Factsheet

Developer:
Facepalm Games
Based in Helsinki, Finland

Founding date:
May 4, 2011

Website:
facepalmgames.com

Playstation review code contact:
pr@curve-studios.com

Press contact:
press@facepalmgames.com

Social:
The Swapper Facebook
Facepalm Games Twitter
Facepalm Games Facebook

Projects:
Error Log
The Swapper

Description

Facepalm Games is a tiny independent game developer based in Helsinki, Finland, and is composed of two full time staff and two freelancers. The studio believes the video game landscape is still largely unexplored, and aspires to facepalm in ways wholly original to the medium. Facepalm's first game is The Swapper, a sci-fi puzzle platformer supported by Indie Fund, featured in the PAX10, holder of numerous awards and accolades, including IndieCade and Indie Game Challenge.

Videos

The Swapper - Mind-Sci Trailer YouTube

The Swapper Steam Announcement Trailer YouTube

Images

download all screenshots & photos as .zip (26MB)
the_swapper_screenshot_1.png
pax10_panel_the_rightmost_guy_is_olli.png
the_swapper_screenshot_2.png
clay_art0.png
the_swapper_screenshot_0.png
facepalm_games_team_facepalm_hires_olli_otto_carlo.png
facepalm_games_pax10_presentation_the_rightmost_guy_is_olli.png
clay_art1.png
the_swapper_screenshot_3.png

There are far more images available for Facepalm Games, but these are the ones we felt would be most useful to you. If you have specific requests, please do contact us!

Awards & Recognition

  • "PAX 10 Selection." - The Swapper, 2012
  • "Freeplay Best International Game Winner." - The Swapper, 2011
  • "IndieCade Special Recognition Award Winner." - The Swapper, 2011
  • "Develop Conference Indie Showcase Winner." - The Swapper, 2011
  • "Game Connection Selected Projects Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Award Winner." - The Swapper, 2011
  • "Indie Game Challenge Finalist." - The Swapper, 2012
  • "Nordic Game Indie Night Finalist." - The Swapper, 2012
  • "Independent Propeller Awards Grand Prize Nominee." - The Swapper, 2012
  • "IndieCade Art Award Nominee." - The Swapper, 2011
  • "IndieCade Audio Award Nominee." - The Swapper, 2011
  • "Mindtrek Indie Games Awards Finalist." - The Swapper, 2011

Selected Articles

  • "...The Swapper has something that’s both beautiful and eerie about it. When you play it – and you’re so going to play this game – take a close look at the graphics. Notice how the shadows move perfectly and even in the 2D there’s something textual about the environment..."
    - Rob Manuel, G4TV
  • "...Even in its current form, The Swapper is quite a feat, both of artistic and game design, one that earned Facepalm its status as an IndieCade finalist (and Special Recognition award winner)..."
    - Mike Schramm, Joystiq
  • "...Each year, as one of many, many judges, I play a dozen or so good, bad and ugly games. And each year I come across at least one that I fall deeply in love with. This year that game is The Swapper..."
    - Brian Crescente, Kotaku
  • "...Unlike most puzzle platformers, The Swapper intensifies the abstraction in its puzzle solving rather than complicating its palette with new mechanics or even enemies. This may even make the game harder, at least initially; with only mind transferring abilities and your clones (limited to four, and who follow your movements in exact unison), it's not uncommon to run across a scenario that seems unsolveable until you try bending your mind in a new direction. One of the simplest examples in the demo is tellingly morbid: about ten minutes into the depths of the Theseus, there's a room whose only exit is a seemingly bottomless pit. You're sent cascading downwards, firing out a clone to a ledge that rushes into view. You can survive the fall, though the first clone's body keeps falling, hitting the floor with a perturbing smack. (Even the spare sound design - the soft crunch of your boots moving across rough terrain and the remote echo of groaning metal or garbled audio transmission - is effective at conveying a sense of psychological distance.)...."
    - Steve Haske, Eurogamer

Team & Repeating
Collaborators

Olli Harjola
Designer, Artist, Programmer, Founder

Otto Hantula
Level Designer

Carlo Castellano
Music, Sound Design, Freelancer

Tom Jubert
Writer, Narrative Designer, Freelancer

presskit() by Rami Ismail (Vlambeer) - also thanks to these fine folks