We receive literally hundreds of press releases each week here at iFanzine, and lately a large amount of them seem to be for Endless Runner type games. Now don’t get me wrong, we still really like the genre, but it does sometimes get a bit wearing having to trawl through tons of similar sounding/looking titles in the hopes of finding the rare gem among the duds. So, if you’re going to send us news of yet another Endless Runner, you had best make sure it stands out from the pack in some way.
The e-mail we got announcing animator-turned-game dev Eoin Duffy’s upcoming Endless Runner (well, Endless Roller, really), Boxy The Box, definitely stood out to me — and not for the reasons you might expect. I mean, sure, the game boasts a simple, yet striking minimalist art style, a plethora of unlockable characters, and really fun looking high-score chasing gameplay. All stuff I love to see in a game like this. But what actually piqued my interest in Boxy The Box more than anything was Eoin’s press release itself, which — to someone as familiar with them as I am — reads as a very witty (and hilariously self-depreciating) send-up of the kind of buzzword-crammed marketing speak these things are usually full of.
Here’s a snippet: “Boxy the Box is a game by independent animator Eoin Duffy. After Eoin’s animation career skyrocketed in 2014, Eoin decided to abandon logic, switch gears, and consider a side career in game dev. Void of original ideas Eoin chose to further explore an old project from 2012. The project was his first and only venture into game design. So utilizing all his free time (which he’d normally spend with his many friends who exist) Eoin tinkered, heaved & hoed — finally regurgitated a concept that by this time was no longer fresh and new. Delusionally happy with this result, Eoin released the game on the 22nd of October 2015 into an overly saturated games market.”
The game’s description is also highly amusing (see below).
WITH THIS GAME YOU CAN …
– Be anything you want to be! (as long as its a box)
– Go anywhere you want to go! (Within the restricted lanes of travel)
– Fall down holes!
– Press buttons!
– Look at colours!
– Touch the screen!
– Know the true meaning of what it is to be a box void of remorse.
Funny stuff, right? If Boxy The Box is even half as entertaining as its marketing materials, I reckon Eoin could have a hit on his hands.
As mentioned above, Boxy The Box is all set to roll onto the Apple App Store and Google Play this Thursday, October 22nd. In the meantime, you can swing by the game’s official site or follow Eoin Duffy on Twitter to find out more.