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Free the Floopians by Canvas Software
Sound
1 / 5 - Another game with no music for some reason. The games sound effects were about as minimal as you can get.
Graphics
4 / 5 - The developers at Canvas Software really did do a great job with the character models. It's too bad the backgrounds are nothing but a dark screen...
Gameplay
3 / 5 - I found traveling through the levels collecting jewels to be a lot more enjoyable than I thought it would. Still, the gameplay was simple and the puzzles weren't very inspiring.
Best Feature
It's a 3D platforming game on the PC!
Worst Feature
Literally, a plain black background. I thought that that just showed a lack of imagination.
Last Words
It's nice to play a game like Free the Floopians on the PC because you don't get many Super Mario 64ish types of game on the PC.
But, there was just so much that the game didn't do right. No sound, no backgrounds, and very linear gameplay all added up to a game that I didn't find very fun to play.
As I mentioned, the one area where I did think Free the Floopians shined was in the character models and they weren't even THAT great. Put another way, it stood out among a sea of other decent problems.
But, it's a 3D platforming game on the PC, so if that's the sort of game you like, I'm sure you'll find it enjoyable.
Overall, I thought it was a little bland and a little boring.
Developer
Canvas Software
Download Link (Demo)
Free The Floopians Demo
Optimus Apparatus by Stolpskott Studios
Sound
1 / 5 - There was no music in the game. And, the sound effects left much to be desired. For example, even the game's main gun didn't have that great of an oomph to it.
Graphics
4 / 5 - A vastly different visual style than I was used to, I thought the colors and the aesthetic aspect of the game was great. I wasn't a big fun of the particle effects, however.
Gameplay
2 / 5 - I spent a good 2 or 3 minutes figuring out what to do instead of blasting baddies. Then, after having read the manual I traveled to a world where I got killed within 1 minute. Fun times!
Best Feature
The cartoony look of the game. It has a really interesting style.
Worst Feature
Difficult gameplay with too much reading.
Last Words
I appreciate the game that Stolpskott Studios tried to make and I like the fact that they made a style of game that isn't very popular right now.
With that said, there's too much reading in this game. The game literally starts off with the manual open. While this would be acceptable (and even desirable) in a strategy game, I found it strange and annoying having to shift through a manual just to play an ACTION game (action games are all about action, remember?). When I finally figured out what to do, I died after getting hit a couple of times. My pathetic gun didn't even allow me to kill that many enemies as well.
What I can say, however, was that the visual style suited me just fine (in fact, I thought it was pretty brilliant). I really wish the developer's had just used that cartoony, hand drawn style for everything in the game and had gotten rid of the particle effects.
Overall, its a confusing game that starts off badly. It's possible it gets a whole lot more fun later on, but I couldn't enjoy the game enough to find out.
Developer
Stolpskott Studios
Download Link (Demo)
Optimus Apparatus Demo
Tropical Swap 2 by Crystal Squid Games
Sound
4 / 5 - Good sound effects and cute music.
Graphics
5 / 5 - Another independent casual game with some great visual effects and sound effects. The game had a great visual style.
Gameplay
3 / 5 - The game really made me think of Yummy Drink Factory. That isn't a good thing - it was really nothing new or that exciting. Still, I played it for a bit longer than I would most independent games.
Best Feature
Cute graphics. I loved the special effects.
Worst Feature
Boring, uninspired gameplay.
Last Words
Tropical Swaps is exactly the game of game that you'd want to play if you want a fun, breezy, cute casual game that isn't going to give you too much of a challenge (although, interestingly enough, I failed the first mission).
It's cute, the sound effects are all where they should be, and the developers did a great job of giving the game a lot of polish.
However, I didn't get to play the 3 modes that are in the game because I really wasn't that interested in playing the game much longer.
What I did play ("Making-The-Drinks-For-People" part [whatever that's called]) was perfectly decent. As I said, exactly what you'd expect from a designer looking to spit out something to make some dough.
Overall, it's a cute game that I'm sure your kids would love (or you, if you like this sort of game).
Developer
Crystal Squid Games
Download Link (Demo)
Tropical Swaps 2 Demo
Swarm Gold by Reflexive Entertainment
Sound
5 / 5 - There is some great voice acting in this game that really made playing the game fun.
Graphics
4 / 5 - The graphics were good with some solid special effects. For some reason, I found the ships graphics to be a little generic.
Gameplay
5 / 5 - Flying around space,collecting power ups, and blasting bad guys is a lot of fun and this game offers you plenty of chances to do that.
Best Feature
Fighting other ships in the game is awesome.
Worst Feature
Bad graphics for the main characters ships.
Last Words
Swarm Gold is a great little shoot em up that is fun, quick, and works hard to create a great atmosphere.
To start with, the voice acting in the game is superb and a welcome shift to the usual video games that are out there. The character was a little flat, but it really was nice to hear him talk about his life and the area around him.
I just had a blast with the gameplay too. It was cool to fly around shooting stuff even when I wasn't being fought. The weapon upgrades that you can pick up are all great and really make the game a whole lot of fun. As I mentioned, I thought the graphics could have been better, but the special effects more than made up for them.
Overall, it's a solid shoot em up that does all the right things. Pick it up if you're a shoot em up fan!
Developer
Reflexive Entertainment
Download Link (Demo)
Swarm Gold Demo
Yummy Drink Factory by Amaranth Games
Sound
4 / 5 - Nice sound effects that really added a lot to the atmosphere of the game.
Graphics
5 / 5 - This is one of the best looking casual games I've seen in a while. I especially liked the graphics for the story in the game.
Gameplay
4 / 5 - It's what you'd expect from a Time Management sort of game with the exceptionally high production values that the team at Amaranth Games produces. And, that's a good thing!
Best Feature
Neat graphics.
Worst Feature
Pretty standard game play.
Last Words
I really thought I wouldn't like this game. The too cute graphics combined with the simplistic game play had me thinking that it was gonna be a real stinker.
But, I was pleasantly surprised as I found the game to be addictive, well put together, and really simple to understand. In addition, while I can't say that I liked the story, I can honestly say that I appreciated the fact that the developers tried.
In addition, the game just looks brilliant and alive. The game had rich colors with pleasant backgrounds, and the sound effects and music fit perfectly.
Overall, it's a time management done right. And, there's nothing wrong with that!
Developer
Amaranth Games
Download Link (Demo)
Yummy Drink Factory Demo
Zoo Vet by Legacy Interactive
Sound
2 / 5 - There really wasn't any music to speak of and the sound effects that were there weren't that great.
Graphics
2 / 5 - Starting the game, you're greeted by a 3 person group of some of the ugliest looking video game characters you'll see in a while. Later, when you get to doctor animals, the graphics don't get much better.
Gameplay
0 / 5 - I can accept the fact that I may not be the market for this sort of game, but I COULDN'T EVEN FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO IN THE GAME. Instead of letting me drive a jeep and walk up to animals and click on them to heal them, I had the choice of asking a veterinarian "What time is lunch?" as a joke (this game is SOOOOO funny)!
Best Feature
It's a niche game (I think) with a different style of gameplay.
Worst Feature
The fact that, unless you have a Ph.D. (literally, check out the Credits part of the game), you'll be bored to tears.
Last Words
This game is garbage.
Again, I could understand how you'd appreciate this game more IF you were studying to be a veterinarian. Still, it seemed like a complex game that didn't focus on simplicity and actual fun gameplay.
Of course, that would be taken better IF the game didn't look so bad and wasn't boring/confusing to play. I played about 2 minutes of the game before I wanted to close it up, and I couldn't even do that because the game didn't have a menu choice to go back to the main menu.
Overall, it's a boring, badly planned game that you'll only enjoy IF you're a practicing veterinarian (and that's only IF you like playing boring games [editor's note: that's the last time I'll say IF]).
Developer
Legacy Interactive
Download Link (Demo)
Unavailable (because the games website makes you sift through a bunch of screens just to get to the download link)
Monster Ball by Legless Lizard Games
Sound
3 / 5 - Some bare bones sound effects that do the job nicely, but left me wanting more.
Graphics
3 / 5 - The entire playing screen took place on a plain green-blue pool board. It wasn't really that interesting. The character and monsters looked good but were lacking on the details.
Gameplay
3 / 5 - I have to give the game some brownie points for trying a new idea, but the gameplay felt loose, boring, and a bit uninteresting. Punching pool balls to knock into monsters just wasn't as cool as you'd think it would be.
Best Feature
Interesting twist on an old idea.
Worst Feature
Plain gameplay surrounded by plain graphics.
Last Words
I really, really wanted to like this game. It's a quirky indy game that is a great break from the usual Match 3 clone.
But, it was boring. Take the tutorial, for example. It's just text with no input from the player. So, while you get to READ how to play the game, you don't actually get to PLAY the game to learn how to play the game (got it?).
In addition, you can tell that the game tried to display some personality, but it just felt stilted. It felt like the developer wanted to do a lot more with the game, but was forced by time or money to cut down on some features.
Just walking up to the white ball and punching it really wasn't that interesting with or without the monsters.
Overall, I appreciated it for being different, but I can't say I recommend the game.
Developer
Legless Lizard Games
Download Link (Demo)
Monster Ball
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