Duel Runnings: Nidhogg Trailer

You know who my favourite indie dev is? Messhof. You know who doesn't get enough coverage on this site? Messhof. This is NOT GOOD ENOUGH, and it changes NOW. Beneath the jump I've enclosed the latest trailer and some rambling on his upcoming two-player duel simulator, Nidhogg. Don't be fooled by the placid screenshot. Nidhogg looks like it'll be as heavily spirited and almost as brain-buzzingly odd as all of Messhof's stuff.

Nidhogg's closest relative in Messhof's existing stable is probably Cowboyana, his two-player cowboy "simulator" that includes a whiskey-pouring minigame with both players controlling the bottle, frequent reversals of the controls and levels interspersed with randomly generated cowboy poetry. If you've yet to play it and have a flatmate or sibling to join you, you've no time to waste.

The only reason I say Nidhogg's probably going to be similar is that it also seems to be a competetive 2D affair. I haven't played it, so if you just watch the trailer below you'll know as much as me (and hopefully you'll be as giddy, too). It seems to involve two players each trying to race in a different direction, with the only obstacle to that being how quickly the other player respawns. There also seems to be a flying snake involved. I'm not sure.

Excellently, Messhof's being given some amount of money to put this together. Along with Cactus, Messhof's becoming a bit of a name on the trippy-indie-games circuit, and Nidhogg was commissioned by the New York University Game Centre. He certainly seems to be taking his time with it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've just noticed the absurd wealth of games on Cactus' site that I've never heard of, let alone played. To work!