E3 2013 was crammed full of bombastic explosions, treks into the uncanny valley, and Shyamalan twists which revealed that what you thought was a single player game was actually an MMO. There’s nothing inherently wrong with any of these, but after a week of being beaten over the head with trailers and demos featuring any combination of the three, it could get a bit taxing. This might be why a short reveal of an indie game during Microsoft’s E3 conference left such a welcome and lasting impression on me.
Below is Capybara’s upcoming love sonnet to the rougelike through the similarly stylish lens of Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP, one of gaming's best surprises of the past decade. Though elements of rougelikes have appeared in recent games like Dark Souls, FTL, and Spelunky, Capy promises that Below is taking the genre back to its roots. Exploration, permadeath, and a difficulty level that’s tough but fair seem to be the three pillars of Below. Also returning is Jim Guthrie, who provided the music for Sword & Sworcery, which remains one of the finest soundtracks in recent memory. Anyone who’s played S&S or seen Indie Game: The Movie knows that Guthrie’s involvement is something to be excited about.
Below looks to capture the same somber, fantastical tones as S&S, but this time without any written or spoken dialogue whatsoever. The “narrative” of the game is gleaned from exploration, and Capy trusts the players enough to piece together their own puzzle. The exploration and sense of place are heightened by Below’s zoomed-out camera, which turns your character into a tiny piece of a gargantuan environment. The trailer also hinted at some form of multiplayer, which is nice because masochism's always better in pairs.
A few of us here at IGN chatted with Nathan Vella, president of Capybara Games, for the better part of an hour during the waning moments of E3 2013. Our conversation oftentimes left the orbit of Below and ventured into the space of new consoles, maple syrup, and Dark Souls. Just to be clear, we all agreed that the last two are pretty amazing.
Vella told us that the development of Below has been harmoniously linked to the Xbox One, and without going into any specific details, he said that there are systems and mechanics which exist in the game that could only be accomplished on Microsoft’s new console. He said that revealing them would take away from much of the joy of experiencing the game, but just that hint alone got me thinking of the possibilities that could stem from such a talented team like Capy when they’re allowed to play with all of the toys built inside of the new Xbox.
Without meaning any offense, we told him that his smaller, quieter indie game seemed to be a better fit at Sony’s booth, considering the company’s emphasis on indie games during their E3 press conference. Vella said that he could only speak for himself, but Capy’s relationship with Microsoft has been nothing but fantastic, and the whole team is looking forward to working together towards Below’s 2014 release on Xbox One, along with the 360 XBLA release of Super T.I.M.E. Force later on this year.
Outside of the conversation, I was fortunate enough to attend the Horizon conference at E3, which showcased some fantastic upcoming projects from Double Fine, Media Molecule, Katamari Damacy-creator Keita Takahashi, and of course, Capy. Vella and Capy creative director Kris Piotrowski talked a bit about Below before showcasing the E3 trailer once again. But this time, the video went on a bit further, and we got to see that Below’s world is harder to identify than we previously thought. The fantasy world of the trailer gave way to a scene where your character stumbled upon a massive, unearthly obelisk reminiscent of the one in 2001: A Space Odyssey. This scene ended with strange tendrils coming out of the ground and attempting to quickly end the character’s one and only life. Yep, I want to go to there.
One of my earliest gaming memories is of the first time I played The Legend of Zelda on NES. Even at such a young age, I can still recall the feeling of unmitigated awe and wonder as I guided Link, armed only with a tiny sword and wooden shield, into the wild blue yonder. Two and a half decades later, I felt that very same sensation as I watched the reveal of Below, and damn if I’m not counting down the days until I can get my hands on it.
Marty Sliva is an Associate Editor at IGN. He wants to know nothing more about Below before playing it. Follow him on Twitter @McBiggitty and on IGN.
Source : ign[dot]com
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