What terrifies you the most? Is it heights, snakes, falling, or the fear of dying alone? In a world where the current economic landscape is uncertain, many are concerned about how they will pay their rent or survive this next month. Despite multiple Triple-A titles releasing between March 20th and April 20th, many have turned to horror or survival games. At the moment, Animal Crossing New Horizons, Doom Eternal, and Pandemic. At PAX East 2020, we met with Headup Games to preview Pumpkin Jack and Rigid Force Redux. For those who are interested in Pumpkin Jack, it is available to demo this weekend.
When it comes to meetings, Gregor and Headup Games can throw a few curveballs your way. Last year, we met with Headup Games to preview Colt Canyon, Dead End Job, and Silver Chainz 2. By the end of the preview, we had demoed everything in their booth; although, we did have to rely on Gregor to show us Colt Canyon after failing miserably. We were pleasantly surprised by a 2D drawing platform game called FromTo which was nominated for the Team Choice Award last year. This years’ PAX East was no exception. The curveball Headup game of 2020 was The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters.
Pumpkin Jack
Boys and girls of every age wouldn’t you like to see something strange? Well, if you answered yes, then you are in luck! Because the Pumpkin King is set to fill your days with spooks and frights. “Pumpkin Jack is a Spooky Scary 3D platformer in which you embody Jack, the Mythical Pumpkin Lord! Dive into an Epic Adventure through otherworldly landscapes and help the Evil annihilate the Good!” That is the description created by Headup Games and their developers. This description is somewhat accurate but I cannot say that it is fully accurate. Here is why.
Pumpkin Jack is set in a horror-themed world. During our preview of the game, nothing was particularly horrifying in combat or surrounds. The only thing that did scare us during the preview was potentially falling off the platforms. Pumpkin Jack made me feel like I was playing the League of Legends character Fiddlesticks (PumpkinHead) but in a 3D platformer. Pumpkin Jack runs on Unreal Engine 4 and requires a minimal graphics card. The game’s graphics felt crisp for a game developed by a single developer. The only flaw we found throughout was a rock not solidified and it was not game-breaking. The environment we found ourselves in was immersive and made us want to see more.
Sadly, because of a limited amount of time, we were only able to play partially through the second level. The platforming aspects ran smoothly and I was surprised that I could have fun playing a 3D platformer again. The game left me on edge that I might fall or screw up a jump and have to start over; it will be interesting to see the overall plot of the game. Will we have to fight an enemy like Oogie Boogy or will we have another horrifying menace lingering in the shadows. Early combat felt like it is meant to give you a taste of what to expect without being a burden.
The game’s camera angles were smooth, allowing us to maneuver around Jack without being frustrated. The game reminded me of my love for Jack and Daxter & Banjo Kazooie. The camera allowed us to maneuver easily through the platforms despite us having to think about our decisions. The progression of the game felt natural rather than rushed where our power-ups came when needed not at the developer’s whim.
Overall, Pumpkin Jack was easily one of our favorite titles at PAX East alongside Aeolis Tournament. Pumpkin Jack is a great blend of horror elements and a 3D-Platformer. We hope that it may add a few additional horror elements and potentially a companion. Hopefully, the game’s soundtrack will be energizing but horror-filled. The Game is scheduled to be released for Halloween 2020. Players can now demo Pumpkin Jack through steam. Because of its beauty and fun nature, we awarded Pumpkin Jack a Writers Choice Award.
Rigid Force Redux
Our second appointment with Headup Games was for Rigid Force Redux. Rigid Force Redux is designed in a classic side-scrolling shoot-em-up style. When we were invited to preview this reinvigorate version, we were not certain what to expect. A prior version of the game has already released on PC but a redux version is scheduled to be released on the Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch. I am going to be honest, I have never been great at side scrollers. Something about the sideways movement and timing has never felt right.
During our preview of the game, we ended up turning down the difficult to the lowest level just to clear each stage. As the player destroys objects throughout the level, they have the ability to free power-ups to be picked up to improve the player’s ship. Rigid Force Redux is a mixture of a side shooter and a level crawler. Players must decide when to dodge and when to shoot. The controls for the game were rather complicated for a beginner but as we failed, we were able to improve. Sadly, during our demo, we did not have the opportunity to listen to the game’s soundtrack. According to the HeadUp Games team, Rigid Force Redux features an improved soundtrack
Although Rigid Force Redux would not be a game I would go out and buy upon release, it would be something I would be willing to give another go whether at a party or even in an arcade setting. One key feature we would love to see is a multiplayer option.
Rigid Force Redux Features
- Classic side-scrolling shoot-em-up action with modern 3D graphics
- Unique weapon and power-up systems
- Lots of different enemies, challenging mid-bosses and huge end bosses
- Exciting story mode with animated cutscenes and full voice-overs
- Additional Arcade and Boss Rush game modes
- Six different action-packed stages
- Challenging but fair gameplay
- Adjustable difficulty level – for beginners to experienced players
- Leaderboards and achievements
- Rumble support
- Original synthwave soundtrack by DREAMTIME featuring Michael Chait
The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters
The third and final demo was at our convenience and ultimately was a game that surprised us. I rarely like to play horror games. In fact, I typically avoid them outside of Resident Evil and Dead Space. Looking back, avoiding these games was rather foolish because I have missed out on a variety of titles.
The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters is the story of a girl who suddenly wakes up in her high school, however, things are not quite right. As she explores the school, the building’s atmosphere becomes more disturbing. What makes matters worse is that it is dark and no one seems to be around. As you attempt to escape the school, things become worse for you. Just as you are about to escape the school, things become truly twisted. The ones that you trust can no longer be trusted. When you are out of allies who will you turn to?
So why did The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters also win a writer’s choice award? Well after talking with Jonathan, we agreed that The Coma 2 provides an immersive experience within a comic style world. The game’s audio draws you in and makes you feel like you are being watched. Each step resonates throughout the hall, so even the drop of a pen can be heard. As the character rushes or becomes frightened, the music increases to match the pace. Hopefully, one day will receive an English audio adaptation rather than just Korean.
The game’s art may be in a comic book style, however, the depth of details the developers have put into it creates the feeling as if you are truly going through an Asian highschool. Each character has their own unique look which makes them memorable. The only thing that stood out to me visually that could have been spruced up was doorways. In the high school, almost every door looked the same and had no unique feel. Now I get it, we aren’t staying in the building very long but certain things can help you locate where you are.
The game lets you explore however you decide and will put a marker on the map for you, but allows you to decide how to get there. The game’s controls felt rather simplistic and easy to use despite being unfamiliar with a switch/steam controller. Since we only had the opportunity to play a singular level, we can not say if the control scheme becomes more advanced. The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters is scheduled to release on The Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and the Nintendo Switch later this year. because of its unique feel and draw in, we awarded it with a Writer’s Choice Award.
Game Conclusion
Headup Games definitely took us out of our comfort zone yet again this year. Pumpkin Jack reminded me of a time where 3D platformers were everything. The game did not feel like it was slow or awkward which was refreshing. The horror elements are definitely what sold me about the game. Rigid Force Redux was an interesting side-scrolling shooter but ultimately was overshadowed by Pumpkin Jack and The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters. The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters is ultimately what surprised us the most. For two men who are not big fans of horror games, it just touched our souls and was more than we expected. Hopefully, Headup Games will continue to push us out of our comfort zone each PAX.
If you are looking for something new to try, look into these three titles.
