30 Games in 30 Days! Games picked, Project updated! Follow my Adventure :)

So I decided to try out a fun little experiment with some outside input.

The goal here is to play a different game every night for the next 30 weekdays (not on weekends). But I need YOUR help to decide what to play!

Take a look at my library and find any game that I have ZERO gameplay in. It can be a gem that you really want me to experience, a troll/terrible game, or anything else :)

The order of games will be based on the order of suggestions to this post. The first 3 will be games I won but haven't played yet as I've left them sitting too long as-is.

Please feel free to comment/critique/discuss my reviews below! All opinions are welcome :)

THE LIST:

1) inMomentum - SG Win.

We start off with inMomentum, a 1st person platformer based on running around a level collecting spheres. There is a large focus on speed, as you are encouraged to blast though the levels as quick as possible; as you are only fighting a timer. Unfortunately, the game feels very clumsy. While I'm sure you could master it in time, any time I tried to pick up any speed or do anything interesting I would fall into a pit (the levels are made of very small platforms and 90% pits). The only way to complete the level is to slowly walk though it in order to be careful, which in turn becomes very boring.

Would not play again.

Thanks for reading and keeping up with my adventure! Check back tomorrow for another mini-review! <-Ended.

2) Perimeter 2 - SG Win.

Trying my hand at an impressions video :) Will most more soon!

Looks like this review will be a bit late, but will be in video form when it's up!

3) Dead Pixels - SG Win.

Dead Pixels is a side scrolling (Double Dragon style) zombie action/survival game. I really enjoyed this one! The game is fast paced and satisfying to play, there is a good level of progression and decent customization. As you move through the levels, you can enter buildings to loot them as well as find others to trade with. Money is spent on either guns/ammo/grenades etc, or on character upgrades (HP, speed, carry weight, etc). There is a good level of challenge in the game as I did find myself dead a number of times, and most of the time it seemed fair :) There were minor clipping issues at times where I seemed to get "stuck" in the environment, but I would say only a few times over an entire playthrough. Overall, I had of fun and would recommend it!

The giveaways continue as well! <-Ended.

4) Hotline Miami - BloodEmblem

Wow. It would be perfectly fine to review this game with just this one word! Hotline is a top-down retro-style game with the goal being to clear the levels of enemies assassination-style. You can use various weapons to do the job, from silent melee weapons, to room clearing shotguns (with even more to unlock). The tricky part - you are one hit away from death at any time, so strategy and planning are just as important as split second actions! I'd almost say the game is part puzzle game, figuring out the best way to clear a level is a big part of the fun. Visually and thematically the game is set in a surrealist 1980's, complete with pastel colors and VHS stores; you even drive a DeLorean! It's like Vice City on acid :) Overall, this would be a must-buy to anyone interested in this type of game - it's expertly crafted and tons of fun!

Why not a free game while we're at it :) <-Ended.

5) Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP - Zebra

So onto Superbrothers after a two day break; and what an interesting game we have here. The premise is a puzzle based point and click, but it uses some very cool imagery and scenery to form many of the puzzles in the game. There is also a real world/dream world dynamic, where actions in the dream world effect the story and puzzles of the real world. It's a very surreal game that really makes you want to keep exploring it; and while the setting and retro graphics seem simple on the surface, the wonder and mystery of the world is not something you will have encountered before. I can see this game not being for everyone, as at times it can be a little slow and the 'next step' can be a little vague and require lots of wandering to figure out. I see this as a normal part of an adventure game and wasn't put off by it, but would understand if anyone had issues with it. If you have this game in your library, pop it on some evening where you just want a relaxed game night :)

In keeping with the Adventure game theme, you are required to seek out today's giveaway somewhere in this thread! <-Ended.

6) Binding of Isaac - Vocuer

Dear SG, today I died. I was killed by EVERYthing in some basement. I leave all that I own to my cat Guppy. <-Ended. Goodbye cruel world. -AgeOfArmageddon

Binding of Isaac is top-down roguelike shooter; and boy is it tough! You start out with nothing to defend yourself besides your tears, in a randomly generating basement of horrors. The bosses, levels, rooms and powerups are different every time you play; and with death being permanent you will get to re-roll often :) Due to it's random nature, entering a room can either reward you with some great powerups, or really ruin your day if it's full of enemies! There is a very addictive element at play that makes you want to try again right after you die, to see if you might make it just a little father this time. Fully randomized games like this can lead to frustrating or hopeless playthroughs depending on luck, but being that this is by design it's hard to fault the game for this. If you have this game in your library from a recent bundle, give it a go!

7) Warhammer Dawn Of War GOTY - mikagee

DOW is an RTS with a bit of a deviation from the standard resource/base model seen in the likes of Starcraft or C&C. Instead, you obtain resources based on captured points and relics found around the map. Doing so prevents the "turtle in/mass army" tactic, as you are forced to expand outwards in order to gather. Gameplay wise, the game is very clearly a Relic game; and anyone who has played Company of Heroes will pick it up right away. Rather than build one unit at a time, you build squads of units. These squads can be upgraded with special weapons, or even link up with hero type units to greatly boost their ability. While members of the squad can die, you can reenforce them on the fly, making a squad feel more valuable than the sum of it's parts. One issue I had was that this is quite a large game, and I have nowhere near played as much of it as I wanted to before writing this commentary. This is one game I will definitely need to sink more time into later on as I have only just scratched the surface of the story.

FOR THE EMPEROR! <-Ended.

8) Robin Hood - Veytev

Just a quick disclosure first: The game had some serious performance/lag issues on my PC. No idea what was up, but it felt like it was running at 15fps. Also had some bizarre flashing/blinking issue. Now onto the game! The game is a top down action/strategy game that plays like a stealth version Diablo or similar. You have objectives that usually involve reaching a certain area of the map that is patrolled by a number of guards or soldiers. In a 1-on-1, Robin Hood can hold his own vs. most enemies, but can quickly be outnumbered. The idea is to either knock out unsuspecting enemies, or use the environment to your advantage. The issues I had with the game are that I couldn't tell which objects I could interact with, and which would just move me right to a non-interactive decal. As well, I couldn't figure out how to heal myself; even between levels, damage would carry forward. I figure there is some way to do it, but if I have to look outside of the game to figure out the basics of the game, then I consider that a failing of the game. In closing, the game shows a lot of good ideas but has not aged well. Stealth and swordplay have been done much better in more recent games, and the game does not perform well on newer machines. Worth a try if you have it, but I wouldn't recommend to buy it otherwise.

I steal from my wallet, to give to the poor! <-Ended.

9) The Walking Dead - Khuzo

Let me start off by saying the reason this review is late is because once I started playing this game, I had to keep playing until the end :) The Walking Dead is Telltale's newest point-&-click, and it sure is something special. You play the role of Lee Everett; thrust into the middle of the apocalypse after a near-fatal car crash. From there, the game gives you a nice level of control as you begin to explore your surroundings and figure out what to do next. Where it really starts to shine, however, is when the dialogue starts up. The characters are written like real people, and your responses feel like a real conversation. There is no paragon/renegade here, as you will face times where there is no "right" thing to say or do. Many of the dialogue and decision choices are timed as well, so you have to respond or act on-the-spot (like you would have to in a real emergency situation). I found it very immersive while playing, and is quite the feat for a point-&-click especially. The story itself is a roller coaster of emotions and really needs to be played to be discussed as different players will have different events unfold. If you are a fan of a great story, with awesome characters and some very well done point-&-click gameplay, you owe it to yourself to play this game!

GOTY 2012? <-Ended.

10) Darkness 2 - Destrado

The Darkness 2 is what I like to classify as a power-fantasy game. You will often find yourself wading into enemies, shooting and tearing your enemies to pieces all around you. Health and cover are not a huge issue as you can tear the hearts out of fallen/staggered foes for a health boost on the fly. The game also boasts what they call "quad-wielding"; allowing you to use your demon tendrils as an extra 2 hands. This lets you actively grab items and enemies, hold shields or use the tendrils as a close range whip; all while keeping your actual hands free to fire your guns. The combat is fast and furious and feels very satisfying. An interesting mechanic is the fact that your Darkness powers don't work in the light, and your enemies in the mid-late parts of the game know this. Enemies will come at you with shoulder mounted spotlights and employ flashbangs to try and slow you down. It keeps it interesting as the enemy with the light instantly becomes your priority regardless of the armored shotgunners 10 feet away from you. The story is engaging and fun, but is not too long. You play the head of a mafia family with powers known as "The Darkness" as your organization engages in all out war with an ancient dark cult intent on stealing your powers and killing anyone in their way. Definitely not a plot you come across often! Overall, I would recommend this game to anyone who thinks this sounds interesting as I had lots of fun with it!

KeEp AwAy FrOm ThE LiGhT! <-Ended.

11) VVVVVV - bobofatt

VVVVVV is, on the surface at least, simple in concept. You move like a standard platformer, but rather than be able to jump, you instead are able to flip gravity. What starts off as a simple concept very quickly becomes one of the most brutally hard platformers I can think of! I think the best way to describe VVVVVV is "Nintendo Hard". By this, I mean that the difficultly never feels forced or cheap, but rather 100% dependent on your skill level. Luckily, there is no set amount of lives, and the savepoints are placed in decent locations to allow you to trial and error your way past most of the deathtraps you will face. Death provides you with an instant respawn to get right back into retrying without being annoying. The game is setup as one big map, allowing to to explore in any direction as you seek out your 5 lost shipmates. The team is stranded in different areas of a giant space station, each with a unique level built around them. You can do the levels in any order you choose, or just explore around. If you are looking for a challenge, give it a go - but be warned; it's a tough one!

Howwwwww abouuuuuut a givvvvvvaway?

12) Bad Rats - MrBacon

Bad Rats is a masterpiece of gaming style and innovation; a true joy that every gamer owes to themselves to play! Only true geniuses would design a game that takes place on a 3D plane but can only be interacted with in 2D! Imagine how good Mario would have been if you could just slip off the front of a block and fall out of the play area! The game revolves around placing various rats of different skill or ability around an obstacle course in order to push a ball into a trap trigger. Doing this kills a cat in the most awkward and not-funny way possible :D The game is setup in a 2D side view (similar to a platformer) for you to plan your setup. your As mentioned earlier, certain impacts can cause the ball to roll backward or forwards, right off the 2D plane; which is... awesome. Add to that the fact that the physics are not consistent, so what may have worked one time may not work the same the next... you know what, it's just easier to show you!

13) Secret of the Magic Crystal - IgotElbows

14) Awesomenauts - GameDemonKing

15) Sleeping Dogs - quislor

16) Europa Universalis: Rome - Anyhoo

17) The Witcher - ultimatedraq

18) Darksiders - Crocross

19) Dungeons of Dredmor - Jamoke

20) Super Meat Boy - godprobe

21) Zeno Clash - Doobs

22) Worms Reloaded - Peroxide

23) Revelations 2012 - Jonex

24) Deus Ex: GOTY - Azone

25) Cave Story+ - godprobe

26) Batman: Arkham Asylum GOTY Edition - kabooom

27) Legend of Grimrock - halnco

28) Trine - Xacradin

29) Half Life: Opposing Force - PTG

30) Hector - RaikSidd

Alright! That's a full list :) Thanks everyone! I will try and keep this interesting by posting a quick "thoughts so far" at the end of each day. Possibly spice things up with some gifts along the way.

Let the adventure begin!