Owlchemy Labs first original game, Snuggle Truck, was defined in large part by its reaction to controversy, as the first version -- dubbed Smuggle Truck -- dealt with illegal immigration and generated a small media firestorm and initial App Store rejection. The studio's new effort, titled Jack Lumber, isn't likely to yield criticism for its premise, though it might trigger anger: and it'll be directed squarely at one seriously maniacal tree.
I had a chance to try out the just-announced game at the PAX East gaming convention in Boston this weekend, and the upcoming summer iOS release starts with a little grim humor. The protagonist's kindly grandma is seen sitting in her rocker, minding her own business, when all of a sudden a tree falls on her -- and then mocks you from afar. Now it's up to you to hunt down the evil tree and turn it into firewood, a task made all the more interesting by the fact that you're a supernatural lumberjack.
Each game begins with a cinematic of Jack thrusting lightning bolts from his spirited axe towards the forest, which sends several logs into the air and kickstarts the action. As the timbers spin speedily through the sky, you can press and hold the iPad or iPhone screen at any time to slow down the action and start slicing wood. Basic pieces must be cut down the middle; hitting anywhere else on the log will kill the sluggish effect and end your scoring chance. The goal is to cut through as many pieces of wood on the screen without messing up or running out of time.
As you progress through the waves of skyward logs, you'll encounter other pieces that vary the experience, such as ones that can be cut sideways, others that can only be cut from one direction, and some that add time to the clock. You'll also have to dodge animals found in the mix, though you'll occasionally be rewarded with a screen-clearing bomb to detonate. Owlchemy Labs founder Alex Schwartz explained to me that the game will take the form of a narrative campaign where you'll go from forest to forest, collecting animals along the way as you hunt down the dastardly evergreen.
Fruit Ninja's influence is felt, but it's not necessarily a dominant one. By making you slow down the action and string together log slices, Jack Lumber does seem to have a fresh feel of its own, based on my quick demo on the show floor. And it's already a lot of fun, though Owlchemy plans to spend another two months or so tweaking and expanding the experience. We'll no doubt see and hear more about the game leading up to its expected summer release, which Schwartz says should be a universal app.
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