New On Steam: Osmos Demo
The demo for indie game ‘Osmos’ was recently released on Steam. Developed by Hemisphere Games, it’s a finalist in the 11th annual Independent Games Festival. The gameplay involves propelling your typical living cell and absorbing smaller cells, while dodging absorption by larger cells. The demo eases players into the game by starting with this basic game mechanic, but quickly introduces other game types where you chase down AI-controlled cells or ‘motes’ . The minimal aesthetic of the game has drawn comparisons to PS3 and PSP game ‘flOw’, as well as WiiWare game ‘Orbient’, but sets itself apart with its divergent gameplay. The demo has a tutorial and also includes three different zones.
Gamasutra has an interview with Osmos designer and programmer Eddy Bowerman as part of their series on IGF finalists. The interview covers the comparisons to similarly minimalist games, what makes Osmos different than either Flow or Orbient, and the difficulty curve. It’s an interesting read following completion of the demo. Check it out here.
Osmos Demo On Steam [steampowered.com]
Road To The IGF: Hemisphere’s Osmos
[gamasutra.com]
