Our regularly revised feature keeps you up to date on the Kickstarter games worth watching, and helps you track projects both before and after they’re funded.
Welcome to the Kickstarter Compendium, a gathering of games and game-related projects that we’ve come across that deserve your attention. The crowd-funding model for video games has resulted in some interesting new game ideas, and new projects are going up on a weekly basis that deserve your attention.
The only problem is keeping track of it all – what’s worth watching, and what are these different projects about? As an ongoing feature, our Kickstarter Compendium is your guide to games seeking funding through Kickstarter. After funding projects are complete, this feature will also track what games (and game-related projects) got funded and what games didn’t, and where possible, offer links to the projects as they are developed.
Games Seeking Funding
Edo Superstar
Developer: Jed Henry
Fundraising Goal: $65,000
Funds Due By: September 5, 2013
Masaru is an arrogant monkey, but for a good reason. Pretty much no one in all of Japan can best him in a fight. After realizing that joining a ninja clan means staying on the down low, Masaru quits the gang and heads off on his own. His goal is to defeat other colorful, animal enemies on his path to Edo – and gain superstardom along the way.
Edo Superstar is likely best enjoyed on iOS and Android, as full touch-screen compatibility will be added. However, PC and Mac editions are also in the works.
Every Day Is Play
Developer: Matthew Kenyon
Fundraising Goal: £26,000
Funds Due By: September 1, 2013
While not a game, Every Day Is Play will still likely to interest gamers. The campaign is meant to fund a large collection of art inspired by games all gathered into one, hardcover book. All types of projects will be featured, from graphic design to sculptures. For those looking to fund the project, £20 nets the backer an e-book copy. For £30 or more, you can have it on your coffee table.
Eyes Open
Developer: LatinForImagination
Fundraising Goal: $8,000
Funds Due By: September 1, 2013
Eyes Open doesn’t have quite the flash of some of the other titles on Kickstarter. The creators chose to focus more on gameplay than animation. The premise is that keeping your eyes open at all times is not an option, as it will cause your character to go insane. The player must navigate through portions the game without sight, adding to the suspense of gameplay. The environments are randomly generated, adding replay value to the PC title.
Laika Believes
Developer: John Warren
Fundraising Goal: $20,000
Funds Due By: September 1, 2013
For anyone who didn’t pay attention in history class, Laika was the dog that Russia sent into space. Laika was the first dog in space, and she met a sad end as it was discovered later that she likely died from heat exhaustion after launch. Unsatisfied with this chain of events, the developers of Laika Believes are creating an alternate version of history with their game. In it, Laika survives and comes back to earth, only to find that everything has changed. Laika, now equipped with space armor and the ability to talk, must find out what has happened in her absence. This 2D platformer is planned for PC, Mac, Linux, and possibly a console release at a later date.
Monochroma
Developer: Nowhere Studios
Fundraising Goal: $80,000
Funds Due By: August 24, 2013
This puzzle platformer is faithful to its namesake in stylistic quality; stark black, blurry gray, and only a splash or two of crimson make up the palette. The game takes place in a dystopian world in which you must care for your little brother. To get him through obstacles is a challenge, as you can’t leave him behind, but carrying him has other limitations. Monochroma looks like a mixture of Limbo’s style and some of Ico’s gameplay mechanics that come along with caring for a companion— not a bad combination at all. Monochroma is coming to PC, Mac, and Linux with possible later releases for Ouya, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Project Bliss
Developer: Enlightened Games
Fundraising Goal: $150,000
Funds Due By: September 6, 2013
Project Bliss was created to mirror the developer’s struggle with anxiety. As such, the game involves finding hope within a land in need of healing. The style of Project Bliss is described as “fantasy puzzle adventure.” It is likely to appeal to fans of games that strive to create an emotional connection.
The creators have helpfully included an early prototype build of Project Bliss for PC, Mac, and Linux for people to check out before backing.
Project Phoenix
Developer: Creative Intelligence Arts, Inc.
Fundraising Goal: $100,000
Funds Due By: September 11, 2013
Project Phoenix has a ton of experienced developers at its helm, including professionals who have worked on Final Fantasy, L.A. Noire, and Valkyria Chronicles. The famous composer Nobuo Uematsu is even attached to the project. Project Phoenix will be a combination of RTS and JRPG, and has already gained a lot of attention in the Kickstarter community as the first game projects from Japan. You can read more about Project Phoenix here.
Shades of Sanity
Developer: Sword and Spirit
Fundraising Goal: $200,000
Funds Due By: September 27, 2013
Designed as a spiritual successor to Sanitarium, Shades of Sanity is a survival horror story that follows a schizophrenic patient who awakens in a strange environment. With no recollection of how he got there, the player must find his way through the eery setting using a combination of point-and-click gameplay and puzzle-solving techniques. Difficulty settings accommodate novice and advanced players alike.
Shadow of the Eternals
Developer: Precursor Games
Fundraising Goal: $750,000
Funds Due By: N/A
After a cancelled campaign, Shadow of the Eternals is back with a slightly more reasonable fundraising goal. You can read more about the history of this project here.
From the creators of Eternal Darkness comes Shadow of the Eternals. Spanning over 2,500 years of history, you must navigate through a variety of scenarios in this action adventure title. Playing as Detective Paul Becker, the first episode has you question two survivors of a gang massacre. One is a toughened biker, the other a clean-cut businessman. To uncover the truth, interrogation leads the player to see through the eyes of a handmaiden in Hungary, 1610 AD. The broad scope of Shadow of the Eternals is aided by gorgeous character design and an expansive world.
Stunt Runner
Developer: Kermdinger Studios, Inc.
Fundraising Goal: $55,000
Funds Due By: September 4, 2013
The mechanics of Stunt Runner are similar in play style to Lemmings. In that classic game, the player had to assign skills to certain lemmings in order to get as many of the little guys through the level as possible. In the same fashion, players must lead down-on-his-luck stuntman Smash Johnson through film acts by controlling the environment rather than the character. The objective is to set up props along the level for Smash to interact with such as trampolines, umbrellas, jetpacks, rakes, etc. If all goes as planned, Smash will make it through the scene in one piece. If not, you can share the disastrous results on YouTube.
Stunt Runner is planned for PC, Mac, and Linux. Try out a demo here.
Waking Amy
Developer: Martian Media Inc.
Fundraising Goal: $10,000
Funds Due By: September 1, 2013
Waking Amy has the titular character’s body stuck in a coma, as her mind is trapped in a dream world. With combined combat and puzzle elements, Waking Amy is sure to appeal to fans of sidescrollers and PSOne-era platformers. Rather than lock players down to a set of rules there will be multiple ways to get through levels and defeat enemies. PC, Mac, and Linux releases are planned, with possibilities for Ouya, Android, and Oculus Rift compatibility in the stretch goals.
Wars and Battles
Developer: Kermorio
Fundraising Goal: $50,000
Funds Due By: August 25, 2013
Wars and Battles is likely to appeal to both tabletop fans and history buffs. The initial release of the title plans to have the battles at Gettysburg and Normandy available for players to strategize through. The aim of the title is to combine the strategic challenge of tabletop wargames without the overly complex control schemes that PC war simulator games have, making it easier for casual gamers to give it a try. Stretch goals include more historical battles to play through. Wars and Battles is coming to PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.
[NEXT UP: Peruse the numerous games that have been successfully funded through Kickstarter, and track their progress after funding is complete]