Hey, July is almost done! Whee! In terms of releases, this has been the most brutally desolate month I have ever seen since I’ve been writing about video games. This week changes nothing. But if you want to dig and experiment with some cool indie titles, there are a couple here worth a shot at the very least.
AR-K (PC)
What is it? A point and click adventure with an interesting enough art style and a cool enough plot thing: you are a former cop turned Journalism student and you’re doing stuff.
Should you care? Yeah, I guess. But Steam feels full of this type of thing.
Data Hacker: Initiation (PC)
What is it? A retro-styled 2D RPG. Oh god. No I can’t. I just can’t…
Should you care? No.
Freedom Planet (PC)
What is it? A retro-styled 2D… LORD JESUS CHRIST MAKE IT STOP.
Should you care? It’s a Sonic the Hedgehog rip off. In 2014.
Gods Will Be Watching(PC)
What is it? A minimalistic point and click thriller with a glorious looking art-style and some original mechanics. I want this.
Should you care? Yes, you should care. This seems super interesting, mainly because it seems intelligent. Also — published by Devolver. That’s a good sign.
Halfway (PC)
What is it? A turn-based strategy RPG with retro-style art, blah blah blah.
Should you care? I won’t be too hard on this one. It actually looks a lot better than some of the other dirge on Steam.
LogiGun (PC)
What is it? STop the presses: a cool looking puzzle platformer that doesn’t have a ‘retro-style’? FINALLY.
Should you care? This looks intriguing. Sort of like a 2D Portal. Worth checking out.
Micron (PC)
What is it? A puzzle/rhythm game. I’m sold on that genre mix already. AND THE SOLUTIONS MAKE THE MUSIC.
Should you care? I just don’t see how this can be bad — but this seems suited perfectly to my tastes, so don’t take my word for it.
My Ex-Boyfriend the Space Tyrant (PC)
What is it? I’ve heard a lot of about this game: it’s one of the few video games I can think of with a gay protagonist where the antagonist is your ex-Boyfriend and he’s a Space Tyrant.
Should you care? I think I want to play this.
OlliOlli (PC)
What is it? OlliOlli wasn’t on Steam before? Oh well, that’s a surprise. It’s a 2D Skateboard game that’s sort of like Tony Hawk’s but with its own unique set of rules and mechanics.
Should you care? Yeah, this game is awesome. But if you have a Vita I’d get it on that, because it feels tailor-made for handhelds.
Sokobond (PC)
What is it? Wow, a game on Steam this week I’ve actually heard of. This is a puzzle game that makes Chemistry fun — no guys! Wait. Where are you going?
Should you care? I say yes. I love minimalist puzzle games like this, and Sokobond is well designed and clever. Buy this instead of the retro 2D platformer you were hovering over. Or do what you want. Your call!
Terrorhedron (PC)
What is it? A 3D weird looking tower defence game with co-op. It’s all cubey with its strange visuals and minimalist design.
Should you care? This looks original and can be played with up to 8 players. Looks fun.
Unrest (PC)
What is it? An isometric RPG set in ancient India with ethical dilemmas and Ultimo style mechanics.
Should you care? Seriously, it isn’t a 2D platformer of point and click in the ‘retro-style’. That fact alone makes Unrest worth checking out. Looks original and interesting.
What’s everyone buying? And did I miss anything? (I probably missed something.) Let me know in the comments below.
Comments
25 responses to “This Week In Games: [Crickets]”
Yes yes yes. “Gods will be watching” has been on my playdar since its announcement.
Been playing the browser scenario heaps in the last week.
Lol, I love bleak, depressing games!
Just got Wolfenstein for around $46NZD from xbox one digital sale.
At least the Hearthstone dlc is out this week, this drought is killing me.
Is anyone else getting a bit sick of this 2D renaissance? At this point the retro novelty’s well worn off and it just seems cheap and lazy to me.
The flood of 2D “retro” games is quickly killing the market. For ever Shovel Knight we get 100 crappy indie games
And the worst part is that games like Shovel Knight get buried under this pile of crap.
That’s alright, I’m sure if people want Shovel Knight, they’ll be willing to dig through the crap for it
Ha.
Well-spade 😛
People forget about 1001 Spikes way too much 🙁
YESSSSSSSS YESSSSSS.
The problem with me is that it really stifles a lot of creativity with indie games. A lot of them are pixel platformers, and it kinda defeats that whole unique style thing indies pitch about their games when they all look the same.
I am but i don’t want to go the way of prejudice and just assume that everything that looks the same is the same. It’s annoying but in the end it just means i have to see a few more games whenever i look. I just don’t have a problem with that as a consumer.
The problem is, a lot of developers merely think it’s all cosmetic. They don’t understand the true feeling of old school NES games. Unlike Shovel Knight which understands its roots.
I look forward to when we relive the mid-late nineties when all these 2D indie games get a 3D version released like all the old DOS games did.
Abe’s Odyssey: New and Tasty is supposed to be out on PSN this week as well.
Yes! this is what i’m spending my money on this week. Been waiting years for this release. @markserrels should update the article to include this.
Oh well. Back to Skyrim and waiting for Dragon Age: Inquisition.
Playing through skyrim again and same on waiting for Inquisition
I was clean for 10 years, then Pokemon Y pulls me back in!
Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in
Magic The Gathering (aka Cardboard Crack) and Pokemon… Once an addict, always an addict.
Only 7 weeks to go till Destiny drops.
I think the dark Souls 2 DLC drops this week. I’ll check that out I think……..if I can drag myself away from Divinity: Original Sin that is.
I played Valiant Hearts on the weekend and was thoroughly surprised. Most original game I have played in a long time. Music was beautiful, artwork was simple yet stunning and the story was great.
Highly recommended.
My pile of shame reduced in size this month. By about 5%.
I need another 20 months like this one, thank you.
Links?