"It's a bit like a first person point and click game in the same sense as Deja Vù."

Due out before Halloween.

- http://www.cactus-soft.co.nr/

This is a proper way to make a trailer - pull an Okami, then...

Might not be the most impressive entry in the IGF competition, but it sure looks like a ton of fun.

- Ookibloks web site
- download high quality divx video (right-click to save)

Splume is an interesting physics-based matching game created by a couple of industry veterans. According to Matthew, this is only the first of a number of web-based projects to be released on a monthly schedule.

The installation of Unity web player is required to play this game, and anything from Flashbang Studios should be relatively safe to use.

- play the game

A lengthy explanation for the IGF entry Goo was recently recorded and posted by Tommy Refenes at his site. The demonstration also includes a tasty preview for two of the gameplay modes to be found in this game - versus and survival.

According to Tommy himself, a PC demo will be released when the game is close to completion. [thanks to Mr. Blow for the reminder]

brainTooth is a new experimental release by Jph, in which the author returns to his orbital gameplay design roots found in both Valence and The Life in Matter.

Place your ship by pressing the home key, and use the cursor keys to move from one planet to the other. The ship automatically orbits around the closest planet. Hold the control or shift key to shoot in opposite directions.

Name: brainTooth
Developer: Jph
Category: Arcade
Type: Freeware
Size: 2MB
Direct download link: Click here

Covert Front 2 is the latest release from the prolific Mateusz Skutnik, creator of the Submachine series and popular DayMare Town adventure games. A continuation of the last episode, the female spy Kara now seeks an escape from her captivity with the secret plans in her possession.

The game is also available as a downloadable 4MB file for several operating systems. Watch out though, because they will pull a Big Fish on you and clutter your desktop the minute you look away.

Name: Covert Front 2
Developer: Mateusz Skutnik
Category: Adventure
Type: Browser
Walkthrough: Click here

The Abrupt Goodbye is an interesting experiment by Andy Schatz of Pocketwatch Games, made using a combination of simple SQL and PHP coding. Participants can choose to play either side of a conversation, with new responses added every minute by other players.

A discussion thread can be found in the Indiegamer forums.

- play The Abrupt Goodbye

Relight: Eternal Overture is a decent Bomberman clone with detailed sprites and level designs, but it's default difficulty setting may deter most from completing all twenty-five stages in one attempt. There are no continues allowed, so players would have to attempt the first few levels numerous times just to learn enemy or boss attack patterns.

The C key can be used to bring up an inventory screen, although a trial and error exercise may be required to discover the properties of each parts collected. Press the Z key to initiate a standard attack, or press the X key to execute a special move.

Name: Relight - Eternal Overture
Developer: SA GAMES
Category: Arcade
Type: Freeware
Size: 20MB
Direct download link: Click here

Space Capstar II is a new Flash game by NIGORO, in which players are asked to don the suit of an astronaut named Randy as he attempts to navigate treacherous mines and caverns while trying to acquire rare minerals for high rewards.

Hold the left mouse button and your ship will traverse towards the spot indicated by your cursor. Collision with objects or laser beams will cause the ship to lose fuel, but your supplies can be replenished by collecting blue kryptons. Land carefully next to one to grab them automatically.

To complete the last part of each mission, simply position your craft next to the mother ship as indicated by the silhouette. It is possible to destroy craters and lasers using your ship's thrusters.

Each room has it's own gravity pull, often indicated on the top left of the screen. Increase game speed by tweaking the quality setting option at the bottom right. Additional levels can be found when playing the game in higher difficulty settings.

Name: Space Capstar II
Developer: Nigoro
Category: Arcade
Type: Browser

A demo for Katakijin is now available. Knytt rip-off? Nikujin?

- direct download link

Dyngrid is a Geometry Wars-type arena shooter by DrPetter, made in under six hours. There are two executable files included, with the second one allowing players to switch between three ships.

Name: Dyngrid
Developer: DrPetter
Category: Shooter
Type: Freeware
Size: 157 KB

I, like many of you, have watched the Fez teaser video (see below) several times over since it was released by Kokoromi a few days ago. What we saw was a 3d world compressed down to one of four 2D projections, where only the 2D versions of the world could be navigated. My imagination sprang into the realm of puzzles that would be possible with such a system, though the video showed no puzzles at all. In other words, it gave us a glimpse of the technology itself without showing us what can be done with that technology, without giving us any idea of what it is like to play Fez.

Recently, Phil Fish, lead designer for the project, was nice enough to send me the one-level Fez demo for preview purposes. This, as I understand it, is the same build that was recently submitted to the IGF.

It took me a while to find a graphics card that could actually run Fez (it sounds like it's eventually destined for the XBox 360, alas), but I finally got the game up on a screen yesterday. Let me sum it up the experience with four words: IGF Design Innovation Award. Have I played the other 172 entries? No, but I don't need to. This little gem is neck-and-neck with Braid as one of the most interesting and innovative games I have ever played.

You can read the full preview at Arthouse Games.

Name: Fez
Developer: Kokoromi
Category: 2D Platformer
Type: License not yet set
Size: 14.6 MB (download not available to public)

Apathetic Spatula in Crazyland is a 3D platformer made to frustrate even the most hardened arcade action and platformer veterans. The game starts off innocently enough, but then introduces a couple of difficult obstacle courses and disappearing platforms to players determined enough to reach the blue area. Of course, none of these can compare to the invisible tiles placed inside the red rooms.

Use the cursor keys to move the spatula, and press the space key to jump. The E, S, D and F keys can be used to control the camera. Note that the game isn't finished, and there will be a point where players will find that it's impossible to continue any further.

Name: Apathetic Spatula in Crazyland
Developer: Unknown
Category: Platform
Type: Freeware
Size: 20MB
Direct download link: Click here

The Gamer's Quarter

IFComp 2007: Emily Short reviews a number of her favorite IFComp entries submitted this year. [source: dessgeega]

Portal: The next issue of TGQ will feature an article about Narbacular Drop, written by one of the developers who worked on Valve's Portal.

Releases

The Subconscious: Podvedomim is a small interactive work by the guys from Amanita Design and Huberokororo.

The Quiet Night: GamePure has released a new Puzznic-type puzzler named The Quiet Night. Ten stages only. [Flashxed, RetroDev remake]

Competitions

3Punge: Entries from the latest 3Punge (Three Minute Game) competition are now available for download, though most of the games require the installation of RPGMaker runtime package to work. Click on the first button to download all games in one zip file.

Indie Games Showcase: Winners of ECD's Independent Game Development Contest announced.

Updates

Iwanaga: A new windowed mode version for Iwanaga was added to Buster's download page.

Dicewars DS: Version 0.4.0 is now available. This is a Nintendo DS port of GameDesign's popular dice strategy game.

Upcoming

Virtanen: An untitled topdown shooter was recently added to Virtanen's upcoming projects page. [Kaipuu]

The Games Page: A few screenshots from TGP's next game can be found in Total Klik's Click Copter preview.

Klei Entertainment: Apparently the guys from Klei Entertainment are working on a new project.

Shareware

Penrock: PEKPOK's Pengo remake has a new screenshots page. No downloads yet. [Push Push Penguin download page]

Super Mogura Tennis: The information page for Krobon Station's upcoming Super Mogura Tennis is up. A demo will be posted soon.

Miscellaneous

Nifflas: The author of Knytt Stories recently partipated in a small competition with a short game.

OokiBloks: According to Matt Verran, the web site for OokiBloks should be ready by next week.

In Radian, players take control of a stationary object located in the middle of a dark room. Take aim at enemies by rotating this object using the left and right cursor keys, then fire a shot with either the Z or X keys. Hold both buttons for a charged attack.

Press the space key to collect debris for powerups. Shots can be blocked by using your shields, although the coverage area is limited to the direction chosen by the player before the start of a game.

Name: Radian
Developer: Jabberwock
Category: Shooter
Type: Freeware
Size: 2MB
Direct download link: Click here

I wrote about GoCL a while back, but here it is again since Linley posted up a download link for it just recently. If you can't afford a PS3 for Everyday Shooter, then this is the next best thing you can get your hands on.

Garden of Coloured Lights is a new vertical shooter by Linley Henzell, creator of Excellent Bifurcation and the popular Dungeon Crawl. The game features four levels, each with a different theme and end level boss. Sound effects are implemented in a very unique manner, in which every shot fired triggers a different sound based on their colours.

There are plenty of options to choose from, though your ship can only be equipped with a maximum of three. Some requires a cooling period to recharge, while others can be fired constantly with no penalties whatsoever. Weapons are upgraded by using them repeatedly, as represented by gauges shown at the top left of the screen.

Name: Garden of Coloured Lights
Developer: Linley Henzell
Category: Shooter
Type: Freeware
Size: 3MB
Gameplay video: watch
Download page: Click here