Indie Spotlight: Clark

Clark is a common name for human beings, but Clark, the game, developed by Golden Tricycle, is not a game about a human being, it is a game about a robot that likes solving puzzles; what I'm saying is, Clark is a dumb name for a game about a robot that likes solving puzzles; however, dumb name aside, the game, Clark, is actually quite good.

For whatever reason, I felt like turning on my Ouya and seeing if there was anything worth playing; the first game I played was an awful mobile port that made me almost immediately turn off my Ouya, leaving with no plans of returning for another month if not longer, but then I saw Clark. What stood out right away was Clark's visuals; the game looks good, with more color and variation than I would expect from a robot-themed game. And so, after being impressed by the screenshots, I downloaded the game and was surprised by what happened next.

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Indie Spotlight: Reaper — Tale of a Pale Swordsman

As a pale person, I can relate to Reaper — Tale of a Pale Swordsman, but, as someone who's mightiest sword is a butter knife, paleness is where the similarities end; however, now, thanks to the pale-filled Reaper, I can swing a sword like crazy, taking out blobs, knights, and enough bees to kill ten McCauley Caulkins in My Girl.

Reaper is a simple side-scrolling action-RPG with beautiful art that looks great on any device--Reaper is available on the Windows 8 app store, the Mac app store, iOS, Android, Windows Phone 8 and yes, even Ouya--and plays just as well. As with most action games, the touch controls are not the best, but they work surprisingly well thanks to an understanding that tapping and swiping is better than virtual d-pads and buttons; and, if you pick it up on PC, Mac, or Ouya, Reaper has controller support that works perfect in combat; though, using a controller to navigate menus is a bit funky and I don't recommend it.

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The Pixelated Sausage Podcast #064: Celebrating Tom Clancy

Today's episode is all about Tom Clancy games and how they have affected my personal gaming life; one franchise in particular really changed gaming for the better and you'll just have to listen to find out which one. I would love to hear your thoughts about Tom Clancy games as well, so, if you feel so inclined, leave a comment and let's have a little back and forth. Also, you should seriously check out Frontburnr, register for an account, and then enter this here giveaway for a free copy of Borderlands 2! Anyway, if you're feeling extra generous, donate a little money or subscribe to show your support for the site and show(s), it's not free to host the site, the show; to make and record videos, and everything in between. Thanks regardless.

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The Pixelated Sausage Podcast #063: Where We All Try to Play GTA Online

Today's episode is all about GTA Online and the absolute mess of a launch it has been so far; have you been able to get into the game? After about 5 or 6 hours, I found myself past the initial race and then...then...then I was just kind of bored, but I haven't played enough to fully judge. Also, you should seriously check out Frontburnr, register for an account, and then enter this here giveaway for a free copy of Borderlands 2! Anyway, if you're feeling extra generous, donate a little money or subscribe to show your support for the site and show(s), it's not free to host the site, the show; to make and record videos, and everything in between. Thanks regardless.

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The Pixelated Sausage Podcast #062: Tomba, Bigfoot, Puppies, Mummies, and Twitching, Oh My!

This is another one of those episodes where I asked y'all to tell me what to talk about and boy, y'all delivered with a whole bunch of nonsense. What did I talk about? Just look at the title and then think to yourself, "WHAAAAT?!" And, you should seriously check out Frontburnr, register for an account, and then enter this here giveaway for a free copy of Borderlands 2! Anyway, if you're feeling extra generous, donate a little money or subscribe to show your support for the site and show(s), it's not free to host the site, the show; to make and record videos, and everything in between. Thanks regardless.

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The Pixelated Sausage Podcast #061: The Episode Where I Talk About Ouya Games (And The End of Breaking Bad)

After owning an Ouya for months, I finally decided to talk about it and a few games I actually enjoyed playing on it--especially Clark, which you should vote for on Steam Greenlight. After that, I talk a bit about GTAV Online, the Parks and Recreation premiere and, finally, a spoiler-filled discussion about the end of Breaking Bad. And, you should seriously check out Frontburnr, register for an account, and then enter this here giveaway for a free copy of Borderlands 2! Anyway, if you're feeling extra generous, donate a little money or subscribe to show your support for the site and show(s), it's not free to host the site, the show; to make and record videos, and everything in between. Thanks regardless.

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AiRace Speed review: speeding is tons of fun, especially with no cops around

In some parts of life, finishing fast is a bad thing; however, in AiRace Speed, the faster you finish, the better. And who exactly are you racing against? No one; no one except the clock and the times of other players, and the clock can be cruel, penalizing every death with a few extra seconds each time that may mean the difference between a silver and gold star. It is all extremely simple, with only one mode and eighteen well-designed races full of secret paths and alternate routes, essential for those looking to reach the top of the leaderboards.

I am nowhere near the top of the leaderboards, but, despite dying plenty of times, I still had a lot of fun with AiRace Speed. The reason my many, many deaths never frustrated me is because AiRace Speed doesn't over-penalize death; sure, each death brings a few extra seconds to your final time, but, in order to receive a bronze star, all you have to do is finish the race, no need to finish it in a reasonable manner; if it somehow took you three hours to finish one race--insane, I know--you would still receive a bronze star, allowing you to move on to the next race (silver stars are needed later in the game)

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This is Not a Review: Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death

I received a review copy of Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death for Xbox LIVE Arcade, but, as the title states, this is not a review. Why? Because I ran into a game-ending bug that I can't get past without starting over from the very beginning, and even that doesn't guarantee I won't run into the same bug a second time. That said, I still want to write about my experience with the game pre-bug, and also warn people of said bug if they're thinking about buying Marlow Briggs, specifically on XBLA.

Marlow Briggs and his mask of death--a Voodoo-esque mask that brings Briggs back to life and makes fun of him throughout the game--wasn't on my radar (and probably wasn't on yours), so I had no expectations, which is why I was so surprised to find a quality action-adventure game inspired heavily by games like God of War; even the weapons, as they unlock, are reminiscent of God of War--the Forsaken Sting weapon is basically the Blade of Chaos (not a typo). The combat feels good and looks good, but, after an hour or so, it became repetitive, even as new enemies joined the fight. But the game is more than just combat, it's also got its fair share of platforming and quick-time-events.

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The Pixelated Sausage Podcast #060: Junk Jack X Watches Sega and Atlus Sitting in a Tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

Today's show is all over the place as I start with a little Junk Jack X discussion, move onto the now old Sega/Atlus news, and then attempt to remind everyone of a great game from early in the year: DmC: Devil May Cry. After all that, I rapidly lose my mind like I do in every single episode. Anyway, if you're feeling extra generous, donate a little money or subscribe to show your support for the site and show(s), it's not free to host the site, the show; to make and record videos, and everything in between. Thanks regardless.

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The Pixelated Sausage Podcast #059: On the Fairway with the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

I didn't have much to talk about today (or so I thought), so I started with a bit more Fairway Solitaire, reminiscing about the good ol' days, then fall down a well of batteries, before crawling out and talking about some TV--including the highly-anticipated Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Anyway, if you're feeling extra generous, donate a little money or subscribe to show your support for the site and show(s), it's not free to host the site, the show; to make and record videos, and everything in between. Thanks regardless.

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