Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Indie Royale goes back to school with new seven-game bundle]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/15/indie-royale-goes-back-to-school-with-new-seven-game-bundle/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/15/indie-royale-goes-back-to-school-with-new-seven-game-bundle/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/15/indie-royale-goes-back-to-school-with-new-seven-game-bundle/#comments The latest Indie Royale game bundle is serving up seven games at a low, pay-more-than-the-minimum price for Steam and Desura. The Back to School Bundle includes Ronimo Games' Swords & Soldiers, along with the game's Super Saucy Sausage Fest DLC.

The bundle also includes Lunar Flight by Shovsoft, Bunny Must Die: Chelsea and the 7 Devils, Qlione and Flying Red Barrel by Rockin' Android, rhythm-RPG game Sequence from Iridium Studios, and the game and original soundtrack for Cute Things Dying Violenty from ApathyWorks. Those that spend over $8 on the bundle will also receive an 18-track chiptune album, BIAS. The Back to School Bundle will be available over the course of this next week.

Continue reading Indie Royale goes back to school with new seven-game bundle

JoystiqIndie Royale goes back to school with new seven-game bundle originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Sep 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apathyworksbundlebunny-must-dieCute-Things-Dying-Violentlyflying-red-barrelindie-royaleiridium-studioslunar-flightpcqlionerockin-androidronimo-gamessequenceshovsoftswords-and-soldiersSat, 15 Sep 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rhythm RPG Sequence now available on Steam]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/22/rhythm-rpg-sequence-now-available-on-steam/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/22/rhythm-rpg-sequence-now-available-on-steam/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/22/rhythm-rpg-sequence-now-available-on-steam/#comments
The Xbox Live Indie Game Sequence, which recently took home third place in Microsoft's Dream Build Play competition, is now available on Steam. In case you've missed our previous coverage, Sequence offers a unique take role-playing games, replacing traditional combat with rhythm game mechanics. Basically, imagine tapping along to a slammin' beat, except you're not earning points, you're slaying monsters.

Sequence is currently available for $4.50, 10 percent off the usual price.

JoystiqRhythm RPG Sequence now available on Steam originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 22 Oct 2011 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iridiumiridium-studiospcsequencesteamSat, 22 Oct 2011 01:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Congratulations to the 2011 Dream Build Play winners!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/congratulations-to-the-2011-dream-build-play-winners/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/congratulations-to-the-2011-dream-build-play-winners/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/congratulations-to-the-2011-dream-build-play-winners/#comments

Swing Swing Submarine, creator of adorable puzzle-platformer Blocks That Matter, is the grand-prize winner of the 2011 Microsoft Dream Build Play competition, earning $40,000 and the opportunity for an XBLA publishing contract. In Blocks that Matter, you play as a Tetrobot, a tiny mining machine, to drill blocks of different minerals, which are stored and later reused to help Tetrobot find his kidnapped creators. Blocks That Matter is available now on Steam and XBLIG.

Congrats to grand-prize champion Blocks that Matter and the following Dream Build Play winners:
  • First Prize ($20,000): Solar 2
  • Second Prize ($10,000): TIC: Part 1
  • Third Prize ($5,000): Sequence
  • Honorable Mention (Production Quality): Alien Jelly
  • Honorable Mention (Innovation): The Bridge
  • Honorable Mention (Fun Factor): Ninja Crash

JoystiqCongratulations to the 2011 Dream Build Play winners! originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blocks-that-matterdream-build-playdream-build-play-2011Indiemicrosoftpcsequencesolar-2swing-swing-submarinetic-part-1xboxSun, 28 Aug 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[XBLIG creators express disappointment with low sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/06/xblig-creators-express-disappointment-with-low-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/06/xblig-creators-express-disappointment-with-low-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/06/xblig-creators-express-disappointment-with-low-sales/#comments Xbox Live Indie Games might allow creative independence, but they aren't quite the path to financial independence just yet. As one piece of anecdata about the relative success of an XBLIG launch, Sequence creator (and ex-DS Fanboy writer!) Jason Wishnov described his experience to Ars Technica.

Following a positive press reception, Sequence sold around 2,000 copies, a result Wishnov categorized as "a bit of a flop." He's looking at PC and mobile platforms for future projects; "It's not financially viable to do a larger-scale project and [not] expect with any certainty to make some money," he said.

Zeboyd's Robert Boyd told Ars that his games, Breath of Death VII and Cthulhu Saves the World, sold around 50,000 and 16,000 copies each respectively, making them relative hits for XBLIG. "I think our games could sell a lot better than they did with a better platform and more visibility," Boyd said. He's testing that theory with a Steam release of both on July 13. The bundle will cost $3.

JoystiqXBLIG creators express disappointment with low sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breath-of-death-viicthulhu-saves-the-worldmicrosoftsalessequencexbligxboxWed, 06 Jul 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rhythm/RPG hybrid Sequence out now on Xbox Live Indie Games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/08/rhythm-rpg-hybrid-sequence-out-now-on-xbox-live-indie-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/08/rhythm-rpg-hybrid-sequence-out-now-on-xbox-live-indie-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/08/rhythm-rpg-hybrid-sequence-out-now-on-xbox-live-indie-games/#comments Iridium Studios' unique role-playing rhythm title Sequence has finally arrived on Xbox Live Indie Games. For the uninitiated, Sequence sees players conducting battle using a DDR-esque four direction input set to the rhythm of tracks from Michael Wade Hamilton and YouTube sensation Ronald Jenkees. On the RPG side, there's a ton of character customization, item crafting, pithy dialogue and also magic and stuff.

The game's available now through the Xbox Live Indie Games storefront for 240 Microsoft Points ($3). If you're still confused on how this Frankensteinian genre-bender works, check out a launch trailer after the jump!

Continue reading Rhythm/RPG hybrid Sequence out now on Xbox Live Indie Games

JoystiqRhythm/RPG hybrid Sequence out now on Xbox Live Indie Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 08 May 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>indieiridium-studiosmicrosoftrhythmrpgsequencexboxxbox-live-indie-gamesSun, 08 May 2011 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Sequence]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-sequence/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-sequence/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-sequence/#comments
Being a giant, beloved video game site has its downsides. For example, we sometimes neglect to give independent developers our coverage love (or loverage, if you will) as we get caught up in AAA, AAAA or the rare quintuple-A titles. To remedy that, we're giving indies the chance to create their own loverage and sell you, the fans, on their studios and products. This week we talk with former DS Fanboy blogger and Iridium Studios head Jason Wishnov, about his rhythm RPG Sequence.
How did you or your company get started?

This is a boring question. I am going to replace your questions with interesting questions instead.

What? But that's not how-

Hello, Jason! You are handsome and talented. Can you please explain the trailer to me?

Of course, Justin! The trailer shows off some of the core gameplay of Sequence, which is a fusion of RPG and rhythm mechanics. You see three streams of notes falling down from the top of the screen; each corresponds to a different action. You can rotate between them freely, but you can hit only one stream at a time. The stream in red is where you play defense; if you hit a note, no damage is done, but if you miss, you lose some HP. The stream in green is where you cast spells (found at the bottom of the screen, in the Spell Ring); you need to hit every note of a spell for it to actually activate. There are damage spells, healing spells, barriers, and so forth. And finally, the stream in blue is where you regain mana to cast more spells.

Continue reading The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Sequence

JoystiqThe Joystiq Indie Pitch: Sequence originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iridium-studiosjoystiq-indie-pitchmicrosoftsequencexboxxbox-live-indie-gamesTue, 08 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST