Despite the fact that this is much hyped and awaited for, 20 dollars is pretty steep for a small indie game, especially when ones like Aquaria are hardly pricier yet have dozens of hours of gameplay.
Are there any special modes or features to increase replay value?

Disregard that, cocks etc. Just actually read the summary of it and it appears it has a lot of extras, but I still don't see paying that much for it

Wow, people are cheap these days. Perhaps it's because I like in the UK (where a new Nintendo DS game costs £35 - $70, and many of them have production values somewhat lower than Noitu Love 2), but I've got no problem with the price-point.

A new DS game costs $30 in the USA. If this game were on DS, it would be one of the best action games available, even alongside stuff like the Castlevanias and Contra 4. So $20 seems fair to me. It only gets better and better after the point when the demo ends.

Listen- first of all I don't have a DS and most of the games I buy on Wii are using a modchip, and most of my commercial games on PC are pirated. I don't buy games- and even so, I would agree that DS games are overpriced pieces of shit. I'm not trying to compare it to commercial games, I'm trying to compare it to other indiegames, many of which have lower price points. Stop being such a fanboy.

What? $20 is nothing at all for something of this quality. DS games cost more than this, and this is definately at the quality of a DS platformer.

Congratulations, PoisonedV, for admitting that you're a pirate and don't like paying for games! So, you're going to rip this one off too, because you've somehow justified that it's too expensive already?

Great stuff. High five. Go get em, tiger. Rage against that indie, self-published, budget-priced machine.

To, hopefuly, calm everyone down, maybe he'll do what yahtzee does: the game is free, but if you want a crapload of extras (collector's edition), send money. 'Cause I wanna play it, too (beat the first one on easy, but even that was challenging), but I can't buy stuff online. Sorry, Sandberg.

I love this: "but I still don't see paying that much for it". That's stated as if it's some indictment of the cost. Fact is, wait for it... "I don't buy games".

No, really? You don't? Here I thought you were a discerning consumer of video entertainment. When all along you were a loser.

Bill

What the fuck is wrong with you dense faggots? I said I pirated most commercial games. God, get some reading comprehension

So how much money would Konjak lose if PoisonedX downloaded a cracked version of his game? I mean, that guy wouldn't pay $20 anyway.

Whether he's a pirate or not, we're all agreed this would be godly on the DS right?

First of all, you thick fuck, I don't pirate indie games (though I don't frown on anyone who does). Second, the games not popular enough to get cracked anyway. Unless its on a major casual games/independant games label IE Reflexive or oberon media various cracking groups wouldn't care, anyway. We have our hands full with upcoming releases as it is.

'God, get some reading comprehension'

You really sounded like Napolean Dynamite just then. Take that as you will.

Sheesh! $20 any video game would be a budget title. Did your mom not give you a raise in your allowance or something?

For the record I just bought the game and it's great. This is the game Gunstar Super Heroes SHOULD have been.

Well... bizarre hostility aside, I think it's fair to compare this game with current fare on the DS. It's delivering a similar experience as Contra 4, Gunstar Super Heroes, Astroboy, maybe the Castlevanias, and probably some other stuff I'm forgetting. I can't think of a single indie game recently that provides this sort of console-style action with such a high level of quality, other than Aquaria, so I don't know what I'd compare it to on PC.

And the number of hours of gameplay it provides is kind of immaterial to me. I'm finding it really, really fun. It's extremely tightly designed, without the wandering or arbitrary secrets that a lot of games throw in to increase play time. So I can easily imagine coming back to it even after I've beaten it several times, because I know I can get a short burst of pure entertainment out of it without having to wade through a story or tangential RPG elements. That's worth 20 bucks to me.

Plus the extras that I've unlocked so far have already given me enough reason to replay the game several times, anyway. Considering that I was already happy with my purchase before I unlocked anything, I think I'm getting a bargain.

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What is this, jump on the pirate day?

Well, whatever. In any case, I think 20 dollars is a good price point considering this is a lot better than Aquaria (which is overrated). I get the feeling people don't want to pay much because the majority of indie games are free.

What a ripoff. Dont buy it. It sucks. 20 bucks. Whatever dude....billion dollar budget retail games only cost twice that. Try 10 bucks. What-e-var.

So much drama, yet so little time. Trolls and bashers get no respect. So please don't troll or bash in a place where people are civilized. Please take it somewhere else. We don't want that here.

There's a huge amount of development (by one guy at that?) that goes into a game like this. $20 is the cost to you. Games don't make themselves. Commercial games are backed by huge dollars and development teams, but a lot of that also goes into distribution and advertising.

You might be paying $40 for a game that takes $39.50 to make in its entirety. (I know it's like that in the book world... a $9.95 book earns its writer something like eight cents)

But I have to wonder, if the price were halved, would twice as many people buy it?

I honestly don't know whats wrong with you guys- I never said I pirate indie games. In fact, I have bought several of them an I donated to several members especially around the GP2X community. I'm just saying that- there are alot of games I can think of that are priced at 10 dollars or even less that are just as phenomenal as this is. I know the readers here like to blatantly defend things without looking at any flaws or reasoning- but I don't.

Thanks everyone.

I chose $20 because it was recommended to me after I had been thinking about it for a long time. I do believe that my game is worth it for its content and the fact others choose to charge less doesn't influence my decision.

I'm just happy that anyone is buying my work! :)

Your Policy is fair. Your demo was out and you kept your word about the relase date! (suck that, BiG companys!)

Looking forward to your next game!

Good point.

I would totally pay $20 for Duke Nukem Forever.

ah PoisonedV still being a complete dick then. move along folks

ah PoisonedV still being a complete dick then. move along folks

Yes he is but I was like him once - when I didn't have a job. =)

Indeed there's a lot of unlockable content in NL2 - I don't want to spoil it but it's awesome and kinda unexpected. :-D

thank you for this game, Konjak. you're one of the very, very rare independent game developers who is actually a Game Designer, and it shows through in every square inch of the Game Design in this package.

on top of that, you're an incredible Artist - which also shows through. keep rocking and bringing us smiles.

peace!

I have a job- I'm not sure about you shits but I have to pay for my own education.

Excellent game, bought it right away, and I think calling the game small is definitly an undersight. Generally if you like games in the realm of Gun Star Heroes, the game is up there with the best of them. Great gameplay, with lots of focus on improving score and time, greatly designed boss battles, and packed with extras. Excellent game, I highly recommend it!

so, i bought the game via visa - and all that i got from plimus was a receipt. how in the mess do i get the game? any tips? there's absolutely no information on either plimus' or konjak's site about actually getting the game...

i cry because i crave the play! save me!

"But I have to wonder, if the price were halved, would twice as many people buy it?"

To answer the question.
If X people buy the game for Y money, and 2X people buy the game for Y/2 money, you still end up with X*Y money ;)

I played the demo, and while it was nice, I didn't finish it (got killed, yeah yeah, I suck).

I didn't really think of buying the game (since apparently it's not my cup of tea), but if it was priced at 10$ or 5$ I may have just bought it to support the developer (who indeed did a fine job, really not his fault I suck at it).

20$ is a high price for a game you most likely won't play though ;), but a very fair price if you enjoyed the demo and want more.

And maybe I should retry the new demo... seems like I'm the only one who sucked at it...

You guys complaining about the price are retarded. My daily expenses (and all of those here who are self sufficient) are way higher than $20. Even if you plan on playing this game for only a few hours and never playing it again, then I think the price is still fair.

This game is awesome, and is the kind of game that I wish was back in the spotlight of main stream gaming.

The sprite work is beautiful, the music rocks, and the gameplay is something off the wall but still has that amazing "old school" feeling to it. The game, beginning to end, may not be a 10 hour adventure, but the game's main fun point comes in with the difficulties, unlockables, and improving your score and rankings.

Its a short, arcade style game, and I keep coming back for more.

And hey, my name is in the credits! :D

Yeah I donno the price doesn't seem that steep to me, especialy considering I've blown $20 on worst things, and I've played games that aren't even half as good as this for full retail price.

Myself I 'll definitly be playing this off and on for awhile, as a great time killer on my PC, easy to pick up, the levels are just long enough to be satisfying in short intervuls and the game's lenght makes it very replayable for me, to try and get better ranks on stages.

I think the game definitly deserves some real praise.

how
do
i
get
the
game
?
?
?

i ordered it last night, got a receipt from plimus, but still no indication as to how to actually get the game. what gives? how are you all getting this sucker?

""But I have to wonder, if the price were halved, would twice as many people buy it?"

To answer the question.
If X people buy the game for Y money, and 2X people buy the game for Y/2 money, you still end up with X*Y money ;)
"

Oh, by this I had meant, would it be as an effective a marketing model? (Because if more people end up buying and playing the game, then you can set yourself up for future sales as well. But more people have to buy it first, and a low price is attractive. But can you break even? Money at the time of the initial sale is also important.)

If you got a receipt from plimus, I think you should've also gotten an email telling you how to download the game. Maybe check your spam filter and if it's not there, email konjak?

@Sigvatr:
That's the point really, it didn't last a few hours for me since I got my ass kicked in the first level in the demo... (and I think I was on easy mode too)

While the graphics are *amazing*, and the game itself seems very polished, there's not much point of me buying it unless I manage to finish the demo...

I will give this a 2nd try soon, and if I do get better at it, I'll be joining the "20$ is a fair price" team, but if I'll get frustrated from dying, I'll just leave it be (you can't please all of the people all of the time...)

Having bought the game yesterday I can confirm it is extremely awesome and easily worth $20 to me.

Anyone who doesn't think so presumably never goes to movies or eats anything besides Ramen. (Which is fair enough, I was a student once too...)

@Zaphos

"If you got a receipt from plimus, I think you should've also gotten an email telling you how to download the game. Maybe check your spam filter and if it's not there, email konjak?"

i've yet to receive any email from plimus save the receipt. not in my inbox, nor in my spam catcher. i've emailed their customer support numerous times - and i've emailed konjak directly numerous times. i have received no response from either of them and it's been well over 24 hours :(

i just wants me to play...

Was this developed only by one guy? Artwork, coding and sound!?

Congratulations!