Top Video Game Kickstarter Projects as of May 26th, 2016

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Well, it’s May, and there are a ton of Kickstarters to talk about, including 8-bit-style RPGs, 2D-animated adventure games, and six-axis shooters. Let’s dive into which of these projects deserve your attention!

 

Tower of Samsara



Up first is a 2D action platformer known as Tower of Samsara, where you control a being, as you traverse your way through a journey of lore and philosophy that takes the form of a tower called Samsara. It’s a 2D game where you run, jump, and fight your way through areas to get to the top of the tower. One of the more interesting abilities you obtain is that you gain a glowing spirit ball that can help destroy some of the environments around you, and do a load of other things to help you along your journey.

I do hope the story or at least the world you are in is interesting enough to invest your time, because my biggest concern is the Dark Souls-style combat. It doesn’t look that interesting, and we are starting to hit a bit of a flood of “Dark Souls” –inspired or styled games that are probably going to cancel each other out. Maybe that is why the Kickstarter is nowhere near its goal. Still, if you like 2D pixel art games, and want something a bit more interesting than your standard 2D pixel art game, then you should definitely help back this project.

 

Dystoria



Speaking of popular genres that indie developers love to do, our next game is a retro-themed six-axis shooter/action game known as Dystoria. You play as an individual who has been abducted by aliens (because why not) and are in charge of going through an endless labyrinth of experiments, or finding a way to escape doing so.

The game has a lot of elements like Descent, with its six-axis freedom of movement that we have seen in two other Kickstarter projects, and is apparently inspired by Super Mario Galaxy in terms of level design, which is pretty cool once you see the project in motion. Sure, the 80s theme might be tiring itself out by now, and I’m sure that is why some people are not backing this project, but you also have a fleet of ships to pilot, and the retro theme is visually similar to something like Tron. If you love games like Descent, Super Mario Galaxy, or any of the two spiritual successors of Descent that are coming out, then you should probably help get Dystoria funded, since it’s not a huge funding goal at all.

Nadia Was Here



I know Nadia Was Here looks like another 8-bit RPG, but this game, being made by Joep Aben, does a few things differently. For one, the graphics style actually reminds me more of a GameBoy RPG with one of those weird color filters, when you play on a GameBoy Advance or Color. Secondly, it’s an RPG with a bit more puzzle-solving like in Golden Sun, and it has an interesting combat system instead of doing the typical “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it” turn-based RPG fare that makes Nadia Was Here stand out. Your party will attack each time a meter is filled up, but you can swap spots with your party, to either dodge and attack, or lay the smack down on another enemy entirely. It’s rather fast-paced, and it keeps you engaged. I found this little RPG to be charming. If you like RPGs, and are not tired of the 8-bit style, then definitely support this Kickstarter.

 Starflint the Blackhole Phrophecy



Just like a previous adventure game I talked about last time, Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure, Starflint: The Blackhole Prophecy is a beautifully 2D animated adventure game where you play as Flint, a young man who one day saves Trixie and her crew of Space Pirates after a black hole appears. After that, a huge police force is now after Flint, and his story changes from a boring individual to a life of space adventures! It plays very similarly to adventure games by LucasArts where inventory puzzles are you main challenge, and a story with multiple branching paths that will define the outcome of the story. If this is your type of adventure game, then help this developer out!

Rogues Like Us



Well, it’s another roguelike, but in all honesty, at least it is trying something a tad different. Rogues Like Us, developed by oddByte, is a room-by-room isometric roguelike. You will enter each room fighting monsters in a fast pace, and not Dark Souls-style combat system (thank you), finding loot, upgrades, and fighting a boss from time to time. After you beat a boss, you can obtain a new special ability. Of course, this being a roguelike, you die, and you have to start with a new Rogue, but your weapons that you had on you will be stronger for the newest meat shie…I mean Rogue, so maybe that individual can make it through the dungeon further than your last play-through.

The 3D graphical presentation is definitely very minimal, and we have seen this kind of graphics before, but it has its charm. If you like roguelikes, and want a more action-oriented affair in the genre, then you should back Rogues Like Us.

Copper Dreams



Developed by Whalenought Studios, Copper Dreams is an isometric tactical RPG set in a cyber punk world known as Calitana. You take control of a character known as an Agent of Asset Inquiries, who gets hired to gather items, intel, and persons of interest. You awake onto a shore, and find out about a murder of a woman by an unknown individual. The story will be much more in depth, but if you like Shadowgate, then this will be right up your alley.

Like I said above, this is a tactical RPG where you will have full freedom in terms of movement, interactions within the story, and combat. Its combat system is a bit more unique, since it goes by a Child of Light or Grandia action meter of when actions will be able to be pulled off. You can also customize yourself with many varying items, like a hook shot, or maybe you are feeling a bit more chainsaw arm that day. It’s definitely an ambitious game with its freedom and complex combat, but I hope the choices you make actually make a difference. There are too many games these days that are trying to do the whole “your choices define the story” when they really don’t. Anyway, if you like your tactical games with a lot of options, and enjoy a 2000 era-style graphical setting, then this will be the game for you!