Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Valbrace
Jun 6, 2025
This podcast features Carolyn Petit, a veteran games journalist and managing editor at Kotaku, alongside Scott Anderson, a software engineer at Unity with a rich background in both AAA and indie games. They dive into Valbrace, the latest addition to UFO 50, highlighting its innovative mechanics and nostalgic ties to classic dungeon crawlers. The conversation also touches on player challenges with gameplay dynamics, the evolution of RPG customization, and the excitement surrounding the Cherry Rush charity speedrun event, fostering a vibrant discussion of community and creativity in gaming.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Valbrace's Unique Hybrid Gameplay
- Valbrace innovatively combines a first-person dungeon crawler with punch-out style combat.
- This hybrid gameplay offers a fresh approach rarely seen in similar games, adding unique excitement.
Mock-up Influence on Valbrace
- Scott Anderson recalls a 2009 mock-up similar to Valbrace, possibly influencing its design.
- This shows the game's roots and connections to early indie community concepts.
Nostalgic Challenge Through Obfuscation
- The game's difficulty and obfuscation recreate a nostalgic, challenging 1980s experience.
- This design choice evokes a unique player engagement contrasting modern user-friendly trends.
