UFO 50: A Vast Collection of Unique Games
UFO 50 is a challenging subject to encapsulate. During a conversation with Jon Perry, one of the six developers who collaborated on this ambitious project, it became clear that discussing just one of the games is akin to trying to summarize an entire filmography of a director or the discography of a musician. While not impossible, such discussions lack the depth necessary to do justice to the work. Perry has a significant role, having served as director or co-director on 17 out of the 50 games in the collection. He acknowledges the collaborative nature of the project, stating, “this is a very collaborative project, so those lines are all pretty blurry.”
### A Unique Compilation of Games
UFO 50 features 50 entirely distinct games, yet only one, Mooncat, evokes a sense of nostalgia reminiscent of a bygone era. Spanning seven years of development during the 1980s, the games begin with 1982’s Barbuta and conclude with 1989’s Cyber Owls. Unlike typical game compilations, all titles in UFO 50 are attributed to a fictional developer, UFO Soft, alongside non-existent consoles such as the LX-I, LX-II, and LX-III. This creative twist means that the 50 games, each offering a comprehensive gaming experience and some requiring many hours to complete, were ultimately crafted by a team of six individuals. Originally announced in 2017 with a planned release for the following year, the development timeline expanded, humorously paralleling the fictional timelines of UFO Soft.
### An Overwhelming Experience
The sheer volume of content in UFO 50 could easily inspire an array of articles, each delving into the development of its games. Perry admits that the intentional feeling of being overwhelmed is part of the design. “Maybe that seems a bit odd now because it’s not like feeling ‘overwhelmed’ is normally a positive adjective you’re trying to create, but it was kind of the vibe we were going for,” he explains. The idea is to create an experience where players feel a bit lost and must devise their own strategies to navigate through the collection. “We think of it as an open-world video game itself, the larger collection,” he adds.
### Focusing on Bug Hunter
Rather than attempting to tackle all of UFO 50’s offerings, I chose to highlight one of my favorites directed by Perry: Bug Hunter. Previously, I have compared it favorably to the indie hit Into the Breach by Subset Games. In Bug Hunter, players confront swarms of insect-like enemies on a grid-based board, aiming to eliminate them before they overwhelm your defenses. Interestingly, Bug Hunter was playable in its prototype stage before Into the Breach’s release in 2018. Perry reveals that the concept started as a board game long before UFO 50’s development began in late 2015. Co-creator Derek Yu noted that the collection was conceived as a response to the saturated indie game landscape, where standing out became increasingly difficult.
### The Evolution of Bug Hunter
The transition of Bug Hunter into UFO 50 was influenced by the crowded tabletop gaming market, which also saw an influx of titles inspired by the deck-builder Dominion. Although Bug Hunter was initially designed as a hybrid of card and board gameplay, Perry faced challenges in pitching the game. “I didn’t really know how to sell that game because for one, I think just saying ‘deck-building’ in a pitch at that time would make publishers groan,” he explains. With the game’s grid layout coinciding with the popularity of chess-like mechanics, it became a combination of elements that publishers were uninterested in. As a result, the original design was abandoned. Nevertheless, many concepts from the tabletop version carried over to the digital adaptation, including the ability to push enemies into pits and the introduction of energy cubes, which are integral to the final game.
### Unique Mechanics Add Depth
The most intriguing aspect of Bug Hunter’s digital evolution is the introduction of various alien bugs as adversaries. These creatures evolve and threaten to take over the board if not eliminated by the player. This notion was initially intended for a different game within the collection but was later integrated into Bug Hunter. Perry explains, “If you’re playing a competitive deck builder game, I’m building up stronger and following some kind of advancement curve, but then also my opponent is, and so there’s that interesting dance that happens.” He aimed to replicate this dynamic in a single-player setting by giving the bugs their own tech tree, allowing them to evolve in simpler yet responsive ways compared to the player’s actions. The bugs don’t directly attack; instead, their evolution poses a significant threat, providing a unique twist to the gameplay.
### Conclusion: A Collection Worth Exploring
Bug Hunter stands out as one of the highlights within UFO 50, particularly for fans of turn-based strategy games. However, it is merely one of 50 diverse titles in this expansive collection. The narrative surrounding UFO 50 is rich enough to fill an entire book—or perhaps even 50—making it a source of endless fascination and discovery. The journey through this creative wilderness promises an exciting adventure for gamers willing to explore its depths.
