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
Cradle
Developer: Mojo Game Studios
Fundraising Goal: $350,000
Funds Due By: February 20, 2014
If you’re into games that have a strong mythology build around then, then Cradle is a Kickstarter worth your consideration. Cradle is an open-world action-RPG that puts you in the shoes of an exiled traveler that gets caught in the middle of a conflict between humans, nature, and the gods of the world. You can choose between five character classes: arcanist, druid, ranger, paladin, and swordsman. Cradle has an interesting art style that is brought to life by the CryEngine, which is good for gamers who enjoy exploring vast, open-world games.
Darkest Dungeon
Developer: Red Hook Studios
Fundraising Goal: $75,000
Funds Due By: March 14, 2014
Darkest Dungeon is the first project by Red Hook studios, and it's a unique one. It is a rogue-like turn-based RPG that attempts to show the psychological damage done by adventuring. You will lead a team of four heroes into crypts and other nasty locations, and battle the monsters they contain. At times your party members may become frightened, stressed, or develop phobias based on the dangers they’re put through. Interesting mechanics and the dark, gothic art style make Darkest Dungeon a tempting campaign to fund. Darkest Dungeons will release on PC and Mac if funded, with the possibility of expanding to Linux, 3DS, and other consoles in the future.
Framed
Developer: VIE Games
Fundraising Goal: $300,000 CAD
Funds Due By: March 17, 2014
Framed is a story-driven, episodic action-shooter (seven total episodes) that aims to put players in the shoes of someone framed for a crime. To bring the game to life, VIE Games is using the largest motion capture studio in Canada. Additionally, VIE Games will have the player take the roles of other characters to facilitate a further understanding of the greater plot. Framed will take place five years into the future, and issues of privacy and terrorism will play central rolls in the world and story. VIE's aim is to have actions influence later episodes, much like Telltale’s The Walking Dead. There will even be a multiplayer mode where you attempt to frame other players. Framed is in development for PC.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Developer: Warhorse Studios
Fundraising Goal: £300,000
Funds Due By: February 20, 2014
Kingdom Come: Deliverance’s developers at Warhorse Studios are sick of RPGs with elves, magic, and dragons; and they think you are too. Kingdom Come: Deliverance offers a realistic medieval fantasy game, which they liken to Braveheart. Players can play as a knight, rogue, bard, or mixture of the three as either a villain or hero. It will use a first-person combat, touted by the developer as innovative. Kingdom Come’s detailed, vibrant visuals look like it is taking advantage of the CryEngine it’s powered by. With that and its experienced developer team, this looks like an interesting game. Warhorse hopes to release its game on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Mac, and Linux in late 2015.
Nevermind
Developer: Erin Reynolds
Fundraising Goal: $250,000
Funds Due By: March 7, 2014
Nevermind is the combination of a horror game and self-help tool for anxiety – and it looks awesome at both. Basically, you hook a biofeedback device up, and the game becomes more difficult when you’re scared. Controlling your fear and anxiety will bring Nevermind back down in difficulty. The creator, Erin Reynolds, created Nevermind to work well as both a game and self-help tool. Check out our coverage of Nevermind to learn more info.
Olympia Rising
Developer: Paleozoic
Fundraising Goal: $10,000
Funds Due By: February 15, 2014
Olympia Rising is a 16-bit platformer with a heavy emphasis on jumping all over the screen. You play as Iola, a hero who resides in the Fields of Asphodel. She awakes during a purge of the Underworld, and sets off on a quest to rejoin the living world. To do this, you must fight your way through the many stages of the Underworld and then visit the Olympic throne room to meet Zeus. Olympia Rising has a fun, fast-paced soundtrack and looks similar to old school Castlevania games, but with a greater sense of mobility. Paleozoic includes the link to a demo on their Kickstarter page if you’d like to try before pledging money to its campaign.
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen
Developer: Visionary Realms
Fundraising Goal: $800,000
Funds Due By: February 22, 2014
There are tons of MMOs that come and go without much notice, but Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen’s impressive team demands a bit of attention. The founders of Visionary Realms all have extensive experience developing MMOs, such as EverQuest, EverQuest 2, Star Wars: Galaxies, Myst 3, and a few others. It all takes place in the fantasy world of Terminus, where gods are prevalent. You take the role of a hero stripped of their powers on a quest to regain them. Pantheon puts a lot of emphasis on grouping with other players, so if you’re more of a lone wolf when it comes to MMOs, you might want to look elsewhere.
Rain World
Developer: Joar Jakobsson and James Primate
Fundraising Goal: $25,000
Funds Due By: February 13, 2014
Rain World is a platformer where you play as a Slugcat, a character more adorable than the name would suggest. Rain World takes place in a world constantly barraged by rain so tremendous that creatures frequently hibernate; only waking up to hunt for brief periods so they can survive. Slugcats are in the middle of the food chain, so you will need to both hunt and avoid being hunted by other predators. There is an unnerving atmosphere just going off the Kickstarter video, and the soundtrack really helps build that up. It’s not surprising this game has already more than doubled its funding goal, between the adorable character and the dark world it inhabits. Even though it is well past its goal, there are still backer rewards available.
ReVeN
Developer: Varia Games
Fundraising Goal: $18,000
Funds Due By: February 22,2014
If you’re a fan of the 2D Metroid and Mega Man games then you might want to take a look at ReVeN. Varia Game’s 2D platformer-shooter stars a 400-year-old android war veteran who has the ability to think on his own and adapt to new situations. What sets this game apart from similar titles is the ability to constantly shift power between shields, weapons, sensors, and mobility. Also included is crafting and mining components that should go well with exploring the desolate and eerie world of ReVeN
The Book of Unwritten Tales 2
Developer: KING Art Games
Fundraising Goal: $65,000
Funds Due By: March 23
KING Art Games released The Book of Unwritten Tales in 2012, which was well received by critics. However, the publisher went bankrupt, and the developer amassed debt. KING Art is now releasing a sequel to The Book of Unwritten Tales, and is asking for your help with a unique pitch video. They admit up front that The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 is already funded and will come out, even if the Kickstarter campaign fails. This campaign’s purpose is to improve the game, do more, and make it truly memorable with things like side quests and fully orchestrated music. Apparently fans agree with its philosophy, since they have already surpassed its fundraising goal with over 30 days left. If you have a point-and-click adventure game itch that can’t be scratched, check out The Book of Unwritten Tales 2.
Unsung Story: Tale of the Guardians
Developer: Playdek
Fundraising Goal: $600,000
Funds Due By: February 14, 2014
Unsung Story: Tale of the Guardians might be the sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics fans have been waiting for. Developer Playdek even managed to get FF Tactics creator Yasumi Matsuno onboard with the project, along with FF Tactic’s composer Hitoshi Sakimoto, and artist Akihiko Yoshida, who also did art for FF Tactics. Unsung Story will use a triangular grid and characters will stand on the intersections, instead of the square-based grid that is usually seen in tactical RPGs. Unsung Story would be hard to recommend since there isn’t much proof of concept shown on the Kickstarter page, but the team assembled makes this a compelling campaign.
[NEXT UP: Peruse the numerous games that have been successfully funded through Kickstarter, and track their progress after funding is complete]