Well this is weird. Dark Echo ($1.99) is one of those games that really make the App Store special. If you’ve been around for a while, you know the type- Totally experimental gameplay in a package that’d be super hard to sell on other platforms, but the impulse buy-friendly nature of the App Store combined with pricing of a couple bucks often makes all this work out. Or, so it would seem. If this is the first you’ve heard of the game, definitely check out our five star review. Here’s an excerpt:
Dark Echo is a minimalist, stage-based horror game with a focus on audio. It’s not without thematic precedent, from things like Warp’s quirky SEGA Saturn classic Enemy Zero to the Papa Sangre series on iOS. Unlike those games, it’s not entirely reliant on sound. You can technically play just by the visual cues your echoes give off, but the horror doesn’t quite work if you’re playing without the audio. It’s how the game delivers most of its ambiance, with the visual elements serving more of a practical purpose. You can see your feet, which shows you where you are and which way you’re pointed. Your echoes will show you empty areas with white lines, dangerous thing with red lines, switches with yellow lines, and water with blue lines. As you walk along the stage, your footsteps will leave a trail behind you. Aside from your footprints, however, you can only see these things if something makes noise. You don’t want to make noise without thinking carefully about your next move. …Read More
So it’s free today, but I’m going to float this idea out: Don’t download it while it’s free. Give it a couple days and wait for it to return to a paid game to support the developer. There’s no advertisements or IAP in the game, so with this promo they’re seriously getting nothing in return. I’d say download Super Surf Bros (Free) instead to support the developer, but that’s free too. If you love iOS gaming, these ultra-unique projects are the kind you really need to support. It’s quite literally voting with your wallet and saying “I want more of this," which might in some tiny way microscopically shift the scale away from Clash of Clans reskins. Maybe.
Either way, it’s never a great sign when a well-recieved premium game randomly goes free. It’s usually a pretty clear indication that the game didn’t do well and the developers are trying to inject some new interest in the project. …Which really just sort of sucks all around especially considering these are the kind of games that make iOS special.
Ouch. 25,000 sales is a pretty meagre among my for a game that's consider a success when you're selling them at that price.
*amount
accidentally hit post early...
For a year's development you really want to hit a good 50,000 sales to get a decent return - and hope that most of Thor sales weren't at the sale price.
I hope the game keeps selling well. It deserves it.
Great article! I do however hate the term "indie darling." It's so overused and cliché.
Love the game!!!
It's appropriate here I think, Magni does encapsulate the sort of developer people idealise within the indie developer space, one man making a really good game in a year through determination alone.
I can certainly appreciate what it takes to make a game (from experience)... And I think his work really shows off his creativity and ambition. I just don't like that term.
Cool story. I hope it sells another 25k copies. These are the kind of people you want to see succeed. Their also the people your stealing from if you pirate software.
Principia. Make s me think about that game which is utterly outstanding.
bought the game, played it n enjoyed it. my only issue as had been said was the camera locking on the bot with no ability to pan. definitely a passion project. im rooting for him for more sales.
Panning would have ruined it because you could scope out the entire level rather than having to discover it as you got there.
You could always flip between portrait and landscape as needed to see a bit further.
One of my favorite games of the year and one of the best articles to appear on TA this year as well.
25,000 sales is a tiny amount. Hopefully Apple give it some love down the road, and other mainstream publications pick up on it.
I enjoyed reading this article. Gives a good example of how to commit to a project and see it through. And now I'm going to go buy this game.
I really enjoyed this game. I noticed some occasional hiccups, but knowing he created his own game engine for this title is hugely impressive. This is a guy with a lot of ambition, a lot of creativity, a lot of confidence, and a sense of humor. That's a killer combination, and I expect much more success for him in the future. Welcome to my radar screen, Mr. Magni.
I swear to god anything that lets me see more or the stage will help. PLEASE!!!???