Concurrence: Fingers Crossed for Another Another World

[Andy Chalk]

Concurrence: Fingers Crossed for Another Another World

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The new demo for Concurrence is a hot-looking "cinematic platform game" that bears a strikingly delicious resemblance to the early 90s ultra-classic Another World.

If you're lucky enough to have played Eric Chahi's 1991 game Another World [released in North America as Out of This World], you'll know what I'm talking about: it was short, obtuse, arbitrary and utterly breathtaking. It's not overstating things to say that Chahi's masterpiece is one of finest early examples of cinematic achievement in videogames, doing things 20 years ago in MS-DOS that most games today still can't pull off.

And now we have Concurrence, a new 2D platformer that, based on this Youtube video, rocks a very powerful Another World vibe of its own. Even the setup is very similar, as you take on the role of an astronaut stranded on a barren alien world, with no memory of how you got there. It was created as an entry for the Monthly AGS competition, "a friendly game development jam that involves making adventure games using AGS [Adventure Game Studio] in under four weeks," but a full version is now in development.

Can it live up to the incredibly high standard set by Another World and other old-time platformers like Flashback? [http://www.amazon.com/Prince-Persia-Collection-Shadow-Flame-PC/dp/B000PNEZG2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1305305229&sr=1-1] It's definitely got the look and the minimalist ambient audio, but while the character animation is smooth and natural [and, I'm told, very Flashback-like] the actual gameplay is still a bit rough around the edges. Jumping mechanics in this type of game are definitely different than what you have in "modern" platformers, but the demo feels clunky and incomplete.

And yes, there is a playable demo, although creator Alexander Klingenbeck warns that there are "quite a few bugs" to be found in the later areas. The full release isn't expected to be ready until late 2011; in the meantime, you can learn more about Concurrence and pick up a copy of the demo at the Adventure Game Studio forums [http://www.bigbluecup.com/yabb/index.php?topic=43462.0].

[And if you've never had the opportunity to sample the glory that is Another World, the updated 15th Anniversary Edition is available from anotherworld.fr [http://www.amazon.com/Another-World-15th-Anniversary-PC/dp/B0012ILWTM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1305305019&sr=8-3].]

via: Indiegames.com


UPDATE: Concurrence creator Alexander Klingenbeck goes by the name "mode7" on the MAGS forums but has no connection to Mode 7 Games, which is not involved with the project.


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[Irridium]

Another World is also available on GoG.

Also comes with soundtrack, making of video's, dev diary, and a couple of other goodies. All without DRM and for only $10, and optimized for all current operating systems.

http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/another_world_15th_anniversary_edition

As for the new game itself, well I'm cautiously optimistic. The prospect of another game like Another world makes me super-duper exited. And yet I really don't want to get overhyped, just to get let down...

 

[Baby Tea]

Another World is easily a child-hood favourite of mine. Just fantastic.
Flashback was also an amazing game, so this sounds (And looks) just awesome!

I'll have to follow this one! Once they work out the shaky looking controls, I'm sure it'll shine.

 

[rembrandtqeinstein]

Played Flashback on genesis, it rocked SO hard. Controls were clunky in places but you felt like a total badass when you pulled things off.

Another world is a great example of graphics vs aesthetics. The game is 20 years old and STILL holds up.

 

[Andy Chalk]

Forgot about GOG. I had a friend ship me a copy of the 15th Anniversary from Ireland (a story I may have related once or twice in the past) and that's the one I fixate on. Nice extras, playable with either classic or updated graphics, and 100 percent Another World. But it's definitely a good one to support GOG with too.

The great thing about Another World is that even with the original visuals, it still holds up brilliantly as a game, at least if you're willing to set aside contemporary preconceptions of what a platformer should be. I don't like the genre, generally speaking, but I put up with it in AW, including its occasionally *****-ass hard jumping bits, because it was just that damn good.

 

[number2301]

The gameplay looked like a carbon copy of Flashback, even the graphical style was almost 100% Flashback. Strange that you concentrated on the similarities to Another World?

 

[ramboondiea]

it looks like it plays exactly like flashback (cant say for sure aint played the demo) but the art does look a little closer to anotherworld, but i think its more comparable to flashback then another world tho

 

[Trogdor1138]

As you can tell by my avatar, Another World is the greatest game ever.

Glad to see people homaging games like these, but it looks a bit TOO similar to games like Flashback/Another World in my opinion >_> Mainly in the visual direction.

 

[Andy Chalk]

The gameplay looked like a carbon copy of Flashback, even the graphical style was almost 100% Flashback. Strange that you concentrated on the similarities to Another World?

I don't think so. The animations are apparently straight out of Flashback (although I still think they look very Prince of Persia-ish) but as far as the setting goes?

Another World:



Concurrence:



You tell me.

 

[number2301]

Ok, I can go for, looks like Another World, plays like Flashback

Outstanding taste in games by the way, Another World is a properly powerful experience

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

Having played both Flashback and Out of This World (and it's unsanctioned-by-the-creator sequel, Heart of the Alien) I can say that this would almost have bordered on ripoff had it come out, say, a year or two after Flashback had. Now, it sits quite comfortably in "tribute" territory, and for a beta project it's got some chops already. It just needs better sound and smoother animations and controls.

 

[Andy Chalk]

I haven't been very far into the demo but the "looks like Another world, plays like Flashback" thing confuses me. Aside from specifics in character animation, in what way are the two games different enough to warrant a distinction? I'm honestly curious; I loved me the AW but Flashback really didn't float my boat, so I gave up on it and forgot about it fairly quickly. To me, it's always been "that game that tried to be like Another World and didn't pull it off."

I also have to say that it saddens me a bit that more people aren't excited about this. YOU KIDS THESE DAYS.