Do you think you could survive in the big city without a reliable source of outcome? Could you blend into a society that seems more robotic and unwelcoming by the day? Would you survive when forced to commit crimes and escape via skateboarding? Urban Pirate, the turn based crime simulator from musician turned game developer Baby Duka , aims to answer these questions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skDDTkrnQkU Going for a very unique visual style and a chill background of jazzy chiptune, Urban Pirate truly looks like a breath of fresh air on the indie scene. Sure, it has pixel graphics, but the characters the game is depicting are all over the place. The main character seems to have a television for a face, with several of his militant cohorts sharing a bizarre visual style. The police and other citizens seems to be more run of the mill, and it leads to a great contrast.
The gameplay has you performing crime, but you shouldn't expect to be engaging in gunfights with the cops. Instead, you're more of a petty criminal, stealing both what you need and what you're addicted to. Every turn, different events pop up in a frame on the map, playing out in a little animation and letting the player know if they succeeded in dumpster diving or ripping off a gas station. In addition to the turn based simulation, there are several mini games to take part in, including a skateboarding diversion, gambling, and more action-heavy set pieces where you're escaping investigating officers.
The developer has stated on Twitter and in the game's Greenlight comments section that he is drawing from personal experience for the game's activities. It's great to see artists from other mediums experimenting in the video game space, and Urban Pirate could provide a unique perspective for those who want to refrain from committing crimes in their real lives, but want something a bit more grounded than Grand Theft Auto's crime playground.
In any case, if Urban Pirate seems up your dark alley, be sure to head over the game's Greenlight page and give it a thumbs up. If you'd like to try it out beforehand, there is a demo available for free from both IndieDB and IndieGameStand. You can also follow along with development on the game's dedicated Twitter page.
Considering the usual audience on Steam Greenlight, I have a suspicion that the game will be getting through to the main store sooner rather than later just due to mentioning marijuana during gameplay, and I'm glad that the game seems to have a bit more substance than the "dank meme" inspired entries we sometimes see. The full release of Urban Pirate is currently scheduled for April 25th of this year.
What do you think of Urban Pirate? Would you be willing to give it a vote? Do you know of other games that are going through the Greenlight process? If you do, feel free to email in suggestions to [email protected] , and that game could be featured on a future edition of To The Green!