Indies at first Sight: The Last Door
The Last Door, this adventure either stops in its tracks or keeps you on your toes. I am not one for horror games. So even though this game says it is a horror game, I do not feel the need to jump up on a chair like a pansy. I love the art style the developers chose, just to be an almost simple point and click adventure. The music is a nice touch, mixing a Alfred Hitchcock and other keen aspects of horror music. The gameplay is bland at times and feels like is missing a lot. Although this title does not hold your hand, a little hint here and there would have been suffice. The way the game pans out, makes it all worth the while to play. In all honesty, I tried to like this game as much as I could. It has potential and for being an episodic game, it really stands out. Altogether, The Last Door gets a 7.5/10. It should have been released as a digital copy on Desura instead of being a flash title on their website. The fact that the first episode is free, bothers me. I appreciate developers who take the time to make games we may or may not enjoy. The effort is great. They were in their right mind to get the game off the ground to at least let you play a bit before you decided to buy episode 2. The Last Door should have been, in my opinion on game clients like Steam and Desura. Interested in The Last Door? CHECK IT VIA THEIR WEBSITE.
P.S. Keep an Eye on our Quick BitZ section on our YouTube for upcoming gameplay of this title
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
Indie Spotlight: Whispering Willows, Contrast and WarZ RETURNS!!
Welcome to the Indie Spotlight, bringing the latest in news, trailers and new releases in the Indie Video Game area.
Indie Royale – http://www.indieroyale.com/
WarZ – http://store.steampowered.com/app/226…
Next Xbox announcement –http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/xb…
Richard and Alice – http://www.desura.com/games/richard-a…
The Bridge – http://thebridgeisblackandwhite.com/
Runner2 – http://store.steampowered.com/app/218…
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
Quick BitZ: Ace of Spades
Quick BitZ: Ace of Spades
STEAM STORE LINK: http://store.steampowered.com/app/224540/
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
Look At: Fly’N (Demo)
Master Blud takes a look at Fly’N, currently available on Steam.
Steam Store Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/223730
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
Indie Spotlight: Real World Racing, Indie Bundles and Halloween!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN
Welcome to the Indie Spotlight, bringing the latest in news, trailers and new releases in the Indie Video Game area.
In case you missed our previous episodes of Indie Spotlight, make sure to visit the Indie Spotlight Playlist. We haven’t been posting on here, but are trying to catch up on our work.
Ascension trailer courtesy of Magnesium Ninja Studios
Real World Racing trailer courtesy of Playstos Entertainment
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime trailer courtesy of Asteroid Base
Indie Royale – http://www.indieroyale.com/
Canadian Bundle is just a Steam sale – http://store.steampowered.com/
GTA: Vice City coming to iOS and Android – http://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/45851/celebrating-the-grand-the…
Hotline Miami – http://store.steampowered.com/app/219150/
Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams – http://store.steampowered.com/app/223220/
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
Thomas Was Alone (Review)
Review by: Ady Carter
Created by Mike Bithell, Thomas Was Alone bills itself as “a minimalist game about friendship and jumping” which to be frank is pretty much exactly what it is. Spinning out of a successful flash-based demo and with a little bit of crowd funding support to polish it up, Thomas Was Alone arrives this weekend for the PC and Mac. It’s a tough game to accurately describe, and one that’s perhaps best discovered rather than laid out before you in a review, but this is a review and you expect as much, so I should try! (more…)
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
Thomas Was Alone (Exclusive Preview)
Releasing on June 28th for PC/Mac
More Info: thomaswasalone.com
It’ll be out first on Desura, then shortly on other digital distribution platforms.
It’s a game about friendship and jumping. Guide Thomas and his friends
around 100 levels, combining their strengths and overcoming their
weaknesses as they work their way through an intriguing – and often
impossibly cute – story, narrated by Danny Wallace.
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
Square Enix registers www.FinalFantasyVIIPC.com
By: ShadowKingpin
Square Enix has started up a swarm of internet buzz with news revealing that they have just registered an interesting domain name.
FinalFantasyVIIPC.com is now a domain name that officially belongs to Square Enix. With such a move, the internet is now hyping up theories about what it actually means. The three main theories that seem to pop up the most are: 1. A Final Fantasy VII Remake (Least Likely). 2. Final Fantasy VII coming to Steam (Most likely). Since Eidos published the PC version many years back and with Square Enix owning Eidos, it’s safe to say that it will be available digitally soon. Also, it helps that FFVII has been in the Steam database for some time now. 3. Just to own the site before anyone else does. Companies do that a lot.
Time will tell whether any of these theories are true, but we all hope more for a remake, when likely it’s more of a digital re-release. We’ll keep everyone up to date once we find out more information.
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
Magic: The Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 coming June 20th!
We all know you’ve been craving to get your hands on the next addition of the “Duels of the Planeswalkers” series, and it’s almost time for you to show off your top notch card playing skills! (more…)
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
Shuggy continues his platforming adventure on another platform
Smudged Cat Games is pleased to announce that “The Adventures of Shuggy” will soon be released through Steam! If you do not know about “The Adventures of Shuggy” Read our review HERE.
The Adventures of Shuggy was released on XBLA in June of last year to be largely ignored by everyone, but now we’re trying again,… on Steam. Yes, that’s right, despite being an excellent slice of retro-styled 2D puzzle-platforming goodness with a cracking variety of different mechanics and ingenious puzzles hardly anyone bought the game. So, if you haven’t got an XBox stay tuned to find out when you’ll be able to play it on your PC through Steam (we don’t have a release date yet).
…and if you’ve got an XBOX, go and buy the game now.
There are over 100 levels in the game connected through a gradually unlocking map screen ensuring there is always a variety of levels to choose from. Various different mechanics give each level a fresh spin with Shuggy travelling in time, swinging on ropes, rotating levels, turning to a zombie, shrinking, growing, flying, teleporting and more. The game takes place in an old Scottish mansion recently inherited by young Shuggy, a cartoon vampire. To clear the mansion of evil spirits he must venture through the five different areas of the mansion, The Dungeon, The Boiler Room, The Gallery, The Graveyard and The Clocktower. Progress through the mansion is punctuated by comic book cut scenes and the occassional boss encounter.
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
Indies at First Sight: Ramen Ninja and Steam Heroes
Click each BoxArt to be brought to MarketLink
Ramen Ninja
GOD DAMNIT I hate stealth games. I just picked up Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, and have tried numerous times to play Deus Ex. I don’t know if it’s because I don’t know how to read enemy patterns or what, but I have a tough time with these games and I grow impatient. I did however manage to successfully play Ramen Ninja. Ramen Ninja is about a ninja who had his ramen noodles stolen from his ramen noodle farm and needs to get it back. I found the gameplay at first to be quite irritating and couldn’t really find out how to stay out of enemy sight. Each enemy has a line of site which is shaped like a cone, emulating a peripheral vision. You have several tools you can use in-game such as crawl, sneak and footstomp to distract your enemies to make it to your goal. There is no time limit, but each time you’re almost caught, your star level for finishing each levels drops. In each level you must collect all the ramen noodle bowls and make it to the exit without being seen at all. In the end, I had a decent time with the game, stealth really isn’t my thing, so if you’re into those types of games, then I can recommend this title to you. Altogether, Ramen Ninja gets a 4 out of 5, it serves a challenge, it serves ramen, and it deserves a shot.
Steam Heroes
When puzzle and fighting games collide, they bring you an ultimate experience. With your band of heroes, battling your way through Bar Von Smogs minions, you are to save Steam Land. You play through various puzzles in which you have to survive and attack, in order to do this, you must match 3 like pieces in order to gain certain energy, hit a higher combo than 3 and you gain more energy for each character. Fill up the meters all the way and unleash a power attack of your choosing. There are other game modes besides your story mode, upon finishing the game, you unlock more game modes, such as a boss mode. The gameplay will get your heart racing as you quickly try to take down each minion. I found the controls just a little hard to get use to, it would be more fitting as a PC title and using a mouse. The visuals are well done, sometimes it might seem like there is too much going on in the game, just concentrate on your goal and you’ll be fine. The soundtrack and effects in-game really set in motion, this is when your heart will start racing upon trying to demolish your enemy. Altogether, I give Steam Heroes a 4 out of 5, it seems that this title went unrecognized a while back. I can recommend this title to puzzle/fighter fans and the retro gamer.
Note: If you have Fortresscraft and want the special “Harrison Axe” Please read this post Get Harrison Axe
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
Master Blud’s Top 10 Indie Games of 2011
Article by: Master Blud
It’s been quite a year for indie games, and not just for Xbox indie games. Seems to me that the interest for such games from brilliant independent minds has gained quite the follow. It doesn’t take one, but many achieved either a fan base or a love for a certain genre of indie game. Indie games use to be considered the bottom of the barrel of games, kind of feeling like the old software from your Windows 95 OS. It didn’t take too long for them to gain quality and quantity over the year of 2011, I wonder if most of these titles were hiding from us for years until the right time to spring a chance at exposure, and they did, they succeeded. What I would like to present to you is a list of games that I found myself playing more than just a few play sessions, and some that just left the right impression on me. Now for your summary of reading, here is my Top 10 Indie Games of 2011.
10. Jamestown: Legend of the Lost Colony (PC)
I recently got into to this gorgeous shooter because of the Humble Indie Bundle 4, I immediately fell in love with Retro Arcade Shmup vibe. This game had me on my toes, more than a few runs. The soundtrack was absolutely epic, and the visuals just the same. I can say that this game will stay with me forever.
9. Hypership Out of Control (iOS)
I originally got hooked on this title when it came to Xbox Live Indie Games. Then the game had released on iOS Devices, feeling clean, fast, and playable. The game is possibly too fast for my own good. There really is no stopping a ship that has lost its brakes. I recommend this retro dodgemup/shmup for even the most modern gamer.
8. Trailer Park King (XBLIG)
Yes, I love the occasional bewbs in games, but this one just had me all googly-eyed and laughing. The humor, storyline, and the voice acting was able to keep my attention for as long as I thought it could. I hear Trailer Park King 2 is coming very soon, so keep an eye out on the Xbox Indie Game Marketplace.
7. Volchaos (XBLIG)
This retro platformer had my interest for the longest time. I proceeded to keep an eye out on the developer on updates on the game. The game is tough, uses a retro feeling control scheme that some might not be comfortable with. I had an absolute blast with this game, I also can say you will too.
6. DLC Quest (XBLIG)
Everything in the game is DLC, from moving left, character animation, jumping, and even horse armor. One thing that sets this game apart from any other games on the service, is that it is complete satire and not to be taken seriously, it presents itself in its own way. The game pokes fun at the use of DLC in other major titles, kinda like the season passes and map packs.
5. Take Arms (XBLIG)
This 2D side scrolling shooter will not replace your love for CoD franchise. Since I do not play CoD anymore, this game was a nice change of pace. The visuals are outstanding, and the gameplay is pretty addicting. I felt so powerful playing this title on Xbox Live, that I even had playdates with Take Arms and just had a hell of a time teabagging my opponent in 2D.
4. Crayon Physics Deluxe (PC)
I first saw this title and facepalmed immediately. I thought it was just some game with Crayon art. Don’t let the looks of a game make your final judgement, go ahead and explore the game. I found Crayon Physics Deluxe the most enchanting physics games I have ever played, the ability to draw crayon and make shapes ( Yes I made dirty shapes).
3. Blocks That Matter (PC&XBLIG)
This charming little platform has the mix of many titles, using the key references to minecraft, and tetris. You play as a little drill robot that must save his creators, who look a lot like these 2 famous game developers. You must solve mind bending puzzles in order to reach your goal. This title is beautiful, charming and certainly something you must experience.
2. Trine (PC)
This game was pretty difficult when I had first booted it up. With a deep storyline, memorable characters, and visuals that just have you dropping your jaw. I liked the way each character had his/her own ability to guide you through the levels safely, if it were own character, this game would fall short of my list and I probably wouldn’t play it again.
1. Bastion (PC&XBLA)
By now, you probably either heard of this game or just seen some screenshots. I can assure you Bastion will have you hypnotized in its beautiful soundtrack, impeccable narrator,and insane visuals that will give you goosepimples. The title has a great replay value, even without the add ons.
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
Orcs Must Die – Review
RELEASE DATE: 10/5/2011
DEVELOPER: Robot Entertainment
GENRE: Action & Adventure, Strategy & Simulation
OnLive Marketlink – Here
Xbox Arcade Marketlink – Here
Rating: 5 shattered orc skulls out of 5
Review by: Robstein
So, the whole reason Orcs Must Die! exists (plot-wise) is because of these magical “rifts” that attract the attention of a bunch of unsavory fantasy creatures. The rifts are under constant watch and protection by mages, who fight the hordes off incessantly in a never-ending game up tug-of-war. Anyway, the game begins with the death of one of the most powerful mages in The Order as he slips on a pool of Kobold blood and cracks his head against some stairs. An epic end if ever there was one. With him gone, the burden of protecting the rifts falls on his exceedingly dimwitted apprentice. Things are not looking good, no sir. Luckily this buffoon isn’t calling the shots, the player is. He just kind of spouts out moronic (and quite funny) lines along the way.
The best way I can think to describe this game to the unfamiliar is as a kind of action-tower defense affair. Players control the apprentice in real-time; attacking, casting spells and setting up traps in order to protect the rifts from numerous orc assaults. What’s great is just how well everything works together. Each trap and guardian has its usefulness, and many of the levels are laid out in a manner as to allow for all manner of various loadouts. Some are more suited to an environment than others (such as the ceiling traps that are only effective in areas with low ceilings), but overall players can find a combination they like and stick with it. After a certain point The Weavers, sisters that grant special ability bonuses for a price, become available and add an even deeper element of strategy to the proceedings. Each new level grants access to a new tool, and by game’s end I had far more items to pick and choose from than I had open inventory slots. This made a dry-run (a.k.a learning the layout before the attacks began) essential as there are a number of ways to exploit a level’s structure.
The “playing” is where Orcs Must Die! truly shines. In other words, it’s unbelievably fun and hard to put down. Even after completion. An aspect that some AAA games tend to miss these days. The ever-present draw of seeing what new trap or artifact (for spells) I’d earn next was overpowering, and being able to replay past stages to earn more skulls (up to five per level, used for upgrading traps) kept me coming back for more. Similarly, the enemies do a great job of keeping players on their toes. Some, like Ogres, aren’t affected by physics-based traps such as spring-loaded floor panels. Others can move past barricades as though they weren’t there and utterly decimate archers. Each one poses an on-the-fly problem that must be solved quickly, or else it’s certain room (or at least a restart). More than anything, though, it’s the satisfaction of setting up a series of traps so insidious that the player doesn’t actually need to do anything. There’s nothing like sitting idly back and watching orcs and ogres alike wade through a gauntlet of death and never reach the end.
I cannot sing the praises of Orcs Must Die! enough. I’m not entirely sure that I’ve ever played a defense-based game like this that’s so well-balanced as to remain challenging but still completely fair, or that encourages so much strategic variety. The best part is, even after the main campaign is beaten upside-down and sideways there’s still the Nightmare difficulty. It can earn more skulls for even more upgrades, but it also tosses players face-first into each stage with no time for a planning phase and much more difficult enemy waves. Yessir, this is a Must Play for people who like to play video games. No matter the preferred genre.
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
ProjectorGames planning to thank customers with exclusive in-game FortressCraft Item
Article By: Master Blud
With my recent discussion with many developers on possibilities of gaining more exposure to games that were possibly their first projects. I had time to message DJ Arcas from ProjectorGames, not just to catch up on what FortressCraft has been up to, but to see how well Steam Heroes is doing. Many of you might not know, Steam Heroes is actually one of the games that DJ Arcas is responsible for.
- Steam Heroes
If you haven’t already, now is the time to pick up this game. Why? Well DJ Arcas would like to thank his customers by providing an “EXCLUSIVE” in-game item for those who purchase Steam Heroes with a special Axe called “Harrison Axe” to use (more…)
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
Xbox Indie Games getting a well deserved Brand
- Click to be brought to respective development site
For long we have seen the trash on Xbox Live Indie Games, they seem to represent the other developers working hard to make their game as polished and worth playing as much as possible. What trash am I talking about? Well it’s simple, massage Apps, crappy Avatar Games, flashlight apps, shotty one level gameplay and the list basically goes on.
Lately I have seen Xbox Indie Games show more variety and much more hard work involved in the games. The Xbox Indie Games Channel is not just a garbage heap of titles, you have to dig deep, look at many sites that cover indie games, for example, not just us, GamerGeddon, and Indie Theory, just to name a few. All of these sites will tell you whether or not the titles you are looking at are worth you (more…)
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
The Humble Indie Bundle #3
Article by: Underwood Lynch
Having generated over $300,000 so far at time of writing this time round, the ever-popular Humble Indie Bundle has returned to delight both fans of Indie gaming and the choice to pay what you want for video games. This incarnation, the H (more…)
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
Voice of Indie #XBLIG News: Zeboyd RPG’s Now on PC!
“CStW & BoDVII Now Available on Steam!”
By: Mr. Deeke
Today is a great day for Indie development team Zeboyd Games as they’ve officially made the cross-over from XBLIG to PC via Steam and Gamer’sGate. Both games are available in a double-pack edition for a mere $3, and of course the signature updates that add a smorgasboard of new features is included.
Fight enemies in classic turn-based combat and relive the glory days of NES RPG’s in both of Zeboyd Games’ legendary and critically-acclaimed titles!
Check below for links to both Steam and GamersGate and new trailers depicting both titles in action:
The Cow Says SHAAARRREEEEE THIS!
Zeboyd Games Titles Coming to Steam & Gamersgate
Voice of Indie XBLIG News
“Zeboyd Games Combo Pack Coming to Steam For $3″
By: Mr. Deeke
Awesome news for PC gamers (old and new) who love Indie RPG’s: both Zeboyd Games titles Breath of Death VII and Cthulhu Saves the World will be available on STEAM and Gamersgate on July 13 in a combo pack for a mere $3!
Additional information provides even better news; the updated version of CStW–Cthulhu Saves the World: Super Hyper Enhanced Championship Edition Alpha Diamond DX Plus Alpha FES HD – Premium Enhanced Game of the Year Collector’s Edition (without Avatars!) or CSTW:SHECEADDPAFH – PEGYCE (WA!)–will be included in the combo pack for no additional charge.
That’s two awesome Zeboyd Games RPG’s for the original price of what CStW originally costs on the Xbox Live Indie Games Marketplace. Very rarely do Xbox Indies make crossovers, and it’s great to see that Zeboyd Games has released a slated date for inclusion of their titles on STEAM and Gamersgate.
Below is coverage from the official Press Release from Zeboyd Games’ website:
Not content to merely repackage existing content and sell it at an insanely low price, the PC version of Cthulhu Saves the World will feature numerous improvements over the original XBox 360 release. Dubbed the Cthulhu Saves the World: Super Hyper Enhanced Championship Edition Alpha Diamond DX Plus Alpha FES HD – Premium Enhanced Game of the Year Collector’s Edition (without Avatars!) or CSTW:SHECEADDPAFH – PEGYCE (WA!) for short, the new version will include such features as:
Cthulhu’s Angels game mode – Cthulhu is too lazy to save the world so he talks a bunch of beautiful women into saving it for him! This remix mode features new dialogue, new playable characters (Molly the Were-Zompire! Elonalina the generic healer! Dark Knight Umi! Low level October!), new music, new abilities, and much, much more!
Unlockable Character Bromides – Due to the frothing demand for sexy Cthulhu art!
As well as all of the great features of the original release such as:
- Old school RPG style mixed with modern design sensibilities!
- Inflict insanity upon your opponents for fun and profit!
- 6-10 hour quest with unlockable game modes & difficulty levels for increased replay value.
- All of the great features players know and love from Breath of Death VII: The Beginning have returned – fast-paced gameplay, combo system, random encounter limits, branching LV-Ups, and more!
- These enhancements will also be made available to owners of the 360 version of the game via a free patch released at or near the PC version’s release date.
Breath of Death VII: The Beginning:
Resurrect the classic era of RPGs with the retro parody RPG, Breath of Death VII: The Beginning. Join Dem the Skeleton Knight, Sara the ghost historian, Lita the vampire techie, and Erik the zombie prince as they explore an undead world in search of the secrets of the past. Laugh! Cry! Laugh some more!
Key features:
- Old school RPG style mixed with modern design sensibilities!
- Fast-paced turn based combat!
- 4-6 hour quest with multiple game modes & difficulty levels for added replay value.
- Easy to understand branching character customization system with frequent LV-Ups.
- Multi-character unite techniques and combo break system for added depth!
- PC enhancements – Save anywhere functionality, new Easy mode, and new customization options.
Be sure to check out the games on the Xbox Live Indie Games marketplace, as the update for CStW will be a free downloadable patch to all gamers who have previously purchased the title–this isn’t DLC that costs MSP like retail and some Arcade titles.
For more information on Breath of Death VII: The Beginning and Cthulhu Saves the World please visit Zeboyd Game’s official website
VVGtv 