As a “parting gift”, Rob Hale’s two solo projects are now available to download for free on Steam
Rob Hale also known as “squid in a box” was an indie game developer that succumbed to Cancer earlier this month and according to their partner “CJ” via an announcement on the Steam forums, the developer’s games Waves and Waves 2 have been made free on Steam.
In the announcement, Rob Hale’s partner CJ stated:
“This was something Rob was considering anyway within the past two months as their health entered into more substantial difficulties. I hope this can be seen as a parting gift to all those out there that haven’t yet played either of these games.”
“waves,” Rob Hales’ first game, was a smashing success when it was published in November 2011.
The official steam overview of Waves states:
“Waves is a twin-stick shooter that can be played by anyone, but with a high enough skill threshold to keep even the most hardened shooter fan entertained. Set in a Neo-Cyberspace arena your system is being overrun by bugs, errors, and viruses. The only solution is to kill every rogue process before it kills you!
Clear the arena of enemies while racking up a big fat Combo with swift kills and well-timed Bombs. If it all gets a bit too much you can use your Time Buffer to slow down the action and turn defeat into victory. Players can compete across seven different game modes with online high-score tables and Achievements in their pursuit of twin-stick perfection.”
The game can be downloaded for free here and to purchase the Waves soundtrack you will currently only pay R12.
Below is the official gameplay trailer for Waves:
The other free game on offer is Waves 2: Notorious which is the sequel to Waves and the official steam overview states:
”Waves 2: Notorious is a Bullet Hell Twin-Stick Shooter. You play as a “Runner” diving into Cyberspace to engage in virtual combat deep within Corporate Networks.
Try to evade the ever-watchful Administrator; an AI that learns your weaknesses and adapts as you play, and defeat its Guardians to become Notorious.
It’s your reflexes against the relentless assault of Bugs, Programs, Viruses, and AI’s in this Twin-Stick Shooter. Chain together kills to build your Combo and earn Adrenaline that can be unleashed in devastating Burst Attacks.
Customize your Avatar’s Load-out to match your combat style and explore synergies between the 36 Items to find the best combination for you.”
You can download Waves 2 for free here.
Official Early Access trailer for Waves 2: Notorious:
CJ goes on to say in the tribute:
“Over the years we were together they were always dreaming big and trying so hard to create the best game they could possibly make. Waves 2 will definitely remain incomplete. But that doesn’t take away from my awe and the pride I always had in Rob; to see someone so dedicated to their craft.”
Rob Hale was a passionate game developer that started off working on AAA Titles and eventually went solo to produce these two fun-to-play twin-stick shooters. They were described as always ready to offer advice to anyone looking to start making games.
The gaming industry is shocked by this news, but Rob Hale’s decision to offer their games for free via Steam demonstrates their commitment to both the games and their fans.