HI HELLO.

I am Pedro Machado Figueira, Co-founder of the Baykush Studios here in Rio and i would like to share with you my favorite games developed during this year’s Ludum Dare.

I had my mind set to play only the minimun in order to get enough exposure to my game…over a hundred games after, here am i, a wiser person and a better game developer.

First, in case you feel like blowing up submarines, boats and blimps using a military-grade dolphin in a fast-paced, water-splashing bullet hell, check out my Game - Delph Ops. People are loving it so far and it’s tons of fun!

Dolphin Loves You

Now, to my list. I’ve split the entries in two diferent categories: “I would totally buy this” and “Dude, check this out”. And there is also a “Winner Entry”. “One Entry to Pwn Them All”. Each list is a top five.

Dude, check this out!

Strange and novel stuff that would forever stay beneath the surface weren’t for game jams.

#5 Morton

Look at this cute little guy….!

That, my friends, is the kind of stuff i love about jams. It’s a Bunny-Frog-Detective in a mission to uncover the terrible misteries of the city….i don’t remember it’s name, but it’s probably somewhere in Rhode Island. Why ? Well….play it.

#4 The Surface

Behold the Pun Throne

Now, Telling anything beforehand about this game would kill it. Grab a friend and play this puntastic game.

PS: The intro song is priceless.

#3 Jet Force Gemini

Evil lurks behind this screenshot

WHAT!? Impostor! Jet Force is a N64 classic, why is this game so weird? And why is it called Jet Force Gemini? Who in the world would consciously design such a weird, pointless game?

“Who” is the wrong question, my friend.

Check out this game,  read it’s description and find out why this is Asimov ghost’s stuff of nightmare, and why the developer behind it might someday take your job.

#2 Jeremy Brain: Brain Doctor

We all love some redundancy in our titles.

If you like Stanley Parable and the Antichamber this is a great and quick entry. The voice over is incredibly well done and the text is really really good.

I mean, come on, this is a game that contains a button labeled “PRESS TO ACHIEVE ERECTION”.

It suffers from a few dull moments here and there, but it’s a 5-10 minute story that deserves your attention. Who knows? The patient might be you.

#1 The Loudest Ballerina

Plié, Pirouette, BLOOD.

This game is scary as hell, and i besides one game you’ll see on the next list, this was the most terrifying. It’s the kind of story that would never come out without a set theme and it was, IMO, the best interpretation of the beneath the surface i’ve seen around here. Not the best gameplay, but it really made me nervous and shaky while playing it. Good Show!

Next list:

I would totally buy this!

Games that should take it to the next level….if you know what i mean.

#5 Infection

Deathbed = FUN, aparently.

Something is clearly wrong with the developers of this action defense game. It’s noy only polished to the bone, it’s packed with content like towers and upgrades. It suffers from performance issues, but with some code-scrubing it would be a really really good web arcade game. Co-op would also be a great add!

#4 Planet Corp.

Pictured: half a planet. The other half is DLC

This person nailed it.

Great, easy-to-learn gameplay. Great narrative, media and corporate critique. This is my kind of game.

You play as a miner, gathering the resources of our Solar System’s planets until…well, until they get unstable as hell and blow up (and you though chopping down threes was a BIG harm to nature).

It could (and should) be ported to multiple platforms.

#3 Doomsday Bunker

Its like an apartment building, but it goes down and protects you from air raids.

It’s a post-apocalyptic war bunker simulator. Gather resources, stay sharp for air raids, build bunker facilities and hire employees. I’ve spent almost one hour on this one and it would do great with an embeded achievement system / narrative regarding the survival.

Oh, and the music is depressive as hell. Quite fitting.

#2 A Glorious Escape for the Lich king

Hexgasm

A Tower Defense mixed with RTS Resource gathering system shrouded in gorgeous old-school pixel art and hex-based strategic gameplay. If this is not enough to make you play this, there is nothing else i can do. For you. You’re doomed.

#1 The Dead Rest Beneath Us

Rage Quit: The game

Remember what i told about the ballerina game? This is the scariest. Amnesia my buttocks, this game is suffocating.

Now, i did not beat one single level. I’ve tried over and over again in each stage and no luck. But i think perhaps this is the point, it might be as unbeatable as death.

I Think a proper name would be “Helplesness Simulator”. This is how you’ll feel by playing this. Helpless.

Try for yourself, this goddamned thing just ruined my day.

Now, my top game:

One Entry to Pwn them all

Watch Your Step

You know you are going badass as soon as you see this screenshot

You see, this is the kind of stuff i would check out the release dates every week. It is fun, gorgeous and above all, challeging, but fair.

It’s a Roguelike 2d survival shooter. In order to beat the game you’re suposed to kill spider monsters that come out of the sand for 10 minutes.

It offers you fluid and responsive controllers, pacing, action and awesomeness. I would totally pay monees for an expanded, co-op version of this game (and i trully hope it comes out).

Honorable mentions:

Delve

Not a game but god, it’s beautiful.

The Monastery 

The developer here know hisdungeoneering. Oldschool goodness for your pleasure. If you like games like “Excelsior”, you will love this one.

 

Thanks for reading so far. I hope you like my list!

If you are a Ludum Dare participant, kudos for being part of this!

Ludum Dare was really inspiring for me as a developer and i will certainly take part on the next ones.

Hugs and kisses for ya’ll!