Oceanhorn 2: Development update

All the roads lead to Capital

It has been too long since we gave you guys an update on the development of Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm. Well, all five of us have been focusing on the game, and when you're really concentrated on your work, the time flies!

Grand Core: The city sized machine in the heart of Capital.

It feels like it was only yesterday when we released our first gameplay video of Oceanhorn 2 and even let people play the game at Nordic Game, but the truth is it has been months! The reception of the gameplay video was awesome. We could not get enough of all the impressions from youtube and forums. The excitement of our audience really inspired us to work harder.  After we came back to our studio, we were determined to move to the next step with the production!

Capital's seedier backside

So, what have we been up to? We have been building an adventure! More gameplay, more story, more levels, more worlds. A city. Capital is one of the central locations of Oceanhorn 2's story and it offers tons of open-ended exploration for curious adventurers. In the heart of the city is the gigantic machine Grand Core.

Meeting with friends at Master Mayfair's penthouse study

We hope to bring you more updates in the future, along with some video teasers to give you a real good look at the game! Productions like this require a lot of time and effort, but the outcome will be a cool video game so it is all worth the trouble! When you are making your dream project, you don't count the hours.

Enjoy these iPhone screenshots folks!

Oceanhorn is coming to Android - Steam Mac version Out Now!

Oceanhorn – Classic Adventure Game for you favorite platform

Android has been one of the most requested platforms from us and we are happy to announce that Oceanhorn's world domination continues and Oceanhorn is coming to Android! Same team that works on console versions are behind the quality Android port. We'll get back to you with a release date later on!

In other news, we have just released an update for Steam version. It will add a support for Steam Controller and Steam link, but most importantly you can now play Steam version on your Mac! Save games in Steam are cross platform compatible.

So, in 2016 you will be able to play Oceanhorn not just on iOS, Apple TV or PC – but on Mac, PS4, Xbox One and even on your Android devices and Android TV!

Oceanhorn is the classic adventure game for your favorite gaming platform!



I am eager to tell you all what we have been working on for the past year – but it will have to wait just a little bit longer. ^_^

Oceanhorn for Mac Appstore - Out Now!

Oceanhorn looks great on Mac, especially with Ultra settings!

We are proud to announce that today we released a remastered version of Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas for Mac Appstore, together with our buddies at FDG Entertainment! Just like in iOS version, the soundtrack is composed by Nobuo Uematsu and Kenji Ito. We did the port for OSX ourselves to make sure everything will be perfect when Mac gamers set on their journey in Arcadia!

Here's the link to the Appstore:
https://itunes.apple.com/fi/app/oceanhorn/id1044375067?mt=12

So if you're a Mac gamer and haven't yet played remastered version of Oceanhorn yet – now's your chance.

Happy adventures!

Oceanhorn is ready for Apple TV launch!

Precise controls for Remote and MFI Controller !

Apple launching a new device is always exciting time for us and this time we are especially thrilled, since Oceanhorn is about to debut in your living rooms thanks to the amazing hardware of Apple TV!

To ensure your adventure on big screen is a joyful one, we made several improvements to the game. The camera shows more action around the main character. The landscapes are more detailed and the fields, forests and the dungeons are littered with detail objects.

Apple TV Remote proved to be great controller for Oceanhorn as we have always relied on simple, yet efficient controls. You hold the remote like it is supposed to and click the track pad for sword swings and interaction. Oceanhorn also works very well with an MFI Controller!

Oceanhorn for Apple TV is a universal build, so if you have previously purchased Oceanhorn on iOS you can download it free of charge to play it on your TV.

Stay tuned for more Oceanhorn news in the future!

... and the Winner is!

1st: Joel won over jury's hearts with his smart book cover!

Oceanhorn Anniversary Screenshot & Fan Art Competition is now over! The jury has given the scores and we have our Top 10 entries!

The winner is Joel Julian with his fantastic imaginative children's book cover! Congratulations Joel!

In Joel's entry Oceanhorn is represented as a children's book called 'The Uncharted Seas'. The smart idea is executed perfectly. The work is unique, but still honors the source material: the character, the colors and the symbols are spot on! It is delighting to start decrypting the image. The adventure takes place in a bathtub that is based on our Hero's boat and the sail has been transformed into a towel. I can almost imagine him going to bed after the bath, dreaming of the adventures he is going to take when he grows up.

The quality of the competition was very high! The members of the jury went through all the participants, hand picked what they thought were the best of the entries and gave them score according to their personal preferences. Thanks to this complex process we now have very varied Top 10 entries. The competition was very tough at the top. The top 3 had only slim difference in score!

Here are rest of the Top 10 with comments!

2nd: Tom's unique approach to fan art!

Tom Stone came second with his awesome Oceanhorn themed puppet! I think this one took everyone of us by surprise and indeed it was favored by all the jury members.

3rd: Francesco is aiming for critical hit!

Francesco Botti almost took the prize with his high quality digital painting! The picture has it all. The details are loyal to the game visuals and it tells a clear story: the Hero is desperately trying to get the key from the raging ogre's neck to open the door on the background. Viewer can imagine that the arrow he is grabbing for is the one that will relieve ogre from its earthly problems.

4th: Thomas Rollus captured a warm get together

5th: MonsterRobotStudios enjoys their battles hot

6th: Rob Sharps epic battle

7th: WeDoPlay's humorous style inspired other artists!

8th: Francesco Gambino found a perfect spot for fishing

9th: Rogers' use of watercolor medium is superb!

10th: Jamie Jones' impossible screenshot. I know how hard this one is!

Finishline!

When we announced Oceanhorn Screenshot & Fanart Competition we could only dream of having such amazing entries that we have had so far.

Taking screenshots is not easy...

We have seen stunning screenshots, which required a lot of patience and talent to capture - we have seen wonderful works of art of varying talent, but all the same charming. But the competition is not finished yet, there is one more day left!

Who will win the brand new iPad Air 2!

The winner will be picked by Heikki Repo (Lead Artist / Creator), Jukka and Antti Viljamaa (Lead Programmers) and Thomas Kern (FDG Entertainment). Each member of the jury will give points for several of their favorite works and the winner will be the entry that gets most points!

We will reveal the winner next week and also cover other entries!

Check all the entries from here!

Oceanhorn 2.5 is live - Win iPad Air 2!

It's time to start tweeting!

Oceanhorn 2.5 has just been released, with Ultra Graphics for iPhone 6/+ and iPad Air 2 - just in time for some celebration!

Celebrate the 1st anniversary of Oceanhorn with us and take part in an awesome competition! Brand new iPad Air 2 can be yours, just follow these steps and participate!


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1 ) Take a beautiful SCREENSHOT of our game or do some awesome FAN ART
2 ) Tweet your image with #oceanhorn before 10th of January 2015 to participate

The development team will look for all the #oceanhorn tweets and handpick the best entry. Winner gets a new iPad Air 2!

- You guessed it. It runs Oceanhorn on Ultra Graphics!


Couple of tips for your screenshot hunting! Your screenshots will better stand out, if you take them from places rarely seen in Oceanhorn screenshots. You can also pick up objects and place them around for better compositions. If you climb higher, camera shows more of the landscape. It doesn't have to be all artistic though, if you manage to take a screenshot of a rare event in the game it might work for your benefit! - To take a screenshot on your iOS device, press lock- and home-button simultaneously.

For artists out there, we judges here love colors, so colored artwork will immediately have better impact than quick doodles. All kinds of fan art is appreciated, but why don't you try to capture some of the most memorable moments from Oceanhorn! Screenshots might be easier to take, but fan art has unlimited possibilities to win this competition!

Only one will win the iPad Air 2, but we will feature the best of screenshots and fan art here in our blog with comments from the development team.

Unleash your creativity and impress us!

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Competition Rules, Terms & Conditions

Oceanhorn Anniversary Update and Competition!

Can you believe it, Oceanhorn was released a year ago! Oh how the time flies, when you're having a good time - and what a time it has been!

We have so far released five updates for Oceanhorn, each of them polishing the game, expanding features or even adding hefty amount of gameplay hours in a form of "Island of Whispers" adventure, but wait - there is more to come!

Tikarel in the morning

Oceanhorn 2.5 Update 11th of December

Apple has released a new set of amazing devices and we want to keep Oceanhorn up to date. We have worked hard this autumn to make sure Oceanhorn meets the expectations of those who have the new devices. New iPhone 6, 6+ and iPad Air 2 owners are able to enjoy Oceanhorn with 4x more polygons, new lightning effects (normal maps, ambient occlusion), tweaked character art and tweaked 60 fps performance!

Bow - The sacred weapon of Owrus

Oceanhorn 1st Anniversary Competition

To celebrate Oceanhorn's 1st anniversary, we are going to set up a competition! The competition starts 11th of December and will last until the end of the year. Details of the competition including rules and the prize will be revealed when the update is released!

We have enjoyed following your reviews, opinions and walkthroughs of Oceanhorn. Thank you for sharing your Oceanhorn experiences in forums and in reviews. We have been able to improve the game all around and provide better adventure for everyone! We are happy that our love towards the game shines through in your experiences.

Have you found this secret graveyard already?

There is so much more we would like to tell you, but it is not the right time just yet. Stay tuned for more Oceanhorn news in the future!

GOTY Edition releases on 7th of August

Game of the Year Edition will be out on 7th of August. It comes as a free update to your purchased Oceanhorn! Load up your game and visit Tikarel to access new content! Enjoy!

Game of the Year Edition is coming out!

Hard work is behind us and Game of the Year Edition of our game is launching soon as a free update!

Enjoy up to 4 hours of additional gameplay as you explore the all-new Island of Whispers and master a hooking new feature - fishing! In addition Game of the Year Edition will have new music tracks from the original sound team, dynamic weather changes, Finnish localization and tons of other small changes - like improved animations, effects and art assets.

Thank you for taking this amazing journey with us during the development of Oceanhorn. This trailer is about "Your voice" and this update is about our gratitude towards you, Oceanhorn fans. Arcadia is ready for your return, once again.

I see something BIG coming!

Can you spot what is new in this update?

Carefully now, don't let it get away! We have been developing this update for a while now! It is something that could be considered as a DLC on console games, but as a token of gratitude for you, loyal Oceanhorn players, we will continue our No-IAP policy and release our DLC and content pack free of charge!

This update is 90% done and we will begin testing soon. We will tell you more about it later, but in the meanwhile this screenshot will help you reel in what this update is about! :)

Is it raining in here? It was clear just a minute ago.

Happy Holidays and New Year 2014!

Apple Awarded Oceanhorn as Best of 2013 in Indie Category

It has been an incredible month since Oceanhorn was launched on Nov 14. The game has been received so well in the media and by the fans that we are left speechless. And on top of all this, we learned today that Apple has included Oceanhorn in their Best of 2013 feature as #1 indie game. We are grateful and proud of this acknowledgement.

We released the first update to the game on Dec 6, and we are currently working on the next update.  We will continue supporting the game and expanding the world of Oceanhorn – The Adventure continues in 2014!

Top Charts Around the world and Launch Trailer!

Thank you so much Oceanhorn players around the world!

We have topped the App Store charts around the world! We got featured everywhere and all around launch has been amazing. We got stunning reviews from you guys and all the players and it just warms our hearts. Our hard work was welcomed with open arms and open hearts and all those hours in the midnight and late morning paid out.

Thank you! Why don't you enjoy our launch trailer! It also has a special message from Nobuo Uematsu for all of you! :)

Have a great adventure in Arcadia everyone! If you haven't yet picked up the game, here is the link where you can buy it! https://itunes.apple.com/app/id708196645?mt=8

Oceanhorn will be released on November 14th!

People of Tikarel need your help!

Finally! It's the long-awaited launch week of Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas. Apple has approved our GM version of the game and everything is ready! On Thursday, November 14th, it is your turn to join the adventure. We really hope that you will like playing the game as much as we have liked making it.

It has been an incredible ride from the first 2D prototype of 2010 and the first secret gameplay video in 2011 to FDG Entertainment joining the team in the late 2012 and Nobuo Uematsu and Kenji Ito joining the project in 2013. Especially the last couple of months have been really intense. We have literally worked around the clock fixing, tweaking, and polishing to provide you with the best possible gaming experience.

We are very happy with the result. But don't believe the hype. In about 48 hours you can download it to your iPhone/iPod/iPad and judge for yourself!

Meanwhile, please enjoy these untouched screenshots!

Do you have the steady hand for the Pumpkin Seed Gun?

Unleash the power of whirl attack!

Turmos the Evil Overgrowth

Working around the clock!

And it's hard to hold a candle - in the cold...

Hi everyone! We are hard at work here, going towards the release of the game. Here is a little something for the most impatient of you! ;)

Oceanhorn - Debut Trailer is here!

We are starting our final leg in the production of Oceanhorn. Here is the debut teaser trailer to celebrate it! We hope that you enjoy this video, as much as we do! :)

Nobuo Uematsu and Kenji Ito join Oceanhorn!

It is hard to believe this is true. Someone pinch me! The best video game composer in the world, John Williams of video games, Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu and amazing Kenji Ito, Mana and Saga series composer are composing music for Oceanhorn.

They are legendary!


Like for so many other game designers out there, music is ultimate source of inspiration for me and there is no bigger inspiration than Nobuo Uematsu. His music is so much more than audio background for Final Fantasy games, it is a window to a place where stories and adventures reside.

Kenji Ito, like Uematsu, is a master of melodies. His emotional tunes are one of the best in video games and his boss themes are famous among JRPG fans. His music for Gameboy game Seiken Densetsu (first Mana game) is closest to my heart.

What this means for Oceanhorn. The power behind Uematsu’s and Ito’s compositions is incredible. Their songs will open us new ways to reach players' hearts. It is mind blowing that a small developer team like us gets a chance to work with such legends. Together with the best video game composers in the world, we will make Oceanhorn a journey you won't forget.

Their contribution will make us work harder. We thank our pals at FDG for making a dream come true!

Sailing with living legends

PS. Here is a link to Uematsus bands Earthbound Papas new album:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/earthbound-papas/id430804676

Oceanhorn music in Youtube, now!

Over a year ago I promised I would introduce Kalle Ylitalo, one of the Oceanhorn composers. Here are three amazing sample tracks for you to enjoy!

Kalle has been working with us for two years now and together with talented sound designer Tapio Liukkonen, they make sure Oceanhorn sounds fantastic when you get your hands on it.

http://www.pandamusicfinland.blogspot.fi/
http://www.kaamossound.com/

Oceanhorn GDC and Wallpaper!

Hi everyone! We showed Oceanhorn for Touch Arcade and a small gameplay capture can be watched on Touch Arcade's youtube channel. We got some pretty fantastic feedback from gamers around the world. It felt good to show something more recent, but remember that this couple of minutes of gameplay is only a glimpse of things to come!

During the past month or so we have been concentrating on world map gameplay, boss fights and on the main quest itself. We are almost ready to show you some more of that world map gameplay, but not yet. Before that, I would like to share an Oceanhorn wallpaper with you!

Hero has just defeated Turmos, one of the bosses. Will you be so lucky?

Get it from HERE!

Oceanhorn was accidentally released. We apologize.

Screenshot of Shame.

An early prototype of Oceanhorn was automatically released on App Store last night. It was night time in Finland, that's why it was live for hours before we heard about it ourselves and pulled the plug. We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience.





Those of you who purchased Oceanhorn, get your refund through App Store channels.
- In receipt email, or from iTunes Purchase History, click "Report a Problem" link
- Select "This application does not function as expected" for explanation
- To comments write: "Developer has issued that this is an unfinished build of Oceanhorn and it was accidentally released. oceanhorn.blogspot.com"

Again, we are deeply sorry for this pre-mature release. We hope this does not change your enthusiasm towards Oceanhorn.

So what happened? If you want to reserve a name for your game on App Store, you will need to upload a playable build to iTunes Connect. The build that was now automatically released, is 1.5 years old. It does not compare to the final product in any way.

Hey, maybe we should compare it. Here are some of the more recent media from Oceanhorn.

This is where the game begins!

Withered Lands is definitely not a boring place.