Aztez In A Nutshell

Hello! If you're reading this post it's because I want you to know what the Aztez project is all about without wasting a whole lot of your time.

Aztez is a 3d game with sidescrolling beat-em-up gameplay in the vein of Viewtiful Joe. It is set in the world of the Aztecs and is highly stylized. Unlike Viewtiful Joe, there is going to be a deep combat system not unlike Devil May Cry, God Of War, and Bayonetta. I want to create a combat system that provides many offensive options on a moment to moment basis, instead of one or two rigid attack inputs to mash on. Here is a post elaborating more on the direct influences.

I have been using Unity to interactively demonstrate the concept of the game in small pieces; here is one of our environments that you are able to run around and jump in. Use the arrow keys to run and the up arrow to jump.

The first iteration of the project is going to be released for free and will be playable in web browsers. It is going to be a combat sandbox where you are essentially put into a large room with lots of enemies to engage. We are intentionally minimizing the scope of the game so that we do not get bogged down in the production of a story or a complex game structure and can instead focus on creating a great combat system. He is a post elaborating on the different phases of the project.

The game employs a very stark look with easy to create assets. Using Unity allows me (Ben Ruiz, sole artist and designer) to produce environments and construct character props with minimal programmer intervention. I have also used Unity to communicate the impactful nature of the game's combat effects. Use the z button to watch an attack and check out the blog post to play with the individual effects.

We're very serious about creating a deep combat system, but I am unfortunately a little handicapped due to a distinct lack of public knowledge regarding the engineering of such games. So we are doing everything in our power to identify the many attributes of an attack so that we can create them individually and then link them together in different ways to create lots of fun and interesting combos.

Our goals with the project:

• Very robust set of mechanics that provide a fun mix-up of melee and distance combat. No mechanic unlockables! It will all be available in its entirety from the start.
• Incredible sensation of power with concentrated visual charm. Will push the very limits of combat effects.
• Crowds of fun and simple enemies to control. Easy, free flowing mass destruction will provide a distinct sense of dominance.
• A high skill ceiling for those who are interested, but with very satisfying combat extant at the lower levels.
• Lots of fun quirks and weird mechanics to discover. Lots of strange loopholes to exploit and rules to break.
• Fun and accessible secondary systems in place to enhance the combat and expand the creative landscape.

We're still early on the project and are moving forward on all fronts. Open communication is encouraged and we would love to answer your questions and hear your feedback.