The Last Tinker: City of Colors — Fight the Bleakness 8/19

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The Last Tinker: City of Colors — Fight the Bleakness 8/19

Why on Earth did we ever stop playing platformer games?

At LOOT, we like to buck trends, swim upstream, and wear our sunglasses at night. Which is why this game announcement does not introduce unshaven gravel-voiced anti-heroes, a vague plot involving paramilitary forces, a production budget roughly akin to the GDP of a small European nation, and a color scheme comprised of only blacks, whites, grays and reds.

Instead, we’re introducing you to a whimsical, colorful platformer. Made by Germans.

This, of course, is unprecedented. Picture the phrase, “German platformer game” in your head. You saw something roughly akin to Wolfenstein mashed up with Rammstein, didn’t you: slightly severe time trials, obscure rules, and somebody shouting at you.

Instead, you get Tinkerworld: lots of colors, friendly characters, and – whisper it – fun.

We play lots of games. You play lots of games. So when we played Mimimi ProductionsThe Last Tinker for the first time, we knew we had to bring it to PlayStation consoles first, because THANK GOD AND ALL THAT IS HOLY, IT’S SOMETHING FRESH AND DIFFERENT.

To be fair, PlayStation rocks because they’ve openly embraced indie developers – and that’s not just PR speak, that’s real. This is awesome, because it means that hidden gems like The Last Tinker suddenly get to bask in the console-exclusive glow as part of the PlayStation family. And the game’s hero, Koru, knows how to bask. Look at the sideburns, man. And the scarf.

The Last Tinker on PS4The Last Tinker on PS4

The catch, of course, is that because so many fantastic indie games are being showcased, you really do have to have something especially cool in order to stand out. So, in no particular order, here’s why you should check out Tinker:

  • So the trailer you just watched talks about bringing harmony back to the fractured districts of Colortown, right? But there’s this whole other story involving a malevolent force called The Bleakness, and it’s taking over the world, and SPOILERS—
  • There are some really cool puzzles in this game. At one point, you even have to conduct a symphony…
  • The fighting mechanics kick ass; as you gain the power to wield each of the different colors against increasingly tough opponents, you have to learn when to finesse your way forward rather than trying to button-mash to victory.
  • This game has parkour, yo.

The Last Tinker on PS4

Sometimes a game surprises you. Like grabbing a bag of Cool Ranch chips at the store only to get home and find out it’s Spicy Nacho and then finding out you actually really like Spicy Nacho, The Last Tinker starts off as Cool Ranch and turns into Spicy Nacho with Sriracha. Gobs and gobs of Sriracha. Trust us on this. We went deep there for a reason.

Starting on August 19th, discover Tinkerworld on the PS4 for yourself. Have any questions about the game? Shoot us a comment below. See you in Colortown!

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Find out about the happy Germans who made the game (schnell!): http://www.mimimi-productions.de/team/
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64 Comments

15 Author Replies

  • colorful, looks interesting.

  • Good to see the awesome processing power of the PS4 being pushed to the limit. O_o

    • This touches on a really important point: somewhere along the line, we started to go mentally associate gritty realism = expensive, and stylish/colorful = low-tech.

      In reality, there’s a lot going on under the hood with this game — without getting too technical, the number of draw calls alone in a few places climbs to a staggering level — and it really does require the horsepower of the PS4 to pull off.

      This game may not be the PS4 equivalent to an aircraft carrier — a loud symbol of overt power — but it *is* the Kon-Tiki: a unique, one-of-a-kind experience that looks small at first, but turns into one of the most memorable adventures you’ll ever be a part of.

      We hope you’ll give it a try. :)

  • From one indie dev to another: thanks for publishing on PS4 :-) I love unique platformers, might give it a shot!!

  • Love all the colors :D

    And, in regards to the comment from neuroned… the PS4 is a piece of hardware, a tool, it doesn’t always have to be used to build a skyscraper or mansion, sometimes something small is just as charming :)

  • Hm, looks fun. I’ll be sure to look into this.

  • I love platformers ( I wish there were more of them), and this looks really solid. Any idea on price?

  • PS+ discount maybe? ;3

    Anyway, the game looks great and I can’t wait to try it out!

  • Wow a 3D platformer especially since I grew up in the 16 bit era as a small child then, at age 8 and up, I grew up with games like Sonic Adventure and Super Mario 64. I’m surprised a game is announced so shortly before its release. :) Can’t wait to check this out for my PS4, hope this haves a PS+ price launch week.

  • Where did this game come from? Looks amazing!

    • Thanks, Princess_Anania!

      Originally, this game was developed by Mimimi Productions. As soon as we played it at LOOT, we realized we had to bring this to the PS4 — there’s *a lot* going on in this game that (deliberately) isn’t in the trailer, and slowly reveals itself as you play through the story.

      For anyone who’s been itching to play a proper 3D platformer game on the PS4…this is it.

  • Oh I just saw on your facebook page it has an E3 trailer, sorry my mistake, i thought this was the first time it was being announced all together.

  • Wow, watching this was pretty nostalgic, in regards to the PS1 era; Spyro the Dragon, GEX, and etc.
    I wish more games were like these again. Can’t wait to try this out.

    • Seriously, why *did* we ever stop playing platformers?

      What got us about this particular game: it’s *memorable.* Like all good parables, there’s a lot of really meaty stuff happening under the whimsical façade. And in terms of the action, it’s got a killer balance of running, jumping and fighting. Just a legitimately great game. Let us know what you think of it when it hits PlayStation on 8/19!

  • Looks fantastic.

    I’m going to assume it’s going to be priced at the same point as on Steam ($20). Should be a day one for me on PS4.

  • Isn’t this already out on Steam?

  • I played this on Steam upon release. It’s a lovely homage to past platformers, with a charming story, and beautiful art direction throughout.

  • Reminds me of some of the classic Ratchet & Clank with rail-grinding and such. Love the 3D platforming. Glad to see you’re keeping the genre fresh!

    • That’s the part that really has us excited: Tinker is moving the genre *forward.* There’s some great throwback nostalgia and all the right tips of the hat to classic platformer games, but there’s also some stuff in Tinker — both in terms of action and plot — that feels fresh and modern. Thanks to PlayStation, we think this title really does represent the indie-developed rebirth of 3D platformers!

  • This looks GREAT! Im on board!

  • Another reason why Playstation is the place to play. Such diversity on the PS4! This game looks amazing. Looking forward to seeing more. I really enjoyed the tone of the post. Nice work!

  • Yes!! When I first saw this game being developed, my initial thought was, “this belongs on Playstation!” I’m psyched to get a chance to play it, and will definitely buy it on release if it isn’t too pricey.

    Also, respect for the tone of this post, and the replies. Gamers need to remember games are about fun, not just graphics and tech. This looks fun and impressive, I’m in!

    • This totally feels like a console game, doesn’t it? The first time we played it, we immediately got on the horn with Mimimi Productions because we knew we had to bring this to PlayStation. And what’s awesome is that PlayStation is legitimately embracing indies, so hidden gems like this can shine. Please let us know what you think of the game when it debuts on 8/19!

  • Will this have a retail release? Look awesome by the way :)

  • #2 Wake me up when the PS4 can real-time render Brave, Frozen, or even the last Toy Story movie. I’m glad Jason schooled you.
    Let’s also not forget that that small indie developers like this don’t have the resources for enormous graphics budgets. There was something to be said for every game coming from a AAA publisher, even if it killed the chances of games like this to be published.

    I will definitely buy this. We need more colorful games like this that I can play with my 3 year old watching. I can now only play f-bomb blood and murder games after he goes to bed.

  • Nice to see you guys on here ;) This looks promising. The world kinda reminds me of Tearaway, which is awesome. Whats the price point for this?

  • I was looking forward to Ratchet next year thinking that’s the only 3rd person Platformer PS4 will have in a extremely long while I’m sooo glad to know this is coming in 2 weeks. Now a few Questions
    1. Is this a Timed PS4 Exclusive? It sounds like it is from the post, and I don’t mean it in a bad way, I don’t expect it not to release on other consoles, I’m just curious as if it’ll come to Xbox and Vita or whatever down the road, I really want 3D platformers to make a comeback. Jak, Spyro, Crash, Ratchet, Sly, Mario, Ty, Banjo etc. are all some iconic games to me so I’d love to see this be successful :)
    2. August 19th is extremely close and I want to get this, money’s already really tight so I gotta know what amount I’ll need to gather.
    3. I’m assuming PSN only and no physical?
    Lastly can’t wait, I literally felt like a kid seeing that trailer and will love this for sure, will this game have a Platinum? and how long would you estimate the games completion length (I mean trophy list completion time)?

    • Hi, Teflon02!

      We’ll do our best to answer your questions, although we do have to keep some details vague right now:

      1.) Currently, the only way to play The Last Tinker on a console is via the PS4. Because PlayStation is awesome and loves indies.

      2.) As it pertains to pricing…let’s just say that you really want to be a PS Plus member. ;)

      3.) Correct, Tinker’s digital-only.

      4.) For trophy hunters, while we do want to be a bit coy right now since the game’s only 11 days away, we do want to mention that a couple of the higher-level trophies are pretty challenging — but in unorthodox ways. Overall, we think people are going to be really happy with the average completion time, trophy-hunt completion time, and the challenge level involved. It’s a very well-balanced game!

  • Is this digital only or retail too?

  • This looks interesting. Its so… vibrant!

    Platformers seriously need to make a comeback. :\

    • I know, right!? A good, old-fashioned 3D platformer is just *fun.* And Tinker’s got some really interesting stuff in it that you don’t normally see.

  • This game looks Awesome! Looking forward for the Release.

  • I saw the trailer of this game back when E3 was still happening …and I’m glad I found it cuz damn I was really excited with this game…..it looks just amazing.Just by seeing that trailer,it was like a must-buy for me.It gives that old feel of platformers.

    Its a shame that its on PS4 though….really wish this was coming to PS3,you guys would have my support,anyway good job Mimimi.

  • I had the pleasure to work together with Jojo, Dom, Max, Bianca, Cem, Hambo and the rest of the Mimimi Productions team on a previous projekt. They absolutely deserve that this projekt will be a big hit. Give this game a try – you won’t be disappointed! It was made with so much love from an upstart indie developer from Munich/Germany – even the PS4-Port was done by Sony itself.

    • The Mimimi guys are a blast! During E3, Dominik and Moritz were in the PlayStation pavilion, showing off the game, and what was awesome was that every single person who tried it out — *everyone* — came away from it with the same general comment: that *this* is the sort of platform game that’s been missing for a while.

      We’re really thrilled to be able to bring The Last Tinker to PlayStation; it just seems like a perfect fit.

  • Love 3D platformers, there none on the PS4 so this is a great addition, looks amazing.

  • any Chance if having a Vita version???

    Please answer

  • Would be a dream come true on Vita.

  • This looks like the kinda of fun action packed platformer I was hoping knack would be. And the fact I only need to wait 10 days is a bonus. How much will it be?

  • I hope this game has a platinum trophy

  • Wait, so this is a 3D platformer?

    *joyous spasms*

  • Okay, but surely there’s some black leather lederhosen somewhere in the game. Right?

  • Ah this brings me back to the good ole days of Spyro and Crash. I’m definitely in on this! One question though… Does the game have any sort of replayability? I remember back in Spyro where if you had collected every collectible in every level you would unlock a secret area.

    • One of the harder trophies in the game definitely lends Tinker some replayability, we think; in addition, because different colors have different attack effects, someone wanting to try a finesse speed-run through Tinker could actually have a very different combat experience.

      Speaking of combat, that arena level…no, never mind, it’s better if we don’t spoil it. :P

  • @Jason Sorenson

    This is just what the PS4 needs right now to balance out its still growing library. I’m really digging the whole concept and the animation looks crisp. The characters look they they are going to be memorable. Congratulations on getting this project started and I look forward to seeing The Last Tinker when ever you guys it comes out. Keep up the good work and good luck on launch day :-)

  • ^^ I mean Sorensen, sorry about the typo…

  • I saw a preview of this some months back and was bummed that it wasn’t coming to consoles; I had no idea this was in the works! Thanks, LOOT. This is exactly what the PS4 needs right now.

    (especially after the relenting darkness of TLOU Remastered)

    • Tinker looks and plays like a game that frankly belongs on consoles; it just lends itself perfectly to a console experience. We’ve even introduced a couple of subtle PS4-specific features that we think people will like — nothing crazy, but if some of the more frenetic combat scenes are played in a dark room, you’ll definitely notice. ;)

  • It look like a Jak and Daxter game.

  • Finally a platformer, super excited for this! My favorite genre! After last gen continuous onslaught of brown and gray shooters, this is a welcomed gift.

  • Im gonna come out and say it..im a graphics guy..but..i am also a gameplay..story,,mechanics and everything else kinda guy.

    I play a game based on all its merits and understand the working of the games and why somethings are limited. I am not in the industry, sadly, but maybe one day as i see games very different to most people.

    Why do i say all this?

    Because i see people complaining about graphics and being a simple game blah blah blah

    Some games dont need to be overly complex or graphical powerhouses. Its about what the dev does with the art style and the mechanics of the games.

    This games looks simple..in the best way possible, the art style is pulled off very well and it looks simple to the point i wouldnt get bored but it still a challenge or still fun.

    Personnaly i cant wait to play this game and it seems LOOT has done a fantastic job and remembered the day of the simple but fun platformer. Looks great guys cant wait :)

    • We really, honestly believe there’s a pent-up appetite for a colorful 3D platformer game. It just seems like platformers kinda went quiet for a while, and now Tinker brings the glory of the genre roaring back to the forefront. Really excited to see all the great feedback that this announcement post is getting so far!

  • A plat former? THIS IS GREAT.
    Day 1 buy guys. I promise. Keep’m coming.

  • Just amazing with all the content that’s coming out for the PS4 good times indeed.

  • Platformers are my favorite genre, so I’ll be checking this out. Looking forward to it!

  • finaly this is what i been complaining about.not so much that ps4 is 75% indy games.but the fact that they all look like somethin from coleco vision maby atari at best vita.i got a ps4 to see ps4 quality games indy or otherwise.and this finaly looks like it belongs on a ps4.this i will get to support these guys even if i hate the game its a step forward.

  • Awesome thanks for the answers. Guess it’s a great thing I’m a PS Plus Member, can’t wait for this!!

  • This game looks fantastic, cannot wait to play it! Reminds me of the old PS1 and PS2 days.

  • Game looks so colorful and fun a throwback to the golden era of fun platformers on the PS1 gonna get my hands err you know what I mean when it comes out.

  • Nice, another PS4 indie with great graphics (for a change). Looks like a Ratchet & Clank: Tearaway :)

  • > As it pertains to pricing…let’s just say that you really want to be a PS Plus member. ;)
    > the game’s only 11 days away,

    That means it won’t make it to September’s Instant Game Collection then? ;) Will look forward to some good discounts.

    Btw, you missed (or avoided) the question about a platinum trophy. I take it that, like most indies, this one is not going to have a plat? Does this kinda suggest that it’s gonna be a bit short – it has “average completion time” only because of the “replayability”?

    • Actually, even if we strip out replayability, trophy hunting, etc. and just look at a typical playthrough, we’re confident people will be happy with the average length of time needed for completion. It’s not the longest game on planet Earth by any stretch, but it’s definitely not super-short, either.

      One of the things that we think people will really appreciate: there’s a remarkable *variety* of experiences and settings throughout the game. Particularly once the Bleakness really enters the picture, things start getting very interesting…

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