If you haven't played the original Lugaru, then check it out. It was a notable and original game for a few reasons. One was implementing advanced physics and context simulation into the fighting system. I.E, instead of having a bunch of buttons to mash and get combos, you get three; crouch, jump, and attack, coupled with the movement keys. You could make a large variety of attacks based simply on context. For instance, a weak punch (Standstill-Attack) thrown at an enemy who doesn't know of your presence will deal extra damage and maybe knock him down to the ground. Thrown at an alert enemy, it will just push him back because he's in a fighter stance, or he might counter it. If an enemy launches a kick at your face, you can do a few things; handspring back to dodge, crouch to allow it to pass and then attack, or best yet, use a unique context-based reversal system to catch the leg, stop it with your hand, and then deliver a kick of your own to the off-balanced enemy- right in the groin, sending them flying with the message of "BOI, DON'TCHU DARE TRY TO TOUCH ME AGAIN, YA HEAR?". An enemy throwing a punch at you might find himself on the ground from a crouching sweep kick, or behind your back from a throw. If the opposite is true, you can quickly flip in mid-air to re-gain your balance, or roll harmlessly upon impact if you get thrown over the enemy's shoulder. Context, physics, and realism are the key 3 motivators of Lugaru. Thousands of people thought it well worth the money of 20$, and it was drastically simple compared to L2, named Overgrowth. Dozens of enemies. Dozens of new weapons. Shader based graphics. Large terrains coupled with detailed layered skies, complete with atmospheric effects like blur and haze. Dynamic physics engine Phoenix, allowing everything from a knife throw to a blood drop be affected by everything else in the dynamic power. A nicely crafted storyline, along with a separate co-op storyline and online multiplayer. Beautifully rendered high end terrain. A liquid physics engine allowing water to be used. Implementing unique aspects of the animals, like the wolf's keen scent, with the rest of the world- a bloodied rabbit upwind of a wolf will draw a large amount of attention. A sneaky rabbit lying in water downwind of the wolf will be able to pass as a shadow, leaving behind a body, and not his own. I'm barely touching on this shiny unique Indie work of awesome. Right now, you can pre-order it for 30$, though it would be wise to wait for the free demo. (Release: Q1 of '09) Fast-paced, realistic fights immerse you quickly in Lugaru, and Overgrowth can only promise to be Lugaru to the 10th power.


All of that, and there are more subtle awesome aspects. Like the whale man. You digg?


The Overgrowth Site
The Wolfire Blog, Showing Overgrowth Updates