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Freeplay Friday: Grand Theft Auto 1 and 2



Yes, both the original Grand Theft Auto and its sequel have been available for free for quite a while, but if you didn't know about it, now's your chance. Yes, the original top-down view and lack of story might turn some people off, but for anyone who has never played the original 2 games and wants to give it a shot, there's not much to lose. There's even a LAN mode, which means the arcade action is especially great at LAN parties.

Website/Download: http://www.rockstargames.com/classics/gta.html

Posted on 15 Aug 2008 by Bryan Skinner

Freeplay Fri-- Um, Sat-- Er, Su-- Aw, Jesus

Okay, been a bit busy the past week, but it all payed off. Observe!

BA-LING


See, kids? Working hard pays off. But even though I have a fistfull of cash, I'm not opposed to games you can get for free. But what about a free game that's part of a retail collection? Everybody wins!



Sam and Max: Abe Lincoln Must Die is the fourth of a six part story arc in the Sam and Max series, a series that has reached legendary cult status. For those who don't know what it is, Sam and Max originally started out as a comic book following the unusual cases of a pair of anthropomorphic freelance policemen written by Steve Purcell back in the late 1980s. Sam, who you play as in the games, is a six-foot tall dog who wears a hat and a tie and is the sophisticated brains of the two. Max is a crazy, wise-cracking rabbit, who at times seems like he's on the brink insanity, yet can keep his ferocious "intimidative skills" under control unless they're necessary. Personally, I don't know how these two can be such good friends, but somehow it works.

Sam and Max have been a staple in adventure games since LucasArts' Sam and Maxs Hit The Road back in '93. Those who have played the game should know that the new Telltale Sam and Max games have gotten a bit simpler in execution, but has remained it's clever puzzle solving seen in the DOS title. In Abe Lincoln Must Die, the two must discover the source of the US president's hypnotic trance effecting a televised audience nation-wide. In a turn of events I don't want to spoil, Max must run for president of the United States against a giant stone Abe Lincoln. Those who haven't played the first three parts may be a little confused by some things, whereas those who have played the first half should understand any jokes others would have missed.

Overall, it's definitely not a bad game, but it might just make you want to buy the whole thing. For $30 there's not a real complaint, but I can't call you cheapskates if you read this post weekly. *crickets chirp*

Sam and Max website: http://www.telltalegames.com/samandmax/
Abe Lincoln Mus Die download: http://www.telltalegames.com/samandmax/lincolnmustdie

Posted on 04 Aug 2008 by Bryan Skinner

Freeplay Fri-- Um, Saturday

Sorry about the lack of updates, negative 2 people who regularly view this site. Been having a lot of sleep troubles lately, hopefully I'll have that all straightened out by Monday. I'll be working all week from Monday July 28 to Sunday August 3 so expect even fewer updates. I'm long overdue on a Retro Scribes, too, so I'll get to work on that tomorrow. As for the free game of the week...



Perhaps the shortest name for a videogame ever, N is much bigger than its name implies. You're a ninja. And for some reason, you need to collect gold to increase your time limit, open a door to the next level, and enter said door. You know the controls are simplistic when the most complicated move is jumping off walls. Even Mario can do that. But Mario doesn't have to dodge mines, rockets, lasers, machine guns and electrocuting Roombas.

The gameplay is explained pretty quickly, but there are no tutorial stages. The difficulty curve goes at a steady pace, however, and the learning curve is practically a line. If I had one complaint, it's that the difficulty can suddenly skyrocket at times. All in all, N is a pretty fun simplistic platformer that could lead to addiction. Like crack, MMORPGs, or Myspace, but not as bad.

Website: http://www.thewayoftheninja.org/
Download: http://www.thewayoftheninja.org/n_downloads.html

Posted on 26 Jul 2008 by Bryan Skinner

Review: Medal Of Honor Heroes 2


There aren't that many great first-person shooters out there on the handheld market. Most of the time, the issue is in the controls. Medal Of Honor Heroes 2 for the PSP is the sequel to a WWII shooter that is part of a World War II shooter series. It may be generic, but there are a few things about it that make it stand out.

Posted on 21 Jul 2008 by Bryan Skinner

Free Play Friday - Cave Story


Awright yous doodybrains, listen up smart. Cave Story is one of the best freeware games I've ever played. For a game programmed by one guy, he really knows what he's doing. The story is pretty good. You, a nameless hero with AMNESIA (or is it?), awake inside a cave only to find a civilization of Mimigas, weird little anthropomorphic rabbit-dog things. They're normally a peaceful race, but ever since "The Doctor" has been using them for evil purposes, they've become a bit more docile and are close to extinction. It's up to you (of course) to set things straight.

One of the things you'll notice right away are the visuals. They have this 90s era NES feel to them and they fit well. The artistic style is OK too if it meets your tastes. But the best thing about Cave Story is the gameplay. Think of it sort of like Metroid meets Castlevania. In terms of control, think of it as Maple Story, only fun. There are platforming elements in this game that feel unique even compared to Metroid and Castlevania, and blended with its weapons upgrade system, it's an experience that is both familiar and new at the same time. It's a little short, about 3 hours long, and you need to do a lot of backtracking (thankfully you don't have to travel far), but overall, it's a rock solid experience, and for nothing, I highly recommend it.

Website: http://www.miraigamer.net/cavestory/
Download: http://www.miraigamer.net/cavestory/csdeluxe.php

Posted on 18 Jul 2008 by Bryan Skinner

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