Posts with ‘KonstantinKoshutin’ Tag

Preview: Highfleet

By: Derek Yu

On: July 18th, 2016

The other day, I was wondering to myself: “What ever happened to the guy who made Hammerfight? I liked that game.” Hammerfight, released in 2009 by Russian game-maker Konstantin Koshutin, is an action game about piloting flying vehicles armed with medieval weapons like hammers, maces, flails, and swords as well as the occasional long-range cannon. Its dusty Steampunk world was beautifully rendered – bashing it out with mutant bugs and other pilots was often as lovely as it was brutal, with colorful faction banners streaming about and little people cheering you on in the background. I quite enjoyed knocking my enemies about, too, since a meaty hit could send someone’s airship smashing into a wall, with bricks flying everywhere. Unfortunately, the physics-based movement also took its toll on my poor wrists and constantly swinging my mouse around in circles became painful and repetitive after awhile.

Koshutin’s newest project, Highfleet, seems to share some things in common with Hammerfight: mid-air duels in a dusty, lovingly-rendered world. Instead of floating ships with melee weapons, however, it looks as though you’ll be piloting more traditional aircraft and engaging in dogfights not dissimilar to Vlambeer’s Luftrausers (but slower-paced). From browsing the game’s Facebook page and Twitter, it looks like there will be a lot more to the game, too, like an overworld map and ship construction. Could be really cool (and a lot easier on my wrists).

No release date for the game has been announced.

Humble Indie Bundle 3

By: Derek Yu

On: July 27th, 2011

Humble Indie Bundle 3 has begun, with 5 new games being offered: Crayon Physics Deluxe, Cogs, VVVVVV, Hammerfight, and And Yet It Moves. As usual, the bundle is pay-what-you-want and DRM-free, and you can choose to split the money however you like between the developers and charity (Child’s Play and the EFF). All the games are available for PC, Mac, and Linux.

For many of the games, this is their debut on Mac or Linux, and bonus content has been added to Hammerfight (Survival Mode), VVVVVV (a map editor and a bonus level by Minecraft’s creator, Notch), and AYIM.

TIGdb: Entry for Crayon Physics Deluxe, Entry for Cogs, Entry for Hammerfight, Entry for VVVVVV, Entry for And Yet It Moves

Hammerfight

By: Derek Yu

On: October 30th, 2009

Hammer Fight

Hammerfight came out unexpectedly on Steam this week. Formerly known as Hammerfall, the game is set in a unique fantasy world and puts you in control of a flying machine that can be equipped with various knives, swords, flails, hammers, axes, and guns. Use the mouse to fly and to fight – Hammerfight employs a physics engine to let you swing weapons using the motion of your machine.

This game is strong and very manly in an ancient sort of way, kind of like Charlton Heston in The Ten Commandments. Because of the direct control you have over swinging your weapons, getting a solid hit in Hammerfall feels REALLY good, and you’ll be doing a lot of it during a variety of manly activities like hunting giant cave worms with a ball and chain or fighting for your life as a slave in the arena. After each battle, a victory screen will pronounce your glory and say things like “You are now known as Derek the Barbarian,” or “You are the Worm Slayer,” or something like that. Also, as you progress, you’ll get decked out with all manner of sweet flying machine armor, and have banners hanging off of you that flap around as you kick ass. It’s awesome.

When the game was still called Hammerfall there was a playable demo available. Hammerfight is still the same great experience, but with all the polish it needed to be a full commercial release. (For one thing, the English text has been cleaned up considerably, making the storyline much more easy to follow.) It’s just as gorgeous, detailed, fun, and challenging as it was before, just better.

Hammerfight is a masterpiece, and $9.99 is a bargain. Go grab it!

TIGdb: Entry for Hammerfight