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'Semblance' is proof of Nintendo's new indie hustle
I found Semblance on the second floor of the Fuego Lounge, squeezed into a booth beside a dance floor and a small stage. It was early afternoon, and waitstaff were restocking the long, rectangular bar in the center of the room as game developers, press and PR handlers flitted from station to station. A cloth tent on the balcony offered psychedelic VR meditation; a geodesic dome on the roof showcased swirling galaxies. And all along the walls inside, indie games waited to be played. Semblance stood out among the row of screens for its energetic, purple-tinged visuals. It's a platformer starring an adorable bouncing blob named Squish, and it's heading to PC, Mac and Nintendo Switch this year. Its conceit is innovative and also glaringly obvious: It's a platformer where players actually create platforms as they go. Squish is able to distort the world, building tall ledges or deep indentations in the ground in order to solve a series of tricky spatial puzzles. Everything about the game is at once super cute and filled with mystery, from the squashy, haunting sound effects to the cartoonish yet deep background animations.
What we're playing: 'Where the Water Tastes Like Wine'
This month, Contributing Editor David Lumb plays Dim Bulb Games' debut title, 'Where the Water Tastes Like Wine,' and discovers one of America's oldest games: storytelling.
One Gamer Fund heard you liked video-game charities
It's an exciting time to be Seven Siegel. Siegel is the executive director of Global Game Jam, the world's largest 48-hour gaming hackathon, but more important, they're a former game developer with an MBA in nonprofit management. This makes Siegel particularly suited to work in an emerging niche market blending philanthropy with cutting-edge technology: video game charities. There are dozens of charities in the video-game industry, including heavy hitters like the Gamers Outreach Foundation, which puts gaming equipment in children's hospitals around the nation; AbleGamers, which helps people with disabilities play their favorite titles; and Take This, which advocates for mental-health awareness in the gaming industry. And there are more community-led nonprofits popping up all the time. "We're seeing it on the individual level with Desert Bus for Hope, with the Mario marathon, with Awesome Games Done Quick," Siegel says. "These are all charity events that aren't big industry things. These are all people getting together with their love of games and making some good happen."
