Limbo

I don't know how I feel about games like this. And by 'games like this' I mean this new sub genre of indy game that tries, in some way, to be art for art's sake. You can usually tell the type. They are typically 2D platform or puzzle games that try to innovate via theme and visuals and just end up being either pretentious or trying to cash in by attempting to be pretentious. Braid is the former, Lucidity would be the latter.

Anyway, with that out of the way, I do have to say that I like a game that is atmospheric for all the right reasons. A game can be lean on story, music, dialogue, colour, instructions to the player and still be quite creepy and compelling and fun to play in spite of being grim.

Limbo achieves this.

You are this kid who wakes up in a black and white world where everything wants to kill you. As you progress from left to right you will come up against puzzles and platforms and die in ways that will make you wince. Puzzles that seem conventional aren't. I come up against games where I can play them without thinking because I've played those same things so many times. Limbo is a spanner in the works.

I'm told it's quite short. I played it for about 90 mins so I guess I'm 1/4 through unless I'm REALLY terrible.

My advice, try it without knowing too much about it, it makes a big difference. I'm told EG's review is a spoilfest, btw.

Trine

If I can switch between three characters with different skills whenever I want, why can't I just have one character that does everything?

Steam Summer Sale

To me, Valve's Steam platform *IS* PC gaming. God, I remember how shit it was when it launched and marvel at how amaze it is now.

Anyway, the best thing about them is their biannual sales where my credit card cries as Valve have money fights with my hard-earned.

There's a sale on until July 4th.

My pick of the day... Trine for €4. Honourable mentions Bioshock 2 for €15 and Overlord Complete Pack for €4.50.

Also, DarkStar One is €3.39 for the duration of the sale!

Is Dirt 2 any good?

Half Life 2, Half Life 2: Ep 1 get updated graphical effects

Steam news page



This is quite nice. I'm currently on Nova Prospekt in a replay of Half Life 2 though, so I guess I'm starting that level from the beginning!

Super Mario Galaxy 2

I can't believe I'm playing this!

It's rare I get really excited about a videogame, but as a long time Nintendo fan, a new 3D Mario will do it.

Basically, this is an evolution of what we saw in Super Mario Galaxy 2 and it doesn't really have a problem with that.

The only big structural change is the removal of a hub world, something that's for the best since they'll never top the castle from Mario 64. I welcome the change, but I wish that after each star, you want back to Mario's faceship and needed to walk up to the wheel and go back to the map. Just leave me on the fucking map screen so I can do more stars!

And that is literally the only think I don't like about it.

Everything else is amazing. I spent my entire two hour session smiling, laughing and generally not thinking about anything else.

So far, the new powerups are great. I've so far got to use Cloud Mario, Drill Mario and of course, Yoshi! Does he count as a powerup? He's not the same Yoshi from Super Mario World, but his tongue attack is hilarious and his hover jump has got me out of a few binds already.

Music and visuals are top notch as they were with the original. I can't really see any differences.

Er, more impressions as I play.