Flashback inspired shooter goes fowl

Play Rocketbirds Revolution at rocketbirds.com.

When you read the features list of Rocketbirds! Revolution, you may get the impression that the game is the most revolutionary video game to hit the market since Super Mario Bros came out on the NES. Nine, action packed levels, full of suspense and mind bending puzzles, with more weapons and innovative items than “any game in the history of video games.” I’m wondering now if these claims are intended to be serious or if they’re going right along with the design teams sense of humor because while it’s certainly not the epitome of video games, Rocketbirds Revolution is a solid game.

Tower defense game still hasn't graduated

in terms of innovation

Play High School Tower Defense at addictinggames.com.

It is a battle fought, not on the soil of a country an ocean away, but in our backyards and schools. Generations of daughters and sons have lost their dignity and pride in a war that seems to have no end in sight. Countless reputations have been backstabbed, raped, beaten, shot and maimed, left to rot in the parking lot behind the cafeteria as the eternal struggle between the nerds and the jocks rages on.

World War RTS makes global annihilation fun!

Download Defcon at www.introversion.co.uk/defcon. 

The raw power of nuclear weaponry is hard to imagine. So much force contained in such a small package; the thought is a mix of awe and sheer terror.

During the Cold War, the US and Russia had thousands of them, their fingers hovering over the launch button in anticipation. One wrong move or a few harsh words could have sent humanity plummeting down the evolutionary mountain we’ve worked so hard to ascend.

Introversion Software captures this suspense masterfully with Defcon. All out nuclear war has been declared and everyone has a knife at each others throat. As their slogan clearly states, in this war everyone loses. But maybe you can lose the least. With its slick, techie interface, easy to use and learn gameplay, haunting atmosphere and tricky timing, Defcon is a must play for any RTS or global apocalypse fan. It is a game with a slow, graceful elegance portraying a hellish yet not far fetched vision of our future.

Karma Tycoon feels less like nonprofit sim;

more like accounting sim

Play Karma Tycoon at www.karmatycoon.com. 

Much like government agencies, there are hundreds, if not thousands of nonprofit organizations all across the US, established to help those who are unable to help themselves.  Troubled youth, starving homeless, ailing seniors, depraved animals and the lack of creativity and art are just a few of the problems that plague the US. So often people rant and rave about cleaning up the globe, yet ignore the obvious problems right in front of their eyes.

Karma Tycoon brings the people helping to aid America to the center stage.  The teams thorough research into each and every topic is well done and comprehensive, establishing a solid background on any one topic for newcomer and veteran alike. While it provides a great springboard to leap off of, the lack of immersive gameplay keeps the plunge limited to the shallow end of the pool. 

Addicting gameplay not cooled down by mediocre visuals

I haven’t had so much fun playing a video game in a long time like I had with Igneous. Repetitive and unchallenging gameplay against the same monotonous band of evil doers who never seem to catch a hint has grown stale. I want something that’s fresh baked and straight from the oven and that’s exactly what Igneous is. Using its own engine built by four students attending DigiPen, Igneous serves up a piping hot slice of some good ol’ fashioned fun.

As a tiny tiki totem (basically you’re a cube with a face) you’re magically awakened in the belly of an angry volcano.

Farming sim likely to dissuade you from

your childhood dreams of 3rd world agriculture

Play 3rd World Farmer at 3rdworldfarmer.com.

Farming of any kind is a gamble; no matter how hard you work the land, no matter how well you treat your crops, the weather is temperamental at best. Sudden heavy rains can drown your crops, high winds can blow them away, too much or too little sun can shrivel them to nothing; the list goes on and on.

In 3rd World Farmer, the weather is only the beginning of your troubles; war, guerilla raids and poachers are just a few of the serious threats heaped on top of the farmer’s already heavy burden. Immersing you in this plague filled world like no other medium can, 3rd World Farmer will make every joint in your body ache and pull all your emotional strings to their limit.

Never has preparing for imminent

destruction been this much fun

Play Stop Disasters! at stopdisastersgame.org.

Showcasing some of the worst of Mother Nature’s fury, Stop Disasters! has five different scenarios to choose from. Take on the gale force winds of a hurricane or face the hell that is an earthquake. Its got huge potential with its catchy art and bag of knowledge. Tedium does creep in to the folds but the gameplay more than makes up for it. The predicament of preparing a city for a huge disaster should be overwhelming yet gameplay is kept simple with more than enough depth to challenge any gamer, young or old.