Boïnihi: The K'i Codex Now Available!
#1218528
05/27/20 02:45 PM
05/27/20 02:45 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 83,329 In the Naughty Corner
BrownEyedTigre
OP
The Sassy Admin and PR Liaison
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OP
The Sassy Admin and PR Liaison
Sonic Boomer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 83,329
In the Naughty Corner
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Boïnihi: The K'i Codex is now available on Steam and DRM Free on itch.io here.. Check out the release trailer here.Boïnihi: The K’i Codex is, in the pure tradition of the Black Cube series, an exploration game where solving puzzles requires observation and learning the codes of the world. Created by Simon Mesnard (ASA, Catyph, Myha...) and magnified by an oriental-sounding music composed by Yazorius, Boïnihi has a gameplay never before seen in the series, halfway between Myst-like and traditional adventure games.
Story
"An astronaut has been wandering through space for 4 years, and finally landed on an uncharted moon, where a mysterious hermit used to live alone. Boïnihi was his name, and he was one of the rare survivors of a terrible event known as "Day Zero", which happened long, long ago..."
Boïnihi is an independent and self-funded game, mainly created by one person. It has been envisaged as a 1st person adventure with a hybrid gameplay (3rd person camera). You will go through an exotic story based on the exploration of a faraway moon and the solving of didactic logical puzzles. This game is reminiscent of the Myst series but also point and click games like Syberia, The Longest Journey...
Gameplay
Hybrid gameplay, between 1st person adventure (Myst, Rhem...) and 3rd person (Syberia, etc.) Please note that a large part of Boïnihi is played with mouse, however moving the character is closer to what you could see in Grim Fandango and so playing with keyboard is mandatory (arrows or WASD). Visit the regions of the moon of the hermit, take notes on a piece of paper, and solve the puzzles!
Features
A new episode in the The Black Cube sci-fi series (ASA, Catyph, Myha...), which can be played separately Visit the moon of Boïnihi (4 regions: Peibin Lake, Library Island, Ailhon Woods and Hydra Crest) Play as a Terran astronaut. Pick up items. Search for clues and solve puzzles to progress in the story 3D character on prerendered backgrounds Around 7~12 hours long (without the use of a walkthrough) Includes 3d animated videos for a better immersion 12 original music tracks composed by Yazorius, instruments with an asian/oriental sound Bonus folder included in the game files (mp3, video, DVD cover, comics...) Starring Klemens Koehring (Dark Nights with Poe and Munroe, JULIA: Among the Stars...) as the voice of the Hero Astronaut and as the voice of Boïnihi Learn step by step to decode the mysterious K'i Codex, a handpainted book made by Boïnihi himself Developed with Visionaire Studio engine (Deponia...) Available for Windows in English and French
Happy Gaming!
Don't feed the Trolls
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Re: Boïnihi: The K'i Codex Now Available!
[Re: BrownEyedTigre]
#1218586
05/28/20 01:15 AM
05/28/20 01:15 AM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 120
Simon
Settled Boomer
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Settled Boomer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 120
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Re: Boïnihi: The K'i Codex Now Available!
[Re: BrownEyedTigre]
#1218593
05/28/20 05:17 AM
05/28/20 05:17 AM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 288
mike_bn
Settled Boomer
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Settled Boomer
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 288
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Thanks. The trailer looks really nice. Also, I like the music. Will buy the game for sure.
Last edited by mike_bn; 05/28/20 05:18 AM.
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Re: Boïnihi: The K'i Codex Now Available!
[Re: BrownEyedTigre]
#1220201
06/17/20 07:16 AM
06/17/20 07:16 AM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 120
Simon
Settled Boomer
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Settled Boomer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 120
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Hello! As anyone around tried Boinihi yet? I'd like to share with you the "review" of one of my loyal Italian fans of the Black Cube series, that I have received by email. I was really touched when I read it. She accepted that I publish it on forums. Dear Simon,
I write to tell you a story. A story about an enchanting journey in a beautiful and somehow other worldly environment, unfolding alternating feelings as wonder, surprise, joy, compassion and profoundness.
During my journey I learned how on an oddly shaped planet time may flow through unthinkable patterns and I acquired an awful lot of notions about the marvels of the vegetable kingdom on fascinating, beautifully illustrated papers. I learned as well to work out the geography of an unknown world.
I also witnessed how the sentient living beings' lack of wisdom may lead to ruin wherever in the Universe. And I had the chance to see and listen to beautiful movies.
All of this surrounded by touching and utterly atmospheric music and sounds.
My first arrival on the Moon was impressive; the opening video was still running and... wow... I've never seen anyone so thirsty! I almost could sense the freshness of the crystal clear waters of Peibin Lake! Even if I had already seen them in more than one trailer, my first contact with the statues was thrilling. Their look is so far away and bizarre... so different!
When I reached the Library I was immediately attracted by a friendly looking statue, but even more by a peculiar sundial with the extrusion of the four islands and a weird clock inside the building!
What an emotion when I gathered all I needed to translate the K'i Codex and sat at the desk, ready to face the challenge of an alien language!
The third place I visited was Hydra Crest, beautiful and fairly disquieting. I loved the contrast between the snow, the fiery rock formation and the blooming thyme fields... I could almost smell their magical scent...
Then I landed on Ailhon Woods with its amazing sculptures and its awesome radiant tree. I enjoyed so much the intriguing marionette theatre and its hidden treasure!
The ending was great, as all your endings, woven with beauty, poetry... and wisdom! The final movie was touching!
I loved Boïnihi from the very start, smiling happily while admiring the way you enrich your games with your beautiful handmade drawings and watercolors. Just one more word: THANKS!!!!
Your friend struzzo Did you know? You can already save -15% on Boinihi if you buy it with the Black Cube bundle https://bit.ly/2UP4CMv Or you can get it at $17.99 on itch.io (and drm-free) instead of $19.99 on Steam: https://the-icehouse.itch.io/boinihiIf you still find it too expensive, don't forget that my games can potentially keep you busy for 10 hours if not more Of course you can wait until the price drops down in several months, but your support is priceless during the weeks that follow the release! Cindy K. from ex-Just Adventure enjoyed playing it! https://twitter.com/CkyserMax/status/1268035292830806018Here's also a review of Boinihi by the italian Steam Curator Calavera Cafè https://bit.ly/calaveracurator.This is my (unofficial) English translation: Boinihi: The K'i Codex is an incredible adventure. Not just for the plot or for any particular enigma, although both are very successful. It was especially the almost perfect balance between the high challenge rate and the relaxation that the whole experience suggests. Almost an oxymoron, when you read it like that.
Yet, mouse (and keyboard) in hand, the game gives an almost contemplative calm, favouring an attentive and meticulous exploration of its scenario, as well as a meticulous reading of the many pieces of information. All this is necessary to solve the puzzles, accompanied by a good dose of commitment and a certain old-fashioned ′′ way of playing.
However, the point is not so much how legible the game is - which it is, after a thread of intermittent machismo - but rather how well one approaches the complex puzzle that constitutes its essence.
The reason lies in a combination of factors: from the eccentric aesthetics, which clearly separates the time outside the game from the inside, dilating it, to the reward that accompanies the resolution of each puzzle. From the intense soundtrack to the existential themes of an intrigue that aims more to go deeper than to extend the narrative universe of The Black Cube series.
Everything invites one to take one's time, calmly observing each environment, making the given knowledge one's own and patiently putting it to the test. Avoiding frustration.
A remarkable balancing act, which has given birth to a playful-narrative universe created to welcome the player while testing him, instead of rejecting him, trying to challenge him properly" I hope you'll want to play it too!
Last edited by Simon; 06/17/20 07:17 AM.
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Re: Boïnihi: The K'i Codex Now Available!
[Re: BrownEyedTigre]
#1220879
06/24/20 07:15 AM
06/24/20 07:15 AM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 120
Simon
Settled Boomer
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Settled Boomer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 120
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Hello! Has anyone around already played Boinihi? I'm curious to read your thoughts Two first reviews have been published these days: Adventure Gamers (4/5) https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/boinihi-the-ki-codex << Despite being a card-carrying adventure gamer for nearly two decades now (and a huge Myst fan, no less), Simon Mesnard’s work in the genre had only quietly inhabited the periphery of my awareness until now. That was clearly an oversight, because upon finishing Boïnihi: The K’i Codex, I can see why the Black Cube series is now on its fifth installment. Fortunately for newcomers like me, Boïnihi stands as a fantastic adventure game in its own right, with ingenious, logical puzzles, a promising plot that further builds out the larger sci-fi saga for series veterans, and environments that, while not as exotic as titles such as Riven or Schizm, certainly hold their own atmospheric charms. >> Zero Limit Games (no review score) https://zerolimitgames.com/2020/06/23/boinihi-the-ki-codex-review/ << This game’s narrative fits in with a greater legacy of themes very familiar to literature and media more broadly. To me, “originality” has less to do with its premise in that case and more to do with its execution–and Boïnihi certainly satisfies here. Hidden, ancient, alien technology that may or may not be a threat to sentient life is far from anything new, but exploring the way it impacted the titular character and the stranded astronaut leaves a lot of space for some creative interpretations of the story–and the development and conclusion of the story even ends up going down a path that started to remind me of 2016’s The Arrival. The presentation here is clever, engaging, and more than skin-deep. There’s a bit more here than just a story about someone finding a powerful alien artifact. >>
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Re: Boïnihi: The K'i Codex Now Available!
[Re: BrownEyedTigre]
#1220893
06/24/20 08:42 AM
06/24/20 08:42 AM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 120
Simon
Settled Boomer
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Settled Boomer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 120
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Ana, don't worry, I didn't post the above to urge anyone to write more review! I'm very happy to learn that someone at GB is currently playing Boinihi (I guess it will be a review by flotsam in that case?). With the huge quantity of other games he probably has to play, it's difficult to make a review for each of them, so I would understand if he didn't have the time to publish anything! By the way if anyone around is a little worried because of the challenge that awaits with the puzzles in Boinihi, a Steam user has just posted a very detailed guide (beware to spoilers if you don't want to see this!) https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2106074772
Last edited by Simon; 06/24/20 09:19 AM.
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Re: Boïnihi: The K'i Codex Now Available!
[Re: BrownEyedTigre]
#1221082
06/26/20 04:41 AM
06/26/20 04:41 AM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 120
Simon
Settled Boomer
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Settled Boomer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 120
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No problem oldbroad Play when you feel inspired by it! Hey good news by the way: during Steam Summer Sale, you can get the full Black Cube scifi series bundle for only 29 euros instead of 48€!! (including ASA, Catyph, my all new game Boïnihi and the full3d game Myha). Many, many hours of gameplay, rich story, logical puzzles! This price includes -5€ when you pay, thanks to Steam's special Road Trip offer! If you already have some of these games in your Steam library, you only pay for the ones that are missing in your collection. Learn more: https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/617/The_Black_Cube_series/
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Re: Boïnihi: The K'i Codex Now Available!
[Re: BrownEyedTigre]
#1221130
06/26/20 02:46 PM
06/26/20 02:46 PM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 120
Simon
Settled Boomer
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Settled Boomer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 120
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Thanks Ana! Here's also a summary for those interested in the game: In case you are not subscribed to my newsletter (what are you waiting for? http://eepurl.com/dM3VFg) you can find it HERE to read in your browser. Have a nice weekend!
Last edited by Simon; 06/26/20 02:47 PM.
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Re: Boïnihi: The K'i Codex Now Available!
[Re: BrownEyedTigre]
#1221412
06/29/20 05:00 PM
06/29/20 05:00 PM
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 6,432 Long Beach, Australia
flotsam
Staff Reviewer
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Staff Reviewer
BAAG Specialist
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 6,432
Long Beach, Australia
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You can jump straight into this one in my view oldbroad without waiting to play the others, and in many respects this is probably the most accessible. Its a nice game. Simon, I am a little stuck right near the end I have sent you a PM
Quantity has a quality all of its own
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Re: Boïnihi: The K'i Codex Now Available!
[Re: BrownEyedTigre]
#1221438
06/29/20 10:37 PM
06/29/20 10:37 PM
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 6,432 Long Beach, Australia
flotsam
Staff Reviewer
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Staff Reviewer
BAAG Specialist
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 6,432
Long Beach, Australia
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You will certainly pick up references to the earlier game sif you do it that way oldbroad
Quantity has a quality all of its own
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Re: Boïnihi: The K'i Codex Now Available!
[Re: BrownEyedTigre]
#1221805
07/04/20 09:40 AM
07/04/20 09:40 AM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 120
Simon
Settled Boomer
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Settled Boomer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 120
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Hey mike, thanks for the kind words and support! I hope too that it will encourage more people to try my games. Boinihi is the easiest one in my opinion, so it's a good way to start with the Black Cube series for newcomers.
It's indeed a hybrid gameplay but not really point and click. I would rather compare it with Grim Fandango when moving the character, so keyboard only. However the rest of the game is with mouse only like in Myst. The most comfortable way to play is to use the keyboard with your left hand (arrows or WASD as you prefer) and the mouse with your right hand. It can be a little worrying at the beginning but you'll see, it's not very difficult in fact (else I wouldn't have done the gameplay like this). It might just require a few minutes of adaptation, but so far everyone succeeded to play easily.
I really hope you'll have fun and enjoy your journey with Jochen through the moon of Boïnihi!
Last edited by Simon; 07/04/20 09:41 AM.
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Re: Boïnihi: The K'i Codex Now Available!
[Re: BrownEyedTigre]
#1222472
07/13/20 11:50 AM
07/13/20 11:50 AM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 120
Simon
Settled Boomer
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Settled Boomer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 120
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Hi, I have added a short playable demo on itch.io: https://the-icehouse.itch.io/boinihi(at the bottom of the page) "Last week I took some time to work on a free playable demo of Boinihi: The Ki Codex, my new scifi adventure game. Even though I hesitated to release a demo during a long time, I finally thought that it could help some of you to see what kind of game it is exactly. It's very difficult to create a convincing demo of a puzzle/adventure game, because many things are connected in the world and they had to be removed in this short preview version. However I hope that you will enjoy it!"
Last edited by Simon; 07/13/20 11:51 AM.
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