It's Happening: Starr Mazer Launches Kickstarter Campaign!

Last April, I did a write-up for Jérémie Périn's epic concept-game trailer Starr Mazer before shouting from the rooftops into the vacuum of space hoping against hope that this ludicrously entertaining mash-up of bullet-hell Shoot 'em up and pulp sci-fi point-and-click mechanics manifested into something actually playable. 

Well, it looks like the long arch of the universe is smiling in my favor because Imagos Softworks has finally launched a kickstarter campaign to bring this modern-day opus of retro gaming to fruition.

I think my spaceship knows which way to go...

The team includes Périn who's back on-board doing concept-art; The pledge page promises an original chip-tunes soundtrack courtesy of the talented Alex Mauer (Serious Sam: Random Encounter), Manami Matsumae (Mega Man), The Protomen, and Virt (Shovel Knight), a colorful host of characters, and a multi-choice branching storyline that results in interesting subsequent play-throughs.

I really don't know if it gets much cooler than this. It's like if Space Ace, Commander Shepherd, Space Dandy, and Guybrush Threepwood got mashed all up into one guy who was then thrown into a black hole and then spat out into a Gradius Level. Go back this asap!

Jérémie Périn's Starr Mazer Is So Good, I Wish It Was Real

It's been a minute since we last saw anything from Jeremie Perin, the demented wunderkind behind such masterpieces as Detective God, Mystery Boy, and the morbidly-captivating DYE - Fantasy (NSFW). Perin is certainly one of the most memorable animators I've come across in a long while. His penchant for risque gross-out subject matter tinged with a synth-pop infused 80's aesthetic has earned him a growing following online, and deservedly so.

Perin's latest video is a fake video game trailer created for Don Thacker's film Motivational Growth. With a Galaga-style shooting section, point-and-click hostage situations, a death-defying escape sequence complete with an epic 16-bit soundtrack, I'm genuinely disappointed I can't play this!

You Should Play Starfarer

After getting a tip from our readers, I decided to give Starfarer, a $9.99 PC indie title by Fractal SoftWorks a shot. The game is considered to be a work in progress alpha (Think Minecraft's development history), but after playing it for a few hours I can safely say the game is already a polished experience, offering some incredible space combat with some truly awesome mechanics in place.

As a point of reference, think of Starfarer as a 2D, top down version of Mechwarrior, in space. Weapon systems that can be damaged, a multitude of ship classes and overheating type mechanics are present (Known as Flux) but with some really simple and intuitive controls that anyone can pickup. There's an additional strategic layer that allows you to deploy and control the rest of your fleet aside from your flagship, bringing in fighters, bombers and other frigates to support you in massive engagements that are incredibly satisfying to win. The AI in this game truly made an impression, especially after witnessing enemy ships seeking out weak points in your shielding, executing flanking maneuvers and even retreating in the face of insurmountable odds.

The game currently offers a sandbox mode in which you try to work your way up the fleet ladder, and a variety of missions with preset conditions (Like Forlorn Hope in the video we created above).  As of now, the developers are working to add a lot more deep roleplaying mechanics and a beefier campaign. Among these features, an option to allow you to select a character that will grow as you play and gain unique skills,  and adding the option to hire unique officers to pilot ships, with their own distinct behaviors and a few other upcoming features. I have a feeling that the pilot system especially will add a sense of attachment to your unique comrades, and an even deeper sense of investment.

Bottom line, I got $60 of enjoyment out of this $10 title. So, what are you waiting for? Pick it up here!