| The Westport Independent | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Double Zero One Zero |
| Publisher(s) | Coffee Stain Studios |
| Designer(s) | Pontus Lundén |
| Programmer(s) | Kristian Brodal |
| Artist(s) |
|
| Writer(s) |
|
| Composer(s) | Pontus Lundén |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release |
|
| Genre(s) | Simulation |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
The Westport Independent is a simulation video game developed by Double Zero One Zero and published by Coffee Stain Studios. The game was released digitally for Android, iOS, Linux, Microsoft Windows, and OS X on 21 January 2016.
The Game is set in a backsliding city-state named Westport amid a crisis regarding Parlament's attempts to censor the media. The player (The Editor and Owner of the afformentioned "Westport Independent" will have to choose what the newspaper will publish and what it will not. All decisions will have a major impact throughout the course of the game. The player will also need to confront the writers working for the newspaper, who will want different content to be published. [1] Articles will include subjects such as riots, healthcare, industrial accidents and rebellions. [2]
Originally, the game was developed over a period of 72 hours. This version was featured on several websites. Eventually, the developers decided to expand it into a full length game with many more features added. While it is essentially a more fully featured (though otherwise unrelated) version of Lucas Pope's The Republia Times (the Ludum Dare precursor to Papers, Please ), the developers have stated they were unaware of Pope's game until after they had finished the game-jam version of this one. [3]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | (PC) 63/100 [4] (iOS) 75/100 [5] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| PC Gamer (US) | 67/100 [6] |
| The Escapist |    [7] |
The Westport Independent received mixed reviews. The game holds an aggregated Metacritic score of 63/100 for Microsoft Windows, based on 15 critic reviews, [4] and one of 75/100 for iOS, based on 6 critic reviews. [5] PC Gamer reviewer Matt Elliott gave the game a score of 65/100, stating that "[a] cleanly executed idea falls short because of flat characterisation and a dissatisfying lack of consequence. If only real papers were this toothless." [6] Nick Monroe from The Escapist awarded it 3.5 out of 5 stars, saying that "[the game] is a great choice for fans of Papers, Please , and anyone who wants a game that makes you critically think about real-life topics." [7]
Machinarium is a puzzle point-and-click adventure game developed by Amanita Design. It was released on 16 October 2009 for Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, on 8 September 2011 for iPad 2 on the App Store, on 21 November 2011 for BlackBerry PlayBook, on 10 May 2012 for Android, on 6 September 2012 on PlayStation 3's PlayStation Network in Europe, on 9 October 2012 in North America and on 18 October 2012 in Asia, and was also released for PlayStation Vita on 26 March 2013 in North America, on 1 May 2013 in Europe and on 7 May 2013 in Asia. Demos for Windows, Mac and Linux were made available on 30 September 2009. A future release for the Wii's WiiWare service was cancelled as of November 2011 due to WiiWare's 40MB limit.
Terraria is a 2011 action-adventure sandbox game developed by Re-Logic. The game was first released for Windows and has since been ported to other PC and console platforms. The game features exploration, crafting, building, painting, and combat with a variety of creatures in a procedurally generated 2D world. Terraria received generally positive reviews and by 2022 had sold 44 million copies, making it one of the best-selling video games.
Wizorb is a video game created and published by Tribute Games. It was released on the Xbox 360 Xbox Live Marketplace on September 29, 2011. The gameplay is a cross between a Breakout clone and a role-playing video game. Wizorb was ported to Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. It was released for Windows through Steam on March 14, 2012, with added achievements and cloud storage. Upon release, Wizorb saw favorable reviews from critics, with VentureBeat's Jacob Siegal listing it as one of the top 10 independent video games of 2011.
TowerFall is an action indie video game created by Maddy Thorson through her company Maddy Makes Games. In the game, players control up to four archers in a multiplayer platform fighter. It was released on the Ouya microconsole in June 2013 and was later ported to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Linux, OS X, and Windows as TowerFall Ascension and to the Nintendo Switch under its original title of TowerFall.
Papers, Please is a puzzle simulation video game created by indie game developer Lucas Pope, developed and published through his production company, 3909 LLC. The game was released on August 8, 2013, for Microsoft Windows and OS X, for Linux on February 12, 2014, and for iOS on December 12, 2014. A port for the PlayStation Vita was announced in August 2014 and was then released on December 12, 2017. A new port for iOS as well as for Android was released in August 2022.
Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas is an action-adventure video game developed by Finnish studio Cornfox & Bros. It focuses on an unnamed boy protagonist's quest to find his lost father and defeat the living fortress, Oceanhorn. It was first released for iOS in November 2013, and later had ports for Android, Microsoft Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation Vita.
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is a space shooter video game developed by Asteroid Base for Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 4, Linux, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The project is part of the ID@Xbox program. The game's title is a reference to the Bruce Cockburn song "Lovers in a Dangerous Time".
Warhammer 40,000: Storm of Vengeance is a real-time strategy video game developed and published by Eutechnyx. It was released for Microsoft Windows, iOS and Android. It was set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, it follows the Dark Angels, commanded by Grand Master Belial, and the Bad Moons, commanded by Ork Warlord Ghazghkull Thraka on the planet Piscina IV. It was released on April 3, 2014 for Windows and iOS, and on April 22, 2014 for Android.
Game of Thrones, also known as Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series, is an episodic graphic adventure game developed and published by Telltale Games for Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. It is based on the television series of the same name.
The Escapists is a strategy game played from a top-down perspective. The game was developed by Mouldy Toof Studios and following a Steam Early Access release in 2014, was released in 2015 for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. It was released on iOS and Android in 2017. A Nintendo Switch version of the game containing all downloadable content was released in 2018. The game was launched on the Epic Games Store on 23 September 2021, with the weekly free game campaign of Epic Games. Players assume the role of an inmate and must escape from prisons of increasing difficulty.
I Am Bread is a platform video game published by Bossa Studios on 9 April 2015. The game is available for Microsoft Windows, OS X, iOS, PlayStation 4, Ouya, Xbox One, and Android. It was removed from Google Play at an Jan 2020. The gameplay involves using various abilities, such as sticking to surfaces to solve puzzles and reach the toaster. Along the way, players must avoid hazards like dirty floors, knives, and pets.
Ronin is a turn-based action platform video game developed by indie developer Tomasz Wacławek and published by Devolver Digital. It was released for Microsoft Windows on 27 May 2015 into Steam Early Access and left it on 30 June 2015. A later update for the game introduced builds for OS X and Linux on 15 October 2015. A PlayStation 4 port of Ronin was released on 1 November 2016.
Ziggurat is a first-person shooter dungeon crawl video game developed and published by Milkstone Studios. The game was released for Linux, Microsoft Windows, and Mac in October 2014 after being available for two months in early access. The game was released in 2015 for the Xbox One in March, and PlayStation 4 in April. It was inspired by Heretic and Hexen: Beyond Heretic. A sequel, titled Ziggurat 2, was released on October 28, 2021.
SkyBox Labs Inc. is a Canadian video game developer located in Burnaby, British Columbia. Founded in 2011 by Derek MacNeil, Shyang Kong and Steven Silvester formerly from EA Vancouver, they are mostly known for their work with Xbox Game Studios on the Halo, Age of Empires and Minecraft franchises.
Albert & Otto is a 2D puzzle-platform game developed and published by K Bros Games. The game will release as four stand-alone episodes, with the first episode titled "The Adventure Begins" releasing on October 28, 2015, for Microsoft Windows and OS X. The game was released for Xbox One on January 10, 2018, and for the PlayStation 4 on January 16.
Shattered Planet is a roguelike role-playing video game developed by Kitfox Games. The player assumes the role of a clone who is tasked with researching and cataloging alien wildlife. The iOS version was released on March 27, 2014. The Android version was released on April 10, 2014. Shattered Planet was released for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS on July 3, 2014.
Beholder is an adventure video game about life in a totalitarian police state. The game was developed by Warm Lamp Games and published by Alawar Entertainment on November 9, 2016. The game is supported on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
The Escapists 2 is a strategy role-playing video game developed by Mouldy Toof Studios and published by Team17. It is the sequel to The Escapists (2015) and it was released worldwide for Linux, macOS, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in August 2017. Nintendo Switch and mobile phones versions were released in 2018 and 2019, both iOS and Android respectively.
Knights of Pen & Paper 2, stylized as Knights of Pen & Paper II, is a role-playing video game developed by Kyy Games and published by Paradox Interactive. It was released on May 13, 2015, for iOS and Android, and on October 20, 2015, for Windows, OS X and Linux through the download service Steam. Versions for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One were released in December 2018 under the name Knights of Pen & Paper 2: Deluxiest Edition. It is the sequel to Knights of Pen & Paper.
Human: Fall Flat is a puzzle-platform game developed by No Brakes Games and published by Curve Digital. It was initially released for Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux in July 2016, and received ports for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, and iOS and Android over the next several years.