This week we have poisonous tea, dapper murderous mechanical monsters, murders... and sand castles! See, and you said I didn't know how to throw a party. We're also giving away copies of Jonas Kyratzes' stellar surreal bookish adventure. And if that doesn't tickle your goat You Are Games has you covered with the Community Favourites Edition, so head on over there for details and your chance to win your choice from a myriad of prizes all for telling us about the games you love.
What's in a Book? Prizes! Anyone who still tries to tell you games can't be art needs to be slapped soundly across the muttonchops, then sat down and be made to experience the emotional wonder that is anything made by Jonas Kyratzes. The gorgeous and engrossing adventure The Sea Will Claim Everything is Jonas' first commercial release and all you have to do to win one of six free copies is leave a comment on this article telling us what your favourite Jonas Kyrtazes game is and why. Rules: Entries must be submitted by June 22nd, 11:59 p.m. EST (GMT-5). Winners will be notified by e-mail shortly thereafter. Winners are selected randomly. One entry per person only. You must be at least 13 years of age or older to enter. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.
Robbery Gets Classy Lights... camera... action RPG! Rad Dragon Games' upcoming PC and Mac title The Moonlighters looks like it's going to be a real piece of work, and we mean that in the best possible way. Take control of a group of disgruntled entertainers who, on the waning edge of their fame, decide that after so many years of performing burglaries and heists for audiences in big productions, they could probably do it for real. The game looks and sounds spectacularly swanky, and with the promise of a story that changes depending on your influence, this could be a serious contender. You don't have to steal my money for this one, guys... I'll give it to you!
I Have To Celebrate You Baby After two years of hard work, James Swirsky and Lisanne Pajot have finally unleashed their efforts upon the world. Their documentary, Indie Game: The Movie, has arrived, and it not only follows the stories behind some of your favourite games like Braid and Super Meat Boy, it also provides a look into what it was like for these people to "create in a digital age", and how challenging and rewarding it can be to be an indie developer. Of course, not every developer will have the same experience, but it's an interesting and even emotional look into the creative process for the people who work for your entertainment. Available for 9.99 USD on iTunes, Steam, or DRM-free from the official site, it's definitely worth checking out and supporting the people who work for your entertainment. Congratulations, guys... you did it!
Like a Bloodthirsty Mechanical Sir It shouldn't be much of a surprise when a developer calling themselves Big Robot wants to make a game about robots, but when that game is also about robots in dapper English gentleman attire hunting you through the countryside for sport things start to entire nightmare territory. The upcoming Sir, You Are Being Hunted is much less a first-person-shooter than it is an open world survival/stealth exploration game, as you search for pieces of a machine you need while being stalked by the robots who want to shoot you for funsies. You don't stand much of a chance against these mechanical monstrosities in a firefight, so the emphasis is more placed on hiding, sneaking, placing traps, and so forth, all across a huge procedurally generated landscape packed with villages and the like. This looks like it could be a lot of fun, so start polishing your blunderbuss now.
To Protect and Serve and Build Sandcastles StillAlive Studios is thinking with sand, man, with their upcoming action RPG Son of Nor. In a dynamic desert world you can shape to your will, you play a mage struggling to protect what remains of his kind, and apparently the way you do that is by terraforming and blowing things the heck up. You can fight with magic, or manipulate the sand itself to your advantage, and if the computer AI isn't proving competitive enough you can saddle-up with up to four buddies in online co-op. The game tells you "the world is your weapon", but you'll also be solving puzzles and unlocking powerful new spell fusions as you play to boot. This one looks like a lot of fun, and you can look forward to it on PC and Mac when it releases.
Time Travel and Murder Cyanide Tea has already released two great free visual novels, but later this year you can delve into their first commercial release, Break Chance Memento. The story centers on a family tragedy and an unresolved murder. Four years after his twin sister's death, Shuuki Amamiya's life takes a horrific turn once more when his oldest brother turns up dead as well, and a mysterious stranger promises he can learn the truth... if he can find out how to travel through time. It's a darker story than the developer's celebrated title Ristorante Amore, with two playable characters whose vastly different storylines intersect and influence each other on subsequent playthroughs since they happen at the same time. The game looks great, and will be available for PC, Mac, and Linux for 15.00 USD when it's released, though there is a demo for you to check out right now!
Do you know an upcoming indie project or some community gaming related news you think deserves some attention? Send me an e-mail with LINK DUMP FRIDAY in the subject line at dora AT casualgameplay DOT com with the info, and we'll judge it with the all-seeing glare of our own self-importance for inclusion in a future Link Dump Friday article!
General comment not related to this particular giveaway and yet all about LDF giveaways in general:
Wonder if you added "Prizes" in the list of stuff you say in your Link Dump Friday ad at the top of the page if you would get more comments? I come on here on Fridays specifically to look for this article, which I think is one of the best you have, but I think so many people are game-focused, they may not realize you have started giving away free games almost every week.
I already have The Sea Will Claim Everything, so I don't think I'll be participating in this giveaway. Besides, you're going to learn all about my favorite Jonas Kyratzes game in my You Are Games entry. ;)
Which reminds me, I need to work on that.
I bought the adventure bundle in an attempt to play The Sea Will Claim Everything, but my computer doesn't recognize the type of file- it says I don't have the right program to play it. What can I do to play the game?
I will be sad if I can never ever play it- enjoyed the first couple of titles online...
I'll be honest, the only game of Jonas's I've played is The Infinite Ocean, but I really liked it, which is saying a lot, since I don't go for point-and-click games very often.
My favourite is probably Desert Bridge, since it holds a certain level of nostalgic value for me.
My favorite is definitely Desert Bridge, although I'm very fond of all the rest as well. Desert Bridge is my favorite because it's the first I encountered, and because it was one of the first games I ever played that felt like it really meant something, that felt like more than just a diversion.
And it was beautiful.
Although I really enjoyed Traitor, I have to join the others and say that my favorite is Desert Bridge for its general atmosphere, story and visuals that let you believe (for a moment) that you are part of another universe.
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