Co-Optimus has been covering Arcen Games' PC and Mac title A Valley Without Wind in pre-release form for over a year. At long last, A Valley Without Wind is available on Steam, the platform of choice for many computer gamers. What's more, through May 1 you can get it for $13.49 - ten percent off the regular price of $14.99. It's also available on GamersGate and Impulse.

Arcen games have announced that their unique looking action/adventure/Minecraft-ish game, A Valley Without Wind, will be coming to a computer near you via Steam on April 16th.  The game has had a lengthy beta but seems just about ready for prime time as there is almost daily builds released to all testers.  We've been following the game since it's original inception as a top down title and it's come a long, long way.

A Valley Without Wind has been in beta for some time now, but there's been a key feature missing in the procedural side scroller - cooperative play.  Arcen Games have announced the game has entered a multiplayer alpha phase - and already it's paying off.  

Arcen Games has sent word today that A Valley Without Wind has entered beta for those that pre-order the game.  Along with that, Arcen is running a promotion right now -  if you pre-order the game, you can do so at a 50% discount making the price just $10.

As we approach September's PC beta for A Valley Without Wind, the game is looking better and better.  After switching to a side scrolling view, the game has really seemed to find its groove.  Immediately it's easy to see the game is now a Metroidvania style open world side scroller - that is - a side scroller similar in gameplay to Metroid or Castlevania.  Combine that with a Minecraft style raw materials and crafting system as well as online co-op and you have a dangerously addictive recipe for what may be this fall's surprise indie hit.

Up until this point, everything we've seen from Arcen Games' A Valley Without Wind has looked impressive, but something seemed off.  The game was originally an isometric view sort of like that of RPGs of old on the SNES and SEGA Genesis and while it worked for the 8-bit style graphics of those days, the more realistic style in AVWW made things look awkward.  Now after months of deliberation the team has switched the game, instead opting to make it a side scrolling affair in the realms of Super Metroid or the more recent Shadow Complex.  

Arcen games have just sent out some new screens and videos for their upcoming online co-op game A Valley Without Wind.  A stark contrast from previous screens seen, the new images showcase a brutal looking world filled with lava and strange creatures - some as high as level 529!  I think we're going to need our Strange Creature Slaying Knift +2 for this journey.

Chris Park of Arcen Games has always been a pleasure to chat with, so it didn't take long for me to email him when we found out that their upcoming game, A Valley Without Wind, would add a co-op mode to get the scoop on its features.   And boy did we get a lot of great info on the game, which right now, plans no real hard cap on the number of co-op players allowed in a game -  though Arcen sees about 16 being the current ideal max.