QCF: Kentucky Route Zero: Act 1

fter watching the initial trailer for Kentucky Route Zero back in its infancy, I thought that the overall design was interesting, and according to its Kickstarter page would be “a magic realist adventure game”. Fast forward almost two years later and what Kentucky Route Zero has become is something far more than what I could have imagined. A meaningful presentation that keeps the narrative in the forefront, and a game that plays out like an eerie adult pop-up book. Interactive narrative may seem like a buzz word seen too often in the games industry in the last few years, but trust me when I say that Jake Elliott and Tamas Kemenczy of Cardboard Computer are doing exactly that. The result of which is some of the finest storytelling in gaming so far.

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Life Through The Pixel Glass-01/09/2013

elcome to the latest edition of Life Through The Pixel Glass. Wait, hold on; say what? I hear we’re going to see some proper Pokémon releases on the 3DS? Let’s hope that Nintendo does more than add some glossy visuals and transitive three-dimensional perspective, because if that’s the case then the franchise may start hammering nails in its own coffin. Don’t misunderstand, I am actually excited for this entry as opposed to the lack of interest I shared with the last generation, but imagine how amazing it would be if Nintendo implemented cross-platform play with the Wii U and released Pokémon X/Y on it as well. It would blow your mind and you know it. Anyway, on to the feature.

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Life Through the Pixel Glass-12/12/2012

o for those of you who follow the site regularly, you may already be familiar with Life Through the Pixel Glass. This feature belongs to Catie (and it still does, so no worries needed) that focused on the art and culturist aspect of the video game community, and it still does for the most part. We’re currently experimenting with the feature and adding more, like links for other things involving independent studio spotlights or Kickstarter endorsements. We’ll be doing a little bit of both and try balancing the feature to basically be something fun that we can do with the site in order to interact with the listeners and readers of Press Pause Radio.

Life Through the Pixel Glass will be authored by either yours truly or Catie, as we take turns in order to work with each other’s schedule. The goal is to post one every Wednesday since it’s just that awkward day in the week where nothing really happens. Throw in some feedback if you guys have any. We’re totally open to some crowd sourcing for future content. Enjoy!

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City of Steam Preview

Some MMORPGS seem much less accessible than others, which is why MOBAs and other strategy games currently dominate the multiplayer world. One studio, however, wants to revitalize the connection between in-game lore and player interest that used to make MMOs among the greatest online role-playing experiences.

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QCF: Chasing Aurora

Broken Rules has volunteered to be the forerunner of independently developed game for the Wii U, an admirably brave task considering that larger, more experienced studios have been skeptical of their own ability to significantly take advantage of the Wii U’s potential. Nintendo's new console excels at offering a cavalcade of dynamics in a multiplayer setting, evident by the direction of Nintendoland.

Broken Rules therefore staked their hands at creating their software that centered on a competitive theme with their imaginative take on the philosophy of flight through the portrayal of paper art in Chasing Aurora. While the cliché of an indie studio taking the humble route in order to concentrate all production value towards the creative process and to convey a deeper meaning through a solid game mechanic, the Austrian studio takes this trait to heart, and it works both against them and in their favor in the end.

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QCF: Hairy Tales

There's often a fine line between what makes a good and bad puzzle game. While some puzzles can be deceptively hard and rewarding in certain games, other puzzles for some reasons can just be frustrating. And when a game is made of nothing but these challenges, you better be sure that they're fun and well designed, because without anything else, a pure puzzle experience just doesn't have much to fall back on.

Hairy Tales is very much one of those pure experiences. It's a cheap little game that's all about its main mechanic and little else. And while that can be commendable for a pure gameplay centric title, sometimes it just doesn't work.

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PPR Presents Indiedrome: Episode 2: They Bleed Pixels Interview

This week on Indiedrome, Matt and Stevie sit down with the guys that brought you indie-hit They Bleed Pixels! 

First, we talk to Miguel Sternberg, creator of TBP and Spooky Squid games. Stay tuned after for another segment with the game's music composer Shaun Hatton AKA DJ Finish Him.

And don't forget to save your game.

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QCF: Primal Carnage

Is it just me, or has there never been a truly great dinosaur game? Turok doesn't seem to hold up and the recent Jurassic Park game received poor reviews from both critics and fans alike. On the surface, this doesn't seem like a valid issue or concern. But when you think about it, these prehistoric creatures would make perfect cannon fodder for any videogame, and it's a damn shame that I can't think of any fantastic dinosaur-centered games.

Enter Primal Carnage, a first-person multiplayer Steam title that aims to give players the thrill of hunting and becoming the lethal predators that stalk various media. A thrill which, unfortunately, has a lot of problems scattered amongst its few fun moments.

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