Released Kells is now released on Steam (including free demo)

pdrummond

Member
Hi everyone,

I'm pleased to announce Kells is available now for Windows on Steam! There is a free demo as well so go check it out and let me know what you think. :)


Kells is a retro puzzle game inspired by games of the 90’s such as the original Lemmings, but with a gravity-defying mechanic at its core that provides a unique twist on the genre. While intentionally simple and basic looking at the start, beneath the surface, Kells is a deeply challenging and rewarding puzzle game full of surprises and secrets that will keep you coming back for more, time and time again. (Check out the spoiler section below to find out more.)

kells-screenshot5 small.png


Highlights include a very interesting permadeath mechanic that expands as you progress, 100 levels to discover with multiple routes to The Last level, loads of secrets including an entire hidden island and last but not least - The Iron Kell. This is a special mode that makes you realise the entire game has just been one long drawn out tutorial preparing you for the real challenge!

And of course, Kells is also all about looking after your army of Kells - the Kellective!

Screenshot 2021-04-02 at 16.21.37.png

Each Kell has their own personality and stats and you can rest them to replenish their health but don't rest them too long or they will get bored!

Screenshot 2021-04-02 at 16.22.48.png

Check out the Steam page for more details here.

I've gone into a bit more detail about the game mechanics below but beware - there are loads of spoilers!

There are 100 levels in total but you can reach The Last Level much quicker if you take the more difficult route. As you progress through The World Map, you’ll discover Chest Levels that unlock new islands, each with their own visual style and theme.

There are lots of secrets in the game that the player will discover as they progress but I’ll share some of the main ones here. It goes without saying these are all spoilers!

  1. The game has some interesting Permadeath mechanics. You start with a single Kell called Harold and if he dies it’s GAME OVER! This will probably happen a lot during the first few levels as players are figuring things out and this is intentional. The idea is that you collect more Kells as you progress through the game so that when some of them die, there are more available to take their place so you can avoid the dreaded Game Over screen and try again.
  2. Your army of Kells is called The Kellective. There are 50 Kells to find and recruit into The Kellective. You’ll normally find them in Chest Levels.
  3. If you have lots of dead Kells during your run, don’t panic! It’s theoretically possible to reach The Last Level with a single Kell. Therefore it’s always possible to recover even if your Kellective looks like a graveyard! If you don’t have enough Kells to enter certain levels, just take the hard route until you find some Chest Levels. The Kells you find there should open up previously inaccessible levels, allowing you to avoid continuing on the hard route if you wish.
  4. Once a Kell is dead, the player is led to believe it's dead forever permadeath-style, but eventually you can unlock the ability to resurrect Kells if you’re willing to risk it. After completing The Last Level for the first time, the Total Rekell is unlocked. This is a special challenge where a level is chosen at random and successfully completing it can result in up to 5 kells being resurrected depending on how well you do. However, if even a single Kell dies during the Total Rekell, it’s Game Over and you lose all progress!
  5. The game is split into three sections - the Start Game (complete The Last Level, which can be done in 21 levels if you choose the hard route), the Middle Game (complete all 100 levels) and the End Game (The Iron Kell).
  6. When you unlock The Iron Kell, it becomes clear that the entire game up until this point has been one big drawn out tutorial to prepare you for The Iron Kell!
  7. The Iron Kell is a special mode where your goal is to play through all 100 levels without losing a single Kell. If you do lose one, you’re kicked out of The Iron Kell and you have to start all over again!
 
Top