Posts from ‘Highly Recommended’ Category
Jamestown
By: Derek Yu
On: June 18th, 2011
Japanese developers have refined shoot ’em ups to a point where many casual observers are fascinated by the action and speed but are too intimidated to play. “It’s like standing in the rain without getting wet” is a phrase fans came up with to describe playing the games of ZUN, and it touches on the kind of fear and awe that bullet hell shoot ’em ups can inspire. It’s not only the playing of them that’s awe-inspiring, though, but also the development – ZUN is a single individual who handles every aspect of the dozen or so games that he’s released in as many years. (In the West, you could maybe make an analogy to roguelikes, which are usually made by a small team – oftentimes an individual – and are legendary for their challenge.)
It’s under this backdrop that Jamestown was released by a small American team, Final Form Games. From the get-go, it’s obvious that FFG was careful to make a shoot ’em up that fans of the genre might appreciate, while avoiding the pitfalls that enrage (or at least bore) them. At the same time, the game is very accessible to newer or more casual players, offering five difficulty levels and a very clear tutorial that explains the game’s scoring system.
Wanderlust: Rebirth enters Open Beta
By: Alehkhs
On: June 1st, 2011
Online co-op rpg Wanderlust: Rebirth entered open beta today, allowing interested players to experience a polished preview of the game before its planned launch on June 14th.
TIGSource has covered the game here before, and it’s exciting to see the game so close to release after almost five years in development. The beta spans the prologue and the first three chapters, includes a tutorial, as well as collectible gear and an item-crafting system. Characters created in the beta will be available once the final game releases, giving a nice head-start to those who play the beta.
The creators have posted a short series of videos of them playing the game cooperatively, and another series of them playing the game’s “Crawl” mode (which will be available in the full game), which sees them fighting wave after wave of enemies in an effort to place on an online high-score board.
Once the game releases, it will be sold either as single copies, or in packages of two, three, or even four games together at an overall discount, so be sure to jump online and bring a friend or three to check out Wanderlust: Rebirth.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent 1.2
By: Derek Yu
On: May 17th, 2011
I’ve been meaning to talk about Amnesia: The Dark Descent, but truth be told, it’s taking me a while to complete the game. It’s not the puzzles that are causing me to balk, but the terror of traipsing through another of the game’s dark hallways, anxiously checking my lantern oil and wondering if I’m being stalked by something horrible. Amnesia is one of the few games where item-gathering puzzles are genuinely thrilling, if only because it’s scary just to walk across a room.
Thankfully, the game’s update today gives me a good reason to make a post. On top of the bug fixes, 1.2 adds five short stories to read, as well as the DLC titled “Justine” that was created for Valve’s Portal 2 ARG and has been retooled for the update. Additionally, the Amnesia OST is now available for purchase through the Frictional Games online store (or as a free download for players who pre-ordered the game or bought it directly from the creators).
The update does not, however, come with the fortitude to see you through Amnesia’s constant thrills, which are well-crafted with various subtle and not-so-subtle cues. Frictional Games has really outdone itself with the graphics, and especially the audio, which are both top-notch, as well as the physics-based interaction that they’ve been refining since the Penumbra series. Survival horror fans and the morbidly curious should definitely check it out.
Released: September 8th, 2010
Price: $19.99
TIGdb: Entry for Amnesia: The Dark Descent
SpaceChem Currently 50% Off
By: Alehkhs
On: May 12th, 2011
If you’ve not yet tried out Zachtronics Industries’ gem of a puzzler SpaceChem, now is the excellent time to do so. Currently on sale for 50% ($14.99 $7.49) on both the game’s site and Steam, SpaceChem has kept me awake for what is certainly an unhealthy length of time: Increasingly difficult, consistently rewarding, I continue to be amazed by the simple-yet-ingenious mechanics of this highly addictive game.
Check out the trailer above, grab the demo, and if you like what you see, be sure to grab it while it’s cheap!
Semi-Review: S:S&S EP Micro
By: Brandon McCartin (BMcC)
On: April 26th, 2011
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP Micro (i.e., the iPod/iPhone version of the acclaimed game) was released the other day, so it should be available all over the modern world by now. Believe it or don’t, this is the creators’ preferred incarnation of the title, and only $2.99 USD to boot — a superb joy-to-dollar ratio if you ask me! Additionally, the original iPad version has now “gone universal,” which, I’m not sure, but I think means you princes and execs and pro athletes out there loaded enough to own multiple iDevices needn’t purchase it again. Truly now is the time of miracles!
I had actually managed to borrow an iPad and play through a pre-release copy of the game last month, fully intending to compose TIGSource’s very first Real Review, but Derek (presumably unaware of this) banged out some little blurb of a post ahead of me, stealing the heck out of my thunder. At any rate, it’d be a bit foolish writing a full-on review now, with so much said on the game’s behalf already. (Check Google to see what I mean.) So, as a compromise, this’ll be half review, half straight-up gushing. Sorry, it can’t be helped. *ahem*
Consult The Megatome the extended if you dare care…
* Now featuring TIGSOURCE EXCLUSIVE tidbits direct from the superbrother himself!
Soul Brother
By: ithamore
On: April 23rd, 2011
For those of us who have been waiting to play the Flash version of Soul Brother, the age of its online existence is finally here: go and play. For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, please continue reading.
Jasper Byrne has been putting a lot of time and love into this platformer about a spirit who is transported into the nearest animal after the body he was in dies, which grants the player with different abilities to play with in order to proceed through the game. This alternate reality method of reincarnation is a central mechanic of the gameplay, and a tally is kept of the times you die without having an animal into which to reincarnate. There are also wisdom gems to collect, speed runs to attempt, and combinations of variables to explore for the more challenging achievements while playing and replaying Soul Brother. Then there is the extra difficult Rainbow Star Challenge, … Edit: the challenge has been bested.
The pixel art and animations are adorable. Then there is the catchy, melodious soundtrack, which Jasper will be releasing as an OST later this year. And, if you aren’t already playing the game by now, maybe you’re reading too much.
Shores of Hazeron
By: Alehkhs
On: April 23rd, 2011
Shores of Hazeron is an indie sand-box space MMO currently in Open Alpha/Beta stage, bringing to mind such media as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Trek, the Elite series, Noctis, and Spore, to list a few.
Similar to other great labor-of-love projects such as Dwarf Fortress or Noctis, Hazeron‘s current graphics, interface, and performance might not seem cutting-edge (and combined with frequent lag and server downtime threaten to drive many a newcomer away), yet the game boasts incredible features and depth. Allowing for seamless, free-form exploration and colonization of planets in a procedurally-generated universe (containing unique solar systems, planets, animals, and plants), Hazeron allows players to build up a galactic empire from humble beginnings, or join a pre-existing and established empire. Players can design and customize spaceships and space stations, take-off and land seamlessly on planets and moons, fly between stars, and both interact peacefully or wage war with other players and empires.
Atom Zombie Smasher
By: Derek Yu
On: March 15th, 2011
Atom Zombie Smasher is the latest release from Brendon Chung and Blendo Games. The game plays out across a number of missions where your goal is to evacuate zombie-infested cities with a helicopter and groups of mercenaries. If you can reach your goal (determined by the number of civilians you’ve saved) before the zombies, or Zeds, reach theirs, you win.
Each month, new cities are infected and you can choose one of them to evacuate with a random set of mercenary groups, which include mobile infantry, artillery, barricades, and more. The makeup of your mercenaries plays a big part in how you do, so choose each mission wisely – conceding a difficult one will give the Zeds points and widen the gulf between you. One the other hand, beating tough missions earn you more victory points and offer more opportunities to level up your squads.
Planning and executing the perfect evacuation is a lot of fun (especially when it involves nuking the Zeds from orbit), and it feels great to make off with a gold medal victory against all odds. The cities in AZS are randomly-generated, too, so each time you play through a campaign it’s a bit different. Plus, the game has that wonderfully irreverent and stylish sensibility that’s become a hallmark of Brendon Chung’s work. Check it out on Steam – the game’s only $9 for this week (10% off).
Wind and Water: Puzzle Battles
By: Derek Yu
On: February 8th, 2011
I don’t play a whole lot of puzzle games, but Yuan Works’s Wind and Water: Puzzle Battles caught my eye last week with its fun mechanics, great presentation, and cute Story Mode. The game was originally released in 2007 for the Korean GP2X handheld and was re-released for the Dreamcast a year later (both of these were commercial releases). Its creators recently made the game free to download on Windows.
Top Indie Games of 2010 (According to the TIGSource Forums)
By: Paul Eres
On: December 31st, 2010
I asked people what their personal favorite indie game releases of 2010 were in the forums; this is a compiled list. Each mention got one vote per person. There were a lot of ties, which is why the numbering is a bit wonky. Minecraft isn’t officially a 2010 game (it hasn’t been released yet and was first put on sale in 2009) but was included because it gained its popularity and most of its content in 2010.
2. VVVVVV
3. Hero Core
4. Minecraft
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