This semester, a talented group of students is working on indie games at GameLab. Curious about Soul Stalker: Phantom Reign, Spirit of the Beans, Enso and USB-BOT? Read on.
USB-BOT
USB-BOT is the brainchild of Ajoeb Gaasim. In this original 2D puzzle platformer, you control the end of a USB cable searching for its tail. At the start, we see the unfortunate little cable go from a rubbish bin to a landfill site. We then help the cheerful little robot find its way back by jumping and solving puzzles.
USB-BOT has been in development for some time and uses the Godot game engine. Several levels are already playable in the playtest. The game is not just fun to play: it will actually be released too. The demo and playtest are already on Steam, and the launch is expected in June.
Spirit of the Beans
A very different game is Spirit of the Beans. This is set to become a cosy life simulator in which you are a barista running your own little coffee shop. In the shop, you fulfil customers’ orders. You also venture outside, for example to buy ingredients.
Spirit of the Bean is not as far along as USB-BOT — its final name has only just been announced, with Project PSL as its working title — but Tim van Daalen, the solo developer behind it, is making good progress. The game is being made in Unreal Engine. It already has a good system for processing orders and making coffee.
Enso
Student Roberta Galinaityte is working on a Japanese-themed 2D roguelite. Her hero is Hiroto Yakeru, a 22-year-old swordsman who aspires to become the strongest warrior of the Edo period. The game is being developed in Unity.
Enso, as the game is titled, originated in the game development minor at The Hague University of Applied Sciences. Roberta began it there as part of a group and has now taken on its further development herself. Enso has a retro style and, although a great deal of work remains, you can already defeat enemies and even buy upgrades for your hero.
Soul Stalker: Phantom Reign
Soul Stalker: Phantom Reign, finally, is the most visually impressive. You play a wandering knight in an open world, defeating skeletons and fighting dragons in a World of Warcraft-like style. The game combines nostalgic graphics with an epic plot and humour: a combination you do not often see.
Soul Stalker sprang from the mind of Edward Gingell Littlejohn, who studies User Experience Design (UXD) and began game development as a hobby. Through self-study and intense focus, he has made impressive progress using the Unity game engine. He is now using his time at GameLab to take a major step forward with his game.
ExpoGameLab’s projects are currently around halfway through development. At the end of June, they will be on display and available to play at The Hague University of Applied Sciences’ EXPO at the Dutch Innovation Factory in Zoetermeer. Admission is free. If you are curious about any of these projects, please come along. Just register using this form.