LCom's Freeware Game Review

Return to Sector 9

2008-06-07T13:58:00.002-04:00

Website: Pug Fugly Games
Download: Download.com

Description: What I really like about this game is that you're constantly shooting. Automatically. What the game is saying is "Hey! Why aren't you shooting yet? Know what? Fine. We'll do it for you. Now go kill stuff!"

Return to Sector 9 is a top down shooter. At heart at least. it's really simple at that. But it's another game that I've spent a few days immersed in, and this is because the longer you play you unlock abilities to play better and longer. special weapons, more lives, paint jobs, and more ships (15 in all!) are all yours, if you play enough.

Also the game has mutiple modes that you unlock as you play. The game starts with only "Return to sector 9" available to play, but with enough points you unlock such games as "Windmill", "Jellyfish", and "Last stand". They're all variations on the top down shooter (well, and missle command) but some are survival, some are rescue / collection, some have boss battles, and some are just a great excuse to use an old crazy miner accent while playing.

The game awards you for how far and how many points you get in each mode, and then you can submit the scores to a high score board. The game is not very deep at all, but a lot of content makes this a very fun game to have around.

Score:3/5

Thrustburst

2008-05-25T11:18:00.002-04:00

Website: Umlaut Games
Download: Thrustburst

Description: Thrustburst is a cute little game along the lines of One-Button Helicopter (A.K.A. Jetman), but with very much expanded mechanics.

For starters, you're always moving forward, but now you get a little control over speed. You want that increased control because you're trying to fly as close as you can to the walls. Why? scraping against the walls gives your ship more energy. Energy? Yes, energy to power your shield and "zero-pity high-powered aggregate free-electron laser beam Defender Cannon". Yeah, Jetman with a laser cannon. And you need that laser cannon because there are turrets and hoppers tanks and imperial drones all around, and they're shooting at you. I also hear that there's a giant enemy core somewhere at the end of the level, but I can't get more than 30 km in yet...

When you finish (usually by death) it gives you a lot of statistics about the last round, including jugglement. I actually asked the maker of the game what exactly jugglement is, and it's how many times you can hit airborne enemies with low powered lasers before they hit the ground. The game has a couple of cute things like that which you can do.

Even tho it's a really simple game, it's enough to be really fun. I've been obsessed with it since I've downloaded it (even played it at the drive-in during Indiana Jones), and I suggest it as a good game to waste a few minutes during a break with.

Score: 4/5

Bootfighter Windom XP SP-2 .NET

2008-03-31T13:18:00.005-04:00

Website: http://mirrormoon.org/projects/windom
Download: US Mirror

Description:
Giant Robots! Totally freaking awesome, right? Well, yeah...

This game follows in the footsteps of Virtua On and Silver Knights by being an arcade-type action game which puts you in the cockpit of Giant Robots. Visually, each robot is based off of models from the Gundam Universe (Mostly Gundam Seed), but the non-copyright naming scheme they have gone with names each robot after a version of Windows (Windom's) or Linux.

The controls seem to be a bit easier to pickup then other games of this type, which may make it a bit more appealing for people who like the idea but aren't used to this style of play.

There are only two things holding this game back from an even higher score:
1) There is little in the way of mode selection. There's a simple survival mode with a high score board, and then two team modes (one deathmatch type, one "kill the big airship" type) which are only good for trying to burnout your system, as there are no ways to configure these team modes, and the player number is ridiculous. By starting a server, you can have some mild configuration over the game, but it's still limited.

2) Limited content. Comes with two pilots by default (but they are cats, so thumbs up), and only 4 maps (2, if you consider that three of the maps are the same city at different times of day). But at least with 14 robots there's enough to keep it interesting. Hopefully with future updates more content will be added. For now, we just have to be happy with the ability to customize our own pilots (which is basically just a picture and voices / taunts)

I mentioned a server, and that's because this game has online multiplay. Because of the limited single player, multiplay is where this shines, and the game is well suited for it.

So, with Giant Robots, destructible buildings, flying mother ships, and customizable pilots, this game is definatly worth a shot. If there's an update with significant change, the game may even get a score upgrade. :D

note: The version linked to is a English patched version of the game. The original is in Japanese only, but Mirror Moon is an organization which works to translate games for English audiences, and as the original game is updated, they will continue updating the English version.

Score: 3/5

Mr. Blocko

2006-07-30T01:46:00.001-04:00

Website: www.perfectrun.net
Download:mrblocko.rar

Description:
This is a neat little puzzle game with old school pixelated graphics and has a truly "old school gameboy" feel.

Like in Tetris, familar shaped peices fall from the ceiling and begin filling in the playfeild. If they reach the top, then it's game over.

The twist to this game, however, is that rather then controling the peices, you control a single-block organism who roams around the playfield, shoving rows of blocks left and right. Make them fall so they cover an entire line, and the line dissapears.

Very quick and easy, it includes a two player mode, high scores, and in a neat little detail, you can change the color of your blockanisim and give it hats!

Pretty crisp time killer. Give it a shot if you wanna new puzzle to kill 10 minutes.

Score: 3/5

Warsow

2006-07-30T01:25:00.001-04:00

Website: http://www.warsow.net/
Download: warsow_0.12_win32.zip (Linux version available on site)

Description:
An FPS based off of the Quake 3 engine.

It looks smooth, plays fairly well (a little stiff at first, but you make do well once you setup controls and play for a while), but it is a little weak content wise. 6ish weapons, 3 player models. Plus, the whole thing reeks with a very TRON feeling, but ironically it does it much better then anything that calls itself TRON.

It's worth a shot, especially if you feel like playing Q3 but don't wanna shell out the...ohh...$10 it costs nowadays. Plus, free things are nifty!
Score: 3.5/5

Contact

2006-07-29T22:05:00.000-04:00

If you really feel the need to contact me, then you can do so through the following methods.

E-mail: nick@korn.net
AIM: Xseption2Drules
in-game name (most games): LCom

I'll be happy to talk with you, but you must know that I'm not a very sociable person.

Ranking System

2006-07-29T22:00:00.000-04:00

Here at LCom's free game review, I'll do my best to give each game a relevant ranking which will corespond to the following list.

1: I'm going to do my best not to put anything which ranks a 1. If I do, it'll only be because it's one of those things which is legendary in its...level or horiblness.
2: A game which lands here is only worth a download if you're a fan of the genre, really bored, or just imeadely take anything which is offered to you.
3: Most games will fall around here. These are worth a download, but may not keep you coming back for more then a week.
4: At this level, a game is of higher quality. It's either shown a really high level of quality, fun gameplay, or extended longevity. Get it if you consider yourself a gamer.
5: Forged in the heart of a volcano...forest...a level 5 game is the answer to all your prayers, AND it's free. If you don't own a computer, this is why you would buy one.

Remember though, this is just a general arbitray list, and reflects my opinion of a game. If you don't trust me, then go ahead and get them all yourself. Otherwise, trust my word, and if you dissagree, then that ain't gonna change the way I do things.

Welcome to LCom's Freeware Game Review!

2006-07-29T21:49:00.000-04:00

Hello. My name is Nick, but you're welcome to refer to me as LCom.

I am a young gamer, and, worse then that, I'm broke. This has led to my becoming aquainted with the suprisingly vast world of freeware games available on the internet. I've finally decided to create a space where I can review some of the better games I've found, so all you faithful readers can pick some up in your spare time, and have some idea of what to expect.

Just as a refrence, I am currently 17 years old, have been a gamer for 13 years, a techie for 5 years, and a smartass for around 20 years. I spend at least 20+ hours a week playing video games, and am actively involved in a few video game related organizations in my community.

Althought I have never made any games myself, I have acumulated much experience with moddifying content from pre-existing games, and so do have some inner knowledge of game workings.

Please check back, and enjoy everything. Remember, it's only a whole lot of games!