Okay, ENOUGH. Do you know how many games I’m currently playing that have me in charge of determining the fate of the world? A lot! I am just one man! Whether bending it to my will a la Civ V or saving it from aliens a la… basically every game ever, the world and its fate is all up in my business. And along comes Red Redemption Games (no word on whether Langdell will encourage Rockstar to sue them) with word that a game about the fate of the world, one that I first read about in Wired ages ago, is now available for pre-order, with full beta access to those who pony up the quid. What’s this game about the fate of the world called? Fate of the World.
It’s a Solium Infernum-ish card/strategy sort of thing, and one that I fully intended to buy until I learned today that the 50% off beta price is £9.99, or not far from $25, meaning that they at Red Redemption intend to charge commercial prices for what looks like a game built on the Adobe AIR platform. Now, I’ll take that back if it turns out to be awesome, but in the meantime, it smacks of a little avarice. Which can’t be good for the fate of the world!
Trailer yonder:
Luckily I promised myself I’d only play scary games today, it being Halloween and all, or (knowing me) I’d buy the damned thing anyway.
Those who do pony up for the pre-order get full beta access, as mentioned before, along with a special edition of Fate of the World when it comes out.
Email the author of this post at steerpike@tap-repeatedly.com.
Am I the only one who wants to play a hero, small aitch? A game in which something huge is happening, maybe apocalyptic, but the stories played are within that larger framework and not about being able to change it? Small victories or losses, human scale ones both intensified and trivialized by the background.
Or: fuck saving the galaxy. I want the local fight within the dying of the night.
Games with happy music and a lack of excitement do seem able to demand higher prices. A calmer, more mature demographic seem to be more inclined to earn, and part with the cash.
Either way, it’s a greedy demand for a game that doesn’t appear to offer anything very special.
However, it’s being sold via Oxfam as an option – so I imagine there are charity tie-ins. Unsure how much of the digital distribution cash, if any, is going that way.
I’m with you, Fink. I could go for some small victory- type games. Saving the world/galaxy/universe is exhausting and can only be done by one person so many times per given year.
One fine example of non-world-saving in games this year was Heavy Rain. I thought that among the embarrassing and/or poorly acted bits the care and feeling of a personal story was there. The fate of the world was never at risk and at the end of the day there were some small victories, some major losses, and at the core a very human tale of tragedy, weakness, strength, shame, failure, redemption, guilt, selfishness, selflessness, sacrifice, fear, loss and gain. Heck, it’s about everything!
More of that, please.
[…] thing he is not is well-disciplined. So though I did stick to my guns and refuse to pre-order Fate of the World on Halloween, it is me you’re dealing with… I […]