Sometimes I feel a little down during the holiday season; the holiday to which I am referring to, of course, being Saturnalia. I worry that during the lectisternium, the couch upon which I put my favored diety's image is not sumptuous enough. I worry that the sigillaria I've gotten for my brethren aren't ones they already have. And, of course, I grew pretty sick of Saturnalia carols, ever since they started putting them on the radio the day after the Epulum Jovis. But all the great games in the JayIsGames archives are there whenever I need a pick-me-up (and the Steam Hiems Sale hasn't yet started). This week, The Vault is featuring excellent platform, driving, and action games fit for the emperor himself.
- SeppuKuties - SeppuKuties, the 2008 platform game by Antony Lavelle, is one of the most adorably dark and demented works ever released to a browser window, which is probably why I love it so dearly. So many cute animals! So many cute animals throwing themselves onto spikes and/or lava! So many cute animals using the corpses of cute animals who've thrown themselves onto spikes and/or lava as stepping stones! Subverted cuteness may be a bit of an overdone trope. But backed by cunning level design and gorgeous cartoon art, though, SeppuKuties will deliver that special brand of laughter that you really hope you won't have to justify to another human being.
- Indestruct 2 Tank - So many games try to get you to not crash into stuff, which is odd, because everyone knows it's much more fun TO crash into stuff. Case in point: Indestruct 2 Tank, a 2007 romp of a driving/stuff-blowing-up game by Armor Games. Now, of course the original has a special place in my heart, from back when I was a wee NewerGrounder, but so much comes together to make the sequel a superior experience: explosions, combination explosions, a story that's even funnier when it tries to take itself seriously, and rescuing the president from the enemy's rock crusher. It's the simple joys in life, man.
- The Snowrider - All. My. Friends. Should play The Snowrider. Because it's a great little action minigame that was released by Orsinal back in 2002, and the perfect thing to play now that snow has begun to blanket the midwest metropolis where I hang my hat. It has everything that gave Orsinal the deserved reputation of an innovator in the field of bringing artistic styling into games, and turning games into works of art: evocative landscapes, a vibrant main character, and music just the right level of bouncy annoyingness that it'll stick in your head all day. I don't know what's at the bottom of the hill there, but I sure as heck gonna make sure that mouse lives to see it.
While we welcome any comments about this weekly feature here, we do ask that if you need any help with the individual games, please post your questions on that game's review page. Well, what are you waiting for? Get out there and rediscover some awesome!
Thanks to SeppuKuties, to this day my husband and I will occasionally remark, "How should I know? My brain is the size of a walnut." I'm very happy to report that this is one game I don't need the Vault to remember. :-D
Io, Saturnalia!
That should be "Orisinal" with another I, not "Orsinal". The tag as given takes you to "Tag not found" which is a pity.
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