From acclaimed independent developer Jonathan Blow, “Braid” is an artful puzzle-platformer where challenging, yet accessible puzzles are solved by manipulating time. From your house in the city, journey to a series of worlds solving puzzles that will help you rescue an abducted princess. Time behaves differently in each world, and every puzzle shows you something different about the world. The time behaviors include rewinding, independent time streams, time that is tied to space, parallel realities, time dilation, and perhaps more.
When the “Summer of Arcade” was first announced for the Xbox 360, the only game I scoffed at was Braid, an unknown platformer being developed by an unknown developer. After watching some footage I became interested in the game’s unique take on the genre, and when it was released I decided to take the decidedly deep plunge and buy the $15 Xbox Live Arcade game. As debates roared on questioning the downloadable price point, I began working my way through the game. Now, it has worked its way over to the PlayStation Network, bringing the strange platformer to Sony's system.
Braid is a game without a real plot, instead relying on a series of morals and themes to push the player further. Each world is preceded by a series of books, telling the story about the protagonist as he searches for a princess, kidnapped by an evil monster. Each of these books uncovers a little more of the story, slowly unraveling the game’s true brilliance. Memories, regrets, childhood, and maturity are all brought to the forefront, and while the game uses these themes to explain and justify the story of Braid, their actual intent is to make you think about your own life.
Meet Giblet, Blaze, Stench, and Zap – an elite Minion crew who, assisted by minion master Gnarl, get star billing in Overlord Minions, an irresistible and accessible puzzle action game, designed exclusively for Nintendo DS. In Overlord Minions, the Overlord commands the Minion team remotely. The Nintendo DS stylus becomes an extension of his evil will and every precise touch screen command is the player-as-Overlord directing, commanding and combining minions in battle, pointing and sweeping them to attack enemies and solving puzzles to execute his dastardly plans.
Controlling the Special Farces team of four, players negotiate fiendish levels and take on a huge range of warped enemies to hunt down the Kindred, a cult dedicated to resurrecting the mighty Dragon Kin, a race of humanoid dragon hybrids, determined to replace the Overlord’s despotism with their own. Extending the Overlord series’ trademark humour, gameplay focuses on the mischievous physical comedy of the minion’s antics and is delivered in a gloriously realised cartoon visual style.
• Exclusive Overlord Adventure for Nintendo DS: Use the DS Stylus to command and combine your minions in battle and direct them to solve puzzles. Overlord Minions 100% touchscreen control system makes for intuitive, rewarding and accessible gameplay as you direct the mischievously malevolent minions through an unforgettable fantasy world.
• Control An Elite Minion Fighting Force: Command a crack squad of minions who’ll take on every order with a devilish smile on their face. Whether they’re going into battle, combining to perform increasingly powerful attacks or solving puzzles, their on-going banter and playful-yet-ferociously-violent nature perfectly compliments the unfolding carnage.
• Meet the Elite: Direct four of the most mischievous, malevolent and manic minions hand-picked for this new adventure. Control each minion individually or team them up to solve puzzles and perform more powerful attacks.
o Giblet is a brown minion and the main fighter, brave, willing, and a little dumb.
o Blaze is a pyromaniac red minion who throws fireballs as a powerful range attack.
o Stench is a smelly green minion who overpowers enemies with his fart dart amongst other obnoxious attacks.
o Zap is a blue minion and the mystic shaman of the unit. He channels magic through this body and can heal the other minions, should they be injured.
o Plus: Gnarl, Minion master and devoted servant of the Overlord, is on hand with information, tactical advice and a healthy hatred of elves.
• A new adventure in the twisted fantasy world of the Overlord: In this new story from award-winning games writer Rhianna Pratchett, the Minions must prevent Silas, head of a new Cult, resurrecting an almighty Dragon and threatening the Overlord’s totalitarianism. Prepare to battle a huge range of new enemies from infected sheep, goats, spiders, paladins, infected dwarves, mutated trolls, scorpions, winged elves and many more to take on.
• Playing for laughs: Overlord Minions extends the Overlord series’ trademark humour and plays on the mischievous physical comedy of the minion’s antics.
Mercury Meltdown Remix lets you take control of the little Mercury 'blob' from the original Mercury Meltdown. Players must avoid various obstacles and hazards to reach the end goal. The Mercury blob itself has now been given an overhaul and has 4 varying states: Normal, Solid, Fast and Slow. These states allow for larger more complex levels, which in turn mean a greater challenge and more enjoyment to be had for the player. Fairer Game progression Super Fast load times Tutorial Mode Downloadable content Game Share 5 New Mini-Games - Stretch your brain with Metrix! Aim for the target with Shove! Beat your rivals in Space! Use tactics and strategy in Paint! Test your balance in Rodeo! Mercury Meltdown Remix for the PS2 brings an amazing amount of control to the camera and blob by use of both analog sticks on the dualshock controller. The control is unbelievably intuitive allowing for full concentration on the mind-tingling levels themselves.
Planet Puzzle League features different-colored blocks on the playing field, and a two-block cursor that is controlled by the player. The player puts the cursor on blocks and drags left or right with the stylus to swap their positions. When three or more of the same-colored blocks line up, they disappear. Skilled players can use this to match multiple tiles without a break, creating combos and chains for bonus points. If the stack reaches the top of the screen, players have a few seconds before the game ends.
In Dreamcatcher's Riddle of the Sphinx: An Egyptian Adventure, you take on the role of the closest friend of famed archeologist Sir Gil Blythe Geoffreys, a talented academician both at home and in the field. After discovering a secret chamber that has been hidden for centuries, Geoffreys finds an ancient scroll that he believes will help translate and solve the ancient Mystery of the Sphinx. Eager to discover the secrets, he breaks the seal and, after deciphering the contents, realizes he has unwittingly unleashed a terrible curse.
Nervous Brickdown allows players to revisit old school roots with a twist to the classic breakout game. Revamped, restyled and stepping into the next generation of handheld gaming, Nervous Brickdown refreshes the player’s skills in paddle and ball gameplay while introducing new gameplay elements across 135 levels, like controlling spaceships to blast away bricks or even drawing a custom paddle.