Saturday Night’s All Right for Bundles, Get a Little Action In!

Posted on February 21, 2015 by geelw

Yes, it’s been so hectic here that I’ve missed out on a few bundle stories, but that doesn’t mean you need to go without some entertainment this weekend. Got a thing for wordplay and other light entertainment? Boogie on over to Bundle Stars and nab the Puzzle Bundle for $2.49. You get a ton of great word games, some hybrids and even a slot-machine simulator that will make you wish your PC or laptop could pay out when you win! Don’t blame me if you get hooked, though.

Humble Bundle has a few cool deals this cold weekend including the Humble Square Enix Bundle 2, a nice selection of mostly AAA titles you can have for $15 or less. I’d go for the $15, as more games will be added to the deal shortly and it’s already a great purchase.

Or you can grab a friend and get the Humble Weekly Bundle Co-op 2, where $10 gets you seven games designed for more than one player. Sure, you can play them by yourself if you like. But where’s the fun in that when it’s nicer to share the wealth. Especially if you make your friend pay for this deal. Then you’ll HAVE to share even if you’re just showing some non-gamer the ropes.

Meanwhile, over at IndieGala, the Friday Special Bundle offers up two deals that are hard to pass up. Get four Steam games for a buck or shell out $3.49 for ten more. The page is a tiny bit confusing, but even if you paid $4.49 for all 14 games there, it’s still a phenomenal deal you don’t want to miss.

IndieRoyale doesn’t want you to feel left out, as they have The Debut 24 Bundle up, currently at a mere $1.87 for nine titles. There’s a nice mixture here as well of stuff to play in complete to not so complete forms. Everything is good in this budget bundle, but if you’re into fantasy-themed games, it’s all about Witches,Heroes and Magic. WHAM is more or less an homage to the Might & Magic strategy series, but played as a fast-paced action game with loads more challenge. Ride big monsters, command troops and most of all, try not to let your character get killed, as perma-death is in the house here.

Okay, that’s it for now – feel free to poke around each site’s online shop, as there should be even MORE deals to be had and perhaps even a free game or two if you know where to look.

Shut Up & Play It!: Robot Roller-Derby Disco Dodgeball Out NOW

Posted on February 19, 2015 by geelw

If ever a game needed to be played, it’s this one. Robot Roller-Derby Disco Dodgeball was created by one guy and although it’s been in Steam’s Early Access program for a while, the quality of the game was astounding. Yes, it’s got that silly and catchy title working that hammer on your head, but once you actually see and then PLAY the game, it becomes hard to stop. Whether in solo play or online with friends or soon to be enemies, Disco Dodgeball is a total hoot. It’s only one of a handful of games I’ve played this month (hey, it’s been a BUSY February what with Toy Fair and a few other events), but it’s one that’s been stuck in my head since. Must be the disco tunes or something. And the visuals. And the gameplay.

Anyway, go get this NOW on Steam (it’s 20% off for a week!), then ring up a few friends and tell them to get it as well. That’s not quite a review, but it IS a recommendation.

Tower of Guns Trailer: Shooting Stars (and Everything Else) Via Digital and Retail

Posted on February 19, 2015 by geelw

While digital games are great, the fact remains that not everyone who wants to play them can do so and more games need both physical as well as digital releases. Grip Games is getting right up in everyone’s alley with Terrible Posture Games’ Tower of Guns. The fast paced arcade-like first person shooter that made a digital splash last year on Steam, now headed to PC, PS3 and PS4 as a retail release. Xbox One owners get a digital only release, as Microsoft seems to believe everything is hunky-dory with the download-only releases and discs are a bad idea for an indie game that’s so short. Or something like that.

Anyway, while I jump up and down happily about this news, you can read a bit of the press release:

Always a fresh experience: Random enemies, random power-ups, random bosses, tons of unlockable items and weapons…even random-level compositing! You never know what to expect when you sit down in front of Tower of Guns.
Crazy powerups: You’ve played first person shooters where you can double jump, but have you played any game where you can centuple-jump? In Tower of Guns, with the right items, you can!
Gun-modifying madness: A gun and its qualities aren’t tied together in Tower of Guns. Do you like rocket launchers? You’ll like them more if you’re lucky enough to stumble upon a “Shotgun” modifier. A rocket-launching shotgun is very satisfying.
Single sitting full experience: For all of those who have too many games (or too little time) this is a game you can pick up and play again and again, without remembering where you were or what you were up to. If you’re gonna win, you’re gonna be able to do it over your lunch break.

That’s a big if though, it won’t be easy…

While there’s no exact release date, the deal between GRIP Digital s.r.o. (digital version) and SOEDSCO (retail version) means more people will be playing and enjoying this one and having a blast. Once a release date zips into the inbox, expect an update.

Star Wars Humble Bundle: WANTED By Bargain Bounty Hunters Across The Universe!

Posted on February 10, 2015 by geelw

Holy cats. As I was hoping, the Humble Star Wars Bundle went from “Must Buy!” to “Oh, you’d BETTER Buy It NOW!” status. As you can see (well, once you pop your eyeballs back in from looking at the selection of games), the roster of titles got bumped up so that even if you pay the lowest possible price (a dollar a game), it’s a STEAL even a Corellian would pay for. Yow. Even if you skip that $12 tier and the three games that make up the deal, you’re getting enough games to keep you busy for months. As in you’ll probably still be playing by the time the new Star Wars movie hits theaters in December.

Yup, you know what you need to do, right? Force grab that wallet and force choke out that debit card, folks. Get enough games to zonk anyone into a digital coma and help charities in the process. You don’t need to be Yoda to realize this is a wise deal, Padawans. Now, get to it! You’ve got a galxy far, far away to save. or ruin, if that’s your thing. Anyway, this deal ONLY lasts until next Tuesday, so don’t wait (or pray that it’s altered any further, you cheapskates out there). Jump on this like it’s the last ship leaving Hoth or else you’ll regret it. Or at least your backlog will!

Review: The Shadow Sun (iOS/Android)

Posted on February 7, 2015 by geelw

Platform: iOS/Android

Developer: Ossian Studios

Publisher: Ossian Studios

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: N/A

Official Site

Score: B+ (85%)

Four years in the making, Ossian Studios‘ first mobile RPG, The Shadow Sun, brings the look and feel of classic PC fantasy role playing games to iOS and Android devices along with a few quirks common to mobile games. It’s a solid enough adventure of a decent length (about 15-20 hours or so if you seek out everything) and for a mere $4.99, it’s a fantastic deal.

While the game is indeed engaging and quite challenging in terms of its combat, it’s also a patch away from being even better than it currently is. You’re certainly getting a heck of a lot more than five dollars worth of gaming here and while in-app purchases are available, none are needed to beat the game.

Continue reading →

Bundle Stars Brings the Guns, You Bring the Trying Not to Get Shot Up Part.

Posted on February 5, 2015 by geelw

Well, if you call your latest deal the FPS Bulletproof Bundle and it’s all about shooting stuff up, that’s kind of misleading, isn’t it, Bundle Stars? Well, yes and no. Sure, you’ll get eight different FPS games from companies small to large as well as two downloads that let you create your own shooters (or other types of games) all for a measly $3.49. As you’re shutting up and buying this deal of the day, you’ll probably realize that that “bulletproof” in the title isn’t a lie at all. In fact, as games can’t kill you no matter how many digital bullets, lasers, bombs and other ordinance fly your way, you can rest easy knowing you’re safe in your own home while playing any of these titles.

As you can see from these trailers (and the rest on the game page), the selection ranges from quirky to scary and you’ll even get a dose of action movie “realism” in some games. As for Axis Game Factory’s AGFPRO v2, it’s probably a decent way for would be game makers to get some hands-on time with what looks like a simple to use set of tools. You probably won’t make the next Half-Life or anything close to it with, but you’ll certainly see that making games isn’t as “easy” as you may think even with a program this flexible.

But hey, perhaps you’ll prove me wrong and make a game that blows anyone who plays it out of the water. Stranger things have happened, for sure. Anyway, go make this the best $3.49 you’ve ever spent on anything playable, I say.

Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin Trailer: Die Learning to Die

Posted on February 5, 2015 by geelw

Coming to PC, PS4, PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360 on April 7, 2015, Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin will bring FromSoftware’s hard as hell-made nails game to those new consoles with a number of changes and improvements over the original release. For those rolling their eyes about the prospect of repurchasing the game just for spiffier visuals and every bit of DLC content included for free, fear not. Enemy placement throughout the game is vastly different and their AI has been dialed up even further.

Additionally, the number of enemy mobs has been increased, making the already challenging game much more so. All that and it seems that both offline and online players will have to now worry about a super-tough new foe that can invade their games with intent to do them in. Online fans looking for a fight will love the now 6-player PvP, although “love” is kind of a subjective term here. There’s nothing quite like being invaded mid-game by a bunch of people who you don’t know who may or may not be wanting to help you adventure.

Finally, that subtitle refers to an all-new NPC who’s chock full of information and meeting up with him will no doubt lead to new areas and content in the game. As you can see here, the official Dark Souls II website has announced a new patch for current owners of the original game that adds a ton of new features and content that will prepare players for the April release of Scholar of the First Sin. The great thing about all this is this reworked version of Dark Souls II is not only geared for veteran players who’ve mastered the game, but new players who want to see what all the fuss is about.

Yes, From has also added new NPC’s who can assist new players with the ins and outs of survival in such an unforgiving world. But don’t expect casual hand-holding or an assist if you bite off more that you can chew. The latter is what the assorted not so wee beasties are supposed to to and I’m betting plenty of players old and new will become meals off wheels when Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin arrives in about two months.

Zelda: Sword of Moria Hands-On: The Missing Link Is Coming Along Quite Nicely

Posted on January 31, 2015 by geelw

Packing an encyclopedic knowledge of the land of Hyrule and a passion for sharing it freely with others can be a bad thing if you’re wearing a baggy Tingle costume in public while ranting on a street corner to passersby giving you a wide berth. If that’s you, well… here comes the banana truck right… about… now. On the other hand, if you’re a more creative person like Jessica “Allaweh” Brown, you get cracking on a fan-made game that adds to the Legend of Zelda lore and feels quite like a professionally made product for classic game console. Zelda: Sword of Moria is set two years after the events in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, but plays much closer to the original game than its sequel. Brown has been releasing updated demo builds as she tinkers away on her project and once completed, the game will be free to anyone to play.

The game will require the Zelda Classic Launcher to run and should work fine on pretty much any PC. Once you’re all set to play, that recently created intro sequence kicks in and it’s off to the races. Sword of Moria actually begins with Link not having a sword (or any weapon at all) and a slight bit of hoofing it around to a new town to get his hands on one. This lets you see Brown’s nice level layouts as well as the tried and true Zelda gameplay where you’re unarmed for a short bit as you learn some navigation basics and see a few enemies you’ll want to avoid. Once that sword is acquired, get set to chop bushes and cut grass for Rupees and hearts as well as some enemies that previously had you scampering away before they drew a bead on poor Link.

The demo features an open world like the classic first game, but Brown’s braininess about Hyrule has allowed her to fill in some geographic gaps in the world map, making for a sensible and surprising journey while it lasts. In this latest demo build (2.0), you’ll be able to explore, fight off monsters, solve puzzles and find treasure in the Town of Saria, Northern Death Mountain, Calta Canyon and Eastern Calatia. Two smaller dungeons and one Major dungeon plus a few villages are also open for exploration. As this is an unfinished game, there are a small handful of areas that shouldn’t be ventured into lest you accidentally get Link bumped off. But the bulk of the demo looks and feels as if it’s a professionally made first-party game circa 1987 or so.

There’s still a good deal of work to go, but from the time spent with Zelda: Sword of Moira, it’s clear that this is going to be one of those great fan-made games that’s not just another remake or not quite “right” pseudo-sequel that goes off a few rails at different points. Her sticking to lore and dedication to making a game as close to feeling like the original and sequel make Ms. Brown someone to watch. And with work on a few sites, a regular podcast, YouTube and Twitch channel, she won’t mind you watching her, by the way.

IndieGala’s Friday Bundle: Too Many Games for Not A Lot of Money (Again!)

Posted on January 30, 2015 by geelw

Holy Cats. ~~Fourteen~~, no wait… FIFTEEN Steam games for $1.99 over at IndieGala for the next 24 hours ONLY? Insane, but it’s got BUY ME written all over it, folks. You’ll get a nice mix of genres from roguelike RPG to fast-paced action, a slice or three of horror and even the unique photo album game Retention about a guy who has a bike accident and is flipping through the pages of his memory as he lies on the ground awaiting help. Well, I guess that’s better than slipping in the shower as far as accidents go. Ouch. This one’s worth a play because the developers say it only takes about eleven minutes to play. Eight endings give it replay value, so I guess that’s about 90 minutes total if you go for all four good and bad endings, correct?

Anyway, go get your deal and shut yourself in for the weekend. It’s going to be terrifyingly cold in some spots from what I’m seeing…

Goetia Hands-On: Spirit in the Material World Needs A Helping Hand

Posted on January 29, 2015 by geelw

Haunting my inbox was an invite from Agnieszka Szostak to check out a brief demo of Goetia, a point and click mystery adventure game from French indie developer Sushee. The game is currently half funded on Kickstarter with about 21 days to go, a good sign for a game of this type. The demo clocks in at about an hour of play and shows off a game well worth keeping an eye on.

In the game, you’ll play as Abigail Blackwood,or more precisely, the ghost of Abigail Blackwood. She rises from her grave one gloomy evening and after realizing she’s no longer among the living, also discovers that there’s a mystery to be solved at her family’s seemingly abandoned manor nearby. While the demo takes place entirely in the mansion and it’s grounds, Sushee says the final build will have a lot more ground to cover. The cool thing is, it’s entirely up to players as to how to proceed thanks to Abby’s ghostly, spherical form. As a ghost, she can travel through some walls and floors as well as interact with and manipulate objects in order to solve puzzles and progress through an even deeper mystery.

Some areas are blocked off by mysterious runes that require knowledge of how to dispel, so Abby will need to scour every nook and cranny for clues. The object manipulation is actually really cool, as it allow Abby to “be” an item for as long as you wish to float it around the screen. Solving some puzzles involves multiple steps of manipulation, but the interface only has three icon-based actions to deal with.

Abby can look, use or inhabit certain items and combining these skills (plus some careful reading of found documents) is key to success. The game is also reminiscent of the hugely popular “hidden object” genre that has far too many titles to count. Goetia requires a bit more grey matter activation, as there’s a nice layer of complexity to figuring some things out. Combine that with an open environment and you have the makings of an instant genre classic.

Visually, the game is quite lovely in a simple non-system hog manner reminiscent of classic side-scrolling PC point and click games from the 90’s. That said, the use of lighting and parallax scrolling are brilliantly implemented, giving the game a nice sense of realism. As Abby is just a sphere-shaped spirit, you’re not going to be seeing her girlish figure animating anything but the objects she possesses. So, if you’re looking at this for the potential of playing as a hidden statue, candlestick or other otherwise inanimate object, go on ahead and dive into that demo with relish.

If you’re still rocking a system that runs Windows XP, fear not. There’s a 32-bit demo you can play that’s exactly the same. This is a smart move by Sushee because believe it or not, plenty of people still use that well-aged OS. I’m also sure part of the target audience for a game like this skews older enough to not be spending rent money on keeping up with the latest gaming rig setups.

All kidding aside, Goetia’s story is compelling in the manner it rolls out, enveloping you in a multi-layered mystery that so far, makes for a game worth funding and/or buying outright once it’s completed. Here’s what to expect in the final version:

A 2D world of Victorian mystery.

Over 90 rooms to explore.

Five vast and diverse areas to discover – Blackwood Manor is surrounded by ruins, woods, caves and an abandoned village.

A progressive-rock and ambient-inspired soundtrack.

Use your ability to walk through walls in order to reach secret rooms and areas.

Possess objects like a poltergeist to lift them, use them, combine them, make them float in the air, pile them up… well, you’re a ghost after all, behave like one!

Solve puzzles in more than one way by discovering hidden rooms and special features, such as new ghostly powers.

Delve into Blackwood’s story: 40 years have passed, and many things have changed since Abigail’s death.

Feel free to explore! You can travel through the world of Goetia however you like – and if you get stuck, simply backtrack and explore another area.

Goetia is set for an October release on PC and Mac. As for other platforms, let’s just say “who knows”, but the controls certainly make it seem like it’s going to be a very mobile-friendly port for those of you who prefer your games a bit more portable.