Between
Developer: Jason Rohrer
Nomination: Innovation Award
Platform: Windows, Mac , Unix/Linux
Game Website
Description: Between is a two-player tower-building game played on a local network. Currently freely available at SourceForge (links above). Telling you more would be cheating.

Adam’s Thoughts:
Between is a hardcore game in casual clothing. When you first put your hand to it, you think, “Oh, a social puzzle game about building towers. This will be like Tetris backwards,” and while you’re navel-gazing, the game bushwacks you and leaves you in an alley with one less kidney.

The inductive puzzle-solving gameplay isn’t overly eager to let new players in. There’s no tutorial for the controls, the mechanics aren’t explained, and that’s before you discover that each player’s actions subtly impact the other’s tower building.

Some players will find the discovery process maddeningly opaque, and others will find it maddeningly compelling. You probably already know which kind you are.

Katie’s Thoughts:
Between is a tower-building puzzle game where the puzzle is figuring out how the game works. The two-player game play exists between night and day, betwen reality and dreams, between you and your tower-ruining buddy.

Once you’ve gotten the basic mechanics down, you should still expect to hear crys of “Ack! Stop breaking my tower!” It’s a game that’s fun to play so long as you’re determined to play it, and are in a patient mood.

A few moments is enough to see why this game is up for the Innovation award. You’ve never played a game like this, and you’ll never see a game this full of barriers to entry on the market. People who study games will love its refreshing difference, while anyone who plays primarily with a guide in hand should avoid it, despite its price.

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Tags:   GDC · IGF · Innovation AwardNo Comments

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