Red Rogue, There Also some Black, White and Grey though

Review #86 - Free Video Game

Red Rogue, There Also some Black, White and Grey though

You know, these are pretty good games. Pixel Dungeon and Red Rogue both do something I think is pretty important. For, you see, approaching roguelikes can be intimidating. So it's nice to have good roguelike games that are less frightening no new players.

Red Rogue is a roguelike platformer. I know, it sound weird. You take control of a red haired rogue with no name. She and her skeleton minion venture into the Dungeon of Chaos to find the Amulet of Yendor for unspecified reasons. But there may be some clues...

The game does have a surreal quality. The dungeons is kinda out of “sync” with the world, and the walls are scribbled with the thoughts of it's inhabitants and the invaders. And, as the titles says, the only “color” you will be seeing is red.

As for gameplay, it's a standard roguelike. The only additions (though good ones) is the second dimension (you can drop unto enemies!), and the traps and secret doors. You can search for them with Z, but you get more exp if you find them without it. It's really clever.

So, yeah, another new and fun twist to the roguelike genre. Go try it out! Oh, and don't forget, you can equip items to the minion!

- 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://www.redrogue.net/

Pixel Dungeon, In All It's Pixelated Glory!

Review #84 – Free Video Game

Pixel Dungeon, In All It's Pixelated Glory!

Roguelikes sort of have a barrier of entry: their graphical interface. Don't get me wrong, to me, they are part of the charm. But I've seen people turned off by them.

Luckily, now we have Pixel Dungeon, in all it's pixalated glory! With a more advanced and user friendly interface, Pixel Dungeon would make an excellent choice to approach the genre for the first time.

It's a really traditional game, with three character classes (Mage, Warrior, Rogue, and you can later unlock the Huntress) and a buttload of items to discover. It has randomized wands, potions, rings and seeds with magical effects. The later are weird at first, but you'll get used to them. And, as the best Roguelikes do, you can die of hunger. You are welcome.

Before signing off, I just wanted to say that I called Pixel

Dungeon “an excellent choice to approach the genre for the first time.” just because it's easier to understand than most Roguelikes. It is by no means the easier to actually play. It's tough, and the bosses are insane. Just... in a fun way, you know?

- 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://pixeldungeon.watabou.ru/

[There are a Desktop and an App version of the game]

Roguelight, Pun Intended

Review #66 – Free Video Game

Roguelight, Pun Intended

With dark caves and flaming arrows, Roguelight is a game about light. You play as an unnamed archer with no clear goal. So pretty rogue-like for now. Only, it's a platformer. And the cave is covered in shadows. You only light source are, as you may have guessed, your flaming arrows.

The game does have a little “die and repeat” upgrade system, in which you'll die because you just can survive anymore. But, having a random map, it's not a chore. It's a fresh map to explore every time!

The upgrades are pretty standard (more arrows, more HP, more coins, double jump, etc.), so no need to go into further detail. The darkness is the real star here, hiding dangers and sometimes forcing you to save arrows by taking a hit to the face. The fun of the game comes from rationalizing your resources (HP and arrows) and trying to figure out what the hell you are supposed to do down there.

- 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://managore.itch.io/roguelight

Dungeon Squad, Dungeon Delving from d4 to d12

Review #53 – Free Pen and Paper RPG

Dungeon Squad, Dungeon Delving from d4 to d12

July of Adventure is making an appearance in August!

Dungeon Squad is a simple RPG with a Tri-Class System. You have three “skills” that are Wizard, Warrior and Explorer. Each one covers a broad area of expertise and abilities, and every character can attempt a roll with any one. Some will be more successful than others. In this regard, characters in this game are more “rogue-like” than usual ones. Sword in one hand, and magical scroll on the other.

But what really caught my eye about Dungeon Squad is how it uses a whole set of dice. Your roles use the d4, d8 and d12, while your starting items use the remaining d6 and d10. In my group we found it easier to keep each die on our character sheet, over either the role or item it belonged to. That's actually what the game had in mind, as it's developed trying to appeal to both young and not-so young players.

A problem we encountered, though, was that there are no rules for social rolls. Dungeon Squad is for a... well dungeon environment, so you will fight, find treasure and escape traps. If your group, like mine, likes to talk (or rather, lie. We are not perfect, ok?) to NPCs, here are two ways to handle it: no roll, your talk is as good as you actually talk; or, use Explorer, as you are maneuvering over “social hazards” with quick wit.

So here you have Dungeon Squad. Characters take, like, 30 seconds to make, and the action is fast with easy rules. Definitely great for a quick pick up game, especially using the equipment sets to prepare the characters inventory.

- 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://www.1km1kt.net/rpg/dungeon-squad

ro9, First Person Dungeon Crawler x9

Review #52 – Free Video Game

ro9, First Person Dungeon Crawler x9

Yeah, as the last video game for July of Adventure I have something on the weird side of the gameplay scale. From the same contest that brought us Dungeons of Fayte comes “ro9”. In this game, you take control of a whole party of adventurers trying to loot and subsequently escape a multi-level dungeon. And you play as the nine of them, at the same time, in first person.

So, you have 9 simultaneous screens with individual characters that move in the same direction when you press an arrow key.

As messed up as that might seem, you can understand what’s going on, and it ends up being easier than you might expect. Movement and combat are “Rogue-like-like”, so you attack by moving against an enemy.

There are few more rules to learn, but it’s more fun if you do while you play. Oh, and after you have played for a while, check out the secret on the title screen. Just press “9” and see.

-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://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=9614.0

A Quest to Far, a.k.a. “I’m too old for this”

Review #19 – Free Video Game

A Quest to Far, a.k.a. “I’m too old for this”

Most of us remember the old police chief announcing his retirement on his introduction to the movie, only to die a few minutes later. Now you can play that character!

Ok, let’s get serious. A Quest to Far is a roguelike where you take the role of a veteran adventurer braving his last dungeon to save his grand children. The twist is you already have the experience, so in this game you don’t get stronger. Here, the only way is down.

You begin the game with an inventory full of magic items, and monsters don’t really stand a chance against you. But as time goes by, you tire. Your joints give up. All this armor and stuff start to seem heavier. In the end, everything becomes a burden.

Dare you push your limits on this last delve? A Quest to Far is an interesting change from the classic roguelikes, choosing to focus on decay instead of growth. See for yourself.

- 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 Link: http://www.randomstuff.org.uk/~geoffrey/roguelikes/aquesttoofar.html

City of the Condemned, Holy War!

Review #16 - Free Video Game

City of the Condemned, Holy War!

In this mass-combat roguelike you get to choose between the Heavenly Host and the forces of Hell to fight for dominance over the city. On one side, the demons try to possess and kill every human, while the angels want to bless them and eradicate the demons. In theory the demons can also win by killing all the angels, but, good luck with that.

The interesting fact is that demons and angels aren't evenly matched. As each angel is much more powerful than any given demon, they get fewer fighters. Demons usually have over fifty units, and angels no more than twenty. Angels can heal themselves and disguise themselves as humans; demons can't attack unless they possess a human body (which can still rebel against the evil spirit).

The only downside is that, as random generated games usually do, bad luck can make you die very early or get stuck with only one demon left somewhere in the giant map for hours.

Still, great short game, with a lot of replayability.

- 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 Link: http://tapiov.net/cotc/

God of Change, Fight the Flicker Finger of Fortune

Review #13 – Free Video Game

God of Change, Fight the Flicker Finger of Fortune

Another Rogue-like with a new twist. Not only the map and the item distribution are random, but the actual abilities and behavior of the enemies also are, and they keep changing as you play.

In this game, you take the role of a hero trying to defeat the God a Change, a god of Fortune and Luck. If you want to defeat him, you have to destroy his nexus, the conduct for his power.

God of Change makes itself different from the rest by making the monsters change over time. They not necessarily get better, but more often than not they'll get new power with which to kill you.

It also uses a behavior system and lots of information getting powers. The creatures can be Territorial, Aggressive, Apathic, Cowardly, Friendly or Allied, changing the way they react to you. And they can also get abilities like a Hive Mind, or Telepathy, that allows them to get information about you even if they don't actually see you.

Now, you might want to know how to defend yourself. Well, first, every time you grab a weapon or armor, your equipment improves. Then you have both Scrolls and Wands. Scrolls are one shot magical effects, while wands recharge over time.

And believe me, you’ll need them. The powerful God of Change can not only change the creatures around you, but also the very dungeon in which you are.

As always, I'll warn about the difficulty level. It's pretty high, even for a Rouge-like. But as the game is also a little short, I think it balances out.

- 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.

Link: http://code.google.com/p/godofchange/

Spelunky, Explore the depths of the Ancient Earth

Review #4 - Free Video Game

Spelunky, Explore the depths of The Ancient Earth

Spelunky is a plataformer with randomly generated levels and a lot, and I really mean a lot of characters and objects for Indy to interact with. I would explain a few of them but I don’t want to spoil anything so I’ll just shut up.

Now, a fair warning, this game is NOT easy. It might take a while to get past the first area, and you will die a LOT. Some reviews compare it to Rogue-like levels of “deathness”. Not that it matters, though, as it’s impossible to get through each and every feature in just a few games. I mean, it took me like 50 replays to get the dark level once.

It’s really a nice alternative if you like plataformers but hate to play the same jumps again and again. The game is so well thought that I haven’t encountered a single dead end where there shouldn’t be one. The first levels can be resolved with minimum use of ropes and bombs, just remember to save a few for the latter levels where they’ll be vital.

So there you have it, a real exploration game with a new cavern each time and enough secrets to keep you playing for a long, long time. Enjoy Indy’s adventure!

- 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 Link: http://spelunkyworld.com/original.html

There is also a commercial version of Spelunky for Xbox, if you want to support the developer and get a sweet game out of it.

Madness, Psychological Horror Rogue-like

Review #3 - Free Video Game

Madness, Psychological Horror Rogue-like

This is a very good game but there something I’ve to ask you first: Do you know what a Rogue-like is? If you do, skip the next part. If you don’t, please read it.

Text from: http://roguebasin.roguelikedevelopment.org/index.php?title=Main_Page

“What is a Roguelike?

A Roguelike is usually described as a free turn-based computer game with a strong focus on intricate gameplay and replayability, and an abstract world representation using ASCII-based display, as opposed to 3D graphics. Of course, as with any genre, there are deviations from the norm.
Roguelikes allow the player an indefinite amount of time in which to make a move, making gameplay comparable more to chess than to reflex-based games like first-person shooters. Since graphics are limited (if not completely shunned), the player's imagination must come into play - gameplay is more like reading a book than watching a movie.
Of course, the best way to understand what Roguelikes are is to download and play one.”

Madness puts you in the shoes of an adventurer inside an undefined dungeon. Your goal? Reach the tenth level and face the Dungeon Master. With this simple set up Madness hides the fact that it’s anything but simple.

Inside the dungeon, alone, surrounded by monster and darkness, your mind will start to slip away from reality. The longer you stay inside the dungeon, the crazier you’ll get. And the harder it’ll be to distinguish reality from hallucinations. Try to keep everything together and use your light sources wisely if you want to succeed.

A nice, very immersive game to play during a coffebreak. (A good concept to add to my “Babbling at the Counter” about Replayability, read more here http://roguebasin.roguelikedevelopment.org/index.php?title=Coffeebreak_roguelike)

- 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 viruses and/or malware that my anti-virus programs couldn’t find. That’s the author’s responsibility.

Link: http://students.mimuw.edu.pl/~pm262952/madness/

(I'm sorry this post was delayed, I've been having problems with my internet connection)