Gamertell

Indy Games The Weblog has dug up another captivating find with brutal 2D platformer Seven Minutes.

The game has a few things going for it. First, it’s packed with “gotchya!” set pieces in the vein of freeware breakout I Wanna Be The Guy. It’s made with a design philosophy that caters to the gaming literacy of 2D veterans with play so punitively difficult that though it should be frustrating, but ends up pleasingly satirical.

Second, it’s a real looker. The Tron-blue outlines shimmer against bleak, unadorned 8-bit atmosphere. And when the music really starts kicking up, it’s an absurdly satisfying revivalist feeling.

Third, it’s the sort of micro-gaming that was all the rage at late the February (2008) Game Developers Conference . The 7-minute timer is a reminder that win or lose, this is a very limited proposition. Hop around, get the feel for things. If you like it, try to master it. If you don’t? Heck, life’s too short.

Developer Virtanen got started around 2002, according to its Web site, and uses a the Game Maker suite. It’s nothing you’ll be seeing in a $60 box anytime soon, but they’re kicking around some interesting ideas.

Site: [Indy Games The Weblog] Site: [Seven Minutes]