Aveyond Tops the Charts
Well, not entirely, but while I was distracted by another RPG called Oblivion, Aveyond has been turning into a real indie hit. And it should - it's a great game! Though if you have been following this blog for a while, you already knew that, and already downloaded the demo for ten free hours of play. Well, okay, that last part is optional, but it's worth your time. :)

A lot of old-school gamers really like the "classic" style of the game. What's even more interesting to me, anyway, is that it has really been well received by "casual" audiences... the ones that have been pigeonholed as only liking match-three type games. Turns out this audience may have a been broader taste than some folks believed. Of course, I like to chalk it up to evidence of a theory I suggested a few months ago. I still believe that - casual is an adjective, not a genre. There's a lot more that can be done to appeal to the so-called "casual" gamers than just throwing yet more match-three games at 'em.

I already suggested once that Aveyond was something of a "casual" RPG - at least more casually oriented. And that's proving itself out. Why?

Amanda F., the game's designer, suggested the following on the indiegamer boards:

"Like a lot of casual games, it's very easy to learn and very easy for the
player to start and stop. It has a nice little journal feature that the player
can use to get back into the game if they've been away for sometime. I have a
lot of players who open up the game just so they can wander around and enjoy the
charming atmosphere...

"In my opinion, there is a certain style of game that is popular on casual
game portals. Take a look at the best sellers. You'll notice a lot of them look
friendly and cute. You'll also notice that the cute games are usually on top of
each catagory be it puzzle, action, arcade, etc. Perhaps the market is more
interested in the style, not the type?"

Cute? Maybe. Non-threatening? Definitely. And maybe that's a big key right there.

Look at the covers of most mainstream, 'hardcore' games, and they tend to show off the challenge of the game. I mean, the Void War 'box art' (not that we have a box) is a perfect case in point - two ships locked in mortal combat. They kind of taunt and challenge you to play. Contrast that to the marketing message of most casual games, which seem to try to "invite" you into entering this cute, fun, and relatively safe world.

I dunno - maybe I'm grasping at straws here. But it's late and I'm tired.

But Aveyond really is a lot of fun. Even for someone who's been all jaded with playing Oblivion (which probably cost a hundred thousand times more to make than Aveyond, but I guarantee isn't a hundred thousand times more fun!)

Labels: Aveyond, Roleplaying Games

- posted by The Rampant Coyote @ 11:49 PM (Permalink)