Free games

• Xbox Gold

  • The Book of Unwritten Tales 2

    • 2015
    • A comedy point and click adventure game that has you switching between four different protagonists that has you working against a magical force that’s turning beasts into puppies and castles into dollhouses

  • Slayaway Camp: Butcher’s Cut

    • 2016
    • A killer puzzle game where you control Skullface, a psycho slasher bent on slaughtering camp counselors at the title campground. Slide an adorable voxel murderer around hundreds of isometric puzzle levels to squash, flay, and decapitate hapless victims in this darkly comic homage to 80s horror.

  • Sphinx & the Cursed Mummy

    • 2003
    • Third person action adventure game inspired by the mythology of ancient Egypt where you play both the demi-god Sphinx and the undead mummy Tutankhamen in a combination of combat and puzzle-solving

• Ps plus

  • Need for Speed: Payback

    • 2017
    • Racing game set in an open-world fictional version of Las Vegas, focused on action driving with three different playable characters working together to pull of action movie like sequences and heists

  • Vampyr

    • 2018
    • Action RPG set in Spanish Flu era London where you play Jonathan Reid, a doctor turned vampire torn between the Hippocratic Oath and his newfound bloodthirsty nature

• Twitch

  • SEUM: Speedrunners from Hell

    • 2016
    • A first-person speedrunning parkour game that plays like a combination Quake 3 and Super Meat Boy with a focus on quick action and reflexes

  • Dead Age

    • 2016
    • A zombie apocalypse RPG with turn-based combat and permadeath that has you managing survivors, crafting materials, and making tough choices to defend your camp against the undead

  • Surf World Series

    • 2017
    • A single or multiplayer surfing trick game that looks like Tony Hawk on the water

  • Layers of Fear

    • 2016
    • A psychological horror game where you control a disturbed painter trying to complete his magnum opus as he navigates through a victorian mansion, with disturbing secrets about the painter being discovered

  • Silver Chains

    • 2019
    • First-person horror game with a focus on story and exploration, where you search for clues in an abandoned manor to unravel the truth about the terrible events that occurred

  • Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl

    • 2020
    • Retro 8-bit sidescrolling brawler that has Jay and Silent Bob battling their way out of the mall and back to the Quickstop

  • Darkside Detective

    • 2017
    • Point and click mystery game that has you solving the dangerous and confusing cases of Twin Lakes, with everything from flesh-hungry tentacles to mafioso zombies in the mix

• Epic Games

  • Pikuniku

    • 2019
    • Puzzle adventure game that has you getting through levels and solving puzzles by kicking and pushing objects, swinging from your legs, or curling up and rolling around. The game is focused on single player but also has local co-op specific levels

Epic Games vs Apple updates

• During a hearing this week with both companies, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers criticized Epic’s decision to breach their contract with Apple in the first place by offering their custom payment system in an attempt to avoid App Store fees
  • Apparently Epic claimed that it didn’t pose a security threat to Apple because they’re a well-established company and partner
  • Judge Gonzalez Rogers reportedly told Epic “You did something, you lied about it by omission, by not being forthcoming. That’s the security issue. That’s the security issue!” and “There are a lot of people in the public who consider you guys heroes for what you guys did, but it’s still not honest.”
  • She was also not particularly persuaded by Epic’s arguments that Apple was violating antitrust law, or that they harmed Epic’s ability to distribute Fortnite through the App Store
    • “Walled gardens have existed for decades,” said the judge. “Nintendo has had a walled garden. Sony has had a walled garden. Microsoft has had a walled garden. What Apple’s doing is not much different… It’s hard to ignore the economics of the industry, which is what you’re asking me to do.”
    • “The 30% of what you complain seems to be the industry rate, right? Steam charges 30%. Microsoft: 30% … If you go to consoles: PlayStation, Xbox Nintendo all charged 30%. Physical stores: GameStop, Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart all charge 30%. Apple and Google charged 30%. It’s all 30%, and you just want to gloss over it. You don’t want to address it,”
    • Epic’s Bornstein says alternatives to the smartphone have their own constraints. “For example you can’t play an Xbox when you are, you know, on a bus.”
    • YGR: “You can’t play, but you can play on a Switch.”
• We’re still waiting for a decision on whether Fortnite will be allowed back on the App Store temporarily, but Judge Gonzalez Rogers did recommend that the case be taken to a jury trial in July to settle the issues permanently

iOS security recommendations

• Settings > Passwords > Security Recommendations
• Breaks down all your saved passwords that may need to be changed based on priority, and includes info on whether they’re easily guessed, reused, or if they’ve been included in a previous data breach
• It also gives you a link right to the affected site if you want to go ahead and change the password
• Thanks to that I’ve tightened up my password security on a lot of different sites
• One thing to note here is that the current conspiracy theory going around on Facebook, saying that iOS 14 widgets are acting as key loggers and stealing passwords, is completely false
  • Apparently part of the fuel for this is that people are getting notifications after upgrading that their passwords were involved in a breach- this is just because the notifications are new. The breaches are old.

Google announced a bunch of new stuff this week at their hardware event, including a new streaming service client

• Not a streaming service itself, but Google TV is a client for Chromecast that shows content from services like Netflix and Disney+, alongside Google Play and YouTube videos
• They also announced
  • a new standalone Chromecast model that comes with a remote control for $50USD, so you can use Google TV without streaming content from your phone
    • Unfortunately Stadia was left out in the cold here- you can get it going with a bit of fiddling, but there’s no native support
  • a 5G enabled Pixel 5 with somewhat underwhelming specs but a 90hz screen and IPX8 waterproofing that will set you back $700USD
  • another 5G phone, the Pixel 4A 5G, that’s basically an upgraded Pixel 4A XL and working as a budget version of the Pixel 5 without the fancy display and waterproofing and a $500USD pricetag
  • and a new Nest Audio speaker that we don’t have a lot of details on yet, but looks like a Google Home and a Google Home Max had a child and is apparently 75% louder than the Google Home it’s replacing

The new Spider-Man: Miles Morales game for the PS5 exists in a weird spot for a sequel, working almost like reverse DLC

• You can get the game on the PS5, and if you want to play the remastered version of the PS4 Spider-Man you can either get the Miles Morales Ultimate Edition or buy the remaster from within the Miles Morales game
• It’s apparently a full next-gen remaster with overhauled environments, ray-traced reflections and shadows, new skies and weather, a brand new face model for Peter Parker, 3D audio, instant loading, and a more powerful photo mode
• Unfortunately all of this comes at a price- the trophy list will be separate from the original PS4 release, so trophy hunters are stuck starting from scratch

This Day in Gaming History

September 26 – 1995 – Command & Conquer – DOS

• Command & Conquer develops ideas from Westwood’s previous game Dune 2, forming a real-time strategy (RTS) game.
  • The control system involves selecting units with the mouse and then directing them, while the opponents make their moves without waiting for a “turn” to end.
• The game focuses on a war between two organizations, The Brotherhood of Nod and the Global Defense Initiative.
  • The player can take control of either side for more than 15 missions. Both have different units and structures, including artillery, tanks and light infantry.
• In most missions, a base needs to be built first in order to build new units and structures.
  • Most important are the harvesters, which collect Tiberium and deliver it to a refinery, where it’s converted into money, thus funding the construction of a base and an army.
• The game also features FMV mission briefings and victory cutscenes.

September 27 – 2004 – Dream Works’ Shark Tale – GameCube, PS2, Xbox

• Shark Tale is inspired by the movie of the same name and follows the adventures of Oscar, a blue-streaked cleaner wrasse fish.
  • Oscar seems to have got himself into a bit of trouble as he needs to earn money to pay off a loan shark.
• The game consists of over 25 chapters with each chapter having three missions to perform.
  • The three missions are broken into a regular one, a bonus one, and an elite one.
  • Completing missions earn Oscar fame points which affect his fame rating.
  • Also, depending on how well Oscar performs missions will determine how much money he earns to pay off his debt.
  • Missions are varied including things like escaping a shark, erasing graffiti, and a dancing segment.

September 28 – 1995 – Mario Clash – Virtual Boy – Japan

• This game is essentially a single-player sequel to Mario Bros.
  • While the Super Mario Advance games would later contain a graphically-enhanced version of Mario Bros., Mario Clash contains many more additions and changes to gameplay.
• As before, the goal is to clear a screen of enemies and move on to the next level.
  • However, rather than doing this by flipping an enemy upside-down from underneath and kicking them away, you throw shells at them.
  • Also, taking advantage of Virtual Boy’s added depth, there is a front area and a back area which can be traveled to and from using pipes.
  • Shells can also be thrown at enemies on the other depth area.

September 29 – 1996 – Super Mario 64 – N64 – North America

• Mario is invited to Peach’s castle, but when he arrives Peach is nowhere to be seen.
  • He soon learns from Toad that Bowser has once again kidnapped her.
  • The Koopa King has also put a spell on her castle, imprisoning her subjects.
  • So it is up to Mario to break the spell and rescue Peach.
• Super Mario 64 is the first Mario game done entirely with 3D graphics.
  • The core gameplay is similar to previous platform installments, focusing on jumping, avoiding obstacles and defeating enemies.
  • Levels can be explored without time limits.
  • Stars must be collected in order to unlock new areas, eventually gaining access to various parts of Bowser’s castle.
  • Defeating Bowser on each floor procures keys necessary to unlock big doors and enter other floors, which contain more areas.
• Mario has more moves at his disposal in this installment.
  • Besides running and jumping, he can now walk, crouch, crawl, climb, and punch enemies.
  • Double and triple jumps, long jumps, wall jumps and backflips can be executed as well.
  • Swimming underwater now depletes Mario’s oxygen level.
  • Items must be picked up and carried in some instances in order to solve puzzles.
• Power-ups include the Wing Cap, which allows Mario to fly; the Metal Cap, which protects him from damage (including environmental hazards such as poisonous gas); and the Vanish Cap, which makes Mario ethereal, allowing him to walk through certain obstacles (such as wire mesh). Mario can also enter cannons and be shot from them; combining this with the flying ability grants access to high areas.

September 30 – 1997 – Postal – Windows/Mac

• You’ve just gone off the deep end, and in your deeply demented mind, you’ve decided that this little peaceful town no longer needs peace and quiet.
  • You gather your arsenal as you plan your next move…
• Postal is best described as a three-quarter view isometric shooter with a disturbing theme.
  • Instead of shooting at demons, monsters, bad guys and terrorists, your targets are typical citizens like a high school marching band, ordinary pedestrians, and even Santa Claus!
  • You are provided with an arsenal of diverse weapons to choose from, ranging from good old fashioned guns to flame throwers.

October 1 – 2015 – The Beginner’s Guide – Windows, Mac, Linux

• Probably a first, The Beginner’s Guide is presented as a guided tour through the work of another developer, named Coda.
  • This developer is real and created numerous experimental small games using the Source engine from 2008 to 2011, the year in which he stopped developing games altogether.
• The player is guided through this list of small games by the voice of Davey Wreden, the actual director of the game and co-designer and co-writer of The Stanley Parable.
  • Similar to that game, The Beginner’s Guide can be considered a game about game design and about how players interact with games and, in a way, communicate with game developers.

October 2 – 1997 – Castlevania: Symphony of the Night – PlayStation – North America

• Symphony of the Night is a direct sequel to Rondo of Blood.
  • Unlike the previous installments of the series, the game is set in a castle which the player can explore freely with many different paths, although often items in certain areas need to be found that will allow passage to others.
  • The action-based gameplay incorporates now strong RPG elements.
  • The hero receives experience points for defeating enemies, gains levels and becomes more powerful.
  • There is also money to be found in the game, and various accessories to buy. In a separate screen, players need to equip attack weapons, shields and other items.
  • Magic plays an important role, as well as secondary weapons and a large amount of “special moves” that are executed similar to advanced one-on-one fighting games.

Tidbits

• After 11 years in operation, FarmVille is officially shutting down at the end of the year
  • The developer cited the end of support for Adobe Flash and an unwillingness to migrate to a new platform as the main causes
• Los Angeles Comic-Con is moving forward with an in-person event in December, making it one of the first Southern California festivals to do so since the March shutdown
  • Precautions they’ll be taking include doubling their floorspace, spreading out activities across their own halls, splitting each day into five-hour sessions with deep cleaning between, cutting ticket sales, and live-streaming all guests and main panels for an optional virtual experience
  • It sounds like they’re trying, but I’d still be really hesitant to buy tickets
• Apple and Microsoft are working together a bit more than usual now, with the Apple TV app soon becoming available on the Xbox
  • Content will include Apple TV+ subscriptions, which could save some money for people that have been eyeing up an Apple TV 4k box
  • This could also be a good sign for Game Pass, if the two companies can improve their collaboration and get eachother’s streaming services on their hardware
• As part of Amazon’s announcements last week that flew under the radar, they also introduced a drone camera for inside your home
  • The Always Home Cam will set you back $250 and is a fully autonomous drone that can fly around and show your any room in your house
• CD Projekt Red is drawing fire this week after doubling back on their commitment to avoiding mandatory crunch time for Cyberpunk 2077
  • Studio Head Adam Badowski released a statement lamenting this decision and how necessary it is, and promising 10% of the company’s 2020 profit to the team, but this will likely make people think twice before taking him at his word again
• Star Wars Squadrons has launched to a lot of praise, especially for its multiplayer, including the fact that a day-one patch has implemented full support for flight stick, throttle, and pedal assemblies. Combined with VR, the immersion sounds awesome