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[More_Badass]

It's been on my Wishlist since Giant Bomb covered it. I just wish it had a deeper discount.

edit: Catacomb Kids looks awesome.

It is awesome

What makes Catacomb Kids feel so fun is how reactive the world is. You can use the environment to your advantage in unique inventive ways. Knock down a torch to burn enemies without getting close or throw a mushroom into a pool to poison the water. Lure enemies into traps, or throw rocks to reveal a trap's location. You can drink a potion or boil it on a fiery surface to turn the contents into a area-effecting cloud. And then fill the empty flask with the water you poisoned before with the mushroom, and then boil it to make a cloud of poison. You can eat corpses or even your own severed limbs for health.

A chest sits at the bottom of a pool of water, a swarm of piranha swimming around it. You can:
- Use a fire spell to boil the water
- Use lightning to electrify everything
- Throw a bloody corpse into the water to distract the piranha
- Bludgeon an enemy to death with a rock and throw the bloody rock into the water to distract the piranha
- Throw a bloody corpse or rock into the water to distract the piranha and then freeze the water with an ice spell
- Teleport to the chest and then back out of the water

 

[Nokterian]

Yep, most of the games in the OP are great choices. Might need to weed out a few sub par ones eventually, but the ones you picked are definitely good.

Bought them all

 

[Toma]

Toma have you (or anyone here) played A pixel story? Looked like a pretty interesting platformer/puzzle game, but haven't heard anyone talk about it here.

You found quite the small gem there. I'll write a recommendation post later, but if you like what you see on screenshots, the game should definitely be to your liking. Its charming, challenging (in challenge rooms), rewarding to explore, humorous and generally just well made. From all similar games with the same "theme", its definitely among the better ones, although I still need to give it some more play time later on.

Oh and:

Speaking of underappreciated gems:

I made a thread for Cubesis a while ago

Impressions:

I am enjoying this game immensely because of its level structure. I expected more of a simulation type game, but what it feels like is more of a very accessable turn based puzzle game with simulation game mechanics. Its hard to describe, because Cubesis is quite... unusual and wacky (in a good way). You are building buildings, growing crops and terraforming the land by sacrificing your villagers, which you are gaining via keeping your city healthy, supported with food, not flooded and not frozen over. The game mechanics are rather simple while also offering enough depth to be interesting, for example taking care of the temperature or sea level by appeasing gods to allow for walking on the ground of the sea or to water fields to allow for growing crops.
Cubesis is quite a bit less complex than "proper" simulation games, but the Cubesis developers knew how to play to their strength. Instead of a huge focus on randomized Free Play (where they cant possibly compete with something like Banished which is way more intricate, but is still being offered as an extra level), they have 24 levels (including the tutorial levels) that need to be conquered and I am incredibly enjoying terraforming the land to achieve the goals set in each level. Banished is very likely the objectively better game, but for the time being and until I solve all the levels, I am enjoying Cubesis quite a bit more. I checked it out yesterday and couldnt stop playing until 4 hours later.

Alright, I put a little bit of time into this last night (thanks, Toma!) and admittedly didn't get too far in but I was having a lot of fun with it and I'm only nearing the end of the tutorial. I can already tell it's going to be way deeper than what I see now and can't see what else they add to the game over as I keep going along. At first it really didn't click but suddenly when I got the weather vane I started to see how this is going to be really difficult going forward. I actually can't wait to get some more free time to see how this game fleshes out and think if people are attracted to the art style or the synopsis (it is a God Sim Puzzle game) then people should really give this game a try.

I've only played some of the tutorial so far, and it seems to have a ton of potential as a great puzzle game. Looking forward to exploring it further. Definitely could use some hotkeys for the building options though. Unless I'm missing something here.

Played a bunch this morning, gonna play a ton more later tonight and tomorrow. Really really enjoying it!
Will post my actual impressions in a few days but a quick spoiler says that they will be very positive!

I personally loved it a ton. It is not a Sim game, though, so keep your expectations in check. Its $1,24, so decide for yourself if you are willing to take this massive plunge on an original game idea that can provide you with dozens of hours of playtime.

 

[nbraun80]

You found quite the small gem there. I'll write a recommendation post later, but if you like what you see on screenshots, the game should definitely be to your liking. Its charming, challenging (in challenge rooms), rewarding to explore, humorous and generally just well made. From all similar games with the same "theme", its definitely among the better ones, although I still need to give it some more play time later on.

*snip*
I made a thread for Cubesis a while ago

Impressions:








I personally loved it a ton. It is not a Sim game, though, so keep your expectations in check. Its $1,24, so decide for yourself if you are willing to take this massive plunge on an original game idea that can provide you with dozens of hours of playtime.

Thanks Toma, thought it looked like a pretty solid pickup, was just surprised it only had like 20 reviews. Cubesis looks interesting too, and so for a buck I threw it in the cart too. ha

My favorite new game that I got from your thread is Oniken. Big NES and 8-bit fan of games like TMNT, Megaman, Rygar, Contra, Ninja Gaiden, etc and that game captures the NES game feel to a T. Will definitely be getting Odallus too.

 

[Knurek]

I find it weird there's nary a mention of Siralim here:

PC version of Dragon Quest Monsters or that other monster collecting game... You know, the one with that yellow rat. Shin Megami Tensei, I believe it was called.

Another great puzzle game nobody is talking about and which can be gotten for pennies:

Pretty much a direct clone of Mitchell's Polarium

 

[LProtag]

I have no idea what to buy. Too much stuff. Have to take a good honest look through everything...

 

[More_Badass]

I have no idea what to buy. Too much stuff. Have to take a good honest look through everything...

What genres do you enjoy? That could help narrow down some recommendations

 

[SapientWolf]

http://store.steampowered.com/app/252130/

This one was love at first play for me. Divide by Sheep is a deceptively simple, and brilliantly elegant puzzle game. And it's on sale for a dollar!

 

[LProtag]

What genres do you enjoy? That could help narrow down some recommendations

I like games with unique mechanics, creative storytelling, and interesting atmosphere.

Genre isn't a huge deal.

 

[O.DOGG]

I got Door Kickers today and I honestly can't tell where the five hours went. This game is amazing, you guys! At this price it's a steal. If you're remotely interested in tactical games, give it a shot (heh). Get it, now!

 

[Shane]

Just about to buy a cart full of these games and then Steam wiped it for me. Start again...

 

[More_Badass]

I like games with unique mechanics, creative storytelling, and interesting atmosphere.

Genre isn't a huge deal.

Have you played The Stanley Parable?

As for mechanics and atmosphere:
NassianceE - A first person exploration/platformer with a unnerving alien atmosphere and brutalist environments
Fract OSC - A gorgeous abstract blend of first person puzzler and music game. The world is a giant music synthesizer
MirrorMoon EP - A colorful vibrant space exploration game that captures the joy of exploring otherworldly places
Dark Echo - Minimalist horror-puzzle game with a cool visual mechanic that's a blend of Unfinished Swan and Daredevil
Mushroom 11 - An innovative puzzle-platformer where you control a fungus that can mold and shift into any shape, and constantly introduces new mechanics

I got Door Kickers today and I honestly can't tell where the five hours went. This game is amazing, you guys! At this price it's a steal. If you're remotely interested in tactical games, give it a shot (heh). Get it, now!

Yes, it's fantastic. My favorite tactical game and it has tons and tons of content

 

[Shane]

Steam cart working now.

So with a £20 voucher I got - thanks to this thread - :
Bleed
The Cat Lady
Echo of the Wilds
Lakeview Cabin Collection
Hand Of Fate
Lovely Planet

Unfortunately another gift card I got wasn't activated by GAME at purchase. So I'm having to fanny around with Customer Services on that one.

 

[Nokterian]

Right going to buy Endless Legend and Dungeon of the Endless.

 

[Shane]

Hand of Fate refuses to work with the Steam Controller. Annoying.

Edit: Had to disconnect my 360 controller to get it to work. Bug unique to this game.

 

[Bate]

Kingdom should be great. Didn't see it here. Bought it. Will play it in the coming days and report back.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/368230/

 

[More_Badass]

So...Age of Decadence, does the whole game has this level of depth?

Within minutes of starting the game, my smooth-talking merchant had used his Perception, Intelligence, and Charisma statistics, along with his Persuasion, Trading, and Streetwise skills, to weave elaborate plots that entangled almost every NPC and faction in town. To solve one quest, I tracked down a supplier who was provisioning an enemy outpost and bluffed him into agreeing to let me poison the wine he was delivering; shamed an alchemist into furnishing me with a powerful toxin and then haggled the price down to where I could afford it; poisoned the outpost guards; identified and exploited a bandit captain’s pride and greed to persuade him to attack the outpost; persuaded the local lord’s majordomo to finance that attack; and then—when all was said and done—traipsed into the outpost amid the carnage that had unfolded, with both the captain and the majordomo grateful for my assistance in spilling their blood and treasure.

 

[Easy_D]

I bought it over two years ago and can also recommend it. The menu is fugly though, hopefully they improve it. The whole UI is a bit 1990s really. It's a solid aRPG though, especially if you prefer the old school style.

I kinda like it, gives it this oldschool charm

 

[LurkerPrime]

So...Age of Decadence, does the whole game has this level of depth?

The AoD |OT| has some glowing testimonials:

This game is incredible and you should all play it.

Let's get some stuff out of the way. The graphics suck (aside from the really nice character portraits). The combat system isn't particularly fun. The game isn't a giant, epic, open-world adventure; it has relatively few locations and much of the story is Game of Thrones-style intrigue and backstabbing rather than big existential threats.

If none of those things are dealbreakers, here's why you should play AoD: it has the best dialogue-based gameplay of any game, ever. I'm including Alpha Protocol, Deus Ex: Human Revolution's conversational battles, and New Vegas in that comparison.

Why is it so great? First, the dialogue is very well-written. It has a super-cynical, dark tone that's very different than any other game I've played. NPCs can lie to you convincingly, and a few lines of dialogue can plant some vivid characterization in your brain.

Second, AoD has the best dialogue-based choice & consequence ever. You can affect large-scale events and go down some radically different branching paths, but you can also use your dialogue skills to alter many smaller choices. Let's say you're trying to convince a soldier to betray his commander and give you secret information (this is a situation in the game, but altered to avoid spoilers). You can use your Trading skill to make a deal; you can use Persuasion to make the situation seem like a winning one for him; you can use both Trading and Persuasion in a single check to make a more favourable deal; you can gamble against him and get him deep into debt (if your Intelligence is high enough, or if you have the skills to cheat) then use that as leverage against him. In a lot of dialogue systems, all of these would lead to the same outcome. In AoD, each of these options has different consequences. Get the guy into debt, and the Thieves' Guild might come collecting and kill him. Make a Trade, and you'll have your end of the bargain to hold up. Use Persuasion, and he might take advantage of the situation to improve his own lot later.

Point is, there's ridiculous depth in the game's dialogue. You can succeed with JUST conversations and no battles. This aspect of the game is so strong (along with some great atmosphere, story, and choice & consequence) that the game's flaws meant almost nothing to me.

If you're not convinced, and don't mind spoilers, you can watch these Youtube playthroughs of the first section of the game. They're based on an old build, and they're hybrid builds (rather than pure dialogue) but they should give you an idea of what I'm talking about:

The Tough Trader
The Smart Soldier

Everyone that's played it has had good impressions, far as I've seen.

I've been sold on it since release and would've totally bought it by now were I not completely buried in quality RPGs. It's been such a sharp turn from the drought of, like, 18 months ago.

 

[More_Badass]

Any good car combat games?

 

[aku:jiki]

Kingdom should be great. Didn't see it here. Bought it. Will play it in the coming days and report back.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/368230/

It should be, but it isn't... At least on launch, you had way too little control of your minions and they were pretty dumb, plus there's a pretty severe discrepancy between how quickly the day/night cycle moves and how slowly you and your minions move. They get themselves caught in the night all the damn time and there's nothing you can do. The top two reviews on Steam know what's up (and aren't joke reviews for once).

But at least it's in sort-of hidden Early Access and they're listening and making a lot of tweaks, so it may grow into something with time.

 

[SapientWolf]

Any good car combat games?

Gas Guzzlers, almost by default.

 

[Bate]

It should be, but it isn't... At least on launch, you had way too little control of your minions and they were pretty dumb, plus there's a pretty severe discrepancy between how quickly the day/night cycle moves and how slowly you and your minions move. They get themselves caught in the night all the damn time and there's nothing you can do. The top two reviews on Steam know what's up (and aren't joke reviews for once).

But at least it's in sort-of hidden Early Access and they're listening and making a lot of tweaks, so it may grow into something with time.

Thanks for the warning. Normally, I skim through the first reviews but I guess the trailer wooed me and I had a great review I read from weeks before in the back of my mind, so I took the plunge without hesitation. Then I see my money as an investment that helps the developers to fine tune the experience. It looks so damn good, it would be such a waste if the gameplay sucks.

 

[spineduke]

I've been eyeing Dungeon Souls as people have likened it to a medieval Nuclear Throne.

Does anyone know anything about it? Or should I take my 5$ elsewhere.

 

[CecilRousso]

Any good car combat games?

Classic Death Rally. http://store.steampowered.com/app/358270/?l=swedish

Only played it back then though, I have no knowledge about how well this version works on modern computers. But it is one the better car combat games.

 

[Toma]

So I just decided it annoys me to no end that Cubesis has "mixed" reviews (20 reviews so far). Definitely doesnt deserve that. I'll gift out 8 or so copies of Cubesis for impressions here (and preferably steam reviews to push up that review average, if you like it). Preferably send me your email address via PM.

Just be aware that its a rather challenging puzzle game, requiring a lot of micromanagement. If you like digging into a games mechanics and dont necessarily need the satisfaction to finish a level within 5 minutes or mind replaying a level until you figure out how to solve it, this might be for you.

Please dont take a copy if you have the attention span of a fish

 

[Antiwhippy]

Just finished black closet, and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes investigation style logic puzzles, persona style visual novels, and girl love. Had a lot of fun with it.

 

[Vhalyar]

Thanks, thread~~!

 

[The Foul]

Gotta give a shoutout to a gem I've been playing over xmas;

Subterrain

http://store.steampowered.com/app/340490/

From the steam page "Uncompromising Sci-Fi survival on Mars! Manage the entire colony single-handed! Craft, Research, Explore and Fight against evolving mutants. Vast open world and randomly generated levels to explore! Can you survive long enough to escape the horror?"

You find gear, research it, mine/farm/scrap materials, craft better gear... keep the mars facility running so it doesn't get overwhelmed with mutants... Fight said mutants with you sick crafted gear etc etc. Top down sci fi horror atmosphere, still in early access and not on a sharp sale discount (10% down to $13.50 from $15 atm...). Its not a sale bargain so I'm not seeing much said about it in threads but this game needs some love. I've played it for about 10 hours so far and the game is starting to really open up, very highly recommended for people who love RPG / base building / tower defense / survival horror style games.

 

[Matty8787]

Avernum1 and Software inc... Do I pull the trigger?

 

[Toma]

Avernum1 and Software inc... Do I pull the trigger?

I really like both of them, just be aware that Software Inc is still Early Access and as such still a bit unpolished here and there.

 

[Weltall Zero]

Toma fighting the good fight, as always. Bought three games from the first post alone, thanks!

 

[Matty8787]

I really like both of them, just be aware that Software Inc is still Early Access and as such still a bit unpolished here and there.

Cool, I promised never to go early access again but it looks so damn good.

Bought anyhow!

 

[MrCompletely]

Any opportunity I get I will use to discuss Invisible Inc.. If you enjoy turn based tactics and stealth, this is the game for you.

 

[More_Badass]

Gotta give a shoutout to a gem I've been playing over xmas;

Subterrain

http://store.steampowered.com/app/340490/

From the steam page "Uncompromising Sci-Fi survival on Mars! Manage the entire colony single-handed! Craft, Research, Explore and Fight against evolving mutants. Vast open world and randomly generated levels to explore! Can you survive long enough to escape the horror?"

You find gear, research it, mine/farm/scrap materials, craft better gear... keep the mars facility running so it doesn't get overwhelmed with mutants... Fight said mutants with you sick crafted gear etc etc. Top down sci fi horror atmosphere, still in early access and not on a sharp sale discount (10% down to $13.50 from $15 atm...). Its not a sale bargain so I'm not seeing much said about it in threads but this game needs some love. I've played it for about 10 hours so far and the game is starting to really open up, very highly recommended for people who love RPG / base building / tower defense / survival horror style games.

Had caught my eye, but I'm kind of burned out on the explore/craft/survive genre. Still, I'm intrigued

Had a question. From the store page: "Race against time in this persistent colony infection simulation"
How exactly does the colony infection simulation work in-game? Is it just a timer (now these thing spawn, now these things) or is it actually some kind of dynamic simulation?

 

[Barzul]

Just grabbed Dragon's Dogma. Looks like it'll be a great performer at high resolutions.

Edit: Crap wrong thread

 

[Moobabe]

So I just decided it annoys me to no end that Cubesis has "mixed" reviews (20 reviews so far). Definitely doesnt deserve that. I'll gift out 8 or so copies of Cubesis for impressions here (and preferably steam reviews to push up that review average, if you like it). Preferably send me your email address via PM.

Just be aware that its a rather challenging puzzle game, requiring a lot of micromanagement. If you like digging into a games mechanics and dont necessarily need the satisfaction to finish a level within 5 minutes or mind replaying a level until you figure out how to solve it, this might be for you.

Please dont take a copy if you have the attention span of a fish

I'll be down for this

 

[Saganator]

Cool, I promised never to go early access again but it looks so damn good.

Bought anyhow!

I was completely addicted to Software Inc for a week, very playable despite the jank.

 

[Toma]

I'll be down for this

Sent.

 

[The Foul]

Had caught my eye, but I'm kind of burned out on the explore/craft/survive genre. Still, I'm intrigued

Had a question. From the store page: "Race against time in this persistent colony infection simulation"
How exactly does the colony infection simulation work in-game? Is it just a timer (now these thing spawn, now these things) or is it actually some kind of dynamic simulation?

On the map screen you can see the infection rate, how bad its spreading in each area etc. You can buy time by actively clearing an area out as well as fixing temperature / oxygen generators in that area (while providing power to it from your base/generator). As the infection rate gets worse, you see more powerful mobs and bigger crowds of them, which is not cool if you're weapons/armor aren't upgraded. There's no timer as far as I can tell, the better job you do of keeping everything powered and oxy/temp generated, the slower the infection spreads... but it always spreads. From what I've seen there's no equilibrium, you can't stop the infection altogether. You've got to figure out a way to escape before the place is overrun with mutants, 10 hours in I'm nowhere near that, only on day 6 or so.

 

[dosh]

http://store.steampowered.com/app/252130/

This one was love at first play for me. Divide by Sheep is a deceptively simple, and brilliantly elegant puzzle game. And it's on sale for a dollar!

Thanks a lot for bringing this up, SapientWolf. I would never have found this one by myself (whch would have been a shame since I love math games).

This thread man.

 

[More_Badass]

On the map screen you can see the infection rate, how bad its spreading in each area etc. You can buy time by actively clearing an area out as well as fixing temperature / oxygen generators in that area (while providing power to it from your base/generator). As the infection rate gets worse, you see more powerful mobs and bigger crowds of them, which is not cool if you're weapons/armor aren't upgraded. There's no timer as far as I can tell, the better job you do of keeping everything powered and oxy/temp generated, the slower the infection spreads... but it always spreads. From what I've seen there's no equilibrium, you can't stop the infection altogether. You've got to figure out a way to escape before the place is overrun with mutants, 10 hours in I'm nowhere near that, only on day 6 or so.

Also how's the combat? The trailer made it seem kind of dull. A lot of backing away and firing, and the weapons didn't look that powerful. Are there any strategic elements like setting up defenses?

 

[aku:jiki]

Just finished Environmental Station Alpha with 20 hours on the clock... I'm gonna hype it again! Actually, I couldn't be bothered to do the second lap for the "true" ending or the (free) DLC "super-true" ending, so the game is even longer than that. Couldn't remember the exact process and where to go to unlock the path to the final boss in NG+ mode and no one has made a full map of where to go for the DLC ending and I'm lazy. This game has Fez level puzzles, including a letter cypher (as in a fake alien language), so there's no way I would've solved the last bits I did play by myself and while I recognized what the final "DLC" puzzle was trying to say, I didn't feel like matching up the maps and doing the actual legwork. Definitely up there as one of the longest, hardest and most involved Metroid-type games out there. An absolute must for genre fans. Check out the demo!

Also, it has the best secret item I've seen in a Metroidalike:

Spoiler

a BMX

. Yes!

 

[The Foul]

Also how's the combat? The trailer made it seem kind of dull. A lot of backing away and firing, and the weapons didn't look that powerful. Are there any strategic elements like setting up defenses?

Lots of backing away while firing, a few dodges are needed when it gets hectic. Combat gets more interesting when there's multiple bad guys, but its still a run-away-while-shooting affair.

There are turret slots in the generator room / base, but I have yet to find a turret. Out in the open its more or less just you with your arsenal. There are beacons that I've haven't played around with that generate much needed light and stay put, not sure if they can shoot like a turret or be upgraded.

 

[Razorwind]

So I just decided it annoys me to no end that Cubesis has "mixed" reviews (20 reviews so far). Definitely doesnt deserve that. I'll gift out 8 or so copies of Cubesis for impressions here (and preferably steam reviews to push up that review average, if you like it). Preferably send me your email address via PM.

Just be aware that its a rather challenging puzzle game, requiring a lot of micromanagement. If you like digging into a games mechanics and dont necessarily need the satisfaction to finish a level within 5 minutes or mind replaying a level until you figure out how to solve it, this might be for you.

Please dont take a copy if you have the attention span of a fish

If you still have copies, I will take one =)

 

[Toma]

If you still have copies, I will take one =)

Sure, throw a PM with your email address my way.

 

[More_Badass]

Lots of backing away while firing, a few dodges are needed when it gets hectic. Combat gets more interesting when there's multiple bad guys, but its still a run-away-while-shooting affair.

There are turret slots in the generator room / base, but I have yet to find a turret. Out in the open its more or less just you with your arsenal. There are beacons that I've haven't played around with that generate much needed light and stay put, not sure if they can shoot like a turret or be upgraded.

Well, you sold me on Subterrain. The comparisions to Darkwood over in the Steam forums were icing on the cake

I especially love the detailed grimy aesthetic

 

[Easy_D]

+1 for Toki Tori 2 for 74 cents.

Here's the reason why: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=084BUNlI7Gk

I got it from some cardsales and yeah.

Toki Tori 2+ is an amazing game, super cheap too, it’s a crime not to get it, I spent 30 minutes with it last night and I’m definitely coming back to it, I can tell it’s masterfully crafted from my short playtime, reviews give me confidence that I’m right too.

 

[More_Badass]

No proper post for Sunless Sea?

Sunless Sea - $9.49 (50% off)

http://store.steampowered.com/app/304650/

The wordsmiths at Failbetter are masters of prose and breathed dank, damp, inky-black life into the Lovecraftian/Gothic seascape of Sunless Sea. As master and commander in this quite literally alien place, you set out on grueling journeys into unknown waters where mind-rending horrors lurk in wait for woefully confident fools such as yourself.

 

[Shane]

Whoever recommended Hand of Fate - thanks! Really enjoying it.