tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37388559703066062982024-03-13T02:27:14.979+01:00A Slime AppearsPainfully entering 2.0Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-25147856959421376362008-03-05T13:46:00.006+01:002008-03-07T12:06:35.969+01:00Abandon ship! (This blog has a new home!)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdTs9SXNC1F1B-3PqehrSAR3PpYIrGZVZWO6oVJBL-sbgmW_zExfvxJWiByycMNOmar3Hbb6Ulh9FfdJ2M4TvBppwE2aLoOiHwpUjbwpyVFlXFzZxY3KJ5pZLHsRe8zoQdvdIGX6SaYo/s1600-h/ScreenShot001.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdTs9SXNC1F1B-3PqehrSAR3PpYIrGZVZWO6oVJBL-sbgmW_zExfvxJWiByycMNOmar3Hbb6Ulh9FfdJ2M4TvBppwE2aLoOiHwpUjbwpyVFlXFzZxY3KJ5pZLHsRe8zoQdvdIGX6SaYo/s400/ScreenShot001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174240502148627474" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Alright, there's a <a href="http://www.aslimeappears.wordpress.com/">new version</a> of Ye Olde Slime over at aslimeappears.wordpress.com. Please update your bookmarks if you have any, and head over there from now on. Feel free to link to it as well, if you have a site of your own. And tell all your friends. I'll try to keep things interesting. This is a semi-temporary solution, we'll see where it goes.<br />Ok bye! </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com105tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-31324614728432975372007-12-30T09:23:00.000+01:002008-01-02T09:28:00.081+01:00Happy 100! (And there was much rejoicing in the lands...)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpHNnPCU2fCt3cGcedVtYrg7CGd-jpupbKUuvD199al8BwkSJZGC9s4QBthUbOqv_b2WQic4h-sjf4CJiBufWa5hqfnmU-Q_NnJl7B-IxEJv6yEiC5dvJ0fueUq52WvLxUiWvJkcWWWI/s1600-h/omg_rodent.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpHNnPCU2fCt3cGcedVtYrg7CGd-jpupbKUuvD199al8BwkSJZGC9s4QBthUbOqv_b2WQic4h-sjf4CJiBufWa5hqfnmU-Q_NnJl7B-IxEJv6yEiC5dvJ0fueUq52WvLxUiWvJkcWWWI/s400/omg_rodent.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140167522758660706" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >This is my hundredth post here (give or take) and, sadly enough, my last. Yes, I said it! <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />A Slime Appears</span> will be going on a indefinite hiatus, taking a vacation from games and its tired ilk. Many thanks to everyone who visited over the year. It's been great. Seeing stats climb every month has been hugely satisfying and heart-warming, but still, I have less time on my hands now and it seems since so many others are doing essentially the same thing, covering the same games and what not, doing it with more dedication, I will take a step back for a period of time and evaluate. If I re-launch, it will be slightly different. Hopefully it'll be more spontaneous and less rigid. </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" > A few more posts might dwindle down this way in the next couple of days - posts that were written but not finished, but otherwise than that, I feel that quality has suffered in favour of quantity, and we can't have that in 2008, right? </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Special thanks to <a href="http://gnomeslair.blogspot.com/"><span>Gnome</span></a>, whom I'm secretly hoping is a girl with awesome interests who loves to talk about videogames and stuff, and not some Greek guy who's into retro gaming and RPG's. Still, one can't have everything in life, so I'll just say this: Thank you, everyone who has visited and supported A Slime Appears. I'll be seeing you soon enough. </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Check in from time to time, keep visiting the recommended links (to the right) while I'm away, and take care.</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br />Sincerely yours,<br />David<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-81660697810726344472007-12-18T17:53:00.000+01:002007-12-19T18:18:14.801+01:00Internet game of the week: Thule Trail (Flash)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiXUz4icyY_oJabju2qhQWIgke3kbw5NiOSvvFfxSP0WXPHoImZzQ7eGrPnlS_ffWYwIvchkXhyYbVWPy0jBEmc4uZoOtjZk9vCJ1jG8XuGBiUGCxxSa5pj361dwxK9ZeqQloBC9qp1V8/s1600-h/city.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiXUz4icyY_oJabju2qhQWIgke3kbw5NiOSvvFfxSP0WXPHoImZzQ7eGrPnlS_ffWYwIvchkXhyYbVWPy0jBEmc4uZoOtjZk9vCJ1jG8XuGBiUGCxxSa5pj361dwxK9ZeqQloBC9qp1V8/s400/city.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145719704246776194" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >I actually had a really, really good time playing this, a remake of the educational game <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oregon_Trail_%28computer_game%29">The Oregon Trail</a> s</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >et in modern times. Basically an imaginative road trip, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Thule Trail</span> will remind you of the countless hours you've most surely have spent in some uncomfortable vehicle, on various holiday seasons, but in a fun way, of course. </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtUmUu6gSSBquMrh_kWsuVqL6LtCRqS0dNCmmltM9JJjP0E7y2YBVOLwTfCQoNvjp2STjf0xiLr7T1SBHKEtwMGdRlmtP_8fxudxlakoFS1NOuMzP3BoGdwSVvoAmSfPXFWM5zvamPbo/s1600-h/jesuscash.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtUmUu6gSSBquMrh_kWsuVqL6LtCRqS0dNCmmltM9JJjP0E7y2YBVOLwTfCQoNvjp2STjf0xiLr7T1SBHKEtwMGdRlmtP_8fxudxlakoFS1NOuMzP3BoGdwSVvoAmSfPXFWM5zvamPbo/s400/jesuscash.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145719699951808882" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Playing the game, you must make a number of decisions during the two thousand mile journey from Chicago, guiding your group (which you get to put together before leaving) towards the Atlantis Music Festival in Santa Barbara. Along the way you encounter hitch-hikers, various downhill races, random scenery (rendered truthfully in 256 colours, or something like that) and other nonsensical things. </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOlfcdzj41_XKbdmNhyphenhyphend2aDbDG137WFSenTlfBHEkVq-6xlzV-c8qmXOjeW8E6O1V9iavbTFFEx2AFceb1o5UXUQ0BJOL1uaYfY4km8NotH4WFDK-rHH98-TZrUrG6JSFh59UcBIEXqE/s1600-h/gnomepass.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOlfcdzj41_XKbdmNhyphenhyphend2aDbDG137WFSenTlfBHEkVq-6xlzV-c8qmXOjeW8E6O1V9iavbTFFEx2AFceb1o5UXUQ0BJOL1uaYfY4km8NotH4WFDK-rHH98-TZrUrG6JSFh59UcBIEXqE/s400/gnomepass.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145719695656841570" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >There's also an element of resource handling featured in Thule Trail. All the things you might bring on a road trip (games and magazines to keep the morale up, music to avoid awkward silences, food and snacks so not to starve to death, gasoline, spare parts...) are needed to complete the game, and running short of them is not recommended. Keep your fellow travellers in high spirits, and their needs attended to. Marvellous.<br /><br />Click <a href="http://www.thuleroadtrip.com/thule_trail/thuleTrail.html">here</a> to take the trip. (via <a href="http://indygamer.blogspot.com/">Indygamer</a>)<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-46347511827135371992007-12-11T10:35:00.000+01:002007-12-12T19:22:08.542+01:00Internet game of the week: The Tall Stump (Flash)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvn0S64WY7335mRpBUlaH-CpUgYie18gHci8L7bOuoWhlujgD8jIzVxd6ayPsW3O1Z_WrTWuD6c8IjT-W6dAtk0zqk28krRql0NbTDmGxVoHWDvS_hLFGDQZTo-78lk66Lksg6OeBdmA/s1600-h/stump.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvn0S64WY7335mRpBUlaH-CpUgYie18gHci8L7bOuoWhlujgD8jIzVxd6ayPsW3O1Z_WrTWuD6c8IjT-W6dAtk0zqk28krRql0NbTDmGxVoHWDvS_hLFGDQZTo-78lk66Lksg6OeBdmA/s400/stump.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140898912739496562" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >I'm probably the last person in the universe to discover this game, but I'm gonna go ahead an post this anyway: <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Tall Stump</span> was created by three individuals, hailing from such diverse locations as Australia, the US and South Africa. How's that for multicultural team? The Tall Stump is, in essence, a platformer slash adventure game with focus on exploration and the solving of puzzles. As you traverse deeper into the stump you find obscure items and learn to use them in even more obscure, nonsensical ways. Like <strike>moist</strike> most adventure games, then. Highly recommended!<br /><br />Click <a href="http://casualgameplay.com/cgdc4/?gameID=4">here</a> to play it.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-35241336612367902862007-12-07T17:14:00.000+01:002007-12-07T18:15:00.644+01:00Download of the week: Dive (MAC/PC)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgomlkb0Syp9eDq2qM8poO971QUfCHHjVURMHAJfxS3Wg25Vh_WSCyPapnGtPFqsZudTuzrqU5XnYCxFc1Tt9KcUmy-pRmy5Vqbj6jxZoO2ypyI8Lk4vAWwm4MxuIamQ7obWT7BgRfK4RI/s1600-h/dive3xnew.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgomlkb0Syp9eDq2qM8poO971QUfCHHjVURMHAJfxS3Wg25Vh_WSCyPapnGtPFqsZudTuzrqU5XnYCxFc1Tt9KcUmy-pRmy5Vqbj6jxZoO2ypyI8Lk4vAWwm4MxuIamQ7obWT7BgRfK4RI/s400/dive3xnew.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141278841251533458" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dive</span>. This might look too simplistic, even for me, but guess what? It's actually really nice, and quite exciting. Use your keyboard or 360-controller to navigate the depths of this simple undersea action game. Dive deep into the abyss, communicate with friendly creatures, avoid dangerous ones. What mystery lurks at the bottom? It actually gets pretty interesting once you're down there...<br /><br />Click <a href="http://namakoteam.com/games/dive/dive-1.2-win32.zip">here</a> to download Dive for Windows, and <a href="http://namakoteam.com/games/dive/dive-1.2-osx.zip">here</a> for the Mac version.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-49692652649170581042007-11-29T21:43:00.000+01:002008-02-08T01:25:56.408+01:00Random Encounter: Mixed reviews<span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVi9T30Vn5QPfRSkF0bhfsMub8DhfDA_oOdIIO5PbjO8P89O2K0LehMjnsu6QUoI4pSsUnTrPsAaGu-0qCMSod0389_Anc-j9ObAhvMbx3Wy3iN9-342R0uJ-GcjxcxOY6TSFkcZBdCo/s1600-h/zelda+cove2r.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVi9T30Vn5QPfRSkF0bhfsMub8DhfDA_oOdIIO5PbjO8P89O2K0LehMjnsu6QUoI4pSsUnTrPsAaGu-0qCMSod0389_Anc-j9ObAhvMbx3Wy3iN9-342R0uJ-GcjxcxOY6TSFkcZBdCo/s400/zelda+cove2r.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127547114997226658" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Legend of Zelda - The Phantom Hourglass (DS)</span><br />This game is so good I'm not even going to bitch about things like that goddamn Sea Temple that you have to do over and over and over... I love you, Nintendo.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">8/10<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3mBXRZTIedfMVLdnExPQ7J4XmqtSt3rAS6lokTOQXP5F1H5SMx_D5OL9O5z9Qb6Wp_SahE3Jw0C-0vQQkXEsMXreko7r-kZcjfdKQjqBErTWuFXTUfYpt10ZisCTVNle9S1UJc0kK90/s1600-r/bioshock+cover.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinatqoA5GhQj2wjb2M8kMhFdYI3haSt1DTIeJCc89QXnuqGFeRfDUAZFIX-yDwbJxw7oQ7u7ZRumDrZGk8m1QZtccnBR9Ue9TTahsbdMDdqOMcs7Y_YVR1BsLUWhnrFT40tSxqTSfAzz8/s400/bioshock+cover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139391194535006738" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bioshock (360) </span><br />I guess everyone has played and apparently decided to love <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bioshock </span>despite its shortcomings, so there's not much to say, is there? Somehow, I have the feeling that Bioshock is a let-down to many, but few dare admit it. Why? The answer is actually kind of simple: you <span style="font-style: italic;">want</span> to love Bioshock. It is a profoundly well-designed game, gorgeous to look at, dripping with style and atmosphere - attributes rarely found in games.<br />The setting is breathtaking, the 50's aesthetics flawlessly implemented, </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >glittering with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldous_Huxley">Aldous Huxley</a> paraphrases</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >. It draws you in. The opening </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >level is amazing, without doubt the be</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >st introduction I've seen in years or, indeed, ever. And the thing is, you're kind of spoiled from that first moment, which makes for the Achilles' heel of Bioshock: It never gets better than the first hour or so. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >If I was to point the finger, level-design would be the most obvious reason for this. </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Personally, I would've loved more scripted events, like in the first level. All the while, it's essentially playing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deus_Ex:_Invisible_War">Invisible War</a> mashed up with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_Shock_2">System Shock 2</a>, but this time it's underwater, </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >with a slight Chtulhu tinge to it. </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Now, how can that be disappointing?<br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">7/10? </span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtKwCIxKjk1aylPnvrzMJeNwCLhu_G8ggRbykS__1rxtlTVIPy89TLvX79BJ7GcEyDaKorD88omRQ2Zi0UdbRDT1OivwztigQnPR7hwCNyvoAcx5jN98UJdAALt0Ey4A5g8pB2AyTU4K0/s1600-r/assassinscreed.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrIcEbn2lkR5i18LVMvlIOMEiqcx3Hk9NeSLnI_-mLj8yH0A_wR5cf_EYykU5mp09thMtX5tTyDD4E6EMClLfZpsrHnwpIWB1knDRttAs5peI5j6kw4iWa3hyphenhyphenwja8TiWZ9RUUuSsufjc/s400/assassinscreed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139634517317227042" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Assassin's Creed (360)</span>. </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fable_%28video_game%29">Fable</a> truly set the standard for repetitive NPC comments. It was horrendous. Remember that awful chatter? Now get ready to add "<span style="font-style: italic;">-You filthy thief, I'll have your hand for that!</span>" to the repertoire. Despite taking place in what must be one of the most beautiful realized settings ever presented, the Arabic world is home only to some of the most erratic AI you're likely to encounter, and the most rigid, bland mission structure you've ever seen. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Assassin's Creed</span> is a game that falls short of its expectations, but somehow manages to intrigue despite its repetitive nature. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">7/10<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRYej3t-JaZAE5a7Qd42-2p7V21fY8ozwzZrYfC0ScSkakqS0opuxi1nBEeJGNjCAw5F0DVGiE__KrHzlA2Y05SwXHLkOUkYS91KaSrUk_nei6NpbIZmrKYJ-BewuV42pREW9rfv8Omg/s1600-r/dementium2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-z17XmKT1TSzCTbg0_DA1mU-M45ojnjJr8MtQZt61g-i6S9EWNhymsmwsd6tLK491FgDmPwsSTDK3BhBLKNPKifIYr5iaXQjwmyGATUBEyG1vLFf9FLt2KpdtIxmRsnOEH6BuE3nmrw/s400/dementium2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139640792264446514" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dementium - The Ward (DS) </span><br />Look at that screenshot. Looks pretty good, right? Albeit there's undoubtedly some unexpected quality to the stripped back Silent Hill-esque graphics of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Dementium</span>, its weaknesses are right there up front, too. Cramped controls, generic level design and poor textures are a few of them. If you've seen one room, you've seen them all. While that might be easy to forgive (since it's on the DS and not the PSP), Dementium suffers from poor collision-detecting. In close-combat, raining blows on unsuspecting zombies (witch, suspiciously, sport huge wound-like orifices on their torsos) every blow feels random. This will make you rely on other things to get by. Let me illustrate: An hour or so into the game, you're supposed to whack some wriggly worms in the infant ward that keep crawling out of air ducts and what not. "<span style="font-style: italic;">-Why, that'll take an eternity!</span>" the average jaded gamer will exclaim, and so you bring out the old, trustworthy 9mm. Thus, when encountering the flying, screaming heads (that are, however vexing it might seem, <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> on fire) later on in the third chapter, I had plenty of health and enthusiasm, but no ammo. Sans bullets, I got slaughtered quite quickly and asked to restart the whole chapter. Which ultimately means this fucker is finished for all I care.<br /><br />This pretty much makes for the most unreasonable review ever presented here, and maybe I'm being too hard on Dementium, but the flaws of the game are evident. Another example: there's a map that's nothing short of terrible, and again, a saving system that saves every time you enter a new room, but sets you back to the start of the level when you die. Such things are hard to forgive. In a game which drips with atmosphere and some seriously disturbed moments, <span style="font-style: italic;">that's </span>the scariest thing of all.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3/10</span><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-36235972438775423752007-11-25T20:49:00.000+01:002007-11-25T21:15:08.964+01:00Download of the week: Mr. Heart Loves You Very Much (PC)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipY58kjfpeurRHm7ktZGMOIMVbkCqjOfQ05hP3bS2mvIhuMEG70HhGJWbUHG75y21kyfaCSLmPPWUFXXuDxDnsnvtiCxux-vg8hoVSfyFbyN5OYZqyI4hLw4HNO0WZNv2XyJZzHsDtBPI/s1600-h/ScreenShot006.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipY58kjfpeurRHm7ktZGMOIMVbkCqjOfQ05hP3bS2mvIhuMEG70HhGJWbUHG75y21kyfaCSLmPPWUFXXuDxDnsnvtiCxux-vg8hoVSfyFbyN5OYZqyI4hLw4HNO0WZNv2XyJZzHsDtBPI/s400/ScreenShot006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5136873161188426546" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Simple minimalism is the best. That goes for this pixel-puzzler too. Simple equals fun. It's also the cutest name for a game I've seen for quite some time. </span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />Download it by clicking <a href="http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/%7Ejima/plat.zip">here</a> (direct link). </span> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-55688677727565092082007-11-12T15:22:00.000+01:002007-11-12T15:47:07.724+01:00Retro game of the week: Total Recall (NES)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUvHWD8muFixgb0wUTUEI2rXBxXzmAlImIYAv32lrQ1h86Ogkf38omsXr-P6nyq199emMApOI8dttsbJDxfm68f5BvIyBYZhhSIvPmiJD0uaRL34JsPlwNsX6iG8sK4YytMe06OBpkVI/s1600-h/recall1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUvHWD8muFixgb0wUTUEI2rXBxXzmAlImIYAv32lrQ1h86Ogkf38omsXr-P6nyq199emMApOI8dttsbJDxfm68f5BvIyBYZhhSIvPmiJD0uaRL34JsPlwNsX6iG8sK4YytMe06OBpkVI/s400/recall1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131740490042360354" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >I watched <span style="font-weight: bold;">Total Recall</span> a few nights ago, and it reminded me of two things:<br /></span><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >1. Once upon a time, I used to write "Retro game of the week" posts, preferably every other week. I'll try harder.<br />2. While the movie itself is spectacular, the game I played on the NES back in 1991 was, as we say in Sweden, <span style="font-style: italic;">skitdåligt</span>.<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Total Recall is a 2D platformer with some top-down racing moments. The game was developed and released by Ocean Software for various systems such as the Amiga, but there was also the much-maligned NES version which was in fact different </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >(worse) </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >from the others, developed by Interplay and released by Acclaim. </span><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br />Being a video game based on the movie, Total Recall had very little to do with the film. Aside from a few settings (such as the apartment, the subway and the arrival terminal on Mars), the developers threw in a few imaginary things to flesh it out. For example: There is a obscene amount </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >of generic flying robots with lasers appearing everywhere, except in the actual movie.</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" > There's also a bearded midget in a pink jumpsuit w</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >ho, no </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >matter how many times you kill him, returns with a vengeance. Maybe his scenes got cut out of the movie? Maybe it was too weird having Arnold getting assaulted by a dwarf in a pink jumpsuit poking out of windows and garbage cans every five minutes, spraying bullets? I don't know. I'm just speculating. </span><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br />Story wise, if you hadn't seen the movie (and chances were that your parents wouldn't let you watch it, since there's a girl with three boobs and a decent amount of graphic violence in it), you had absolutely no idea what the game was trying to communicate, as you get no information on why everyone is trying to kill you.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6j4uPRw4-iEzCYaIOuWFkN7Sb-LZb7WBZrQtjHtYWRegz6NDOL6zaGemPpAcuqcupaQKlrpvWlSAZoBTvVpt2HkCyZiYWfAmYhKFB_UCYzjohaHSq0FRj2_xrSb7L8DasQ8837lo-9k/s1600-h/recall2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6j4uPRw4-iEzCYaIOuWFkN7Sb-LZb7WBZrQtjHtYWRegz6NDOL6zaGemPpAcuqcupaQKlrpvWlSAZoBTvVpt2HkCyZiYWfAmYhKFB_UCYzjohaHSq0FRj2_xrSb7L8DasQ8837lo-9k/s400/recall2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131744239548809794" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Now, being a mediocre gamer as a kid back in the early 1990's (and even worse some fifteen years later), I never made it past the second boss encounter, in the industry area after the subway level. One of the reasons for this is that Total Recall was fairly difficult. </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >You only had one chance to complete each level - when your energy was depleted, the game ended. </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >To calm down any frustrated kids, the Continue and Game Over screens showed an impressive recreation of Arnold's beautiful face, with classic Arnold references beneath it (as in the screen above), but never with reference to Total Recall, the actual movie licence you were playing. Smooth.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-1961145996244278112007-11-06T22:06:00.000+01:002007-11-06T22:24:36.619+01:00Just a quick note<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN-CO5V3OWpG0CCQvhvWY765b_RrVS9OUREAqGJSitQv34brPSmhyphenhyphenLhcdbPbqoGGcyXOxVRnzgVbmfzjseChtQUKk4sSroYftRdCqC0VoQKiJY8udip6l726oQ0ChjSdYocbn2Na0Ebc/s1600-h/ScreenShot0021.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN-CO5V3OWpG0CCQvhvWY765b_RrVS9OUREAqGJSitQv34brPSmhyphenhyphenLhcdbPbqoGGcyXOxVRnzgVbmfzjseChtQUKk4sSroYftRdCqC0VoQKiJY8udip6l726oQ0ChjSdYocbn2Na0Ebc/s400/ScreenShot0021.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129838733452713298" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >The servers containing some of my stuff has suddenly shut down and left me, well, feeling a bit left out, since some of my material was on that particular server. No worries though, everything will work out for the best... *whistles* </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-61402821099308731802007-10-30T19:07:00.000+01:002007-10-30T19:15:51.563+01:00Random Encounter: BabyPals creeps me out (DS)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFrsRtxkiipAIYAxRv3xctno5LgLpf6BSiIMpzNlFySzth1ZK1o2LCH82UYZxLxR3xeaqIL1jrCQxFUUzS7PrXdQ0M_ZbD91vCl9m5hoWjgQRUFLEAI4Plc19kbqxrGztHATVY2hmoso/s1600-h/babypals2small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFrsRtxkiipAIYAxRv3xctno5LgLpf6BSiIMpzNlFySzth1ZK1o2LCH82UYZxLxR3xeaqIL1jrCQxFUUzS7PrXdQ0M_ZbD91vCl9m5hoWjgQRUFLEAI4Plc19kbqxrGztHATVY2hmoso/s400/babypals2small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127177923903429730" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Look at this. Just look at it! What an abomination. <span style="font-weight: bold;">BabyPals</span> for the DS might be aiming for something cute like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendogs">Nintendogs</a>, but inadvertently falls into another, very different category... It seems to remind me of the feeling you get when you discover blood in your toilet bowl. Been there? No? Let me just sum it up for you: it's not very pleasant at all. I'm pretty sure several young-mothers-to-be will have to reconsider things when they come across this one. And, what the hell is the health-gauge in the lower left corner for? The baby, or me?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Have fun with a virtual baby as you feed it, play with it, bathe it, and teach it." </span>Wow.<br /><br />Click <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/ds/action/babypals/index.html">here</a> if you want your share of hellish screenshots (via Gamespot).<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-67263528762337008462007-10-29T17:40:00.000+01:002007-11-05T16:09:02.354+01:00Download of the week: Rorschach (PC/PSP)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJ6mvSL8YzShGaCUYPSg0m9Tvou8Ct_UKhhcGsR0CykKjfIHeCPRXyACrgJNQmBLFQhukNw4GgeZGrL-jY_mHrdzTdz4xwlxvvEcm6V_eAZGhIL8xrpx942nqPMo3DVmrwg8IZJYSMIs/s1600-h/asylum.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJ6mvSL8YzShGaCUYPSg0m9Tvou8Ct_UKhhcGsR0CykKjfIHeCPRXyACrgJNQmBLFQhukNw4GgeZGrL-jY_mHrdzTdz4xwlxvvEcm6V_eAZGhIL8xrpx942nqPMo3DVmrwg8IZJYSMIs/s400/asylum.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127182111496543346" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Sorry for the lack of updates, I've been working the graveyard shift of late...<br />Download of the week, and a good find by ever competent <a href="http://www.indygamer.blogspot.com/">Indygamer</a>, is <span style="font-weight: bold;">Rorschach</span>.</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" > </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Developed by Jens Andersson and Ida Rödén, </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Rorschach is a detective-adventure for PC and PSP where you play an investigator who has been called to an asylum where the chief doctor has been brutally murdered.</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" > </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >It kind of reminds me of the wonderful (but all too short) <a href="http://aslimeappears.blogspot.com/2007/06/internet-game-of-week-miestas-flash-2.html">Miestas</a>, and it</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" > is well worth your time.<br /><br />Download it <a href="http://www.collectingsmiles.com/rorschach/">here</a> (10 MB).<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-22196573147919307802007-10-17T21:22:00.000+02:002007-10-18T14:16:04.980+02:00Internet game of the week: Bubbles 2 (Flash)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZPVPJqF056NjJcFKvq3KE5jTrJK0YJNx8vZ5ofm-O4NQxmE5s5HNYdv9pptrQ9NtmlT9KJ5LPNDricLasP3f2uQTBugZJA4hhRmqZp_X0XzF9sI_HnmHkktVJMN9fassUhEXqpo6v9E/s1600-h/bubbles2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZPVPJqF056NjJcFKvq3KE5jTrJK0YJNx8vZ5ofm-O4NQxmE5s5HNYdv9pptrQ9NtmlT9KJ5LPNDricLasP3f2uQTBugZJA4hhRmqZp_X0XzF9sI_HnmHkktVJMN9fassUhEXqpo6v9E/s400/bubbles2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122649363686462546" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span>In </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bubbles 2</span> you control an ever expanding bubble, with no other purpose than consuming other bubbles. To mix things up a little there are spiky ones that will make you go *pop* coming at you in varying speeds. Doesn't sound too interesting, right? Well, add some classic power-ups (bullet time and bouncing ball, for example) and things get a little more exciting.<br /></span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Click <a href="http://www.mindistortion.tv/games/bubbles2">here</a> to play it.<br /></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-88561195658415407462007-10-17T20:18:00.000+02:002007-10-18T14:14:22.154+02:00Download of the week: Katakijin (PC)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyiVUN2dwINbsVlo3-MhZh9wHjvW4-Mld4hjVGzGo_sceSihoBeg-If6VgH4R2P-OGCdS6qY7emyVqsd0WvrTKHzFhu52kbzqdXO5GrF7SGeBTHdFlvumAdcVj053LA_lJGzwFyMjBI6A/s1600-h/katakijin2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyiVUN2dwINbsVlo3-MhZh9wHjvW4-Mld4hjVGzGo_sceSihoBeg-If6VgH4R2P-OGCdS6qY7emyVqsd0WvrTKHzFhu52kbzqdXO5GrF7SGeBTHdFlvumAdcVj053LA_lJGzwFyMjBI6A/s400/katakijin2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122648968549471282" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">When things get a little slow around here sometimes, it's like there's a drought of fun games to play. However, finally, a Ninja game worth mentioning arrives. <a href="http://aslimeappears.blogspot.com/2007/05/download-of-week-quiifon-pc_08.html">Ultim8p00</a> is at it again, this time with a demo of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Katakijin</span>. Think Ninja Gaiden in 2D. </span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />Click this <a href="http://www.willhostforfood.com/files/39793/Katakijin%20Demo.zip">direct link</a> to download the demo (2.6 MB). </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-6067329130934386822007-10-07T23:21:00.000+02:002007-10-07T23:24:09.493+02:00Internet game of the week: Manifold (Flash)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGtKDIUoIvu9q7mEjlJUMPECp0r4Q8f1pgUY9TaUdlWakhUHZFCGsuUIaoMri3aXJGFa7SXfYR2dRrBvYxZhrPTML50pnpH2asjjmTaVjH_lspBLH-oVz23VhULeTdoTtmCGZ_8FCCv4/s1600-h/ScreenShot010.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGtKDIUoIvu9q7mEjlJUMPECp0r4Q8f1pgUY9TaUdlWakhUHZFCGsuUIaoMri3aXJGFa7SXfYR2dRrBvYxZhrPTML50pnpH2asjjmTaVjH_lspBLH-oVz23VhULeTdoTtmCGZ_8FCCv4/s400/ScreenShot010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118708336055390946" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">You might have played it already, but otherwise, this physics-based platform-puzzler is definitely worth checking out. Run, jump and bend gravity at your will to make it through the levels. Highly recommended.<br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Click </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.kongregate.com/games/joelesler/manifold">here</a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> to play </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >Manifold</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">.</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-14328561630989116112007-09-30T12:51:00.001+02:002007-09-30T18:41:19.719+02:00Random Encounter - Halo 3 (360)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-MzSIdbZ9vp1tOotY77tB9eavrU6h3HFzrHnOUrq61K-lWmH7jDza1p65HQxu2mJEx0QH_jeVfqiKjKsIzPxfYubEYhHrk4iotynOijnnBrtQSimzzcyHO9LrqD8Etmdp0P9SYy9KJF0/s1600-h/ff_halo_w.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-MzSIdbZ9vp1tOotY77tB9eavrU6h3HFzrHnOUrq61K-lWmH7jDza1p65HQxu2mJEx0QH_jeVfqiKjKsIzPxfYubEYhHrk4iotynOijnnBrtQSimzzcyHO9LrqD8Etmdp0P9SYy9KJF0/s400/ff_halo_w.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115950189662278242" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Just finished playing through the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Halo 3 </span>campaign, the most anticipated game of the year. So, how is it? Well, <a href="http://www.bungie.net/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Bungie</span></a>, if it ain't broke... just tweak it, right? But seriously, </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >I'm not so pleased with your third instalment, the closer of the series that renewed my interest in console gaming. </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >I'm done with backtracking your levels. I'm over the fleshy tunnels (<a href="http://www.doomworld.com/images/newstuff/112/flesh2.png">Doom</a> pretty much nailed that about 15 years ago). I'm sorry that you couldn't keep it together and insisted on expanding your universe into a bloated corpse like George Lucas did with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Episode_I:_The_Phantom_Menace">Star Wars</a>. I'm not stupid, I read books and what not, but I can't fucking follow your plot. In short: I'm disappointed. Here it is one more time in case your eyes/brain blocked it out the first time:<span style="font-style: italic;"> I'm disappointed with Halo 3</span>.<br /><br />Maybe it'll pass. Halo 3 is, undoubtedly, still one of the most enjoyable games out there, well-balanced and fun. But I was promised expansive vistas, battlefields a hundred miles wide, some meaning to the plot line disaster that was Halo 2. Or did I make that up myself? Thing is, you can't just regurgitate it yet again. Or can you? </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Is it just me? </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Am I getting old? Whatever...<br /><br />Picture stolen from <a href="http://www.wired.com/">Wired</a>.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-16270272609428575992007-09-25T18:47:00.000+02:002007-09-25T19:08:28.467+02:00Download of the week: Beautiful World (PC)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKFs4A3jk79LX3wfEfQF0hX-Ao6xkE-GBgakIAXrqxuvi5JNbKiVBiJn4nluhpYplWgeZrRp_xj6eWqel-g5WiS7KVDFa_TNaByOaQzv3940Io-mM93lyazV3mkeuovsvFhjR9-Gh5fw/s1600-h/bw_double.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKFs4A3jk79LX3wfEfQF0hX-Ao6xkE-GBgakIAXrqxuvi5JNbKiVBiJn4nluhpYplWgeZrRp_xj6eWqel-g5WiS7KVDFa_TNaByOaQzv3940Io-mM93lyazV3mkeuovsvFhjR9-Gh5fw/s400/bw_double.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114189433459544658" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >I've been meaning to post this forever. Well, since February, at least. It's a pretty intense japanese bullet hell shooter. Give it a try. Press <span style="font-style: italic;">space</span> to fire, <span style="font-style: italic;">arrows</span> to steer, and <span style="font-style: italic;">z</span> for area effect. It'll make your eyes go numb.<br /><br />Click on this <a href="http://www.crazarl.net/kasu1/bw-102.zip">direct link</a> to download it (4.2 MB). </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-76477259984015226562007-09-24T16:58:00.001+02:002007-09-24T17:24:57.596+02:00Internet game of the week: Five Minutes to Kill Yourself (Flash)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtBr5WjS-AXvmoSszITgdZ3cO9M2ELyXPxdlIF5Z0_pC7pzacil1K6dJPZXLwYDUOPH0jQVpp6gKBVc1wBVHqnLV2Y21jOtfTCCMaTN2KbfFu18qHfdpzn3jyUaEahCHINOPj8_Scx2o/s1600-h/fiveminkill.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtBr5WjS-AXvmoSszITgdZ3cO9M2ELyXPxdlIF5Z0_pC7pzacil1K6dJPZXLwYDUOPH0jQVpp6gKBVc1wBVHqnLV2Y21jOtfTCCMaTN2KbfFu18qHfdpzn3jyUaEahCHINOPj8_Scx2o/s400/fiveminkill.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113791289991205346" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >It's in the title, and it's pretty gruesome. A must if you work in an office environment.<br /><br />Click <a href="http://www.adultswim.com/games/fiveMinutes/index.html">here</a> to play <span style="font-weight: bold;">Five Minutes to Kill (Yourself)</span>. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-23899799604506922032007-09-24T16:35:00.000+02:002007-10-07T23:33:49.374+02:00Review: Anno 1701 - Dawn of Discovery (DS)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Y2k2sETbVyjsJhYD_75uTGAgFiB1Ol-VCL-FMLn4N0xXaIeNJ4CqpnF8UJaIcqIIVJXKkgDW0CT2AWcPaq5cBpKD4uGTHH6kNeRSoRr9A06QmRR6m20pZpgbsIylkouZKnzbjRmuaUY/s1600-h/anno_new.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Y2k2sETbVyjsJhYD_75uTGAgFiB1Ol-VCL-FMLn4N0xXaIeNJ4CqpnF8UJaIcqIIVJXKkgDW0CT2AWcPaq5cBpKD4uGTHH6kNeRSoRr9A06QmRR6m20pZpgbsIylkouZKnzbjRmuaUY/s400/anno_new.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118709684675121906" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >It's pretty obvious that I have a soft spot for strategy and resource handling on the handheld, and even though this isn't turn-based, it comes close enough. There's nothing like sipping coffee and plotting your expansionist agenda without having to listen to the next-gen system overheating. Since </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >previews and general anticipation of this title has been low or second to none,</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" > I expected it would face a similar fate as <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=81474">Settlers</a> or the underwhelming Sim City DS. Luckily, both </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://www.edge-online.co.uk/">Edge</a> and Eurogamer gave it 8/10, and I had my hopes up again.<br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br />Being a PC-port, it stays true to the tried and tested formulae of empire-building. At first you will have to concentrate on gathering the raw materials that are needed to build your settlement. Once you have enough materials, you can focus on expanding and improving it, increasing the population and managing the economy. </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Playing <span style="font-weight: bold;">Anno 1701</span>, the emphasis is entirely on the wants and needs of the residents of your sprawling colony. Every single building that you construct is a direct reaction to their demands, as they evolve from peasants to spoiled upper class citizens.</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" > As in most strategy games there is also a combat system in place that will see you defending your territory from invading pirates and opposing forces, but Anno 1701 is first and foremost a game of construction and economy - it might as well have been named Sim Colony.<br /><br />Anno 1701 is a very well-crafted game, and the developer has clearly worked hard at fitting it to the limitations of the DS platform. For dedicated PC strategy fans it might seem a little lightweight in comparison, but is in fact far more accessible and deeper than expected. </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >I'm not going to bore you with more details, and there's plenty of it in Anno 1701, and just join in on the praise: </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">7/10</span> </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-72393346209391564702007-09-13T11:17:00.000+02:002007-09-13T11:21:52.999+02:00Download of the week: Knytt Stories (PC)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhV85u5ZEeBAbXT9G5HUNR-0yyQ3lQwFx5bGzZCyDAo990D0kLn5n2ZRHboONMiPpggW-ok3UEhy5Pc0Rq2Y2XF3Vica-fvKu4mSUnuUo0Pievfi0NIcPtxV7VBmR5qqIz9gxBv7r8Zk/s1600-h/knyttstoriesdouble.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhV85u5ZEeBAbXT9G5HUNR-0yyQ3lQwFx5bGzZCyDAo990D0kLn5n2ZRHboONMiPpggW-ok3UEhy5Pc0Rq2Y2XF3Vica-fvKu4mSUnuUo0Pievfi0NIcPtxV7VBmR5qqIz9gxBv7r8Zk/s400/knyttstoriesdouble.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109614937172814098" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >So, Swedish indie-favorite <a href="http://nifflas.ni2.se/index.php?main=01Home&sub=01Home">Nifflas</a> has at last released <span style="font-weight: bold;">Knytt Stories</span>, including an easy-to-use level editor. He practically lives with a good friend of mine, so I'll try to interview him someday. IN REAL LIFE, people! Wouldn't that be great? Until then, seeing how I'm not exactly gushing productivity at the moment, I suggest you go ahead and give this little platformer a try. As with <a href="http://nifflas.ni2.se/index.php?main=03Knytt">Knytt</a> and <a href="http://nifflas.ni2.se/index.php?main=04Within_a_Deep_Forest">Within a Deep Forest</a>, its focus is exploration rather than enemy bashing. Quite special.<br /><br />Click <a href="http://nifflas.ni2.se/index.php?main=02Knytt_Stories&sub=03Download">here</a> to download Knytt Stories (35 MB).<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-61869316437200258332007-09-11T19:54:00.000+02:002007-09-11T20:42:32.085+02:00Internet game of the week: Epic Fighter (Flash)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1rZpFKDqDt_L3R9pwQxls3By8FUSBLXAbaNIQQk6yudm346MIImIaXz0_p2hQGTsIZ1k9fHfBsQABi3he0Sj_mOYg66FJVZmPciFz51lDsu-_WqBSA5ZgjTg-xCcDy36_wmHree-OBg/s1600-h/epicfight_12.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1rZpFKDqDt_L3R9pwQxls3By8FUSBLXAbaNIQQk6yudm346MIImIaXz0_p2hQGTsIZ1k9fHfBsQABi3he0Sj_mOYg66FJVZmPciFz51lDsu-_WqBSA5ZgjTg-xCcDy36_wmHree-OBg/s400/epicfight_12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109017723588889426" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Epic Saga - Extreme Fighter</span> (by <a href="http://www.doublefine.com/">Double Fine</a>) is a 2D fighting game well worth your time. Charming graphics </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >accompanied by </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >nice sound effects and a very competent soundtrack. I really enjoyed it. </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br />Click <a href="http://www.doublefine.com/news.php/minigames/epic_fighter">here</a> to play Epic Fighter.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-32812907768651185932007-09-10T16:18:00.000+02:002007-09-30T18:34:14.601+02:00Lack of updates update, um...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5V78iazOETG6VPA0KvvTEuQuhD1qe-GLqX_KdKvZD-dxLblA_nRmhdZA8qbfM-XJAmsqPwuttsnvSi-JSRLSUyb-r_rSd2dlCkFklmM1l-d8yf6RTXxL42VSGjwU2UGmvKYTR-mHMgdA/s1600-h/ibspontexsoup.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5V78iazOETG6VPA0KvvTEuQuhD1qe-GLqX_KdKvZD-dxLblA_nRmhdZA8qbfM-XJAmsqPwuttsnvSi-JSRLSUyb-r_rSd2dlCkFklmM1l-d8yf6RTXxL42VSGjwU2UGmvKYTR-mHMgdA/s400/ibspontexsoup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108683944500448066" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >There has been a lack of updates recently, I've been busy playing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Bioshock</span> and, after finally caving in, giving Gears of War a chance. I've also been busy partying all night with naked chicks. Okay, so that's not entirely true. But I have been playing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Anno</span> 1701: Dawn of Discovery for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">DS</span>. Expect a review pretty soon.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Bioshock</span> is good. How good? Well, lets just say <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=81479"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Eurogamer</span></a> got a little too excited. I'll review it later. And as for Gears, I was really eager to bury it but somehow it's not horrible. If I was to give it a score right now, it'd be somewhere between 6 or 7 out of ten. August was a good month for <a href="http://aslimeappears.blogspot.com/">A Slime Appears</a> - actually the best ever, statistically speaking. It makes me really happy. Keep coming back. Thank you.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-2980825877789903622007-08-28T13:16:00.000+02:002007-08-28T13:39:33.666+02:00Internet game of the week: Platform (Flash)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1YpdRmeF8vrKfnTZ9qCBnm2PeVHqAVrJlhkfWkn32PEQ-mzxqNStWWav620fvUSWYdvYEBzgMPWEW1jdE4_WakICgCr_qcCFMeY2l8d-bYCjVGdrNx2gY6ss3-dZsOBoZIqnAO7zgwsI/s1600-h/platform_double_2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1YpdRmeF8vrKfnTZ9qCBnm2PeVHqAVrJlhkfWkn32PEQ-mzxqNStWWav620fvUSWYdvYEBzgMPWEW1jdE4_WakICgCr_qcCFMeY2l8d-bYCjVGdrNx2gY6ss3-dZsOBoZIqnAO7zgwsI/s400/platform_double_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103714151942900482" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >I got an email from <a href="http://www.platformthegame.com/">Lewis Mitchell</a>, creator of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Platform</span>, last week. Somehow I assumed that it was a new project, and that there was only one level at hand. Seems it's been official for the last 17 weeks. That means, since it's an episodic web game, that there are 17 levels available for you at the moment. I haven't had the time to play all of them, but they seem to draw some inspiration from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">SNES</span> classic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lost_Vikings">The Lost Vikings</a> and other puzzle <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">platformers</span>. It's got traps. I love traps. I suggest you give it a try.<br /><br />Here's a <a href="http://www.platformthegame.com/archives.html">link</a> to the Platform archives. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-38537410424778734012007-08-26T18:14:00.000+02:002008-01-28T17:00:05.753+01:00Retro game of the week: Pro Wrestling (NES)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kU0H5yO3fkVr-Iv22ruU3CwFWKhhHfLRwxUCNPgtsPqx7AFhehyk9rQcOOoWuL7up-PZbHRUVCaMIZcm-ZEkeSKea9MKelVyq3irbc6l52hMhvfBTX8Agg04BopfVDDTw32onV4tnTQ/s1600-h/pro_wrestling.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kU0H5yO3fkVr-Iv22ruU3CwFWKhhHfLRwxUCNPgtsPqx7AFhehyk9rQcOOoWuL7up-PZbHRUVCaMIZcm-ZEkeSKea9MKelVyq3irbc6l52hMhvfBTX8Agg04BopfVDDTw32onV4tnTQ/s400/pro_wrestling.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103045090527464178" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pro Wrestling</span> was released back in 1986, as the first wrestling game on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I'm sure everyone who ever came across that console have fond memories of it. The game featured only <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSc8IcjIq6vC-d49oWr9x0B2upTgS6VaZluXLtkrbS-mqV4yZrmg7NMRHYrfQ9LCcbtEgugalZgixGRdpXjvPR-Al-Wgyk40lmmChX_GTHdreqrk9iwQ07KWQ05UBE8V9Ds1rlHtWeQew/s1600-h/wrestlers.jpg">six wrestlers</a>; </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Fighter Haybusa, Star Man, Kin Corn Karn, The Amazon, Giant Panther, and, of course, King Slender. </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >They were all noteworthy. Still, Star Man is the one you remember most vividly and the one you always wanted to play, more than anything. The two-player mode had more replay value than most other games, and the fact that it isn't available on the Virtual Console network is beyond me. I hope Nintendo will come to their senses soon and release it.<br /><br />Play it in your browser by clicking <a href="http://www.virtualnes.com/play/play.php?id=A6CE&s=6">here</a>.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-46394338936816010652007-08-21T17:51:00.000+02:002007-08-21T18:30:15.922+02:00Download of the week: Sword of Fargoal (PC/MAC)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_VzaPUG-QSWM4BGn_lZwENzvcQqi8r6KefeE3bgccTdi8uDiIcZB-epNlauMEmEGAQC1EWjGd0aW8Y2GzL8vDUuQzmOeD5MygUNEQmPqsNrPGdrGC5tQ-3y1LkNcAs3uJbf3XzdSFro/s1600-h/fargoal_1_mac.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_VzaPUG-QSWM4BGn_lZwENzvcQqi8r6KefeE3bgccTdi8uDiIcZB-epNlauMEmEGAQC1EWjGd0aW8Y2GzL8vDUuQzmOeD5MygUNEQmPqsNrPGdrGC5tQ-3y1LkNcAs3uJbf3XzdSFro/s400/fargoal_1_mac.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5101186829977176706" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >I'm gonna do a couple of RPG posts this week, I think. First out is a remake of classic dungeon crawl <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sword of Fargoal</span>, </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >originally published in 1983 through a Silicon Valley company called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epyx">Epyx</a>, famous for pioneering adventure games such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Apshai">Temple of Apshai</a> and others. I</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:verdana;">f you haven't tried it already, it's basic hack and slash: Exploration, red potions, fireball traps and experience points.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Click </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://fargoal.com/downloads/SwordofFargoalPC.zip">here</a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> to download Sword of Fargoal for PC, and </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://fargoal.com/downloads/SwordofFargoalMAC.sit">here</a> for MAC. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738855970306606298.post-56126332723809762992007-08-21T16:41:00.000+02:002007-08-21T17:01:42.531+02:00Internet game of the week: Average Shoveler (Flash)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjqGJ_G-A8FO8Ag2FmgQZkBcSAItJGnqtWK6xUsR8k5fk6JAzDJRAaWE37eFqtILjJA6yCLdFDDdtUy7dvThgI6_-ll1CRfKIdlt6NET-aUjp-KYpFGoA3J6AQPLqv3shZ5apZXKogDc/s1600-h/average1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjqGJ_G-A8FO8Ag2FmgQZkBcSAItJGnqtWK6xUsR8k5fk6JAzDJRAaWE37eFqtILjJA6yCLdFDDdtUy7dvThgI6_-ll1CRfKIdlt6NET-aUjp-KYpFGoA3J6AQPLqv3shZ5apZXKogDc/s400/average1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5101167889171401314" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >This is really something else. Since we've stumbled upon other <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">intriguing</span> <a href="http://aslimeappears.blogspot.com/2007/08/internet-game-of-week-transmigration.html">non-games</a>, I thought you might be interested in this. Inspired by the graphic layout of Leisure Suit Larry (1987), <span style="font-weight: bold;">Average Shoveler</span> is an online game of sorts. The location is East Village, New York. It is snowing. Each flake of snow contains an image taken live from news/politics/sport/entertainment web channels, while people tell you top stories gathered from same sources. Now, while information seeps into your brain, your only alternative is to shovel it away, saving your life from the daily soft bombing of information overload. There is no way to win. While your are experiencing a fictional environment, you are playing with feedback (text and images) coming from the real world. It's weird.</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" > </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Check it out.<br /><br />Click <a href="http://www.softaid.biz/average/index2.htm">here</a> to "play" Average Shoveler. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0