asthree-works
Latest
Paradise Lost: First Contact to break free in mid-2015
Paradise Lost: First Contact won't escape from the metaphorical glass tube of development until "mid-2015," according to developer Asthree Works' update on Kickstarter. Planning a telekinetic alien lifeform's romp through a science facility is proving a little more complex than Asthree initially imagined. To be more specific, the team has reworked almost 80 percent of Paradise Lost's animations, added more detail to background environments, and spent a significant amount of time meshing gameplay mechanics together in a congruent, sensible manner. If you're a visual learner, comparing the initial map to its more recent counterpart explains a lot, though there are also extra, to-be-added dialog and scenes to consider. Asthree's update reads confidently regarding the delay however, explaining that it's "the correct choice in order to make a whole experience, the vision of PLFC that we had wanted it to be." The mid-2015 estimate is likely for the PC, Mac and Linux versions, as the stretch goal for a simultaneous Wii U launch wasn't reached during Paradise Lost's Kickstarter. An Ouya version is also due sometime after the initial launch. [Image: Asthree Works]
Paradise Lost makes contact with double its requested funding
Paradise Lost: First Contact has breached the hull of Kickstarter's funding carrier and made off with $144,960, more than double its initially requested amount of $70,000. The funding campaign for the adventure game, which follows an alien lifeform's escape from a lab after being harvested from an asteroid, was concluded by developer Asthree Works today at 4:41 p.m. EST. Of the proposed stretch goals, three were met - the final version will now include achievements, additional language translations beyond the base English and Spanish scripts, and a chapter called "Lost Memories" that will explore the events preceding the alien's capture. Paradise Lost has also been greenlit for release on Steam, which an update to the game's Kickstarter page reminds us will result in free Steam keys for backers. If you'd rather not use Steam, Paradise Lost is planned for release on December 2014 as a DRM-free game for PC, Mac and Linux. The stretch goal for a simultaneous launch of the Wii U version was not met, so the release of that version will presumably follow the launch of the others. The Ouya version will also launch sometime after the game's initial release.
Extraterrestrial puzzle-platformer Paradise Lost to invade Steam, Wii U
Alien-on-the-run sim Paradise Lost: First Contact proved a breakout hit on Kickstarter, after achieving its $70,000 goal in under half its allotted time. In Paradise Lost you play as a tentacled test subject from another world, using your telekinetic powers to break out of a pixelated Earth research lab. The concept caught the attention of more than 3000 backers who ensured the puzzle-platformer is coming to Steam for PC, Mac, and Linux in fall 2014. Not only is the game confirmed for those platforms, it's definitely on the way to Wii U too. Developer Asthree originally listed the Wii U port as a $250,000 stretch goal, but after listening to backer feedback the Spanish studio made it a definite thing. Now the stretch goal is for a same-day Wii U version, set at $230,000. If the fundraiser falls short, the game will still come to the Nintendo platform but some time after it' hits Steam. Asthree also added an additional multiplayer mode as the furthest of its stretch goals at $270,000. Other stretch goals include achievements, additional languages, and secret chapters, plus a realistic-ish $200,000 goal for PS4, PS3, and Vita ports.
Become an alien on the run in retro-inspired Paradise Lost: First Contact
Puzzle platformer/telekinetic alien simulator Paradise Lost: First Contact is up now on Kickstarter, and unlike its creepy-crawly protagonist, it's hit the ground running. Asthree Works' debut game is fast approaching the halfway mark for its $70,000 goal, and that's after just three days of funding. Paradise Lost turns players into Subject W, a pixelated life form that's trying to escape from an Earth research lab. It openly draws inspiration from a number of well-known series like Metal Gear, Castlevania, Metroid, and Oddworld, all of which is very much palpable in the first trailer. If those inspirations translate into being able to spawn miniature clones to turn off security cameras, or take on jets of fire by metamorphosing part of yourself into a flame-resistant shield, then I'm all for them. Should it achieve funding, Paradise Lost: First Contact is set to touch base with Steam by December 2014, docking on PC, Mac, and Linux. At this rate Spanish studio Asthree may already be looking to a list of stretch goals that culminates in console versions. Get to the $200,000 mark and the game will come to PS4, PS3, and Vita, while $250,000 will unlock a Wii U version with GamePad-specific controls.
Paradise Lost: First Contact makes you an unprecedented discovery
If you've ever wanted to break out of a test tube as a telekinetic alien lifeform that can peel parts of itself off and lob them as poison gas grenades, Paradise Lost: First Contact might be your thing. The action-adventure-in-progress will be a pixelated, side-scrolling crawl through a space station as an escaped lifeform. Luckily, this lifeform has a skill wheel and makes short work of its captive cylinder. Equipped with both offense and puzzle-oriented abilities, the trailer displays the alien's aptitude at solving puzzles by spawning and mind-controlling smaller versions of itself. A separate power seems dedicated to shielding the lifeform from danger, allowing it to pass through jets of fire or stand tall against streams of bullets. Paradise Lost's Steam page notes that the game is in an "early stage of development" and that the project is "coming soon" to Kickstarter. The project was initially planned for PC, but Linux and Mac versions have also been announced in response to requests from those interested in the project. [Thanks, Enol!]
