Random Indie Game of the Whatever* Review: Pushcat

*Yeah, yeah, it’s been a WHILE since I reviewed an indie game here on DAF, but that’s because I’ve been downloading SO many of them and am slowly but surely going through what I can when I can. It’s YOUR fault, developers for churning out so darn many cool games. It’s a hell of a challenge, kids. Anyway, more indie reviews to come on a hopefully semi-regular basis…Onward!

screenshot__0003_title Damn you, Pushcat! There goes an hour wasted playing you (again). Granted, I did go in thinking I’d get a timed “grab the gems, get out of Dodge” game like my beloved Crystal Mines, but Pushcat’s a lazy bastard and that makes for a much better game that will burn up a few brain cells as it gets more challenging. There’s NO timer ticking down and forcing you to make mistakes and by the time the game’s handful of enemies and explosive surprises appear, you’ll have built up a healthy enough stock of lives that make the going not frustrating at all. The game’s combination of Boulder Dash, Crystal Mines and Match-3 gameplay makes it instantly addictive to puzzle fans, the retro visuals are sharp and cute, and the game has an amazing, catchy soundtrack made up of a bunch of ragtime and other ancient classics that has to be heard to be believed… Continue reading

Gallery: Raven’s Cry

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RC_Pass3_1280x720_Shot28I’m not sure exactly when TopWare Interactive is releasing Raven’s Cry other than that nebulous Q3 2013 launch window, but I’d say it’s worth a look if you’re into the whole pirate-themed video game (and want to see how this stacks up to Assassin’s Creed IV, I guess). The game looks to fill a more “realistic” niche other pirate themes have teased, but have yet to deliver on. The story is pretty interesting and in combination with developer Octane Games’ promise of real-world locations and historical accuracy in some of the game’s elements, should make for quite a game experience that’s hopefully not just action-oriented.

As Christopher Raven, who as a young boy saw his family slain by pirates, players will hop into his boots as an older, vengeance-fueled pirate as he sets sail to do in those who ripped his life apart. yes, indeed it’s a completely single-player RPG, which means the developer is concentrating on delivering a rich story, character and hopefully, game world to interact with.

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