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John Wick is suiting up for a strategy game on consoles, PC and Mac
The next installment in the John Wick movie series will hit theaters next week, but that won't be the end of the line for the Keanu Reeves action franchise. A "fast-paced, action-oriented strategy game" based on the series is in the works.
'Volume' is a Robin Hood origin story for modern gaming
"Honestly? Volume is my inner 12-year-old," gushes Mike Bithell one evening. The game in question is a futuristic stealth-puzzler; a non-violent Metal Gear Solid played to the rhythms of Hotline Miami. Its protagonist is a man named Robert Locksley who, after stumbling over a military training program, decides to televise simulated robberies against Britain's most well-to-do -- an audacious move that soon garners the attention of a powerful enemy. If all this sounds a little familiar, it's because folklore had Robin Hood doing the same for 800 years already.
PSN Store Update: Alien Isolation, Diablo 3, more
In a last-ditch effort to get in your wallet before the end of the year, the PlayStation Store has a number of good deals on games this week. Among the many deals for PS4 players at the moment, Alien: Isolation is $35.99 ($29.99 for PS Plus members), while the game's season pass is down to $14.99. Additionally, Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition is $39.59 ($35.99 on PS Plus), Escape Goat 2 is half-price ($5, $4 on PS Plus), Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes is just $6.80 and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is $25 ($20 on PS Plus). As for Vita, players can download Danganronpa 2 for $27.99 ($23.99 on PS Plus), Nidhogg for $10.49 ($8.99 through PS Plus), Thomas Was Alone and Stealth Inc. for $3.99 each as well as Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut for $5 ($4 via PS Plus). A number of games, such as Nidhogg and Thomas Was Alone, are Cross-Buy compatible, so those with multiple systems only need to pay once to access each version. That includes Flippfly's Race the Sun, which is down to $6.99 at the moment across all three PlayStation platforms ($5.99 on PS Plus). Head over to PlayStation Blog for a full list of the current deals. [Image: Sega]
Thomas Was Alone on Xbox One, then he wasn't
Thomas Was Alone, Mike Bithell's geometric platformer full of personality, is out on Xbox One today, courtesy of ID@Xbox and port developer Curve Studios. The folks at Xbox call Thomas Was Alone an "indie classic," and after winning a BAFTA and launching on PC, iOS, Android, PS3, Vita, and now Xbox One – with a PS4 launch incoming – that seems accurate. Or, as Curve Studios puts it: Now @mikeBithell has set sights on Xbox on his quest for world domination - Thomas Was Alone is out now on Xbox One! pic.twitter.com/Z9GxJtgCxQ - Curve Digital (@curvestudios) November 21, 2014 Also on Xbox One this week via ID@Xbox is The Jackbox Party Pack, Never Alone, Pier Solar and the Great Architects, and Pinball Arcade. [Image: Mike Bithell]
Humble Bundle discounts Thomas Was Alone, Surgeon Simulator
Humble Bundle rolled out a new collection of games this week for PC and Android for a pay-what-you-want price, including Thomas Was Alone, Bridge Constructor Playground, Cubemen and Cubemen 2. Those that pay more than the average bid (currently $6.12) receive Small World 2 as well as the first three episodes of the Blackwell adventure games. Players will also get Small World 2's Royal Bonus DLC, which was previously only available to the game's Kickstarter backers. By paying at least $11, players will also score copies of Surgeon Simulator and Anomaly Defenders. The Humble Bundle PC and Android 11 collection will add more games next Tuesday, September 30 and ends on Tuesday, October 7 at 2:00 p.m. EST (11:00 a.m. PST). Proceeds from the bundle support the Electronic Frontier Foundation as well as the Child's Play charity. Humble Bundle noted that over $46 million has been pledged to charities to date. [Image: Humble Bundle]
Thomas Was Alone making the leap to PS4 this year
Brave rectangle Thomas and his geometric pals will soon journey to the PlayStation 4, publisher Curve Studios announced at Sony's PlayStation Blog today. Thomas Was Alone is a minimalist platformer starring a gang of four-sided heroes that all boast their own unique traversal abilities. After launching for PC platforms, Thomas Was Alone premiered for the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita, and was later featured as a free PlayStation Plus title. Players who own the PS3 or Vita versions of Thomas Was Alone will get the PlayStation 4 edition for free when it premieres later this year. Creator Mike Bithell revealed that the "Benjamin's Flight" DLC will also transfer across all Sony platforms with a single purchase. [Image: Curve Studios]
Thomas Was Alone rated in Germany for Xbox One, Wii U
Platformer from the block Thomas Was Alone looks to be headed to Xbox One and Wii U courtesy of Curve Studios, going by new ratings published by German software regulatory board USK. Developer Mike Bithell's yet to announce any new platforms for his minimalist puzzle-platformer, but after launching it on Steam in 2012 he's since brought it to PS3, Vita, iOS and Android. To date the game's shifted more than a million copies. If the ratings prove accurate, we'd imagine a PS4 version would likely be on the way too. For one, Thomas Was Alone is already on other PlayStation platforms. Also Volume, Bithell's next game which provides a modern stealthy take on the Robin Hood fable, is already confirmed for PS4 as well as Vita, Windows PC and Mac, so it'd be odd to see Thomas Was Alone come to rival platforms and not PS4. In any case, we've reached out to Bithell to find out more. [Image taken from USK site]
Benjamin's Flight comes to Thomas Was Alone on Steam
Was this the end? That was what Thomas wondered when "Benjamin's Flight" landed on Steam, completing the free add-on content's journey across platforms. Jetpacks make for lovely levels, Thomas couldn't argue with that. Or "free," he couldn't argue with that either. Now that Benjamin's Flight was on PC, creator Mike Bithell would focus on his upcoming stealth game, Volume. What did that mean for Thomas? No more extra development? No more attention? No more love? Finally, really and truly, Thomas Was Alone. Except he had sold more than one million copies across all platforms, and that was before the recently released iPad port. So, not really, then. [Image: Mike Bithell]
Thomas Was Alone needs your company
Thomas Was Alone, the iPad adaptation of the hit PC and console platformer, proves that you don't need flashy graphics to create an emotional attachment between a player and a character. You see, Thomas is nothing more than a small red block, but by the end of the game's epic story you'll probably like him more than most fully rendered 3D game protagonists. At its heart, Thomas Was Alone is a pretty straightforward platform puzzle game. You guide Thomas and a number of other blocky characters through increasingly complex levels that require inventive solutions. Your goal is to make it to the portals at the end of each stage, but getting there isn't as simple as it usually appears to be. Each block has different properties, like the ability to jump higher than the rest or float on water where the others will sink, and you'll need to use all of them in order to navigate to the exit. This often means a good deal of trial and error -- but mostly error -- as you'll miss jumps, fall in deadly liquid-filled pits, and get stuck in areas where you don't belong. If you pay attention to the story sequences between levels you'll learn the background of how Thomas and his friends came to be. It involves an artificial intelligence experiment gone wrong, and the self-aware AIs that resulted are the blocks you meet along the way. It's a very strange concept, but it helps give purpose to your actions and adds a good bit of geeky humor as well. The game is quite long, spanning a solid 100 levels in the core game as well as an additional 20 levels in the included expansion adventure called "Benjamin's Flight." The bonus levels add a jetpack to the mix, which creates a whole new way to play, and you can start this standalone quest right from the main menu without having to beat the original adventure first. Thomas Was Alone is currently on sale for US$5.99, down from the regular price of $8.99. Those are both pretty high for iOS games these days, but the quality of the gameplay, story, and original twist on the platforming formula is definitely worth the asking price.
Thomas Was Alone updated for iPad with new friends, jetpack
Minimalistic, story-driven platformer Thomas Was Alone received an update on iPad today that brings the Benjamin's Flight content to the device for free. The DLC previously launched on PlayStation systems, and includes three new characters and 20 levels. Creator Mike Bithell told Joystiq the DLC will arrive on desktop systems "very, very soon." The new levels give players additional puzzles to solve using the jetpack attached to Benjamin, a young square in search of the Fountain of Youth. Benjamin's Flight offers a "new story about hope and the wild impetuosity of youth," but honestly, we were already sold on the jetpacks part. Bossa Studios is offering Thomas Was Alone at a discount to celebrate the free update for a limited time; it is currently $5.99 (£3.99), down from $9 (£6/8 euros) when it launched on iPad in May. [Image: Bossa Studios]
Thomas was Alone wasn't on iPad, but now it is
The rectangle platformer is on the rectangle system, and the world can rest in appropriate harmony. Mike Bithell's Thomas was Alone and its cast of personality-infused polygons are available now on iPad, courtesy of Surgeon Simulator 2013 dev Bossa Studios. If you want to provide some company, it'll set you back $9 in North America, or £6/8 euros in Europe. Thomas was Alone started life on PC and Mac before leaping and rolling onto PS3, Vita and Linux last year. While it may have a minimalist look, its sales have been maximal with over one million copies sold across all platforms. Bithell showed us his latest creation, Volume, at GDC in March. [Image: Mike Bithell]
Thomas Was Alone moves one million copies
Developer Mike Bithell revealed today that his narrative-driven puzzle-platformer Thomas Was Alone has sold over one million copies to date across all available platforms. Debuting for Windows and Mac in 2012, Thomas Was Alone was later ported to the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita, serving a stint in Sony's PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection. Thomas Was Alone won critical acclaim for its minimalist style and clever puzzling driven by quadrilateral characters that each boast their own unique abilities. The game currently stars in Humble Bundle's ongoing weekly sale. [Image: Mike Bithell]
Thomas Was Alone, Unit 13 free on PlayStation Plus this week
Sony expands its Instant Game Collection this week with Thomas Was Alone and Unit 13, which will be released as free downloads for PlayStation Plus subscribers starting tomorrow. Mike Bithell's Thomas Was Alone, available for both the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita, takes a gang of quadrilateral shapes through a series of puzzle-platforming levels bridged by clever narration. The PlayStation Vita-exclusive Unit 13 serves up tactical third-person shooter action, debuting in 2012 as SOCOM series developer Zipper Interactive's swan song. Both games will be released as free downloads for Plus members after the PlayStation Store updates tomorrow evening. Thomas Was Alone is a Cross-Buy release, and Plus subscribers will receive both the PS3 and Vita versions with tomorrow's update. [Image: Mike Bithell]
March's PlayStation Plus freebies are Tomb Raider, Thomas Was Alone, more
PlayStation Plus subscribers have six free games to look forward to across Sony's three current platforms as part of its Instant Game Collection program. PS4 owners signed up to PS Plus will receive arcade shooter Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition for free this coming month. Three more games will be free on PS3 in March: Tomb Raider, Thomas Was Alone and Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut. Lastly, Vita players will get to add military shooter Unit 13 and beast-slayer Monster Hunter: Freedom Unite to their download queues. Those with copies of Monster Hunter Freedom 2 can transfer their data to Freedom Unite to continue progressing their characters. Penny-pinchers would also be wise to remember the Back to 2013 and Vita anniversary sales Sony is hosting at the moment. The sales offer discounts on games like Hotline Miami, Escape Plan, Flower, Killzone Mercenary, Tales of Xillia, Dragon's Crown, Ni no Kuni and more. [Image: SCEA]
Lone Survivor, Thomas Was Alone, Stealth Inc, Proteus in a PSN bundle
The Curve Studios Mega Bundle on PSN collects a handful of indie gems that are cross-compatible on PS3 and Vita, all for $15 ($13.50 for Plus members): Thomas Was Alone, Stealth Inc, Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut and Proteus. This is a broad bundle. Thomas Was Alone is a minimalistic platformer starring shapes as characters and narrated by an English gentleman; Stealth Inc is a rapid-paced, robot- and laser-laden platformer; Lone Survivor is an introspective, psychological thriller and survival game; and Proteus is ... Proteus. It's a procedurally generated exploration game in a mystical, illusive world with a soundtrack created by the immediate surroundings. Check out the deal right here.
Frozenbyte's 'Huge Seal' promotion discounts 35 indie games, gives away Steam keys
Trine 2 developer Frozenbyte kicked off a "Huge Seal" promotion, joining up with more than two dozen other indie developers to offer discounts on 35 PC and Mac games. To take advantage of the "build your own indie sale," buyers need to log in to the sale's site with their Steam accounts to access five coupons from the list of participating games, seen after the break. Among the indie games on sale are Mark of the Ninja ($7.50), Monaco: What's Yours is Mine ($6.60), FTL: Faster than Light ($5.00), Terraria ($5.00) and Thomas Was Alone ($2.50). For every purchase, buyers can pick another game from the list to buy at a discounted rate. Buying three games grants players one free Steam key from the discounted games at random. The sale is good until Sunday, November 24.
Thomas Was Alone dev on stealth, ditching sequels and being loud on social media
"Every business-minded mate I have just took me to one side at some point and said, 'Just make Thomas Was Alone 2. Just make another platformer, improve the graphics if you want to, polish it up a bit, get Danny [Wallace] back in the studio, record a bunch more voice-overs, but just make Thomas Was Alone 2." There's a self-deprecating air to Thomas Was Alone creator Mike Bithell, a humble British smileyness that perhaps partly comes from the securities of today's successes, but was likely always there keeping him grounded. Despite how he put it as we chatted at the Eurogamer Expo, I doubt he didn't know just how lucrative Thomas 2 would be. "At this point if I did Thomas Was Alone 2," Bithell continued, "I've got lots of people who would actually now buy that game at launch, and I would make a lot of money. But it's boring. And it's a decision and promise I made myself. I'm not going to use this opportunity I've been given to do that. I don't think Thomas needs a sequel right now." "if something comes to me one day I might go back to it. Or if I make a couple of flops I might go back to that well," he giggled in jest. "I'll regret that quote down the line."
Developers react to Ouya's defense of Free the Games Fund
Yesterday, Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman voiced her support for the company's Free the Games Fund, noting that nothing about the program would be altered. Since then, indie developers have expressed their displeasure over Uhrman's statements. Sophie Houlden, who launched Rose and Time on Ouya in July, announced that she will be pulling the game from the Ouya store. Houlden said that after reading Uhrman's response, "it became very apparent to me that the company does not support indie developers who need the support most, and that they are incapable of ever correcting their mistakes. I'm simply no longer comfortable supporting the company." Free the Games Fund was first announced in July with the intention of encouraging Ouya development by rewarding successful Kickstarter project creators with extra funding in exchange for at least six months of Ouya exclusivity. Two eligible games came under scrutiny as they met their funding goals in late August: Elementary, My Dear Holmes and Gridiron Thunder. While Elementary was recently suspended due to suspicions over Kickstarter accounts that backed the game, Gridiron Thunder was successfully funded, bringing in $171,009 from only 183 total backers. Houlden isn't the only developer backing away from the platform. Kairo developer Richard Perrin noted via Twitter that he "had an Ouya on my desk since launch. Nearly finished porting Kairo to it. Gonna pack that away until a time when they become credible again." In the comments of Uhrman's response to the growing concerns over the program, 100 Rogues Ouya developer Wes Paugh said that "the campaigns that aren't setting off red flags are failing tragically, and that is a real shame, because some of those ideas are ones gaming would greatly benefit from." Thomas Was Alone developer Mike Bithell also criticized Ouya's response in the post's comments, saying it "isn't an acceptance of criticism, or an explanation of how clearly dodgy as hell schemes are being supported by [Ouya] publicly," but that it "reads like a press release from a console company locked into a foolish policy and using aspirational language to shift the blame, weirdly, onto its critics."
Thomas Was Alone sells 'over 700,000' copies
Indie darling Thomas Was Alone has sold a rather impressive "over 700,000" copies to date. The game's creator, Mike Bithell, revealed the figure in our first Gamescom podcast*, which you should be able to listen to shortly. The figure comprises PC, Mac, Linux, PS3, and Vita sales, and does not include copies obtained through PS Plus for free. Not bad for a 'rectangle game,' we'd say. Bithell recently unveiled his very different next game, Volume, which mixes Metal Gear Solid with a dollop of user-generated content. While it's definitely a departure from talking rectangles, Bithell said Thomas Was Alone's narrative roots continue in Volume through a "very strong authored story," and may extend into the game's level creator, since Bithell wants to "make a game that allows people to tell their own stories as well." *Bithell said "around 700,000" copies on the podcast, but confirmed "over 700,000" after. Technicalities!
Thomas Was Alone dev announces Metal Gear-craft game, Volume
The next game from Thomas Was Alone creator Mike Bithell has a colorful, blocky look to it, but it certainly isn't another rectangle platformer. The British developer unveiled the long-teased 'Project 2' as Volume today, a top-down stealth game evocative, at least visually, of a minimalist Metal Gear Solid. The twist is Volume features a level editor that allows players to create and share their own stealthy concoctions. Volume's story is centered around a criminal who doesn't kill, instead using his stealthy powers to steal. Bithell plans to reveal more about the plot at the UK's GameCity event in October, but previously told us Volume features "a very strong authored story," once again written by himself. The level editor looks to be the other big part of Volume. Today's debut trailer links to an initial video previewing it, in which Bithell quickly creates a level with props, enemies, and environmental triggers. Each area of Volume can be edited and added to: "The community are free to take the game in any direction they want, even releasing their own takes on the core levels," reads the game's newly-unveiled site. It seems likely Volume's editor will include narrative tools, too. Bithell previously said he felt one of Thomas Was Alone's big issues was that players couldn't make their own in-game stories, and that he plans to rectify that with Volume. "It's one of the most requested features on Thomas: 'Can I have a level editor? Can I have a story editor so I can tell my own stories with this engine?' So I want to do that as well, I want to make a game that allows people to tell their own stories," he told us. Volume is scheduled for next year, platforms due to be announced shortly. Bithell has said he can't see it not coming to PC, and his Twitter timeline suggests it may come to PS4, too. %Gallery-195894%
