FiNCK, Fire Nuclear Crocodile Killer

Review #74 – Free Video Game

FiNCK, Fire Nuclear Crocodile Killer

Yeah, the title doesn't make any sense, so don't worry too much about it.

FiNCK is a platformer in the same style as Lyle in Cube Sector and Alex'sAdventure, and one of the best I've seen, I might add. Why? Because it's so darn simple.

After a short tutorial, you familiarize yourself with all the commands: moving, jumping, and using boxes. Listo. After that, the game consists in figuring out a complex and labyrinthine world, and interacting with a few special “boxes” that can have unique properties or affect your character.

I say “boxes”, but some of them are bombs, or birds, or weird jumping things. So why do I call them boxes? Well, because the rules are the same for everything. You can pick it up, and you can throw it.

That's what I mean by “simple”. Very simple rules, very simple controls. But the game itself is pretty long and full of different entities and objects. Your task is to figure out how to use them.

Oh, and before I go, I must add: try to get all the coins!

- The Storeman

Disclaimer: I didn’t upload any of the content in the following link. I have downloaded and checked it as I always do. I have even executed it in my own computer and did not experience any kind of problems. But I can’t ensure that it is free of virus and/or malware that my anti-virus programs couldn’t find. That’s the author’s responsibility.

External Download Link: http://nifflas.ni2.se/?page=FiNCK

Precocious, Knowledge is a Weapon!

Review #73 – Free Webcomic

Precocious, Knowledge is a Weapon!

A new webcomic review is long overdue, as last one was almost a year ago. Today's entry is Precocious, a daily comic strip with a hint of Tiny Toons. It's funny and smart, so it easily became part of my daily rutine.

The comic follows the adventures of the kids from Saphire Lake, a suburban neighbour chosen for it's proximity to the Poppinstock Academy, a school for the gifted. Gifted as in “genius”, not “mutant”.

And “genius” is a good word to describe them, the same way you'll use it to describe Dr. Doom or any Bond villain. Because, you see, children don't share the same sense of morality and resposibility as you or me. The main problem, though, is that their intelligence can make their pranks and games a lot more... explosive than those of other children.

It's mostly gag a day, with a background plot tying the strips together, much like the comic strips on newspapers.

So, check Precocious for a daily dose of cartoony fun. You won't live to regret it.

- The Storeman

Disclaimer: I didn’t upload any of the content in the following link. I have downloaded and checked it as I always do. I have even executed it in my own computer and did not experience any kind of problems. But I can’t ensure that it is free of virus and/or malware that my anti-virus programs couldn’t find. That’s the author’s responsibility.

Read Online: http://www.precociouscomic.com/

Glum Buster, Let's Bust Some Glum!

Review # 72 – Free Video Game

Glum Buster, Let's Bust Some Glum!

Let's say this and then take on each part by itself: Glum Buster is an artistic shooter puzzle game. And it sometimes has platformer segments. Ok, now, part by part:

In Glum Buster, you take control of a silent protagonist in a dream-like world, fighting against creatures of darkness. I call it a “shooter” because you use the keyboard to move your character around, while using your mouse to shoot at enemies. Some require a bit of speed and coordination, but the main obstacle when trying to kill them is figuring them out.

That's the “puzzle” part. On each screen, you must eliminate all enemies to advance. And while very few are pretty straightforward, most of them take a little study. You have to interact and discover how to defeat them. Those are pretty cool, I might add.

Now, about the “platformer” aspect. After some screens of fighting darkness, your character will lose it's ability to fly around, so the last part of each level is a platformer section, with puzzle elements, obviously. Still, don't worry. You keep your control scheme, so it's not like you have to learn to play them. It's still keyboard to move, and mouse to shoot.

And lastly, I have to call it “artistic” because the graphics play a big role in the experience. The ethereal quality of the design while you fly around shooting spheres of light to darkness entities makes it seem like a dream, or like the internal struggle of a person (which I find most likely to be the desired image).

Ok, so in conclusion: play this. It's novel, it's unique, and it does everything it does perfectly. It's really worth your time.

- The Storeman

Disclaimer: I didn’t upload any of the content in the following link. I have downloaded and checked it as I always do. I have even executed it in my own computer and did not experience any kind of problems. But I can’t ensure that it is free of virus and/or malware that my anti-virus programs couldn’t find. That’s the author’s responsibility.

External Download Link: http://cosmind.powweb.com/blog/?page_id=35