For most, weekends means two days off work with some much-needed R&R. But for game developers, it’s also a time during which they get to show off what they’ve been working on. I am of course referring to Screenshot Saturday, which involves tweeting screenshots with the #ScreenshotSaturday hashtag. Screenshots which I will be critiquing some of every single Tuesday, in Speculating Screenshots.
Different screenshots from different developers, all working on different games. Some are very much a WIP, while other are from titles rapidly approaching release. These tweets do all have one thing they in common though, which is that they feature actual screenshots (or at the very least, mockups), animated or stills. So without further ado…
#screenshotsaturday of the very beginning of the Great Greek Adventure of @JasonTGreek as we sail on to the beta! pic.twitter.com/M8TbMghKjG
— Jason The Greek (@JasonTGreek) December 27, 2014
Jason the Greek (@JasonTGreek)
Wow. After a glance at my initial coverage, one thing’s immediately obvious: either Jason has undergone a makeover, or something else is up, because he looks nothing like the pictures from November 2013. I’m sure there’s a reason for that though, and… that Jason the Greek will be a fun adventure, once released.
@CallysCaves 3 Alpha. Check out our new Dev Diary here!: http://t.co/K6DVn17Ame #gamedev #screenshotsaturday pic.twitter.com/phGoaUFwyI
— DADStanich (@DAdStanich) December 27, 2014
Cally’s Caves 3 (@ekfight)
What can I say? I like me some platforming! That forest looks rather creepy though, especially for a little girl. But hey, it’s the third game in the series, so surely Cally (assuming that’s her name) knows what she’s doing by now, and is more than ready to kick ass and take names… right?
Some dashaction on a hoverboard in a futuristic city(WIP) #screenshotsaturday #gamedev #indiedev pic.twitter.com/xJSWyC7Ndu
— Marcus Horn (@SIACTRO) December 28, 2014
Untitled (@SIACTRO)
Yay, hoverboarding! Doesn’t look quite as spectacular as in Back to the Future 2 (wait, “spectacular”?), but hey, WIP is WIP, and at least it means someone’s finally making a hoverboarding game!
Awkward scuffle off the coast of Jupiter #screenshotsaturday #indiedev #space pic.twitter.com/IRdrl0eS1x
— CaptainForeverRemix (@CapForeverRemix) December 27, 2014
Captain Forever Remix (@CapForeverRemix)
Awkward scuffle or planned assault? I’m gonna go with the latter, although that’s probably just the sci-fi warmonger speaking. That said, the rhino(?) in the lower left corner does look quite upset, even if his appearance doesn’t quite scream “I’ll crush you!”. Guess we’ll see, once this particular roguelike launches.
This week's #screenshotsaturday features heat-seeking quills!http://t.co/63dLNpFp4e #shmups #gamedev #indiedev pic.twitter.com/AIuIS07PAc
— A Quiver of Crows (@AQuiverOfCrows) December 27, 2014
A Quiver of Crows (@AQuiverOfCrows)
Heat-seeking whatnow? How did that happen? Who’s behind such black magi– oh right, video game. Nevermind! Seriously though, those are some stylish looking visuals, and apparently… the game will be a chaotic 2D twin-stick shooter. Groovy.
Getting closer to our big iOS update for Go To Bed: #indiedev #gamemaker #screenshotsaturday http://t.co/S9hZHkdAo6 pic.twitter.com/B4DygoHq43
— Touchfight Games (@TouchfightGames) December 27, 2014
Go To Bed (@TouchfightGames)
Uncanny, creepy and mildly disturbing. That said, I do like the ‘click/tap the ghosts and ghouls away from the kid’ mechanic, as it’s bound to make for a fun arcade-y experience, coupled with a rather haunting atmosphere. Halloween may be many months away, but you better believe them ghastly creatures are still lurking in the shadows.
