Bear Simulator: Where No Game Has Gone Before
posted Sunday Mar 23, 2014 by Nicholas DiMeo
Tired of always playing as a human in a game? It seems that the trend is always human, human, human, kids (also known as humans) who battle using their pets, or plumbers and toads. Some call it a disturbing trend. That's why Portland-based Farjay Studios has brought to life a Kickstarter campaign for a revolutionary game: Bear Simulator.
Throw away your notions of a typical simulator or open-world game, because in Bear Simulator, you are the bear! As the intro video says, you can forage for berries, steal some honey, defend yourself from dangerous animals (like bunnies), rest in your den to replenish health and even explore a huge open world to find secrets that will blow your mind! But tread carefully, because not all secrets are worth finding. Plus, you do this all in FPB, or First Person Bear.
From the explanation on the Kickstarter page of what Bear Simulator is,
A few games in the past got it right and have been rewarded with universal praise, notably Banjo-Kazooie and EnviroBear, but there hasn't been many solid, somewhat realistic bear simulation games (if at all). That's where this comes in.
Sure it may seem like a "dumb idea" or a "really dumb idea" but you can't honestly tell me you've never secretly wanted to be a bear wandering around the forest. That's just an outright lie.
As the developers put it, it's like a mini Skyrim but you're a bear. I don't need any more convincing, but if you do, there's some interesting backer rewards for funding the campaign. Things like creating your own edible thing for the bear to eat, showcasing your artwork in the world or getting to play the game early are all available if you decide to invest in this insanely different, yet awkwardly cool take on a simulator.
All gameplay and animations are still in very early Alpha stages, but the Kickstarter page is full of well-detailed, extremely rich information that explains every aspect of the game's development and time tables. Farjay Studios looks to launch the game in November of this year and if you want to see some gameplay footage, check it out after the break. The Kickstarter page is in the source link below if you're interested in supporting the bear movement. The only question left is, what kind of bear will you be?