Stay indie loop.

Well, well, well. Looks like it’s already time for another roundup of indie news. And with stories on new releases, and well… that’s mostly it this week. But still, it’s worth seeing what’s on the horizon for indie games this week.

Dual Universe launches its Alpha Phase

Creating an entire universe that reacts to a player’s decisions can be a tricky thing to do with even the most generous of budgets. But it’s exactly what French developers Novaquark are doing with a budget of just over €500,000. And now the team is ready to start sharing their vision of their MMORPG, Dual Universe now with the launch of the game’s Alpha.

Dual Universe’s premise might sound familiar, with the game boasting four pillars of play that you can mess around with. Players are able to restructure the game’s universe in respects to how trade, politics, economy, and warfare. You’ll also be able to get out, explore, and build in Dual Universe. Novaquark is aiming high, saying that players will be able to build anything that comes to mind – just how true that really is remains to be seen. And if it is that true, expect a lot of space penises because… people.

At the moment, the Alpha is only available to those who have contributed to the Dual Universe Kickstarter. So, if you’re looking to see what’s what with the game, you can contribute a minimum donation and get access by the sounds of things.

Dual Universe is available now in its Alpha form, with a full release in late 2020.

Team 17 and Black Matter team up for Hell Let Loose

Hell Let Loose is set to arrive on early access in 2019. The WW2 shooter will see developers Team 17 and Black Matter team up for the project after a successful Kickstarter in 2017. Though there’s no word yet about how much the early access version will cost or if there are plans to push the game on to console after its early access phase.

Authenticity is the buzzword that Hell Let Loose is focusing on and the early footage of the game suggests it’s nailing it. The trailer for the game follows a small tank-infantry travelling through some woodland in an eerily quiet scene before cracks of gunfire are sound out as an ambush begins. And with authenticity comes the old-timey weapons, so don’t expect to be jogging around with an M-16. The trailer shows of a ton of rifle action mixed in with explosions that – at the moment – doesn’t include a destructive environment yet, but hopefully it’s something that will make its way into the final version of the game.

What Hell Let Loose does offer is an impressive 50 v 50 multiplayer arena that’ll have players working together “beneath the leadership of officers and their commander to take strategic targets on the battlefield and dominate the opposition. Hell Let Loose is a game that demands teamwork and communication not only to win, but to survive.”

The trailer has already got a fair bit of attention, though some people have the game mixed up with another popular title from Team 17.

Run your own Battle Royale in December

Endless Loop Studios are returning to the management-sim fray, with their announcement of Battle Royale Tycoon. The game will be available on Steam from December 10. And yes, this is actually happening.

 

Battle Royale Tycoon won’t have you playing the role of developers creating a game. Instead, you’ll be managing a bonafide death arena; creating challenging and unique theatres of death for people to willingly participate in. But you’ll also have to cater to the audience, as the game offers similar mechanics to theme park games that’ll mean you have to include toilets around the park, food stands, and other bits and pieces for when people are hanging around before watching a mass-murder sport.

It’s a clever way of getting involved in the battle royale craze we’ve seen in the last two years. But whether Tycoon’s take on the genre is enough to keep people interested in its otherwise conventional gameplay features remains to be seen.

(Via The Indie Game Website)

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