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27 CommentsFez and Minecraft assets swiped by iOS game Ace Block Jump
By Michael McWhertor on May 10, 2013 05.10.13
Developer Polytron found its Fez art assets appropriated — alongside art from Mojang's Minecraft — in the recently published iOS game Ace Block Jump, a $0.99 app from a developer that also appears to have borrowed its very name, Infocom Games, from someone else. Ace Block Jump is described as a "pixel based shooter game" in which players seemingly shoot Minecraft-like versions of Street Fighter's Blanka, the Power Rangers and Robin from DC Comics. "The first action game, in which we mixed PIXEL and MINECRAFT style ( PIXELCRAFT )," Infocom Games writes on iTunes. "The most exciting and amusing game ever, specially in this new style." Infocom Games' previous iOS titles include Block Craft: Iron Ops and Ace Combat: Block Sniper, games done in the Minecraft visual style that borrow...
Second Fez remix album FZ: Side Z released
By Michael McWhertor on May 08, 2013 05.08.13
The second album of Fez soundtrack remixes from composer Disasterpeace and 18 various artists is now available through Bandcamp and Loudr. The album, titled FZ: Side Z, is the follow-up to the FZ: Side F, which was released on April 20. FZ: Side Z features 24 remixes from artists including Brent Kennedy, scntfc, Josh Whelchel and Pixlejunk 4am musician Baiyon. The album is available for purchase, starting at $5, from Bandcamp. On Loudr, Fez fans can purchase the album alongside FZ: Side F and the original Fez soundtrack for $12. The Side Z tracklisting is as follows: 1. scntfc - "Legend"2. My Boy Elroy - "Nocturne (Full Life Remix)"3. Decktonic - "Forgotten (Future Techno Remix)"4. Whitaker Trebella - "Adventuring on Home"5. bignic - "Pressure"6. Ben Prunty - "Igneous Tor"7. Joshua...
Culture
5 CommentsSuperbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP composer releases solo album Takes Time
By Jenna Pitcher on May 07, 2013 05.07.13
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP composer Jim Guthrie released his first solo album in ten years titled Takes Time, according to an interview with The Verge. Guthrie tells The Verge that Takes Time was recorded in 2007 before he began working on video game soundtracks. Featuring some new techniques Guthrie picked up from doing soundtracks, he explained that if he settled on Takes Time's music and released the album in 2008 "it would've been not as good of a record" and that it "benefited from the time capsule" he put it in. He said that after working on video games, TV and film, he realized how much more time he could spend creating music, rather than doing the "indie rock thing," which consisted of time-intensive travel, soundchecks and only one hour of playing on stage. "Sword...
News
8 CommentsNotch unveils free ceiling-inspired Unity game called Drop, playable now
By Jenna Pitcher on Apr 29, 2013 04.29.13
Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson unveiled Drop, a free Unity game available to play now, the developer revealed on his Twitter account. According to Notch, the game was mainly inspired by a section of ceiling in his apartment, as well as Fez's ending and Super Hexagon. Gameplay consists of gamers typing in the corresponding blinking letters on the screen and pressing space or enter to advance. Bonus points are awarded if more than four letters are entered at a time. The game speeds up if the wrong letter is entered and it's game over if a letter leaves the screen. According to Notch's Twitter, he shared Drop's code with game developer Mike Bithell, the creator of Thomas Was Alone, who then built an Oculus Rift version of the game.
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11 CommentsConsole manufacturers need to 'reduce the paperwork' on next-gen consoles, dev says
By Dave Tach on Apr 19, 2013 04.19.13
Console manufacturers should cede some control and empower developers on their next-gen consoles, Endless Space developer Amplitude Studios' creative director Romain de Waubert told Develop Online. He believes that leaving indie developers like Amplitude in charge of the content they create and sell could eliminate much of the friction between the two parties. "All we need is for console manufacturers to reduce the paperwork overhead and leave us in control of our own channel within their environment," de Waubert said. "A bit like Steam or an app store does." Last year, Fez developer Polytron decided not to patch a save file-corrupting bug on the Xbox 360 because "Microsoft would charge us tens of thousands of dollars to re-certify the game." De Waubert's sentiment also echoes calls...
News
10 CommentsFez pre-orders on Steam and GOG begin April 22
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Apr 17, 2013 04.17.13
Polytron's puzzle platformer Fez will be available for pre-order on Steam and GOG starting April 22, developer Polytron announced today on the company's blog. Fez will be available for a "one easy payment of $9," a 10 percent discount off the full price, during this pre-order period. The game will be available at full cost when it launches on May 1. Early this week Polytron announced Fez had sold 200,000 copies in its first year after launching on Xbox Live Arcade. An album featuring remixed arrangements of the game's soundtrack will launch this Saturday through Bandcamp. Buyers can pre-order to the album now for a pay-what-you-want rate, with a minimum of $5.
Culture
7 CommentsFez soundtrack remix album drops April 20
By Michael McWhertor on Apr 16, 2013 04.16.13
The music of Polytron's puzzle-platformer Fez will be remixed and rereleased later this week, one year and one week after the game's original debut on Xbox Live Arcade, in the form of a new album, FZ: Side F. The 15-track album will contain music from composer Rich Vreeland (aka Disasterpeace) remixed by a gathering of artists, including Vreeland himself. One of those tracks, "Synchrosynct" by Disasterpeace, is available to stream through Bandcamp. The album is available for pre-order at a pay-what-you-want price starting at $5. The full FZ: Side F tracklisting follows. 1. Disasterpeace - "Synchrosynct"2. Datassette - "Sync/Glitch"3. Jim Guthrie - "Nature of Things and Stuff"4. Eirik Suhrke - "ZEF"5. Jay Tholen - "The Impartation"6. Solar Fields - "Puzzle"7. Stemage - "Flow"8....
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21 CommentsFez sold 200,000 copies on Xbox Live Arcade in its first year
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Apr 15, 2013 04.15.13
Puzzle platformer Fez sold 200,000 copies through Xbox Live Arcade in the year following its April 13, 2012 launch, creator Phil Fish announced on developer Polytron Corporation's blog. Fish wrote that on a daily basis Polytron receives "far more love mail than hate mail," as well as Fez fan art and photos of Fez-inspired crafts like cakes in the likeness of protagonist Gomez, plushies and pictures. "Seeing people's notebooks filled with deconstructions of the puzzles and mysteries I had so much fun putting together has been a particularly rewarding experience," he wrote. Fish also wrote that he is considering his next project in the wake of Fez's success, and plans to "spend years driving myself crazy trying to make something beautiful so you can run around in it." Last month...
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26 CommentsFez headed to PC on May 1 via Steam
By Dave Tach on Mar 18, 2013 03.18.13
Fez, Polytron's 2D/3D hybrid platformer, is set for a May 1 release on Windows PC, according to the game's listing on Steam. The Steam product page lists the game as available in English, German, French, Italian, Korean, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Japanese and Portuguese Windows. Trapdoor is listed as the publisher. In a post on Polytron's official website last year, Fez designer Phil Fish teased that the game would be released on platforms other than the Xbox 360. For more on the game, be sure to check out Polygon's Fez review and hop over to Reddit, where Fish is doing an AMA.
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3 CommentsVoting open online for the Game Developers Choice Award
By Dave Tach on Feb 19, 2013 02.19.13
The virtual ballet box is open for the Game Developers Choice Audience Award and accepting nominations today through 5 p.m. ET March 1, according to the official website. Voters need to select a game from a list provided and enter an email address, from which you'll be prompted to confirm your vote. The list of nominated games includes: Assassin's Creed 3 Borderlands 2 Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Dishonored Dust: An Elysian Tail Far Cry 3 Fez FTL: Faster Than Light Gravity Rush Halo 4 Hero Academy Hotline Miami Journey Kid Icarus: Uprising Mark of the Ninja Mass Effect 3 PlanetSide 2 The Room Sound Shapes Spelunky Spec Ops: The Line Trials Evolution The Unfinished Swan Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward The Walking Dead XCOM: Enemy Unknown ZombiU In late...
