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Twenty developers you don't know, but should
Between consoles, PC, mobile and everything in between, there are so many games released today that it's impossible to keep up with everything that's coming out – and it's even harder to keep up with the studios behind them. Even with a gaming public that's grown accustomed to following big developers like Valve and small studios like Double Fine, countless other studios slide under the radar. In the interest of sifting a signal from the noise, the Joystiq crew has selected 20 developers that deserve your attention. These studios are making games you should play, and their future work should be highly anticipated. This list is by no means exhaustive, and we invite you to share your own favorites in the comments!
Sine Mora free for PlayStation Plus members starting tomorrow
The PlayStation Vita version of Grasshopper Manufacture and Digital Reality's horizontally scrolling shoot-'em-up Sine Mora will be available as a free download for PlayStation Plus members after the PlayStation Store updates tomorrow. Merging arcade-styled action with a dual sci-fi narrative, Sine Mora features time-limited stages in the place of traditional life-based gameplay mechanics. The game skews toward the "bullet hell" subgenre in later levels, challenging players to counter curtains of enemy fire with carefully chosen ship, character, and ability combinations. Sine Mora was originally released for Xbox Live Arcade in 2012, and is also available for the PlayStation 3, iOS and Android devices, and PC platforms.
Sina Mora gets one mora port on iOS
Digital Reality and Grasshopper Manufacture's picturesque steampunk shmup, Sine Mora, has landed on iOS. Sine Mora is currently available as a $5.99 universal download and requires iOS 6.0 and above. It is not yet optimized for 4th generation iPhone and iPod Touch devices, according to the product page. iTunes reviews suggest a Facebook login is required for both saving the game and accessing the leaderboards, and that the game does not run in full-screen on iPad. We've inquired with Digital Reality to confirm the details and will update accordingly. Sine Mora is currently available on Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and PC. Our review said the game's time-control mechanic "gives less dedicated players a chance to enjoy one of the industry's more vibrant genres while simultaneously giving hardcore players a new spin on an age-old formula."
Grab Sine Mora PC for $2 on Green Man Gaming
Waiting for the perfect time to try out the awesome, time-bending shooter, Sine Mora? Looks like this is it, as Green Man Gaming is currently offering the Steam version of the game for a paltry two bucks, a full $0.50 off the already ridiculous price of $2.50. All you have to do is enter the promo code GMG20-PJFEW-Y16HK.If that's not enough to pique your interest, did we mention that it also features super dramatic animal people speaking in Hungarian?
Black Knight Sword review: All flash, no flesh
While fairy tales have evolved over centuries into the family friendly Disney/Dreamworks films our nieces are all so fond of, they originally began life as terrifying stories of murder and misfortune designed to keep children in line, lest they find themselves in the oven of an evil witch.In that sense, Grasshopper Manufacture's Black Knight Sword takes an old school approach to the world of storybook fantasy, leaving warm fuzzies in a locked box beneath the stairs. Its dark tales of captured princesses, feuding sisters and the eternally damned are permeated by a sense of macabre wonderment that would make Guillermo del Toro proud.Unfortunately, the game is also analogous to fables of olde in a different, more tragic sense: It serves as a perfect cautionary tale for other developers, lest their own games buckle under the weight of their own sense of style.%Gallery-173410%
Black Knight Sword brandished on XBLA Dec. 12
Black Knight Sword, the second collaboration between Digital Reality and Grasshopper Manufacture, will be released on XBLA December 12. The puppet-style side-scroller, announced at Gamescom in 2011, features constantly-shifting stage backgrounds, in the story of a Black Knight and his magical sword, on a journey to destroy, rather than save, a princess.With the long, quiet development time, we wonder how much the game has changed. Specifically, we're worried the chicken guy who throws eggs at you isn't going to be there anymore.%Gallery-172808%
Build-em-up: make Sine Mora ships in Lego
While gliding through Sine Mora, surely only a scant few thought to themselves, "The one thing I really want to do is stop playing this distinguished Hungarian shoot-em-up, and spend the next few hours meticulously making its fighter ships in Lego." And yet, now that developer Digital Reality sends us authentic instructions for how to make Lego replicas of the Merenstein VI and BS4-VR Soprano, we find building these ships is exactly how we want to spend the next few hours. Screw games, there's Lego to be building!Sadly, the above picture isn't of a set you can buy in stores, as awesome as that would be. You'll have to go about getting the pieces yourself, most likely from various sets - the instructions do at least provide you at the end with a list of the pieces needed. Then again, if you're seriously contemplating making these ships then we reckon you're probably the kind of person who already has every piece needed. And we genuinely envy you.If you've yet to experience Sine Mora on XBLA, the good news is that the game's already flown its way to PC, and is journeying across to PS3 and Vita next week, via PSN.
Sine Mora almost a Digital Reality on Vita and PS3 [update: out Nov. 20!]
Digital Reality doesn't have a firm launch date for the PS3 and Vita versions of its time-shifting shooter, Sine Mora, but a new trailer shows plenty of gameplay footage. There's also a demonstration of the Vita's touch controls, which look ... interesting.Digital Reality says Sine Mora is coming to PS3 and Vita "soon."Update: This week's Official PlayStation Blogcast confirms Sine Mora lands on PSN for PS3 and Vita on November 20 in North America, and the day after in Europe.
PSA: Sine Mora brings bullets, steampunk, and Hungarian to PC today
If you like challenging shoot-em-ups, giant steampunk bosses, and Hungarian voice-overs, then you'll be pleased to hear Sine Mora is out today on PC. The game is currently raining bullet hell on Steam and Green Man Gaming at 10 percent off ($8.99).The unusual collaboration between Grasshopper Manufacture and Digital Reality shot onto Xbox Live earlier this year. It impressed enough to get four and a half stars out of five in Richard's review, which acclaims the game for offering "both a serious challenge to serious shooter fans and a palatable experience to lapsed addicts."
Sine Mora rains bullets and pianos on PC Nov. 9
Digital Reality's steampunk shoot-em-up, Sine Mora, is coming to PCs next week, starting through Steam and other portals on November 9. Kalypso Media informs us it'll be priced at $14.99/£9.99, and that those other digital portals include Green Man Gaming, GamersGate, Amazon Digital, Metaboli, and Kalypso's own online store.Co-developed by Suda 51's Grasshopper Manufacture, Sine Mora arrived on XBLA earlier this year. Since then Digital Reality announced Vita and PS3 ports, but neither has yet come good on releasing "soon." In the meantime, we'll stay on the lookout for killer pianos*. %Gallery-169968% * Yes, the game really has a killer piano, and no, it doesn't look like that one.
Sine Mora takes flight on PS Vita 'soon'
No longer will Digital Reality's purty shmup Sine Mora be confined to Xbox Live Arcade. Sine Mora will debut on PS Vita "soon," along with a new character (Wilhelmine Muller) from cult Japanese studio G.rev – the studio responsible for shmups such as Border Down, Strania and Under Defeat.There aren't many other details right now regarding the PS Vita port – we've no idea how "soon" the PS Vita version will launch, along with changes beyond the new character, "new special weapon and new chronomes."
Bang Bang Racing fires up new screens
The latest Bang Bang Racing screens show off a few of the 20 vehicles and nine tracks the downloadable title offers. Also: exploding barrels!The game hits PSN on June 5 (June 13 in Europe), XBLA on June 6, and PC/Steam on June 8.
Sine Mora review: A shmup in time
Growing up in an era where arcades and shooters were king, I have plenty of fond memories of games like Raiden and 1943. As the genre has evolved, difficulty has dramatically increased -- as has the number of bullets -- relegating my interest into the realm of fascination rather than participation. I can certainly appreciate a game like Ikaruga, for example, but I've come to terms with the fact that I lack the dedication to ever finish it (or probably even clear the second level).That's why Sine Mora is so refreshing. It offers up both a serious challenge for serious shooter fans and a palatable experience for lapsed addicts like myself.%Gallery-141456%
Taste Sine Mora's fireworks of destruction in the launch trailer
Take a look at all the pretty things in Sine Mora ... and then see them get shot at until they explode in this launch trailer! Huzzah!
Sine Mora will cost 1,200 Microsoft Points, new trailer is free
Digital Reality announced Sine Mora's March 21 release date with a wacky contest resulting in sort of a puzzle. For the price, there were no such shenanigans -- it's 1,200 Microsoft Points ($15), co-publisher Grasshopper Manufacture revealed in a regular old press release.Now, if you want to be puzzled, watch the new trailer above -- and be absolutely mystified that a shooter can have this much voice acting in it.
Sine Mora shoots up XBLA on March 21
Sine Mora, the time-bending shooter from Grasshopper Manufacture and Digital Reality, finally has a release date, and it's sooner than you think. The game will be released exclusively on XBLA on March 21.The date was revealed in something of a roundabout way, as developer Digital Reality held a contest on Facebook to see who could guess the release date. The winner is revealed in the above video and, referencing the original contest post, we see he guessed March 21, so there you go!
Dead Block is alive on PC
Dead Block, a zombie-themed action strategy title released on PSN and XBLA last year, is now available on PC. Dead Block didn't exactly set the world on fire when it was released, but those interested in its rockabilly take on the zombie apocalypse can pick it up from several download services for $10.Find the full list of sellers -- missing Steam, notably -- after the break.
Sine Mora's difficulty settings compared
Sine Mora comes in two flavors: normal and insane, shown side-by-side in this trailer. The difference, much like the difference between normal and "insane" hot sauce, is that one seems likely to generate intense pain, but people volunteer nonetheless.
See more of Sine Mora in these new screens
While you'll see no more o' Sine Mora on PSN, you can see more o' Sine Mora's XBLA outing in the gallery below.%Gallery-141457%
Grasshopper and Digital Reality's Sine Mora now an XBLA exclusive
A slight change of plans for Grasshopper Manufacture and Digital Reality's upcoming downloadable shooter, Sine Mora: it'll only be downloadable on Xbox. The two companies announced today that the "diesel-punk" time-shifting shmup is now an XBLA exclusive, despite its original status as both an XBLA and PSN release. There is still no known release date for the side-scroller. That makes two upcoming XBLA exclusives for Suda 51's studio. The upcoming Diabolical Pitch is a de facto exclusive both because it's being published by Microsoft Studios, and because it's Kinect-based.
