Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style
If you're into indie/alt games these days then you're probably already aware of itch.io, a streamlined indie marketplace that makes it ultra-easy for developers to deliver their games to customers. Itch.io has become host to a boatload of interesting games in the past year -- some paid, many free -- and deserves some serious coverage.
It's with that in mind that I'll be reaching into my own itch.io library much more often here on NWN, starting today with a retro-inspired story of a teacher's revenge: Lenna's Inception.
A developer steps into a smoky office, taking a seat in front of a cold, modern glass desk. At the desk sits an executive, chomping on a cigar and looking at his watch.
“My new game,” the developer begins, “Is about a hero trying to avenge their dead--”
The executive interjects, “Wife! I love it!”
“No, their dead--”
“Girlfriend! Sounds great!”
“No, their--”
“Kid! Love the paternal angle!”
“No...”
“Mother? Throw me a bone here, kid! I thought you wanted to make money.”
“Students. Her dead students,” the developer says, moments before the entire building is swallowed by a very small, very localized black hole.
Okay, so the premise behind action-adventure game Lenna's Inception (currently in beta) isn't quite powerful enough to tear the fabric of space and time, but it could still be a refreshing break from the same plots we've experienced in games over and over again. Lenna's Inception tells the story of the titular teacher after her students are mowed down in the middle of class by a harbinger of the apocalypse (insert your own cafeteria food joke here.) It's a novel enough pitch, though the mechanics may sound a bit more familiar. After the catastrophe, Lenna embarks on a top-down adventure through a procedurally-generated world complete with dungeons, bosses, shops, equipment, pets and (optional) permadeath.
The game's hack-and-slash play is not earthshatteringly unique, but it's comfortable. It's like the well-worn slippers of retro action-RPGs. There's familiarity there, and that can be a selling point in itself. While nostalgia isn't the only thing this title has going for it, it's a big draw, especially as much of it is still in the process of being fleshed out.
We may still have a while to wait for the full version of Lenna's Inception, but players who want to take an early look can pick up the beta for £2.99 (approximately $5.13 USD). You can also visit the game's website for a look at what has been (and will be) added during the beta.
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