Announcements about fan-run game projects have a way of making us all slump our cheeks into our fists with a sigh. This could have something to do with the tendency of fan projects to never get anywhere. Oh sure, people gather and they talk all sorts of great ideas. That's the easy part. Then comes time to translate those big ideas into ones and zeroes. Suddenly, enthusiasm dulls. Everyone's too busy with work, school and peeling their flesh off their arm inch by inch, a far less painless endevour than programming game code. Six months pass since the last update, then a year. The forums because a ghost town. The hit counter starts to roll backwards. Somewhere, a big dog barks.
But maybe we need these creative failures; they make us all the more receptive to great ideas that are seen all the way through. For instance, The Underside. Inspired by Cave Story (great!), The Underside features an adorable little cat-character in exploration-based gameplay (great!!) as he tears through his corrupt world with the aid of a chainsaw (YES!!).
The Underside isn't yet done, so maybe it's a little early to celebrate its cartoony sadism. The latest video of its development, however, reveals a game that's quite far along. To slip and fall now would be unlikely...though not impossible. Death at this stage would be a damn shame, though.
Especially since The Underside is clearly its own game. The inspiration is obvious, but the graphics, environments and game engine are clearly original. The creators also tip their hats at Earthbound through clever character dialogue and design. Between Cave Story, Metroid and Earthbound, there are certainly worse games to be inspired by.
The Underside, the Mother 3 translation and Cave Story on WiiWare make my inner Nadia sing with joy for fan dedication in the game industry.
Related Links:
The Best News In Sixteen Thousand Years: Cave Story Coming To WiiWare
Spelunking Through Cave Story
Cave Story Medley On Piano