Lazarus is the famous story of the man who was raised from the dead (read more here). It is also what my dad used to call me when I crawled out of bed at 1pm on the weekends. But now it has a new meaning: a free top-down shmup where hundreds of players duke it out in a huge persistent world, only to implode and restart every week.
Have you ever dreamed of a game where you scour the darkest, seediest corners of an over-populated, neon-saturated cyberpunk metropolis? Was that game a virtual board game with lots of deck building and dice rolling? Well, the good news is it might not be a dream after all. Spanish team Quantum Goose are working on a cyberpunk virtual tabletop game called Quantum Quest [official site] and it’s on Steam Concept now.
Have You Played? is an endless stream of game retrospectives. One a day, every day of the year, perhaps for all time.
I suspect but I don’t know that Relic’s stompy-squishy-shooty Only War third-person action game Space Marine is one that has aged rather well over the years. I base this on two things: one, occasional enthusiastic chatter on Twitter. Two: a regular, strong urge to revisit it.
I haven’t played a masochistic gravity-defying platformer since I finished the Veni Vidi Vici run back in the good old days. But this side-scrolling runner looks like the business. RunGunJumpGun [official site] features a spaceman out of his depth in a galaxy of weirdos, armed with a gun that can only shoot down or forward. Firing down propels you into the air and firing forward let’s you drop while also blasting obstacles and enemies out of your way. That’s it. Two buttons, one gun, angry music. Come see it in action.
Eleven developers, including familiar names like The Creative Assembly and Rovio, have teamed up with War Child to help raise money for children in areas of conflict. The bundle includes 12 unique games for £9.99/$14.99 and all proceeds go to the charity. It’s an excellent chance to do good while playing some fine games.
Sundays are for, I hope, getting out the house and doing something recharging. Fridays are for writing a roundup of the week’s best writing about games.
Quadrilateral Cowboy was not all I hoped it would be, but it’s still a good and fascinating game. This Q&A at Gamasutra talks about the game’s development:
Little King’s Story [official site] charmed the pants off of people when it was released on Wii in 2009, and it looks like it’s prepared to do it all over again as it heads to PC next week. The new PC version brings with it improved graphics and controller support, which will make keeping those serfs in line much easier. Serfs, am I right?
It’s time to punch some stuff, refine your swordplay, and cast some spells. Blade Arcus from Shining: Battle Arena [official site] is now on PC. I get out of breath just reading that title in my head, but if you’re into 2D fighters, you might want to check this one out.
Paragon [official site] is getting a new hero in the tiny but mighty fairy fighter The Fey. She’s a support character harnessing the power of nature to really annoy the opposition. She specializes in crowd control and commands a number of area of effect abilities to ensnare your foes while doling out blasts of pixie dust (fine, energy damage).
The famous overlord of joy and money known to mortals as Disney has set out a plan for discontinuing its Disney Infinity [official site] series. While the Steam and console versions will continue to function, the online elements will stop working, meaning you won’t be able to download or upload new content. I know you don’t care, but your 7-year-old daughter might.
Everyone knows exoskeletons are the future of warfare. Call of Duty says so. But this game thinks they’re the saviour of the environment too. Valley [official site] is a first-person science-fiction adventure from the folks that horrified you with Slender: The Arrival. You’re dropped in a mysterious valley hidden among the Rockies and you are encased in the L.E.A.F. suit. This means you can run as fast as wild animals and leap over chasms in a single bound, as the trailer below shows. AND you can bring dead things back to life just by injecting them with a glowing life force (see blue deer above). But should you die and resurrect yourself, the natural world dies too.
Have You Played? is an endless stream of game retrospectives. One a day, every day of the year, perhaps for all time.
I didn’t play it for long. The Sims Online was a mess.
The Final Station [official site] is preparing for its maiden voyage on August 30. You’re the conductor of one of the last running trains after a zombie outbreak has ravaged the earth. Players chug through the wasted landscape, pistol in tow, collecting supplies and survivors, while making sure the undead don’t find a way to snack on your face in the process.
