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 amazing 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
Cthulu World Combat
Developer: N/A
Fundraising Goal: $300,000
Funds Due By: December 3, 2012
Aiming for iOS systems, this strategy/turn-based game lets you compete with your friends over control of Earth after the Old Ones (from H.P. Lovecraft's mythos) have returned. Much like other turn-based strategy games, you'll be producing units to aid you in world domination. Except this time, it won't be airplanes and tanks; you'll be creating monsters and cultists.
Forced
Developer: BetaDwarf
Fundraising Goal: $40,000
Funds Due By: December 1, 2012
An arena combat game allowing you to team up with friends, Forced is in the top 3% of Steam Greenlight. The game allows you to rank up your character and improve weapons to deal with the increasing difficulty of each wave, described as a mix of Diablo and Left 4 Dead.
Ars Magica
Developer: Black Chicken Studios
Funraisin Goal: $290,000
Funds Due By: November 18, 2012
Playing as a mage bounded to the Order of Hermes, it's your job to protect the people around you throughout the seasons, beginning in the spring. If you can survive a century until the last brutal winter, your followers will be the most advanced settlement under your watch.
Boss Monster
Project Type: Card Game
Fundraising Goal: $12,000
Funds Due By: November 18, 2012
We've traversed a multitude of dungeons in our gamer careers, but Boss Monster places you in the role of the villain who builds these dungeons. Not only do they have to look good, but the brave nemeses attempting to thwart your plans have to fail before they slay you.
Hero-U: Rogue To Redemption
Developer: N/A
Fundraising Goal: $400,000
Funds Due By: November 20, 2012
Rogue to Redemption presents you with turn-based combat and adventure game puzzles. The character relationships are drawing comparisons to Persona games, while the story itself changes based on the way you play.
Pier Solar HD
Developer: WaterMelon Co.
Fundraising Goal: $139,000
Funds Due By: December 5, 2012
Originally designed for the Sega Mega Drive and Sega Genesis, Pier Solar HD follows the character Hoston on a quest to save his ill father. Claiming to be the largest 16-bit RPG ever, the game promises a massive world with 50+ hours of gameplay. Original enemies, weapons, characters, combat system, and an original score promise that this game could be the new coming of 16-bit adventures.
Sir, You Are Being Hunted
Developer: Big Robot
Fundraising Goal: £40,000
Funds Due By: December 2, 2012
This game places you in a surrel environment as you elude British gentlemen-robots whose task it is to hunt you.Additionally, the game's consistently generated world will keep you on your toes as you balance stealth and survival as long as you can; before the robots get you that is.
Sportsfriends
Developer: Douglas Wilson, Ramirio Corbetta, Bennett Foddy, and Noah Sasso
Fundraising Goal: $150,000
Funds Due By: December 10, 2012
Four developers have teamed up to bring you Sportsfriends, four local multiplayer games for the PS3 and PC. The game -- Johann Sebastian Joust, BaraBariBall, Super Pole Riders, and Hokra -- all innovate multiplayer trends and aim to bring people together in one room. For instance, the joust game tasks players with jostling each other's Move controllers without sacrificing their own. Each of the titles exhibit what are sure to be new trends in local multiplayer games; you owe it to yourself to check them out.
Star Citizen
Developer: Cloud Imperium Games Corporation
Fundraising Goal: $500,000
Funds Due By: November 19, 2012
Star Citizen is aiming to be an immersive experience, not a one-time story. With constant updates, you'll pilot your ship through the universe and take on roles as commander, bounty hunter, smuggler, and merchant, among others. A single player mode reminiscent of Wing Commander lets you defend settlements across the galaxy's frontiers, ensuring that several different play styles are addressed in one game.
Strike Suit Zero
Developer: Born Ready Games
Fundraising Goal: $100,000
Funds Due By: November 17, 2012
Juxtaposed against space strategy titles, this game places you in frantic dogfights at the epicenter of space battles. The twist is, the Strike Suit fighter you pilot can transform into a mech warrior Battle Armor suit at the tap of the button, adapting you to different combat scenarios throughout the fights.
Storm The Castle!
Project Type: Co-op Battle Board Game
Fundraising Goal: $12,000
Funds Due By: November 25, 2012
Up to four players can take control of four different Dark Force armies and storm Castle Storm Haven. You'll utilize Halfling archers, musketmen, Dawrven Pikemen, and fireball-hurling mages in the race to breach the keep before any other player. Players enjoying cooperative gameplay and a steep challenge are promised a frantic experience with Storm the Castle.
Unusual Heroes
Developer: Deano Calver
Fundraising Goal: £ 70,000
Funds Due By: December 3, 2012
Unusual Heroes features three disabled characters and a dog that are transported on board an alien ship. Using an isometric view and sci-fi RPG progression, you're tasked with exploring the vessel through each individually styled area. Each character has different abilities and in-depth skill trees, allowing you the decision of which works best in each situation.
[NEXT UP: Peruse the numerous games that have been successfully funded through Kickstarter, and track their progress after funding is complete]