In a day and age where most video games are filled to the brim with blood, guts and guns, it is refreshing to see something that brings a new twist to an old school concept.
That is exactly what Tyler Glaiel, a 2008 Westfield High graduate, did when he first entered the video game industry. A former Eagle Scout throughout his middle and high school careers, Glaiel has been playing video games and toying with his own ideas since he was 11 years old.
“I first started learning how to make my own games with a basic flash program,” Glaiel said. “And it sort of evolved from there.”
After improving his skills, Glaiel began to post videos of his homemade games online at the website called “New Grounds,” where various professional contacts discovered his talents.
One such organization was the Behemoth, a video game developing company located in San Diego who funded Glaiel, and he has since moved to San Diego.
Glaiel’s most recent and successful outing is a puzzle game entitled “Closure.” The game has a minimalist style, utilizing the concepts of light and dark to create a spooky and tense journey into the unknown.
The objective is seemingly simple: to get from one end of the level to the other. But there’s a catch: many of the darkened areas not revealed by the light can contain traps or pitfalls.
“Basically, if you can’t see it, it doesn’t exist.” Glaiel added cryptically. By using the light sources, you can alter the landscape and use it to work your way through the dangers, and solve the puzzles.
“Closure” was developed by Glaiel and the company he founded, Eyebrow Interactive. It was originally released as a small flash game online before being expanded.
After shopping the game around, Glaiel and his team eventually formed a partnership with Sony to release the game through the Playstation network.
“When finding a company to distribute your game, you need to find one that is the easiest to work with.” Glaiel said, giving advice to future video game developers. “You also have to submit the game to the company for approval. In this case, Sony approved it.”
Since its original conception, it has won several awards, including the Indie Game Challenge 2012 Grand Prize, the IGF 2012 Excellence in Audio award, and the IndiCode 2009 Gameplay innovation award.
The Innovation award is of particular note, reflecting the game’s creativity in a medium that is sometimes criticized for becoming stagnant. Puzzle games like “Closure” have become something of a rare commodity in today’s gaming world, especially compared to the wide variety of shooters that flood the market.
“The main reason I didn’t want to do a shooter is because I didn’t have any interest in it.” Glaiel said. “I feel everything in that genre has been done before.”
When asked if he had any future plans, Glaiel seemed very hopeful.
“I’m not planning on any sequels to ‘Closure,’ Glaiel said. “But I do have some other concepts and prototypes on my mind.”
With Glaiel’s positive attitude and creative talents, he is looking at a bright future in the gaming industry.
