Lexis-Numerique
Latest
Taxi Journey from Lexis Numerique fuels up on Kickstarter
Lexis Numerique's Taxi Journey, an adventure that takes equal parts inspiration from Tim Burton, Hiyao Miyazaki and Limbo, is officially accepting cab fare on Kickstarter. Lexis Numerique seeks $130,000 for development of a Windows and Wii U version of the game, while Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, PS Vita, PSN and XBLA versions are tied to higher stretch goals. The fundraising campaign will conclude on October 12. Taxi Journey tells the story of Gino, a cab driver so broke his cab doesn't have a passenger seat or engine, and Zoey, a "mysterious young girl." The two strangers meet in a dark forest, and from there begin their (wait for it) taxi journey across the strange world. Lexis Numerique wants players to care for protagonists Gino and Zoey, even if there is a certain amount of crate pushing and puzzle solving to be done. Gino also possesses an umbrella sturdy enough to shield himself and Zoey from rocks, as well as a fishing pole that can catch reflections. Zoey, meanwhile, has the ability to carry immaterial things, like energy and sound. The Kickstarter video, for example, shows Gino fishing out a light's reflection to sneak by a giant fox-like creature. Yeah no, that totally sounds like the last time we caught a cab.
Alt-Minds is a 'transmedia fiction' from Amy publishers, coming November 5
Lexis Numérique is setting its sights on its next title: Alt-Minds, a game the publisher claims will feature "a true transmedia fiction." Its first title since launching the less-than illustrious horror game Amy, the European publisher says that Alt-Minds will arrive on both PC and Mac on November 5, along with a companion app.Alt-Minds follows the story of five young scientists working on a mysterious physics experiment. While the PC/Mac game will tell the core story, players will also be able to use the location-based app to find story clues in the real world, and get (oh so not creepy) texts and phone calls directly from the story's characters.The experience will take place over eight weeks, with participants being given clues or missions at any time during the period. If you can't be on your computer all of the time, the game will also have a "catch-up mode," to access past missions and re-play live events. To help tell its story, Alt-Minds will have a web series of ten seven-minute episodes, explaining the scientific background of the proceedings as they unfold.The full experience will be free for everyone for a week. After that, players will need to pay about $5 per episode or around $30 for the entire series.
Amy patch addresses criticism and player feedback
We had more than a few problems with Amy, and apparently we weren't alone. Amy developer VectorCell has released a patch on XBLA and PSN that addresses some of the (many) issues present in the game. The patch revises the game's save system (our biggest gripe), now saving at every checkpoint instead of forcing players to restart an entire level if they choose to quit.A few illogical bits have been rectified as well. Notably, dying after a checkpoint no longer removes the health-restoring syringes and powers that have been acquired up to that point. Furthermore, "most sequences can now be skipped," which is great news given Amy's generally ponderous presentation. If you happen to have Amy, it should now be more playable at the very least, though no amount of patching will repair its nonsensical story.[Thanks, Christian!]
Amy review: Survival boredom
Video games, in general, require that we suspend our disbelief to some degree. We can forgive the unbelievable or the improbable so long as the experience remains entertaining. Games are full of trivial details that make no sense -- eating food magically heals wounds, a three-foot tall wall is insurmountable by a grown adult, etc. -- but we overlook these small annoyances for the sake of enjoyment. The thesis of Amy, based on my experience, is very simple: Take every one of those annoyances and build an entire game out of them.%Gallery-131352%
Price-fixing PSN: Amy to launch Jan. 17 for $10 in North America
The PSN version of Amy will hit North America on Jan. 17 for $9.99, the same day and price as the XBLA version. After previously announcing the PSN price to be $3 more than the XBLA price, Developer Lexis Numerique asked the US audience through a Facebook poll if it wanted a cheaper game, but one week later. It turns out Americans are more patient than we thought, but just as frugal. Now it's official -- Amy will launch in Europe on Jan. 11 for €9.9 (£7.99, 800 MS Points) on PSN and XBLA, and on Jan. 17 for $10 (800 MS Points) in North America on both consoles.
Lexis Numerique explains Amy's PSN price disparity, poll to decide US price
After the announcement of the price and launch date for Amy yesterday, many (including us) were perplexed as the title's pricing disparity. Specifically, the US version of the game was revealed to be 800 MS Points ($10) on Xbox Live Arcade, while the PSN version would cost $3 more at $12.99. The reason lies in the nebulous nature of Microsoft Points, according to Lexis Numérique CEO José Sanchis. In the US, $10 will buy 800 MS Points. In Europe the cost is €10, or about $12.73. In other words, noted Sanchis, the prices of the PSN and XBLA versions are essentially equal in Europe, but the exchange rate creates a disparity in the US. To rectify the situation, Lexis Numérique has set up a Facebook poll -- an app that requires a Facebook account and your permission, incidentally -- to determine whether Amy's US PSN price should remain at $12.99 or be reduced to $9.99, the same as its XBLA counterpart. There is, however, a catch: Should the community choose to lower the price -- which seems likely, given current poll results -- the PSN release will have to be delayed at least a week "because of logistic constraints" with Sony's platform. The poll closes January 9.
Amy to launch next week with a mysterious price structure
Developer VectorCell may be trying to tell us that things won't be normal in Amy -- its prices and release dates are more complicated than they first appear. Amy will drop in Europe on Jan. 11 for XBLA and PSN, and the US version will launch on Jan. 11 for XBLA. The US PSN edition launches on Jan. 10. That wasn't so hard -- but we haven't yet gotten to the prices. Amy will cost $12.99 (€9.9, £7.99) on PSN, and 800 MS Points on XBLA. 800 MS Points converts to $10 (€7.82, £6.46), which, for the mathematically challenged, is $3 less than the PSN version. It must cost a lot to come out a day early, or maybe this is just another way for VectorCell to keep us in the dark. The game is also coming to PC, but VectorCell says it won't be until "several months after the PSN/XBLA version, and we can't announce a date yet because we haven't totally finalized our distribution deals." What a twist!
Latest Amy trailer delves into the game's key relationship
It's dangerous to spend time in the world of Amy without the game's eponymous little girl. For instance, the disease that's killing the game's other main character? That will totally ravage you should you step away for too long. Talk about strict punishment for poor babysitting!
Amy trailer infects you with knowledge about zombie contamination
In VectorCell's Amy, the main character Lana becomes infected with a zombie virus, which progressively worsens as the game goes on, unless she maintains contact with the title character or encounters another kind of remedy. In the trailer above, we see what the contamination does to Lana, and we're introduced to a few methods of staving off the encroaching zombosis. Although, as the video demonstrates, there's a use for being partially zombie'd, as you can shuffle through zombie crowds unperturbed. You know, for when you want to mingle with some zombies.
Meet Amy's shiny-eyed support characters, Father John and Prof. Raymond
We still don't have much solid information about Amy, the survival horror/adventure title due on PSN this fall and XBLA "eventually," but thanks to the videos posted up top and down below, we do know that the game's developer is taking the human face very seriously. Father John (above) is convinced that rampant global catastrophes and the viral outbreak affecting Silver City are sure-fire signs of the End of Days, and like any good man of the cloth he's taken it upon himself to train survivors from the safety of his "shelter-church." Professor Raymond (after the break) is shrouded in even more mystery, if you can believe it: all we know so far is that he's sometimes mentioned by the main character during phone calls, and that he looks completely unimpressed with floating through a featureless black void. We can't help but be impressed with how much facial fidelity is being squeezed into a PSN title, but publisher Lexis Numerique claims that emotive non-verbal communication is of "critical importance" to the title's design philosophy. "If Amy sees a gruesome creature behind you, she won't have to yell: you will know."
Red Johnson's Chronicles brings murder, mystery to PSN
PlayStation Network has become home to a recent resurgence in adventure games. Lexis Numerique's Red Johnson's Chronicles will be yet another mystery addition to the PS3. The "8- to 10-hour-long investigation" will have you finding clues, solving puzzles and interviewing suspects.
PSN-exclusive 'Amy' inbound from Flashback creator
You may know French game designer Paul Cuisset from what is widely considered his masterwork, Flashback, an adventure game released by Delphine Software in 1992. You might also know him from his work on what is widely considered to be a really bad game ... Shaq Fu. Cuisset is no doubt hoping that his latest project, a PSN-exclusive action game called Amy, has little in common with the latter. In development at VectorCell, a sub-division of Flash and mobile game company Lexis Numérique, the planned Q2 2011 title, as described by UK site Electronic Theatre, stars a female protagonist named Lana (not Amy -- twist!), who, along with a young girl named Amy (ah, there we go), must escape from the fictional Silver City. The town's been struck by a meteorite and has, as a result, become overrun by mutated humans -- and the special forces battling them. The synopsis sounds like the makings of a survival-horror game, but no actual gameplay specifics have been detailed. Still, we're intrigued to see what Cuisset can do with what could easily be just another zombie game concept. [Image source: Electronic Theatre]
Get some Pooyoos all over your Wii
What is it with WiiWare games and deceptive titles? Despite the somewhat lurid name given to its titular creatures, Learning with the Pooyoos is anything but. We have no idea why these critters are called Pooyoos, especially considering they appear to be just cutesy-fied animals. As the title implies, Learning with the Pooyoos is geared toward children, and aims to teach them about things like shapes and colors. Its greatest contribution, however, is undoubtedly the theme song, which has got to be the record holder for most instances of the word "poo" in a children's song. Enjoy the distilled madness in the trailer above. Learning with the Pooyoos should hit WiiWare in the UK on September 18. [Via GoNintendo]
Submerge yourself in the world of Mister Slime
We may not have LocoRoco or even World of Goo on the DS, but we do have a sludgy platforming hero of our own: Mister Slime. Little Slimy will be setting out in his self-titled platforming adventure next month, and we've got some exclusive gameplay tips for all future gamers looking to protect the gooey guy's home village from the invasion of evil Axons. Stretch out and get comfortable -- we've got all the info you'll need after the break!%Gallery-17549%
Immerse your eyeballs in Slime
Jeux France has posted a further six shots of forthcoming LocoRoco/World of Goo-style platformer Mister Slime. The aim of the game is straightforward enough: negotiate environments by clinging onto strategically placed dots with Mister Slime's four Stretch Armstrong-esque limbs. You'll also be able to blow on the microphone and propel our globular hero through the air, or help him breathe under water.Incidentally, it looks as though Lexis Numérique's quirky title could be one of those rare beasts: a game Europe gets before the U.S. GameStop now says Mister Slime will release stateside on May 20th (a revision from its earlier listing of April 1st), while Jeux France maintains the title will spill over Europe on April 4th.%Gallery-17549%
