Fortix

Fortix

Cheap and short but you’ll definitely get value for your money. Fortix is a variation on a age old concept but adds a few nice twists of its own and is the perfect “in-between” time waster. You won’t be spending hours playing it and will probably get most of the achievements on your first play through, but at the price it’s being offered there’s no reason not to pick it up.

Gameplay: A very simple concept, but quite fun.

Graphics: About as Indie as they come, but has a certain charm to it.

Sound: Catchy but limited

An Assassin in Orlandes

An Assassin in Orlandes

Tin Man Games have done a great job porting over classic gamebook adventures, but this is their first attempt at bringing something brand new to the table. With its fantasy setting and interesting storyline, An Assassin In Orlandes definitely feels like it could have originated from the same era as gamebooks like The Forrest of Doom. However, it is a very enjoyable and gripping tale in its own right. The heavy reliance on dice throws and luck might annoy some players, but thanks to the “Casual” mode, this is an adventure that can be enjoyed by anyone.

Gameplay: The story is quite good, but prepare yourself for plenty of dice rolls to test your luck.
Graphics: Faithful to the look of the old gamebooks, but we would have liked to see more illustrations.

Sound: The audio remains fairly mellow and unobtrusive throughout your adventure

Starship Traveller

Starship Traveller

Starship Traveller offers a nice departure from the usual swords and sorcery settings that the gamebooks are known for. It is a science fiction tale that borrows heavily from Star Trek, but packs a lot of humor as well. Completing the story requires a lot of luck or trial and error, which might annoy some players. However, it remains entertaining and engaging throughout, even if the replay value is not as great as we would have liked. Still, you can’t really go wrong with its low asking price and it is worth it for the nostalgia factor alone.

Gameplay: Lots of reading along with the occasional choices and dice rolls.

Graphics: A couple of nice full color drawings add some flavor to the text.

Sound: Not many sound effects, but the music capture the mood nicely

Procyon PC Review

Procyon PC Review

Procyon is a game that has more than a passing resemblance to the classic arcade titles from companies such as Irem and Toaplan. It won’t take long to complete the five levels on offer, but you’ll have fun doing so and the game is available at a bargain price. Procyon focuses on delivering a solid shooter instead of really shaking up the genre but it is polished and very enjoyable.

Gameplay: Nice, solid arcade shooter.

Graphics: Not the most detailed, but plenty of colors and explosions.

Sound: Great soundtrack and some pretty good sound effects

Atom Zombie Smasher

Atom Zombie Smasher

Atom Zombie Smasher is one of those games that look deceptively simple, but once you start playing the hours just fly by. It’s got a lot of replay value and while the visuals are very basic they convey the sense of urgency and excitement very clearly. All in all a game that should be added to your collection without hesitation.

Gameplay: Save citizens while killing zombies.

Graphics: As basic as you can get, but still very stylish in its own way.

Sound: The wacky music somehow fits the game perfectly. Good sound effects as well

Alphabeats: Master Edition

Alphabeats: Master Edition

Alphabeats offers a new spin on word games by challenging your vocabulary as well as your reflexes. Creating the longest and most complicated words using letters dropping from the top of the screen is harder than it sounds, especially when tied to a fast beat. The game requires some quick reflexes as you must also dodge unwanted letters, so don’t expect a completely tranquil experience. However, if you have a good vocabulary and decent selection of songs to import into the game, it can certainly keep you busy for a while.

Gameplay: Challenges your word knowledge as well as reflexes.

Graphics: A little more bland than we would have liked to see.

Sound: Includes a nice selection of music tracks as well as the option to import your own

Memory’s Dogma CODE:01

Memory’s Dogma CODE:01

Memory’s Dogma: CODE1 kicks off with a very interesting premise as far as visual novels go and initially seems like it is going to be an epic science fiction yarn. While the story doesn’t exactly live up to expectations, it remains interesting throughout and doesn’t end on a cliffhanger as one would expect from an episodic release. The visuals and audio in the game are surprisingly good for an indie title, so it is definitely worth checking out if you are a fan of the genre. The characters and story didn’t’ exactly blow us away, but does have a lot more depth than all the fan-service oriented slice of life visual novels that are all the rage these days.

Gameplay: No branching paths and the story doesn’t quite live up to its initial premise, but overall very decent.

Graphics: Polished, detailed and featuring some nice character designs.

Sound: The music is varied while the Japanese voice acting is top notch

Rise of The Indie Game Studios

Rise of The Indie Game Studios

Gaming has been a popular hobby for many people over the years. The industry has a whole has undergone significant changes, especially in the last few years with gaming appealing to an even broader audience. The major gaming studios, like Nintendo, developed many of the popular game titles enjoyed today. However, in recent years, the independent gaming studios have begun to compete on a wider level with these industry leaders

Lichtspeer

Lichtspeer

If you are looking for a game that is easy to pick up and play, but challenging enough to keep you coming back for more then you’ll get a kick out of Lichtspeer. It only takes one level to learn everything you need to know to stay alive, but thanks to the overwhelming odds against you it never becomes boring. The difficulty ramps up very quickly, but because the game is so addictive you’ll be back after every rage quit.

Gameplay: Easy to pick up and play, but hard to master.

Graphics: The retro futuristic visual style is a nice match for the setting.

Sound: The soundtrack is great and you’ll encounter some hilarious speech samples too

The Room Two

The Room Two

Like the original PC version of The Room, the sequel took a couple of years to transition from iOS. Players impatient after the cliffhanger ending had to turn to the iOS version for the sequel, and indeed, the third installment of the game, but those who held out for the PC version are in for a treat. Fireproof Games once again took the time to create an enhanced high-definition version of the game instead of simply releasing a quick port.

Gameplay: The larger playing areas in this sequel make for more puzzle variety.

Graphics: Once again, the visuals have been vastly improved compared to the iOS release.

Sound: The audio is creepy and unnerving but very fitting