2007/06/13

Xeno Tactics

Yet another Tower Defense game: Xeno Tacics.

An obvious clone of Desktop Tower Defense (even down to the critter waves), but with a twist: the game has six levels, and you can't access the next level until you've completed the previous. Not sure why you score points in this game, as there's no high score (or there is after the last level, but I've still not beaten it...) - it seems kind of pointless that you score bonus points for releasing a critter wave early (just like, you guessed it, Desktop Tower Defense).

Onslaught 2

Another Tower Defense game (which seem to be all the rage now): Onslaught 2.

Not that many differences to its predecessor, but the new tutorial and help screens are a neat addition. Still no sound though...

2007/05/10

Tactics 100

A different kind of Chess: Tactics 100.

It's like a cross between Chess and Final Fantasy Tactics (or similar game). Move your pieces (of which you've got four different kinds) and attack your enemy. First you move all your pieces, then your enemy moves his. Use the special abilities to full effect to ensure victory.

Luminaria

Blast them away: Luminaria.

The game plays somewhat like Asteroids. Move with the keyboard, aim with the mouse, and shoot anything that moves.

Slingeren

Strange little game: Slingeren.

Another "filler" game: You point and click the mouse to shoot one of your two rubber bands, and swing across the "landscape" (as you can see from the screenshot, there's not a lot of eye candy, to say it mildly). Simple, but fun.

2007/05/02

Tower's Tactics - Deity's Throne

RTS meets RPG: Tower's Tactics - Deity's Throne.

You start with a single hero and up to two soldiers. Each quest/level is played in a real-time-strategy kind of way. Your troops get experience and learn skills (special attacks, healing, etc.).

The game saves your progress, so you don't have to start all over again whenever you play it.

2007/05/01

Nightstrike

Defend your bunker: Nightstrike.

As usual for the "castle defense" subgenre, you earn money to upgrade your weaponry. This game, although the graphics are quite good, is somewhat lighter than similar games - and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

B29 Assault

Scrolling shooter: B29 Assault.

Fair gameplay and neat extras. The fact that the game doesn't just scroll up but also down may seem awkward at first - and for some reason it's harder to survive (at least for me) - but you'll get used to it quickly.

Tanked Up

A different kind of racing game: Tanked Up.

You steer your tank with the keyboard and shoot at the other tanks with the mouse.

2007/04/20

Virus


Infect, evolve, repeat: Virus.

Drag'n'drop your virus on red blood cells, but beware of white blood cells and antibiotics. After each level, you may enhance your virus (better reproduction, higher defense, and so on).

Doctor Who - Cyber Assault

An original Risk variant set in the Whoniverse: Doctor Who Cyber Assault.

You control the "Preachers" who fight to free the world from the Cybermen. On the world map you can move troops from one of your territories to another, attack a territory that's either free or controlled by the Cybermen (battles are fought using a rock-paper-scissor mechanic), or recruit new troops (one per territory, so the more land you've got, the more troops you'll gain).
If you win a battle against the Cybermen at one of their bases, the game changes to a shooter: you infiltrate the base to destroy the transmitter. This "mini-game" is probably the worst part of the game: it's really slow and not even that interesting. The main game is nice though - if you like Risk, that is.

Swords and Sandals

Manage a gladiator: Swords and Sandals.

It's a very simple roleplaying game. Combat is played in rounds. A lot of luck is involved. Still, it's fun now and again.
There's a sequal too.

Bunker

Defend your, well, bunker in: Bunker.

This point-and-click game takes some time to get any challenging.

Cosmic Crush


Think of this as flOw with more game attached: Cosmic Crush.

You control an asteroid/planet and try to absorb other asteroids smaller than you to get larger. If you hit something that's larger than you: Game Over. Once you reach a certain size you enter the next level.

2007/04/19

Armadillo Knight


Keep rollin': Armadillo Knight.

Be a sword-wielding armadillo and fight trolls and stuff to save a bunch of bunnies...

Zombie Horde 3

Awful lot of fun: Zombie Horde 3.

You walk thru a city infested by zombies - and you get paid to kill them. With the money you earn you buy better weapons (or upgrades), ammo and armor. Some of the weapons are needed to advance the plot - for instance, pretty early in the game you need a shotgun to destroy a barricade.

While the graphics are somewhat minimalistic, the controls are great (mouse plus keyboard), and you're able to save your progress.

2007/04/18

Dad and Me


A cute and at the same time brutal Beat'em Up: Dad and Me.

Be the schoolyard bully and beat up other kids - but beware those other bullies (and the pre-school ninjas...). Use objects like basketballs and lawnmowers to dash out even more damage.

Dotville

If you like city management games, check out Dotville.

You build farms (to feed your population of "dots"), marketplaces (for a steady flow of income), mines (for iron, which you can sell or use to manufacture weapons), and smithies (using iron to manufacture weapons, which you can sell or use to build an army), fortresses (increase happiness once), and status symbols (increase happiness over time). You can set food rate and tax, both of which influence your dots' happiness - and that's what your final score largely depends on.

There are two rather strange mini-games included: if your neighbor attacks, you'll deal with the attack in a Tic-Tac-Toe game (and your opponent is much too stupid to win, believe me) - but the damage you do to his army depends on the size of your own army. And the final battle after 50 rounds of gameplay is done with rock-paper-scissors, where you pitch your full army against your opponent.

Still, a fun game, although it's somewhat easy to beat.

Snowball 2007

Another "filler" game: Snowball 2007.

You're a snowball rolling down a mountain. You get bigger over time, and as you do you're able to absorb more and more objects (like people and Yetis...), helping you to get bigger even faster. But the bigger you get, the harder it is to steer, and if you hit an object too tough or large to absorb: Game Over. Your score depends on how big your snowball got prior to the final impact.

Smash 2

Who doesn't like Breakout-inspired games? Here's a nice one: Smash 2.

While the game certainly has it's flaws (the screen is too large for my taste, and quite often the indestructible blocks are tediously placed), it has some redeeming qualities: Among other things, the ball doesn't bounce off your paddle depending on where it hits, but rather how you moved the mouse.

Midnight Strike

Neat Shoot'Em Up/Jump'n'Run mix: Midnight Strike. Different weapons, double jumps, and not too linear levels (meaning: you can explore levels horizontally and vertically, and in later levels need to find a switch to open the door to the next level). The first level is a tutorial.

2007/04/17

New Car Net Racer

I usually prefer games you can play with the mouse (not the keyboard), and this game plays quite nicely (although it's a little tough): New Car Net Racer.

Don't expect to waste too much time on this game though - I'd consider it an "Online Filler Game", to be played between more demanding games. Still, it's not bad, and the controls work surprisingly well.

Flash Element TD


While we're talking Tower Defense, here's a "classic" one: Flash Element TD. This game is especially neat for all of you who've played any Warcraft TD maps and liked them.

Desktop TD


One of my all-time favorites: Desktop TD. A very cool Tower Defense variant. Good balance, and there are many viable tactics.

A few tips: Build a maze. Start upgrading your towers early (and to the maximum). For bonus points: Hit "Send next level" as early as possible - but you've got to survive all 50 levels to gain these points.

My top score (medium difficulty): 6319. Not that great, but not too bad either.

Welcome!

Whenever I find a free online game I like I'll post it to this blog. Really, it's that simple.

Hope you like it.