As our readers already know, we have a S-up-port section here at 1001-Up.com dedicated to impressive Kickstarter projects that have grabbed our attention. We’ve already seen one project come to fruition and, while it didn’t turn out quite as we expected, there are plenty more to look forward to.
The first ever Kickstarter campaign we backed was that for Homesick in February of last year and since then we’ve gone on to support many more exciting ideas including books, hardware and games. We’ve seen both success and failure over the last year with various projects including the apparent funding irregularities of games developed for the Ouya aiming to meet the requirements for the Free the Games Fund.
We’ll now take a look at all of the projects we’ve backed to find out where they are at now and when we can expect to see them, if at all…
1. Among the Sleep
Backed: April 2013
Developer: Krillbite Studio
Platforms: Linux, Mac, PC
Backer: Kim
This first-person horror adventure puts players in the mind of a two-year-old child stumbling around an empty house in the middle of a thunderstorm. Unfortunately, even though the project was fully funded, the potential release has been pushed back to spring 2014. There is a an early alpha demo available from their website which we played last year.
2. Candle
Backed: July 2013
Developer: Teku Studios
Platforms: Linux, Mac, PC
Backer: Kim
In adventure game Candle, we see the character Teku who begins his journey after his village of Atipax is attacked by a rial tribe. As the name suggests he relies on his candle to make his way forward, solving puzzles and rescuing survivors. The project was successfully funded on 16 August 2013 and has also been delayed until spring 2014.
3. COIN Impact: Operation Thunderhead
Backed: January 2014
Developer: Down Range Games
Platforms: Web
Backer: Craig
The latest project we’ve backed is COIN Impact: Operation Thunderhead, a 2D web game for casual gamers with twenty percent of its revenue going to charities benefiting war veterans. This campaign is still ongoing with only a few hours to go, so get backing!
4. Dreamfall Chapters: The Longest Journey
Backed: February 2013
Developer: Red Thread Games
Platforms: Linux, Mac, PC, Wii U
Backer: Kim
A favourite here at 1001-Up.com with our own Kim being the biggest fan ever of the series, Dreamfall Chapters is the long-awaited sequel which more than exceeded it’s funding goal back in March 2013. We were extremely pleased to meet the team behind the games at Rezzed 2013 who we found to be amazing people who even signed our business cards. The title is still on track for release November 2014.
5. Eden Star
Backed: October 2013
Developer: Flix Interactive
Platforms: PC
Backer: Craig
We met up with the team behind Eden Star at the Eurogamer Expo 2013 for a video interview which will tell you all about this first-person survival game. The Kickstarter project for the title was launched but soon cancelled due to slow progress and feedback from fans, although the crowd-funding for Eden Star continues on their website and the final release date is currently the second half of 2015.
6. Elementary, My Dear Holmes!
Backed: September 2013
Developer: Victory Square Games
Platforms: Ouya, PC
Backer: Kim
Subject to suspicious funding in relation to the Free the Games Fund, this project was suspended on 06 September 2013. Read more about the incident in Kim’s article, but for now we have no information about what the next step is for the title.
7. Energy Hook
Backed: June 2013
Developer: Happion Laboratories
Platforms: Linux, Mac, PC
Backer: Phil
From the creator of the popular swinging mechanic in Spider-Man 2 comes a game dedicated to exactly that: swinging, in the air I mean. Development of the title is still in progress with a beta version already in the hands of backers, with a release date of March 2014.
8. Every Day is Play
Backed: August 2013
Creator: Game Paused
Platforms: Paper
Backer: Craig
This isn’t a game but a book that showcases the work of game designers, musicians and artists, along with writers and developers. It was successfully funded on 01 September 2013 with £35,737 over its original goal of £26,000 and is due for release in February 2014.
9. The Gallery: Six Elements
Backed: March 2013
Developer: CloudHead Games
Platforms: PC
Backer: Kim
One of our earliest backed projects, The Gallery: Six Elements is a first-person adventure designed for the Oculus Rift virtual reality device that sees an explorer stumble upon the Gallery, a place containing six paintings that the player can enter. The project completed successfully 17 April 2013 with $82,937 of its $65,000 goal, and the release date is currently planned for March 2014.
10. Godus
Backed: December 2012 (before 1001-Up.com)
Developer: 22Cans
Platforms: Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, PC
Backer: Phil
A re-invention of the god game from Populous creator Peter Molyneux and his team at 22Cans, we became backers of this title before the concept of 1001-Up.com was even conceived. Since the project completed 21 December 2012 with £526,563 of its £450,000 goal, an early access version was provided to backers that was met with mixed feedback. The development team have been hard at work since then on a massive update which will attempt to resolve the issues raised. Hopefully they are successful in doing so as the title has massive potential.
11. GoD Factory: Wingmen
Backed: Jume 2013
Developer: Nine Dots Studio
Platforms: Linux, Mac, PC
Backer: Craig
The project for this game failed to reach its funding goal of $51,600 in its second attempt at raising money using Kickstarter. While they didn’t receive the funding they were looking for, Nine Dots Studio were more interested in getting the greenlight on Steam which has now been successful. As of 19 November 2013, no further information about a release date has been provided.
12. Homesick
Backed: February 2013
Developer: Lucky Pause
Platforms: PC
Backer: Kim
Our first ever backed project as the 1001-Up.com team saw success on 19 February 2013 when it received $27,897 of its $8,000 goal. Unfortunately the game didn’t make its original release date of July 2013 and has been delayed to a currently unannounced date, with more bad news in the form of a copyright dispute. Now that the issue has been resolved we’re looking forward to hearing news about a release date.
As we’ve been such an adventurous team this year our S-up-port section has been growing quickly – there are just too many amazing campaigns out there and we wish we could back all of them! Unfortunately, as with anything in life, we don’t always succeed and there have been a number of projects that have failed to see the light of day.
We’ll continue with this list shortly to see what the remaining titles we’ve backed have been up to, and where they are currently. Until then please let us know what you’ve been backing in the comments section below.
