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 #gamedev #indiedev #indiegames All The Way Down a game I just released. http://t.co/VtpTUaRBmi pic.twitter.com/xBVXvhwoWP
— Steven Poulton (@CalinLeafshade) January 3, 2015
All The Way Down (@CalinLeafshade)
Evil? Only thing I’m feeling is a potentially groovy free point ‘n click adventure! Although… those eyes. Those… red eyes. They are kinda disturbing. Maybe the old man is evil? Hard to tell, but I’d certainly place a wager on it.
Another mockup, showcasing tiles and sprites for the first level we're making #screenshotsaturday #gamedev pic.twitter.com/Zg9YEh1ps9
— Copy Girl Official (@CopyGirlGame) January 3, 2015
Project Copy Girl (@CopyGirlGame)
Don’t know about you, but I’m getting quite the Mega Man vibe from that picture. Maybe it’s the style of the tiles, or maybe it’s something else, but there’s certainly a hint of inspiration by a certain 8-bit platformer in there. Does look good though.
#screenshotsaturday Just pulling out this screen while working on fixing pathfinding… pic.twitter.com/px20v9K1XI
— Second Variety Games (@2ndVarietyGames) January 4, 2015
Compound (@2ndVarietyGames)
So… Fallout, eh? Well, if you gotta borrow, might as well borrow from some of the best, which is exactly what Second Variety Games has done here, right down to the interface itself. Whether they’ll be able to craft a game to match the inspiration remains to be seen, but fingers crossed!
Aetos and the demon. #gamedev #indiedev #screenshotsaturday @JustinGameDev pic.twitter.com/rNYjs39rU2
— Justin Game Design (@JustinGameDev) January 3, 2015
Wingos of Aetos(?) (@JustinGameDev)
So who do you think will win that one, Aetos or the demon? My money’s on Aetos, because, well… the demon appears to be unarmed, and that gun likely packs quite a punch. A devilish punch, one might sa– oh alright.
Carter insulting Dr. Chantal #screenshotsaturday #gamedev #pixelart #adventuregames #indiedev pic.twitter.com/He6ehhjs7G
— ˹Anas Abdin˼ ? (@AnasAbdin) January 4, 2015
Epoch (@AnasAbdin)
Wait, what? Wow. That’s just rude. Not sure being called a MILF to ones face isn’t an insult either though, but that? Yup, rude. Very rude. Wonder what triggered that piece of dialogue, though.
Dark Train PC game – ice melt! @ceskehry #screenshotsaturday @indiegamescz #indiedev #indiegamedev #gamedev pic.twitter.com/MImGwisutU
— Paperash Studio (@paperashstudio) January 3, 2015
Dark Train (@paperashstudio)
If that doesn’t look uncanny and creepy as hell, I don’t know what does. Also, where’s the train? Well… anyway, apparently the player gets to drive a train (again, where is it?), taking care that everything’s up and running, or else… yeah. Or else.
Here's the latest building from Concrete Jungle- the Zoo! Progress update coming soon #screenshotsaturday #gamedev pic.twitter.com/cHWy6MuvBI
— Cole Jefferies (@colejefferies) January 3, 2015
Concrete Jungle (@colejefferies)
From uncanny to downright beautiful: meet Concrete Jungle, “a city & deck-building game”. Bet there’s a combination you never figured would ever exist, eh? I certainly didn’t – mostly because it sounds kinda obscure, really. Just might work though! We’ll see, eventually.
