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[UPDATE: Game Released] Cloud Chasers brings a heartwarming story and great gameplay to Android this week

I came across a video of Cloud Chasers a few weeks ago and I was really impressed. Delving a bit more into the story behind the game, I became even more intrigued. The good news is that this game is coming to Android and iOS soon. How soon? It releases in a couple of days, on Thursday, October 15th.

[UPDATE:Wednesday, October 13th – 11:56 PM- PST] Cloud Chasers from Blindflug Studios is now available to download in the Google Play Store. The game costs $4.00 to download, and does not appear to include any in-app purchases. The link to download the game can be found at the end of this article.

There are a lot of games that have great game play, but no real story to support it. Or, the story is lightly attached to all of the action. In the case of Cloud Chasers, which is being developed by Blindflug Studios, the story is so interwoven with the game play, that you cannot have one without the other. Based on some of the developer blog videos and looking at the screenshots and trailers, you can see that Blindflug Studios has crafted a beautiful game, that at the heart of it, tells a very important story. It is the story of migration and immigration.

“A father and daughter on a desperate journey in hope for a future, beyond the desert.” – Blindflug Studios

What I love about the medium of gaming is that every now and then, you come across the best of what the medium has to offer. It includes an amazing story, great game play, and music that is memorable. The pieces come together in a well-woven fabric, that if any piece is removed, the whole thing completely unravels. It doesn’t happen all that often, but I am certain that when you encountered such games, you remember the moment you started playing it, and sadly, when the ending credits rolled and you realized your journey had come to an end.

Blindflug Studios is based in Zurich Switzerland. They have one other game that is currently available in the Google Play Store entitled, First Strike. That game covered another important topic which is nuclear warfare. If you watch the videos for Cloud Chasers that they have listed on their YouTube channel, you will find that they didn’t take the topic of immigration and clandestine migration lightly. They chose to use the medium of gaming to educate people about the topic, while telling a heartwarming story through fascinating game play. Moritz Zumbuhl, CEO of Blindflug Studios, and Patrick Coursey, the writer of the game, go into detail about the research that was involved in learning about people that are forced to make the difficult decision to leave their homes, in hope of something better. The narrative put in place in Cloud Chasers, takes a sensitive approach to an all-important topic of conversation that is being held in many places around the world. 

Cloud Chasers brings attention to this particular topic in a delicate way, not unlike other successful games that have done it in the past such as Papo and Yo and Spirits of Spring by Minority Media, which are games available on PC, consoles and in some cases iOS. Beyond the colorful and artistic direction taken with the characters and landscapes, music plays an essential part in moving the story forward. Michel Barengo, through his video blog, discusses the challenges of creating music that isn’t tied to just one particular group of people, as immigration can affect anyone. When listening to the music that underscores the trailer for the game, you can hear music that is at times somber, but tinged with hope. It is quite compelling, and I hope it will be available to download in some format, once the game becomes available.

We have talked about the story, and the music, but what about the game play? This is the description that Blindflug Studios offers:

“Guide Francisco and Amelia through five deadly deserts full of dangerous events. Make the right decisions and lead the family from cloud field to cloud field, the rare opportunities to obtain water. Control Amelia’s glider to gather water directly from clouds – but be careful: The Cloud Harvesters, big floating water assembling machines, are always scouting for fields to reap. Try to get as much water as possible before they arrive, as an encounter with them might be fatal. Your water resources will be essential on the journey. Not only are they dearly needed for Francisco and Amelia’s survival – you will also need them to trade for goods and services in the major cities along the way. Built like a roguelike, Cloud Chasers is a unique experience in every playthrough, no journey will be the same. Share your own story of Francisco and Amelia’s voyage from their home town to the land of their dreams with your friends and other players.” – Blindflug Studios

We are excited about this game being released this week. It will be released for both Android/iOS this Thursday, October 15th. We do not know about the price of the game at this point. If we find out before the game releases, we will let you know. In the meantime, head over to the website for Cloud Chasers, to learn much more about all of the research and hard work that has gone into this game. Moritz Zumbuhl has stated that the game is “… fun to play.” Based on what I have seen thus far, this will be the first game I download Thursday, when it arrives in the Play Store.

Official Website: Cloud Chasers Game

 

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