A few new AVWW items to pass along. First off, post-release 1.007 hit last night, bringing in several new features and improvements. If you’ve been away from Environ for a couple days, check back in and take another look around.
We’re also happy to pass along that A Valley Without Wind is out on Desura. Both the full game and demo are available on their store to download now.
Another awesome note, Total Biscuit/Cynical Brit put together a “WTF Is…” for our game that’s can’t miss for a variety of reasons and moments in particular.
New Reviews, Impressions, Spotlights, LP Videos, And More
A Valley Without Wind Review | Brave New World — 9/10 (Jonathan Lester, DealSpwn)
Review: A Valley Without Wind by Arcen Games (Omejia, IndieGamesChannel)
Indie Game of The Week: A Valley Without Wind (TheTechLabs)
Wot I Think: A Valley Without Wind (Jim Rossignol, RPS)
A Valley Without Wind: punching meteors in the face (Tom Chick, Quarter To Three)
A Valley Without Wind — 7.5/10 (Luigi Guarnuccio, Gamers Haven)
A Valley Without Wind Review — 3.5/5 (Kevin Alexander, Gamezebo)
A Valley Without Wind — 5/10 (Marteen Green, Reaction Time)
Indie Impression: A Valley Without Wind (The First Hour)
A Valley Without Wind Review (Cross Platform Gamers)
A Valley Without Wind | Amazing Genre-Blending Platformer (PlayThisThing)
IncGamers Plays: A Valley Without Wind
Wiley Plays! – A Valley Without Wind Part 1 — Part 2
Delphidelion’s Let’s play AVWW Part 1 — Part 2 — Part 3 — Part 4 — Part 5 — Part 6
IZTheJack’s Let’s play AVWW Part 1 — Part 2
Pickselate’s A Valley Without Wind Review Part 1 — Part 2
LockeVincent’s Weekly Gaming Update – DOTA2, Prototype 2, A Valley Without Wind
FrozenDozer’s Let’s Play: A Valley Without Wind | Episode 1 | Part 1 — Part 2
Tom Plays – A Valley Without Wind pt. 1A – Life and Death of: “Unlucky Foot”
I love that you guys post links to all the new reviews, not only the really positive ones.
We’d love it if they were all really positive, but no game’s going to please everyone! We figure there’s no sense pretending otherwise, though we’re certainly more excited to share the effusive stuff rather than the stuff that blasts us. 🙂
I think it says more about a work if its criticism is at least a bit divided. Part of this statement comes from bias. I happen to think A Valley Without Wind is a fantastic game that only gets better the more you play, and the more you try to play it. I think plenty of the joy comes from finally understanding how a particular feature fits into how you play. That joy is superlatively subtle. I think that’s why on something as deeply layered as AVWW you’re going to get some negative reviews. Many reviewers simply don’t have the time to get that deep into a game, and similarly some people (some of whom happen to be reviewers) just can’t intuit themselves deeper into an experience or don’t let themselves.
AVWW takes time and effort to get into. If you keep yourself open, the more it opens up to you. New enemy and enchant types for various unlocks, various materials that must be unlocked then acquired. The list continues. Features that seem simple on paper, but impact the world you play in in meaningful ways. Features that just don’t seem as obvious to a new player as something in MC might (which partially might have to do with the reading one must do in AVWW).
My point is that I think it takes something truly exceptional to garner debate. The simple fact that there are some reviews with slightly worse scores shows that the game is generating thought, and therefore debate; simple differences in opinion about the fundamentals of the game. Which is outstanding feedback in and of itself. Arcen, you’ve created something that speaks for itself. That’s a post-Tidalis win.