Freeware Indie Game Roundup
You would think as freeware games are free, that they would garner more attention. But, because of a few bad eggs, a lot of them never get the attention they deserve; we gamers are so sceptical, even when not having to pay for the privilege. So understandably, here at IGM we seek to give some air time every week to a bunch of freeware games that have caught our fancy, and done a mighty good job of impressing us, by and large. Without further ado, please find quick reviews of some of the latest freeware indie titles below.
1. The Unfolding Spider
Waking up in a gas station bathroom, remembering everything, that’s how the story of The Unfolding Spider, developed by discordance, starts. What follows is a simple and linear point-and-click adventure game, that is a rollercoaster of a ride when it comes to the story of love and betrayal.
While graphically everything looks like it was done in paint it just suits the game so well, I believe it couldn’t have been done any other way. The game’s music also suits the tone of the game well, always reflecting the atmosphere of where the player is at in the game.
Verdict: 9.0
The Unfolding Spider is available for download here.
2. Ragmeg Alleycat
Escaping police, dodging traffic and pedestrians all while trying to collect packages on the one busy road while riding a bike, this is what is in store for players of Ragmeg Alleycat, developed by Zsolt Bartok Games. With the exception of a few minor annoyances, those damn pot holes, this is one enjoyable games. To top it off a competitive multiplayer mode has been included.
The pixelized graphics of the environment, traffic and everything else within the game are also a visual appeal. The game also contains music that reminded me of TRON Legacy, which I’d say is a plus.
Verdict: 8.0
Ragmeg Alleycat is available for download here.
3. SPECTRUM
When I first started play SPECTRUM, developed by Luminosity-Games, it felt just like your regular platformer with your regular gameplay mechanics. It wasn’t until I progressed further through the game before I encountered, what to me seemed like, an original idea, using light to bounce off mirrors to further progress through levels. While it doesn’t sound like much it did add value to the game.
SPECTRUM isn’t without its problems though, on a few occasions I found the HUD getting in my way in terms of trying to read text or look where my character was. The game also contains a few minor gameplay hiccups, but nothing major that ruins the overall experience. I did like the attempt for realism for some of the games’s graphic choices, and felt the character designs weren’t that bad either.
Verdict: 7.5
SPECTRUM is available for download here.
4. To Hell and Back
Who would have thought that venturing To Hell and Back would be a humorous adventure, that at the same time also contains Monkey Island references. Developer Kayamon has developed quite the point-and-click adventure game here, reminiscent of early LucasArt games, that is worth checking out.
Though some of the game’s environments and characters look a little rough around the edges don’t let that put you off from enjoying this game. The game also contains music suitable for a game about Hell.
Verdict: 7.5
To Hell and Back is available for download here.
5. School’s Out
School’s Out, developed by Lightminded Studio, has an interesting premise that could have unlocked a whole lot of potential. The player finds themselves having being shrunk by their science professor, which means they now have to navigate the cluttered school desks to return to normal size. Playing the game I found that each level required me to get to point A to B through a tedious level design, while fighting the very few enemies I came across while avoid some hazards.
Having being developed using the Unreal Development Kit the game truly stands out in the graphics department, which is a shame as it seems more focus was placed on making the game look nice than making the gameplay enjoyable. I do still recommend checking the game out though, that is if you find the premise even the slight most interesting.
Verdict: 7.0
School’s Out is available for download here.
6. Colony Assault
My first 10 minutes in Colony Assault got me no where, I didn’t know what to do or really how to play. I decided to turn to YouTube for guidance on what I was required to do. From watching a gameplay video I learned I was walking the wrong way in the first place, and to be honest the game doesn’t really provide much guidance, though I decided to give it another go. The 2nd time was much more successful and I was able to enjoy the gameplay aspects, which saw me infiltrating buildings and shooting turrets.
The game falls down in the visual department, when it came to the character designs and environment layouts. It seems the game could have used more polish in those areas, the buildings you need to infiltrate however I felt were done much better.
Verdict: 6.5
Colony Assault is available for download here.
If you would like to suggest freeware indie titles that you would like to see covered in future roundups be sure to let me know in the comments section below. Also be sure to check out previous week’s Freeware Indie Game Roundups.
