Besides containing one of the best titles in recent memory, Arcen Game's A Valley Without Wind is, perhaps, one of the most ambitious titles I've ever played.

Not only does it combine the 2D, intelligent level design of old-school Metroid and Castlevania titles, but it sprinkles in exploratory and crafting devices found in Terraria and Minecraft. While it sounds like a game with elements everyone always wished for, it's aspiring design falls short of greatness.

Video review

If it wasn't already apparent, this isn't the kind of game you can instantly pick up and know what's going on. AVWW contains a learning curve, which isn't abysmally steep, but does assail you with menu screens and tutorial pop-ups explaining all the aspects of the title. There's a lot to this game and you'd do yourself a great service to read them.

The year is 888 and a cataclysm has shattered the reality of the world called Environ. Violent wind storms sweep the continents and different time periods have become mangled, yet tethered to the same fate. Defying the hopeless conditions, the saviors of life known as the Glyphbearers have appeared to rectify the situation. Being one of the chosen, it's up to you to build up lost settlements and rescue the survivors of the cataclysm in order to put an end to the perpetual rule of the tyrannical Overlords who plague the shattered world.

Sounds intriguing right? Unfortunately the narrative of AVWW never goes deeper than the title screen. You'll indeed rescue various survivors from different periods in time and even slay many of the Overlords and their lieutenants. However, even they don't provide you with any important information regarding the story. As a matter of fact, the only time the story 'advances' is when you find and complete a Mystery Room. The information these rooms provide can only be described as terse and, since they're hard enough to find as is, you'll hardly waste your time looking for them; especially when your sole reward is a short pop-up message. Usually I'm a fan of this clandestine style of storytelling, but the game never truly gives you that push, that desire to discover more. There's potential for a great story here, but with the way it's set it, unfortunately, just lies dormant and that should be a crime.

The world map is virtually limitless.

AVWW's core experience revolves around exploration and finding materials while you do it. Unlike the Metroids and Castlevanias of the past, AVWW is procedurally generated which just means that every single stage in every game is distinct and random. Saying that, you can't really call AVWW a Metroidvania title and that's unique in itself. You might be wondering how that works since the game requires the acquisition of various materials to craft spells, structures and other objects. That, is where the various systems come into play, all of which Arcen Games should be commended for.

As you mill about the absolutely enormous world, the map system put in place will become your closest ally. It's tough to read at first, but once you understand what all the color-coding and objects mean, you'll embrace how differently you traverse the environment. Yellow-colored areas mean they contain goodies you might require, red-colored zones mean there's a boss waiting to be slain and gray-colored places mean there's nothing of particular interest present. Maybe it seems awkward that Arcen Games decided to reveal what each individual area contains, but you still have to explore and since the world is procedurally generated, this way makes finding what you need that much easier without the frustration of running back and forth through hallways for hours.

If you're seeking out specific materials to craft a spell, you can pull up your Big Honkin' Encyclopedia at any time. Once you understand how to use it, no spell will be out of reach for very long. However, AVWW throws another wrench in the works by way of a very different unlockable system.

You know, you could go find a nicer place to torment.

Let's say a spell of yours requires a couple stacks of clay to craft. Clay doesn't actually exist in the game until you earn the achievement that unlocks vases that contain clay. You'll need to read into a lot of materials to find out what you need to do to unlock it specifically, but it usually isn't anything harder than killing a certain number of monsters, completing some quests or finding a special stash. This system actually works in tandem with the monsters you'll fight as well. AVWW ostensibly begins with a very limited amount of monsters, but once you kill a specific amount of a creature, a new one unlocks. For instance, if you destroy enough Skelebots, the much harder Skelebot Centurions will appear.

A large part of the game revolves around advancing the tier of the continent you're on. You do this by completing missions positioned around the world map which also net you crafting materials. Each continent can reach tier five, which just means monsters will become stronger and certain unlockables and materials will be obtainable. If you don't want to advance the continent you can explore the different stages to locate secret missions. These special missions are randomly generated as well and still net you rewards without fear of making the game harder, which is a nice touch.

Another cool little feature of sorts is how often AVWW is updated. Arcen Games strongly supports this title and is active within the community more than any game developer I've ever seen. They're constantly adding new monsters, spells, missions and they even have a system in place to take suggestions from their community about what they should add, change, or remove from the game. Every day I fired this game up there was an update complete with notes about what changed and why. It's funny but by the time you read this some of the things I've been talking about could be completely different. You don't see this kind of devotion often.

When you're randomly generated character randomly generates a name as good as Judge Glass, there's no going back.

Up to this point, it seems like AVWW is a diamond in the rough, but I must make it clear that while its ambitions are certainly appreciated, it all doesn't come together as cleanly as it might sound. I mentioned earlier that erecting structures was a part of the game. The main point of gaining these structures is to make the people of your settlement happy, increasing their profession level and who doesn't want a level three Forgician or Lumbermancer to be happy, right? The problem is, these buildings can be an annoyance to acquire and the only one you need to worry about getting is the Aquaurgist's Well. It's the sole building that gives you the ability to create windmills to beat back the storms, opening up more of the continent. The catch is that you need some of the other structures to make the one. Sure, other buildings can give you the ability to use scrolls that give you a five minute buff in a random category, but five minutes in this game is nothing. Basically, besides the one building, the city-building element is pointless.

AVWW touts the meaningful nature of your lifebar and endorses the idea of permanent death. Don't worry, it's not as bad as it sounds. Upon death, your character will be gone forever but everything you've earned will carry over into the next randomly generated character except for upgrades. However, since you can only use upgrade stones to augment your character 10 times anyway, it's no big deal. The most pricey upgrade cost 20 stones and at any point I was carrying at least 1,000 of the things. As a matter of fact, sometimes I'd purposely kill my character in order to get the proper stats I wanted - since there's no re-roll option. Even worse, since I needed an Aquaurgist and I didn't feel like rescuing more dudes, I killed my character until one I randomly picked turned out to be an Aquaurgist himself.

The biggest offense AVWW commits though is when you manage to kill the Overlord of the continent. It's neat how you can make him weaker by eliminating his lieutenants before confronting him, but the encounter is... unexciting. Every lieutenant and every Overlord always perform the same attacks and once defeated, you can advance to a whole new continent to do the exact same thing all over again. This time though, you can't bring any of your spells or items with you and your new settlement is completely bare, again. Essentially you're starting the game over.

Yeah, you better run.

This kind of gameplay mechanic isn't inherently bad, as it promotes replayability but, besides a few unlockables, there's no reason to continue doing the same set of motions. There are a plethora of spells to choose from to make the game more interesting the third or fourth time through, but you're just going to settle for the couple of spells you know, pump them up real quick and vaporize the Overlord once again. Constantly going back to several areas to search for materials to augment the same spells time and time again gets old fast.

Even with its grindy nature, the art style is very tough to get behind. Animations are stiff and a good chunk of the art looks like it's placeholder for something to come. It's not all bad though as AVWW sports some incredible music, like the haunting melody of the world map screen. I should also mention that the game is online enabled allowing eight our more people to jump into the same world. The issue with that is your single player character can only come over to the online component if you create the server yourself. Everyone else who joins would have to play exclusively on your server or be forced to start from scratch on another.

AVWW is a very interesting game with unique ideas that haven't been explored before. As much as I appreciate the ambitions behind the core of the experience, the game simply isn't for everyone. If you want a deep and exciting experience, you'll have to be self motivated to find it here, but buried deep within the code of this game is an idea that makes me shiver with anticipation.

6/10 [?]

Labels: A Valley Without Wind, Andrew Whipple III, Arcen Games, PC, Review, Steam

If you ever wanted to speak the main man in charge of all the shots, here's your opportunity. Founder of Arcen Games and lead designer of A Valley Without Wind, Chris Park will be present and willing to take your questions about, well... anything really.

With our comprehensive review of A Valley Without Wind going up simultaneously with this session, we figured it appropriate to play through a portion of our saved game while Chris, ahem, critiques. Mr. Park will be discussing the creation of the game along with certain hurdles and changes they've overcome post-release. The floor will be open at all times for any types of questions, so please ask away!

The livestream will be broadcast on our Twitch TV channel at 10am EST / 7am PST / 3pm BST. If you're unable to make it, we'll have the full session saved to the broadcast channel. Seriously though, who would want to miss a Q&A session of this magnitude? We'll see you there!

Watch live video from Gamer's Guide to Life.com on www.twitch.tv

Labels: A Valley Without Wind, Andrew Whipple III, Arcen Games, PC, Steam

Usually when we in the gaming press say a game is 'immersive', we mean that it pulls the player into an experience.

When you play Skyrim, you enter a fantasy world and take on the role of the hero. In Mass Effect, you travel to a distant future and become its savior. You forget where you really are, and let yourself be the Dragonborn or Commander Shepard. Analogue: A Hate Story takes an opposite approach to achieve the same effect: its world instead reaches out to you, turning your computer into an interface for spaceship communication. During the course of play, the world you interact with becomes just as real as the mountains of Tamriel or the plains of Eden Prime as you piece together the story of a long-derelict spaceship, but is the effort worth your while?

Analogue: A Hate Story takes place in the far future. Centuries before, a Korean starship called the Mungungwha was launched, intent on founding one of the earliest space colonies. It never reached the planet, and its fate was unknown until it was discovered drifting through deep space. You've been tasked with uncovering the full story. Your objectives are to download the ship's data and solve the mystery of what happened to the crew and passengers, with the help of the ship's AI programs *Hyun-ae and *Mute. They take the form of cute anime girls because why the hell not?

Depending on whom you ask, Analogue's gameplay is either incredibly creative or entirely non-existent. One thing is certain, though: it gets points for originality. The game begins by presenting the player with a DOS-like prompt screen with a few text commands before you activate the AI and get to work. You're given the ship's records mostly through emails and journal entries. However, the job isn't as simple as it first appears. You're only given the records that the AI deem necessary, and it becomes apparent that they have their own agenda.

I know what you're thinking, and there really isn't any fan service in this game

It’s difficult to criticize the gameplay of a game that arguably doesn’t have any, so instead I’m going to focus on critiquing the story. (NOTE: This next bit is all stuff that you figure out in the game’s demo, but if you want to completely avoid spoilers, you may want to skip the next paragraph or two) The plot takes a little while getting started, since it has to ease you into the politics and family feuds that were going on when the ship disappeared. Eventually, it becomes obvious that the ship’s society changed drastically from how it was when it left Earth, regressing to feudal era values for unknown reasons.

Sound pretty interesting, huh? Wanna know what happened? Tough. That element is hardly explored at all, it's really just a set-up to explore the themes of the game. You are seriously asked to just “take it as a given” by the AI, since all of the records before a certain point were destroyed. It’s quite a lot to ask for the audience’s suspension of disbelief about such a radical change. It’s a shame since games like Bioshock have told similar stories in outstanding fashions and I feel the potential was there.

That said, once you accept the idea and get past the initial drag of sorting out family politics, the story goes to some very interesting places. At the center of the story is the 'Pale Bride,' a girl was born on board the ship very early in the expedition. She became ill and was put into cyrostasis, only to be mistakenly awakened centuries later in a completely different society. Her story and those of others on the ship delve into the concepts of gender roles, sex and the clash of cultures extremely well, even exploring big sci-fi ideas like transhumanism. The new society is based on Korea's Joseon dynasty, and the writer obviously took research very seriously, even providing references in the game's bonus content. As for the AI partners, they're both very well-written characters. They may not be as memorable as GLaDOS, but they're well-rounded and interesting enough to really care about. For computer programs, they're surprisingly human.

Even with very little visuals, the game does a good job making you feel like your computer is honest-to-God connected to and interacting with a spaceship’s systems, especially in one sequence about two-thirds of the way in, where the AI guides you in solving a problem with the ship itself from your terminal. It's a surprisingly intense sequence that might just make you realize how much you care for the characters. I really wanted to see more of that kind of thing, but it's the only event like that in the whole game, then it’s back to reading people’s email. My only other problem is that there’s a "point of no return" that isn’t clearly-telegraphed and will cut you out of some of the game's endings. It’s hard to explain without major spoilers, but this is where the game could have offered a gut-wrenching choice, instead forcing the player down a path to either group of endings. Even if it doesn't take that chance though, it still presents choices that can test the player's morality and ideals, as the AIs ask you to take stances on the events that led to the ship's fate.

There's a very good chance that your computer can meet Analogue's system requirements

As you can probably tell by the screenshots above, Analogue isn't too concerned with dazzling presentation. There is no voicework and the only real art is of the two AIs. The game doesn't look bad, it just doesn't give much to look at in the first place. It might not have been necessary to have art depicting the events that went along with some of the emails, but it might have been helpful to have some visuals for the people and events on the ship. It creates the same kind of problem as the faceless protagonists in AAA games back when it was all the rage to give them helmets and hoodies. You may not need to see their face to create an emotional connection, but it definitely helps and that can mean the difference between a good story and a truly remarkable one.

The visuals may be lacking, but the music certainly isn't. This is seriously one of the best ambient sci-fi soundtracks I've heard and is exactly what checking your e-mail in space should sound like. The soundtrack is also for sale on Steam and can be bundled with the game itself for a discounted rate.

Even with all of the text and anime girls, I wouldn’t call Analogue a visual novel. I wouldn't even call it a Choose Your Own Adventure book. The story doesn’t move in one direction; it’s a non-linear assembly of documents which you are free to explore, though they are unlocked in a certain order. Still, it will probably be a big hit with people who like visual novels. But if you prefer to have more action in your games, there are more worthwhile things to spend your money on. If you're not typically into VNs but are still curious, there's a demo to help make up your mind.

As a side note, you might enjoy Analogue if you got a kick out of hacking computers in games like Deus Ex and piecing together side stories in other games, since that’s basically Analogue in its entirety.

Analogue may leave a couple of things to be desired, with minimalist presentation and a creative premise that sometimes begs to be explored more, but these aren't the kind of problems you'll be thinking about once the game has you in its grip. What it attempts it succeeds at, telling a dark and thought-provoking story through non-linear means. Those willing to give it a chance won't regret the purchase.

8/10 [?]

Labels: Analogue: A Hate Story, PC, Peter Kratz, Review, Steam

Now here's a kid whose whole world got all twisted, leaving him stranded on a rock in the sky. He gets up. Sets off for the Bastion. Where everyone agreed to go in case of trouble.

Earlier this week, I finally finished Bastion, indie-developer Supergiant Games' much-loved action-RPG for Xbox Live Arcade and PC. Bastion's minimalistic storytelling, Diablo-style look and upgrade system, and fun, varied action mechanics made it a great hit with me, but one element of Bastion stands above the others: how alone and isolated an experience it is.

More than any game I've ever experienced, Bastion conveyed a sense of loneliness that ran through the whole mood of the game, and took an above-average, fun action-RPG game and turned it into one of my standout titles of 2011. The game uses several tricks to accomplish its bleak, deserted atmosphere, and each is worthy of consideration from other developers.

The Wild Unknown. Place can eat a man alive. Place is so raw, even the Calamity couldn't cook it. Not all of it.

Throughout Bastion, the game's protagonist, The Kid, is all alone, accompanied only by his wits and his weapons. I've experienced games that present you with a pressing sense of loneliness, having played through my fair share of Metroid games, and Bastion's sense of isolation is up there with the best of them. Its colourful art style and stylised monster designs give the game an other-worldly feel, and the atypical visuals add to the sensation that The Kid isn't in Kansas anymore.


Whilst exploring, The Kid traverses through the ruins of Caelondia and Ura, two nations that were at war before they were destroyed by a cataclysmic disaster known as The Calamity. Little titbits of Caelondian culture are scattered throughout the journey, and slowly you will discover how certain areas functioned before The Calamity struck, or learn about the various religious practices performed by the people before everyone was wiped out. The effect is similar to the opening scene in the film 28 Days Later, when the protagonist wanders through the deserted streets of London trying to figure out what happened. The details about the world you find yourself traversing, coupled with the lack of inhabitants, help drive home how alone The Kid really is.

There the kid hears something he ain't heard in a long while.
How's it go again....?
Yeah.... that's the one.

Perhaps my favourite element that Bastion uses to convey loneliness is its music. The soundtrack blends electronic and hip-hop elements with acoustic and electric guitar, with a composition that aims for an Old West, Frontier-esque feel, and leaves you with the impression that The Kid is wandering through a feral world, surviving by his own wiles, much like the classic Western heroes of old. In a way, he is.


Yet, even more than conveying an impression of the untamed West, the music hints at a sense of emptiness and an absence of hope. Many of Bastion's songs have a bluesy structure to them, or are sparse in their instrumentation, conveying a sense of sadness and emptiness, and making you, the player, feel as if you're the only one you can trust amidst the desolation.

Now the Kid sees something stranger still. His mind races. Did anybody else survive? Sure enough, he finds another. He finds me.

Nearly as enjoyable as the music is Rucks, the narrator. As The Kid slashes, shoots, and scrapes his way through the ruins of Caelondia, Rucks provides a running, second-hand commentary on the action. Rucks' sparse, fragmented speaking-pattern describes The Kid's actions at arm's length, always talking of the action in an active voice, but never becoming more involved than a basic description. Rucks talks about The Kid as though he weren't even there, turning a potential spot for camaraderie into another distancing element. Listening to Rucks calmly describe the monsters and their motivation amidst heated combat creates a chilly sense of separation.


It is this distancing element that provides the game with its most striking moment. Whilst exploring one area, around three to four hours into his journey, The Kid hears a sole acoustic guitar and a haunting, carrying voice. It's the only other voice heard in the game, and it belongs to Zia, a woman born of foreign soil whose only companion is her music. The sound of another voice, especially after so much time listening to only one person speak, is striking, and creates a near-instance feeling of kinship towards Zia, similar to how The Kid must feel to see another survivor of The Calamity.

Don't you worry, though. Once the Bastion is restored, everything'll be alright.

Bastion is one of the most remarkable games of 2011, full of unique story-telling, compelling action-RPG mechanics and a soundtrack that needs to be heard to be believed. However, my favourite - and possibly the best - aspect of the game is how isolated it made me feel, and how well it cast me as a lone adventurer. Many games have set me up me as the world's sole saviour before, but only Bastion makes me feel how 'sole' I really am.

Labels: Andrew Testerman, Bastion, Feature, Steam, Supergiant Games, Xbox 360

Strategy games aren't exactly the most popular form of entertainment these days, but that doesn't stop them from being preposterously fun. Haunted Temple Studios' Skulls of the Shogun is one of these titles and it follows a design philosophy that many consider anachronistic; turn-based strategy.

Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy Tactics, Advance Wars and Vanguard Bandits are all games that share a similar design with Skulls. Every single one of these titles is also deep and inventive with untold amounts of gameplay just waiting to be consumed. It's too bad though, games along these lines are rare to find in contemporary game design, but Skulls is looking to change all of that.

Jake Kazdal interview

This will be Jake Kazdal's (CEO of Haunted Temple Studios) first game he's ever directed and from what he explained to me, the man's vision is commendable. Proclaiming Advance Wars as his inspiration for creating Skulls, he wanted to make sure that the game was fast-paced, accessible and mainly fun instead of slow and drawn-out like some TBS games can get. Skulls follows these principles completely and dishes up a nice, cartoonish art-style to go along with it.

If you're unfamiliar with the kind of gameplay a TBS represents, you really should go try out one of those aforementioned titles. Typically they're slower gameplay-wise, but allow unprecedented customization and strategy. By moving your team around a board, you're able to flank or otherwise overpower opponents with the tactical ground and power you have. Skulls works much in the same way.



As you might have guessed, Skulls has you collecting the skulls of enemy Shogun as a sort of currency. Yes, you're going to be controlling undead samurai, which I don't think will be a problem for anybody. What also won't be a problem is how Haunted Temple is taking accessibility issues. You see, there's absolutely not menu labyrinths in this title. If you've ever played a TBS before, you know how ludicrous some of them can be and Skulls is streamlining it, making the game feel more action oriented.

Another neat thing about Skulls is that it will support two to four people via local connection or online multiplayer. The game will also support three people, as they have maps prepared for every type of scenario. Single-player also wasn't an afterthought. With a 10-15 hour campaign, Skulls should offer any kind of gamer what they desire.

Releasing day and date with Windows 8, which currently doesn't have a specific release date, Skulls of the Shogun looks impressive and, more importantly, is adding to an underrated genre. While it may be just an arcade game, its style is remarkable and gameplay is fast and as deep as you want it to be. Look for it sometime later this year for around $15-20.

Labels: Andrew Whipple III, Haunted Temple Studios, PAX East, PC, Steam, Windows 8, XBLA

Robot Entertainment's Orcs Must Die! was one of my favorite titles last year.

While it developed the intricacy of tower defense into a third-person action game, the humor, variety and pure fun it featured constantly had me coming back for more. Its only drawback was the lack of multiplayer and to my surprise, Robot actually designed Orcs Must Die! 2 around a co-operative experience. My jam-packed schedule now seems to be a bit more, ahem, clear.

Jerome Jones, lead designer interview

If you've never played the original game, you owe it to yourself to give it a try. Netting the number eight spot in my best games of 2011 list, there's a reason why I praise that game so much. Ostensibly, OMD!2 appears to contain everything that made the first one a success. The klutzy war mage still spouts hilarious one-liners and the empty-headed orcs still are relentless as ever. Just add new maps, weapons, traps and a true co-operative mode and maybe you can see why I'm so excited for it.

It's unclear as to why the antagonist from the first game is helping you all of a sudden, but Robot wasn't talking too much about the story. All we know is that OMD!2 takes place mere days after the first game ends and after closing the portals to stifle the horde, the sorceress has to help the war mage engage the new threat.

Expect lots of angry new creatures. Very angry.

Speaking with the lead designer on the project, Jerome Jones, OMD!2 will, in fact, bring back every single trap and weapon from the first game. Jones said it was important that Robot cater to the people who are set in their ways but also provide new content to keep things fresh. One of the newer items are called trinkets. They're extremely limited in quantity, but when you use one it's usually a global ability that has a powerful effect. Unfortunately we have no idea how many new traps, weapons and trinkets will make it into the final game, but from what we saw there's some pretty awesome new surprises waiting to be discovered. Of course, the best new feature is co-op play.

Being largely a co-op player, I was curious as to how the system would work in the game. According to Jones, players of any kind can jump into each other's game with restriction. For instance, say you're on level eight and your buddy just started the game on level one. The dude on level eight can join the new player and help him through the stages, or vice versa. If a new player jumps into, say, level 26 they won't unlock every stage leading up to that point either. Jones stressed that they wanted to allow people to help one another without any kind of hindrance. The re-designed skull system will also help with this mentality.

Co-operative Orc killing is the best kind of killing.

In the original OMD!, skulls were the game's currency and were used to upgrade traps. Each stage contained a certain number of skulls that could be obtained and once you grabbed them that was it. The only reason to ever replay a level was to increase your leaderboard score. OMD!2 completely changes this system and rewards you with skulls based on what you do in each stage. That means replaying levels will always net you some type of skull count.

OMD!2 is slated to release this summer for around $15 on Steam. From what we've seen, Robot's done a hell of a job crafting this sequel and we're excited for it. If your hunger for tower defense-esque third-person action is running rampant, I can comfortably say that this will be undoubtedly the best Orc murder simulator around.

Labels: Andrew Whipple III, Orcs Must Die 2, PAX East, PC, Robot Entertainment, Steam

After a reasonably active June for game launches, the summer drought is finally in full-effect, with nary a major triple-A title in sight. Fortunately, 2011 has seen the rise of several quality downloadable titles for Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and even WiiWare, providing options for even the most play-starved of gamers.

To celebrate the recent release of Ms. ‘Splosion Man (which seems to have garnered a decent critical reception), Gamer’s Guide to Life.com has a list of ten must-have downloadable titles guaranteed to carry you through these game-depleted months.

Editor's Note: The prices contained in this article refer to the cost of the games in the North America region. Prices worldwide may vary.

The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile

The sequel to James Silva’s previous indie darling, The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai, Vampire Smile ups the ante on the previous title’s stylish, bloody action with more weapons, new enemies and a second playable character. Players can also team up to tackle Vampire Smile’s brand new co-op mode, controlling the eponymous Dishwasher and his step-sister Yuki. Unchanged are Vampire Smile’s tight, responsive combat controls, oft-times punishing difficulty level, and unique, Johnny-The-Homicidal-Maniac-meets-Kill-Bill art direction. Fans of Devil May Cry and God of War’s furious, combo-driven action, and old-school beat ‘em ups like Golden Axe or Streets of Rage, should schedule The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile for a double shift.

Xbox Live Arcade: 800 Microsoft Points (MSP)

Magic: The Gathering – Duel of the Planeswalkers 2012

With the release of the Magic: The Gathering’s new 2012 core set comes Magic: The Gathering – Duel of the Planeswalkers 2012, a refinement of Stainless Games’ 2009 adaptation of the popular card game from Wizards of the Coast. Duel of the Planeswalkers 2012 retains the previous iteration’s pitch-perfect Magic: The Gathering play mechanics whilst adding new decks; a new, smoother interface; and several new campaigns and modes. Gamers wary of Magic: The Gathering’s prohibitively expensive play costs would do well to give Duel of the Planeswalkers 2012 a look.

PlayStation Network: $10
Xbox Live Arcade: 800MSP
Steam: $10

Gatling Gears

Ever since Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved first graced the Xbox Live Arcade in 2005, the twin-stick shooter has seen a renaissance in the downloadable space. Gatling Gears adds to the roster, placing players in a steampunk, bipedal mech and asking them to blow up anything that moves. What separates Gatling Gears from a host of contemporaries - other than the obvious appeal of piloting a steampunk, bipedal mech - is its drop-in, drop-out co-op play, complete with scaling difficulty. Of course, the usual mainstays of the bullet-hell shooter genre are along for the ride, including massive bosses, continually-upgrading weapons and more firepower onscreen than can reasonably be kept track of.

PlayStation Network: $10
Xbox Live Arcade: 800MSP

Fluidity

A rare entry for the shortlist of quality WiiWare titles, Fluidity is a quirky blend of 2D sidescrolling and puzzling. In Fluidity, players control a sentient mass of water, and attempt to cleanse the land of the ooey-gooey Influence by collecting various Rainbow Drops. Control in Fluidity is handled by using the Wii Remote to tilt the environment, similar to games like Super Monkey Ball or Marble Madness. Additionally, players can change states to solve puzzles, by freezing to become a block of ice or evaporating into a cloud of steam. Tasks range from transporting gears in water form, to activating switches in ice form, to blowing balloons around as a steam cloud, and many challenges require juggling between the three forms. Inventive and enjoyable, Wii owners will be all wet if they miss this creative downloadable title.

WiiWare: 1200 Wii Points

Stacking

A product of Tim Schafer’s Double Fine studio, Stacking is a cross between point-and-click adventure games of yore (Secret of Monkey Island, Maniac Mansion, etc.) and modern gaming sensibilities. As Charlie Blackmore, a Russian stacking doll, you must rescue your family from the clutches of the evil Baron. Charlie is able to stack inside other dolls, gaining their powers and using them to solve the many puzzles posed by the game. Each puzzle has multiple ways to solve it, letting impatient players cruise through the game with a single solution whilst still giving meticulous gamers a chance to search for every possible answer. Coupled with the charming 19th century setting and silent movie cutscenes, Stacking offers gamers one of the more unique, amusing experiences of 2011.

PlayStation Network: $15
Xbox Live Arcade: 1200MSP

Outland

Making its second appearance on a GGTL list, fans of 2009’s Shadow Complex take note: if you can buy only one game from XBLA or PSN this year, make sure it’s Outland. In true Metroidvania fashion, players are tasked with platforming through an expansive, interconnected environment, earning new abilities and discovering new areas with them. Outland adds a new component to the mix, implementing the light/dark shifting mechanics from Treasure’s Ikaruga. Players are able to switch between light and dark polarities, absorbing projectiles of a similar colour, whilst only able to damage enemies of the opposite colour. The polarity mechanics even extend to the platforming, only allowing players to land on same-coloured platforms, and creating opportunities for mid-jump polarity shifts. The game’s colourful, nearly-tribal art style is positively breathtaking to behold, and the controls are smooth and responsive. Those pining for an HD Super Metroid- or Castlevania: Symphony of the Night-esque experience should waste no time in booking a ticket to Outland.

PlayStation Network: $10
Xbox Live Arcade 800MSP

Section 8: Prejudice

Gamers with a penchant for online FPS' have several months before the release of either Battlefield 3 or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, but clanners and campers alike may find a bit of respite for their itchy trigger fingers in Section 8: Prejudice. The original Section 8 was a promising concept mired by poor execution, but developer TimeGate Studios have made several mechanical improvements that turn Section 8: Prejudice into a playable and surprisingly fun experience. Players still airdrop onto the battlefield, à la Starship Troopers, vying for control points and buying high-tech weaponry with points accrued during gameplay. Since its launch, Section 8: Prejudice has seen the release of a new game mode, as well as a smattering of new maps. If this level of post-launch support is upheld, players could potentially be playing Section 8: Prejudice well into the shooter-heavy holiday season.

Xbox Live Arcade: 1200MSP

Torchlight

One of the many success stories of the Steam platform, Torchlight - Runic Games’ little dungeon crawler that could - has made its way onto the Xbox Live Marketplace. Torchlight is a loving homage to the Diablo school of action RPGs, with players infiltrating old, forbidden tombs in order to gather sweet loot, strengthening the player and enabling them to progress further into the dungeon for even sweeter loot. Lather, rinse, repeat. The game’s light, cartoony art style helps it stand apart from many standard 'dark' fantasy titles of today, and there’s something primordially appealing about grinding through waves of giant spiders in the hopes of netting epic gear.

Xbox Live Arcade: 1200MSP

Hard Corps: Uprising

Speaking of homages, Hard Corps: Uprising is an homage to Contra’s brand of 2D, sidescrolling shooters. Actually, it basically is Contra in everything but the name. Frantic co-op play? Check. Arsenal of powerful weapons, including the almighty Spreader? Check. Borderline-masochistic level of difficulty? Ohhhhh check. For players less inclined to brutal levels of challenge, Hard Cops: Uprising offers Rising mode, which allows players to use points earned during play to buy new weapons, health power-ups, and extra lives, making the game slightly more manageable. Arc System Works, developers of the Guilty Gear and BlazBlue series of fighting games, give Hard Cops: Uprising a beautifully-animated look, perfectly capturing the animé feel of the game’s story. Gamers who can recite the Konami Code by heart should look no further than Hard Corps: Uprising for their 2D shootin’ needs.

PlayStation Network: $15
Xbox Live Arcade: 1200MSP

Beyond Good and Evil HD

Beyond Good and Evil HD is fairly self-explanatory: an up-res port of Michel Ancel’s cult classic from 2003, giving players who missed it another opportunity to experience one of the more imaginative titles from the PS2 days. Beyond Good and Evil casts players as Jade, a photojournalist bent on uncovering a conspiracy from the local, tyrannical government. Gameplay is an odd, appealing mixture of The Legend of Zelda dungeon-crawling and Pokémon Snap picture taking, with smatterings of open-world free-roaming. One of Beyond Good and Evil’s major charms is its characters, specifically Jade, a strong-willed, well-characterised female protagonist - the likes of which are often unseen in gaming - and Pey’j, an anthropomorphic pig who refers to himself as Jade’s "uncle": it makes sense when you play it. The quirky, fully-realised world is also incredibly charming. The game is hardly less unique now than it was when released almost eight years ago, and still holds up quite well, making it worth players' time to experience this hidden gem from last generation.

PlayStation Network: $10
Xbox Live Arcade: 800MSP


Are there any favourite downloadable titles from the past calendar year that I've missed here? Sound off in the comments, or tell us on Twitter, via @ggtl.

Labels: 2011, Andrew Testerman, DLC, Feature, PlayStation Network, PSN, Steam, summer drought, WiiWare, XBLA, Xbox Live Arcade

Maybe Karl Marx was right. The world would suddenly realise its faults, causing a global communist revolution, overthrowing the autocrats and capitalists, creating a heaven where wealth has no value. And the people to start this rebellion? Valve.

The Steam Summer Sale is just stupid. It's ridiculous. Hundreds upon hundreds of PC games slashed in price; whole publisher packs reduced to a feeble two-figure sum; up to 95% off video games far and wide. If Valve ever file for bankruptcy, I think we'll all know why. Still, forget about economics; you got some games to buy. But with so many to choose, how can you find the best deals? Gamer's Guide to Life have scavenged the sandy Sahara of sales, searching for stunning prices on the greatest games around. Here are just a few to pick up on the cheap.

The Chronicles Of Riddick: Assault On Dark Athena

WAS: £14.99, NOW: £5.09 (-66%)

You're getting two incredible games here. Butcher's Bay - one of the greatest stealth titles available - gives you the power of a God in your Ulaks as you slice and dice your way through prison. Dark Athena's alright too, 'suppose. But it's a fiver - who are you to complain?

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call Of Pripyat

WAS: £14.99, NOW: £10.04 (-33%)

Okay, so it's not a giant saving. But for a note and 4 coins, you're getting one of our all-time favorite games. Want horror? Check. Want a beautifully haunting setting? Check. Want brilliant, heart-stopping gameplay? Check. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is your one way ticket to an experience you'll never forget.

Tropico 3

WAS: £19.99, NOW: £6.79 (-66%) / DLC also £6.79, -66%

It you didn't pick up this addictive and charming build-'em-up when it was only £5 a few months ago, now is your chance to make up for lost time. The vivid colours and joyously catchy soundtrack stand out in a unique title that will last for months, especially when coupled with the cheap-as-chips DLC.

Penumbra: Black Plague

WAS: £12.99, NOW: £6.49 (-50%)

Immersive is a word thrown about a lot these days, but if you're looking for a game that truly grabs your attention and sucks you in to its world, pick up the oddly-titled Penumbra. The use of the mouse as your hand is incredible, with the ability of being able to gently peek round doors or opening drawers, rather than just clicking on objects, gives the whole title a sense of unforgiving dread.

Cryostasis

WAS: £9.99, NOW: £2.49 (-75%)

By now, you've probably clocked that we really like Eastern European horrors. And Cryostasis, despite slightly faulty shooting mechanics, is the most interesting of the lot. Forget the action part, the story and graphics will drive you onwards as you seek shelter from the raging blizzard. Might not be for everyone, but at £2.49, it's worth a pop.

Men Of War

WAS: £12.99, NOW: £3.24 (-75%)

Since we're going to assume you went ahead and bought Company Of Heroes years ago, you're probably looking for another RTS to whet your militaristic appetite. Enter Men of War, which puts you in charge of the Allies, Nazis or USSR in a well executed WWII strategy title. Not the best game you'll play all year, but it's £3 and it works. In the olden days, they played this game for real. Think about that before you complain.

Lead and Gold

WAS: £9.99, NOW: £4.99 (-50%)

It looks a lot like Team Fortress 2. It plays a lot like Team Fortress 2. It's basically Team Fortress 2, but with Red Dead Redemption thrown in. It's a great multiplayer game, with death a constant threat due to the high damage bullets do. Plus, you're a cowboy. What's not to like?

Square Enix Eidos Publisher Pack

PRICE: £67.49. Individual price of all games: £451.33

Yep. You save £383.84, and you get 38 games for the price of two. How could you possibly not buy this?

That's just a few of the gems you might uncover while hunting for games in the Steam Sale, but rest assured, hundreds of others await, as well as the few select games that are reduced by around 75% for 24 hours. Basically - everyone wins.

Labels: Chris Hawke, Feature, PC, Sale, Steam

Valve just sent us a press release with the best kind of news possible - Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will be free to download and play on Steam from the 8th April to the end of the weekend. That's all you need to know - pre-loading is available right now.

Steam can be downloaded here.

Chris

Labels: Chris, Modern Warfare 2, PC, Steam

For those of you who haven't heard of it, Steam is a PC based download program that hosts lots of new games, demos and other media. It's owned by that great developer Valve, and apart from developing genre defining titles, such as Half Life, Left 4 Dead and Counterstrike, they update it weekly with various media, including full games, demos and more. This week's demos included one that I had only seen a small part of before and as such I wasn't sure how good it would be - that title being Trine. The demo downloaded very quickly, and soon I was listening to the opening story.

Labels: Demo Impressions, Jacques Hulme, Steam, Trine