Custom bosses for Fraxy have started appearing everywhere. To try these out, just edit and copy the entire text into your clipboard, then run Fraxy to begin playing.[Fraxy's download page]

Right-click to save .FED files.
Standard boss
Giant crabs are a must
Eight-legged nasties
Salamander boss

The Fraxy Bosses public wiki is now open for business.

A new job board, www.indiegamejobs.com, just opened up that caters to the independent game developer. The site allows you to post jobs or search through job categories including 3d, textures, programming, and level design. You can evaluate artists by previewing their work and reading feedback ratings from other users. You can also post and browse resumes.

Here are some of the features listed on the site:

* Completely Free
* Easy to use Web 2.0 interface
* Intuitive rating system
* Profile section that supports images and links
* Messages Area
* Resumes Section

NIGORO's Death Village is out. [announcement, La-Mulana download link]

MindScape is a flash platformer, developed by Manuel Fallmann. You play inside a 'delusional state of mind' and you must try to escape, which I thought was a unique storyline and fitted in with how the game played. The world you play in literally rotates, depending on where you go, since some parts of the delusional state of mind are not facing the same way as others. At times these mechanics work quite well and other times, they become a little disorientating. The general graphical presentation and soundtrack weren't really my style either but the game itself did hold my attention for quite sometime.

Name: MindScape
Developer: Manuel Fallmann
Type: Flash

Everyday Shooter will not be freeware, unlike the rest of Queasy Games releases.

Click on the image below to watch video footage of the game from GDC. Release date: soon. [old trailer]

Empyreal Nocturne is a third-person aerial action game in which you combat enormous flying objects by commanding a legion of birds. These objects are connected by orbs, which are fiercely defended by birds of its own. Defeat each creature by destroying their weak points, then fly into a portal to access the next stage.

Use the W, A, S and D keys to navigate your ship, or press the space key for a temporary speed boost. This move is limited to the number birds you have accompanying your ship, though these will replenish automatically as time passes.

The mouse wheel can be used to switch between attack and defense mode. Hold the left mouse button when you have acquired a target to queue missiles for launch. Restore energy by pressing the right mouse button, and use the C key to switch camera mode.

Name: Empyreal Nocturne
Developer: Double Hawk Games
Category: Action
Type: Freeware
Size: 30MB

Roughly half of the thirty-six student projects showcased on DigiPen's games gallery have been made available for download.

The rest would probably be added to the list very shortly.

Claustrosphere is a 3D action game which takes place inside an enclosed area, putting you in control of a ship and surrounded by continuously spawning enemies from all sides. Basic flight controls are mapped to the W, A, S and D keys, while barrel rolls are executed by holding the Q and E key.

The World Sphere indicates your current condition. When the ship is damaged, this is reflected by the sphere as well. The game ends when the World Sphere collapses. Collect white rings to make the sphere grow, or yellow ones to upgrade your weapon.

The smaller sphere in the middle of the arena can be used as a reference to how the World Sphere's current condition. This sphere will glow red if the World Sphere is shrinking, or exude a blue glow is the area is expanding. Collision with this sphere should be avoided, since damage to it causes the arena to shrink.

Scoring is based on survival time and the size of the sphere. Enemies with more sides are harder to destroy, but will fade to white as they are damaged by your shots.

Name: Claustrosphere
Developer: Bats
Category: Shooter
Type: Freeware
Size: 10MB

Toy Blocks is another experimental Java project by Kevin Glass, in which the player can shift or rotate blocks around using the mouse while trying to match the overall shape indicated by a small window at the top of the screen.

Name: Toy Blocks
Developer: Kevin Glass
Category: Puzzle
Type: Browser
sizE: 1MB

A list of upcoming freeware AGS (and non-AGS) adventure games, due out in 2007.

[Top 20 Freeware Adventure Games 2006 article]

Big Bang Beat is an alright doujin fighting game featuring some impressive concept art but only two playable characters in the demo. The Z, X and C keys correspond to light, medium and heavy attacks. Use the A key to execute special moves. The command list can be accessed by pressing the Q key during a battle.

Run the configuration file and choose the second option to play in full screen mode. During character selection, the color palette of your fighter can be swapped by using the C key. Confirm or cancel your choice using the primary and secondary attack buttons.

The installation of files for East Asian languages is required to get the trial version to work.

Name: Big Bang Beat
Developer: NRF
Category: Action
Type: Demo
Size: 60MB

Tsunoda Love is a new horizontal shooter from Team GrisGris, the same development team responsible for the mecha platformer Dread Lock. The gameplay is considerably average, with standard options, spread shots and laser among some of the power-ups available to collect.

Tap the X key to shoot, or hold it for a charged attack. Use the Z key to activate bombs. The trial version showcases one level only.

Name: Tsunoda Love
Developer: Team GrisGris
Category: Shooter
Type: Freeware
Size: 30MB

Rumors are going around about a new shooter from Cave, fueled by a rather odd leaflet found in the Mushihimesama Futari OST which was released recently.

• feathers seem to suggest a theme much like Milestone's Karous


• the 'pentagram' is actually the Star of David, a Jewish symbol


• it's assumed that the portrait in the background is of a president, possibly Abe Lincoln


• the female character has the wings of an angel

DeceasedCrab is working on a LP for Within a Deep Forest. [Within a Deep Forest review]

Fraxy is an arena shooter featuring a collection of boss fights, with an editor included to facilitate user creation as well. Use the cursor keys to operate your ship, hold the left mouse button to shoot or press the right mouse button for a temporary speed boost. The left shift key or mouse wheel can be used to swap weapons.

Energy is deducted whenever a shot is fired or the speed boost is activated. Without energy, your ship will explode. Up to five weapon slots can be fitted with your choice of arsenal using the config.exe file, with an explanation for each found in an english text manual in the same folder.

An undocumented item is the Over Soll Power boost, which can be acquired by staying in the core of a power-up item for a couple of seconds. Much like Cho Ren Sha 68k, though this upgrade is a temporary one and useful only when the ship is at full strength.

A specially designed Try mode is available for players to experience preset challenges, while the Free Play mode offers a random run or unlimited practice for experimentation.

Name: Fraxy
Developer: mon
Category: Shooter
Type: Freeware
Size: 2MB

danjo's Z-Tack remake is an update of the Atari 2600 release, in which the player has to destroy buildings on the surface of a planet while dodging the missiles they launch in retaliation to your attacks.

Use both cursor and shift keys to fire in a certain direction. Shots can be fired sideways as well.

Name: Z-Tack
Developer: danjo
Category: Action
Type: Freeware
Size: 1MB

Lazrael is currently working on several projects. A description for one of his untitled ones:

"Here we have Continent Grin trying to get me with his basic straight-forward blasters and other low grade guns, but oh my, it was I who got him instead.

Unluckily for me Harry X-Ray (the red one) and Tobacco Ted (the blue one) were much more formidable foes to handle with their bouncy lasers and shotguns." - Lazrael [Battle in the Dark gameplay video with loud music, web site, Lazrael's past projects]

Just Adventure's Ricardo Pautassi reviews Duty and Beyond, grades it B. [Duty and Beyond review]

Millenipede updated to version 1.0.0. [Millenipede review]

Another Missing review posted.

Plupon is an alright action game that revolves around matching three numbers to meet a quota indicated on the upper left portion. Numbers are removed from the screen when they reach ten or above.

The objective of the game is to get a total of ten or twenty for each match, else your life gauge will be reduced based on the exceeding sum. No round objects must pass the bottom line as well. Click on the background to cancel your selection.

Name: Plupon
Developer: Yoshio Ishii
Category: Action
Type: Flash

Sonic Xtreme Remix is a short demo of Dobermann's upcoming remake, featuring Sega's blue mascot in another 3D adventure consisting of collecting rings and miscellaneous special bonuses.

A decent game by the developer of Halo Zero, a 2D reimagination of Bungie's first-person shooter series.

Name: Sonic Xtreme Remix
Developer: Dobermann
Category: Action
Type: Demo
Size: 10MB