Sunday, June 26, 2011

The Story of Beast Squad

So what's the excuse for having animals flying around a bunch of thorns and other obstacles? Rather than me trying to explain such an intricate and well-thought-out subject (sarcasm!), here's how the story is told in the actual game (click the images to see them full-size):




Okay, so maybe it's not Pulitzer-caliber stuff, but who needs an excuse to have fun?

A New Game Draws Near: Beast Squad

Now that I finally got around to starting the website, it's time to show off the game that I have been working on since last October (all of the homework and studying in college has definitely slowed the development process).


Beast Squad is a single-player 2D game that will be available for iOS and Android devices later this summer, along with a modified browser version for those who want to give it a quick try. The objective of each level is to get your beast from the left side of the stage to the right while avoiding all of the obstacles (like thorny vines, projectile-spitting plants, and hovering spikes) in your way.

Simple enough? Of course not. Once your beast starts moving, you will only have a limited amount of control over it (depending on which beast you are using), so before that, you must strategically place trampolines throughout the stage. These tools will let you bounce around the obstacles standing between you and your goal.


Since the slightest touch with any of the obstacles will defeat your beast, the levels themselves are relatively small, which I found greatly reduces the frustration of death. The player will be able to quickly retry from the beginning of the level without any further punishment (i.e, there is no limited number of lives, and all of your trampolines stay right where you left them).

Of course, skilled players will be rewarded as well. After completing a level, the player will be given a rank of A, B, or C based on the number of trampolines used and the number of berries scattered around the stage that were collected. Fewer tools and more berries lead to better ranks. The player will also have the option to tweet the number of A-ranks and berries they collected to brag to their friends.


In the next few posts, I will explain the story behind the game as well as introduce the beasts you will be able to use.