Research - Unit 10

CELESTE

Summary

Celeste is a popular indie precision platformer game developed and released in 2018 by Maddy Makes Games. You play as a young woman named Madeline as she scales the titular Celeste Mountain, meeting many characters along the way. The game has themes of depression, self-doubt, anxiety, self discovery, and general mental health.

Steam Description

"Help Madeline survive her inner demons on her journey to the top of Celeste Mountain, in this super-tight, hand-crafted platformer from the creators of multiplayer classic TowerFall.

- A narrative-driven, single-player adventure like mom used to make, with a charming cast of characters and a touching story of self-discovery

- A massive mountain teeming with 700+ screens of hardcore platforming challenges and devious secrets

- Brutal B-side chapters to unlock, built for only the bravest mountaineers

- IGF “Excellence in Audio” finalist, with over 2 hours of original music led by dazzling live piano and catchy synth beats

- Pie

The controls are simple and accessible - simply jump, air-dash, and climb - but with layers of expressive depth to master, where every death is a lesson. Lightning-fast respawns keep you climbing as you uncover the mysteries of the mountain and brave its many perils.

This is it, Madeline. Just breathe. You can do this."

Positive Steam Reviews

Negative Steam Reviews

Overall Takeaway From These Reviews

Celeste seems to be widely seen as a great game in many different aspects. Even in a majority of the negative reviews I've picked out, a large portion of them is spent on talking about how good the game is, with a some reviews simply stating that it just isn't for them. Despite its challenging gameplay, it remains accessible, with an optional assist mode for players looking for an easier experience and with a focus on perseverance and encouragement by making the deaths seem less like a punishment or something to be frustrated at and more like a learning experience. The game also seems to make it clear which parts are purely optional and would only serve as bragging rights. Regarding physical accessibility, the game is said to display its text and dialogue in a larger font size, providing accessibility for those with visual impairments. However, the game does seem to lack colourblind options, which does bring it down in terms of physical accessibility. From these reviews, it seems to me that people prefer to play Celeste using a controller, and that not using one could make gameplay harder and less intuitive due to the game focus on precision platforming.

Target Audience

Celeste is rated PEGI 7 with Mild Violence, suitable for ages 7 and up.

Though children as young as 7 are able to play it, Celeste is known for its significant difficulty level, being a precision platformer which are known for punishing game design. This and its deeper themes and story may appeal more towards audiences in their teens and above, who may have greater experience with video games and might enjoy and understand a story rich game with themes like this more. Granted, the game does offer an assist mode for those who aren't looking for as extreme of a challenge, which does make it more accessible to those with less experience. The game may and often does also appeal more to those in the LGBTQ+ community due to its themes.

DONKEY KONG (1981)

Summary

Donkey Kong is an arcade game released in 1981 by Nintendo, known widely as the debut of the world-renowned video game mascot Super Mario, as well as being the first game in the Donkey Kong series. You play as Mario, known in the game as Jumpman, as he ascends a construction site to rescue Pauline from Donkey Kong, climbing ladders, avoiding barrels and other hazards.

Reception

Since the game released in 1981, there aren't many reviews I could easily pull from as I could a Steam game. Many reviews I found are from modern times, and look at the game from a retrospective perspective after the game industry has seen much evolution. Regardless, on release, the game was well received, said to be one of the "most exciting variations" on Pacman's maze theme or Frogger's scaling from the bottom to the top of the screen gameplay. The game's positive reception is reflected in the great impact the game had in video game industry, and it's often regarded as the most momentous release of 1981.

Target Audience

Donkey Kong is rated PEGI 3, suitable for all age groups. Any violence depicted in the game is cartoony, comical, and mild.

Donkey Kong is very simple. The game takes place on one screen, it isn't particularly known for an overwhelming or intimidating difficulty level, and the game design and gameplay loop is simple, easy to understand, and straight to the point, as many popular arcade games of its time were. The game is accessible for all ages, as the rating suggests, but it appeals mostly towards a younger audience with a simple damsel-in-distress narrative, cartoony character designs reminiscent of and explicitly inspired by media such as Popeye, and comical, inoffensive scenarios. It also draws inspiration from Beauty and the Beast, as well as King Kong.

TOWER FORTRESS

Summary

Tower Fortress is an indie roguelike platformer developed by Keybol and released in 2017 by Nitrome. It was initially released on the App Store, but it received a Steam release days after. You play as Sara, a woman clad in futuristic knight armour, as she aims to ascend a mysterious tower emitting plumes of noxious green smoke, threatening to pose great danger if not stopped.

Steam Description

"A mysterious tower has risen! It emits plumes of noxious green smoke from its summit making people sick. Strange creatures infest the tower but if nobody tries to ascend it we will all be doomed!

Are you that hero?.....

FEATURES:

- Randomised for replay. Every run is different!

- Evolve your abilities and skill to progress ever further up the tower!.

- 4 Themed zones to ascend!

- Unique hazards and monsters to each zone!

- 4 Epic End Zone Boss Fights!

- Loads of Gun Types including, Laser, T Gun, Bubble Gun and Shotgun!

- 25 Suits to unlock each with unique abilities that affect play.

- Upgrade yourself at the end of each level with 20 upgrade abilities!"

Positive Steam Reviews

Negative Steam Reviews

TOWER OF DREAMS

Summary

Tower of Dreams is an indie roguelike platformer released and published as early access in 2024 by Sour Lemon Studios, aiming to release as a full game in 2025. You play as the Dream Knight, climbing your way up to the top of the tower and using your sword to pogo off enemies and other obstacles.

Steam Description

"Overview

Climb your way to the top of the tower in this vertical platformer roguelike! Take up the helm of Dream Knight, and use your sword to pogo off enemies and obstacles as you make your ascent. Discover powerful items that will greatly aid you in your quest, and unlock permanent upgrades as well as cosmetics between runs. No two attempts up the tower will be the same, with a random selection of hand-crafted levels, side areas, and items.

Features

- Tight and challenging platforming

- 3 floors of the tower to conquer

- Unlockable armor sets, abilities, and permanent upgrades

- 36 unique items

A game by Super Citrus

Music by Tom Sanborn"

Steam Reviews

No negative Steam reviews were found at the time of writing this.

Target Audience

The game doesn't seem to have a public age rating yet.

JUMP KING

Summary

Jump King is an indie precision platformer game developed and released in 2019 by Nexile. You play as a king on his journey to ascend a tall tower and reach the "smoking hot babe" at the top. The game is similar to "Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy" in that there are no checkpoints and missing a jump could lead to a significant loss in progress, especially since jumps must be charged up and are prone to miscalculation.

Steam Description

"Tactical Leaping Adventure - Jump King: There is a Smoking Hot Babe at the Top! is a platforming challenge about struggling upwards in search of the legendary Smoking Hot Babe! This lonely adventure to reach The Top will demand full mastery of the technique of jumping. Just try to remember, with each fall there is a lesson to be learned...

Gameplay:

- Prepare for true high-stakes platforming!

The only way forward is up, and your only enemy is yourself! Tension rises with each jump when a single mistake means a long fall - and you have to get back up again yourself...

- Hold to charge and release to leap away!

The seemingly simple act of jumping will take much practice to master.

- Use your mind before you jump!

The obvious path is sometimes not the best, and once you are in the air there is no turning back...

- The higher you jump, the harder you fall

- All progress and each fall is auto-saved

- Tough but addictive gameplay

- Challenge your friends to master this test of resolve

- Hours of nail-biting suspense await

Atmosphere:

Learn to love and hate the curious characters that you meet on your journey through this mysterious vertical world.

- Classic graphics – snappy animations

- Painstakingly hand drawn backgrounds

- Incredible OST by Thörnlund & Eklöf Sound

- High-definition ambiences

The last hour led to this jump, everything is on the line! Will you get the Babe? Will you reach the Top? Do you think you have what it takes to defeat this game!?"

Positive Steam Reviews

Negative Steam Reviews

Target Audience

Jump King is rated rated PEGI 3, suitable for all age groups. From what I've seen, however, there does appear to be at least mild suggestive themes, visuals, or general aspects in the game.

Much like Celeste, even though the age rating permits anyone of any age to play the game, Jump King is akin to a rage game, with punishing game and level design, much more so than Celeste. This is what it's known for. As a lot of reviews will tell you, even the positive ones, the game is designed to be infuriating, appealing to a specific niche of gamers, leaning towards older audiences with greater experience in video games, who may for whatever reason want to seek out a challenge like that. This sort of game design makes it much less approachable for younger audiences.

BREAD & FRED

Summary

Bread & Fred is an indie co-op platformer game developed by SandCastles Studio and released in 2023 by Infogrames. You and another player control two penguins connected by a rope, Bread & Fred, and must work together to climb to the top of a snowy mountain, using their rope-bound nature and momentum to their advantage.

Steam Description

"Bread & Fred is a challenging co-op platformer from Apogee where two players must cooperate to jump and climb to the top of a snowy mountain. Play as both Bread and Fred in their exasperating and sometimes maddening climb that requires precision with every jump. Each time you land you’ll be closer to the peak and one step closer to mastering the platforming, but your fall down the mountain will be even farther.

Penguin Mechanics:

- Swing to reach distant platforms!

Bread and Fred are attached to each other. That means you don’t only fall together, but you can make good use of momentum to swing and propel each other beyond what any single penguin could have ever jumped. Make sure one of you anchors down to the ground or you’ll both fall!

- Hold on to walls as long as you can!

The penguins’ little hands aren't very good, but you can hang on a wall with your partner for a few seconds to swing them around and overcome the next obstacle. Be careful though. These penguins are chubby so you can’t hold on long. Act fast!

- Single-player mode!

Can’t find your penguin buddy? Strap your rope to Jeff (a rock!) and use it instead! The climb will all be up to you and your skill, but that also means you have no one to blame when you fall...

Legends say that with these skills, a few penguin heroes have managed to reach the top. Will you be one of them?

Each fall will hurt, but try to learn and laugh through it. Think carefully about each jump and master the penguin skills to reach the summit.

For the craziest climbers, Bread & Fred includes a speedrun mode so you can compete and be crowned the best penguins on the planet.

The mountain awaits you. Complete your mission. Cooperate with each other and you will be able to go far up the mountain. Just try not to fall (too much). Good luck!!"

Positive Steam Reviews

Negative Steam Reviews

Target Audience

Bread & Fred is rated PEGI 3, suitable for all age groups.

The game does seem to be known for a higher difficulty level, however, it seems to be more approachable for a younger audience than Celeste and especially Jump King. The artstyle is also cute and cartoony. The rating seems to be accurate to the target audience, as a younger audience may find enjoyment in a game like this but the game also seems to be popular amongst an older audience, especially couples.

SUPER MEAT BOY

Summary

Super Meat Boy is a popular indie precision platformer game developed and released in 2011 by Team Meat, created as a successor to the 2008 Flash game Meat Boy. You play as a dark red cube-shaped character, Meat Boy, traversing 300 levels, avoiding obstacles such as buzzsaws, to save his girlfriend Bandage Girl from an evil scientist Dr. Fetus.

Steam Description

"Super Meat Boy is a tough as nails platformer where you play as an animated cube of meat who's trying to save his girlfriend (who happens to be made of bandages) from an evil fetus in a jar wearing a tux.

Our meaty hero will leap from walls, over seas of buzz saws, through crumbling caves and pools of old needles. Sacrificing his own well being to save his damsel in distress. Super Meat Boy brings the old school difficulty of classic NES titles like Mega Man 2, Ghost and Goblins and Super Mario Bros. 2 (The Japanese one) and stream lines them down to the essential no BS straight forward twitch reflex platforming.

Ramping up in difficulty from hard to soul crushing SMB will drag Meat boy though haunted hospitals, salt factories and even hell itself. And if 300+ single player levels weren't enough SMB also throws in epic boss fights, a level editor and tons of unlock able secrets, warp zones and hidden characters.

- Story mode, featuring over 300 levels spanning 5+ chapters

- Play as a Head Crab! (Steam Exclusive)

- 33 legitimate Achievements

- Warp zones that will warp you into other games

- Over 16 unlockable able and playable characters from popular indie titles such as, Minecraft, Bit.Trip, VVVVVV and Machinarium

- Epic Boss fights

- Full Level Editor and Level Portal (January 2011)

- A story so moving you will cry yourself to sleep for the rest of your life"

Positive Steam Reviews

Negative Steam Reviews

Target Audience

Super Meat Boy is rated PEGI 12, suitable for ages 12 and up, with Mild Swearing and Moderate Violence, generally crude humour and from what I've seen, very mild sexual references or suggestive humour.

Super Meat Boy is packed with edge, having originated from Newgrounds and carrying alot of its culture with it. This is reflected a lot in many aspects of the game, including its harsh and punishing game and level design. Super Meat Boy is akin to a rage game, often classified as "Masocore", a subgenre known for intense, hardcore, infuriating difficulty. The age rating seems accurate, as the game feels like it appeals to younger, teenage boys who might be interested in the crude humor the game offers and the challenging gameplay.

SELF

Summary

SELF is a short, indie precision platformer game developed and released on Newgrounds and Itch.io in 2021 by dev_dwarf, mmatt_ugh, and Connor Grail. It is described as a game about a lost soul, recovering the fragments of their SELF. You traverse through the levels, with a regular platformer moveset and an additional charged air-dash move.

Itch.io/Newgrounds Description

"who are you

SELF is a short game about a lost soul

recover the fragments of your SELF

be touched by the higher being

controls

move : wasd/arrows/left joystick

jump : w/up/space/bottom button

soul : x/e/left button/triggers

materialized by

mmatt_ugh: design, art

dev_dwarf: programming

connor grail: sound, music

what to do

play through the game normally

play the game speedrun style

play endless mode

please support us

please donate if you would like us to expand the game

donations above $10 USD can access the source code

we would love to make SELF a full length game

talk to us about it on discord"

Reviews

I couldn't find many explicitly negative reviews.

Target Audience

The game doesn't have a public age rating as it has not found release outside of Newgrounds and Itch.io as a short demo.

However, from personal experience, the game is very inoffensive and has a fair difficulty level. It is inoffensive enough that it was ported onto Cool Math Games. It has a more surreal aesthetic and story, likely to be evolved into a deeper, richer story with deeper themes if it were to be released as a full game, which could appeal to slightly older audiences, teens and above, who may enjoy and understand that. Generally, I feel it appeals to and is suitable for a very general audience.

YUME NIKKI

Summary

Yume Nikki is a popular indie exploration-based RPG Maker game developed and released in 2004 by a mysterious, pseudonymous developer KIKIYAMA. You play as a girl named Madotsuki as you explore her dreams, traversing many surrealist worlds in search of 24 different effects that can trigger special events, change her appearance, etc. The game has no traditional plot and no battle system, and focuses on non-linear exploration. It was initially hosted on Kikiyama's personal website, but received a Steam release in 2018.

Steam Description

"An RPG Maker tour de force, and a divisively controversial work for fans.

You are free to explore the various dream worlds at your own pace.

If you check certain characters or items in the game you will collect an “Effect”. These “Effects” can be used to change the main character’s appearance.

Some of these “Effects” have special actions or animations which you can activate by pressing 1 or 3 on the number pad.

Yume Nikki is a very unique title that has become one of the most well-known indie games to come out of Japan.

It is unlike any other RPG, especially in the fact that there really is no action or dialogue to speak of. This gives the game a very dark and foreboding atmosphere. Can you make it to the secret ending?

- There are no particular goals nor story of which to speak. You simply walk around.

- Checking certain characters inside the dream will increase the number of "Effects".

- Using "Effects" will cause the main character's appearance to change.

- (During this time, you can use the 1 or 3 keys to implement special movements and effects.)

- Using the same "Effect" a second time will cause the character to revert to their original form.

- "Effects" can only be discarded inside rooms with many doors.

FAQ

- Q. There is a glitch or aspect ratio issue in the game.

A. Please switch to Window mode by pressing F4 or Alt + Enter.

- Q. Why does the Japanese version crash?

A. The Japanese language coding in this game runs only on Japanese system locales. If you want to play the game in Japanese and it crashes, please change your system locale to Japanese."

Positive Steam Reviews

Negative Steam Reviews

Target Audience

The original Yume Nikki is unrated and it has not seen a release beyond its initial release and subsequent Steam release on Windows. The closest would be the 2018 3D Kadokawa Games remake, YUMENIKKI -DREAM DIARY-, which was rated PEGI 12 with Moderate Violence and Horror.

I believe the original Yume Nikki would likely also fall within PEGI 12. The game isn't traditionally a horror game, or at least it isn't the focus, but it is known to be intentionally unnerving or disturbing. Similarly to its 3D remake, there are also aspects that could fit into Moderate Violence. Generally, an older audience may find more enjoyment in Yume Nikki than a younger one. Its approach to gameplay focuses more on exploration rather than, well, gameplay, being more of a sort of surrealist art project walking simulator. This could appeal to an older niche of players looking for an experience like that, but could come off as boring to a younger audience. Even still, there are many people who experienced Yume Nikki as children and found as much substance and enjoyment as a player who fits more into the niche target demographic.

PIZZA TOWER

Summary

Pizza Tower is a popular indie platformer game developed and released in 2023 by Tour De Pizza. You play as a struggling Italian pizza chef Peppino Spaghetti, threatened with the destruction of his pizzeria by the game's antagonist, Pizzaface. You traverse the many levels found within the Pizza Tower, which serves as a hub world, ascending as you set out to defeat Pizzaface and save Peppino's pizzeria. It is often referred to as a spiritual successor to Nintendo's dormant Warioland series, which it takes a majority of its inspiration from.

Steam Description

"Pizza Tower is a fast paced 2D platformer, with an emphasis on movement, exploration and score attack. Featuring highly stylized pixel art inspired by the cartoons from the '90s, and a highly energetic soundtrack.

Peppino Spaghetti, a surprisingly agile and powerful fat balding italian, is on a mission to destroy the titular Pizza Tower in order to save his restaurant from annihilation. Follow him through his rampage across the many wacky floors of the tower, collecting toppings and beating up monsters!

PLAY as Peppino Spaghetti, the supersonic italian middle-aged man! And sometimes Gustavo

EXPLORE up to 5 floors leading to many levels, discover all of their secrets!

FIGHT some monsters and other weirdos!

DESTROY everything in your path, including those stupid rats.

BECOME the Pizza Tower!

- Weird crazy characters and animations!

- An insanely energetic soundtrack!

- An unusual platformer formula!

- Play like you want! Go for the highest score or explore at your own pace!"

Positive Steam Reviews

Negative Steam Reviews

Target Audience

Pizza Tower is rated PEGI 12, suitable for ages 12 and up, with Mild Swearing. There are also certain instances of mild violence and the game has a generally crude sense of humour. 

Pizza Tower has been described as very frantic, fast-paced, and challenging. Like the media it takes influence from, Warioland and Ren & Stimpy, it has a very crude sense of humour and it doesn't take itself too seriously, with a simple and comical narrative and a wacky, cartoony cast. I believe the age rating accurately reflects a lot of Pizza Power's player base and its target demographic. With its humour and frantic, challenging gameplay, it appeals to an older demographic, teens and above. The story is simple, easy to understand and based in comedy, which might appeal to, for example, a young teenage boy looking for a fun, silly, non-serious experience. The game also appeals to a nostalgic factor, visually taking inspiration from Ren & Stimpy and with gameplay akin to Warioland. Even still, the game has found a very wide and diverse player-base.

DREAM-EATER

When we were introduced to this unit, a solid concept for what I wanted to make came very quickly to me and continued to develop over the next day. Here's a summary of that current concept.

Dream-Eater (possibly a working title) is a 2D, pixel art, vertical platformer game. The game is based around the themes of "dreams", "deteriorating mental state", "abstract/surrealism" and "folklore". The game's main inspirations are Yume Nikki, Celeste, SELF, Jump King and Pizza Tower/Warioland, all games which I've gone over above. In aesthetic and narrative, the game is primarily based on Yume Nikki. It'd occasionally take inspiration from NiGHTS Into Dreams and the webcomic Cucumber Quest, but mostly in smaller aspects or in character design.

You'd play as a small, mythological fairy-like being called Yume, or as the game's title suggests, the Dream Eater. In the game's in-universe folklore, Yume is said to be a mischievous fairy which is known to take interest in people having weird and unusual dreams, and once it finds a suitable host, it'll invade and feed on their dreams while they're sleeping. It is also known to sometimes cause or influence those weird dreams. Yume likely wouldn't be particularly malicious or all too harmful, mostly passive and mischievous.

Yume as a character takes influence from old folklore or mythological beings like Sandman, a character in European folklore known to cause good dreams by sprinkling sand onto the eyes of sleeping children during the night, with the sleep/grit in someone's eyes once they wake up supposedly being the result of the Sandman's work.

The game would follow Yume as it finds a particular host experiencing weird dreams. It invades the person's dream, starting the player off in the first level, meant to serve as an introduction. The design of the levels would take inspiration from Yume Nikki's abstract, surreal, often unnerving dream world area designs, pictured below, and as the player progresses in the game, the levels would grow stranger and more abstract, eventually reaching a similar level of unnerving as Yume Nikki. This would represent this host's worsening mental state with each night.

Unlike its main inspiration, Yume Nikki, the game would have a more concrete and linear story. However, it'd likely take a more show-don't-tell direction for a majority of the game, though with very occasional dialogue or scenes in important parts of the game, such as the start and end.

Gameplay-wise, the game would have a standard platformer move-set, simple horizontal movement and jumping, with additional wall jumping. There would be a double jump, whether that be a default move in the player's move-set, something to unlock, or something only usable through some aspect or gimmick of the level. The player would likely be able to upgrade or expand their move-set as they progress in the game. 

As the player reaches a point in the level, the game will enter a state, "Waking". As the name suggests, this state represents the host waking up, making the end of the dream and in extension, level. In this state, the player must quickly traverse through the remainder of the level under a time limit. If the player succeeds, they exit the dream and finish the level. If the player fails, the host will wake up and Yume will be trapped in a dream that no longer exists, killing them. This feature takes inspiration from Warioland's frog switch and Pizza Tower's Pizza Time, which both send the player running back to the beginning of the level under a time limit once they have reached the end.

In the demo I plan to produce for this unit, I'm aiming to make at most a full tutorial level, with hopefully the Waking state at the end. Additionally, I am hoping to add a best time counter at the title screen recording the initial time in which it took the player to reach the end of the level in the Waking state, and any subsequent attempts with better time.

WHAT IS A TARGET AUDIENCE?

A target audience, as the name suggests, is a group of people which the developers of a game will specifically cater and appeal to. Who the game is made for, the audience in mind. The developer could cater to this audience through story, gameplay, tone, general content, style, etc.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY A TARGET AUDIENCE?

It's important to narrow down a target audience so you know your game is going somewhere. It'll ensure you're appealing and reaching to the right players, matching audience preferences, making sure the game is fun and engaging and reaches a level of success. A target audience doesn't necessarily need to be narrow. You can appeal to a wider, more general audience, and some developers sometimes expand and appeal to other audiences in future updates of a published game.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Demographics are traits and facts about the audience which can help the developers understand the type of people who play their games. Demographics can include age, gender, their income, their location, etc.

Not all ages will find enjoyment in a certain game. If you were to pitch a Paw Patrol game to an older audience, chances are it won't find as much success as it would if you pitched it to a younger audience, as the subject simply doesn't appeal to a wider adult audience. An older audience may enjoy a simple strategy or puzzle game like Candy Crush, rather than something fast paced like what younger audiences might enjoy, and somewhere in the middle, around the young adult range, you might get people more interested in narrative-driven story games.

It's good to keep a target location in mind. While it can end up reaching a wider audience in this regard, it's important to keep in mind cultural differences, general localization, regional censorship or content guidelines, and the average income of a specific region. Different regions might enjoy different types of games, different styles, and some regions may have conflicting content guidelines which don't permit things like certain levels of blood or gore.

Income level is also important to consider. Audiences with more money might invest in more expensive games and equipment, while others might prefer cheaper or free-to-play games, potentially with optional in-game purchases.

PSYCHOGRAPHICS

Psychographics relate to traits like a person's interests, values, and lifestyles. Psychographics relate more to a person's character rather than their circumstances or where they fit. It helps developers understand what their audience likes to do, how they live life and what is important to them.

How interests are important when it comes to narrowing down a target audience is obvious. Sports fans may enjoy sports games like FIFA, while fans of fantasy will gravitate more to games set in fantasy settings like Elder Scrolls, sometimes leaning more towards narrative-driven games.

Values are also important. The principles and beliefs that are important to the people playing your games. A competitive player will value competition, and may gravitate to competitive games like Call of Duty. Someone who values working together and cooperation will enjoy cooperative games like Among Us. Values are covered by the Bartle taxonomy.

A player's lifestyle is also something to consider. How people go about their day to day, how they live their lives, their habits and routine. Players with busier schedules might gravitate to lower maintenance, casual games like mobile games. Think Candy Crush. Games that can be played on the fly without much commitment. A more dedicated gamer, however, will want to spend more time and invest more energy into the games they play, and might enjoy more complex and long term experiences.

BARTLE TAXONOMY

The Bartle taxonomy is classification which categorizes gamers into a quadrant of characters based on the way they approach video games. These 4 characters are Killers, Achievers, Socializers, and Explorers. These characters are also sometimes represented through the four suits of a standard playing card deck, Clubs for Killers, Diamonds for Achievers, Hearts for Socializers and Spades for Explorers. This classification is based on a paper released by Richard Bartle in 1996. It originally referred mainly to multiplayer online game players, but it also refers to singleplayer game players.

The Bartle Test of Gamer Psychology was a test originally created by Erwin Andreasen and Brandon Downey based on this taxonomy. It has faced criticism in the past due to the nature of its questions. We were told to take this an implementation of this quiz, as offered by Matthew Barr. Here are my results.

KILLERS

Killers are a type of gamers who enjoy powergaming, climbing up in the ranks, being the strongest player. Eclipsing other players, surpassing another's high scores or records. This classification can be interpreted literally, and often is in the context of multiplayer games, in that a killer would enjoy the move violent, combative and competitive side of video games, whether that be challenges the game itself provides or player on player combat, finding thrill in causing mayhem and hurt to other players.

ACHIEVERS

Achievers are a type of gamers which strive to climb higher and higher in video games, achieving more and more, reaching higher levels, points, finding and collecting items whether cosmetic or otherwise. They are completionists, preferring to 100% their games and wring them of everything they have, and will go to great lengths to do so. In multiplayer settings, an achiever may find joy in the opportunity to show off their feats and brag about their achievements, often competing with other achievers and looking to socializers for praise and validation.

SOCIALIZERS

Socializers are a type of gamers who enjoy playing video games for the social aspects. They are interested in building relationships and interacting with other players in many different ways, whether that be through guilds or clans, or general casual conversation. Since their drive to play video games is socialization, they often lean into multiplayer games, however, singleplayer games can still appeal to this type of player through extensive dialogue trees and well written characters. Outside of just video games, a socializer may enjoy online forums or communities and spaces relating to gaming or focused on a game they're playing, and some may take to streaming or creating let's play content.

EXPLORERS

Explorers are a type of gamers which prefer to explore, uncovering new places, items, secrets, etc. They prefer to take the scenic route, so to speak, rather than speeding through the game linearly. Digging things up, discovering new areas and places, and immersing themselves. An explorer will often find restrictions such as time restrictions which prevent them from exploring at their own pace bothersome, and they may not enjoy a multiplayer game as much as others. While certain aspects of the explorer and achiever converge, they are still distinct and will find different forms of enjoyment in their games. They enjoy wide, open, story rich games with a emphasis on detail, and will form fond memories from them. Often, explorers will take joy in hunting down things like secrets and easter eggs.

PEGI RATINGS

PEGI, or Pan-European Game Information, is a European video game content and age rating system, spanning across 38 European countries. It considers the suitability of the content in a game for certain ages, rather than the game's level of difficulty or the intended target audience. Overall, it helps consumers make informed decisions when buying video games.

PEGI AGE LABELS

There are 5 main age labels, with an additional one outside of the numerical ratings. The PEGI website describes how these labels work and what they mean.

PEGI 3

"The content of games with a PEGI 3 rating is considered suitable for all age groups. The game should not contain any sounds or pictures that are likely to frighten young children. A very mild form of violence (in a comical context or a childlike setting) is acceptable. No bad language should be heard."

PEGI 7

"Game content with scenes or sounds that can possibly be frightening to younger children should fall in this category. Very mild forms of violence (implied, non-detailed, or non-realistic violence) are acceptable for a game with a PEGI 7 rating."

PEGI 12

"Video games that show violence of a slightly more graphic nature towards fantasy characters or non-realistic violence towards human-like characters would fall in this age category. Sexual innuendo or sexual posturing can be present, while any bad language in this category must be mild."

PEGI 16

"This rating is applied once the depiction of violence (or sexual activity) reaches a stage that looks the same as would be expected in real life. The use of bad language in games with a PEGI 16 rating can be more extreme, while the use of tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs can also be present."

PEGI 18

"The adult classification is applied when the level of violence reaches a stage where it becomes a depiction of gross violence, apparently motiveless killing, or violence towards defenceless characters. The glamorisation of the use of illegal drugs and of the simulation of gambling, and explicit sexual activity should also fall into this age category."

PEGI !

"In addition to the numerical PEGI ratings, you will also see the "Parental Guidance Recommended" rating for some non-game apps, introduced by PEGI for storefronts that use IARC. This serves as a warning that these apps can offer a broad variety of user generated or curated content. Typically, this applies to products such as Facebook, Twitter or YouTube."

PEGI CONTENT DESCRIPTORS

Along with age labels, PEGI also works with additional content descriptors when needed. The PEGI website describes how these work and what they mean.

Violence

"The game contains depictions of violence. In games rated PEGI 7 this can only be non-realistic or non-detailed violence. Games rated PEGI 12 can include violence in a fantasy environment or non-realistic violence towards human-like characters, whereas games rated PEGI 16 or 18 have increasingly more realistic-looking violence.​"

Bad Language

"The game contains bad language. This descriptor can be found on games with a PEGI 12 (mild swearing), PEGI 16 (e.g. sexual expletives or blasphemy) or PEGI 18 rating (e.g. sexual expletives or blasphemy)."

Fear/Horror

"This descriptor may appear as 'Fear' on games with a PEGI 7 if it contains pictures or sounds that may be frightening or scary to young children, or as 'Horror' on higher-rated games that contain moderate (PEGI 12) or intense and sustained (PEGI 16) horror sequences or disturbing images (not necessarily including violent content)."

Gambling

"The game contains elements that encourage or teach gambling. These simulations of gambling refer to games of chance that are normally carried out in casinos or gambling halls. Some older titles can be found with PEGI 12 or PEGI 16, but PEGI changed the criteria for this classification in 2020, which made that new games with this sort of content are always PEGI 18."

Sex

"This content descriptor can accompany a PEGI 12 rating if the game includes sexual posturing or innuendo, a PEGI 16 rating if there is erotic nudity or sexual intercourse without visible genitals or a PEGI 18 rating if there is explicit sexual activity in the game. Depictions of nudity in a non-sexual context do not require a specific age rating, and this descriptor would not be necessary."

Drugs

"The game refers to or depicts the use of illegal drugs, alcohol or tobacco. Games with this content descriptor are always PEGI 16 or PEGI 18."

Discrimination

"The game contains depictions of ethnic, religious, nationalistic or other stereotypes likely to encourage hatred. This content is always restricted to a PEGI 18 rating (and likely to infringe national criminal laws)."

In-Game Purchases

"The game offers players the option to purchase digital goods or services with real-world currency. Such purchases include additional content (bonus levels, outfits, surprise items, music), but also upgrades (e.g. to disable ads), subscriptions to updates, virtual coins and other forms of in-game currency."

Paid Random Items

"This content descriptor is sometimes accompanied by an additional notice if the in-game purchases include random items (like loot boxes or card packs). Paid random items comprise all in-game offers where players don't know exactly what they are getting prior to the purchase. They can be purchased directly with real money and/or exchanged for an in-game virtual currency. Depending on the game, these items may be purely cosmetic or they may have functional value. 

The notice is always displayed underneath or near the age label and content descriptors:"

PEGI RATING BASED GAME CONCEPT TASK

06/12/24

We were tasked by Jordan to group up with someone else and write up a quick, spontaneous concept based on an assigned PEGI rating to pitch it in front of the glass and see if Kim can guess what the game would be rated. It is, of course, unrelated to our tower climber. I was grouped up with Ivan Liubchenko and assigned PEGI 16.

What we came up with was a Souls-like with a bloodthirst theme. I've never played a Souls-like, so my biggest contribution was the blood and ichor theme. I thought the concept was pretty good, to be honest!

Kim immediately guessed we were PEGI 16 since we were the last ones, though.

For my tower climber, DREAM-EATER, I am aiming to appeal to a target audience similar to that of Celeste and YUME NIKKI. These are the game's largest inspirations, YUME NIKKI in most ways especially in visuals and premise, and Celeste mostly in tone, with a serious story baring darker themes.

I am aiming to appeal to an audience of teenagers/young adults and above. Approximately 14-20 and above. The game would be generally inoffensive, but it'd be unsettling at times thanks to its YUME NIKKI influence, and it would likely lean into more challenging level design later into the game. Additionally, the game's more story-heavy nature and that story's themes would likely appeal more to that age range, and may be lost on a younger audience. Generally, from what I've seen, this is an age range which might find more enjoyment in an indie game like this. 

Since this game is, in concept, an indie game, I have to take that into account when it comes to pricing. A lot of indie games have a similar price range from what I've seen. I've compiled a list of prices for the indie games listed in the research above.

Celeste - £16.75 

Pizza Tower - £14.99 

Bread and Fred - £12.79

Super Meat Boy - £10.99 

Tower Fortress - £4.29

A majority of these games are priced within a 10-19 range, with the exception of Tower Fortress which is priced at single digits, likely due to it originally being a mobile game. There are a few reasons why indie games may be priced like this. A lot of indie developers don't often develop games with the same focus on profit as a large corporation, and indie games are known to be developed small scale by individuals. It is also important to note that indie games are high in risk and experimentation, so a lower price may reduce the risk that audiences will find a game not worth the high cost. Either way, following this trend, the full DREAM-EATER game would be priced somewhere between £14.00 and £18.00, an affordable price in comparison to a lot of AAA games which could also boost its appeal to the audience of teens to young adults, who may not be in a good enough financial state to be spending high amounts on video games.

As for how it appeals to the different player types in the Bartle taxonomy. The game, both the hypothetical full game and the v-slice I'm planning to create, would appeal to Killer type players by recording the fastest time the player got through the "Waking" segment of a level, encouraging speedrunning and creating competition. It would appeal to Achiever type players in the simple way a majority of games do, having a goal the player must reach. There would likely be ways to maximize the experience and 100% the game past a simple completion. Since the game would be single player, Socializer type players wouldn't get much out of in that regard, at least within the game itself. Players could cultivate a community on release of a hypothetical full game, where Socializers would find appeal. The game would be linear and there wouldn't be much room for exploration. Regardless, Explorer type players might take enjoyment in the story, interesting visuals, and potential complex mechanics in later parts of a hypothetical full game. There would also likely be a few easter eggs that reward in-depth knowledge of the game's levels.

For the estimated PEGI rating, I'll first go over the additional content descriptors to narrow down what the full game would contain.

Violence

The violent content in this game would be somewhat low. There'd be abstract depictions of the player dying and potential, fantastical, unrealistic depictions of enemies being defeated. It would be no worse than the violence depicted in something like a Mario game. However, there may be depictions and representations of blood and violence in later parts of the game.

Bad Language

There would be no vulgar language in the full game.

Fear/Horror

Though the game can't be classed as a horror game, in a full game, there would be the occasional unsettling and unnerving visual and/or sounds. This would come to a similar level of unsettling as the game's inspiration, YUME NIKKI, if not a little lesser.

Gambling

There would be no instances or mentions of gambling in the full game.

Sex

There would be no instances, implications, or mentions of sex or sexually suggestive topics in the full game.

Drugs

Though there would be potential for the mention of certain drugs, such as psychedelics, in the full game, it wouldn't be likely.

Discrimination

There would be no instances or depictions of discrimination in the full game. Depending on the direction of the story, however, there may be potential for vague mentions of discrimination faced by the main character's host.

In-Game Purchases

There would be no in-game purchases in the full game. It would be a one-time purchase containing the full game, with no extra content including virtual currency, cosmetics, or extra stories and levels available for purchase.

With these in mind, the game would likely fall within PEGI 7 to PEGI 12, moreso leaning to PEGI 12. Rated with Horror and potentially Mild/Moderate Violence. There would be eerie and unnerving scenes, visuals and sounds paired with unsettling atmospheres. The violence the main character deals to potential enemies and takes from said enemies and other hazards would be mostly tame, unrealistic and cartoony, but beyond that, there would likely be depictions of blood and more realistic violence in the darker parts of the game, but nothing overly realistic and detailed which may bring the rating higher.