This looks really good. I'm a bit surprised that it hasn't reached its goal yet.

<span class="bold">Through the Woods</span> - A third-person survival horror game in the spirit of Resident Evil and Silent Hill.

The campaign just started, so I am not sure if the game will be Steam-only or DRM-Free. Still, anyone who backs at even the $5 tier will receive the prototype game within 24 hours of backing the project. This way, you know what you're investing in with amble time to pull out if you don't like what you played. Also, the lore of the game is based on Norse mythology, which is relevant to my interests. :P

Some games, which have some strong names from the console universe associated to it, seem to get all the attention.
That and things related to famous Manga or Anime artists.

That game which is made by a "Castlevania" veteran got tremendous funding.

It's not always pedigree. Marketing has a lot to do with it, too. <span class="bold">Tokyo Dark</span>, for example, is part of the Square Enix Collective, so there was an international stable of rabid fans just waiting for the KS to start. That's why it was funded in the first 14 hours.

Other game makers are often part of indie dev communities where members are following the project from its very inception, thus giving the game a huge launch when it finally goes live on KS. Game makers who don't do this can only survive on aesthetics (or a good demo, if they have one). <span class="bold">CatFish</span> was able to get funded just on their looks, so I don't think there is a proven method for success.

I concur, it seems that there are simply too many variables in place to predict success. Naturally, a game with a lot of talent like <span class="bold">Underworld Ascendant</span> will draw attention, but sometimes a game with just as many big names attached like <span class="bold">Windwalkers</span> fails far short of the goal. Similar, the point-and-click detective game <span class="bold">Detective Di</span> barely made goal, while the similar game <span class="bold">Elsinore</span> is powering through stretch goals.

Some games can easily hit six figures while others struggle to break into four. Naturally, the game itself has a lot to do with it, but I think there is an ineffable quality at work as well.

Umbra - Open world, free progression hack 'n' slash

Not sure what this would be about, let me check the page... ...aaand I'm out.

This is one of five-six projects I've backed so far this year... Looks great.

The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human - metroid-vania styled action/adventure game, inside a submarine, in a submerged Erath where humanity is no more.

Sure, why not? Good pledge prices, DRM-free, and it also looks like the love child of Risk of Rain and R-Type. Backed.

And for 114$ you can even design a game creature. I'd sure back that much if I had the cash :(

That would be fun. Though I've thrown enough vanity money as games already that I will have some kind of presence in about a dozen of them, assuming any of them ever get finished. :)

Project Orion

Not gaming related, but Little Free Library Big Book Access Campaign has 44 hours to go and is at $41,745 of $50,000. It's a nice project for street "libraries" (take a book, return a book).