I'm busy finishing up past commissions, but you guys MUST see this. *Some of you probably already know about this...

[link]

ONE MAN created this. 1.

This assures even more of the possibilities of making games.

UPDATE: For those of you who wanted to know how the timeframe he completed this and the stuff he used, here's an interview I found on the interwebz.

“Dust: An Elysian Tail”
Interview with creator Dean Dodrill

Q: In a few sentences or less, how would you describe your game?
A: “Dust: An Elysian Tail” is mix of my favorite types of games. Fast paced action, role-playing elements, a large world to explore, beautiful 2D art, interesting characters and an engrossing story. It brings with it certain nostalgia for a type of game that isn't really made anymore, but utilizing all the great advances in technology we have today. As several previews have said, it's what I was hoping games would be like in the future when I was a child.

Q: How many people are on your team and what were their roles?
A: I'm the artist/writer/programmer of the project, so I handle most of the work. I've brought on two composers to handle the score.

Q: How long did it take to develop your game?
A: I began learning programming through C# and XNA Game Studio around December last year, and started work on the game in late January 2009. So roughly 6 months.
 
Q: What was your inspiration?
A: I play pretty much everything, but have a soft spot for 2D action games. My biggest inspiration is probably the “Castlevania” series, as I had always wanted to see a 2-D one in HD. I also wanted to bring in combat that's popular in 3-D action titles, with a light dose of role-playing elements. Visually I've taken the design of a world I've created for film and put it into a game.
 
It was also important for me to create a game with options to allow players of any skill to have fun. I love hard games, but as a parent I sometimes want to take it easy, and it's a thrill to see my children have fun with my game. Of course, anyone who wants a real challenge will also be pleased.
 
Q: Are you a student or just doing this in your free time?
A: I'm doing this in my free time. I'm learning as I go, so I guess I'm technically a self-taught student as well.

Q: What other games have you developed before, if any?
A: I've done contract design work for game development in the past, but nothing that has been released. My only game design credits were doing cinematic and minor design work for Epic Games for the “Jazz Jackrabbit” series. Otherwise most of my work has been in film.
 
Q: What are your next projects?
A: I've enjoyed game development, and if I can continue doing so (financially) would like to continue creating more indie titles. I'm working on an independent feature film as well, so I will eventually return to that.
 
Q: How did you hear about the contest and what made you decide to enter?
A: I had loosely followed Dream-Build-Play during the last couple years, but didn't know if there would be one this year when I began studying XNA Game Studio. I was thrilled to hear that Microsoft had announced one, and it made sense to polish up my game for submission. To be honest it's been a bit overwhelming having entered something that only last year seemed so alien to me.

Q: Would you participate in the contest again?
A: If I'm still in game development, most definitely. I've grown quite fond of XNA Game Studio, and would love to continue doing this.