Wow, time really gets away. I can't believe it's already been two months since my last post! If you missed it back in June, check here for an in-depth look at the Battle System of the upcoming 8-Bit Adventures 2: http://steamcommunity.com/games/8bitadventures/announcements/detail/1337981636744892152 But if you're up-to-date (or simply don't care), then let's get onto the new stuff!


First up, we've got some exciting discounts! For this week only (starting August 21st), you can get 8-Bit Adventures at 60% off! That means you can own it for just $4 USD! You can also get the fantastic Remastered Soundtrack 30% off ($3.50 USD), or the Game + Soundtrack bundle 45% off (that’s only $6.60 USD)!

http://store.steampowered.com/app/370300
Additionally, my most recent game Tales Across Time is also participating in the sale, making an already cheap game even cheaper! For the first time ever, you get it 20% off - that's just $2.39 USD!!

http://store.steampowered.com/app/461710
In the last two sales, I noted that the discounts wouldn't get any lower. However, after much thought, I decided to increase the discount on Tales Across Time, as that's only ever had one price reduction and I felt it was time to go lower. I sincerely apologise if anyone feels misled, but I can confirm that the discounts on 8-Bit Adventures have not, and will not, be changing, and that Tales Across Time will not get any lower in the future.

So get 'em while they're hot! ;)

And remember, every purchase goes towards 8-Bit Adventures 2's development. I don't like to push this too much, but I am funding development myself, so any and all support is greatly appreciated!


In my last post about the battle system, all of the pictures I showed were fairly static. So this time I wanted to show off a handful of different battle animations from 8-Bit Adventures 2! They really add a flair to combat and make battles feel a lot more dynamic.

However, please note - Steam's image upload system seems to have sped up the animations a bit. So I apologise if they look a tad too fast. But without further adieu, here are a few of my early favourites:



Let's start off with an RPG staple - the Fenix Down item! Not only does it butcher the English language, it also revives one fallen party member. I love it when these animations reference the actual namesake (a Phoenix), so I think Jerram (the artist) did a fantastic job!



Here we have an enemy ability called Identify Weak Point. The Steam-Powered Sentry scans its opponent and (surprise, surprise) identifies their weak points, reducing Physical and Magical Defence.



This is Warrior's Rend ability - a classic from the first game. Warrior slices through the screen, rending all enemies' Physical Defence in twain (that's 'in half' if you're not being pretentious =P)!



Charlie's Lucky Hit ability is a guaranteed Critical Hit...if it actually hits the enemy. Luckily (see what I did there?), this time it did! This is one the more cartoon-ish animations, but I really love how it turned out =)



The Clockwork Controller boss is able to summon allies to the battlefield with its Command Directive ability. I decided to cut this GIF short before the other enemies spawned, as when they do, there is a white screen flash. It's fine in-game, however as a looping GIF (that's further sped up by Steam), I was concerned it might make some people uncomfortable. So, uh...here's a sneak peek =P



And finally we have the Robot's Rocket Punch ability, giving the Overweight Snake enemy a good wallop! The Robot is a very unique party member, because all of its abilities are equipped rather than learnt. It only has access to 3 abilities at any one time, but has no AP/MP, so it can use its abilities freely. This makes the Robot a pretty handy party member if used well!


That’s all for now, but please stay tuned for more updates in the (relatively) near future! I always post 8-Bit Adventures 2 updates here on Steam, but I also highly recommend following @CriticalGamesAU on Twitter, as that’s the best way I’ve found to keep up-to-date on news!

You can also check out the Critical Games Website for more 8-Bit Adventures 2 info and screenshots (including some animated GIFs), or check Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/CriticalGamesDev

Thank you very much for looking and I hope you enjoyed the preview!

'Till next time!~
Josh

Wow, time really gets away. I can't believe it's already been two months since my last post! If you missed it back in June, check here for an in-depth look at the Battle System of the upcoming 8-Bit Adventures 2: http://steamcommunity.com/games/8bitadventures/announcements/detail/1337981636744892152 But if you're up-to-date (or simply don't care), then let's get onto the new stuff!


First up, we've got some exciting discounts! For this week only (starting August 21st), you can get 8-Bit Adventures at 60% off! That means you can own it for just $4 USD! You can also get the fantastic Remastered Soundtrack 30% off ($3.50 USD), or the Game + Soundtrack bundle 45% off (that’s only $6.60 USD)!

http://store.steampowered.com/app/370300
Additionally, my most recent game Tales Across Time is also participating in the sale, making an already cheap game even cheaper! For the first time ever, you get it 20% off - that's just $2.39 USD!!

http://store.steampowered.com/app/461710
In the last two sales, I noted that the discounts wouldn't get any lower. However, after much thought, I decided to increase the discount on Tales Across Time, as that's only ever had one price reduction and I felt it was time to go lower. I sincerely apologise if anyone feels misled, but I can confirm that the discounts on 8-Bit Adventures have not, and will not, be changing, and that Tales Across Time will not get any lower in the future.

So get 'em while they're hot! ;)

And remember, every purchase goes towards 8-Bit Adventures 2's development. I don't like to push this too much, but I am funding development myself, so any and all support is greatly appreciated!


In my last post about the battle system, all of the pictures I showed were fairly static. So this time I wanted to show off a handful of different battle animations from 8-Bit Adventures 2! They really add a flair to combat and make battles feel a lot more dynamic.

However, please note - Steam's image upload system seems to have sped up the animations a bit. So I apologise if they look a tad too fast. But without further adieu, here are a few of my early favourites:



Let's start off with an RPG staple - the Fenix Down item! Not only does it butcher the English language, it also revives one fallen party member. I love it when these animations reference the actual namesake (a Phoenix), so I think Jerram (the artist) did a fantastic job!



Here we have an enemy ability called Identify Weak Point. The Steam-Powered Sentry scans its opponent and (surprise, surprise) identifies their weak points, reducing Physical and Magical Defence.



This is Warrior's Rend ability - a classic from the first game. Warrior slices through the screen, rending all enemies' Physical Defence in twain (that's 'in half' if you're not being pretentious =P)!



Charlie's Lucky Hit ability is a guaranteed Critical Hit...if it actually hits the enemy. Luckily (see what I did there?), this time it did! This is one the more cartoon-ish animations, but I really love how it turned out =)



The Clockwork Controller boss is able to summon allies to the battlefield with its Command Directive ability. I decided to cut this GIF short before the other enemies spawned, as when they do, there is a white screen flash. It's fine in-game, however as a looping GIF (that's further sped up by Steam), I was concerned it might make some people uncomfortable. So, uh...here's a sneak peek =P



And finally we have the Robot's Rocket Punch ability, giving the Overweight Snake enemy a good wallop! The Robot is a very unique party member, because all of its abilities are equipped rather than learnt. It only has access to 3 abilities at any one time, but has no AP/MP, so it can use its abilities freely. This makes the Robot a pretty handy party member if used well!


That’s all for now, but please stay tuned for more updates in the (relatively) near future! I always post 8-Bit Adventures 2 updates here on Steam, but I also highly recommend following @CriticalGamesAU on Twitter, as that’s the best way I’ve found to keep up-to-date on news!

You can also check out the Critical Games Website for more 8-Bit Adventures 2 info and screenshots (including some animated GIFs), or check Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/CriticalGamesDev

Thank you very much for looking and I hope you enjoyed the preview!

'Till next time!~
Josh

Well, now that E3’s over, it’s time for the Steam Summer Sale! And not only are 8-Bit Adventures and Tales Across Time on sale, but, as promised, I’m also providing a big update on 8-Bit Adventures 2 with a deep dive into the game’s battle system!


But first things first - you can now get 8-Bit Adventures at 60% off! That means you can own it for just $4 USD! You can also get the fantastic Remastered Soundtrack 30% off ($3.50 USD), or the Game + Soundtrack bundle 45% off (that’s only $6.60 USD)!

http://store.steampowered.com/app/370300

Additionally, my most recent game Tales Across Time is also participating in the sale, making an already cheap game even cheaper! At just $2.69 USD, you really can't beat that price; trust me - I set the prices ;)

http://store.steampowered.com/app/461710

As I said last month, the discounts won't get any lower and the Wishlist numbers just keep going up (over 3500 for 8-Bit Adventures and over 3000 for Tales Across Time!).

Every sale contributes to the development of 8-Bit Adventures 2, and I cannot stress enough how much that helps! So if you've been interested in starting a new adventure, or know a friend who would like the games, then this is the perfect time to jump in and support a new project!

But with that out of the way, let’s get onto 8-Bit Adventures 2!


For a game that’s coming out in 2017, it probably seems a bit strange that I still haven’t announced a release date. The reason is that I don’t want to commit to a date that I ultimately can’t meet. Delays are always disappointing, and we see them very regularly in this industry.

The game is progressing rapidly, and I am confident that it will be ready this year. But because 8-Bit Adventures 2 is developed by such a small team (one person does art, one person does music, one person programmed the battle system, and I do design/writing/gameplay/whatever else), everything takes a long time to get done.

However, on the flip-side, being so small (and digital only), there aren’t the issues that big publishers run into. We could technically finish the game and release it the next day (although I wouldn’t recommend doing that)! So please don’t be concerned about the lack of a release date. If nothing else, it'll definitely be out before Kingdom Hearts III ;)


Okay, onto the main event! Let’s talk about the battle system. As you can see, it’s had quite the visual upgrade (I think Jerram has done a phenomenal job on the backgrounds, monsters, and UI), but there are numerous changes beyond the new coat of paint.

In the interest of transparency, please note that the in-game battles still have some graphical glitches that need to be sorted out. As such, I’ve taken pictures of the gameplay and edited out those issues. Despite the touch-up, the images below are an accurate representation of the battle system as it appears in-game (although small details are always subject to change).



User Interface

When I first started designing the battle system, I knew that I wanted to have more abilities and commands at the player’s disposal. Where I ran into difficulty was establishing how to fit all of those commands into the UI without making things seem cluttered or unintuitive. The 8-Bit Adventures 1 menu system had to go! Eventually, I decided on using icons instead, and ultimately the UI took its inspiration from Mother 3 – in a couple of ways.

Commands are issued by selecting icons in the top-left corner of the screen. It’s a simple, intuitive way for the player to select the actions they want to take. The other element inspired by Mother 3 is that you can see your characters sticking out from behind their respective status windows. The character that is standing up the highest indicates whose turn it currently is (in the case of the above screenshot, it is Warrior’s turn). However, unlike Mother 3, these character sprites have various poses to accompany each of their actions, which make battles look more dynamic.

Party Members and the Swap Command

Now, obviously there’s a lot to talk about here, so let’s start with the basics. The battle system was inspired by Final Fantasy X’s take on turn-based combat. There are 7 party members in total (3 returning, 4 brand new! More on them in the future), but only 3 can participate in battle at once. However, at any time, your characters can swap in and out of battle. So you *can* technically use all 7 playable characters in a single encounter, and this leads to a lot of new potential strategies.

Personal Skills and Personal Abilities

Particularly since characters now have several unique factors to take into account, beyond their stats. Not only does each character possess a plethora of special abilities/magic, but also two new mechanics – Personal Skills and Personal Abilities.

A Personal Skill is a special command unique to a particular character (it’s the second icon on the row), which allows them to perform a special action with no MP/AP cost. For example, Warrior’s Personal Skill is Shield Bash, which allows him to attempt to inflict the ‘Stun’ status on an enemy. If the Stun is successful, he then follows up with an attack. If it’s unsuccessful, though, then no damage is dealt and the turn is wasted. So it’s very much a risk/reward ability.

A Personal Ability is a passive ability, again unique to a specific character. For example, Warrior has a chance of counterattacking an enemy strike, while Thief gets a speed boost at the start of battle, often allowing her to get the first turn. They’re small additions which make every member of your party feel more distinct, and can feed into interesting strategies. For example, you could include Thief in your party so that she gets the first turn, and then immediately swap her out to allow a different character (perhaps a slower, heavy hitter) to take advantage of that speed boost.



Turn Order System

On that note, I should explain the new turn system. This is the main element inspired by Final Fantasy X, as each character and enemy now has their own separate turn. In 8-Bit Adventures 1, you would select commands for all of your characters and then watch everything play out, but you had no exact way of knowing who would act when.

Well, now you do! In 8-Bit Adventures 2, you issue commands to each character separately, and the list on the right side of the screen shows you the turn order – i.e. the sequence in which characters and enemies will act. So in the image above, it is currently Thief’s turn. After she’s done, the Clockwork Soldier enemy will have its turn, followed by Warrior, then Mage, then Thief, etc. This also contributes to a deeper level of strategic gameplay, as you can more effectively plan ahead.

Omega Burst

In addition to Personal Skills and Abilities, 8-Bit Adventures 2 also features a “Limit Break” mechanic titled Omega Burst. Now, if you’re an RPG veteran, you generally know what this entails – each character has a special, ultimate ability which can be used once a bar fills up. The bar is filled up by the player both dishing out and receiving damage. However, Omega Bursts have one unique difference. Rather than each character having their own unique energy bar to fill up, there is a single bar for the entire party. Once it is filled up, every character has the option to use their Omega Burst; but once a character uses it, the bar is completely emptied.

I decided to take this approach due to my past experience with other RPGs that implement this mechanic. Sometimes in a game like Final Fantasy VII, the character who’s Limit Break I’d want to use wouldn’t get their bar filled in time, while the other two members of my party would. This new ‘one bar fits all’ approach means that you can choose whose Omega Burst to use and when. And since every character contributes to it, the bar fills up a bit quicker than it would in some other RPGs, meaning that you’ll still get to utilise plenty of these attacks in tough battles.



Augmentations

Finally, let’s discuss Augmentations. These are special, passive abilities that are able to be equipped to a character – much like Weapons and Armour. Augmentations can be found in treasure chests, like any other piece of equipment, and provide numerous effects that allow you to further customise your characters. This includes things like increasing a particular stat (e.g. HP+10%), granting immunity to certain status ailments, decreasing the amount of AP/MP it costs to use special abilities/magic, imbuing your ordinary attacks with the ability to inflict negative statuses, and much more.

Each character has 5 Augmentation slots to use (although you only start off with one open slot – more are unlocked as you progress through the game). Additionally, there is a sixth ‘Special’ slot that only fits character-exclusive augmentations. There are two exclusive augmentations for each character, so you’ll have to decide which of them to equip!

Wrapping Up

Oh, and one last thing I should mention – the Colour Element system from the first game is no longer a mechanic in 8-Bit Adventures 2. I was considering it early on, but to put it simply, I feel like I did everything I could with it the first time around. So no more matching colours, but I think the new systems will have plenty of depth =)

And after all that, we still haven’t talked about things like the tiered-attack system, or one particular character’s unique command and equipment system. But I hope this helps convey that 8-Bit Adventures 2’s combat is going to feature a lot of depth and possibilities for interesting strategies.

With that said, though, if you’re concerned about the mechanics becoming too complicated this time around, please don’t worry. While there are a lot of systems, most of them are pretty simple in practice and you can choose not to engage with them. But if you’re an RPG veteran like myself, then you’ll likely have a lot of fun trying to form your own strategies and customise the party.


That’s all for now, but there will be plenty of news in the (relatively) near future! I always post 8-Bit Adventures 2 updates here on Steam, but I also highly recommend following @CriticalGamesAU on Twitter, as that’s the best way I’ve found to keep up-to-date on news!

You can also check out the Critical Games Website for more 8-Bit Adventures 2 info and screenshots (including some animated GIFs), or check Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/CriticalGamesDev

Just an aside, if you’ve been following these posts, you may remember that last year I said that 8-Bit Adventures 2 would be renamed at some point. However, I’m currently thinking of keeping the name as 8-Bit Adventures 2. It’s short, simple, and straightforward– at least, compared to 8-Bit Adventures: The Forgotten Journey Remastered Edition =P If nothing else, 8-Bit Adventures 2: Adventure Harder and 8-Bit Adventures 2: 8-Bit Boogaloo are definitely out!

Thank you very much for reading, and I hope everyone has a fantastic Summer (or Winter if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, like myself)! =D

Well, now that E3’s over, it’s time for the Steam Summer Sale! And not only are 8-Bit Adventures and Tales Across Time on sale, but, as promised, I’m also providing a big update on 8-Bit Adventures 2 with a deep dive into the game’s battle system!


But first things first - you can now get 8-Bit Adventures at 60% off! That means you can own it for just $4 USD! You can also get the fantastic Remastered Soundtrack 30% off ($3.50 USD), or the Game + Soundtrack bundle 45% off (that’s only $6.60 USD)!

http://store.steampowered.com/app/370300

Additionally, my most recent game Tales Across Time is also participating in the sale, making an already cheap game even cheaper! At just $2.69 USD, you really can't beat that price; trust me - I set the prices ;)

http://store.steampowered.com/app/461710

As I said last month, the discounts won't get any lower and the Wishlist numbers just keep going up (over 3500 for 8-Bit Adventures and over 3000 for Tales Across Time!).

Every sale contributes to the development of 8-Bit Adventures 2, and I cannot stress enough how much that helps! So if you've been interested in starting a new adventure, or know a friend who would like the games, then this is the perfect time to jump in and support a new project!

But with that out of the way, let’s get onto 8-Bit Adventures 2!


For a game that’s coming out in 2017, it probably seems a bit strange that I still haven’t announced a release date. The reason is that I don’t want to commit to a date that I ultimately can’t meet. Delays are always disappointing, and we see them very regularly in this industry.

The game is progressing rapidly, and I am confident that it will be ready this year. But because 8-Bit Adventures 2 is developed by such a small team (one person does art, one person does music, one person programmed the battle system, and I do design/writing/gameplay/whatever else), everything takes a long time to get done.

However, on the flip-side, being so small (and digital only), there aren’t the issues that big publishers run into. We could technically finish the game and release it the next day (although I wouldn’t recommend doing that)! So please don’t be concerned about the lack of a release date. If nothing else, it'll definitely be out before Kingdom Hearts III ;)


Okay, onto the main event! Let’s talk about the battle system. As you can see, it’s had quite the visual upgrade (I think Jerram has done a phenomenal job on the backgrounds, monsters, and UI), but there are numerous changes beyond the new coat of paint.

In the interest of transparency, please note that the in-game battles still have some graphical glitches that need to be sorted out. As such, I’ve taken pictures of the gameplay and edited out those issues. Despite the touch-up, the images below are an accurate representation of the battle system as it appears in-game (although small details are always subject to change).



User Interface

When I first started designing the battle system, I knew that I wanted to have more abilities and commands at the player’s disposal. Where I ran into difficulty was establishing how to fit all of those commands into the UI without making things seem cluttered or unintuitive. The 8-Bit Adventures 1 menu system had to go! Eventually, I decided on using icons instead, and ultimately the UI took its inspiration from Mother 3 – in a couple of ways.

Commands are issued by selecting icons in the top-left corner of the screen. It’s a simple, intuitive way for the player to select the actions they want to take. The other element inspired by Mother 3 is that you can see your characters sticking out from behind their respective status windows. The character that is standing up the highest indicates whose turn it currently is (in the case of the above screenshot, it is Warrior’s turn). However, unlike Mother 3, these character sprites have various poses to accompany each of their actions, which make battles look more dynamic.

Party Members and the Swap Command

Now, obviously there’s a lot to talk about here, so let’s start with the basics. The battle system was inspired by Final Fantasy X’s take on turn-based combat. There are 7 party members in total (3 returning, 4 brand new! More on them in the future), but only 3 can participate in battle at once. However, at any time, your characters can swap in and out of battle. So you *can* technically use all 7 playable characters in a single encounter, and this leads to a lot of new potential strategies.

Personal Skills and Personal Abilities

Particularly since characters now have several unique factors to take into account, beyond their stats. Not only does each character possess a plethora of special abilities/magic, but also two new mechanics – Personal Skills and Personal Abilities.

A Personal Skill is a special command unique to a particular character (it’s the second icon on the row), which allows them to perform a special action with no MP/AP cost. For example, Warrior’s Personal Skill is Shield Bash, which allows him to attempt to inflict the ‘Stun’ status on an enemy. If the Stun is successful, he then follows up with an attack. If it’s unsuccessful, though, then no damage is dealt and the turn is wasted. So it’s very much a risk/reward ability.

A Personal Ability is a passive ability, again unique to a specific character. For example, Warrior has a chance of counterattacking an enemy strike, while Thief gets a speed boost at the start of battle, often allowing her to get the first turn. They’re small additions which make every member of your party feel more distinct, and can feed into interesting strategies. For example, you could include Thief in your party so that she gets the first turn, and then immediately swap her out to allow a different character (perhaps a slower, heavy hitter) to take advantage of that speed boost.



Turn Order System

On that note, I should explain the new turn system. This is the main element inspired by Final Fantasy X, as each character and enemy now has their own separate turn. In 8-Bit Adventures 1, you would select commands for all of your characters and then watch everything play out, but you had no exact way of knowing who would act when.

Well, now you do! In 8-Bit Adventures 2, you issue commands to each character separately, and the list on the right side of the screen shows you the turn order – i.e. the sequence in which characters and enemies will act. So in the image above, it is currently Thief’s turn. After she’s done, the Clockwork Soldier enemy will have its turn, followed by Warrior, then Mage, then Thief, etc. This also contributes to a deeper level of strategic gameplay, as you can more effectively plan ahead.

Omega Burst

In addition to Personal Skills and Abilities, 8-Bit Adventures 2 also features a “Limit Break” mechanic titled Omega Burst. Now, if you’re an RPG veteran, you generally know what this entails – each character has a special, ultimate ability which can be used once a bar fills up. The bar is filled up by the player both dishing out and receiving damage. However, Omega Bursts have one unique difference. Rather than each character having their own unique energy bar to fill up, there is a single bar for the entire party. Once it is filled up, every character has the option to use their Omega Burst; but once a character uses it, the bar is completely emptied.

I decided to take this approach due to my past experience with other RPGs that implement this mechanic. Sometimes in a game like Final Fantasy VII, the character who’s Limit Break I’d want to use wouldn’t get their bar filled in time, while the other two members of my party would. This new ‘one bar fits all’ approach means that you can choose whose Omega Burst to use and when. And since every character contributes to it, the bar fills up a bit quicker than it would in some other RPGs, meaning that you’ll still get to utilise plenty of these attacks in tough battles.



Augmentations

Finally, let’s discuss Augmentations. These are special, passive abilities that are able to be equipped to a character – much like Weapons and Armour. Augmentations can be found in treasure chests, like any other piece of equipment, and provide numerous effects that allow you to further customise your characters. This includes things like increasing a particular stat (e.g. HP+10%), granting immunity to certain status ailments, decreasing the amount of AP/MP it costs to use special abilities/magic, imbuing your ordinary attacks with the ability to inflict negative statuses, and much more.

Each character has 5 Augmentation slots to use (although you only start off with one open slot – more are unlocked as you progress through the game). Additionally, there is a sixth ‘Special’ slot that only fits character-exclusive augmentations. There are two exclusive augmentations for each character, so you’ll have to decide which of them to equip!

Wrapping Up

Oh, and one last thing I should mention – the Colour Element system from the first game is no longer a mechanic in 8-Bit Adventures 2. I was considering it early on, but to put it simply, I feel like I did everything I could with it the first time around. So no more matching colours, but I think the new systems will have plenty of depth =)

And after all that, we still haven’t talked about things like the tiered-attack system, or one particular character’s unique command and equipment system. But I hope this helps convey that 8-Bit Adventures 2’s combat is going to feature a lot of depth and possibilities for interesting strategies.

With that said, though, if you’re concerned about the mechanics becoming too complicated this time around, please don’t worry. While there are a lot of systems, most of them are pretty simple in practice and you can choose not to engage with them. But if you’re an RPG veteran like myself, then you’ll likely have a lot of fun trying to form your own strategies and customise the party.


That’s all for now, but there will be plenty of news in the (relatively) near future! I always post 8-Bit Adventures 2 updates here on Steam, but I also highly recommend following @CriticalGamesAU on Twitter, as that’s the best way I’ve found to keep up-to-date on news!

You can also check out the Critical Games Website for more 8-Bit Adventures 2 info and screenshots (including some animated GIFs), or check Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/CriticalGamesDev

Just an aside, if you’ve been following these posts, you may remember that last year I said that 8-Bit Adventures 2 would be renamed at some point. However, I’m currently thinking of keeping the name as 8-Bit Adventures 2. It’s short, simple, and straightforward– at least, compared to 8-Bit Adventures: The Forgotten Journey Remastered Edition =P If nothing else, 8-Bit Adventures 2: Adventure Harder and 8-Bit Adventures 2: 8-Bit Boogaloo are definitely out!

Thank you very much for reading, and I hope everyone has a fantastic Summer (or Winter if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, like myself)! =D

Yep, that's right - it's time for another Weeklong Sale!

But this isn't just any sale - this month marks the 2 year anniversary of 8-Bit Adventures being released on Steam! And this was a very important turning point for me as a game developer. Because of that release, I've been able to fund and create what is by far the largest and highest quality game that I've ever made - 8-Bit Adventures 2.

And it's certainly not just about money! The 8-Bit Adventures player-base honestly blew me away with their patience, their feedback, and frankly their kindness. I felt a genuine sense of community when the game first launched, and I've had the opportunity to speak to a lot of wonderful people.

So before we get to the business part, I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who's been present on the forum, written a review, sent me a message or email, made a comment somewhere, or just simply played the game. It honestly means a lot to me =)

...As you can probably tell, my ability to get creative with these discount announcements has greatly diminished over the last couple of years =P But these sales are important, as they not only introduce new people to 8-Bit Adventures and Tales Across Time, but every purchase goes towards funding to the upcoming 8-Bit Adventures 2!


From 10AM US Pacific Time, you can get 8-Bit Adventures at 60% off! That means you can own it for just $4 USD! You can also get the fantastic Remastered Soundtrack 30% off ($3.50 USD), or the Game + Soundtrack bundle 45% off (that’s only $6.60 USD)!

Additionally, my most recent game Tales Across Time is also participating in the sale, making an already cheap game even cheaper! At just $2.69 USD, you really can't beat that price; trust me - I set the prices ;)

store.steampowered.com/app/461710
As I said in February, the discounts won't get any lower and the Wishlist numbers just keep going up (over 3500 for 8-Bit Adventures and almost 3000 for Tales Across Time!). So if you've been interested in starting a new adventure, or know a friend who would like the game, then this is the perfect time to jump in!


2017 has been a fantastic year for gaming so far, with an already impressive list of great games (between Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Persona 5, I've been a very happy gamer =D). And I can't wait to add 8-Bit Adventures 2 to that list later this year. I'll be posting an update on the game sometime next month, so please stay tuned!

I always post 8-Bit Adventures 2 updates here on Steam, but I also highly recommend following @CriticalGamesAU on Twitter, as that’s the best way I’ve found to keep up-to-date on news!

I'm also getting into the habit of using Twitter more frequently to comment on games (particularly RPGs and retro games), retweet other indie efforts, and occasionally mention other fun 'geeky' stuff (like Star Wars). In January, a Final Fantasy IX picture I tweeted got around 70k impressions, so that was pretty exciting to see so much love for my favourite (and an often forgotten) Final Fantasy! But I digress =P

You can also check out the Critical Games Website for more 8-Bit Adventures 2 info and screenshots (including some animated GIFs), or check Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/CriticalGamesDev

Okay, I think that's enough marketing. Thank you for reading, as always, and to any players, new or old, thank you so much for supporting 8-Bit Adventures these past 2 years.

Here's to a bright future! =D

Yep, that's right - it's time for another Weeklong Sale!

But this isn't just any sale - this month marks the 2 year anniversary of 8-Bit Adventures being released on Steam! And this was a very important turning point for me as a game developer. Because of that release, I've been able to fund and create what is by far the largest and highest quality game that I've ever made - 8-Bit Adventures 2.

And it's certainly not just about money! The 8-Bit Adventures player-base honestly blew me away with their patience, their feedback, and frankly their kindness. I felt a genuine sense of community when the game first launched, and I've had the opportunity to speak to a lot of wonderful people.

So before we get to the business part, I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who's been present on the forum, written a review, sent me a message or email, made a comment somewhere, or just simply played the game. It honestly means a lot to me =)

...As you can probably tell, my ability to get creative with these discount announcements has greatly diminished over the last couple of years =P But these sales are important, as they not only introduce new people to 8-Bit Adventures and Tales Across Time, but every purchase goes towards funding to the upcoming 8-Bit Adventures 2!


From 10AM US Pacific Time, you can get 8-Bit Adventures at 60% off! That means you can own it for just $4 USD! You can also get the fantastic Remastered Soundtrack 30% off ($3.50 USD), or the Game + Soundtrack bundle 45% off (that’s only $6.60 USD)!

Additionally, my most recent game Tales Across Time is also participating in the sale, making an already cheap game even cheaper! At just $2.69 USD, you really can't beat that price; trust me - I set the prices ;)

store.steampowered.com/app/461710
As I said in February, the discounts won't get any lower and the Wishlist numbers just keep going up (over 3500 for 8-Bit Adventures and almost 3000 for Tales Across Time!). So if you've been interested in starting a new adventure, or know a friend who would like the game, then this is the perfect time to jump in!


2017 has been a fantastic year for gaming so far, with an already impressive list of great games (between Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Persona 5, I've been a very happy gamer =D). And I can't wait to add 8-Bit Adventures 2 to that list later this year. I'll be posting an update on the game sometime next month, so please stay tuned!

I always post 8-Bit Adventures 2 updates here on Steam, but I also highly recommend following @CriticalGamesAU on Twitter, as that’s the best way I’ve found to keep up-to-date on news!

I'm also getting into the habit of using Twitter more frequently to comment on games (particularly RPGs and retro games), retweet other indie efforts, and occasionally mention other fun 'geeky' stuff (like Star Wars). In January, a Final Fantasy IX picture I tweeted got around 70k impressions, so that was pretty exciting to see so much love for my favourite (and an often forgotten) Final Fantasy! But I digress =P

You can also check out the Critical Games Website for more 8-Bit Adventures 2 info and screenshots (including some animated GIFs), or check Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/CriticalGamesDev

Okay, I think that's enough marketing. Thank you for reading, as always, and to any players, new or old, thank you so much for supporting 8-Bit Adventures these past 2 years.

Here's to a bright future! =D

Hi there! I hope you've all played some great games and been having a fantastic 2017 so far =D If you're looking for something to tide you over until the release of Horizon, Mass Effect, or (my next obsession) Zelda next month, I'm very happy to announce a brand new Weeklong Sale discount!

In future, I always post future updates here on Steam, but I also highly recommend following @CriticalGamesAU on Twitter, as that’s the best way I’ve found to keep up-to-date on news!


From 10AM US Pacific Time, you can get 8-Bit Adventures at 60% off! That means you can own it for just $4 USD! You can also get the fantastic Remastered Soundtrack 30% off ($3.50 USD), or the Game + Soundtrack bundle 45% off (that’s only $6.60 USD)!

Additionally, my most recent game Tales Across Time is also participating in the sale, making an already cheap game even cheaper! At just $2.69 USD, you really can't beat that price; trust me - I set the prices ;)

http://store.steampowered.com/app/461710

The discounts won't get any lower and the Wishlist numbers just keep going up (3500 for 8-Bit Adventures and over 2800 for Tales Across Time!). So if you've been interested in starting a new adventure, or know a friend who would like the game, then this is the perfect time to jump in. Why, you ask? Well, read on!


As many of you know, 8-Bit Adventures 2 is coming this year! It is by far the biggest project I've ever developed; Jerram Fahey (the pixel artist), Carfonu (the composer), and myself are all hard at work on it. And if you haven't seen the recent teaser trailer, please check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg872qrw8Bk
I'm not planning on revealing much about the game until close to release, however I wanted to give you an example of Jerram's recent handiwork - the enemies of 8-Bit Adventures 2! As with all elements of the presentation, the monster graphics have been dramatically improved for the sequel.

For example, here's both the Headless Ghost and Overweight Snake - first as they appeared in 8-Bit Adventures 1, and then their new designs in 8-Bit Adventures 2.





As you can see, it's like night and day! But I should note, there are only 4 returning enemies from the first game - the rest are brand new. There's a lot I can't show due to spoilers, but I wanted to introduce you to a few new enemies.

First up is Self-Obsessed Squid. This is an enemy who has two hobbies - going to the Gym and staring at itself the mirror. Some people call it self-obsessed, but it doesn't care - just look at those abs!



Next we have the Rattling Ravager - a fearsome foe reanimated from animal bones. It makes an unpleasant rattling sound whenever it's about to launch an attack. This is actually the first enemy you encounter in the game!



CRUSH!! is a big rock. He likes to crush things. Particularly player characters. If CRUSH!! had to describe himself, CRUSH!! might say that he’s the illegitimate love child of a Thwomp from Mario and a Rockbomb from Dragon Quest. But that's assuming CRUSH!! could talk...which he can't. Makes you wonder why he has a mouth, really.



And last but not least, we have the Clockwork Controller - a boss enemy. Without giving much away, let's just say that this foe comes from a very different place than the rest of these enemies.




I hope that everyone enjoyed this quick look at the enemies of 8-Bit Adventures 2 - there's plenty more to come throughout the year!

And as always, I’ll post future updates here on Steam, but I also highly recommend following @CriticalGamesAU on Twitter, as that’s the best way I’ve found to keep up-to-date on news!

I sincerely appreciate your continued patience and support, and as always I hope that this Weeklong Sale allows even more players to enjoy 8-Bit Adventures and Tales Across Time!

Hi there! I hope you've all played some great games and been having a fantastic 2017 so far =D If you're looking for something to tide you over until the release of Horizon, Mass Effect, or (my next obsession) Zelda next month, I'm very happy to announce a brand new Weeklong Sale discount!

In future, I always post future updates here on Steam, but I also highly recommend following @CriticalGamesAU on Twitter, as that’s the best way I’ve found to keep up-to-date on news!


From 10AM US Pacific Time, you can get 8-Bit Adventures at 60% off! That means you can own it for just $4 USD! You can also get the fantastic Remastered Soundtrack 30% off ($3.50 USD), or the Game + Soundtrack bundle 45% off (that’s only $6.60 USD)!

Additionally, my most recent game Tales Across Time is also participating in the sale, making an already cheap game even cheaper! At just $2.69 USD, you really can't beat that price; trust me - I set the prices ;)

http://store.steampowered.com/app/461710

The discounts won't get any lower and the Wishlist numbers just keep going up (3500 for 8-Bit Adventures and over 2800 for Tales Across Time!). So if you've been interested in starting a new adventure, or know a friend who would like the game, then this is the perfect time to jump in. Why, you ask? Well, read on!


As many of you know, 8-Bit Adventures 2 is coming this year! It is by far the biggest project I've ever developed; Jerram Fahey (the pixel artist), Carfonu (the composer), and myself are all hard at work on it. And if you haven't seen the recent teaser trailer, please check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg872qrw8Bk
I'm not planning on revealing much about the game until close to release, however I wanted to give you an example of Jerram's recent handiwork - the enemies of 8-Bit Adventures 2! As with all elements of the presentation, the monster graphics have been dramatically improved for the sequel.

For example, here's both the Headless Ghost and Overweight Snake - first as they appeared in 8-Bit Adventures 1, and then their new designs in 8-Bit Adventures 2.





As you can see, it's like night and day! But I should note, there are only 4 returning enemies from the first game - the rest are brand new. There's a lot I can't show due to spoilers, but I wanted to introduce you to a few new enemies.

First up is Self-Obsessed Squid. This is an enemy who has two hobbies - going to the Gym and staring at itself the mirror. Some people call it self-obsessed, but it doesn't care - just look at those abs!



Next we have the Rattling Ravager - a fearsome foe reanimated from animal bones. It makes an unpleasant rattling sound whenever it's about to launch an attack. This is actually the first enemy you encounter in the game!



CRUSH!! is a big rock. He likes to crush things. Particularly player characters. If CRUSH!! had to describe himself, CRUSH!! might say that he’s the illegitimate love child of a Thwomp from Mario and a Rockbomb from Dragon Quest. But that's assuming CRUSH!! could talk...which he can't. Makes you wonder why he has a mouth, really.



And last but not least, we have the Clockwork Controller - a boss enemy. Without giving much away, let's just say that this foe comes from a very different place than the rest of these enemies.




I hope that everyone enjoyed this quick look at the enemies of 8-Bit Adventures 2 - there's plenty more to come throughout the year!

And as always, I’ll post future updates here on Steam, but I also highly recommend following @CriticalGamesAU on Twitter, as that’s the best way I’ve found to keep up-to-date on news!

I sincerely appreciate your continued patience and support, and as always I hope that this Weeklong Sale allows even more players to enjoy 8-Bit Adventures and Tales Across Time!

Happy Holidays everyone!


It’s just three sleeps ‘till Christmas, so you know what that means – it’s time for the Steam Winter Sale!

To be honest, I’ve always found the timing of the Winter Sale so close to Christmas a bit strange; but there are some fantastic deals to be found! So while I heartily recommend spending this festive time with family and friends, there’s no harm in picking up some last minute Christmas presents...or early New Year's treats ;)

So what do I have in my bag of deals? Well, this Holiday Season you can get 8-Bit Adventures at 60% off! That means you can own it for just $4 USD! You can also get the fantastic Remastered Soundtrack 30% off ($3.50 USD), or the Game + Soundtrack bundle 45% off (that’s only $6.60 USD)!

And that’s not all! My most recent game Tales Across Time is also participating in the sale, making an already cheap game even cheaper! At just $2.69 USD, you really can't beat that price (literally - take it from the guy who sets the price!) ;)

http://store.steampowered.com/app/461710


If you haven’t seen it yet, I also recommend checking out the 8-Bit Adventures 2 Teaser Trailer! Just click the image below:



And if you want to keep up with future 8-Bit Adventures 2 updates as they happen, please follow @CriticalGamesAU on Twitter!

Happy Holidays everyone!


It’s just three sleeps ‘till Christmas, so you know what that means – it’s time for the Steam Winter Sale!

To be honest, I’ve always found the timing of the Winter Sale so close to Christmas a bit strange; but there are some fantastic deals to be found! So while I heartily recommend spending this festive time with family and friends, there’s no harm in picking up some last minute Christmas presents...or early New Year's treats ;)

So what do I have in my bag of deals? Well, this Holiday Season you can get 8-Bit Adventures at 60% off! That means you can own it for just $4 USD! You can also get the fantastic Remastered Soundtrack 30% off ($3.50 USD), or the Game + Soundtrack bundle 45% off (that’s only $6.60 USD)!

And that’s not all! My most recent game Tales Across Time is also participating in the sale, making an already cheap game even cheaper! At just $2.69 USD, you really can't beat that price (literally - take it from the guy who sets the price!) ;)

http://store.steampowered.com/app/461710


If you haven’t seen it yet, I also recommend checking out the 8-Bit Adventures 2 Teaser Trailer! Just click the image below:



And if you want to keep up with future 8-Bit Adventures 2 updates as they happen, please follow @CriticalGamesAU on Twitter!