#steam

Many project coordinators on crowdfunding sites are realizing the difficulty of logistics. This week's first project is attempting to create a chess set out of a well-loved video game franchise. Do they have the licensing rights to do so?. Our second campaign is a young designer's first foray into independent development and publishing. Lastly our third project is now a gigantic crowdsourcing machine that has doubled its initial goals with weeks still left in its scheduled funding run. Some of the first big projects that reached funding on Kickstarter are starting to deliver their goods to their supporters. Will it be just as difficult for this, the second generation of indie developers, who are using crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter for the first time?

Black Forest Games should first and foremost be commended for tackling an oft passed-over game mechanic in the platformer. Secondly they should be applauded for knocking it out of the park and creating a video game that has at times maddened me with its complex acrobatic feats. Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams is more than just a frustrating package of platforming puzzles though, it has amazing music, top-notch graphics, and a number of play dynamics that set it apart. In a day and age where classic game types are seeing a renaissance many indie developers are taking the “less is more” approach or wrapping simple game mechanics in updated graphics or pretty packages.

Torchlight was a refreshing look at the dungeon crawling RPG genre at a time when there weren’t many peers to compete with. The game debuted in October of 2009 for $14.99 and it was welcomed by reviewers and gamers with rave reviews and rabid fandom. Torchlight II, the sequel, dropped last week for $19.99, a five dollar increase. This continuation of the main storyline will have to battle in a much different atmosphere as the ultimate big kid is back on the playground in the form of Blizzard’s Diablo 3. Torchlight II no longer has the freedom to innovate and expand while the sleeping giant...sleeps. Now they have to fix their previous mistakes, make a more engaging game, and tell a better story than anyone else in the field.

Mann Co., the ubiquitous storefront for Team Fortress, has a new enemy and it isn’t frugal sensibility or communism, It’s Robots. Mechanical marauders have officially laid waste to the world of Team Fortress 2 turning that longstanding two-sided battlefield on its ear. No longer are you limited to pitting one team against another in a contest of who can turn the other into jelly first. No now you...well you, yeah it’s still two sided but at least now Red & Blue can unite against a common enemy.

Steam has had a vibrant community for quite a while but it certainly has some new competitors now. This week Valve introduces its users to a new set of features that aim to set itself apart and re-solidify its place as the figurehead of digital distribution. Some of the additions announced thus far include expanded community interfaces and game hubs which increase functionality of game “store” pages. Steam already has pages dedicated to each game in its storefront, and they’ve been collecting usage statistics along with screenshots you take in the game. The community additions will include these screenshots (if you share them) and highlight user created content for games that support those features.

The Indie Royale Gone Fishing Bundle has flopped onto the dock and begs the question, will you bite or toss it back into the lake? Indie Royale has been featured here on Nerdluster.com before not only for their snappy design scheme but now they are forcasting their bundles weeks ahead of time. These indie bundles have caught me off-guard before and I have paid not-quite-so-dearly because of it. Always a good deal considering you can name your own price and with the Indie Royale you can usually nab bonus content if you meet a minimum.

“Tell me now, and walk the line, and understand, what makes a good man?” The launch trailer for Sleeping Dogs has landed and it begs the question: What makes a good man? Well aside from judging what kind of man Wei Shen is, the trailer treats us to an amalgamation of all of the best stuff from the game. I’ve had a few terse hours with the title plugged into my Xbox and can say with all certitude that it is an epic cop drama that gives GTA a “run” for its money. Then when the running’s done there’s a car chase, followed by a boat fueled shootout and a night-club massacre.

We have a super-packed Day 9 suprising us on this Friday morning. There’s quite a few proven games here well below their regular price so one would be bonkers not to grab something up if you’ve been holding of previously. There’s over 100 hours of content here for about 20 bucks. My favorite game from last year Deus Ex: Human Revolution is here at a pittance even if it is still here with super obvious racism still intact.

Wooohooo! PC gaming is far from dead and with the 8th day of Steam Summer Sales landing this morning we’re treated to some of the best recent examples of why it literally pays to play your games on a computer. The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition, Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate edition and enough spectacular indie titles to keep you busy for months.

A true sign things are slowing down, one of the selections I considered today was only 25% off and is not even that good of a deal but the game is amazing so I thought to include it here. Truth be told any discount is good as retailers and brick-&-mortar stores are not so quick to give anything back at all if they can avoid it.