Extra Credits, [Insert Another Funny Wordplay]

Review #92 – Online Video Series

Extra Credits, [Insert Another Funny Wordplay]

Games are more than just games. Lately, a lot of effort has been put to making them a community. Extra Credit feels like a nice step towards that.

Staring people inside the game developing cycles, the series not only adressess design theory and game analysis, but also discussion of current events in the medium and offers tools and ideas for aspiring game designers.

You may not leave every video agreeing to every single thing they said, but they do bring attention to really interesting topics. Even if you don't care about working on your own games, it's worth to check it 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.

Watch Online: http://extra-credits.net/

https://www.youtube.com/user/ExtraCreditz

ButtonMen, Roll the Dice and Fight!

Review #91 – Free Tabletop Game

ButtonMen, Roll the Dice and Fight!

ButtonMen is a two-player, free, dice fighting game. It's a really simple setup, but it's full of strategy and risk.

Each player chooses a character, and then takes the five dice that make up his or her fighting style. A character with mostly small dice (d4 and d6) is “fast”, while a character with mostly large dice (d12 and d20) is “strong”.

After the initial roll, player try to capture their opponent's dice with Power Attacks and Skill Attacks. When players cannot capture anymore, the round ends and they score points with each die they could capture from their opponents and keep from their initial pool.

This is not a complete explanation of the rules, but they are really easy, so you shouldn't have any problem with them.

And as a final recommendation, you should start with the “Fightball” Character Set. They don't have any special dice with special rules, and they offer seven or even eight starting dice for you to choose your pool of five, so it's easier to experiment and get the feel of each combination. Have fun fighting!

- 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.cheapass.com/freegames/buttonmen

changeType(), Hack Your Way Out

Review #90 – Free Video Game

changeType(), Hack Your Way Out

It's hard to find a game with an idea you haven't seen before. Maybe it's been done, but I have yet to see something like changeType() again.

The game is a puzzle platformer built around a single mechanic: you can mix the properties of the objects on the screen. This works as follows: you take object A (the blocks that make up the floor) and an object B (like a row of spikes). Then every instance of those objects exchange their properties. So now, the floor kills you but the spikes don't.

Besides that, the game is a straight forward platformer, and that's good. The changing mechanic is so broad, and you have so many elements to combine, that it would be daunting if your character did more.

And the graphic design is the thing that ties everything together, mixing regular video game graphics with flashes and glitches when you use your powers. So, it looks nice, and it play awesome.

- 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.

Play Online: http://www.nitrome.com/games/changetype/

Basic Instructions, How to Find Some Guidance

Review #89 – Free Webcomic

Basic Instructions, How to Find Some Guidance

Have you ever said to yourself: How do I do this? It doesn't really matter what it was. Maybe you wanted to know How to Be Productive, or How to React When You've Been Wrongly Accused of Murder. It's all right, Scott has you covered.

The series follows Scott, a middle age, geeky, office guy (it's not very clear what his job is), as he deals with the mundane and the absurd. All the strips have a “voice over”, imparting wisdom from the situation.

It's fun, and inventive. If you are looking for lighthearted and smart humor, look no further. Basic Instructions is already here.

- 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: basicinstructions.net

The Vendor, Seeing Everything from Another Perspective

Review #88 – Free Video Game

The Vendor, Seeing Everything from Another Perspective

Depending on your taste, you might leap filled with joy or groan at the next sentence, but please, keep reading after it: In The Vendor, you play as the Merchant NPC in an RPG adventure. Still here? Good.

And I really, really like the way the game characterizes working as a merchant. Your goal is to keep the adventuring party alive. How? Well, there are a few steps: you'll scout the location before they get there, find some resources, and combine them with things you find in the overworld or talking to NPCs. Then, you try to get the party to buy the best thing for the dungeon they are in (while turning a profit). If they survive, you can buy their loot when they exit, to exchange or transform into other items.

It's oddly absorbing and faithful to how merchants work on RPGs, while making you work for it and feel like an important part of the world. It's pretty clear that without you, the party would not get anything done. And only by being smart in your purchases and at finding information about rare items you can get the best results.

The game has more than one ending, and is short enough to have your choices have consequences but not be a chore to replay to get the extra endings. So... good luck! I wish you success in your commercial endeavor.

- 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.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?/topic/28203-the-vendor-v102-available/

Viriax, Achoo!

Review #87 – Free Video Game

Viriax, Achoo!

Today I'm really sick. So... Viriax! Viriax is a... shooter? I guess? You don't really shoot, but you move vertically and are shot at. Mmm... Ok, perhaps it's not from a “traditional” genre.

Let's try again. In Viriax, you play a a virus. You travel through the body, infecting different organs. To access new ones, you have to earn enough points during your previous runs. So yeah, as I said, it's not easy to classify.

The game has a lot of different power-ups and enemies, and the randomly generated levels keep it fresh for a long time. What else could we expect from our good friend Locomalito?

- 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.locomalito.com/viriax.php

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/