2010 GAMES
Distant Worlds
Grand strategy and classic 4X mechanics combine in a vibrant world made easier with optional automation (…) Distant Worlds features uninspired diplomatic options and lacks multiplayer, but these are insignificant complaints in what otherwise is a hallmark 4X strategy title.– 9.5 from Out of Eight website
Sol Survivor
As far as tower defense games go, Sol Survivor is in the upper echelon of quality. This is mainly due to the inclusion of multiplayer:(…) The game does suffer from a relaxed pace; Sol Survivor could benefit from time acceleration to power through those times where your defenses are stout. Still, Sol Survivor is quite an enjoyable game for fans of the blossoming tower defense genre thanks to its multiplayer features. – 7.5 from Out of Eight website
Sleep Is Death
An experimental gaming experience gone very, very right. (…) Sleep Is Death is the ultimate in non-linear gameplay, as the director must adapt to the player in real-time to construct a cohesive story. The extremely high replay value makes this a must-have title. To use a tired cliché, Sleep Is Death is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get.– 8.5 from Out of Eight website
BugBits
The strong and addictive gameplay is enhanced substantially be the gorgeously designed battlefields and maps(…)If you can look beyond a few minor issues with the plot and text dialogue, and you’ll find BugBits is an excellent debut game from this promising indie studio. It’s a fun action strategy game that you won’t regret playing.
– 8.0 from Gamezebo
Ranch Rush 2
Alongside the main casual mode, you can also unlock expert and free-play modes that switch up the difficulty a bit. Other features like achievements, trophies, and optional Facebook connectivity further round out this stellar time-management game. Ranch Rush 2 simply looks great, plays great, and is a perfect example of a time management done well.– 9.5 from Gamezebo
Deadtime Stories
My sole complaint about Deadtime Stories is that it’s a bit short, clocking in at perhaps 3 hours. The story was so enthralling, it felt like I was done in five minutes, however. The one consolation is that Jessie’s tale seems to be the first in the Deadtime Stories series; there are many other ghosts in the graveyard, after all, each with their own story to tell.– 9.0 from Gamezebo
Unsolved Mystery Club: Amelia Earhart
MC: Amelia Earhart is one of the best hidden object games I’ve played in a long time. The searches are fun, the pacing is excellent and the presentation and polish are absolutely second to none. There’s no mystery here: Unsolved Mystery Club: Amelia Earhart is one game that every hidden object fan needs to try.– 8.0 from Gamezebo
Masquerade Mysteries: The Case of the Copycat Curator
Masquerade Mysteries is a bit better than your average HOG. It’s not particularly replayable, but the three-to-four hours I spent with it felt adequate and satisfying. By no means essential, but it should prove a decent fix for ravenous HOGgers.– 8.0 from Gamezebo
Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box
Shortcomings notwithstanding, Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box is a very good HOG with plenty of minigames, an enjoyable story and high production values, including impressive artwork and music. It might not be for everyone (read: men), but considering most video games are designed for guys, a female-focused game is a welcomed change.– 8.0 from Gamezebo
Life Quest
Life Quest is a triumphant combination of multiple genres, wrapped in a great-looking game that drips with personality. If Big Fish Games could address some of these issues they might just have a new and successful casual game franchise on their hands.
– 8.0 from Gamezebo
Escape the Lost Kingdom
3D is a nice touch, but in the end the game succeeds not because of dazzling effects but because it’s a lot of fun to play. It’s challenging but never outright difficult, and there’s enough variety to keep things fresh from start to finish. Gogii Games has done a nice job of blending the individual components into a sharp, entertaining overall package that has a lot to offer hidden object fans and adventure gamers alike; the 3D element may not revolutionize the casual game genre, but Escape the Lost Kingdom is good enough that it doesn’t have to.– 8.0 from Gamezebo
Nail’d
Off road racing game from Techland, makers of Xpand Rally (8.0 from IGN)
Puzzle Agent
Adventure game from Telltale, makers of Sam and Max Episodes and Tales of Monkey Island
The Testament of Sherlock Holmes
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
2011 GAMES
End of Nations
MMORTS from Petroglyph. Their last RTS was Universe at War, which scored 8.0 at IGN.
CHIVALRY: Battle for Agatha
First-person medieval online combat game running on Unreal Engine 3.0. It’s being developed by a team behind Age of Chivalry mods.
Rising Storm
First add-on to Red Orchestra: Heroes of Stalingrad, made as colaboration with mod teams.
MODS
Mandate of Heaven for Crysis
“Mandate of Heaven is a custom singleplayer level for Crysis. Its action takes place in a public park invaded by chinese army renegades. The goal of the mission is to infiltrate the park and eliminate their commander, who established his headquarters in a sacred temple on the coast”
King’s Story for Thief 2: the Metal Age
Great fan mission inspired by figure of Ludwig II.
Contact for Left 4 Dead 2
Amazing science fiction map.
Deceits for The Witcher
Great adventure, long and very polished.
Heart of Lone Salvation for DarkMod
The Builder’s Influence for DarkMod
Zombie Zoo Chapter 1 for Half-Life 2
Completely crazy mod that’s just plain dumb, but in such way that it glues you to a screen. Pure riot!
Battle Grounds 2.0 for Half-Life 2
A multiplayer modification based on the revolutionary war.
Resistance & Liberation for Half-Life 2
Multiplayer mod, which’s goal is to realistically portray the events and actions taken by the 82nd Airborne during their stay in Normandy.
Angels Fall First: Planetstorm for UDK
Standalone demo of Planetstorm’s upcoming UDK release.
FREEWARE GAMES
AutoCannibalism
Quirky platformer
Chisel
Great arcade drilling game with a bit of puzzler element.
Ghost Guidance
Nice cartoonish shump with a fun twist, here after your ship is destroyed you turn into ball of AI power that can then infect enemy ship.
Greek & Wicked
A short, experimental homage to old Game & Watch titles. Take control of Mr. Game & Watch as he attempts to kill the invincible hydra monster.-Indiegames
Homerun in Berzerk Land
Hit-people-with-things simulator
Poto & Cabenga
Great one-button game with a twist: here you control 2 separate characters.
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
Great side scrolling action-heavy platformer.
Quietus
Quirky retro platformer full of black humor.
The Sound Walk
Eerie rhythm game.
Space Paranoids
Vector based 3D shooter.
Subsonic
2D stealth action game.
Tremerz
Arcade homage to old horror movie.
Undead End
Side scrolling zombie shooter.
Zombie Movie
Zombie Movie puts a great twist on the rather tired zombie-killing genre. A helicopter flies overhead, filming your every move, while you plough your way through hordes of the undead. Move too far away from the helicopter, however, and you’ll find a fate worse than having your brains eaten. That’s right – you’ll get FIRED.-Indiegames
Labyrinthos
Old school dungeon crawler in vein of Dungeon Master.
Before the Law
Before the Law is a very short interactive story which plays out the original tale by Franz Kafka. A man from the country wants to read “the Law”, but a gatekeeper stands in his way.-Indiegames
Digital: A Love Story
Amazing retro hacking game with truly great love story.
Eternally Us
Eternally Us is a short 2D adventure game that tells the story of Fio and Amber, two friends who have known each other since childhood. An incident occurs that separates the both of them while they were feeding birds in a park, so it is up to the player to help reunite the best buddies together again.-Indiegames
P.I. Chronicles: Skull Island
Fun little escape game.
Saturn
SF adventure game with strong escape the room elements.
Hoshi Saga Ringoame
A collection of twenty-five puzzles from Yoshio Ishii in which the player has to find a star hidden somewhere in every stage-Indiegames
Magic Orbs
A gorgeous puzzler set in a maze-like temple. A series of rooms need to be navigated by grabbing orbs and placing them on pedestals.-Indiegames
Cursed Treasure
Polished tower defense game.
Nob War: The Elves
Quirky mix of side scrolling platformer and RTS game.
Trafalgar Origins
Fun naval wargame.
Voyager
Browser based space trading game.
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