're doing -- Gamasutra reports the first two bundles have moved over 350,000 games across 70,000 total bundle sales. Within The Really Big Bundle, you'll be able to grab headliner Really Big Sky and a pair of Zeboyd games (from the guys bringing back Penny Arcade Adventures) namely Cthulhu Saves the World and Breath of Death VII. Rounding out the final two columns in this pentagon of parsimony is Runespell: Overture and Eufloria.
Cthulhu Saves the World bundle drives 100K insane on Steam
Zeboyd Games' Cthulhu Saves the World bundle, which includes both the humorous Lovecraftian romp and Breath of Death VII, has moved over 100,000 downloads since its July release on Steam. The developer is "ecstatic" about the milestone, saying that "the days of worrying over whether or not we could support our families while making games we would want to play ourselves are behind us." He adds, "There is obviously a definite audience for quality console-style RPGs that are aggressively priced on the PC." Meanwhile, the two games haven't faired nearly as well on their original platform, Xbox Live Indie Games. Breath of Death VII, available since April 2010 on XBLIG, has moved 55,000 downloads to date, while Cthulhu, available since December 2010, has only generated 20,000 downloads. Readers will recall that the PC bundle actually outperformed a year's worth of Zeboyd's XBLIG revenue only a week after its release. Zeboy's next title will be the resurrection of the once-canceled Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness - Episode 3, though the studio also has other projects -- including "RPGs as well as games from other genres" -- in the pipeline.
Steam releases of Cthulhu Saves the World, Breath of Death VII outperform entire year on XBLIG
In a very brief announcement on its website, Zeboyd Games has revealed that Cthulhu Saves the World and Breath of Death VII have been performing very well on Steam. Just how well? "We are pleased to announce that Zeboyd Games has already made more revenue in less than a week on Steam than we have in over a year and a half on the Xbox Live Indie Games service." Another post on Zeboyd's site details the early success of its game on Steam. The developer stated it would have been happy to occupy a spot in the top twenty. On launch day, however, the studio shot into the top sellers and occupied the number one spot for most of the day. Earlier this year, Zeboyd took donations to help fund the PC port of Cthulhu Saves the World, which includes a copious amount of new content (which is now available on the Xbox version as well). So, in other words, the studio has gone from a lack of funds to besting more than a year's worth of sales in a single week. We'd say that's a pretty good turnaround.
XBLIG creators express disappointment with low sales
Xbox Live Indie Games might allow creative independence, but they aren't quite the path to financial independence just yet. As one piece of anecdata about the relative success of an XBLIG launch, Sequence creator (and ex-DS Fanboy writer!) Jason Wishnov described his experience to Ars Technica. Following a positive press reception, Sequence sold around 2,000 copies, a result Wishnov categorized as "a bit of a flop." He's looking at PC and mobile platforms for future projects; "It's not financially viable to do a larger-scale project and [not] expect with any certainty to make some money," he said. Zeboyd's Robert Boyd told Ars that his games, Breath of Death VII and Cthulhu Saves the World, sold around 50,000 and 16,000 copies each respectively, making them relative hits for XBLIG. "I think our games could sell a lot better than they did with a better platform and more visibility," Boyd said. He's testing that theory with a Steam release of both on July 13. The bundle will cost $3.
Cthulhu Saves the World approved for Steam, Zeboyd 'hoping' for release this month
Zeboyd Games has announced that its excellent Xbox Live Indie title, Cthulhu Saves the World, has been approved by Valve for release on Steam. Developer Robert Boyd is "hoping" to get the game released before the month is out. Just like its Xbox Live counterpart, it will cost a measly $3. Armless Octopus also reports that Boyd is attempting to offer some sort of bonus for those who pre-order on Steam. Additionally, the site reports that Boyd is working to bring the title to GamersGate, Impulse and Desura. The PC version will include several new enhancements, including an extra campaign with new characters and dialogue, rebalanced gameplay, a new dungeon, an "insanity" difficulty setting and developer commentary. As previously revealed, the Xbox Live version will receive the extra content in a free update at the same time.
Xbox Live Indie Games ratings are being manipulated, devs say
If you thought jocks versus nerds was a war you left behind in high school, we've got some bad news: It's followed you to a new, less predictable battleground. Yup, Xbox Live Indie Games. Seemingly provoked by a harmless call to action by the developers behind College Lacrosse 2011 on their Facebook page -- they even said, "Please remember to not rate other games low to help CL11" -- some developers have noticed a drastic drop in their XBLIG rankings. "After hanging out around the #6 top rated slot for a month or two, our game's rating started to drop very quickly," Cthulu Saves the World dev Robert Boyd wrote on Microsoft's App Hub Forums. "In less than a week, we went from being #6 top rated to our current spot of #11." And how are the lacrosse games doing? "In contrast, the Lacrosse games which were in the middle of top 20 best rated (I don't remember the exact positions) are now ranked #4 & #5," Boyd observed. For its part, Microsoft's XNA Creator's Club has acknowledged the possibility of manipulation, tweeting, "We are investigating a possible misuse of ratings on #XBLIG titles. We'll announce more information here as it develops." The real issue is how easy it is for a group of individuals (take the 177K fans of College Lacrosse's Facebook page) to influence the popularity of games on the service: Users can rate games on Microsoft's website without owning an Xbox, purchasing a game, or even playing a demo. When download numbers are as tied to rankings as they are on the Indie Games marketplace (just like on the iOS and Android marketplaces) this issue is really critical in maintaining the fairness of that ecosystem.
Cthulhu Saves the World getting recast in ultra-verbose special edition
Zeboyd Games has announced that the already attractive Cthulhu Saves the World is about to get even hotter. Officially titled -- wait for it -- Cthulhu Saves the World: The Super Hyper Enhanced Championship Edition Alpha Diamond DX Plus Alpha FES HD – Premium Enhanced Game of the Year Collector's Edition (without Avatars!), the updated edition packs in loads of new content. Specifically, the, erm, "Collector's Edition" includes the new Cthulhu's Angels mode, in which the Lovecraftian god sends three new playable characters -- we particularly like the sound of the "Were-Zompire" Molly -- to save the world. The mode also features new music, dialogue and abilities. Additionally, the Collector's Edition will include director's commentary, rebalanced gameplay, a new dungeon and a new "Insanity" difficulty setting. It will apparently replace the original game on the Xbox Live Indie Games platform when it's released this spring, and current owners will be upgraded for free. A PC version will also be released at that time.
Zeboyd seeking funds for PC port of Cthulhu Saves the World
Feeling a little altruistic? Here's a great cause that's worth supporting: The great and terrible destruction of existence at the hands of Cthulhu, who reigns high on his obsidian throne in the dark, nightmarish dwellings of R'lyeh. Oh, wait -- the money you're donating is actually going to Zeboyd Games, who needs funds to help bring its game, Cthulhu Saves the World, from the Xbox Live Indie Games platform to the PC. Yeah, that makes way more sense. The fundraising is taking place on Kickstarter, which is offering quite a few savory prizes for any and all big spenders. For instance, folks who donate $750 or more can end up as townsfolk in the charming indie RPG. That's a small price to pay for virtual immortality, isn't it?
Xbox Live Indie Gems: Cthulhu Saves the World
Crowded as Xbox Live Indie Games is with farting massage simulators, it can be hard to find worthwhile titles. That's why we sift through all that rough to unearth a few gems. That way, you get the skinny on quality games and we get to indulge our secret passion for fart machines. This week, we take a look at the Zeboyd Games retro RPG romp, Cthulhu Saves the World. Let's just start with the premise of Cthulhu Saves the World: You take control of Cthulhu, the squid-faced, winged god created by H.P. Lovecraft. Cthulhu emerges from the sea after centuries of slumber only to find his dark powers immediately sealed away by a mysterious holy wizard. A narrator then informs the player that the only way to break the curse is to become a true hero. Quickly breaking the fourth wall, Cthulhu informs the narrator that he was eavesdropping and now knows how to break the curse. Thus begins his quest to become a true hero, but only so he can restore his world-rending powers and wash the earth in a tide of insanity and despair. Oh, it's also an RPG inspired by the 16-bit adventures of yore. %Gallery-112189%
XBL Indie Games Winter Uprising now on Xbox dashboard, Cthulhu Saves the World out tomorrow
After getting off to a shaky start, the Xbox Live Indie Games Winter Uprising may just get a shot in the arm thanks to Microsoft. The Indie Games promotion is now featured on the Xbox dashboard. We reached out to Winter Uprising coordinator, Robert Boyd, who tells Joystiq "the Winter Uprising dashboard advertisement is a great step in the right direction." Boyd added that he's hopeful Microsoft will continue to support Indie Games in the future, perhaps with similar ads on a more regular basis. He also noted that Microsoft has "shown a recommitment" to Indie Games recently, moving the service back under the Games & Demos section on the dashboard and making it more visible. Ska Studios' James Silva tells Joystiq, "I'm super happy to be on the Indie Games Winter Uprising; Robert put a ton of effort into pulling together the promo and the fact that it got on the dash is quite a testament to its success." He added that the reaction to Ska's Uprising title, ZP2KX has been "extremely positive" so far, and that he would "definitely support any future uprisings." In more Winter Uprising news, Zeboyd -- Boyd's own indie studio -- has announced that Cthulhu Saves the World should arrive on Xbox Live on Thursday, December 30 for 240 MS Points ($3). Cthulhu Saves the World is one of the final entries in the Winter Uprising promotion, and is the follow-up to Zeboyd's last title, Breath of Death VII, which is currently one of the top games on the Indie Games service. Watch a (very short!) trailer of the throwback RPG adventure after the break. %Gallery-112189%
