Sea Of Thieves is out!

VOIDFACTORY On 20 March 2018 / Announcement

Sea Of Thieves is out !

After three years working on what is at that date the biggest project I ever worked on, Sea Of Thieves is now released.

Sea of Thieves is a shared world action-adventure video game developed by Rare and published by Microsoft Studios for Microsoft Windows 10 and Xbox. The game allows players to take the role of a pirate, sailing the seas of a fantastical world either solo or as part of a crew of up to four players. The game features both co-operative and player versus player combat.

Wikipedia.

Put down the controller and close your eyes: there is no better game on earth to listen to. What do I hear? The creak of timbers, the flap of a sail, the thud and shudder and boom of the ocean.

So many of my very favourite things in Sea of Thieves are sounds. There’s the wonderful snug internal clonk of the ship’s wheel settling back into its full-ahead position (so subtle you have to really listen for it; at times I think I am imagining the whole thing). There’s the strained, buckling groan of your hull reacting to a dropped anchor when it still has sails filled with wind. Best of all there’s the neat, arresting, confirmative thwack of a shovel digging into sand and hitting – something! Something good! A treasure chest! Clonk, groan, thwack. This is a game you play with your ears as much as your eyes, and while your eyes get the glorious rolling, thrashing drama of the waters to look at, your ears get so much else besides. Your ears get the detailing that really sells the fiction.

Sea Of Thieves Review – A Rare Treasure (Eurogamer)

5 little games worth playing in 2016

VOIDFACTORY On 29 July 2016 / Videogames

In short : 5 little games worth playing in 2016

Not sure what’s new in game’s world this year? Check out this selection of 5 great little games that are worth a play and won’t make a hole in your wallet.

Firewatch

Firewatch is a sort of hiking simulator / narrative game (first person view). You play as Henry, and spend the most of your time speaking to Delilah (via your talkie) and running around a natural reserve. The atmosphere is great and the story captivating. Kudos for the music!

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Samorost 3

Samorost 3 is a puzzle / point and click journey made by Amanita Design (who also made Botanicula and the lovely Machinarium). It got its own peculiar atmosphere, it also sounds and feel great thanks to the extensive work on the music and sound design.

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Inside

Inside is a platformer / puzzle-game made by Playdead (creators of Limbo). Set in a grim and Orwellian type of world, the game is highly polished with its flat / minimalist design and definitively very pleasing to see, hear and play.

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Factorio

It is hard talking about Factorio as its still in development but the game is pretty much finished to me and highly enjoyable with friends. Most of the game is based around collecting and transforming resources. It is more of a simcity/minecraft type of game. Starting from scratch, you will have to build, improve, automate and maintain a factory in order to build yourself a rocket and leave the planet. There are also fights against aliens, military buildings and researches to complete.

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Crush your enemies

Crush your enemies is a small pixel art RTS. Everything happens on one screen, it is easy to learn but hard to master, and it’s wrapped around some sort of barbarian humor.

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Rare Replay is out!

VOIDFACTORY On 8 August 2015 / Announcement

Rare Replay is out !

After having worked six months on the game, Rare Replay is now out and released! Very proud having worked on it.

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Rare brings together the adventures of its iconic characters in a collection that spans the decades. From its earliest 2D classics to Xbox 360 triumphs, Rare Replay delivers a gaming treasure trove for veteran players and newcomers alike. As you brawl with the Battletoads, grab Jiggies in Banjo-Kazooie and fight the future in Perfect Dark, you’ll uncover bonus content and exclusive looks at the creation of Rare Replay’s hits. Master the basics or test your skills with all-new snapshot challenges and 10,000 Gamerscore. Gaming’s greatest are back, lovingly presented and exclusively on Xbox One!

Rare Replay is a 2015 compilation of 30 video games previously developed by Rare in their 30-year combined history. The emulated games span multiple genres and consoles and retain the features and errors of their original releases with minimal edits. The compilation adds cheats to make the older games easier and a Snapshots mode of specific challenges culled from parts of the games. Player progress is rewarded with behind-the-scenes footage and interviews about Rare’s major and unreleased games.

The compilation was one of several ideas Rare considered to celebrate their 30th anniversary. Inspired by fans, upcoming Xbox One backwards compatibility features, and the idea to connect Rare’s past and future, the company sorted through 120 games to choose titles that best represented its oeuvre. They prioritized games with characters and environments original to the company. Rare incorporated six emulators in the package, and worked with its parent company, Microsoft, to use its unannounced Xbox 360 emulation. Rare Replay was announced at the 2015 Electronic Entertainment Expo and released worldwide as an Xbox One exclusive on August 4, 2015.