Are you that person who loudly complains at parties that your taste in games isn’t catered for? Do you shout that all you want is a dystopian, steampunk mini golf game and the big publishers won’t let your dream see the light of day? Month after month do you read the previews and news of studio closures in ‘Dystopian Minigolf Companion’ and think “Why is it my love that is so fated to never see life on the screen?”. If so you need to be quiet: you’re ruining perfectly good parties with your niche-driven whining.
Besides, Vertiginous Golf is available to play on Steam Early Access so your wish has been granted.
As you can see from the trailer above, Kinelco and Lone Elk Creative have developed a gloriously convoluted set of unearthly golf courses for you to navigate with nowt but your clubs and your wit.
The setting and genre aren’t the only things that make Vertiginous Golf stand out from other games. Their approach to Early Access development is unabashedly open. “Vertiginous Golf’s project management tool has been made public for anyone to access,” our reporter on the street, Prezz Relisse, was told, “the new community-focused website will provide a hub where fans can track and discuss the development, vote on key decisions, upload their own fan-art and even contribute content to the game’s fictional universe.”
“We really want to bring our community into the process as much as possible,” said Paul Barnes, Director at Kinelco. “I’m particularly excited to see what they contribute to the fictional universe of the game and for fans to be able to see something they have come up with in the final game.”
Vertiginous aim higher than your average minigolf game (which there aren’t exactly an abundance of), as you play through the various courses – which all take place on beautifully constructed floating islands – you learn about the smog-shrouded industrial world that lives on the ground below.
Between now and release late this year the developers plan on releasing updates every few weeks, adding new features and courses. The Early Access launch itself comes with a big update not available in the previously released beta: after touch. Your ball now comes fitted with a jewel-encrusted beetle that can fire a small jet of flame, allowing you to guide your ball into the hole.
Another major feature that’s due for release in a future update is Oculus Rift support. Yes, your dream of virtual reality golf is finally coming to fruition.