Monday, April 13, 2009

Spelunky

Picked up this game thanks to an impassioned write-up at Rock, Paper, Shotgun, that pack of Brits tend to have sharp eyes and good taste when it comes to indie stuff. It's a roguelike mixed with a platformer and the results are fantastic. If there were a prize for games like this it would be "Outstanding Achievement In Getting Me To Play Just One More Game Even Though I Really Need To Get Some Work Done." I'd pepper this with explanatory text but the game is free to download so just go try it. I've also decided on an official scoring policy for these kinds of games.

If you're not going to charge people for your game, I'm not going to belittle you with a score.


In other news, blar blar blar studying blar blar. Ben Abraham's comment on the dream thing has reminded me of a problem that has been gnawing at me for a while now: I haven't got any proof. That's not to say that I think I'm wrong, but rather acknowledge that generally speaking I'm willing to believe a lot of really weird metaphysical stuff that most people aren't. I'll have to think of a new approach for the ending that quits worrying about being the answer and tries to explain the question a bit better.

And finally, methinks I owe CLINT HOCKING and the folks at Ubisoft a beer. When I posted that FC2 post I figured I'd get some arguing about the ending (check) and then it'd slip away since the game had such a mixed cultural reaction. Looking at the wall stats though and I think it's safe to say it's the most viewed thing I've ever written for Popmatters. Which is both awesome (it's a damn good game) and depressing, because it just confirms that I have no idea which thing I write is going to be popular.

Like trying to get a particular color of gum ball out of a quarter machine.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Are you going to GDX in Savannah?

I know it ain't quite south carolina, but it's the coolest thing the south has goin', you know?

Kirk Battle said...

Whoa...I had no idea that was even going on. I even know people who go to SCAD and Savannah is a great town to party in.

Grm...better this one than the one in NC for my schedule but I dunno if this is a good time for me. I need to not fail the one and only test all my classes give me at the end of the semester.

Kirk Battle said...

Damn...that line-up is fantastic though. Grm...maybe...

Unknown said...

I will get you wasted and introduce you to Bogost (I'm his research assistant).

Also, what is your email address so I can send a PopMatters column pitch to you? I play way too many games to write about them all academically. Need an outlet. Mine is chungking.espresso@gmail.com if'n you wanna send it privately.