Kalimba (video game)

Last updated
Kalimba
Kalimba cover art.jpg
Developer(s) Press Play
Publisher(s) Microsoft Studios
Engine Unity
Platform(s)
ReleaseXbox One
December 17, 2014
Microsoft Windows
April 22, 2015
Genre(s) Puzzle, platformer
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Kalimba is a puzzle-platform video game developed for the Xbox One and Microsoft Windows by Danish developer Press Play and published by Microsoft Studios. In the game, initially known as "Project Totem", players must move pieces of a totem pole through various levels while avoiding obstacles.

Contents

Gameplay

A noble shaman on the island of Kalimba protects her people through a mystic totem pole. When an evil shaman destroys both the good shaman and the totem pole, she discovers that her spirit can control pieces of the totem and plans to use that ability to save the island's inhabitants by building a new, stronger totem pole.

The player controls two colored pieces of the totem pole simultaneously; when the player moves one piece in a given direction, the second piece copies the action. The totem pieces may pass safely through anything that matches their own color, but otherwise must avoid all enemies and pitfalls. If a piece is lost through contact with an enemy or other obstacle, both pieces are lost, but the pieces reset to the most recently passed checkpoint. As players advance, they collect items scattered throughout the level. Upon completion of the level, points are scored for each item collected, but are reduced by the number of times the pieces were lost. The completed level unlocks a totem piece that also serves to rank the player's performance in that level. Levels may be replayed in order to improve both score and time of completion.

In cooperative mode, each player controls a pair of totem pieces of the same color. Playing through a different set of levels from the single-player mode, players must work together to arrange their pieces in ways to complete the levels. Scoring and ranking are otherwise the same as the single-player version.

Development

First announced in April 2014 as "Project Totem", Kalimba was developed by Press Play, a Danish gaming studio that was acquired in 2012 by Microsoft Studios. In November 2014, the name was changed to Kalimba officially and a release date of December 17, 2014 was announced for Xbox One, with a Windows PC release planned for January 2015. At the initial announcement, Press Play mentioned that the game would also be released on Xbox 360, but after the release date for Xbox One was announced, Press Play said, "while there are plans to hopefully bring Kalimba to [Xbox] 360 in the future, there's nothing concrete in the works at the moment." [1]

In April 2015, Press Play announced the official release date of the PC version of Kalimba, which was released on Steam April 22, 2015. [2] They further announced an update to both versions that would add two new gameplay modes along with a DLC expansion that added new single-player and co-op levels to the game. [2] One of the new modes allows single players to speedrun the levels and compete against ghosts of other players, while the second mode introduces new challenges for co-op play. [3] The new game modes are free to all users, and users can purchase the additional levels either individually (single-player or co-op) or in a discounted bundle; current Xbox One players can obtain the DLC at no additional charge for a limited time. [3]

Reception

Kalimba has received generally positive reviews. [4] Reviewers have complimented the game on its concept and the fun of playing the game cooperatively, but have said that the game's graphics and sounds are ultimately "forgettable". [7] The game was both nominated and shortlisted for a 2015 BAFTA award in the 'Best Original Property' category. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Race Driver: Grid</i> 2008 racing video game

Race Driver: Grid is a 2008 racing video game developed and published by Codemasters for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, arcade, Java ME and OS X. It is the first game in the Grid series.

<i>Lost Planet 2</i> 2010 third-person shooter video game

Lost Planet 2 is a third-person shooter video game developed and published by Capcom and Beeline Interactive, Inc. The game is the sequel to Lost Planet: Extreme Condition, taking place ten years after the events of the first game, on the same planet. The game was developed for BlackBerry, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. Originally set to be released in early 2010, Capcom delayed the game's consoles release to May 11, 2010 in North America and Europe, May 13 in Australia and May 20 for Japan, while the BlackBerry version was released worldwide on April 28 and the Microsoft Windows version was released in October that year. The title sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide.

<i>Blood Bowl</i> (2009 video game) 2009 video game

Blood Bowl is a 2009 fantasy sports video game developed by Cyanide, loosely based on American football, and adapted from the board game of the same name, which is produced by Games Workshop, using the CRP ruleset. It was released for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, iOS, and Android.

<i>Need for Speed: Shift</i> 2009 racing video game

Need for Speed: Shift is the thirteenth installment of the racing video game franchise Need for Speed. It was developed by Slightly Mad Studios in conjunction with EA Bright Light and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable, Android, iOS, Symbian, Windows Mobile, MeeGo and J2ME in 2009.

<i>Battlefield 3</i> 2011 video game

Battlefield 3 is a 2011 first-person shooter video game developed by DICE and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is a direct sequel to 2005's Battlefield 2.

<i>Mount & Blade: Warband</i> 2010 standalone video game expansion pack

Mount & Blade: Warband is the standalone expansion pack to the strategy action role-playing video game Mount & Blade. Announced in January 2009, the game was developed by the Turkish company TaleWorlds Entertainment and was published by Paradox Interactive on March 30, 2010. The game is available as a direct download from the TaleWorlds website, through the Steam digital distribution software, as a DRM-free version from GOG.com, or as a DVD with required online activation. The macOS and Linux versions were released on July 10, 2014, through Steam.

<i>Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light</i> 2010 video game

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is an action-adventure game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix's European branch for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Android and iOS. It is part of the Tomb Raider series, but unlike previous games, the game does not carry the Tomb Raider brand and has a heavy emphasis on cooperative gameplay. In multiplayer, players take the role as either Lara Croft or a 2,000-year-old Mayan warrior named Totec. They must work together in order to stop the evil spirit Xolotl and retrieve the Mirror of Smoke. A single-player campaign mode is available that does not include the non-playable character AI following or helping Lara.

<i>Dungeon Defenders</i> 2010 video game

Dungeon Defenders is a hybrid multiplayer video game developed by Trendy Entertainment that combines the genres of tower defense and action role-playing game. It is based on a showcase of Unreal Engine 3 named Dungeon Defense. The game takes place in a fantasy setting where players control the young apprentices of wizards and warriors and defend against hordes of monsters. A sequel titled Dungeon Defenders II was released in 2015.

<i>Cobalt</i> (video game) 2016 video game

Cobalt is an action side-scrolling video game developed by Oxeye Game Studio and published by Mojang Studios. It was released on 2 February 2016 for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and the Xbox One consoles.

<i>NASCAR The Game: Inside Line</i> 2012 racing videogame by Eutechnyx

NASCAR The Game: Inside Line is the second edition of the NASCAR The Game racing simulator series, and the sequel to NASCAR The Game: 2011. Developed by Eutechnyx and published in the United States by Activision, it was released for PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360 on 6 November 2012. A PC version for Windows was released in July 2013 entitled NASCAR The Game: 2013. All the 23 Sprint Cup Series race tracks are featured in the game, with the addition of various Cup Series drivers, teams and cars. The game's cover features NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.

<i>Hellraid</i> Video game

Hellraid was a video game in development by Techland. It was scheduled to be released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2015, but has been put on hold since then. A mobile spin-off titled Hellraid: The Escape was published in 2014.

<i>A Hat in Time</i> 2017 video game

A Hat in Time is a platform game developed by Danish game studio Gears for Breakfast and published by Humble Bundle. The game was developed using Unreal Engine 3 and funded through a Kickstarter campaign, which nearly doubled its fundraising goals within its first two days. The game was self-published for macOS and Windows in October 2017, and by Humble Bundle for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles two months later. A version for the Nintendo Switch was released in October 2019.

<i>Alien Rage</i> 2013 first-person shooter video game

Alien Rage is a 2013 first-person shooter video game for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 developed by CI Games, then known as City Interactive, using Unreal Engine 3. The game has single-player and competitive multiplayer modes. In its single player campaign, players are put in control of an elite soldier named Jack which is sent to destroy a mining facility and its aliens after they turned against and killed the humans that they had shared the facility with.

<i>Tales from the Borderlands</i> Episodic video game

Tales from the Borderlands is an episodic interactive comedy graphic adventure sci-fi video game based on the Borderlands series. It was developed by Telltale Games under license from Gearbox Software, the developer of the Borderlands series, and 2K, its publisher. The game was released in November 2014 for Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and in 2021 for Nintendo Switch.

<i>Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime</i> 2015 video game

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".

<i>The Escapists</i> Strategy video game

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>Blood Bowl 2</i> 2015 video game

Blood Bowl 2 is a turn-based fantasy sports video game developed by Cyanide Studios and published by Focus Home Interactive. It is a sequel to the 2009 video game Blood Bowl, based on the board game by Games Workshop. The game was developed for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, and was released on 22 September 2015. A Mac OS X version of the game was launched in May 2016.

<i>Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide</i> 2015 video game

Warhammer: The End Times – Vermintide is a 2015 cooperative survival video game developed and published by Fatshark. The game is set in the Warhammer Fantasy universe. The game is multiplayer-only, and its structure is similar to Valve's Left 4 Dead series. Set during an apocalyptic event called the End Times, players can team up with three other players to fight against the Skaven, a race of rodent-like creatures, in the city of Ubersreik. At the end of each match, the players are given the opportunity to roll dice, which determine the weapons they will receive as reward.

<i>MudRunner</i> 2017 video game

MudRunner is a 2017 off-roading simulation game developed by Saber Interactive and published by Focus Home Interactive. It was released on October 31, 2017 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One and is a spin-off/sequel of the 2014 Windows-exclusive Spintires, which was developed by Oovee Game Studios. It was later added to the Xbox Game Pass in December 2018. Similar to Spintires, MudRunner has the player control off-road vehicles as they traverse locations to complete objectives. The game was released in Japan on Nintendo Switch on June 18, 2020. A sequel to MudRunner was released on April 28, 2020 titled SnowRunner.

<i>Bus Simulator 21</i> 2021 vehicle simulation video game

Bus Simulator 21 is a bus simulator game developed by Stillalive Studios and published by Astragon Entertainment. It is developed on the Unreal Engine 4. It is the sixth in the Bus Simulator series, and is the direct sequel to Bus Simulator 18. The game has been released on 7 September 2021 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

References

  1. ↑ Samit Sarkar (November 14, 2014). "Press Play's Project Totem renamed Kalimba, launches Dec. 17 on Xbox One (update)". Polygon . Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Chris Carter (April 14, 2015). "Kalimba is coming to PC, with free and paid DLC". Destructoid . Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Kalimba – Now on Steam! And that's not all…". pressplay.dk. Press Play. April 22, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Kalimba for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Kalimba for PC Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Kalimba for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  7. 1 2 Miguel Concepcion (January 6, 2015). "Kalimba Review: Tower Records". gamespot.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  8. ↑ Dave Rudden (December 17, 2014). "Kalimba Review: Hot Swap". IGN.com. Ziff Davis. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  9. ↑ "2015 Games Original Property | BAFTA Awards".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.