Go Home Dinosaurs! doesn't sound like anything a sane person would say, mainly because dinosaurs are awesome and inside all of us lurks a five-year-old (or Ross Gellar) giddy at the thought of dinos in our house. But it's only a good idea to have them around if you're not barbecuing, and unfortunately that's what the gophers happen to be doing, and now the only defense against the BBQ-hungry horde of giant lizards is the tower kind... tower-defense, that is! Fire Hose Games delivers a gorgeous comedic and colourful game that's big on strategy.

At the start of each level, you'll be given your choice of cards to fill your maximum hand... since different cards summon different units with their own unique effects, you'll want to think carefully about what you're up against to decide and and how much to use. Dinos will flood in waves from the cave and head along the path to your barbecue. Two piles of dynamite will protect your delicious meats at the cost of a single steak each time a dino triggers one, but when those run out, it's game over, man! Initially, all you have is one gopher who will dig anywhere onscreen you click on and attack anything within range. To get help, you need to send him to collect coconuts when they appear, and these are spent to use the cards in your hand. Each card, when picked up, will show you the size of your unit and the range around it, so right-click if you need to rotate it and think carefully before you place it since you can't rearrange a unit once it's down. Collect coins to spend in the store for special cards with temporary boosts, or fancy new outfits to class up your gopher.

Analysis:Go Home Dinosaurs! is not a game to be played without an eye for strategy. You'll want to eye the lay of the land to figure out what cards to pick at the start of each level, since some units are useless on certain stages where the terrain prevents them from being placed effectively. And speaking of being placed, since you can't move units once they're down, you really need to think carefully about what you're doing. Why can't I spend more coconuts to move or rotate towers? And why can't I choose which dino my gopher attacks when there are a whole bunch of them within range? These two seemingly small things can lead to big frustrations if you accidentally plop down a tower in the wrong position, or realise late in a long level you're going to have to restart because your placement isn't working out. This, along with other things like the lack of an option to speed things up or see how many dinos of each type you'll be facing, means die-hard tower defense fans may find a few things lacking.

Of course, you shouldn't take those criticisms as an effort to warn you away from it, because if I didn't think you should play Go Home Dinosaurs! I wouldn't be here telling you about it or tabbing back into game to play another level when I should be working. The challenging yet accessible gameplay and beautiful character design makes this the perfect choice for casual fun. The card setup is actually a clever one, forcing you to really think and plan your layouts to get the most out of them, especially when it comes to figuring out just how to fit each unit to its best advantage. As a result, the game's vibrant design packed with pop culture references masks a perfectly engaging little gem. There's even an optional vegetarian mode to replace all the barbecue with veggies... though you'll have to grind a whole lot of coins to pay for it first. With a ton of levels, unique towers and baddies, and some serious challenge to boot, Go Home Dinosaurs! is a vibrant little game that deserves a spot in any defense fan's library.

Windows:
Get the full version (via Steam)

Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.

Mr Rescue! Help! A bunch of people are trapped in a burning building and only you can save them! Now that you're inside, it's time to be a hero. Mr. Rescue is a simple but amazingly charming action game from Tangram Games. You control the well-protected Mr. Rescue himself as you spray water on fires and climb through a burning building to save the innocent people inside. The best part? You rescue them by throwing them out the window!

Press the [S] key to jump and [D] to fire water (joystick support is also included). You have a short supply of the liquid stuff, so you have to wait for it to recharge between blasts. Your suit slowly heats up the longer you stay in the fire as well as the more you come in contact with flames. Stay cool, both figuratively and literally, or you won't end up being much of a hero at all. The [A] key allows you to pick up (and throw!) people, but be careful not to toss them into a burning blaze. Head to a window, blast it open with water, then send them to freedom!

There are three levels in Mr. Rescue, each of varying heights and degrees of complexity. You can make as many runs as you like through these buildings, each time attempting to better your rescue rate and score. It's a simple set-up that doesn't need anymore than it already provides. A great little game that'll make you feel like a hero! And P.S.: do yourself a favor and grab the soundtrack by Simon Larsen.

Windows:
Get the free full version

Mac OS X:
Get the free full version
(Note: Requires the free LÖVE Framework.)

Linux:
Get the free full version
(Note: Requires the free LÖVE Framework.)

Money, or freedom. Which will you choose? McBank: The Puzzle of Money and Freedom uses stark, humorous imagery wrapped around a series of quick puzzles that play on the theme of the uneven distribution of wealth and power in modern society. Even though most of the world's money is controlled by a relative few people, the masses continue to support them with their purchases and actions. McBank forces you to to choose with each level you complete, and the results aren't always pretty.

Venture through the still streets of the city as you take in the dystopian sights: signs that tell you how the latest fashions are good because they're expensive, advertisements that tout products you already have but are going to buy anyway, etc. There's no shortage of interesting things to look at, but in order to play the game, you'll need to tap on the glowing arrows. There, you're presented with a simple cluster of tiles and can swap any two tiles in a column or row. Maneuver everything in groups to make them disappear, don't leave any tiles stranded, and accomplish all of this within the moves limit listed below.

After you solve a level you can make a choice: freedom or control. The former sets the people in the scene free, turning its black and white streets into a lively world of color. The latter replaces McBank's influence with your own, earning you some cash but leaving all the people trapped under a new master. But hey, you've gotta buy a fancy car and/or suit and/or other useless item. Who cares about them as long as you can amass your own wealth, right?

McBank is looking to make a statement, but it's not trying to hit you over the head with it. Its theme is well-integrated and even goes so far as to color the in-app purchase system that allows you to buy a completely useless badge just to make yourself feel better. There are five endings to experience, each one determined by your actions in the game. If a little dystopian dourness is your thing, McBank is a fantastic combination of puzzle meets narrative art.

Mac OS X:
Get the full version

A dark mysterious house on a stormy night... what could possibly go wrong? Currently playable in beta, Demon Wagon Studios' harrowing free indie horror adventure has you stumbling into the cold comfort of Kraven Manor one night. You may be out of the rain, but you've run straight into the dark heart of one man's obsession, and you'll find out that the whole house is against you... unless you can manage to turn it against itself.

Move with [WASD], holding left [shift] to sprint, and use the mouse to look around or interact. Hitting [F] toggles your flashlight on and off. The key point to exploring is to find more scale models of rooms hidden throughout the manor and bring them to the entryway. There, you find out that this place has one seriously unique floor plan... you can place and rearrange the places any way you like (as long as they have a valid connecting doorway to the main areas) and doing so literally changes the layout of the house around you, opening the way to new areas and changing pathways so you can reach previously inaccessible places. But keep your eyes peeled as you explore. You're not alone, and something doesn't appreciate you prying into the house's past and its secrets, and the more you know, the harder it's going to try to stop you. If prompted, hit the onscreen keys whenever assaulted, because in addition to light, the antagonistic force in the house is weak against button mashing. The game works on a checkpoint system, so should you meet a gruesome end, you'll just start over again at the last point you passed.

Analysis: With its superb use of lighting and ambient sound, Kraven Manor possesses some of the best atmosphere around. Although the premise may have a bit of the whiff of the Winchester Mansion around it, the actual story, revealed in bits and pieces through notes and clippings, almost feels like an afterthought. I'd say explaining away your creepy antagonist ruins the fear, but, well, I'd be lying because the "chase" sequences are used with devastating effectiveness. The game is fantastic about keeping you on your toes and making your spine crawl, and you'll dread every flicker of your flashlight. While there are quite a few jump scares, a lot of what's frightening is more the sense of anticipation that mercilessly ramps up the more you explore. I found myself channelling Lana Kane more and more every time I found a trail of blood where one previously hadn't been, or heard a sound behind me... Nnnnnnoooooooooope. It makes up for the journal entries being as bland and dry as a dust devil's gasp in the desert, when any legitimate game protagonist's scrawl would consist entirely of, "Oh geez, oh geez, oh geez, oh my goodn-WHAT WAS WHAT?!... oh geez, oh geez..."

Though shuffling the house's layout around is a clever touch, it felt like a gimmick until the second time you were given access to the library. Which is, incidentally, right around the time it feels like the game actually gains some teeth beyond simple frights and storytelling. The antagonist's appearances become a lot more menacing and tricky, incorporating puzzles and darkness into a way that forces you to think on your feet. The enemy's mechanic feels somewhat like SCP - Containment Breach's SCP-173, but more sinister and unpredictable. Trying to keep an eye on it when you think it should be on the other side of the room, only to round a shelf and find it right in front of you with arms outstretched in stillness is the sort of thing that makes you jump out of your skin. The air of menace the game manages to produce is really remarkable.

As of this writing, the game is still in beta and has a few kinks to work out, but is completely playable from beginning to end, or as long as your nerve holds out. It's not particularly long, more the sort of thing most players will finish in a single sitting, but shows incredible promise for the talented team behind it and is something any horror fan should absolutely check out.

Windows:
Download the free full version (beta)

Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.

Ah, the great outdoors. The wind in your hair. The sun on your face. The smell of burning rubber in your nostrils. The screams of rage burning your throat as someone overtakes you just seconds before you take first place so you ram their stupid car in its stupid rear and send their stupid face careening into the side of a building. Such is The Binary Mill's excellent and energetic casual indie racing game Mini Motor Racing EVO. Combining tons of tracks, beautiful visuals, it's a fun and frantic game you can enjoy by yourself or with three more friends online. Or enemies. Or frenemies.

It's a racing game, you know the drill. Complete all the laps on each stage before anyone else does to take top prize. The game allows you to play with your keyboard, a controller, or even your mouse, so chances are you'll find an option that works for you. Your car can't be damaged, so don't be afraid to give other vehicles a little... gentle persuasion... to get them out of your way. During races, you have three nitrous boosters to start that'll give you a quick burst of speed, but you can find more randomly scattered along the track too. Perhaps more valuable in the long term, though, are the occasional bonus cash pickups since these, when combined with your cash prize for each race, are what you use to upgrade your car. Each different vehicle has its own benefits and drawbacks, such as better handling at the cost of some acceleration, but by purchasing upgrades you can boost your favourite vehicle's performance. You have to upgrade each car seperately, so think carefully when spending your cash!

Analysis: Mini Motor Racing EVO is a tires-squealing, metal-grinding, all-cylinders-firing joyful rumpus of a game. It's the perfect fit for casual fans, players looking for something effortless to pick up but a lot of fun to try and master for however long you give it. The races are short and sweet, filled with lush visuals and satisfying little details like flying tire stacks and traffic cones. Though it starts out easy, you'll have to quickly learn how to handle your car like a pro to keep first place as the races get even more twisty-turny and densely packed with competitors. The relatively low level of customisation and realism might mean, however, that more hardcore racing fans find this one a bit too goofy and simple. I also sort of wish the game's cars were destructible, partly because I'm a terrible person, but also partly because it would up the challenge by forcing you to be more careful and skillful instead of sling-shotting your car around the track and off of barricades like a maniac.

Less Top Gear and more Mario Kart by way of the bumper cars, Mini Motor Racing EVO is a giddy, gorgeous, exuberant game that catches all the youthful exuberance of the best casual titles. It's the sort of thing you immediately want to play with friends, and would make an excellent party game no matter what the average age was. Though it lacks a lot of the deeper fiddly mechanics some fans may crave, its beautiful presentation and energy makes this one an easy choice for afternoons of reckless, easy to pick up fun.

Windows:
Get the full version (via Steam)

Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.

What can you do with a month? Well, if you're Arowana, azureXtwilight and Nellie, you can make a free indie visual novel sweet and warm enough to reduce me to tears. a2 follows Sona, a troubled young woman who puts up a hard front, and Hao, fresh into America and struggling to communicate and connect with the people around him. Sona was estranged from her brilliant conductor father right up until he died, so she was stunned when he left her his orchestra and the promise that she'd get paid on each performance as long as she showed up for every practice. She's just been going through the motions until Hao, a former student of her father, shows up, determined to whip her baffled and frightened musicians into shape... despite not being able to speak a word of English or possessing much people skills to speak of. Will Sona and Hao be able to connect despite language and emotional barriers to bring the orchestra to success? Or will they butt heads until neither of them has any hope of finding a common bond?

Just click to select choices as they appear and right-click to open the menu to save and load your game whenever you like. The game has three endings as well as a bonus chapter and an unlockable mode that translates all of Hao's spoken Chinese into English... handy, since the story sneakily refrains from translating everything he says, even when you're dying to know. You'll need to find all three endings before you unlock the translation and the special chapter "Reprise", however, but it's worth it if you want a short but definitely sweet cap to the better endings. Though the bonus chapter is exceptionally short, all the endings are worth experiencing, and you'll definitely want to play through at least one more time with Hao's translator on. Especially since Hao... isn't always saying what Sona thinks he is. (Note that this game received its rating for several instances of racism leveled at Sona, some mild profanity, and mild blood.)

Despite its short development time, a2 manages to deliver one of the most satisfyingly emotional and mature stories around. It's hardly what you'd call difficult, and only a half-dozen or so choices throughout that you'd really have to be actively trying to fail to do poorly with, but the emphasis here is definitely on its characters, and Sona and Hao absolutely shine. The use of musical theory to get past the language barrier was clever, but arguably where the story does its best work is in portraying two hurting but human people as honestly and realistically as possible in a way that truly makes you root for them, whether as friends or lovers. Though there's an expansion coming down the road, as it stands now a2 is still a phenomenally well executed piece of work for its time frame, and for a visual novel in general. With a relateable cast, heartbreakingly honest moments, and more than a few laughs, to say nothing of a fantastic theme by the talented Gerald Ko, a2 is the perfect thing to curl up with and relax any time of day and remind yourself that people may be imperfect, but are usually pretty wonderful underneath it all.

Windows:
Download the free full version

Mac OS X:
Download the free full version

Linux:
Download the free full version

Carry on, my wayward sooo-o-on! Whether it's from belting out prog-rock standards way too loud at 2 a.m., a mugging after having a night of one drink too many, or just plain getting shipwrecked, the protagonist of Unlok's new crafting survival adventure Wayward (currently in BETA) definitely isn't in Kansas anymore... but that's only good news for you! You wake up on a desert island with no recollection of what happened, nothing but a few shoddy tools to your name, and you're thinking what we'd probably all be thinking in a situation like that: TREASURE! It's going to take a whole lot of fortitude to make it, but with a bit of ingenuity and plenty of raw natural resources just laying around you'll be throwing together everything but coconut radios before you know it.

Movement is via the [arrows], though the mouse option is there as well if that's your preference. For inventory and crafting management, it's mouse all the way as you use and slot your vast array of items and equipment. Everything including the combat is turn-based. Crafting aficionados are going to be thrilled with this system. Recipes for which you've got all the items will display at the top of your list, with the rest greyed out. Each recipe tells you what you'd need to craft it, and hovering the mouse over it will also highlight what you've got in your inventory to make it happen. There are no levels, classes or experience points here. Using skills gradually improves them, and you'll occasionally learn relevant new crafting recipes in the process.

Death is permanent, so don't expect to be taking your settlement or items with you, though you'll keep any recipes you learned. Unlok's site features a Save / Load add-on for the previous beta version of the game, but as of this writing it appears to be outmoded by the latest beta release so for now it's probably better to leave a browser tab open for it. And do take notice, Wayward is still in beta. It's been exceptionally stable when we played through it though, and the only problems we encountered beyond the Save / Load modding were mild latency and a tendency for equipment being slotted not to register with the mouse the first time. Which is pretty darn good for a game this complex still being in beta, and we definitely wanted to bring you its phenomenally detailed crafting system. Wayward is available for all the major operating systems, and probably several brands of toasters as well, so you have no reason for not playing it! All crafting and survival buffs, just cross out the rest of your weekend now.

Play Wayward

Windows:
Download

Mac OS X:
Download

Linux:
Download for 32-bit systems
Download for 64-bit systems

You knew it would happen, but were utterly powerless to prevent it. When a routine colonization mission goes awry and your ship bites down hard onto the vast frozen tundra of the wrong alien world, its supply of construction materials scattered broadly across the unfamiliar landscape, what remains of the crew have formed tiny village communities around whatever they've happened to salvage in their vicinity. It's up to you to establish contact with these tiny tribes and reunite the fragments of your advanced civilization as you gradually learn more about the unique and subtle menace at work in this strange new land — and your own personal influence on a force whose nature and destiny are warped around and bound inextricably to your own. An intricately-detailed game world meets classic SNES-era gameplay in srehpog's Zelda-like action-adventure, Ark 22.

Handling is also pretty SNES-like, using the [arrow] keys, [z] [x] and [c] for most options, [enter] to confirm menu options and [spacebar] to slash. Coffee of various types is a consistent theme throughout the game, and it actually recovers your hit points. It's not only dispensed from machines, but — in a glorious example of "Nintendo logic" — also dropped by the mice that wander around the planet's surface and dungeon. Some mice will drop ammo cartridges as well. Space Advice: If you ever go to another planet and the mice are scurrying around drinking endless cups of coffee and packing ammo clips, you're almost certainly not at your intended destination.

You'll trek through the world discovering more about the main plotline as you progress, but interspersed throughout are various mini-games, side-quests, and dungeons where both your deft reflexes and your puzzle-solving abilities will most certainly be taxed. In fact Ark 22 has been consistent in terms of player response as being a couple notches too difficult for most, and some of the boss monsters are tougher than you'd encounter in a conventional title. But it's been around for years now, accruing a loyal following of casual gamers. Ark 22 is a difficult game to put distinctly into one category. It plays like Zelda, but the logic puzzles in some of the dungeons are nothing to snooze through. There are mini-games, but the rewards of playing them are vital to the overall plot. Upgrading your equipment through NPC interaction also figures in, but it's not quite an upgrade game. Ark 22 is really its own unique indie cross-genre creation, with its own sense of challenge level, and whether you love it or you don't is going to be a very personal assessment as well. Either way, what everyone can agree on is that with years in the making Ark 22 features a thoroughly-developed game world and storyline, presented with a puckish, lighthearted sense of humour that makes it a pleasure to encounter.

Windows:
Get the free full version.

Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.

Qrostar's free indie sliding block puzzle game Jelly no Puzzle is a game I want to call hard, but hesitate to do so since that's typically like throwing a bucket of chum into the water where smug comments from other players are concerned. The goal is simply to combine all the jelly blocks on each level by right-clicking to move a jelly once space right, and left-clicking to move it one space left. They can't jump, but they'll fall off ledges and can stand on top of one another. Once a jelly touches another of the same colour, they merge into a larger one and can't be separated, which means that they may not fit into places they previously did... or block the way for others. You can click the little arrow at the bottom of the screen to undo up to three moves.

If you've played Qrostar's Hanano Puzzle then you're already used to their way of bending your brain around what looks like it should be a supremely easy concept, and Jelly no Puzzle doesn't disappoint. The game has 40 levels and all of them are uniquely tricky... especially when the fixed blocks that can't be moved come into play. It's also easy on the eyes, with a colourful and cute design and a catchy soundtrack. Games like Jelly no Puzzle are proof positive that sometimes you get far more than what you pay for when it comes to freeware games, and with its devilishly clever level design and elegant execution is a sublime little puzzle that's more than worth your time.

Windows:
Download the free full version

Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.

Little dude, little adventure, right? Wrong! Gomez may be tiny, but he's got a big destiny... not that he knows it. As far as he's concerned, he's just your average, ordinary 2D critter living in a 2D world... right up until the village elder bestows a great power and a greater secret... Gomez's 2D world isn't 2D at all, and with the power of the mystical Fez, he can rotate through it to discover the secrets hidden at every angle! Which, you know, is going to come in handy since the whole world is going to end unless he tracks down every single piece needed to rebuild a cosmic cube. Polytron Coporation's beloved indie XBLA hit finally makes the leap to PC, and drags players on a massive puzzling, platforming adventure full of charm, creativity, and wonder.

You can play using either the keyboard or a USB controller, and I personally preferred the latter. Gomez has all the usual platforming abilities, like jumping and climbing, but once he dawns the titular mystical chapeau, he gains the power to rotate the world around him like a cube, allowing him to see every side and secret. Additionally, the change in perspective can be all you need to bring a ledge or platform that was previously out of reach close at hand. Most every area will have fragments of golden cube hidden about... eight of them will make a whole cube piece, and many doors will require a certain amount of these pieces to open. Secret hidden anti-cubes count towards that cube total, but will require both some puzzle-solving and keen observation to track down.

Of course, it's not just you and your little legs. You've got a floating magical sidekick who will provide helpful information from time to time, and things like bombs can be nabbed to blow open certain pathways. Most of the challenge, however, comes from figuring out how to change your perspective of the world to your advantage. You're not just looking at something from a different angle, you're actually moving the world around you, which means that a ledge that was out of reach just a moment ago could suddenly be within your grasp if you swing the world the right way. You can't save manually, but the game autosaves for you like mad, and chances are you won't need a manual save anyway because the game has no real hazards to be found other than bottomless pits, and even then you'll just teleport back up to the last ledge you were on. Just because nothing wants to eat your face doesn't mean the game is easy, however, and with piles of puzzles and a whole world sprawling out in front of you, you have your work cut out for you.

Analysis: We're so used to being the hero in games these days that it's easy to forget how setting out on an adventure should feel. Awe-inspiring, breath-taking, bigger than us, and maybe a little scary. Like taking your uncle's sword in A Link to the Past that rainy night, or Ness stepping outside his home in Earthbound and not knowing when or if he's coming back. Fez gets back to all that. Gomez's newly expanded world not only feels big, but also beckons you to dive right into it and explore because there is something literally around almost every corner. Few games capture that drive of, "Ooooh, what's over there," and fewer still try. As a result, Fez is one of those games that's best suited to one of those days where you just want to relax and sink right into something. The game has more than a few surprises up its sleeve, and likes to shake you up when you least expect it. Sometimes you'll find that a door you thought would lead you back the way you came suddenly deposits you somewhere much creepier, or that there have been clues to the puzzle you've been agonizing over right under your nose all along.

Navigation is, at first, sort of overwhelming. Keeping track of it all seems impossible, and even if you know where you're going, Gomez's every movement starts to feel slow enough that backtracking any significant distance can become a chore. Think Lester the Unlikely, pre-invigorating smooch, but cute and whimsical enough that it's hard to really be mad at him. Jumping can also feel fiddly, with the difference between landing safely on your target and plummeting off into eternity a barely discernible step or two. Admittedly, there's no real menace to make you feel pressed for time or to watch your step, since even blowing yourself up or getting sucked out of reality will pop you right back to where you were a moment later. This might not provide enough challenge for some players, especially since most obstacles and puzzles are simply overcome by rotating your screen until you spot the way through.

Thus, Fez is not a game for the impatient, or those of us who demand a whole lot of action. Instead, it's a game for players who want to remember what it feels like to explore something bigger than themselves, that delight you get from unexpected discovery. The game is, unfortunately as of this writing, a little buggy on first release, and an eventual Mac release is still somewhere in the foggy, unspecified future. Still, these are issues that will be addressed, and as a whole Fez is still well worth experiencing. Its world design is gorgeous, packed with details large and small, and a rich atmosphere that sucks you in. If you love the thrill of discovering new areas and taking in new scenery, not to mention the satisfaction of hunting everything you need for 100% completion, this is definitely one to throw yourself into. Especially since I have it on very good authority that fezzes are cool.

Windows:
Get the full version (GOG.com)

Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.

You'd think washing up on a lone island would be an improvement over slowly sinking alone at sea in the middle of the night, but that's only if you don't wind up on Lumber Island. In the first chapter of this free indie horror adventure from DeanForge, you've got a cell phone for light, but no signal, and that flickering firelight in the distance looks awfully welcoming. After all, anything is better than drowning on this cold, windy night, right? Just use the [arrow] keys to move, [spacebar] to jump, and the mouse to look around. You'll automatically pick up any items you walk over, and the game will use them for you when you need them. Keep your eyes open and your wits about you since you're not alone, and you'll have to start all over if you bite the axe.

Lumber Island is one of those games that will make you cringe. Not because it's gross or violent, but because the subtle sense of wrongness and oppressive creepy atmosphere will have you dreading every noise, every shadow, every corner. It quickly becomes apparent that there's something more than a little otherworldly going on, and initially the sense of disorientation and mystery only adds to the fear. The problem is that Lumber Island lacks any real player direction, and since you can't sprint, slowly walking around trying to figure out where you're headed or where something you may have missed is in the gloom quickly becomes frustrating. Lacking anything so grand as a save feature and slowly but implacably pursued by a one-hit KO antagonist, dying means starting all over from the beginning. The annoyances mount and strike against what is otherwise a visually stunning and exceptionally immersive adventure with an almost palpable air of menace. I was playing with the sound off, and after creeping through the darkness I uttered a literal shriek when I turned around to find something wholly unexpected lumbering through the doorway after me, blocking the exit.

Once you figure out where you need to go and what you need to do, Lumber Island won't take you very long to play, and despite its flaws is still well worth checking out. With some polish and constructive design feedback, the rest of the upcoming chapters could wind up being something really special. As it is, it's weird, it's freaky, and it's an entertaining, menacing ghost story that will leave you wishing for a map and some running shoes, but will deliver a few scares and some unanswered questions for the next installment.

Windows:
Download the free full version (Desura)
Download the free full version (Game Jolt)

Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.

A pickpocket, a locksmith, and a hacker walk into a bar. You wouldn't know it though, because the hacker planted a virus in one of the bar's electrical outlets that shorted out the lights for twenty seconds. During that time, the pickpocket's monkey snuck up behind you and grabbed your wallet out of your pocket, and the locksmith stole all of the money from the cash register (and a couple bottles of cognac, if that shelf behind the now-pantsless bartender is anything to go by). They then escaped out the window and ran for their getaway yacht. Such is the life in Monaco, an International Games Festival-winning multiplayer stealth arcade game by Andy Schatz of Pocketwatch Games where grabbing the loot is just half the fun.

Most of the missions you'll encounter in Monaco require you to sneak in or out of a high-security facility of some variety. You might be robbing a bank, erasing security footage, or rescuing a comrade from captivity. Use the [arrow] keys or [WASD] to move around, or hold [shift] to move slowly (helpful for sneaking past people in close proximity undetected). To unlock doors and safes, pick up equipment, or disable electronics, walk up to your target and hold to fill up your progress meter. When you gain weaponry to knock out or kill guards that may attack you, aim using the mouse and fire with a sharp click.

But what fun is a heist if you don't case the joint where you're at it? There's tons of gold to be found on each floor of the facility, both lying around loosely, and tucked away in safes and cash registers. Sweep up all the gold you can find to help unlock future levels, and also to avoid a time penalty on your final score for the level. If you need to recap your current objective or how much gold you still need to find, tap the [control] key.

Don't expect your plundering to go unchallenged, because your crew is severely outnumbered by a plethora of armed guards, attack dogs, and sensors that can set off alarms that draw everyone to your location. Most sensors can be deactivated by manually disabling them, or hacking computers to set up a virus to temporarily disable them. As for the guards, you'll have to either be ready fight back with a weapon or know where to hide, such as in bushes or overhead ducts.

To start, you have four characters to play as, each with their own special abilities. The Locksmith is quicker at unlocking doors and safes, the Pickpocket has a monkey that can pick up nearby gold for you, the Lookout can detect hidden enemies across the map, and the Cleaner can knock unsuspecting enemies unconscious. In later levels, you can rescue more members for your motley crew, such as the Mole who can burrow through walls, the Gentleman who can disguise himself while hiding, and the Hacker that can create an electricity-shorting virus from any outlet.

Each mission is playable in both single-player and multiplayer modes. While in single-player, when a character loses all their health, you're required to choose a new character to continue the mission from the last staircase used (until you've used a total of four lives). In multiplayer mode though, you've got to rely on your teammates to revive you, all while they're hunted down by the same folks who took you out, and once everyone's been downed, it's game over!

Analysis: While Monaco has to be classified as a stealth game, there's a certain sense of non-stealthiness that makes the game a lot more thrilling. It's next to impossible to complete a level without being spotted (if not chased and shot at) at least once, if only because it's impossible to predict where a guard might be walking without walking into their line of sight first. If you're quick to respond to the situation, you can make a simple getaway. If you bumble around a little bit, you might be in for the chase of your life, running through every room as fast as you can, tripping every alarm and bumping into every confused guard as you panic searching for a ladder to escape above ground. There's joy to be had at both ends of the stealth spectrum (although you're likely to have an easier time if you can stick to the former end).

This spectrum transfers well to the multiplayer mode. Once you've played through a few levels alone, try jumping into a multiplayer game, and with friends if you can. Even if you start by planning out your perfect crime and coordinating everyone's movements, it will usually devolve into a chaotic free-for-all with all parties shouting commands at one another while being chased by guards like ghosts surrounding a Pac-Man.

With each level with new elements added in, there's a bit of trial-and-error involved in figuring out how each new tool or sensor works. Sometimes you can clean out a level on your first attempt, more often you won't. The game never throws too much at you that you'll be overwhelmed, but that's not to say it'll be easy. In a sense, Monaco's difficulty curve is a comfortably steadily rising one, although it's been placed on a small stepladder to start.

As you catch a glimpse of useful items in your field of vision while passing through a room, these are stored in your memory and appear on the blueprint-style map when you round a corner and can't physically see them anymore. This is a neat idea and really helps when you're trying to find that last bit of gold on a floor. This "vision" mechanic can backfire a bit if you don't remember that sometimes things that look like walls aren't necessarily walls, such as half-height countertops that guards can look over and spot you. While each level is a maze with carefully constructed corridors, it's easy to forget that some of those hallways give you less cover than others, and the game won't hold your hand in reminding you which is which.

The stealth mechanics of this game really stand out in the sound effects and music. When you're running through hallways looking for a quick escape, the jaunty old-timey (read: out of tune) piano accelerates to fever pitch, matching your hectic pace and making the game feel like a scene from a black and white train heist movie. When you've found cover and evaded capture, the music slows back down to silent, allowing you to keep an ear peeled for approaching footsteps and enemy reactions. Add to this the chipper pings of bicycle bells and beeps of security systems, and you've got an audibly satisfying game that lets you know your status at all times.

The variety of characters allows you to not only find a play style that you're comfortable with, but also provides a very fulfilling story, even with minimal dialogue between levels to set it up. It's easy to fall into the story, and doing so heightens the tension you'll experience as you try to pull off the perfect crime (and inevitably fail). Round up the crew and get ready for the heist of a lifetime, because "What's Mine is Yours, and Monaco is Mine!"

Windows:
Get the full version (DRM-free)
Get the full version (via Steam)

Mac OS X:
Not yet available. A beta version is expected in May.

When I was fourteen, I volunteered one summer as a Candy Striper at the hospital, and was dared one afternoon by one of the other girls to venture down to the basement, which was, of course, empty except for the morgue. Nothing happened, of course, but the scenario dreamed up by my overactive imagination as I crept down those dark hallways filled with disused furniture and echoes is something very similar to Bryce Maciel's free indie horror adventure I See You. Inspired by Ivan Zanotti's hit Imscared, I See You has you wandering lonely as a cloud through what appears to be a deserted hospital with only your thoughts and some increasingly ominous tutorial text for company.

Find a key in each area to unlock the next door to proceed and follow the instructions... what could be simpler? All you need are [WASD] to move, the mouse to look around, and [E] to interact. While easy to play, however, if you're not a fan of jump-scares I See You is absolutely brutal to endure. The game has a slow but ruthless pacing and execution of its frights that will still leave you wanting if what you want is a story, but will definitely get your heart pounding. While definitely similar in style to its inspiration, however, it's also far less clever in execution, requiring you to do little more than keep moving forward. It's a very on-rails experience, more like going through a haunted house at a theme park (WHERE MY SCAREACTORS AT) and leaving you squealing and breathless at times. I See You has some fantastic visual scares that made me whimper far more than a loud crash in the silence. Is one better than the other? Eh, I'd argue that both have their place and are easily worth experiencing on their own merits for the short time it'll take you to run through this one... even if you can't escape. Because

i found you

Windows:
Download the free full version

Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.

Starseed Pilgrim is a very, very unusual game. Created by droqen, author of Probability 0, it's best described as an abstract puzzle game with some light musical elements and a touch of sandbox-style gameplay. That doesn't do the experience justice, though, as its real value comes from the sense of exploration and wonder you'll get trying to figure out which seeds grow which blocks and what exactly you're trying to accomplish in this bleak world.

You control the so-named starseed pilgrim, a cosmic gardener armed with a handful of starseeds. Move and jump with the [arrow] keys, tapping [down] to remove blocks below you. You can also remove blocks to your side by running into them. Hit the [spacebar] to plant a seed. Different seed types are shown floating above your head, and each one does something different when planted. The orange seed, for example, quickly grows straight up or straight to the side. The pink seed moves much more slowly, but if you dig out one of these blocks you'll add another seed to your inventory. You wouldn't be much of a starseed pilgrim if you didn't have any seeds in stock, would you?

Starseed Pilgrim doesn't spell out goals or gameplay methods right in front of your eyes. You know something vague about the sky slowly dying, and you'll see the dark corruption chasing you as you grow your garden of blocks. You'll also find the inverted "flip" world that contains keys and hearts. What all of these things do and how they're connected is part of the discovery element of Starseed Pilgrim, and we're not about to spoil the feelings of awe, confusion and delight this game doles out with liberal abandon. Sit down with it and get lost in the experience. The more you don't know, the more fun you'll have.

Windows:
Get the full version

Mac OS X:
Get the full version

Usually when games bring you back to your childhood, it's a good thing. Nostalgic. Filled with memories of Saturday morning cartoons, footie pajamas, and cereal that's 75% corn syrup. But in Minority's indie puzzle platform adventure Papo & Yo, for some people those memories might be more than a little bittersweet... or just plain bitter. Originally only available on the PlayStation 3, it's about a young boy named Quico who has spent a lot of his short life feeling alone and powerless against the danger inside his own home. As the game begins, Quico, hiding in a closet, goes through a glowing portal that appears in front of him and spits him out somewhere strange. Ramshackle buildings, tangled alleyways, hot midday sun... and a little girl who seems to be able to literally draw reality around her as she wishes.

With nowhere else to go, Quico chases her down only to discover she wants nothing to do with him, but soon finds himself befriended by a chipper, back-packing robot named LULA who wants to introduce him to a beastly tower of muscle and fangs known simply as Monster. The two quickly become best friends, and Quico loves Monster... even when he's afraid of him. And Monster's addiction to potent poisonous frogs that, when consumed, turns him unpredictable, violent, and angry means Quico has quite a lot to be afraid of. But he loves Monster too much to run away, and Quico is willing to do anything it takes to save his newfound friend from himself... even if it means putting Quico himself in harm's way.

Use the mouse to look around, [WASD] to move, and the [spacebar] to jump. Once you've got LULA, hit [spacebar] again in midair to hover short distances. LULA can even activate faraway switches for you by pointing and them and right-clicking or pressing [Q]. [E] lets you interact with sort of things, and some objects will prompt you to perform contextual mouse movements, such as dragging the mouse to the side to pull a lever. Although the world you're exploring looks fairly ordinary at first glance, you'll soon discover it's anything but. Drawings and cardboard can take on lives of their own and allow you to change the landscape around you. If you get stuck, keep an eye out for hint boxes to point the way. Once you join up with Monster, you'll have to figure out how to use him to get around... he's bigger and stronger than you, but also pretty lazy, so you'll usually need to use coconuts to lure him around. You can't manually save, but the game autosaves for you at checkpoints and won't ever boot you back very far if you fail or fall.

Analysis: Papo & Yo is one of those games that really manages to capture the important parts about being a child... the wonder and the vulnerability, but also the unexpected strength and tenacity. Minority has crafted a world that feels both familiar and magical, and recalls all the imaginary influence you used to pretend you has as a kid as Quico alters his environment with chalk and cardboard. Part of what makes the design so great is how often it takes you by surprise, as houses sprout legs to scurry away from you, lifting a crude box causes nearby buildings to rip from their foundations and float in the air, and more, all rendered in rich colour, sound, and atmosphere. It's a world that begs you to run and jump and play and explore in it... right before it bares its teeth. The more you play, the more clearly the game begins to fill in the gaps in the story without words as you discover the truth about Monster, Quico, and the people trying to protect him.

The gameplay itself is at its best when embracing that rich imagination. You never really lose that little thrill of delight when you see the landscape shudder and rumble around you with the push of a button or pull of a lever, and the more you see, the more you lose yourself in it. It's not what you'd call particularly challenging, for the most part. The way forward is usually clear and just requires a bit of simple thought and timing instead of any particular platforming skill. Which is fortunate, since precise movement and reaction is sort of awkward, especially when you're trying to hit a target or throw something. It can be difficult to aim your landings while hovering with LULA, and it's also not always visually apparent what's scenery and what's something you can use... or walk on. It was never enough to make me want to stop playing, but whenever it happened, it broke the immersion for me.

Monster himself is an immediate delight in your first interactions with him, and the game is adept at making you fall in love with him as fast as Quico does. The animation and design used to bring him to life are fantastic, infusing him with personality though he never says a word. The relationship between the two is the crux for the whole thing, and how you feel its handled is ultimately going to be a personal thing... you may feel it hits the nail on the head, or find it too treacly and simplified. As the story unfolds the more you play, the more obvious the narrative about abuse. Personally, I found a lot to relate to in it. It's a simple, but very honest, depiction of the relationship between vulnerable child and abusive parent. You may fear them, sure, and there are times you wish you could run away forever... but when they're not on something, you love them so much and so desperately you're not only just willing to risk it to be near them, to keep coming back... but you also feel like maybe, just maybe, if you try hard enough... you can fix them.

While some players might find the gameplay a bit too simple and repetitive, for others it might simply be too uncomfortable. Quico's helplessness at the enormous paws of Monster when the beast is in the grip of a frog-induced rage, watching the young boy being chased and slapped around while powerless to stop it at the hands of someone he loves, is somehow more disturbing than many more excessively violent games. But in a way, these are the types of games we need more of. The ones that come from those hurtful dark places in the most honest fashion possible, willing to expose, explore, and reach out with the sort of love and willingness to understand, and hope, that many games don't bother with. Though rough in places, and even hurtful in others, Papo & Yo is ultimately a painful yet beautiful adventure well worth experiencing whatever your background.

Windows:
Get the full version (Steam)

Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.