Aztez by Team Colorblind - White, Grey, Black, and Blood - PAX 2013

Aztez by Team Colorblind presents a striking hybrid of beat em up action and strategic empire management set just before the Spanish arrival in the Aztec empire. The interview explains that players alternate between real time combat in city environments and broader strategic decisions on a large map, pushing the empire’s boundaries while maintaining order. The combat segment is framed by the concept of a powerful special forces unit that can be customized with one of four weapons, aiming for expressive and personalized play rather than conventional button mashing. A central mechanic involves blood as a resource tied to the Aztec belief system, which fuels health, extends combos, or other effects depending on game balance, with the potential for player choice to tailor its use. The interview also emphasizes the game’s deliberate art direction, designed to be visually distinctive yet production-friendly, helping it stand out while remaining comfortable on the eyes. The developers discuss Oculus Rift support as a natural extension of Unity, describing a camera adjustment that lowers and tightens the view to boost immersion and encourage players to look around the environment. Overall, the team frames Aztez as a bold, multi-faceted project that blends aesthetic innovation with tactical depth and a fresh gameplay loop that challenges traditional beat em ups.

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