INDONESIA

Last week, I wrote up a brief preview of The Tower, which is a survival horror game that is currently seeking funding through Kickstarter. In the article, I praised the game for its interesting concept and entertaining mechanics. Upon publishing, I was informed through the comments that the game was, in fact, a fraud and that the developers were apparently attempting to scam players into thinking that the game was more than it actually is. I've looked into the issue, and decided to publish a brief update to my original article, which I've removed to prevent the game from receiving any additional press.

A brief synopsis of how I learned about The Tower: I received a press email concerning the game, directing me to the Kickstarter and providing a playable "teaser" build. After taking a look at the Kickstarter, I thought the concept sounded interesting, and although I'm not a huge fan of survival horror I decided to tackle it anyway.

The build provided was marketed as a short teaser that was just a small chunk of what we can come to expect from the full game. This teaser showcased a game that I found to be fairly interesting and enjoyable, so I went ahead and published my thoughts on what I played of the game.

Unfortunately, I failed to extensively research the game to learn about its fraudulent origins, as well as to hear the communities feedback regarding the game, which led to me publishing a preview that was not only incorrect, but that offended those who had experienced the false advertising firsthand.

My ignorance on the game, and failure to research it properly led to an inaccurate article, which is not what I consider to be good journalism. I'd like to formally apologize for the incorrect information provided in the article, and ensure everyone that I will be extremely vigilant in researching which games I tackle in the future.

I'd like to thank everyone who notified me and participated in the comments, as I would have been completely oblivious of the game's true origins otherwise. Again, my apologies for providing content that is not up to the standard of the website, nor to my own personal standards.

It was also stated that it was unfair for true developers who do not manage to get their game featured on the site, so I'd like to apologize to them as well. Again, I will be vigilant about my coverage choices in the future.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you will continue to enjoy the content that we all work hard to provide you on a daily basis.

Free games are nothing new to the market, but it is unusual to see one that features the production quality of Dolly. A puzzle-platformer at its roots, Dolly sends you on a journey through a mysterious world as you seek to discover its hidden secrets. A short game, featuring anywhere between 10-30 minutes of gameplay, Dolly still manages to leave a lasting impression with its unforgettable visuals, and its solid platforming mechanics.

Dolly is a game created for a student project. This is impressive in its own right when you take a look at the gorgeous minimalist artwork that the game presents. All of the art assets and animations for the game were done by hand, which always adds that level of polish that is impossible to miss. While it's easy to see that Dolly is a beautiful game, how does it hold up against other games in the platforming genre?

The game begins with a story snippet that really does a good job of setting the tone for the rest of the game. You don't get much information, just enough to draw you into the world and pique your interest at what exactly is going on. This brings on the topic of what sort of emotional impact Dolly manages to have on the player. During my time with the game (which was longer than I'd care to admit due to my terrible platforming skills), I felt a certain emotional connection with not only the game, but the character as well. Even though the character is represented by an abstract being, I was still able to form a bond and understand the struggle that it was enduring.

Dolly does such a phenomenal job of providing an emotional experience. I can't really say if it's the artwork, the soundtrack, or even the intro sequence, but something manages to dig into your mind and ensure that you cannot play the game without experiencing some sort of a connection.

In terms of its gameplay, Dolly is surprisingly solid. There were definitely a few sequences where I was dropped in the next "level" sooner than I should have been, meaning that I was a bit far away from the end of the current sequence for it to trigger. Other than that, I found the platforming sequences provided a good amount of challenge, without becoming frustrating.

Dolly's platforming has been likened to Super Meat Boy, and I can definitely see why. The tight controls and just the way the character moves remind me a lot of my time with SMB. There is even a bit of residue that splatters itself on a platform if you fail to jump over the nearest spike trap, much like the "meat trails" left in SMB.

Dolly is a fascinating game. I've played through it twice now, and definitely plan on going through a few more times in the near future. The game is just so relaxing to play. The world design and the music are fantastic, and they are the main sources of the emotion that Dolly is so good at causing the player to feel. Although it's extremely short, it is a fantastic example of how artistic video games can be, and is something that you should have a look at if you have a bit of time. I would definitely have no issue with Dolly being adapted into a full project in the future, and I'm excited to see what this group of talented students will create next.

If you'd like to play Dolly, you can download it through itch.io for free.

The Animal Crossing inspired island life sim Castaway Paradise has released free DLC to join in the celebration of women's soccer. This release coincides with the Women's World Cup currently ongoing in Canada.

Recognizing the significance of soccer around the world, Stolen Couch Games wanted to do something to support the growing popularity of women's soccer with their free Soccer Pack DLC. Celebrating the Women's World Cup by bringing attention to it in their game, they believe they can help bring attention to the event and the sport in general.

CEO Selma Oors says, "We'd like to support all the women playing soccer world wide by giving everyone free DLC. With Castaway Paradise we try to be as inclusive as possible." This sentiment is echoed by Stolen Couch's other CEO Eric Diepeveen, who says, "It's a shame that soccer fans ignore women's soccer. It's an even bigger shame that not a single developer is celebrating women's soccer during this years world cup."

Castaway Paradise is a charming life sim that is highly reminiscent of the Animal Crossing experience. You customize your own villager as you acquire new clothes and decorate the islands you're on as you see fit. All the while you help your neighbours out with tasks they have for you to receive money and items.

The team at Stolen Couch has notably been vigiliant in listening to feedback with the game and have been constantly improving the experience of the game as it has transitioned from mobile to PC. This free DLC pack is another example of them working hard to improve the game after its release and continuing to support it for the benefit of its players.