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GDC 2012: Escape from Age of Monsters

Christopher Park

Christopher Park

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Massive Joe Studios released their first game Age of Monsters in 2011 with the promise of expanding and further establishing the universe drawn by Jeff Matsuda.

At Game Developers Conference 2012, CEO Mike Su showed me an alpha of their second game: Escape from Age of Monsters. Releasing on iOS as a universal app, the game takes advantage of the larger screen of the iPad that I demoed it on.

The game, with a planned release in late April, introduces entirely new gameplay. Instead of the quick rock-paper-scissors game from Age of Monsters, Escape from Age of Monsters is a distance based running game. Adding to the gameplay is the use of two possessed gloves, independently controlled with two on-screen buttons.

The gloves are used to destroy color-coded walls and deflect enemy attacks. The main character has to protect three children as they all run away from monsters that chase them throughout the whole game. You can gain an additional turbo mode by destroying three walls with a “perfect” hit, which gives players additional speed. Continually achieving perfects raises your score.

As opposed to most distance games, which give only one chance, Escape from Age of Monsters gives you four chances. Break a wall too slowly and one of the children is snatched away. But run into a wall and the game ends.

Escape from Age of Monsters also includes different collectable items that are in your “Stash House.” Each item has three objectives and completing them all will give you the item. Items are classed to each glove separately.

Planned integration with Facebook and Game Center will make Escape from Age of Monsters a more social experience than Age of Monsters with new gameplay.

From the early build of the game, Escape from Age of Monsters continues the universe that was established in Age of Monsters and introduces great gameplay. More fine-tuning is in development, but Escape from Age of Monsters looks like it will be a great game, different than what is currently being offered.

Christopher Park

Christopher Park

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