The Procedural Generation Game Jam (or PROC Jam 2014, as it is called) is a bit of a different jam. This game jam had two different ways to enter; a developer could make a game or make a tool that used procedural generation. There was an optional theme of Infinity that could be used in the jam creations as well. Not being much of a developer, I choose to keep this review to only games, but there are tons and tons of amazing tools entered into this jam for you to use! I did record some of these tools (the ones I understood) as well as most of these games (there were 137 entries!) in a video compilation series! Below, are some of my favorites in a random order.
Infini-Quest is a game like none other. The player begins by opening a book, but this is not a texted based adventure. Each time the player plays, they get some randomly generated skills and options, like painting, swords, sticks, and walking. The player then can use those skills to interact with objects on the right hand side of the book; things like priests, witches, monsters, caves, and even animals. This creates almost a story. If the player get sick of whatever is on the right, they can just move on to the next section. Its a really cool game to play around with and produces some awesome story lines.
The Inquisitor is a murder mystery where the player must figure out how another person was killed! Search the body, ask for people’s albies, and check chests to see if there is anything to help you out. This game is very well done with many, many rooms to explore and a great story to solve. Each time the player plays, the story is different. I enjoyed the graphics and explore, just as much as finding out the killer!
Riser is a game where the water is rising so the player must continue moving up the screen away from the water. This game is very well done, the player is able to collect money as well as get weapons to help them on their adventure away from the water. As the player collects more money, the screen scrolls faster. Money can also be used in a shop to gain advantages. There are monsters and treasure chests also around the level. Bumping into monsters or spikes, will not kill you, but will take a large portion of your treasure. Treasure chests, as far as I could tell, cannot be opened. There are also weapons that one can get, maybe that will help open the chest. I really enjoyed playing this game and even reading the witty comments on the screen when I died.
Jet/Lag is a super fast past game where the player must bash other shapes before getting shot or bashed themselves. The music and beating of the background make the player want to move at an extremely fast past, to bash into the other shapes to move on to the next level. There are even power-ups that can make the main player zap other shapes so that they are destroyed. If another shape bashes into the player first, the game is over. How many levels can you survive?
EINS is a neon game where the player plays as a green ship looking to shoot at many different shapped snake ships. A This game is a pretty simple shooter, but the graphics and insane snake like ships make it really fun and addicting to play. I really enjoyed the graphics, the background contains some shapes much like the ships which can sort of confuse the player and add to the chaos. Its a simple but well done game.
4th Meal is a game about selling your organs so that you can eat at Taco Bell. Yes, you read that correctly, the player must balance eating Taco Bell, not rotting organs, and selling organs for money. If the player allows their organ to rot out, it will not be available for selling. If the player fills an organ, by eating Taco Bell foods, that organ is then able to sell. Different foods are sold at different Taco Bells, and each night, the levels that the food will give you for each organ changes. This game is really funny as well as interesting. Plus, I miss having a Taco Bell close to my home.
Feel free to take a look at all of the other Procedural Generation Game Jam games and tools that have been entered!
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