Friday, August 23, 2013

The Best of Seven-Day FPS 2013 - Part 1


So the 2013 Seven Day FPS (or 7DFPS) Challenge is over. Dozens of games, all designed in seven days and around the theme of exploring the first person perspective in interesting abstract ways, have been submitted and are available to play.
Last year brought us Wolfire Game's Receiver and many other inventive games. What are this year's gems?

Here are eleven of this years's most promising or just plain fun games.

Beyond Perception
Explore an art gallery where each picture is a gateway to a new level. It feels very polish, the minimalist design is very cool, and in my opinion, with more levels, could very well be the successor to Antichamber. Each level challenges you to learn its rules and change your perspective in order to reach the exit. 

FlipFlop
Reach the exit. Seems simple enough. But not when you can shift from floor to wall and flip gravity with ease. And you'll need those abilites to dodge spikes and other hazards/

Probably Archery
The tagline couldn't sum up Probably Archery any better. "QWOP/Surgeon Simulator meet archery" is exactly what Probably Archery is and is just as fun and hilariously frustrating as its inspirations. 

Discoverie
A voxel graphics, first-person roguelike. The enemies may seem cute but don't underestimate them. Because then you'll be dead. Discoverie is a fun challenge with a great art style. 

Reflections
Step 1: Study the enemy patrols. Step 2: Shoot them down. Only problem? The enemies are only visible in reflections. A cool mix of a memory challenge and quick first person shooting.

2091: Jim's Odyssey
Disorienting, hard to control, but then that's just realistic. It isn't easy controlling a jetpack in zero gravity as you attempt to repair your space craft.

Alignment
Similar to the indie puzzle platformer QUBE, you extend orange cubes to form platforms. The twist is that they only extend enough to alight your location. Not the most complex game, but a fun minimalist puzzle platformer worth a try.

Outdoor Camping for Deboned Poultry
Now this game...it's absolutely mind bending. The goals are navigation and collecting pickups, but the presentation and perspective warping visuals make Outdoor Camping stand out. Just have that motion sickness medication ready.

Shambles
Made by Minecraft's creator Notch, Shambles is a zombie shooter with a dynamic twist. Civilians, soldiers, and zombies all roam the map. Killing zombies give you points, civilians health, and soldiers ammo. But it's not simple to survive when all three factions interacting. A blast to play.

Doppelgunner
A challenging puzzle platformer about solo co-op. Now how does that work? Use the Doppelgun to make or erase clones of yourself and solve puzzles.

Rocket Jump Quest

Simple but fun, use the iconic rocket jump to collect orbs as fast as possible. Not the most complex game, but has a lot of potential for speed-running.
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So there you go. Eleven recommendations out of 287 submissions. I'm sure that I missed some really good games, so I urge you to try out as many as you can and list your favorites in the comments. Have fun!

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