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focused on co-development and support services for aaa publishers

Stranded Deep | Ocean view

Ark: Survival Evolved 2017 - Dragon

Halo The Masterchief Collection - Halo MCC

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition 2020 - Character

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Stranded Deep | 2021 | Nintendo Switch

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Indigo 2024: Abstraction at INDIGO 2024&nbsp;
Last month, Abstraction was thrilled to attend INDIGO 2024, the leading game business event in The Netherlands. Held on June 19th at the Van der Valk Hotel Utrecht, Indigo brought together over 800 industry professionals for a day of learning, networking, and discovery.&nbsp;
On the show floor at the DISCOVER Showcase, the atmosphere was electric with amazing new games, innovative booths, and countless opportunities to connect. Our booth was a hive of activity as we met with industry professionals, aspiring developers, and gaming enthusiasts. The passion and creativity on display were truly inspiring.&nbsp;
We were particularly proud to have two of our team members, Masha Begovich and Marc Smids, share their expertise in insightful talks:&nbsp;
<ul>
 <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Marc Smids presented "A GIGANTIC Multiplayer Puzzle," where he delved into our seamless cross-platform multiplayer matchmaking system for &ldquo;Gigantic: Rampage Edition&rdquo; and explained how Kubernetes integrates into our workflow.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Masha Begovich captivated the audience with her talk, "Conquer the Competition &amp; Stand Out," offering valuable tips for navigating the competitive job market and attracting top talent, providing insights for both employers and job seekers.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
INDIGO 2024 was more than just an event. It was a celebration of the gaming community. We left feeling inspired and excited about the future. A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth and attended our talks! &nbsp;
Here's to another successful INDIGO, and we can&rsquo;t wait to see what next year brings!

Indigo  2024

Last week abstraction attended INDIGO 2023, and we showed up in spectacular fashion! For those that don't know, INDIGO is the most popular gaming event in The Netherlands. A great place for people in the industry to connect, attend talks, and discover amazing new games.
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1688047929-53005424523_911a10e268_1o.jpg" />
We love INDIGO and have for many years. This year we wanted to show our appreciation by being one of the Gold Partners and sponsoring the Skylouge Captain&rsquo;s Party. Held at the Van der Valk Hotel, our guests were treated to an incredible view of Utrecht while talking about the industry we all love.
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1688048083-1pxl_20230620_192850027.jpg" />
Following the Captain&rsquo;s Day was the main event. The show floor was packed with games, booths, and opportunities to meet new people. And of course, we had to get in on the action and had our booth right in the middle of the show floor.
Throughout the day, we had so many people come up and chat to us. We had the opportunity to talk to industry professionals and newcomers a like. It was so inspiring for students to ask about abstraction and what advice we could give as they start their journey into the game's industry. Many business cards were exchanged.
Now seems like a good time to remind you that we&rsquo;re hiring! Check out our careers page here to see our open positions <a href="https://abstraction.games/careers">https://abstraction.games/careers</a>
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1688048149-1pxl_20230621_054929720.jpg" />
Our CEO and co-founder Ralph Egas also had a fireside chat at the show. I'll let him describe it in his own words:
<blockquote></blockquote>
"The fireside chat was a blast. I can just be myself and talk genuinely from the heart. It also really helps that JP knows me very well and I him.
We were both so relaxed and excited about this at the same time, that apart from some pretty serious topics that were addressed, there was a lot of banter and humour brought into the mix. We had such a good time chatting. Besides that, it felt really good to be given a podium to speak candidly about things we need to work on to improve and where my responsibility as a CEO comes in beyond the obvious. I loved it." - Ralph Egas
<blockquote></blockquote>
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1688048398-img_20230621_1534271.jpg" />
Every year, INDIGO gets better and better. We had an amazing time at INDIGO 2023, and we can&rsquo;t wait to see what they do next year!

abstraction at INDIGO 2023

<h2>Game review by Chantal Blokker (QA Tester at Abstraction)</h2>

Every now and then, I get the urge to play a short but sweet game to take a breather from the many hours I spend playing League of Legends. In these moments, I am on the lookout for games that offer me something different, something to get away from hectic multiplayer. This can be an appealing or unique art style, an interesting gameplay hook, or in the case of Turnip Boy, the completely outrageous title of the game. It could not help but catch my interest and without knowing much more, I dove in. Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion is &hellip; exactly what it sounds like. You play as a small but incredibly cute-looking Turnip who has gotten himself into a pickle and will do anything to get himself out from under his taxes. This takes you on a short but hilarious journey to commit tax evasion and save not only yourself, but the entire town from the corrupt government ruled by the unlikeable Mayor Onion and his pesky taxes.
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1681288960-afbeelding1.png" title="Turnip Boy Tax Evasion - screenshot 1" alt="Turnip Boy Tax Evasion - screenshot 1" />
The gameplay itself is inspired by classic Legend of Zelda games and has you running errands for Mayor Onion and the other denizens roaming around town. Equipped with a sword and a watering can, you will be able to deal with all the dangerous veggie-eating enemies you come across. The game is not particularly challenging as neither the boss battles nor the puzzles are complicated and can be completed quite quickly.
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1681288964-afbeelding2.png" title="Turnip Boy Tax Evasion - screenshot 2" alt="Turnip Boy Tax Evasion - screenshot 2" />
However, that is not where Turnip Boy shines. The entire tone of the game, including its witty dialogue, diverse cast of characters, the many pop-culture references and the surprising narrative twists made this game a joy to play through. The game is very self-aware, and its meta humour and tongue-in-cheek delivery has had me laughing many times throughout the game.
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1681288968-afbeelding3.png" title="Turnip Boy Tax Evasion - screenshot 3" alt="Turnip Boy Tax Evasion - screenshot 3" />
Although short games can be a nice breather every once in a while, this game might just be a little too short with around a 2-hour run-time for the main game. However, the kind folks over at Snoozy Kazoo (the creators of Turnip Boy) provided a free update which will give you even more Turnip Boy gameplay! The Sunset Train update is a nice addition to the game that adds a ton of new hats to collect, some new enemies and a more challenging, rogue lite experience on the train.
<a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1205450/Turnip_Boy_Commits_Tax_Evasion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ready to root for Turnip Boy? Click here to visit Steam: 'Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion'&nbsp;</a>

Games we love: "Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion" 

<h2>Looking back at Gamescom 22'&nbsp;</h2>

It's hard to believe that it's already been a few months since we were on Gamescom with the team. It was such an incredible experience, and it's heartwarming to think back on it.
One of the highlights of the trip was having our own Abstraction booth at the event, which was an awesome hub for our people, and also functioned as a meeting room. It was nice to have a space where we could all come together and collaborate, and it was also a great way to connect and showcase our work.&nbsp;We met up with many amazing people, and it was truly inspiring to see the creativity and passion of the gaming industry on full display.
We all worked together to make sure everything ran smoothly, and it was a pleasure to see everyone come together and support one another. The most rewarding part of the trip was getting to spend time with the team.

Check out our after movie below:
<div style="position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56%;">
 <iframe style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; left: 0; top: 0;" width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D5EwEzuw7UA" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</div>


Gamescom 22' was an unforgettable team experience, and we're already looking forward to the next one!
If you're reading this and you're interested in joining our team, we're always on the lookout for talented individuals who are eager to push the boundaries in the games industry. If that sounds like you, we'd love to have a chat. Head to our <a href="https://abstraction.games/careers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">careerspage</a> to see our open positions and apply!


<h4>And since the holidays are upon us, we want to wish you all the best. We hope you have a wonderful and relaxing time with your loved ones, and we look forward to all that the new year has in store.</h4>

Looking back at Gamescom 2022 - after movie

<h2 style="font-weight: 400;">Game review by Joost T Slooterweg (QA Tester at Abstraction)</h2>

<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1666617089-bloodstained-ritual-of-the-night_20221013172203.jpg" />

As a kid I stumbled into playing Castlevania Symphony of the night, and I loved it. All the exploration, the huge variation in monsters, gear, and environments, it kept me hooked for hours. It might have been the first game I ever fully finished, but since the Playstation 1 did not have Trophies or Cloud storage I can never prove this feat to anyone. So when I heard that the Programmer/writer for Symphony of the Night, Koji Igarashi, was working on a new game that would be made in the same spirit, I knew I needed to get it!

Bloodstained focuses on the same principles, and I am once again hooked. The graphics are gorgeous, detailed and varied landscapes and other backdrops against which bright spell effects leap out at you and grotesque monsters do likewise. The variety I know and love from Symphony can be seen here as well, so many monsters, armors, weapons, and other items to collect. All of these neatly tracked in checklists, just how I like it.

<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1666617100-bloodstained-ritual-of-the-night_20221013172905.jpg" />

The gameplay is addictive, you have control of Miriam, a woman with the ability to cast spells and use every weapon the game throws at you. She will gain new abilities by collecting the &ldquo;Shards&rdquo; that monsters sometimes leave behind, and will build up an impressive arsenal throughout the game. Here also, look for the Symphony staples, some abilities will allow you to explore areas that you could not reach before. All this exploring will take place in an enormous castle and the surrounding grounds, slowly filling out the entire map.

Miriam's hoard of weapons, armors, and Shards, can be upgraded via a simple crafting system. To upgrade you will use drops from monsters, and the same system can be used for an arcane art to transform several ingredients into food, which will heal you when consumed and give you permanent boosts.

<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1666617092-bloodstained-ritual-of-the-night_20221013172326.jpg" />

Even though the roots of the games are firmly anchored in the past, the experience feels fresh but cosy. A return to a comfortable formula with just enough quality of life changes thrown in to not feel old and stale. Maybe my Nostalgia-goggles are warping this recommendation a bit, but give this one a try!

Games we love: "Bloodstained: Ritual of the night"

<h4>Cologne, Wednesday August 31st 2022 - Flames, laser beams, and Pok&eacute;mon karaoke made for a welcoming ambiance, when entering the party bus that was arranged to take a significant part of the Abstraction team to Gamescom for two days.&nbsp;</h4>

During the trip there, some of the team members received snapshots of the Abstraction booth, which raised expectations and made the image of Abstraction&rsquo;s presence really come to life. We were part of the Holland Pavilion, located in the business area at Gamescom.

<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1663753680-sym2074.jpg" />

<h3>Arrival in Cologne</h3>
Imagine this: an Abstraction branded party bus, entering the main entrance lane of the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cologne, across the street from Koelnmesse - where Gamescom was held - blasting &lsquo;We will rock you&rsquo; from Queen through its super loud speakers and spitting fire from the roof. Accompanied by the Abstraction team members, who came off the bus dancing and wearing yellow bodywarmers, while being cheered on by the members that were already present. Truly an epic moment for the Abstraction team.
&nbsp;
<blockquote>
 "Where there is fun, there is a greater chance of working with genuine passion" - Ralph Egas (CEO)
</blockquote>

<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1663753759-sym2468.jpg" />

<h3>To the booth and beyond</h3>
Although the majority of the team arrived on Wednesday, Dominique (COO) had been in Cologne since Sunday, after which Ralph (CEO) joined him on Monday, straight after his holiday. This way they had more time to book the numerous appointments they wanted to have, and still had a chance to make a tour around the fair.
After the reunification of the team, we visited the Koelnmesse together. You know Gamescom is a major international event, yet every time you step into the Koelnmesse, you&rsquo;re blown away by the sheer size of it.&nbsp;
The goal: enjoying Gamescom as a team and making new connections along the way. Now picture 49 smiling people - in yellow bodywarmers and Abstraction t-shirts - strolling the fair, on their way to view the booth in real life for the first time. A short stroll turned into guerrilla marketing very quickly.

<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1663753576-sym1953.jpg" />

<blockquote>
 "It makes me incredibly proud that our people enjoy working on complex challenges and that it is resulting in exciting products.&rdquo; - Ralph Egas (CEO)
</blockquote>

Besides the fact that having fun with employees was one of the purposes of visiting Gamescom, meeting with potential valuable partners and suppliers was another. Ralph (CEO) and Dominique (COO) were able to meet up with most of our partners (and several potential partners) in real life, and spoke with many high level executives about future projects and possible collaborations. 
Amongst many others, there was a meeting with Jacky Collins, from Inferno Zilla. An interesting company with a lot of capacity, offering services in the field of Marketing and PR within the games industry. Which can play an important role, especially with the further growth of Abstraction, and the current creative focus within Abstraction. 
Candidates for open positions within the team came by the booth, the Dutch Embassy visited to talk to Kirsten (CSO) about possible growth opportunities for the Dutch delegation and representation at the fair and Ralph (CEO) was asked to check out a prototype for an exciting VR music game, for which a follow-up meeting at the Abstraction office is scheduled later this month
When you attend great industry events like this one, you can be sure to run into some familiar faces. Just like we did at INDIGO, we met up with Tj&rsquo;i&egrave;n Twijnstra. It was fantastic to see that an ex-Abstractioner is in such a great place. He was representing his own game called 'Text Express', that Ralph regularly enjoys playing.&nbsp;
Then we met up with John Day, who also worked with us. He joined our team on a typical German dinner on Wednesday, which was a great way to catch up.&nbsp;
All in all, there was an incredible enthusiasm and pride that could be felt within the abstraction team during the event. There were many fruitful conversations, meetings with remote team members for the first time and above all it was a lot of fun, which made it an adventure that exceeded all expectations.
<h3>Gamescom, we&rsquo;ll see you next year!&nbsp;</h3>
If you thought traveling back in the spectacular party bus was it, you are mistaken. A Hummer limousine was arranged to bring a selection of employees back home, as a prize for winning a photo contest that was held within the team during Gamescom. Not to forget, the short champagne break that was made on a truck stop along the highway.
&nbsp;
Curious for an overview of our experience? Stay tuned for our after movie of Gamescom 2022!

Abstraction on the move - Gamescom 2022

Valkenswaard august 16th 2022 - Although the pandemic stopped it for a long time, Abstraction was finally able to participate in an industry event again recently; INDIGO 2022. In this article we shine the light on our experience attending INDIGO and we&rsquo;re looking forward to gamescom, which we&rsquo;ll be attending next week.&nbsp;
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1660562562-indigo2022_dm-2.jpeg" />

As loyal visitors and participants of the INDIGO event, we have to say that the event and organisation exceeds our expectations every single year. The vibe was great - which was to be expected after about 2 years of dealing with a pandemic - and although the pandemic has caused video calls to be normalised, the feeling and human aspect of a meeting in real life remains irreplaceable.&nbsp;
Because of the great set-up, INDIGO was the perfect event to rekindle industry relationships and make new connections. Ralph (CEO) and Dominique (COO) had great meetings with interesting (and international) visitors, including several high profile experts like Juney Dijkstra from EA and Riccardo Comazzi from Epic Games, making this a great event for Abstraction.&nbsp;

<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1660562569-indigo2022_dm-3.jpeg" />

There were a lot of different people walking around, and we run into some familiar faces. Ex-Abstractioner Scott Davidson for example, who gave a valuable speech about Imposter Syndrome. Alongside Scott, ex-Abtractioner Tj&rsquo;i&egrave;n Twijnstra was there. He gave a speech about game design for mobile games, in which he highlighted a number of interesting approaches that more traditional games could also benefit from.&nbsp;
Some of us attended a very interesting talk by Enrico Heidelberg, who succeeded in demystifying recruitment by emphasising quality over quantity as the pillar of success and attraction, while our CFO Kees and COO Dominique attended various talks about finance in video games, ensuring that we gathered a variety of insights during the event.&nbsp;
Wouter Go and Jyan Azevedo from our recruitment department were also present. During the event, they focused on recruiting potential employees and spreading the word about Abstraction. In addition, Marc Smids was there to establish contacts with major universities such as Utrecht University and Breda University - of which he had a fruitful conversation with David Wessman - to attract and enthuse potential interns and/or staff, and discuss possible future collaborations between the universities and Abstraction. After all, recruitment and employer branding are key.

<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1660562557-indigo2022_dm-1.jpeg" />
As Abstraction was one of the main sponsors, Ralph (CEO), Dominique (COO) and Kees (CFO) were invited to the additional Thursday event, where they were welcomed by JP - the head of the INDIGO organisation - and connected with the right people.&nbsp;
All in all, an event beyond boundaries, full of interesting speeches and new opportunities. INDIGO helped us catch-up with mulitiple people from within our network and made sure we made new connections as well. 
If you want to get a feel of what the event was like, you can watch the aftermovie of INDIGO 2022 below.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<div style="position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56%;">
 <iframe style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; left: 0; top: 0;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZDdLvBGNGLE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</div>

Enjoyed the aftermovie? It doesn't have to be over yet. The next event on our agenda is gamescom. Will we see you in Cologne next week?

Looking back at INDIGO and looking forward to gamescom 2022

<h2>Game review by Elmer Lexmond</h2>

We still find time to play some games now and then, and a lucky find by one of our Game Designers, Elmer Lexmond, is Infernax. Read on to find out more about his thoughts on the game.&nbsp;
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1660053685-afbeelding1.jpg" />
After a grueling campaign abroad, Duke Alcedor returns to his homeland only to find it in shambles. Without moments rest, he embarks on a quest to vanquish the Evil that has taken root.
The setup is simple but effective and launches players into a violent 2D open world action platformer. Punishing platforming and combat challenges are the bread and butter of Infernax. The game is heavily influenced by classic games like Castlevania II: Simon&rsquo;s Quest and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, but it does a great job of adding some modern touches. Compared to its inspirations, mechanics are tighter, and the two difficulty levels let player choose how much punishment they are willing to put up with.

<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1660053689-afbeelding2.jpg" />

The twist that Infernax adds to the traditional formula is its morality system. At various points in the game players get to make a binary choice, that changes how certain parts of the game unfold. While this little gimmick adds some replay value to the game, it sometimes feels like reading tea leaves when it comes to predicting the outcome of your decisions. I do still welcome the addition as it breathes some life into the world and breaks up the action of the game.

<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1660053691-afbeelding3.jpg" />

The presentation of the game is in keeping with the retro feel of the gameplay, sporting a pixelated art style. The full screen splash art that appears before bosses and choices looks great, but the main game itself is a bit bland. Environments and characters aren&rsquo;t very memorable and, apart from its wonderfully excessive gore, don&rsquo;t stand out amongst the other pixel art games that are on the market.

<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1660053693-afbeelding4.jpg" />

All this results in a difficult but fair experience that only occasionally crosses the line into artificial difficulty. There is plenty of content to enjoy with a solid main quest, loads of fun side content and some replay value due to the in-game choices. A solid recommendation for lovers of classic action platformer with some modern quality of life improvements.

Want to see for yourself? Check out Infernax via the link below:&nbsp;
<a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/374190/Infernax/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Infernax on Steam</a>

Games we love: "Infernax"