It took some time for Intelligent Systems to settle on the visuals for Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. Speaking with USgamer, art director Takako Sakai explained how the style changed throughout development.
Originally, the team wanted to “recreate the same pen touch” found in American comic art. But “some visual elements made the game a little bit harder to play”, which led Intelligent Systems to make “some light revisions” – resulting in the graphics we see in the final code.
Sakai’s full comments are as follows:
When we set out to recreate the feeling of [American] comic art, and tried to recreate the same pen touch—that kind of feeling to the actual stroke… We noticed that some visual elements made the game a little bit harder to play. So we made some light revisions there, and landed on the style you see in [S.T.E.A.M.] now. At first, we [created] a color palette that was really faithful to the printing technology of the time. But once implemented, we found that it did make the game a little bit hard to play in some situations. So we made adjustments as appropriate—as little as possible—as we went. And where we ended, you’ll notice the enemies have sort of a colder, bluer palette to them, whereas your allies have a warmer palette—a lot of orange and red.”
Microsoft considered several ideas for the Xbox well before the first console launched in 2001. One possibility could have been an acquisition of Nintendo, based on a new report from GamesIndustry.
GamesIndustry spoke with Seamus Blackley, the co-creator of Xbox, “who helped draft the Xbox proposal and assemble the design team.” A portion of the site’s article states:
Blackley noted that a number of other ideas were pushed around at Microsoft too. Some people said Xbox should be focused on playing movies, or that all the games would have to be made by Microsoft. Some even pushed the notion that Microsoft should make a huge play and just gobble up Nintendo. “Just name it, name a bad idea and it was something we had to deal with,” Blackley lamented.
Xavier Orion Games released a first gameplay video for Super Booty Diver today. Watch it above.
Indie developer This Guy Games has has announced SpaceBoy for several platforms, including Wii U.
SpaceBoy is the studio’s new action-adventure title that focuses on the exploration of a strange ship that lacks color and light. Players will be discovering new worlds with the ship’s Superior Operating Network (S.O.N.), which can be used “to help fight against corrupt software spreading throughout the ship’s large infrastructure.”
There will be plenty of power-ups, moves, and abilities to uncover in SpaceBoy. The game also features a wide array of characters and creatures.
We’ve attached a trailer for SpaceBoy below.
Atlus released a new, full trailer for Etrian Mystery Dungeon today. You can watch it above.
Imageepoch’s SRPG Stella Glow is officially making its way over to the US in 2015! We’ve heard very little about the game since it was first revealed back in October, but the last few weeks have been booming with Stella Glow news.
Here’s what ATLUS has to say about the upcoming SRPG:
Stella Glow, the role-playing game based on brand new IP from imageepoch, will be localized and published in the Americas by ATLUS. Players take on the role of Alto, a young knight who must convince Witches throughout the Regnant Kingdom to join his side and stop Hilda, the Witch of Destruction, and her cruel Harbingers. Use the forgotten magic of Song in battle by tuning allied Witches to unlock their full potential. Stella Glow is exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS™ system. More details on the localization and American release will be coming soon!
Stella Glow will is slated for a June 4th release in Japan and is being published by SEGA there. Since the localization announcement is just being made now, and plans are to release Stella Glow in the same year to the US, it’s probable that we’ll be seeing Stella Glow make its way over to the west sometime in the Fall.
Are you looking forward to getting your hands on Stella Glow? Personally, something about this game has this charm that I can’t quite pinpoint. I’m intrigued by its aesthetic, lovely name, unique mechanics and other factors. I’ll certainly be keeping my eye on this title in the upcoming months.
You can find more details regarding Stella Glow here, here and here
Check out the Japanese trailer below!
Source: ATLUS PR
