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Steam Sale - (Overlooked) Indie Game Deals Discussion Thread

Digoman

Member
Just want to say thanks to Toma and everyone for their recommendations. A lot of stuff I already have and loved (way to much to list in one post), but there is always more interesting games to try out. Added a lot to my wishlist for either the last day or to keep my eye on.
 
Someone else mentioned it in the last page or two but I don't believe that it has a write up yet. I feel like the discount / price is not where it should be on this guy (I'd consider it a bit of a $2.50 game at this age) but it's still a rather fun game.

Atom Zombie Smasher - $4.99 (50% off)
ss_457187d4d7c8a585683678311a31c74ebc68e048.600x338.jpg

http://store.steampowered.com/app/55040/

This is a clever little blend between the board game Pandemic (which ya'll should try) and a mini RTS game. Between missions you are presented with a world map where you monitor zombie outbreaks in various regions. In this screen you get a terrible feeling of dread as zombie outbreaks continue to spawn and intensify across the map as you try as best as you can to beat them back. You do so by launching missions in individual regions. In a mission you control 4-5 units in a very simplistic city view. Each unit has very specific functions (snipers sit in one location and cover arcs of fire, infantry roam the streets killing zombies, roadblocks cut off street sections) and you use them all to try to eliminate zombies and rescue humans with your helicopter. In each mission you are often limited in the types of troops that you are allowed to bring, so you can't keep rolling out the same tactics mission after mission. It's a very clever game that always impresses me with how it makes use of limited graphics to create a game that both requires fast reflexes, tactical planning, and conveys a solid apocalyptic feel as you play.
 
Was just about to ask if anyone else had any impressions. Stump's and the dev walkthrough have almost completely sold me on the game, but I would like to hear a little more from the perspective of someone who's finished the game in its entirety.

Edit: Looks like there's a highly positive Eurogamer review as well. Yeah, I'm in.
Want this game so bad, but my laptop probably can't run it :(
 
Just thought I'd give anyone thinking about buying Starseed Pilgrim a heads up. You can buy it in a bundle here with three other cool looking games and still get a steam key, or if you click the link to their site it is the same price as Steam for just SP.


http://www.probability0.com/


I think P0 looks pretty cool so I picked up the bundle.
 

traveler

Not Wario
Atomic Zombie Smasher sounds awesome. Any other impressions?
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Monaco for singleplayer - worth it?

Wondering the same thing.

Would love to play multiplayer but I don't think any of my regular gaming crew is interested in this. They tend to stick to multiplayer games with elements of persistence, unfortunately.
 

bonesquad

Member
Atomic Zombie Smasher sounds awesome. Any other impressions?

I'll third AZS. I love the presentation. It was one of the games that really turned me on to all the great indies on Steam. I know people are soured on a few aspects of Steam lately, but overall I think the good still far outweighs the bad.
 

Decado

Member
There's a game missing from this thread:

Strike Suit Zero
Strike Suit Zero is a most awesome Space Combat game, in the same vein and quality as Colony Wars and Freespace.

Would have gone for it if it won the community vote (would have been $3). May still grab it at the end of the sale, but TBH, I haven't heard great things about the game. Sounds like a mixed bag and I no-one will provide info on how much/little patches improve the game.
 
I'll third AZS. I love the presentation. It was one of the games that really turned me on to all the great indies on Steam. I know people are soured on a few aspects of Steam lately, but overall I think the good still far outweighs the bad.
Not sure if you're into IOS gaming, but there's a game you might enjoy called War of the Zombie. It has a similar aesthetic, but with XCom-esque global focus, and strategic elements. Game is still kind of rough, but it's fun
 
I was initially going to pick up To The Moon with the remainder of my card money, but Gemini Rue seems pretty interesting as well. Anyone have any thoughts either way?
 
I was initially going to pick up To The Moon with the remainder of my card money, but Gemini Rue seems pretty interesting as well. Anyone have any thoughts either way?
I played Gemini Rue on iPad and its really good. Very atmospheric, good story and voice acting, dual narratives, etc
 

Sendou

Member
I was initially going to pick up To The Moon with the remainder of my card money, but Gemini Rue seems pretty interesting as well. Anyone have any thoughts either way?

To The Moon is one of the best gaming experiences I have ever had. No experience with Gemini Rue but I can't recommend To The Moon enough.
 

T-Matt

Member
I was initially going to pick up To The Moon with the remainder of my card money, but Gemini Rue seems pretty interesting as well. Anyone have any thoughts either way?

To The Moon is a tremendous story and one of the truly best experiences I've had with this medium. Gemini Rue is pretty cool too.
 

CheesecakeRecipe

Stormy Grey
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Monaco for singleplayer - worth it?

Wondering the same thing.

Would love to play multiplayer but I don't think any of my regular gaming crew is interested in this. They tend to stick to multiplayer games with elements of persistence, unfortunately.

Monaco's single player is a vastly different affair. The tone is a little more serious, screwing up leads to greater penalties since you only have one person to count on: You. I found myself playing far more systematically when soloing heists and while it is fun like that for the first 3/4ths before a huge difficulty spike, nothing really compares to the multiplayer. I wish you dudes could experience it that way.

I want to get one of those 3.
Ceville, Deponia and Whispered World.

Which one is the best?

Whispered World is rather dark in tone but very gorgeous as is all of Daedalic's catalog. The voice acting is nearly insufferable though, I had to turn it off. Deponia's closer to Monkey Island with jokes and a lighter attitude towards everything. I know nothing of Ceville though. So I guess it depends on what sort of mood you're in.
 

dangeROSS

Member
Would have gone for it if it won the community vote (would have been $3). May still grab it at the end of the sale, but TBH, I haven't heard great things about the game. Sounds like a mixed bag and I no-one will provide info on how much/little patches improve the game.

I played Strike Suit Zero a little while ago. This was after the patches came out. So I can't comment on how things were beforehand. But, I really liked the game. So much so that I bought Strike Suit Infinity afterwards. If you are looking for a game where you can pilot a space ship and shoot down enemies, I recommend it.

I had been looking for a decent space combat type game, and it was nice to finally play one. I thought the storyline, voice acting, and gameplay mechanics were all pretty well done. The game features a nice soundtrack and the visuals were quite good I thought. The controls were difficult to adjust to, but after a while I felt comfortable and it was darn cool zipping around and blowing up enemy ships. You get to pilot three or four different vehicles and eventually you get a craft that can transform into a robot mode for added destruction.

I did run into some issues playing with my Xbox 360 Controller, I eventually figured out I had to disable my Comodo Antivirus software. For some reason it was interfering with the game and causing the issue. I also ran into this problem with the latest Red Faction game. For whatever reason the game will not remember that I want to keep the control sticks inverted. Everytime I open the game I have to reset that parameter. But neither issue ended up being a big deal to me.

I’ve seen alot of mixed reviews out there on the game. There are some valid complaints. The game is a bit on the short side, it only took around 5-6 hours to finish I think.
And there is a lack of checkpoints in some levels that really can be a pain in the butt. The last level in particular has no checkpoints at all, and you have to re-do an entire 9 minute segment if you mess up. Which is very lame. Apparently recent patches have addressed some of the difficulty issues and giving you options for difficulty levels. But there are still some very large segments of the game that could have benefited by having checkpoints.

I picked up Galaxy on Fire 2 around the same time, I was not a fan of that game however.
 

Katoki

Member
From the sound of it, it'd probably be beneficial to play Strike Suit Infinity first to get used to the combat then go into Zero since all it does is a tutorial (should you choose to go in there) and then it lets you loose. This way you'll know what's up in Zero and not have to deal with replaying an entire level... hopefully.

I can say that I really enjoyed Infinity for what it was as a score chasing blow everything up in mech mode game. I had the most difficult time with a 360 controller for the same reasons why I can't play FPS games efficiently with it but when I switched over to keyboard+mouse, it was much more fluid for me. I also think that the whole regular accelerate and decelerate didn't work for me with the controller for some reason even though I know the controller works.
 
I think this sold me on AZS

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/02/10/wot-i-think-atom-zombie-smasher/
Which brings me on to the game’s stand-out feature – making zombies scary again, and in a vitally fresh way. The risk isn’t that the zombies will eat the fleeing populace before you can haul enough out to meet the victory condition (which is generally 60). The risk is that, the second even one zombie catches up with a pack of people, you’re almost immediately faced with a pack of zombies. The change from yellow to pink happens at dramatic speed, and the resultant snowball effect can lose you a level mere seconds after you thought you had it in the bag. These zombies aren’t cannon fodder. They’re a force of monstrous nature.

Does it get repetitive?
 

vesp

Member
Going to pick up a co-op game to play with a friend tonight, would Van Helsing or Monaco be a better 2 player pick? (I understand I need 2 copies/2 screens for VH).
 

HBroward

Member
Going to pick up a co-op game to play with a friend tonight, would Van Helsing or Monaco be a better 2 player pick? (I understand I need 2 copies/2 screens for VH).

I have heard the co-op is broken in VH. I bought it knowing this, just to play it single player.
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
I have heard the co-op is broken in VH. I bought it knowing this, just to play it single player.

I can confirm this as a report from a friend. Monaco at least works in MP and is definitely more fun in MP than SP.
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
I want to get one of those 3.
Ceville, Deponia and Whispered World.

Which one is the best?

They are all decent, and as someone pointed out, they are serving different moods, but I'd still say that whispered world was the best and most charming out of the three.
 

Decado

Member
I played Strike Suit Zero a little while ago. This was after the patches came out. So I can't comment on how things were beforehand. But, I really liked the game. So much so that I bought Strike Suit Infinity afterwards. If you are looking for a game where you can pilot a space ship and shoot down enemies, I recommend it.

I had been looking for a decent space combat type game, and it was nice to finally play one. I thought the storyline, voice acting, and gameplay mechanics were all pretty well done. The game features a nice soundtrack and the visuals were quite good I thought. The controls were difficult to adjust to, but after a while I felt comfortable and it was darn cool zipping around and blowing up enemy ships. You get to pilot three or four different vehicles and eventually you get a craft that can transform into a robot mode for added destruction.

I did run into some issues playing with my Xbox 360 Controller, I eventually figured out I had to disable my Comodo Antivirus software. For some reason it was interfering with the game and causing the issue. I also ran into this problem with the latest Red Faction game. For whatever reason the game will not remember that I want to keep the control sticks inverted. Everytime I open the game I have to reset that parameter. But neither issue ended up being a big deal to me.

I’ve seen alot of mixed reviews out there on the game. There are some valid complaints. The game is a bit on the short side, it only took around 5-6 hours to finish I think.
And there is a lack of checkpoints in some levels that really can be a pain in the butt. The last level in particular has no checkpoints at all, and you have to re-do an entire 9 minute segment if you mess up. Which is very lame. Apparently recent patches have addressed some of the difficulty issues and giving you options for difficulty levels. But there are still some very large segments of the game that could have benefited by having checkpoints.

I picked up Galaxy on Fire 2 around the same time, I was not a fan of that game however.
Thanks for your impressions. 5 or 6 solid entertainment hours is good enough for a $5 game. I'll pick it up by the end of the sale. It has been ages since I played a space sim and this sounds easier than trying to install Freespace 2 and its mods :p

BTW, how is the DLC?
 
D

Deleted member 59090

Unconfirmed Member
Has anyone here played Skyward Collapse? It's a god game (god game Toma!) I remember hearing about on Gamers with Jobs podcast a while ago.
 

RustyO

Member
Atomic Zombie Smasher sounds awesome. Any other impressions?

I'll fourth/fifth/whatever Atom Zombie Smasher; I absolutely loved it and sunk 8 hours into it the first night I got it.

Monaco for singleplayer - worth it?

I think I'm goign to grab Monaco as well (anyone up for a four pack?); only concern is how is the single player side of it.


Edit: Thanks CheesecakeRecipe for the Monaco comments.
 
I'll fourth/fifth/whatever Atom Zombie Smasher; I absolutely loved it and sunk 8 hours into it the first night I got it.
Nothing but praise for AZS. I think the RPS review discussed the game really well, but what exactly makes the game so good/addicting?

Obviously it isn't a game known for its graphics or visual design, and the actual tactical possibilities seem they could be kind of limited. But I haven't played, so I'm probably totally wrong lol
 
I know Valve isn't a charity, but why don't they double the number of flash deals, pick half of them to be less known indie titles and call them indie flash deal?

Well, this year, they did an indie-only sale (with pretty broad coverage) in the spring instead, so maybe they're feeling like it's better to highlight indie titles and mass-market stuff differently. (Not sure I'd agree.)
 

fenners

Member
Nothing but praise for AZS. I think the RPS review discussed the game really well, but what exactly makes the game so good/addicting?

Obviously it isn't a game known for its graphics or visual design, and the actual tactical possibilities seem they could be kind of limited. But I haven't played, so I'm probably totally wrong lol

You get a different set of "weapons" each level - the game picks them at random, locking out some from the last mission. Each configuration of layout & weather & zombie stats is slightly different - some days are longer with slower zombies, some days the helicopter is slower. As each weapon type you have kills zombies, it earns experience to level up at the end of the mission. Which sectors that come up in the overall map change each game, causing extra bursts of zombies, cascades of chaos. It all adds up to each game having the potential to be different & different approaches needed on the map.
 
You get a different set of "weapons" each level - the game picks them at random, locking out some from the last mission. Each configuration of layout & weather & zombie stats is slightly different - some days are longer with slower zombies, some days the helicopter is slower. As each weapon type you have kills zombies, it earns experience to level up at the end of the mission. Which sectors that come up in the overall map change each game, causing extra bursts of zombies, cascades of chaos. It all adds up to each game having the potential to be different & different approaches needed on the map.
Thanks. All these awesome GAF impressions plus the excellent review from RPS sold me on the game. I'm going to wait till the last day, though.
 

DSix

Banned
Would have gone for it if it won the community vote (would have been $3). May still grab it at the end of the sale, but TBH, I haven't heard great things about the game. Sounds like a mixed bag and I no-one will provide info on how much/little patches improve the game.

Played and finished a few months ago and it was perfectly fine on my quite weak computer. The campaign is very good, the controls and game feel are pitch perfect (I'd say as good or even better than Colony Wars), and the awesome strike suit mode adds something than no other game in the genre got.

It works natively with the 360 pad, personally I just had to remap the two analog sticks to be completely comfortable.
 
Just beat Thomas Was Alone. So freaking good. Soundtrack and narrator are so relaxing. Game isn't too challenging and really short (2ish hours), but easily worth the $2.49 I paid for it.
 

bonesquad

Member
Thanks. All these awesome GAF impressions plus the excellent review from RPS sold me on the game. I'm going to wait till the last day, though.

Also note that this game has been on sale many times, including for less than it is now. If you like the demo and already have enough to play, you may want to add it to your wishlist for later (Halloween is a good bet).

You mentioned War of the Zombie on iOS earlier. I haven't played it, but based on the videos I don't quite see the comparison to AZS (other than dealing with tiny, almost dot-like characters). I think Pocket Tactics was high when they wrote that:) Plus the cold war aesthetic in AZS is awesome.
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
Has anyone here played Skyward Collapse? It's a god game (god game Toma!) I remember hearing about on Gamers with Jobs podcast a while ago.
Lets say its a divisive game. From the monthly Indie threads my opinion:

Has anyone here played Skyward Collapse? It looks interesting.

->

Just played it for about 1 hour. I think its biggest problem currently to me was that.. it didnt seem much... fun? It has depth, all right, but even though the basics are there, I dont really feel like actually diving into the mechanics.

A short description of the game:
You are god, and your task is to make sure to balance the world of man. You have several warring factions and you need to build buildings each turn for each civilization (which have different strengths and weaknesses) and YOUR task is to make sure that the balance between all the nations is upheld so they wont destroy each other.

One problem in this game is the non-existing progress. Reus, while being rather highscore focussed (instead of level focussed) too, accomplished that by giving the player different goals to strive for, which then unlock new modes and ingame abilities. Skyward Collapse has just one mode with different difficulty settings that are purely focussed on the highscore you'll achieve. Another issue is also that the game always starts with the same map (an issue that Reus has too but there you can at least decide how many villages you want to play with), which makes you always start with the same start setup.

However, I am not saying that this game isnt deep. The actual workings and how to achieve the balance is plenty deep. You need to balance ressource creation, ressource usage, military power, random enemy spawns, mythical creatures, powerful items etc, which makes it rather tasking. The problem is that there is no reason for me to play and the game itself feels pretty slow. The game would probably have benefitted a LOT from a campaign that would pit you against certain circumstances which you need to overcome. It is also really hard to judge what effect your actions will have in the end. Adding that ontop of an unfriendly interface that doesnt make it easy to keep an overview over the state of your cities leads to the game feeling a bit cumbersome.

The endgame could be amazing with tons of other added stuff like the mythical creatures, other random spawns, more created towns etc. but the beginning of the game doesnt make me curious about it or make me want to get there (as opposed to Reus btw), so I am not feeling too good about it. If they ever add a one button press feature to show the names of all the buildings you built so far, I might give it another chance.

And some more positive ones by someone else:

I've been a huge fan of "balance" gameplay ever since SimEarth. As you're aware, in this relatively rare subgenre, we start with the initial titillating growth of civilization incarnate. The day-to-day micromanagement is put to the side as no one person is important, just the life of the village, of the city, of the country. A powerful force that must limit itself to help others. Too often the complexity outstrips us, and we run into decay, warfare, and chaos.

The inherent potential in these series is matched only by the difficulty in creating them. How much do you focus on the individuals? Too little, and the civilization is a mildly entertaining spreadsheet. Too much, and you get bogged down in the minutiae of single units.

As you know, Reus and Skyward Collapse both fall into this (relatively rare) sub-genre of simulation. Reus is almost certainly a more enjoyable game. From the visual style to the achievement aspect, it's rather inviting. But at the end of the day, I didn't feel like there were many choices. Do I put a Forest next to a Desert? Or a Swamp? I enjoyed the terrain manipulation and the potential it represents, but then it boils down to some strange micro stuff, like how putting chickens next to gems makes more chickens. After the first thirty seconds, I never really felt like an incredible force and never felt connected to the denizens of my world.

Skyward Collapse is a mess. It feels like a prototype and is priced accordingly. There are no smooth animations, the tutorial is a little confusing. The gameplay feels like a smattering of almost random mechanics. It reminds me a bit of early 90s PC gaming, where no one is sure what the best conventions are because the genres aren't well established. I have a laundry list of things I wish they had done differently.

Yet that feeling when you have three towns to a side but two red towns are burning ruins because you kind of secretly favored blue and built some mythological creatures to boost your score in time... it's just fun! When you see three siege engines approaching and realize you have four more turns before your defenses regenerate, it's great. Two years from now, I won't remember much about Reus, but I had a fun afternoon with Skyward Collapse and would be excited to see the idea properly fleshed out. I don't ask much more for $5, and that's why I voted for it.
 
Played a few hours of DUST: An Elysian Tale. Also got an adapter to run a cable to the TV in my office so it's more like a console experience. I gotta say DUST really is great. It's got tight controls, the artwork looks incredible, and there's tons of places to explore and a fair amount of quests. Honestly in just two hours I've seen more variety than Muramasa. Get it.
I'm in love with the combat in this game.
 
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