Weekend Download
Futuristic things abound in this edition of Weekend Download! One game explicitly states it takes place in the future, while the other two you pretty much just assume they do, as squares/circles aren't self-aware enough to hate each other in the present, and flamethrower technology has some decades to go before it matches Fire with a Riot.
Fire with a Riot (Windows, 7.1MB, free) - We all know playing with fire is bad, but in this case, you're just playing. And there's fire there. You're equipped with a flamethrower and have but one task: burn down everything you see. Pixellated bushes. Pixellated fences. Pixellated cars. Pixellated buildings, cows, and more. It's all got to go. You have a limited amount of fire to use, so you have to be a bit strategic about what you set ablaze. Earn points and head to the garage to build better weapons, which is way more satisfying than it should be. Created by Zack Banack, author of TimeStill and PaperDreams.
BlockShooter (Windows, 3MB, free) - You are a circle with a massive hatred of squares. Those squares are stacking up and multiplying on the other side of the screen. So, naturally, you've gotta go out and shoot them all. Destroy blocks as efficiently as you can, sweeping up and down to keep the advancing wall of polygons at bay. The occasional power-up gives you a temporary boost in firepower, but eventually those four-cornered jerks will gain the upper hand. How long can you last? That depends on how good you are. Are you circle enough to handle it?
Futurebike (Windows, 4.5MB, free) - A remarkably difficult top-down racing/stunt game from Jan Willem Nijman, creator of The Gutter (who is now part of the team that created Super Crate Box). Drive your little bike around the flat world, avoiding the nasty white walls and keeping to the narrow path. The green strips are jumps, and you've got to get some speed to leap over the obstacles in your way. Very, very challenging, even if you could see the dimensions of the things you were avoiding!
Note: All games have been confirmed to run under Windows 7 and are virus-free. Mac users should try Boot Camp, Parallels, or CrossOver Games to play Windows titles, Linux users can use Wine. If you know of a great game we should feature, use the Submit link above to send it in!
Futurebike is disappointing. It feels like the controls are a bigger challenge than the levels. I think this is because the controls allow you to move at high speed and change direction quickly, while the levels encourage a more slow-and-steady approach. Also, the collision detection is off. The hitbox of the bike appears to be at the base of the wheels, rather than in the center of the sprite. This is very annoying when you're trying to hit the laser dudes, which have equally tiny hitboxes.
I found Fire with a Riot really fun at first I thought it was going to be something with a profound message, but later it came to me like a game of destructive fun. I like how you can make new flamethrowers followed by a bit of interactiveness on making them.
Fire is neat, but freezes up after a couple of levels and seems to require a computer restart to get it going again.
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