Some games push the envelope in graphics, gameplay, and storytelling, redefining genres and creating new experiences. Ubermosh Vol. 3 is not one of those games. It’s simply a fun arcade-style game that’s addictive and is good for killing a little bit of time. As a female cyber-demon-samurai-type thingy, you last as long as possible against unending waves of enemies. You can use your sword to cut bullets and pick up various guns that help blow them apart. Vol. 3 is actually the third revision of this game, and currently it is the most refined. The game is available for only $2 on Steam, and it goes on sale all the time. If you’re a fan of old school arcade-style action, check it out.

Created by designer Sam Barlowe (Silent Hill Origins, Silent Hill Shattered Memories), indie game Her Story is a throwback to Sega CD FMV games of the 90s. However, it has more in common with games like Gone Home and Hate Plus in the way that you are given the narrative in pieces and have to rely on your critical thinking skills to put together the details. You are given the task to revisit a 1994 murder case, and you have to piece together the details by examining a database of videos stored on an old computer. The videos are consist of a series of interviews with a woman suspected of killing her husband. You have to dig through the database by using keywords. When you find results, you will only be able to access 5 at a time even though the results might have bought back more. Therein you have to examine the videos in order to find additional keywords in order to filter through the videos. As you keep looking at the video footage, it becomes clear that there is more going on with this woman than just the murder. While there is a completion message and a credit sequence at some point, there is no real ending to this game (even if you unlock all the videos), and the plot is open to your interpretation. Like other games of its type, it obviously isn’t going to appeal to everyone. However, if you love a good story, Her Story is a good way to spend $4.99.

The product of a kickstarter which raised a little over $50,000, Hunniepop obviously isn’t for all audiences, nor is it meant to be. Clearly if you’re buying it, you know what you’re getting into. I personally don’t believe in any kind of censorship as all consumers should be able to decide for themselves whether or not games like this are appropriate for them or not, so I’m glad this game was made available. If one is willing to look past the ‘fanservice’, they’ll find an engaging puzzle game disguised as a dating sim/visual novel. Of course I admit that the eye candy doesn’t hurt either.
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When you think of the term “Cat Lady” you usually think of a crazy elderly woman with a bunch of cats everywhere who will soon be the subject of the television show Hoarders. However the title of this $20GOTW refers to Susan Ashworth, a 40-year old woman who lives alone in a flat in England. Her only friends are the cats who arrive when she plays her piano. Susan is depressed to the point where she decides to take her own life. However, it doesn’t exactly go as planned. Susan winds up in a strange place where she meets the Queen of Maggots. Susan is then tasked to find and kill 5 serial killers, known as ‘Parasites’, returned to the land of the living, and is made immortal. If Susan can do this, she is promised to be given something that will give her the will to keep living. Of course seeing as how she can’t die, she doesn’t have much of a choice.
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Created by Indie developers Endless Fluff games, Valdis Story is the type of game that would have been a best seller if it had been released on the Playstation, or even the Super Nintendo. Valdis Story’s graphics and sound are a work of art, the story is intriguing, and the Castlevania: Symphony of The Night style gameplay isn’t bad either. Valdis Story began in 2007 as a free game on the developer’s website. The game was given a kickstarter for a full scale release, and the kickstarter was successful, with the game even being greenlighted for Steam this past October. In fact, you might have picked it up for cheap during one of those Steam sales.
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10000000 is a mash up of match-3 puzzle gameplay and dungeon crawling. It doesn’t look like much, but it’s very addictive and it’s a perfect time killer for mobile devices. Your goal is to escape from a dungeon by scoring 10000000 points – however it all has to be done in one session. Each time you are defeated, you are sent back to your room. However, you can use the wood, gold, and stone gathered during each run to upgrade shops, unlock new features, and gain new abilities which will make it easier and easier to make it through the game. Although there isn’t much to do after gaining the 10000000, it’s still a fun and simple game that’s best suited for mobile devices.

A Valley Without Wind is an independently developed action game. If you buy it, you get it’s sequel for free, which is a good thing since the first game was a bit too experimental for its own good. It’s platforming action is a mix of RPG and exploration game mechanics, and the worlds you travel are randomly generated, so the game experience is different each time you play. The second game has more of a plot, along with turn-based strategy and deeper RPG customization features. While the first one was repetitive and the second one is a bit unforgiving, this two pack of games is a good value with an interesting premise and a classic old-school feel.

Pro Wrestling X is little more than a playable concept. However, it represents the culmination of a decade-long dream. Several years ago, members of a wrestling gaming forum were lamenting over the state of wrestling games at the time while longing for the glory days of Nintendo 64 classics like No Mercy. A troll remarked the usual ‘if you think you can do better, make your own game!’ line. A group of people soon calling themselves Wrestling Gamers United took him up on his challenge, and thus Pro Wrestling X was born. Built from the ground up (as the programmers had zero programming knowledge), PWX Uprising is a playable proof of concept which aims to bring back the glory days of the Aki-developed classics. There isn’t much to it, you pick one of 8 wrestlers and you can battle it out in 1 or 2 player matches. However, the game’s files are modable, and already fans have changed textures to give the game a new look. You can purchase it with a $5 donation, and you can get even more extras with a higher donation. While the animations and controls are a bit on the stiff side (this was in development for years), it shows the progress of dedicated fan labor and hard work. When the completed game is released, it will be even better. Learn more about the game at http://uprising.prowrestlingx.com/