[General Discussion] Amateur games

Games that aren't really made by studios, like Cave Story and so on. Got any good recommendations?

Aside from Cave Story, I've played Zeux's World (Mario-alike, fun but the controls take getting used to), Knytt and Within a Deep Forest. The former is great if you just want to dick around for an hour and not worry about dying, but the latter is frustratingly difficult. Not at first, but the curve ratchets up pretty steep about halfway through the game. Also, it doesn't let you pause. F that.

Oh right, I've also played DROD, which was fun enough that I paid for the full version, but I'm not fond of most of the fan-made levels. It's a puzzle game, and if you're hot for next to impossible puzzles then you will love the fan-made levels.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

well I guess N-game fits this type, and basically anything made by these guys. N-game is a really fun platformer game with a really outstanding engine physics for such a simple game, consists in just unlocking a door through a switch passing several obstacles and then go through said door, simple but good.

http://www.harveycartel.org/metanet/news.html

Most amazing jew boots

Technically, dojinsoft are also included in "amateur" games.

Spiderweb Software is one of the most infamous amateur RPG companies.

There's lots of amateur games, if you were to ask for a genre I could name some. So hurry it up, tardass.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Reznor

Technically, dojinsoft are also included in "amateur" games.

Well alright then.

Hitogata Happa (ヒトガタハッパ, which translates to "person-shaped leaves") is one of my most played PC games. You think touhou is good? Think again, you can download the demo here and there's a guide here if you're interested in getting involved deeper with the game.







I can provide a full download link if people are interested, just PM me. I tried to import this game but no doujin sites are stocking it anymore, so I think it's okay to say downloading the full version wouldn't be immoral.

In order to bomb, you need to crash into enemies when your Flow gauge is at maximum. Otherwise, you have a main attack and a special attack - using the special attack will reduce the flow and is dependant on your Mana amount.

This isn't a game where you can clear it on a single life. Some bosses need to be bombed, which consumes a life. Or I should say "doll". When you've completed a level you get the choice to choose dolls and spend the gems you've collected from the previous stage.

You can't bomb bosses or mini-bosses when they have a barrier (it's this ring shaped thing), but once that breaks you're free to destroy them as much as possible.

For the first boss: Stay at the very bottom of the screen when the warning signs appear. Crash into the right or left arm when they're not moving, but make sure your Flow gauge is at maximum. Do that twice and you should break the barrier, use Leaf's special attack to slow down the bullet rate when your Flow gauge is at maximum again. After bombing while the barrier is broken, it should only take about 20 seconds of shooting before it's dead.

If anyone tries this game, please let me know, some feedback would be nice.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Seiklus is great if you just want to dick around for an hour and not worry about dying.

http://www.autofish.net/clysm/art/video_games/seiklus/

I was speaking idiomatically.

Oh god, elixir. Is that game one of those perfect cherry blossom shooters where basically you're insane?

Reznor: Platformers scratch my itch.

How ya doing, buddy?

Nah, but it is a bullet hell shooter.

PCB is from the touhou series, and well, PCB is actually pretty easy compared to some of the other stuff out there. Hitogata's one of my favourite games due to it's unique soundtrack, style, different dolls you can use.. the only thing I dislike about it is often times bosses need to be killed a certain way.

There's also Visionary Wings.



I really like the characters in this:










The game is rather simple. Your main attack focuses in on a linear shot if held down for a long time, tapping shot gives you a ranged attack. There's also a bomb button, and a sword button. The sword button HAS to be used because some of the boss bullet patterns are just ridiculous.

Demo here.

FELIPE NO

If doujin games are fine, you might as well check out http://www.simulationstyle.com since there is a crazy selection of non-studio produced games. Before you dismiss them as crappy fan-made games check out some of the better titles first. The amount of work that goes into some of them will fool you into thinking they're professionally made. That said, check out elaborate titles like Blood Over, Guardian Heroines Final, Akatsuki BK, and the Warioware clone (title of which eludes me right now).

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

If you're into point and click adventures I reccommend this horror-quadrilogy

http://www.fullyramblomatic.com/games.htm

5 days a stranger, 7 days a skeptic, Trilby's Notes and 6 days a Sacrafice (in that order) I enjoyed the story in these games and some moments are genuinely creepy

How ya doing, buddy?

Well, lurker,

I know Reflexive has a bunch of amateur games.

www.Reflexive.com

I'm TOTALLY in love with Crimsonland and have been for ages.
I have a launcher for them so I don't have to pay. It's kind of illegal, but I know GFF doesn't go for that stuff, so let me just post a funky picture!



SEE NOTHING ILLEGAL.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

The Independent Game Source features plenty of amateur/doujin titles, many of them freeware.

How ya doing, buddy?

even though Elixir beat me to it, if you like shmups, you may like "Chalk." It's free, and it's small, and it's an indie-game. Meaning that again, it's not professionally made, but it's innovative and it's interesting.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Just played through chalk and have to say it's pretty fantastic. Just wish the final level had added a little more variety and maybe give you a bit less life since I managed to finish the game with three lives in reserve. =/

I was speaking idiomatically.

Here's a few I've enjoyed quite a bit.

Apprentice and Apprentice II: The Knight's Move



A couple of AGS adventure games that are really good per AGS standards, featuring some beautiful graphics and music. You guide a character called Mortimer Pibsworth on his path to wizard-hood... by going on errands and doing a bunch of meaningless tasks for your mentor? Fun game with a nice story that continues in its sequel. And the voice acting is pretty good.



Eternal Daughter



A Metroidvania kind of game. Cute pixel graphics, fun gameplay, and secrets abound.



Guardian of Paradise



Cool action-RPG. The puzzles were quite reminiscent to the ones found in Beyond Oasis/Story of Thor, where you have to use different elementlal spirits to open doors/break boulders/get past stuff.



La-Mulana



I had to include this beauty, or my list would be amiss. A very neat platformer/exploration game, that shares a lot of similarities with an MSX game called The Maze of Galious. You are archaeologist Lemeza Kosugi and you have to explore the ruins of La-Mulana, in hopes of finding its lost treasure. And also your father, who had a headstart and has begun exploring the ruins ahead of you. You find tons of items in each of the different areas, some their use aren't apparent at first (like in MoG). To add to the fun, Lemeza carries a handy MSX laptop, which can be used in a variety of ways. You can also find a lot of ROMs for the MSX, and combining them can yield some useful effects. You can even play an extra game, or two. Play (or endure, more likely) La-Mulana only if you want a real challenge, as some of the puzzles and traps contained therein can be quite frustating/ridiculous. In a cool, retro kind of way.



Lyle in Cube Sector



Another fun Metroidvania kind of thing. Actually, the game's look and feel just screams Metroid. Guide Lyle through the Cube Sector and rescue his cat, which has been "stolened", as the story goes. You attack enemies by making & throwing cubes at them. You could also use cubes to jump higher, get to unreachable ledges, and even fly. This cube-making system was quite cool, and becomes intuitive once you get the hang of it. The chip music isn't orginal, but it was nice. I especially liked the track at the very beginning of the game. Another area had a Modern Talking song.



No-Action Jackson



Another quality, quality AGS game. Play this now if you're a fan of The Day of the Tentacle.



rRootage



A very nice shmup that has you battling a wave of boss battleships. The are four different modes of play; in one mode, you could change the color of your ship to absorb same-colored bullets and deflect them back at the boss. In another, you could graze bullets to fill up a bar which grants you temporary invincibilty. The game features some cool vector graphics, and the music's pretty good, too. It's an improvement over Noiz2sa, another game from Kenta Cho (the games' developer) which I've also liked. Also check out more of his shmups, like TUMIKI Fighters and Torus Trooper.



Warning Forever



Another shmup boss-fest, similar to rRootage, but this one has a timer, so you have to work fast and blast the boss ships faster. Each boss you defeat adds seconds to the timer, and another pops right in with more destructible appendages, guns, lasers, etc. Pretty fun stuff.



Zep's Dreamland



You have to help this Zep guy get to the exit by building all kinds of blocks to navigate through the different terrains and obstacles (lke building restriction block that prevent you from building certain blocks) throughout the levels. Good puzzler. Pretty easy to boot, and only 40 levels-long.

Originally Posted by Elixir

Fucking Zionist propaganda.

FELIPE NO

Torus Trooper

One of my favourite doujinsoft games. Check it out, it's free, it's like 6MB, what do you HONESTLY have to lose?


Reflexive Arcade Games:

Reflexive Arcade has a shitload of games that are excellent time killers. I LOVE these games.
PS: If you're smart, you'd know what to do with that signature of mine.

Crimsonland

Honestly one of my favourite amateur/independant games ever made. I don't even know to begin to describe this. Download this at least, and try it out.

Evil Invasion

This one is like a cross between Crimsonland and Diablo. Check it out. I recommend it.

Alien Shooter

Another amazing game that is available via Reflexive. Other sites have given this game praise, so I don't need to talk much about.

Mexican Motor Mafia

A game that is part GTA and part comic book. EXCELLENT soundtrack, excellent graphics, just a relatively short game. All in all, it's worth it.

Jets N Guns GOLD

One of my favourite American shoot 'em up games. Honestly this game deserves so much more praise. Excellent soundtrack too.

Devistation Zone Troopers

An action game, quite fun, quite easy as well. All in all, what do you have to lose?

Tradewinds II

A really fun game, where you get to be a PYRAT! I much prefer this to the first.

Cute Knight

Essentially an American version of Princess Maker with a few added things. I'd suggest it if you're a fan of this genre.

Democracy

An excellent game where you get to control a country. It's rather difficult at times since you have to make everyone happy. Pretty excellent and pretty realisitic. I always get lynched by the religious zealots even though I create a Utopian country. Every decision you make pisses someone off. Just like real politics. Someone get Brady this game. >_>
If you've ever played Capitalism... This is basically Capitalism with politics instead of economics.

And the best Political Simulator ever made. So much replay value.

The Dark Legions

Essentially a Warcraft clone made by one dude. Don't expect much and you'll have fun.

Risk II

Who DOESN'T know what this is? Recommended.

Fast Crawl

Haven't played this one all the way through, but it seems to be pretty good.

Fairies

Yeah, yeah. I know, how queer. But all in all, beautiful graphics and effects. Excellent soundtrack as well. Hard to boot. I love this one.




I think I've given enough games for now. If you guys need any more, I'll be back.

Also, a lot of the games on Reflexive are generic bullshit puzzle games or card games, but some of them are really well done like Fairies. If you wade through the bullshit, you can find some excellent stuff.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Draconis

Zep's Dreamland

Oh man, Zep's Dreamland! Thought I was the only person who'd heard of this. Good game. Kind of like a strictly puzzle-oriented Solomon's Key, and exceptionally similar to the old shareware game Stardust. If you like Zep, check that one out too.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I did. Plays very similarly to Zep's Dreamland, and seems harder. It also has this Lode Runner element, where you can dig through floors and stuff. Pretty cool, thanks!

I also went through Zep's tutorial to learn the basics again, and noticed that my description of the game was pretty messed up, as I haven't touched it in a long time. So, that's fixed.

Some of the games posted here and just plain awesome. I've been playing Deep Within a Forest all day and getting all those adventure-games now. They look like LucarArts just came back and made some 2D games.

How ya doing, buddy?

awesome, guys, I'm definitely checking some of these out over the weekend. =D

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

There was another game called Dink Smallwood (amazing that I basically remembered the name of the game even though I haven't touched it for years).

Here is a link:

http://www.free-games-net.com/games/dinksmall.shtml
http://www.rtsoft.com/dink/

Basically a zeldaish game, if I remember it correctly.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I played about the first few missions of Battle Moon Wars (a lot more after 2nd act came out, the icon system works so more well for non jp types) So if you can find the approperate venue to get your hands on it sure.

I meen Magical Girl Arc blindsided me when she did show up.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by ^-^

even though Elixir beat me to it, if you like shmups, you may like "Chalk." It's free, and it's small, and it's an indie-game. Meaning that again, it's not professionally made, but it's innovative and it's interesting.

That's a pretty awesome game, actually. Unique and really fun.

Also, Notrium and Magebane 2 are pretty good games.

Notrium is basically a survival game. You've crash-landed on some planet and you have to survive. Creatures abound, night-time is cold (you need to build fires), etc. I've not played it a lot due to the fact that, well... I haven't got the hang of it yet.

Magebane 2 is slightly more conventional. It's an RPG with some strategy elements, since you control 3 monks as opposed to just one hero. Has its funny moments too. I played it quite a bit, but didn't manage to finish it. Might try to do so sometime soon.

There are a couple more games on the developer's site, but I haven't played them yet so I can't say anything about them.

FELIPE NO

If you guys are into puzzle games, PopCap Games makes some really fun ones with my favorite being Chuzzle. I actually have a boatload of PopCap's games here in the computer somewhere and I'll be glad to toss them up onto Sendspace if anyone wants them.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I just downloaded and played this shmup game called Clean Asia!, which seems pretty fucking awesome awesome. It's a boss-fest shmup with some nifty gameplay mechanics in regards to the two ships. The soundtrack's pretty ace, and the game's graphics and presentation are quite good. Slightly off-kilter too, perhaps.

The only problem is that I suck at it. Totally.

There are more games on the page, but I've only downloaded (and played) Clean Asia, since it's the only one my friend recommended to me. He probably hasn't played any of the others either.

How ya doing, buddy?