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/

C*ndy Crash, It Made me Rage Quit More than Once

Review #85 – Free Video Game

C*ndy Crash, It Made me Rage Quit More than Once

C*ndy Crash is a simple game with simple ambitions: Making our lives hell. Don't trust me? Give it a try and tell me then.

It's a single screen platformer, and it will make you earn every single one of it's levels. What I mean to say is that it's a really difficult game, but difficult in that “This time I'll do it!” kind of way.

With a wide variety of enemies, really pleasant graphics and ingenious level design, you should check it out. Oh, and the way the little guy dives towards the candy is just hilarious.

- 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://gamejolt.com/games/platformer/c-ndy-crash/22134/

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]

To Live, or not to Live

Babbling at the Counter #83 – Video Games

To Live, or not to Live

Playing Meowgical Tower, I found myself in a strange position. It happened on Full Moon Rising, too. Sometimes, I wanted to kill my character. Not metaphorically, no. It's just that, after dying, you just pop back in the same screen and with full health. So, tactically speaking, why would I try to kill enemies without taking damage?

It was far easier to just let them hit me, as there were never enough of them to kill me before I killed them all. And that took away all the challenge from the experience.

Quick aside: The final boss is fun and challenging, so play the game at least to fight him.

And talking about the boss, why was he so good? Well, because he could kill you in a single screen, thus stalling your progress.

So, in conclusion, what I wanted to say to everyone working on their own games: Make sure dying is something we DON'T want to do. Make us restart a few screens behind (so we have to be careful as we replay), use checkpoints, make every screen potentially deadly, or just punish us in some way.

I know the rationale is “players are going to keep replaying until they get it right anyway”. Yes, but make sure “getting it right” is a challenge. If not, your “game” is more or less a sight seeing tour of the levels. And that's pretty boring.

- The Storeman

Meowgical Tower, A Game About Ducks!

Review #83 – Free Video Game

Meowgical Tower, A Game About Ducks!

That's a joke. I repeat, there are no ducks in this game. So, what is actually part of the game? A cat, of course!

You play as Catte, whom I assume is an adventurer. It's never made clear. But that doesn't matter. Hiding from the rain, Catte stumbles upon a tower, and that's where the adventure begins.

I have to say, this might be the most retro game I've yet reviewed. With a Zelda-like interface, you explore the tower and fight baddies. And here we find what I think is the best idea in the whole game.

You see, Catte doesn't have any weapons, so at first you don't “fight” so much as “run away”. Then, when you find the item that will open the next door, you can carry it and use it to attack. It's pretty clever, really.

Now, I do have a complaint about Meowgical Tower. It's not specifically against it, it's just something more and more games are doing. And it's kind of annoying. But play the game first and then read this week's Babble to find out. It's a pretty cool game that I'd hate to spoil with my criticism.

So check it out! See you this Tuesday!

- 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://gamejolt.com/games/adventure/meowgical-tower/31988/