Playcrafting All Articles - Page 1

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The Best of Play NYC 2021

New York-based gaming convention Play NYC 2021 has come and gone, but we're not done with this Playcrafting event just yet! It is once again time for The Best of Play NYC! Play NYC is a dedicated…

September 2, 2021 | 01:00 EDT

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Preview

Hey Cutie Preview — It's My Date In A Box

Following my review of Hero's Crossing, I fell out of contact with developer Brian Sowers of One Method Monkey — something that often happens after a game has released. I then heard from him again…

September 12, 2019 | 01:00 EDT

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Get Good with Gravity in Grobo, Coming to iOS and Android This October

Do you enjoy tinkering with gravity? Well, Grobo may be the game for you. This adorable puzzle platformer for mobile devices has been in beta testing for several months and has just wrapped up a…

September 11, 2019 | 04:20 EDT

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The Best of Play NYC 2019

We've covered a lot of games for Play NYC 2019, and now it's time to do one last thing: select our favorite games from the show. It's never easy to pick a favorite, especially when New York City's…

August 28, 2019 | 02:00 EDT

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Play NYC 2019: Groove Catcher Gets You Moving to the Music in VR

Anyone who has a cursory familiarity with virtual-reality games is probably familiar with Beat Saber. In short, it's a music and rhythm game that has you busting up colored blocks with lightsabers to…

August 28, 2019 | 01:30 EDT

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Catching Up with Crispy Games Co. and Clear The Decks!

In both video game and tabletop development, there is a segment of the population of creators that work on their games in their free time. One of these people is Chris Pinyan of Crispy Games Co., a…

August 27, 2019 | 12:30 EDT

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Play NYC 2019: Way of Rhea

After playing Way of Rhea with Sam at last year’s Play NYC, I was excited to hear that they planned to make a reappearance this year with an updated build of the game. Though I was Sam-less this year…

August 26, 2019 | 12:30 EDT

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Play NYC 2019: Dean Razavi and His Trio of Games

Dean Razavi is a man that I've met more than a few times at past Playcrafting events. We first met while he was showing off his then-upcoming game Vidar, an interesting title where a town is…

August 24, 2019 | 02:00 EDT

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TR Originals

The 6 Coolest Mobile Games We Saw at Play NYC 2019

Play NYC 2019 wasn't just about PC and console games; there were plenty of mobile games there as well. Some of these were exclusively mobile, but others were multiplatform affairs. The TechRaptor…

August 24, 2019 | 01:30 EDT

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Interview

Play NYC 2019: Mary Georgescu Talks Haiduc, Romanian Outlaws, and Narrative Experiences

"Haiduc" is both the name of a game and a company. Founded by Mary Georgescu, this company largely focuses on tabletop games with interesting narratives. 2018's Play NYC had her company stuck up on…

August 24, 2019 | 12:30 EDT

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Play NYC 2019: Zer0 Inbox Demo Clears The Board

Dilbert, Office Space, and The IT Crowd. I’m a big fan of corporate workspace parodies, considering I work in one myself that might as well be a parody for all the shenanigans that take place. So,…

August 24, 2019 | 12:00 EDT

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Play NYC's Graffiti Games Celebrated LGBTQ+ Experiences (and They Were Pretty Darn Fun)

The Play NYC 2019 Graffiti Games made an interesting showing this year. Five developers from different walks of life came together to create compelling (and sometimes fun!) video game experiences…

August 23, 2019 | 01:30 EDT

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Play NYC 2019: Blinks Lights Up The Gaming Scene

Blinks was one of the few games at Play NYC that I did not see intentionally. Myself and my co-writer just stepped out of the press area and there were bright lights right there, I couldn’t say no.…

August 23, 2019 | 12:00 EDT

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Play NYC 2019: Pure: Birth of the Goddess Delivers Platform Announcement

When I was at Playcrafting’s Spring 2019 Expo, one of the games that was in development and caught my eye was Pure: Birth of the Goddess by AngryOtterGames. So, after chatting with the minds behind…

August 22, 2019 | 12:00 EDT

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Miasma Caves Basalt Caves Update Adds Depth

The Miasma Caves Basalt Caves Update is here, adding another layer of depth to this exploration and adventure game from Windy Games. This brings the game up to Version 0.8 in Steam Early Access and…

August 21, 2019 | 09:45 EDT

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Bose AR Packs a Lot of Sound in a Small Package

Bose is, quite literally, a household name. Whether it's your home stereo or the speakers in your vehicle, almost everyone knows about Bose. What you may not know, however, is that the company has…

August 21, 2019 | 02:00 EDT

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Play NYC 2019: Totem Delivers Magic

As was previously mentioned in my coverage of Play NYC 2019, I’m a sucker for a cool logo, and that is exactly what drew me to Other Moon Games’ Totem. Plus it looked all pixelly and foresty, so…

August 21, 2019 | 12:30 EDT

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Preview

Grobo is an Attractive Puzzle Platformer with Great Gravity Mechanics

While Antipole DX wielded gravity as a weapon, Hot Chocolate Games' Grobo utilizes one of the four fundamental forces of nature in a much different way. At its face, it seemed to be a delightfully…

August 20, 2019 | 01:30 EDT

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Interview

Play NYC 2019: Zer0 Inbox Synergizes With Board Game Efficiency

There were a lot of new tabletop games at Play NYC this year, but one of the most unique was a small title called Zer0 Inbox, the debut game by Macho Zero. The game, depending on your point of view,…

August 20, 2019 | 12:00 EDT

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Play NYC 2019 Recap - The Indie Spirit

It is unlikely many in the mainstream have heard of Play NYC amongst the sea of gaming cons out there. The two-day event held each August in Manhattan, this indie showcase of local developers from…

August 19, 2019 | 02:00 EDT

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Preview

That Chicken Game is Egg-cellent Fun

Have you heard of that chicken game? That's not a vague description, mind; That Chicken Game is literally the name of one of the games I went hands-on with at Play NYC. This quirky platformer for…

August 19, 2019 | 12:30 EDT

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Preview

Antipole DX Lets you Get Flipped-Turned Upside Down

Antipole DX is a game that's well familiar to anyone who follows the Playcrafting scene. Developer Saturnine Games has been hard at work at this remake of 2011's Antipole, creating a whole new set of…

August 19, 2019 | 12:00 EDT

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TR Originals

The 6 Coolest PC Games We Saw at Play NYC 2019

Play NYC 2019 wrapped up last weekend, and the TechRaptor team went all-in on covering everything we could! We got to see a lot of games last weekend, and we found some really interesting titles in…

August 18, 2019 | 12:00 EDT

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Into The Dark: Narakan and Into The Dark: Zakira Brings Lo-Fi Roguelike Fun

I'm generally pretty terrible at roguelike games. I've tried my best to play stuff like Dungeons of Dredmor or even the progenitor game Rogue, but the best I can do is barely managing to survive a…

August 17, 2019 | 12:00 EDT

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Play NYC 2019: Prism's Multifaceted Fun

I’ve always been a fan of traditional card games. While I’m not the poker enthusiast like my co-writer or an Atlantic City high-roller, I’ve always enjoyed some solitaire and blackjack. So, when I…

August 16, 2019 | 11:30 EDT

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Preview

Checkers and Mechs Come Together in Draughtnauts

This year's Play NYC 2019 had an interesting quality to it — the very center of the exhibition area was largely dedicated to tabletop games. I passed by it and through it goodness knows how many…

August 16, 2019 | 11:00 EDT

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Play NYC 2019: Kristala Demo Slays

I was unable to convince my coworkers to attend a cat café with me for lunch at Play NYC, so checking out indie, cat-centric RPG Kristala by Astral Clocktower Studios seemed like the next best thing…

August 14, 2019 | 12:30 EDT

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Play NYC 2019: Fourzy Hands On is Four by Fun

One of the first games that I got to check out at Play NYC this year was Fourzy, a mobile game from family-run MindIsle Games. A reimagining of the classic game Connect Four, Fourzy is available for…

August 14, 2019 | 12:00 EDT

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Hands-on with ChromaVaders, A Compelling Mash-Up of Galaga and Columns

Play NYC always brings out a bunch of interesting games and the 2019 show at the Metropolitan Pavilion was no different. A select handful of the games make me go, "Huh, why didn't anyone think to do…

August 12, 2019 | 03:14 EDT

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Cells to Singularity iOS Version Arrives August 29, Dinosaurs Coming Soon

The Cells to Singularity iOS version will be arriving on August 29, 2019. While this free-to-play game that's all about evolution has been doing quite well on PC and Android, developer Computer Lunch…

August 11, 2019 | 11:00 EDT

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Dating Sim Board Game 'Hey Cutie' Comes to Kickstarter September 2019

Tabletop and video game developer One Method Monkey has a new board game in development and it's coming to Kickstarter in a few short weeks. Hey Cutie is firmly in a genre that isn't really…

August 11, 2019 | 10:00 EDT

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Play NYC 2019 Coverage Hub

Our Play NYC 2019 Coverage Hub will contain all of the articles that we produce as a result of our coverage of New York City's biggest dedicated gaming convention. We've covered Play NYC since its…

August 9, 2019 | 03:26 EDT

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Interview

Play NYC 2019 - A Talk With Playcrafting Founder Dan Butchko

In August 2019, we now head into the lead up to Play NYC, a convention for developers, fans and gamers of all ages. Put on by New York City-based community organization Playcrafting, the con heads…

August 8, 2019 | 12:00 EDT

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News

Play NYC 2019 Brings 130+ Gaming Exhibitors to Manhattan August 10–11

Manhattan's premier dedicated gaming convention is finally returning to New York City this weekend! Play NYC 2019 will be featuring 130 exhibitors, many of whom are right from the Tri-State area! If…

August 5, 2019 | 02:20 EDT

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Play NYC Partners With Games For Change, Bringing GRIS, Nintendo Labo, and 8 More Games To Show Floor

A Play NYC 2019 Games For Change partnership has been announced. For the very first time in the convention's history, Playcrafting has partnered with Games For Change to bring 10 titles to a special…

July 18, 2019 | 10:20 EDT

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Play NYC 2019 Graffiti Games Developers Have Been Announced

The Play NYC 2019 Graffiti Games developers have been announced! Play NYC is New York City's premier gaming convention that will be returning once again to the island of Manhattan this summer. Much…

July 1, 2019 | 09:30 EDT

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Interview

Sam Speaks with Dan Butchko About Playcrafting, Play NYC, and Bose AR

I love going to conventions. While I may now live in North Carolina, I used to be a New Jersey resident. I always found the lack of conventions there to be rather weird. Thankfully we have…

May 14, 2019 | 12:00 EDT

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Playcrafting Spring Play 2019 Will Have 100+ Developers, Playable Games, and Free Pizza

The Playcrafting Spring Play 2019 Expo is coming in less than a week! If you haven't heard of Playcrafting before, it's an awesome organization that's akin to cooking classes for gaming. They host…

May 13, 2019 | 12:20 EDT

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Play NYC 2019 Brings New York's Best Game Developers Together in Manhattan

Play NYC 2019 is back! New York City's premier gaming convention is returning to Manhattan for the third year in the row. This time, the convention is moving to The Metropolitan Pavilion, a good 20…

May 9, 2019 | 01:20 EDT

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News

It Happened In Outer Space Release Date Set, Now Available for Pre-Order

Three and a half years ago, I interviewed game developer Glenn Orzepowski about his game It Happened In Outer Space. Mr. Orzepowski is a graduate of Playcrafting's game design school and he was hard…

May 9, 2019 | 11:45 EDT

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Here Are The 3rd Annual Bit Awards Winners for 2019!

Bigger, better and more annual than before, the third Bit Awards took place this year on February 1. Hosted by Overwatch voice actor Carolina Ravassa, the awards showcase the best in gaming from the…

February 6, 2019 | 12:06 EST

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The 3rd Annual Bit Awards Recap - Indies & Industry Legends

Once again, I had the pleasure and good fortune to attend The 3rd Annual Bit Awards. While the first year and second year shows were a solo act on my part, I was joined this year by my colleagues…

February 4, 2019 | 02:00 EST

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Interview

A Chat with Carolina Ravassa on Sombra, Hispanglosaxons, and The 3rd Annual Bit Awards

Carolina Ravassa is a woman who is well-known to the gaming world as the voice of Sombra in Overwatch. Ms. Ravassa will be acting as the emcee for Playcrafting's The 3rd Annual Bit Awards, which is…

January 28, 2019 | 02:00 EST

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See Indie Games Get Honored at The 3rd Annual Bit Awards

The 3rd Annual Bit Awards 2019 is set to make its return to New York City! This awards show is hosted by the game development organization Playcrafting and will be returning for its third year to…

January 25, 2019 | 07:56 EST

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News

Journey Through Evolution In Cells To Singularity

Cells to Singularity was a game at Play NYC that I happened upon purely by chance. The developer from Computer Lunch was wearing a Rupie t-shirt and I had thought that he was with that company.…

August 28, 2018 | 01:30 EDT

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Crowdfunding Spotlight - Hero: Tales of the Tomes

Play NYC had a lot more tabletop games this year than in its inaugural year. The basement had a couple of neat titles set up with plenty of room to play, one of which was Jimmy Ellerth's Hero: Tales…

August 28, 2018 | 09:17 EDT

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Treasure Adventure World Looking To The Future

Treasure Adventure World is a game I first heard about earlier in 2018. I didn't get to experience it myself, but we reviewed the game not too long after its release and found it generally a pretty…

August 27, 2018 | 01:30 EDT

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Hands-On With The Delicious Delights Of Chef Umami

Chef Umami is in a class of games that I had seen at previous Playcrafting events but didn't have the time to check out. Thankfully, the TechRaptor team spent over 20 hours on the ground at Play NYC…

August 27, 2018 | 12:30 EDT