Our Daily Beard – 26/02/13

Hola!

Some really good news today on the small-scale gaming front.

First of all, have you heard of the game Asylum?

In Asylum, you set out on a chilling journey through the intricate floors of the Hanwell Mental Institute, which has seen unimaginable atrocities in the past (like all the other mental institutes in every horror game ever, I know, but bear with it). Decay surrounds you; dread awaits you around every corner. As you traverse the endless corridors of the Asylum, a disconcerting feeling of imprisonment creeps up on you (probably because you’re stuck there, but again check it out anyway!).

Asylum is the upcoming psychological horror adventure game inspired by H.P. Lovecraft, set in a massive mental institute that is far past its prime. Over four years in production, it aims to marry cutting edge visuals with thrilling storytelling to give players the ultimate experience of fear.

Rather ambitious key features include:

• Mature and disturbing horror storyline that will haunt players for years to come

• Over 15 hours of terrorizing gameplay

• Around 100 rooms to explore in breathtaking detail

• High definition graphics that remain sharp on the largest monitors

• One of the biggest virtual buildings ever created for a game

• Voice-acting by industry veteran Josh Mandel

Okay, so you’re up-to-date now. Behold press release goodness detailing the Kickstarter success of Asylum:

‘The latest in a series of successful Kickstarter adventure game campaigns, already Greenlit psychological horror adventure Asylum achieved its funding goal of $100,666 over the weekend. With this, Senscape intend to bring Asylum to completion and release it before the year’s end.

With only 48 hours to go, Senscape are aiming for a number of exciting stretch goals that combine their own ideas and requests from the community, including versions of Asylum for iPad, OUYA, and Oculus Rift virtual reality support. An overview of the stretch goals is available here:

http://www.senscape.net/files/kickstarter/AsylumStretchGoals.jpg

The final stretch goal of $166,666 is a complete rework of Asylum dubbed Memories, featuring a brand new story that returns players to the haunted asylum in broad daylight, which is intended to be distributed as an expansion in 2014 and will be given for free to every backer who pledged $15 and above.

“Whereas the original game is gritty, dark and oppressive, the additional content will be dreamy, melancholic and beautiful,” says Agustín Cordes, lead designer and founder. “Fans of Scratches will feel right at home with its similar atmosphere of decaying beauty and sadness.”

A preview video of the intended Asylum: Memories expansion is available here:

http://youtu.be/3smcx4DORq4

Three new Asylum: Memories screenshots are available here:

http://www.senscape.net/files/kickstarter/AsylumMemoriesSnaps.zip

How cool is Kickstarter?!

Links:

• Kickstarter project: http://lockme.in/Asylum

• Kickstarter video: http://youtu.be/5RXVgv-QZKQ

• Asylum: Memories preview video download: http://www.senscape.net/files/kickstarter/AsylumMemoriesPreview.mp4

• Trailer: http://youtu.be/aXs4Fysxsc4

• Short demo: http://www.senscape.net/asylum-teaser

• Steam Greenlight page: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=95795715