One of the big reveals from Ubisoft’s E3 2019 mid-June showcase was “Watch Dogs Legion,” an open-world adventure game in which players recruit and play as a team of revolutionaries made up of ordinary Londoners.
Including grannies.
Featuring in the trailer and gameplay videos for “Watch Dogs Legion,” elderly hero Helen doesn’t let an authoritarian government get her down.
Her response to a near-future dystopia involves rolling herself precariously over waist-high barriers, hobbling government enforcers with surprising efficiency, and tottering dauntlessly between mission waypoints as fast as her arthritic limbs allow.
But as “Watch Dogs Legion” prepares for a March 2020 arrival, there’s “Orange Island” to consider in a burst of colour and at a fraction of the price.
Developed by New Yorker-in-London Ted Sterchi, the bright retro summer vacation adventure has players switching between four kids – Theo, Azure, Kira and Ami – and Theo’s magical grandmother Mary.
Mary has a history with the island’s population of slime creatures, and it’s up to the brave quintet to save her and restore peace to the wider region.
Reaching its initial crowdfunding target of £15,000 GBP (US$19,000) in a day on Kickstarter, the Mac and PC project’s 8-bit style was inspired by classics like “Kirby’s Adventure,” “Zelda II,” “Wonder Boy” and “Mother.”
Appropriately, it could even find a home on the vintage Nintendo Entertainment System should stretch goals be met.
A pink, translucent, physical NES cartridge or plain white alternative kicks in once a communal £34,000 (US$43,000) has been pledged, with a Nintendo Switch port commissioned at £49,000 (US$62,000) and a PlayStation 4 edition suggested as another possibility.
With digital copies available to backers of the basic £10 tier, the launch is anticipated for May 2020, and closed beta access among the perks offered at £45 and above.
Helping Ted make the game he dreamed of playing as a child are a crew of pixel artists, illustrators, and musicians, including Hiroki Kikuta, the composer of the iconic “Secret of Mana.”
A Steam store entry is live for those that want to wishlist “Orange Island” before release.