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The frantic swordfighting of 'Nidhogg 2' arrives on August 15th
If you're a fan of in-person two-player games, there's a good chance you've heard of Nidhogg. Its frenetic swordfighting is easy to pick up, difficult to master and oozing with Atari 2600-style visual charm. There's only been so much you could do with its handful of levels and single-weapon gameplay, though, so it's a good thing that a sequel is right around the corner. Messhof has revealed that Nidhogg 2 will reach the PS4, Mac and PC on August 15th, with PS4 pre-orders starting on July 18th. The title preserves the core mechanics -- you're still trying to slash through (or around) an opponent and make it to a screen on the far end of the map -- but a lot has changed in the 3 years since the original.
'Nidhogg' creators bring hypnotic platformer 'Flywrench' to PS4
Messhof, the team behind indie hit Nidhogg, today announced that it's bringing critically acclaimed platformer Flywrench to PS4. Featuring the studio's trademark lo-fi art style and an aural assault of glitchy breakbeats, this minimalist-looking action-puzzler will offer 199 levels of brightly-lit mayhem. After a well-received PC release in 2015, Flywrench will be making its console debut on February 14th, launching on PS4 for $6.99.
Nine indie developers on the secret to making multiplayer magic
Ten years ago, multiplayer-only games went through a severe identity crisis. More people than ever were gaming together, but they were increasingly playing online only. The small-stakes joy of twitchy experiences like Street Fighter II and Super Off Road, games meant to be played in short sessions preferably in the same room, weren't feasible anymore. Video games have always been expensive to make, so multiplayer modes had to either come packaged with other content -- consider Halo's famed multiplayer tucked alongside its single-player story -- to flesh them out or be custom built to serve hardcore players meeting up on the internet, a la Team Fortress 2, Valve's modern-day equivalent to the easy-access multiplayer of yore.
Nidhogg gets off the fence and onto PS4 and Vita this week
We were wondering when the frenzied fencing of Nidhogg was coming to PS4 and Vita, and now we know thanks to the PlayStation Blog. Messhof's mano-a-mano madness is listed among this week's new releases, which going by traditional PSN schedules should mean it hits North America tomorrow, October 14, and Europe the day after. There's no word on a price as yet but for reference the Steam version is $15. Also it's cross-buy on PSN, meaning if you purchase it for PS4 you get the Vita version free and vice-versa. If you've yet to see Nidhogg in action - and you should - the game challenges two pixelated opponents to best each other with blades as they attempt to scroll from one side to the other. Sounds simple but it's a tense, terse affair of two-player swashbuckling, which for extra intensity can be opened up for up to eight players in take-it-in-turns tournaments.
Nidhogg takes the duel on the road in upcoming Vita version
Developer Messhof has announced that its cult-hit, minimalist fighting game Nidhogg will soon coat Sony's Vita handheld in a thick layer of pixelated blood. Nidhogg drops players into a high-speed duel between two sword-wielding fighters rendered in simplistic pixels. Despite its humble appearance, the game boasts tight controls, acrobatic moves and intuitive physics, which make combat a frenetic, tense experience. The combat mechanics are easy to learn, but difficult to master, and they're perfect for multiplayer combat, especially with a large group taking turns murdering the pixelated duelists. Happily, the Vita version of Nidhogg allows for both local and online multiplayer combat. While there's currently no word on when we can expect Nidhogg to reach the Vita, Messhof notes that the handheld game is being developed in conjunction with its PlayStation 4 counterpart. The two versions of Nidhogg should be released simultaneously and both feature Cross-Buy compatibility for those with a surplus of Sony's gaming devices. [Image: Messhof]
Skulls of the Shogun, Nidhogg, Escape Goat 2 and more jumping to PS4
At a Sony event today, PlayStation VP of Publisher and Developer Relations Adam Boyes revealed a whole slate of new titles coming to the PlayStation 4. Escape Goat 2, Ironclad Tactics, Nidhogg, Skulls of the Shogun: Bone-a-Fide Edition, Apotheon and Starwhal: Just the Tip, Chasm, Jamestown Plus, Source, Drifter and Spelunky are all making the jump from PC to the PS4. No specific timeline for each release was revealed, but the laundry list of titles gives us plenty to look forward to. Sony's "Third Party Production" team will help bring a select number of the new titles to the PlayStation 4. The group had previously worked to bring Towerfall to the platform. Check out trailers and details for each upcoming game after the break. [Image: Nidhogg from Messhof]
PSA: Nidhogg carves out a space on Steam today
Messhof's two-player fencing game Nidhogg is now available for PC on Steam at $12, or in a two-pack for $21.59. On January 20, Nidhogg will revert to its full price of $15. Nidhogg is an Indiecade Game Design winner and IGF finalist from Mark Essen categorized as being very fast-paced – players can duel, throw their swords, fist fight, run, jump and slide around the 2D pixelated environments. It's currently unknown whether you can switch fencing hands mid-fight. You can play in local multiplayer or fence online with others in Nidhogg. The game also features a single-player arcade mode, supports local tournament play and is fully compatible with controllers and Big Picture.
En garde! Nidhogg arrives this month
Indiecade Game Design winner and IGF finalist Nidhogg finally has a release date, and it's soon: January 13. Last we heard, Messhof's 2D fence-athon was due last year, when IndieGames.com revealed the addition of online multiplayer to the swashbuckling mix. Nidhogg challenges players to get from one side of a scrolling castle to the other, with their pixelated opponents en garde to stop them in their tracks. The result is frantic mano a mano fencing, as shown to great effect in today's announcement trailer. Taking to the comments section on YouTube, Messhof's Marc Essen said that while the initial release is Windows only, Mac and Linux versions are also in the works.
Austin's Fantastic Arcade lives up to its name
You wouldn't expect to walk into an arcade and find a cabinet dedicated to Every Day the Same Dream, Molleindustria's browser game about white-collar malaise. If you happen to be in Austin, TX this weekend, you can experience this particular anomaly for yourself, along with refurbished arcade machines housing Monaco, Nidhogg, Norrland, Enviro-Bear 2000 and more. These unique machines are just part of the Fantastic Arcade event within the Fantastic Fest film festival -- an event that also includes panel discussions, tournaments, and demos of Microsoft's upcoming XBLA Game Feast titles. We snapped some pictures of the handcrafted indie arcade for those of you who couldn't be there. Find them in our Fantastic gallery.%Gallery-103291%
We now understand why everyone loves Cream Wolf
Cream Wolf, the most recent release on the prestigious Adult Swim line of browser-based games, might just be the first surprise smash hit of 2010 so far. It's been sweeping through the gaming press, swooning everyone who comes in contact with it. After spending a half hour with the game, we completely understand why -- and we wager you will too. Seriously, go play it. We're not going to spoil the game by going into too much detail about it, though we will say that you're a werewolf who sells ice cream to kids. That's a good enough jumping off point for your imagination, we think.
