There are days where I like to just sit down and spend hours getting lost in some strategy game or simulator, and then there are days where I only have five minutes to blow off steam before I address the issues that come with being a parent. “Paranautical Activity” is a first person shooter that certainly falls into the latter category, as games can be over in less than ten seconds depending on how careless you are. Before we get started taking a look at this particular game, I’d like to thank the folks from Code Avarice for providing me with a free review copy.
Video Games
Paramount recently released a new video for the upcoming Star Trek game that’s scheduled to be released on April 23, 2013. In this new video, Brian Miller, the Senior Vice President of Paramount Pictures, goes into a brief explanation of how the game is made and gives us new footage to drool over. You can check out this new video, along with the previously released trailer, here:
I’ve played a lot of simulators in my day, but never before have I had the chance to own a simulated boating company. In “The Good Life”, A gentleman named Derek inherits a boating company from his late uncle. Tired of working for someone else, Derek sets off to the Jo Jo islands with his girlfriend Michelle to start a new life and attempt to make something of the boating company he inherited. Before we hoist our sails, I’d like to thank Manos Tsotros, the founder of ImmersionFX Games, for providing me with a free review copy.
I’ve had the pleasure of playing games that resemble the old fan favorite, “Dungeon Keeper” as of late…some being better than others. “Dungeons” kept me busy for a little while and “A Game of Dwarves” quote unquote ruined my personal life for a month or two with its addicting gameplay. This time around, I’ll be taking a look at the game “Impire” and while it does keep with the general “Dungeon Keeper” theme, it does some pretty unique things that warrants special attention. Like “Dungeons”, you’ll be assuming the role of a once powerful figure that has been kicked out of power. In this case, you are Báal-Abaddon, a great leader who has been reduced in size to the body of an imp after being summoned by a man named Oscar van Fairweather. Needless to say, you’ll be doing your darndest to see that Báal-Abaddon rises from his slump and regains power (and hopefully his prior form) once again. Before we get started with this particular dungeon-esque strategy game, I’d like to thank Veronica Gunlycke from Paradox Interactive for providing me with a free review copy.
You may have used the phrase, “boy, I’d like to be a fly on the wall for that” at one point in your life. In, “The Plan”, you’ll be doing just that…sort of. “The Plan” is a free, incredibly short game that puts the player in control of a fly that must navigate around the environment. You’ll encounter gushes of wind, leaves, and spider webs along the way that serve to trip you up. The music, graphics, and artwork are fantastic and the controls are very easy to manage. There’s a clear message that the game conveys at its end, but I won’t spoil what that is. You’ll have to go experience that for yourself. Feel free to download the game for free or simply watch me play through it by utilizing the links below.
“Fibrillation” isn’t so much of a game as it is a journey. There isn’t much of a back story and all you know is what is in front of you. Even then, your senses can’t be trusted. Do you have what it takes to see through the psychological horrors that await you, or will you close the program and vow never to open it again? Before we get started questioning life as we know it, I’d like to thank Egor Rezenov from Mechanical Starling for providing me with a free review copy.
“Shadowgate” was one of the first point and click adventure games that I had ever played. While I enjoyed pouring countless hours into the text adventures on the household’s TRS-DOS computer, “Shadowgate” introduced me to interactive story telling in a way that I hadn’t experienced before. “Castle Dracula” is a shorter, less complicated version of “Shadowgate”, but by no means does that make the game boring. In this particular game, you take on the role of a husband who’s pregnant wife has been captured and whisked away to a nearby castle. Armed with a crucifix, you head into the castle intent on bringing your wife and unborn child out alive. Before I head to my local grocery store to stock up on garlic, I’d like to thank Kevin Gondek from Gondefire Productions for providing me with a free review copy.
You’re fourteen years old, and you’ve just inherited the throne after the unfortunate passing of your mother. Your skills are lacking, your moods are all over the place, and you have no ruling experience to speak of. To put it bluntly, you’re in a lot of trouble. “Long Live The Queen” tasks the player in molding this new ruler any way they’d like in the hopes of one day becoming a positive footnote in the history books. Before we start ruling the kingdom with a tempered demeanour or an iron fist, I’d like to thank Georgina Bensley from Hanako Games for providing me with a free review copy.
I have some pretty painful boxing memories as a kid, though no matter how much abuse Little Mac took, I was mashing on those “A” and “B” buttons to have another chance at the dreaded “Dream Fight” (play your “Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out”, kids). I dabbled in the Fight Night series here and there, but nothing sticks out in my mind more than Bald Bull’s “Bull Charge” and Great Tiger’s “Magic Punch.” Needless to say, I was surprised (in a good way) to see this particular game hit Desura’s “New Games” tab. It looks and feels like a modern-day “Punch-Out” on speed, but with some interesting mechanics thrown in for good measure. Before we start wrapping tape around our hands, I’d like to thank Gordon Luk from Goodhustle Studios, Inc. for sending me a free review copy.
Despite popular belief, games don’t necessarily have to be about gunning some hapless chap down before he does the same to you. Some games involve music, some games involve adventure, and some games simply serve to make you stop and take in your surroundings. “Proteus” is a mix all of three of these things and is designed to send the player on a unique adventure that they soon won’t forget. Before we don our hiking boots and zip up our backpacks, I’d like to thank Ed Key (the designer and programmer of “Proteus”) for providing me with a free review copy.
“World of Goo” was the last puzzle game to weird me out and as a parent, that’s pretty hard to do. “Puddle”, while similar, isn’t so much as weird as it is unique in that it offers gameplay mechanics that I don’t often see in my travels as a games journalist. Instead of ferrying lemmings or balls of goo from start to finish, you’ll be manipulating the camera to manuever a puddle of fluid (hence the title) around the environment. Before we get started, I’d like to thank Sébastien Chipot-Delys from Neko Entertainment for providing me with a free review copy.
Hey folks, I just wanted to take a time out to pass along this press release from Imminent Games, the folks who made “Drip Drip”. To sum up the below, Imminent Games will donate 20% of all PC and Mac “Drip Drip” game sales made through the Imminent Games site for the month of February to the Robin Hood Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund. Help spread the word for a good cause!
My fondness of the “Tropico” series should be well-known by now, especially by those who have been eagerly reading everything I’ve had to say about “Tropico 4.” Those who have know how deep, how complex, and how involved it can all be. While “Tropico”, “Tropico 3”, and “Tropico 4” all have similar play mechanics and are based around the same theme, “Tropico 2” dared to be different. Instead of ruling over a Banana Republic, “Tropico 2” tasks you with overseeing a pirate-themed empire. Granted, the game was released in 2003, but I believe it warrants a quick look especially now that “Tropico” product bundles exist. Does this game stand up well on its own, or is it the black sheep that no one cares to bring up during a family reunion?
Ugh. I found this free game on Desura, developed by the same people who made “Insert Title Here” which I thought was pretty good. It goes to show however that free things aren’t always a blessing in disguise. The walk speed is terribly slow and the platforming is broken. To sum things up, I reiterate my earlier sentence: “Ugh.”
I’d hesitate to call this a game, more like an exercise in futility. You’ll be using the mouse to move a hand around the environment, along with A, W, E, R, and Space Bar to move the hand’s fingers. The goal is to take out the heart and put in the replacement…trust me, it’s harder than it sounds. It took me almost a minute to get used to moving the hand around and about five minutes to actually pick up my first surgical tool. Still, it was hilarious to watch tools and internal body parts flying all over the place. You can check out my reaction to the game and/or download the game yourself for free via the links below. Don’t forget to scrub!
So, you’re a bear and it’s almost time to hibernate. The logical thing to do would be to jump in your car, drive around and run over lakes and bushes to spawn food, and dodge bears driving other cars. I came across this free PC game (99 cents on iOS products) and decided to give it a go, mainly because of how ridiculous it all sounded. The goal is to eat enough food and drive into a cave before the time limit expires. It’s fairly difficult, seeing as how you’ll be driving with one hand, erm…paw. You can check out my reaction to it, or download the game yourself, via the links below. Don’t drive angry!