signalis

Screenshot Survey: August is Here

Published: August 1, 2020 3:51 PM /

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It’s Saturday, and that means it’s time for another Screenshot Survey. Every week, we take a look at a few cool new games in the works by game developers tweeting with #ScreenshotSaturday. For even more games you might be interested in, check out the Screenshot Saturday hashtag on Twitter.

It's also August, which is just shocking. To take your mind off this topic, take a look at some new games, including two experimental titles, as well as a hockey and a sci-fi horror game.

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Cloud Gardens

Even after the apocalypse, life finds a way. Take The Last of Us, for example. One of Naughty Dog's finest is also one of the developer's most beautiful. It's post-apocalyptic, with all the overgrowth taking over civilization. Some might argue that it's not beautiful, but I always think that aesthetic looked great. With Cloud Gardens, it appears that the developers and I agree with each other.

Cloud Gardens is an upcoming experimental title by Noio, known for creating the Kingdom series. Your job in this game seems quite simple, and that is to just create scenes of nature in a post-apocalyptic, urban setting. The Steam page says that there's sandbox gameplay, or you can take part in six different chapters. Like nature, there is limitless potential, so I expect to see a lot of unique landscapes with Cloud Gardens. I'm by no means the artsy type, but this might just be what gets me to break out of that shell. Cloud Gardens comes out in Early Access later this year.

Hardcore Hockey Heroes

With hockey starting back up, I suppose it's appropriate that we have some sort of mention for this Screenshot Survey. For me, hockey is my favorite sport. It's an adrenaline-pumping experience for those in the stands, and I can't imagine what it's like on the ice - especially when people start throwing punches. Growing up, I thought that fist fights was just some exaggeration of the sport, but that's not the case. Fights do happen, and it's not uncommon to see some fists flying. Just not with raccoons.

Hardcore Hockey Heroes is an upcoming sports title by Canadian developer Treewood Studios. Really, for something like this, it's fitting that Canadians develop a game about a sport they know best. In this three-versus-three title, you'll take part in tournaments and work your way to becoming the ultimate hockey team. With RPG-like character progression and upgrades, this doesn't sound like your ordinary sports title. Although, that should have been obvious after seeing the anthropomorphic raccoon. There's no release date yet for Hardcore Hockey Heroes, so look out for more information in the future.

Hadr

It all makes sense now. I always thought that magicians used mind games and sleight of hand tricks to perform their so-called "magic." But now I know their true secret—that the magic is real, and they use a piece of magic cloth to make it happen. This GIF of Hadr is undeniable proof that magicians are in possession of sentient pieces of cloth that make things disappear. I'm onto them now.

Jokes aside, Hadr looks to be a clever and experimental game that takes advantage of that old magician's trick. Developed by Dominik Konečný and Ateliér Duchů, your job is to take control of a piece of cloth and make things disappear. The Steam page promises puzzles, and I'm also interested in the physics behind the cloth. It looks surprisingly fun to move around, but I'm sure it's not as easy to control as it appears. If you're interested in trying Hadr out for yourself, there's a demo out now; meanwhile, it's slated to release in October of this year.

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Signalis

I love what's going on in this. First, the art style is definitely the first thing that caught my eye. It's got 3D elements in a pixelized style. I appreciate the developers' willingness to push the boundaries for pixel art, and case in point, we have have Signalis. Another thing I like is that I get some classic Resident Evil vibes from this. I can't say for certain if there's tank controls, but if so, great choice. Tank controls are a little inconvenient, but make combat a bit more frantic. The last thing I noticed was how creepy it was after the enemy died. They're just convulsing on the ground. Thanks, I hate it.

Signalis is an upcoming horror title developed and published by rose-engine. This fusion of science fiction and horror offers puzzles, combat (as we saw above), and very likely plenty of scares. While there's not a great deal of information outside of a chilling trailer and previous tweets from the developer, I'm very intrigued. It takes a lot for me to be interested in horror, and not because games scare me. It's just not my favorite genre. Signalis, on the other hand? I'll keep my eyes on this one.

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