City-builders and role-playing games have an oft-overlooked connection: unlike many genres, they're both about building something up, not tearing something down. It could be anything from a coordinated set of magic armor to a municipal sewer system, but the powerful dynamic of creating something interesting is one that's intimately familiar to Chris Beatrice and Jeff Fiske, two of the principles of Tilted Mill, noted developer of Children of the Nile, Caesar IV and SimCity Societies. That similarity is also the driving force behind Hinterlands, a fascinating $20 direct download RPG/city-building hybrid that aims to let gamers build both magic swords and the blacksmith shop where they're forged.
The Long Dark has already enjoyed significant success on Steam’s Early Access platform on the PC, selling nearly 350,000 units over nine months and garnering over 95% positive player reviews. The expertise that Hinterland has developed over the past months, and The Long Dark’s reputation as one of the highest quality community-informed titles, contributed to Microsoft’s choice to bring the game to its innovative new Game Preview on Xbox One program, a first on any console.
GG3 is back with more gameplay streaming for neat packages floating around the net. In the latest commentary, Hinterland is shown off to detail the Groupees Shinyloot Bundle, which has more than 9 games on offer.
"Today, Indie Royale launched their second bundle of 2013, the Snow Storm Bundle. By now, most everyone knows how these bundles work. So to switch things up a bit, let’s examine the games offered on a more individual level, rather than focusing on the bundle as a whole." - Tom Christiansen
