I already took the time to tell you about my favorite game from the IndieCade section of this year’s E3 show floor, but it was far from the only game on display. I have an unhealthy love for independent games — you tend to see some of the most creative and least “safe” ideas in gaming when you’re not answering to a publisher. This isn’t to say that every independent game is a winner, but IndieCade is dedicated to putting indie’s best foot forward at various high-profile gaming events, so there’s typically some choice selections on display. We got to play a few, and we share these innovators with you, after the break. Continue Reading

I’m hoping I can go this entire review without saying “The twist is,” or “But there’s a twist!” or “With just a twist of,” or any such obvious quip. I’m also hoping my wrist stops aching soon — Magnetica Twist is a fairly addictive little action-puzzler, controlled entirely through small rotations of the Wiimote. After a few hours of play, you can start developing a case of localized Wii-itis. The upside to that, of course, is that Magnetica Twist is the kind of game you’ll want to play for hours at a time: accessible, addictive, replayable, and challenging. Granted, it’s also a game we’ve all played a hundred times before in any number of incarnations, but thanks to a tiny handful of additions to the familiar formula, Magnetica Twist is a thoroughly enjoyable little distraction. Also, though it may weigh in at 1000 Wii Points, its modest 85-Memory-Block size makes it a fairly painless addition to your channel lineup. Continue Reading

Once upon a time, a game called Myst heralded a new era for gaming. The mysterious title (no pun intended) showed gamers what could be realized in the next generation of interactive entertainment – lush, immersive worlds, brought to life through painstakingly pre-rendered graphics, full-motion video, and studio-recorded sound. These are all design elements which, today, are either taken for granted or utterly obsolete, but to a world which had only just embraced the CD-ROM, they were unprecedented. Audiences had never seen a game like Myst, and it became an icon, bundled in with every CD drive, holding a record in sales for a decade.

Myst, originally designed to be played with a mouse interface, seemed like a natural adaptation for the Nintendo DS, and such a port has just been released by Empire Interactive. Sure, the graphics would need to be shrunk to fit a handheld screen, but with some new gameplay features included and a new world added that had not appeared in the original game, Myst DS seemed like a surefire way to immerse oneself in a nostalgic romp through a childhood favorite. This could not be further from the truth. Continue Reading

“An unfairly addictive action-puzzle title which is both cross-platform and multi-platform; furious online four-player action.” When we asked Nokia’s Scott Foe, Executive Producer and Concept Author, to describe Reset Generation, this is what he said. The game, scheduled for release in Summer 2008 for the PC and N-Gage platform, had been known until now by the codename “Project White Rock.” Nokia, and Finnish developers RedLynx, have spent the last two and a half years on Reset Generation, and the result is a mash-up of puzzle gaming, turn-based strategy, and tongue-firmly-out-of-cheek fanservice. Continue Reading

Declarations of Independents focuses on the most independent of game developers: Small teams or individuals whose games have little or no marketing, advertising, or outreach, yet which have extremely loyal and dedicated followings. These games are the hidden treasures of the game industry, and it is our pleasure to bring you the thoughts and experiences of their creators on what it means to be an independent developer. Continue Reading