Review Criteria

Postscript 2021: Back in 2009 the concept of indie games wasn’t what it is today. You didn’t find so many of these quirkier titles on major consoles of the day and (if I recall correctly) digital storefronts (for downloading such games) weren’t quite there yet. I had only two operating systems in my life at the time, the first was Windows XP and the other was Palm OS. Bless-ed days.

So as platforms go indie games basically took the form of “freeware games” playable on Windows. It was almost a kind of developmental period and the idea was they were a sort of showcase for a developer’s talent, or a hint at a bigger project yet to come. These small gems could be found in all manner of place but you had to be somewhat discerning to find those of a certain quality. Well curation and my love of video games came together in the early part of that year and I took on the quest of trying to discover the best among them. It was great fun. At first my enthusiasm was such that the best discoveries would get a dedicated post, with screenshots and everything. Looking back these posts hold up pretty well …but that wasn’t sustainable and eventually I had to change over to maintaining a list ~ as is now the fashion. Well, here they are, the original freeware (indie) games that were featured as individual blog entries. Many of the other discoveries from back then can be found on the two lists just there to the right: Free Video Games and Honorable Mentions.

Selection Criteria: Each consideration must…
1. Be 100% Free. No Shareware, Trials, Demos or Mods.
2. Be compatible with Linux, WINE or Windows XP.
3. Be hosted at a site with a gray or better WOT rating.
4. Have a focus on Single Player experience. Online multiplayer games are the rare exception.
5. Have Family Friendly Content (in-game and at the homepage).
6. Be relatively easy to obtain and install (100 MB or smaller download) and not requiring an emulator to play. Although for many of these you will need to be comfortable working with compressed files. 7-zip is a great utility for this.
7. Provide English language support.
8. Be free of in-game advertising or microtransactions (IAP).
9. Be a truly quality title, the best (or nearly best) in its class.
10. Be a game I’ve actually played and…I Like It.

Guiding Influences: My lack of fondness for wanton violence, juvenile humor, M-rated content, anime, puzzle games, card games, fighting games, escape the room games, scrolling shooters, keyboard controlled platformers and the majority of flash-based casual games. My love for depth, originality, solid gameplay, engaging art and sound design, simulation & strategy games, classic retro titles and all around great presentation, whatever the genre ~ especially if it comes in a small package.

Note: Featured titles are listed in no particular order. In other words, a game’s placement in the list should not be construed as a ranking. They’re all favorites…

If you don’t see the featured game entries below click HERE.

C-evo

Few games have captured the hearts and minds of strategy aficionados like the Civilization series.  For those who may not have heard of it the basic premise finds you as the leader of a civilization, whose job it is to guide your people through several thousand years of history.  Time progresses from ancient times up through present day.  Meanwhile, you’ll be competing with a handful of other civilizations for essentially world domination.  The flow of the game is turn-based, rather than the frantic pacing often found in Real-Time Strategies, as you carefully manage everything from exploration to city development, unit production, diplomacy, research and (of course) combat.  In the traditional series there are three possible victory conditions: Subdue your opponents through raw power, foster world peace through diplomacy, or be the first civilization to build and launch a colony space ship.  Depending on the size of the world map and number of players games can range anywhere from an hour to possibly even days – best broken down into smaller play sessions.

C-evo is among a handful of freeware ‘Civ-like’ games and it’s the one I happen to like the most.  This is due to its emphasis on single player games with good AI (Artificial Intelligence) opponents and streamlined gameplay.  The graphics most closely resemble Civilization II (1996), though it’s worth noting that C-evo doesn’t endeavor to be a precise Civilization clone.  Overall you’ll find there’s greater emphasis on unit production and combat, with less placed on culture and diplomacy.  Although the latter haven’t been removed entirely and still factor into a successful campaign.  And it’s still possible to win a victory through space colonization rather than world domination.  Newcomers to the series in general should realize that micromanagement is a big part of this type of strategy game.  Some aspects can be automated of course but this is often part of the appeal for fans of the genre, and reason for the longer learning curve.  Fortunately C-evo has you well covered in that department with a superb in-game manual that lets you look up game concepts using an intuitive drill-down menu or a handy search tool.  After reading through the Quickstart section you could conceivable learn to play as you go…just don’t expect a victory the first (or second) time out.  In addition to its addictive turn-based flow, this is the sort of game that grows more enjoyable the more you play.

One unique feature of C-evo that caught my attention is the ability to custom design military units, focusing on either mobility, defense or attack power.  Encounter one type of challenging enemy unit and you can try to research a good counter for it.  Fans of customization needn’t stop there as the game supports what the developers call ‘Modular AI.’  What this means is simply that you can download additional AI modules, with slightly differing strengths and play styles.  Newcomers with questions will find an active and helpful community centered around the game – and continuously improving it.  What I find most amazing about C-evo is that the entire game is only 2.4 MB; that’s less than half the size of most MP3s.  How they’ve managed to pack so much game into so small a package I’ll never know, but it’s impressive.  One small word of advice though, don’t start a game the night before school or work.  And if you do, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Designer: Steffen Gerlach and company
Type: Retro Remake
Genre: Turn-Based Strategy
Format: Installer
File Size: 2.4 MB
Control Scheme: Keyboard & Mouse
Portable: I’m not sure
Version Played: 1.1.1

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Lunar Lander 2

One of the most telling characteristics of a true classic is gameplay that’s still fun even decades following its release.  Another is the number of clones that follow in its wake. Lunar Lander is one such game, having come about during the dawn of video games in the early 1970s.  Much has changed in the way of graphics & sound with later iterations, but the core gameplay (if a game has been done right) has remained largely the same.  The basic idea is to take a small lunar module hovering near the surface of the moon and task the player with landing it safely on one of several landing platforms.  Your only control comes in the form of a single thruster and the ability to rotate the craft as it slowly descends.  Sounds simple enough right?  Until you realize the craft isn’t very robust and has the tendency to explode if it touches down too hard or at the wrong angle.  Meanwhile, the tricky duo of inertia and gravity are ever at play turning the whole experience into a game that’s really about finesse.  And therein lies the beauty of ‘lander’ games in general – that they take some getting used to, but in the end give the player a chance to hone and develop their skill with time and practice…yet another characteristic of classic gaming.

One remake in this long-running genre is a title coded by author ‘danjo’ for a 2008 software competition.  Lunar Lander 2 sets out to pay homage to this classic genre by staying true to its roots while offering a few modern frills, such as slightly more modern graphics and a soundtrack that has to be heard to be fully appreciated.  Not only has he pulled this off in spades, but what you end up getting turns out to be an entire Adventure/Strategy game that also happens to be compiled as a self-contained portable exe.  This tribute to the original NASA Apollo program has you working your way through 20 progressively challenging missions.  During each mission your performance (how well you conserve fuel coupled with how quickly you land) determines the final score upon completion.  This ‘performance rating’ proves crucial to long term success as ‘points’ serve the secondary function of enabling you to purchase additional fuel between levels.  With more points more fuel can be purchased. Not only are points necessary to maintain a critical fuel supply but they can also be used for upgrades such as more powerful thrusters and extra fuel tanks – things you’ll need for later levels.  Since remaining fuel carries over from level to level you’ll want to get very good at mastering the subtle nuances of the lunar thruster in the moon’s relatively thin atmosphere.  It won’t be easy but I can assure you practice will improve your performance and it’s a thoroughly fun – and satisfying – kind of trial and error.

Lunar Lander 2 isn’t totally unforgiving as once you pass a level you can pick up from that point at any time.  Although, if your performance curve isn’t up to par your accumulated points still may not be enough to carry you all the way through.  No doubt completing this game will take plenty of skill and practice.  The classic roots shine through once again with this achievement of being difficult yet at the same time rewarding, something not often seen in modern video games.  If I can offer some advice, learn not to rely on the thrusters too much…and be sure the craft is level during touchdown.  Also, while your inclination at the title screen might be to hit Enter you’ll actually need to use the Shift key as everything in the game is controlled with the Shift and Arrow keys.  Use Escape to return to the main menu.

As one who enjoys ‘lander’ games I can say I’ve tried quite a few.  But Lunar Lander 2 stands apart with high production value and excellent gameplay all in a tiny package (no installation required).  Did I mention that it’s free?

Designer: danjo (acoders)
Type: Retro Remake
Genre: Casual
Format: Compression Pack, Portable Exe
File Size: 6.6 MB
Control Scheme: Keyboard
Portable: Yes
Version Played: 1.0

Download Lunar Lander 2
Visit the Host Page at Classic Retro Games

Typomagia

Does anyone remember the old 1983 arcade game Crossbow?  It was one of the first shooter games where you stood up behind a crossbow and protected characters as they walked slowly across the screen.  This next game isn’t a shooter.  But it brought to mind that old arcade classic when I first played it.  The game is called Typomagia and, as you might guess from the title, has something to do with typing.  Let me assure you there really is a game here; not just another typing trainer dressed up to look like a game.  In fact, from my experience so far, everything about this title is highly original…and a lot of fun.

The basic premise places you in the roll of an apprentice Wizard, who sets out to investigate a mysterious threat.  You never actually see your character, but instead control an army of Imps, Orcs & Trolls from afar.  Of course it’s the control scheme that’s the main focus here, with everything the result of typing words.  The screenshots tell it best but imagine the screen filled with words, appearing and disappearing at random.  You type a word correctly and it gets sucked into a collection meter – the game calls it “Mana.”  Type more words, get more Mana.  With enough Mana collected you can then summon your own little fighters, each with different abilities.  For example, when the Mana meter reaches high enough (this won’t take long) to summon an Imp you can, if you choose, type “Imp” to bring one onto the field.  Imps are pretty fast little critters so he’ll charge right into battle.  Of course, they get full marks for bravery but aren’t very tough, so he’ll probably get killed right away too.  With more Mana stored up you could go for an Orc.  These guys are tougher, though they move a little slower.  And so forth.  This is probably a good time to talk about one of the more unique aspects of the game.  Most of Typomagia’s levels are about moving a marker (in the form of a tree) from the middle of the screen to your opponent’s side.  Think in terms of a reverse tug-of-war. The farther your troops can push the tree toward your opponent the more screen space (and hence available words) you control, which also means you’ll be able to gain Mana quicker than your opponent.  These levels are often where strength and speed come into play.  Dexterous typing Wizards with heaps of Mana can purchase the costly Troll, large behemoths capable of smashing Imps and Orcs with relative ease.  But, as you might guess, they’re very slow.  Hopefully now you’re starting to get an idea about the strategy involved.

Adding to the strategic mix are ability upgrades, which you can see on the Mana bar as well.  They work just like summoning fighters.  Once you’ve gained enough Mana to light up a special ability (“Stronger” for instance) type it in to queue it up.  You’ll see it appear down in the lower left of the screen. This means the next creature you summon will have greater than average Strength, and a likely advantage over his opponents.  What’s more you can pile on the upgrades by making a creature Stronger, Tougher and Faster…but of course it will take much longer to build a fighter like this and cost a lot of extra Mana.  Once a fighter takes the field they move and fight on their own.  So it’s all about timing, typing and strategy, knowing when and what type of troops to deploy.

There are two game modes available: Quick mode (for a pick-up game against the computer) and Story mode.  The quest featured in Story mode is light-hearted fare with a good variety of unique characters and challenges.  Although, ironically, the story text does contain a few typos, which is probably attributable to the fact that English is Jari Komppa’s second language.  And the game (though fully playable) appears to still be in development.

For greater variety and challenge custom dictionaries can be chosen at the Quick mode setup screen.  These include Cities, Colors, Common, Lands, Orchids and Programming with ‘Common’ being the default.  The computer’s typing speed (CPS) is set on a scale of 1.0 to 10.0.  In my own experience 2.5 makes the computer a worthy opponent.  I can’t imagine what something like 8.5 would be like. Always admired are the little added touches and attention to detail.  For example, the way the individual letters of each word light up when you start typing, and the way it whooshes into your Mana bar upon completion.  The sound effects in this game are great fun and give the whole presentation a kind of arcade-like feel…helped in no small part by the blocky but charming retro graphics.  It’s also nice to see your typing speed (WPM) at the end of each round.  That kind of feedback not only provides an added sense of accomplishment but allows for this game to be used as a typing trainer as well.  Kids should be able to pick up on the strategic aspects with a little help.

There’s a lot to like about Typomagia even if only from a gameplay standpoint.  Fans of classic Fantasy or Real Time Strategy games might enjoy it even more.  Though I think it’s safe to say this one is accessible to all kinds of players, from casual to experienced.  With its adjustable features typers of all skill levels can get a decent challenge and plenty of enjoyment out of it, with practically unlimited replay value.  By the way, if you manage to beat the last two levels of Story mode then it’s quite possible you really are a typing Wizard.

Designer: Jari Komppa
Type: Original
Genre: Real Time Strategy
Format: Compression Pack
File Size: 3 MB
Control Scheme: Keyboard
Portable: I’m not sure
Version Played: 0.8

Visit the Official Homepage

Crayon Physics

The way we interact with games continues to evolve, with changes occurring around the interface, input devices and within the games themselves.  The advent of physics-based game engines in recent years has ushered in a new chapter in the gaming continuum where virtual worlds take on physical qualities closely mirroring the rules governing ours.  To put it another way, physics aren’t just for First Person Shooter games.  And, in appropriate fashion, this trend has duly seeped its way out to the independent gaming community – where we also happen to find many freeware titles.

One game in particular stands as a testament to the way physics engines can, and ought to be, integrated with otherwise conventional games.  I can’t say it was one of the first to adopt this design approach, but Crayon Physics has a kind of simple appeal that’s practically undeniable.  Petri Purho’s use of crayon renderings coupled with soft paper textures presents a feeling that we all might remember from the past.  Except in this case those scribblings become blocks & lines of various shapes & sizes used to solve simple to moderate puzzles.  The stated goal of the game is to coax the red ball to the little yellow star on each level.  You do this by drawing shapes with the mouse cursor that can fall onto or otherwise manipulate the red ball.  Other than that there are no other rules.  A level can be played or solved however you like with any number of possible solutions.  And that’s really the beauty of games like this, the freedom inherent in having a game world pre-governed by rudimentary laws of physics.

It has to be said that one of the most endearing features of the game is the accompanying track by artist “ghost Lullaby,” which sets a distinct feeling and tone.  For non-gamers or those who shy away from action oriented titles this is definitely one game worth checking out.  And despite the fact that it is technically a ‘puzzle’ game, Crayon Physics is actually very relaxing to play.  There is no time or other pressure to beat a level.  Nothing has been built in to hinder or dictate the pacing other than your own creativity and experimentation.  Should the red ball fall out of bounds it merely returns to where it started.  Or, you can press the space bar to reset the level. By the way, the Escape key brings up the menu if you prefer to jump around or try another level.

By most standards Crayon Physics is a short game.  All eight levels could easily be finished in 20-30 minutes by most players.  There are several reasons for this, most notable being that Crayon Physics ended up becoming a predecessor to the recently released Crayon Physics Deluxe ($19.95).  If you found the freeware version enjoyable, and don’t mind supporting an independent developer, this commercial release offers 70+ levels and a slew of new shapes and other features.  I haven’t had a chance to play it myself yet, but this one’s definitely on my wish list…

Designer: Petri Purho
Type: Original
Genre: Puzzle
Format: Compression Pack
File Size: 5.6 MB
Control Scheme: Mouse
Portable: Yes
Version Played: 1.0

Visit the Official Homepage