We run away from a giant policeman, control a cow that escaped from a farm, and have fun as we can
The Unreal Engine Dev Contest 2021 has reached the semi-finals. This means that the time has come to get to know its participants better. Such contests are dominated by indie projects, whose authors are not afraid to experiment with the most daring ideas. Therefore, today the PLAYER ONE editors have selected seven games from the competition, which seemed to us the brightest and most noteworthy.
Whisper trip
What happens if you combine Katana Zero and My Friend Pedro? The answer is clear – Whisper Trip . This 2.5D action game contains a bunch of great ideas from the previous two projects. Players will find multi-level locations in the style of cyberpunk and many enemies, for which they will have to choose tactics. Well, the plot tells about a young employee of the anti-terrorist unit.
The signature weapon of the protagonist is a thermal katana, capable of cutting opponents into two parts. But there is no time dilation here, but the protagonist knows how to teleport, which gives additional opportunities when planning surprise attacks.
Quiet farm
Today, you can find many simulators for every taste. Fans of wrecking everything will definitely like Goat Simulator, fans of more meditative gameplay should definitely check out Rock Simulator.
Quiet Farm is a simulator of a cow who is tired of the boring life in the pen. Players have to go on a small adventure, explore locations, solve simple puzzles and fight enemies using a small UFO.
The main goal of the game is to find out what is happening on the farm. This is the first game from LIKEAGAME. However, Quiet Farm has already managed to participate in various competitions and get into a number of nominations.
Beyond the Thaw
The protagonist of Beyond the Thaw is a pilot and a former military doctor whose plane crashed far from civilization. In the middle of a fierce winter, you will have to fight not only with external enemies that are watching the hero from the shadows of the surrounding forest, but also with internal demons.
The game deliberately departs from many of the survival mechanics. The developers refused to freeze, saying that it would only slow down the process. Instead, players have the option of snowmobiling, fishing, chopping wood, and other activities. According to the creators, each of these actions affects the development of the plot.
Recall that in 2020 Payara Games released 1917: The Prologue – a psychological horror about the October Revolution.
redAces
redAces is a 2.5D action game in which the player will take the seat of a fighter pilot in the setting of a Soviet dieselpunk. Users are waiting for arcade physics and extensive levels with many interactive elements.
Each aircraft is equipped with several weapons from an extensive arsenal: machine guns, flamethrowers, Tesla cannons, gravity traps and much more. Even having lost a plane in battle, you can continue to fight, flying around the map on a jetpack, destroying or capturing enemy planes. Players will find several familiar modes – “Mortal Combat”, “Capture the Island”, “Capture the Flag”, as well as several experimental ones like “Base Wars”, in which you need to collect resources to build your bomber.
This is the first game from the small studio Broken Cat, which has been in development since 2019.
Smersh
Back in 2007, the Haggard Games studio released the very first Death to Spies, a stealth action game about a Soviet counterintelligence agent operating during World War II. “Smersh” – the return of the once famous series, but on a new graphics engine.
As before, the player will have to practically single-handedly carry out desperate operations against the Germans. Winning by acting directly is unrealistic, so you will have to use a whole arsenal of spy tricks – for example, eliminate the guard and change into his uniform.
Militsioner
In the surreal thriller Militsioner, your task is to escape from the giant policeman. According to the plot, the main character is accused of a crime that he did not commit. Now he needs to escape from the city without being caught by the giant.
The main feature of the game is voice control and an interactive world. Users can communicate with the rest of the township, for example, buy tickets at the box office or ask for a lift to the truck driver. You will be able to “talk” with the giant himself. But it’s better to be careful when doing this.
This is the second project from TALLBOYS studio . Also in their development is Where The Clouds End – an atmospheric action game about a journey to the end of the world.
The renovator
The main character of The Renovator is a young man who comes to the workshop where his father worked until his death. Suddenly the entrance is sealed. Now, in order to escape from this place, you will have to solve all the puzzles and not go crazy. To solve the puzzles, you will have to carefully study all the items in the workshop: table drawers, tumblers on the TV, even a cork in a filled bathroom – everything can help in passing further.
The author of the thriller notes that The Renovator does not contain “stupid screamers, a la a running ghost” and emphasizes that the project will definitely appeal to fans of atmospheric games.
Of course, not all games from the Unreal Engine Dev Contest 2021 were included in this collection . Go to the competition website – you may find an interesting project for yourself.
