A Hardy Developer's Journal – as written by indie adventure game developers

Following our recent review of a disturbing horror production, I decided to write about a disturbing horror production of a different sort – a certain indie anime feature film.  I know what you’re thinking – anime films trying to shock the viewer with all sorts of nastiness and breaking all sorts of taboos are actually dime a dozen, but rarely offer anything interesting beyond having those ambitions. Midori aka Shoujo Tsubaki is different. For once, it was all written, drawn and animated in the course 5 years by a single man – a certain Hiroshi Harada, who was a recognized professional animator in the 70s and 80s, but grew disgruntled over the conservatism of the big studios and went solo once he was able to afford it. (more…)

Patrik Spacek's (MISP's Captain Smirk) remade MI1 background from way back (click for more of his work)

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Right off yet another adventure of gargantuan proportions, not paying attention to the storm clouds gathering above him, Guybrush “mighty pirate” Threepwood sets once again to fight the evil zombie demon pirate LeChuck off the shores of some odd Caribbean isle. They will fight ship to ship, wit against voodoo,  over Guybrush’s lovely wife – an adventuress in her own right – Governor Elaine Marlay. Yet in truth, the only way Guybrush can get in one piece out of this confrontation is by combining several strange objects he keeps handy in his pants… OK, this time he keeps them under his coat as well. (more…)

In modern times great adventure games don’t come in big shiny cardboard boxes and on multiple CDs. In fact very often they are just one click away from you in your internet browser.

Among some of the best of those are the works of Mateusz Skutnik of Pastel Games. His episodic adventure games resume consists of such well known series as Submachine and Daymare Town.

These games despite simple interfaces offer complex, creative puzzles in visually fascinating hand-drawn game worlds full of eerie atmosphere and a kind of surreal beauty. (more…)

Winner for Best Demo at AGS Awards 2009

You can download the WIP demo here. (UPDATED 02.2010)

Follow Franko himself on Twitter.

Scroll down for links to Development Diaries.

A walkthrough for the demo is available here.

Feedback greatly appreciated!

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Ben There, Dan That, so now it’s Time Gentlemen, Please! This is a series not to be missed by lovers of classic adventure gaming seeking journeys to alternate realities of complete insanity. Of course it so happens that they’re filled with a strangly logical logic that makes all the wonderful puzzles so wonderful. (more…)

As it is usually the case when I write these bits many things have changed about our blog again. First of all, I wanted to introduce new writers that hopefully will make regular appearances and help make hardydevth a better place for everyone. (more…)