Gem Miner 2 :: Android

First off I would like to start out by saying this game as been one of the most enjoyable and addictive games I have played on the Android Market.  The game is a sequel to the Original Gem Miner created by Psym Games. They have completely overhauled the game from the first version, most noticeably in the graphics department. The game takes multiple queues from Minecraft, but don't let that fool you, this game stands strongly on it's own.

Graphics from Gem Miner 1

Graphics from Gem Miner 2

Now down to the meat and potatoes. The game features 2 different game modes with 3 different difficulties for each: a free play mode and an expedition mode.

In Expedition Mode, you have individual missions with special objectives including the basic training missions as well missions that have you searching for lost miners and helping other miners dig for different minerals such as coal.

To aid with your missions you have multiple items that you can      purchase and upgrade from the aptly named General Store.. You can get tents to help renew your stamina, elevators to take you up and down your mineshafts that keep you from spending precious stamina, upgraded picks that makes mining easier, as well as many other items.

In Free Play mode, you can basically dig freely with a general goal of finding the rare pink sapphire. The farther you go down the more expensive and rare the matierials and items get. Minerals include coal, tin, salt, gold, as well as a few others.  While digging you can also find   rare gems and relics to donate to the museum which you can use to upgrade your General Store with better items.


Free Play also allows you to upgrade your miner with traits such as higher strength, stamina, and charisma.

With all of these things to do, plus bonus missions called The Easter Eggspeditions, the game is a steal at only $1.99. Pick this one up today!

Breath of Death VII: The Beginning :: XBL Indie Game

Now don't ask me if there is a Breath of Death 1-6, because I do not know the answer to that.  What I do know is that Breath of Death VII is a fun RPG from Zeboyd Games that will take you back to the days of early Final Fantasy's and Terranigma. 


Available on the Xbox Live Arcade for a mere 80 Microsoft Points, it really is a game that should not be passed up for nostalgic RPG lovers looking for a blast from the past.


You play as Dem, a skeleton in a post apocalyptic world in search of fortune and discovery. You pick up companions along the way and discover more about the world.


Fighting is pretty straight forward, following RPGs of yesteryear by being turn based. There is some depth to the fighting, present mainly in the combo system, but it is not overly complicated. The leveling system is really nice in this game as well, giving you choices on what you want to level up.


The story is basic, but the developers did not take themselves too seriously and the game is full of "lol" moments. For old school gamers, pay close attention,  there are multiple references throughout the game that are funny as well.


While I really enjoyed this game, there were two things that I must say really bothered me. For one, the inability to sell weapons you acquire throughout your exploration.  It gets somewhat overwhelming looking in your inventory for each of your 4 characters and trying to remember what you just picked up.  Also, as in most early RPGs, random battles are STILL annoying, but once you clear out a certain number from a section there is no more random encounters.

But even with those flaws, this game is extremely fun to play and gives you a rewarding experience for a low, low price.

End of Days: Infected vs Mercs :: XBLA

With the success of first person shooters, it was only a matter of time before Indie game developers began to try their hand at it. What we have here is End of Days: Infected vs Mercs, from developer Sick Kreations.

Now don't go into this game thinking it is going to rival Call of Duty or Battlefield, but what you get is a simple 1st person shooter that is still a lot of fun. What's even more overwhelming is the fact that this game (including the engine) was made by only two people.

The graphics in the game are actually very nice. Nothing fancy or overdone, but still have a nice look to them. Think Call of Duty 3.5.

Multiple character skins to choose from helps keep the game fresh, while getting to certain kill milestones unlocks new weapons to play with, ranging from look a like SCARs, to MP5s, to a shotgun. There is also attachments for    your guns, as well as a throwing knife that was added in the most recent update.


Once you start playing a little bit more you begin to realize you can use your match points to actually upgrade your player. Upgrade the amount damage your bullets do, to how fast you run, to how accurate your gun is, as well as other upgrades.

There is only one map currently but the fun factor is definitely still there. We also noticed in our time of playing that you will occasionally not hear gun shots when someone is shooting at you, but that is but a minor annoyance.

Going for a mere 80 Microsoft Points, this game should not be passed up!

Organ Trail :: Flash Game

Who else here loved Oregon Trail growing up? Can I get a show of hands?

Ok, that's what I thought. Everyone. Now who loves zombies? Everyone? Good.

Well what we have here is a game from The Men That Wear Many Hats that combines Oregon Trail and Zombies and it so very aptly named "Organ Trail".

Journey across the country to safety in your modern day covered wagon, a station wagon. Get it? It's punny.  Gather supplies, stock up on health packs, talk to survivors, and battle your way through hordes of pixelated zombies.  Everything you loved about Oregon Trail is here, plus so much more. Battle off zombies as you scavenge for food, sneak by groups of zombies without alerting them, and kill off that pesky party member that keeps getting dysentery.


They are also currently making a version for iPhone, Android, and pretty much any other device you may have that is more in depth!

Check out the FREE version here ::

http://www.hatsproductions.com/organtrail.html

Words In Space :: Indie Game for iOS

Words In Space, a very fun and addicting game from HitPoint Studios, is available for iPhone, iPod Touch, and the iPad.

A very simple premise, letters(designed as asteroids) drop from the top of the screen and you have to make as many words as you can as quickly as possible. The bigger the word, the higher the score! But don't wait for just the right letters to fall to make your perfect word. If you delay too long and the asteroids/letters pile up you will lose your shield and your game will be over! 

Buy it here for only 99 cents! Well worth the money for hours of fun. 

 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/words-in-space/id483607788?mt=8