When we tried out the pre-launch version of the Ouya console, we were disappointed with the catalog — there was plenty to play, but it was still distinctly lacking any halo titles. As Ouya prepares for a retail launch in June, one of its long-awaited exclusives has been unveiled: it’s by Quantum Conundrum and Portal developer Kim Swift’s team at Airtight Games, and it’s called Soul Fjord.
Ouya announces ‘Soul Fjord,’ an exclusive disco-infused dungeon crawler from ‘Portal’s’ Kim Swift
is a senior tech and policy editor focused on online platforms and free expression. Adi has covered virtual and augmented reality, the history of computing, and more for The Verge since 2011.
As you’ll see in the trailer, the hook of Soul Fjord right now is its aesthetic, described as a fusion of ‘70s funk vibes and Norse mythology. If you haven’t guessed the premise already, perpetual pulp villain Loki is attempting to start Ragnarök, and the game’s blaxploitation-influenced protagonist must fight “smooth trolls” and “disco wizards” to join the party. The mix makes more sense given the gameplay, which blends procedurally generated dungeon-crawling with rhythm-based combat. You can find a few quick shots of Soul Fjord’s combat in the developer diary below, but we’re guessing it’s still very much a work in progress.
Airtight’s title was one of a handful that Ouya teased back in February, along with upcoming games by Papo & Yo developer Minority Media and Red Orchestra 2 studio Tripwire. Soul Fjord is listed as “coming soon,” presumably some time around the Ouya’s retail launch — and hopefully by then the problems we had with the existing version will have been ironed out.
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