Save Game Sunday Kickday – Together: Amna & Saif

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These days, it seems like every game has a multiplayer component.  But modern multiplayer is played almost exclusively online.  Even co-op gaming has become largely dependent on the internet.  Even as broadband allows us to play with friends all over the world, something very important has been lost.  That intangible connection between two people, sitting on a couch, playing on a single screen is quickly fading away.  Our choice for this week’s Kickday, Together: Amna & Saif, hopes to bring that experience back.

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Together: Amna & Saif is a game about interdependence, about working together to achieve a common goal.  It is a purely cooperative experience, with no single player or multiplayer component.  The game can only be played by two people, or one person who is freakishly ambidextrous.  But the odds of someone with the ability to play with two controllers at once reading this article, and then going on to play Together are rather low, so let’s just focus on the two player experience, shall we?  Building Together from the ground up to be played by two people opens up many new avenues of gameplay that would otherwise be impossible.  Players will have to think about not just what they need to progress, but what their partner needs as well.  Whether it’s solving a tricky puzzle, or timing your movements just right to clear an obstacle, you will constantly be relying on the person sitting next to you, and they will be relying on you.

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Together tells the story Amna and Saif, a mother and son.  Their daughter and sister has fallen ill, and now the two must journey deep into a mysterious forest to find a cure before it’s too late.  They will have to work together to overcome the challenging landscapes and menacing beasts that reside in the forest.  So, no pressure or anything, right?  The game has an elegant and vibrant art style, and simple, easily understood controls.  Together is meant to be accessible to everyone including children and non-gamers.  That’s not to say that more advanced players will be bored with the game, though.  Optional quests and challenges are built into the experience, allowing players of every level to enjoy Together equally.

Together: Amna & Saif is being developed by Mount Olympus Games, a two person operation consisting of Programmer and Game Designer Lyle Cox, and Art Director Evan Munro.  To hear more about Together, and to see the game in action, check out their video below.

The game’s Kickstarter campaign currently has 82 backers, and has raised nearly $2600 of its $10,000 goal.  With 29 days remaining in the campaign, you’ve got plenty of time to check out the game, decide if you want to contribute, and choose which pledge tier best works for you.

  • $5: Your name listed on the backer page of our website and the game credits (backers will be listed by tier) + Our sincere thanks for your support.
  • $10 EARLY BIRD BACKER COPY: Same as the BACKER COPY but at a lower price for early backers. Your name listed on the backers page of our website and the games credits.
  • $15 BACKER COPY: DRM-free digital copy or steam key of the game when it is released, a set of high-resolution backer-exclusive wallpapers, your name listed on the backers page of our website and the games credits.
  • $20 FULL PACKAGE COPY: Soundtrack for the game plus all previous rewards.
  • $25 BETA ACCESS: Help improve the game by breaking it and giving feedback. Watch the evolution of the game and levels as we improve them. Access to closed beta forums. You’ll also be listed as a beta tester on the backers page of our website and the games credits. Includes soundtrack.
  • $30 EXTRA COPY: Two DRM-free digital copies or steam keys of the game when it is ready for release. Your name listed on the backers page of our website and the games credits. Note: You only need one copy to play the game. Includes soundtrack. Does not include early access.
  • $40 EARLY ACCESS + EXTRA COPY: Early Access to the game and two copies of the released game. Your name listed as a beta tester on the backers page of our website and the games credits. Includes soundtrack.
  • $90 PHYSICAL REWARDS: 24×36 Poster of your choice, a T-Shirt, and a 1” Pin. Includes everything in the BETA ACCESS Tier.
  • $300 DESIGN A LEVEL: A special section of the released game will be dedicated to levels designed by backers of this reward tier. The level will be marked with your name. We will put your level in during the beta stage so you can talk with beta players and get feedback on your levels to make changes before the game is released. Includes everything in the BETA ACCESS tier. To add physical rewards add $50. Add $30 international shipping if needed.

Some of my fondest gaming memories involve sitting next to a friend, playing together, laughing and yelling, cursing and high fiving, experiencing all the highs and lows of a video game together.  This so-called “couch co-op” is becoming exceedingly rare these days, and it’s heart warming to see a game trying to bring it back, especially one as gorgeous as Together.  So if you’re like me, and have fond memories of couch co-op, why don’t you make this Sunday a Kickday, and support Together: Amna and Saif?


About the Author: (@Joe_of_the_Dead) Lead Editor, Writer

Joe was born in a time of war. A console war. Two electronic titans were locked in a heated battle for the living rooms of America. Which titans, you ask? Well, the Fairchild Channel F and the Atari 2600 of course. You see, Joe is old. So many of his favorite games tend to be on the older side as well. But that hasn’t stopped him from developing unhealthy obsessions with such modern franchises as Halo and Mass Effect. Just don’t tell him how long it’s been since the original Metroid was released. His aging heart can’t take the shock.

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