The Dungeoning - PC/Mac

Over the last few weeks, I've been delighted to see Nick from Physmo release more screens from their forthcoming game titled The Dungeoning.

Physmo have a growing reputation for releasing quality games, with Mos Speedrun, GhostRacer and Seaglass already under their belt. The Dungeoning is looking splendid so far but when Nick told me this was a Roguelike platformer, I almost cried tears of pure ASCII joy.

The Dungeoning is currently deep in development for PC and Mac, and Physmo have announced the game will feature a variety of weapons, projectile-based magic, levelling up and - most importantly - permadeath.

No release date has been announced yet but The Dungeoning is definitely one to keep your eye on. In the meantime, gaze at this small selection of screens from the current build and head over to the official Physmo site for more information.

Chasm

When Shiren the Wanderer and Koppa took me on a journey to the Lair of the Golden Condor back in 2008, little did I know the lasting effect it would have. Since then, I've become a complete Roguelike nerd, geeking out at the mere mention of permadeath, procedurally generated dungeons and gold-plated +5 katanas. So, when I found out about Chasm - a Roguelike/platformer in early development from Discord Games - I couldn't help but sit up and take notice.

Taking its inspiration from classic Roguelikes and games such as Diablo and Castlevania, Chasm has its heart in the right place, while the crisp, pixelated visuals have already set my heart aflutter.

The plan is to release the game on Windows, Mac and Linux, with the possibility of a XBLIG release to follow. It's not going to be out in the wild anytime soon, but I plan on keeping my peepers on Chasm as it goes through development.

Visit the official Chasm site to check out the latest news about the game and you can show the game a little love over on Steam Greenlight.

Delver

I do love a good Roguelike and the latest to sink its claws into me and drag me off to a grisly death is Chad Cuddigan's Delver – a game which is currently in development for Windows, Mac, Linux and Android devices. Unlike the vast majority of Roguelikes - which are usually viewed from a top-down perspective - Delver is viewed in the first-person, which makes the simple task of rounding a corner a nerve-shredding experience.

The visuals in this spelunking excursion are excellent, with some nifty lighting effects used as you scuttle down corridors, while there are some cool weapons to snaffle, especially the wands which have a devastating effect on the subterranean denizens.

Chad has some big ideas for Delver and although he's constantly beavering away on making it even better, what is here already is really quite special.

For more, head on over to the official website where you can check its development, follow Chad on Twitter and vote the game up on Steam Greenlight.

The Humble Indie Bundle 3 - PC, Linux, Mac

Just a reminder that you only have six days left to take advantage of the latest Humble Indie Bundle offer.

Six full games are included in the pack: Crayon Physics Deluxe, Cogs, VVVVVV, And Yet It Moves, Hammerfight and Steel Storm. Plus, if you dive in, you'll get full free access to the brilliant Minecraft until August 14.

But the best things about the offer is that you pay what you want for the whole bundle, with money raised going to charity.

The pack works across Windows, Mac and Linux platforms and even if you have most of the games, it's still a great cause to support.

Pick up your Humble Indie Bundle HERE

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty - PC/Mac

Real-time strategy games are something of an acquired taste, but that hasn’t stopped hundreds of thousands of gamers going nuts for Blizzard’s StarCraft II.

The original title has long been hailed as a perfectly balanced example of the genre, while the game is still incredibly popular in South Korea.

There, multiplayer face-offs are televised, while thousands cram into arenas to watch the top professional players grind out epic matches for huge cash prizes. So the sequel has a job on its hands if it hopes to usurp its 12 year old sibling.

Thankfully, the team at Blizzard have dissected the original, tinkered with the game mechanics, overhauled the visuals, lengthened the story mode and integrated their Battle.net system for a near flawless multiplayer experience.

StarCraft II features three races: Terran; mech-suited humans with access to a hefty arsenal; Protoss, an alien species with telekinetic powers; and the Zerg, multi-limbed, fast-moving abominations.

Much like the original, the core gameplay revolves around gathering materials to construct buildings and units, before dispatching them in waves to conquer rivals or complete set objectives.

But much like a game of chess, there is an incredible amount of depth to StarCraft II. The sheer amount of units and tactics at the player’s disposal ensures that no two matches play out the same way.

The single-player campaign mode is perfectly pitched to cater for new players and rusty old veterans of the series. Taking the perspective from the Terran side – the Protoss and Zerg campaigns will be sold separately at a later date – you command Jim Raynor, a freedom fighter who is drawn ever deeper into an all-encompassing galactic war.

The missions are well-balanced, each sliver of action introducing the player to new units and combat tactics. Whether your defending a convoy of civilians, sneaking in to swipe an alien artifact, repelling Protoss forces to steal their precious gas supplies, or simply going gung-ho against the nippy Zerg, each chapter mixes up the objectives to keep the player on their toes.

The storyline might be a little on the weak side - complete with cheese-laden lines and gruff meathead marines - but the way the yarn has been presented is near flawless.

Between missions, players can interact with various locations on board Raynor’s ship, the Hyperion. Along with researching unit upgrades and hiring mercenaries, the player can play previously completed missions and talk to key members of the team – there’s even a tasty top-down space shooter to play in the corner of the cantina.

While this mode is polished entertainment, StarCraft II’s main draw is its multiplayer. A range of options and modes are open to the player. From delicately balanced one-one-one encounters, to four player skirmishes, hundreds of hours can be ploughed into the game.

While each of the three races is radically different, all are well balanced to ensure fair play across the board. Although you may stumble across a seemingly unbeatable strategy against a friend, you’ll find those same attacks thrown back in your face by another player. Mixing strategies up and having a few key plays up your sleeve always pays off.

Beginner maps are constructed to ease first-time players into the action, and although the online experience can be daunting, these are a blast to play. Be prepared to lose a lot, though, as StarCraft II is a game where practice makes perfect.

To get to grips with the multiplayer modes, Blizzard have included Challenge scenarios. These detail troop movements, hot-keys and basic strategies to get you on your way and should be played before jumping online.

Blizzard’s mantra of easy to learn, but difficult to master has been adhered to, making the game utterly addictive. I found whole evenings slipping away as I experimented with tactics and mixed up unit sets.

Multiplayer match-making plays a vital role, with Blizzard’s Battle.net service used to find your online mates and personalise your StarCraft experience. Scores of built-in achievement points can be displayed for the world to see, while 90 personal profile pictures can be unlocked by completing a range of varying objectives.

However, this range of customisation comes at a price. You have to be online to play StarCraft II, even if you only intend to play the single player campaign. While the majority of gamers will be already be online enabled, it’s a strange decision to make it a mandatory requirement.

However, for the multiplayer focus, Battle.net does a sterling job holding the various elements together. Finding friends is a piece of cake, while the transition into the skirmishes is smooth and hassle free.

Believe the hype. StarCraft II is one of the finest titles available on PC. Polished and bulging with enough content to last for years, it’s an absolute triumph.

Minecraft - PC, Mac, Linux

Regular readers will know I love Dwarf Fortress. Its free-form gameplay and insane levels of complexity make for a quite brilliant and absorbing game.

But there is a new obsession in my life - a game which takes elements from Dwarf Fortress, throws in a bit of Rogue and adds a generous glug of 3D Dot Game Heroes - and it’s called Minecraft.

You begin the game plonked in the middle of a vast randomly generated world and you are then completely free to do what you want. Every item in the world must be created from scratch, but you better be quick, because when night falls, the nasties come out to play.

You start by chopping down trees to get wood, which in turn can be used to make planks and tools. It’s vital to find coal as soon as possible which can then be combined with sticks to make torches. When night falls, evil zombies and other nocturnal creatures will keep well away from the bright lights.

A crafting bench, storage boxes and a furnace are next on the list, while combining sticks and stones makes more robust weapons and tools.

While exploring during daylight hours, animals can be farmed for food and skins - the latter are used to craft armour. But when the light gradually starts to disappear, you’ll want to get home quickly to avoid the prowling mobs.

Finding your way back to your base and closing the door on the inky blackness is always a welcome relief. And when you hear the zombies moaning outside your door, you’ll be glad you are safe and sound.

I’m currently in a great place, and the pictures here are all my own. Some of them show my fledgling mountainside home - complete with natural lava flow - while the others show a zombie burning in the morning sun, snow on the hills and the inside of a natural cave.

By mining deeper and deeper, you can find gold and diamond, which again are used to craft armour and robust weapons.

To make windows, you need to build a furnace, chop some wood, then add sand. As you can see, I've used glass around the entrance as well as using it to create the windows in the rock face.

The work I've done here took me the best part of four hours, but I'm quite pleased with the results. Long way to go, though.

The game is currently is alpha testing and it costs around £8 to buy. A free browser based version can be played, although it lacks many of the features of the paid-for version, while you can't save your progress.

New content is poured in every week and there are huge plans for the game as the months and years go by.

Over the past few weeks, snow, boats, cacti and cows have been added - so who knows what will appear later today.

For more info about the game, visit the official website. And if you want to dig even deeper into the game, the Minecraft Wiki is essential reading.

The Sims 3 - PC/Mac

Since The Sims franchise first rolled out in 2000, it has split gamers' opinions. Some hardcore players look down their noses at it due to its broad appeal and heavy emphasis on home decoration, job seeking and meal making, while others have fully embraced the series, delighting in watching their Sims find life-long happiness.

I have always been intrigued by the series, but never immersed myself fully, mainly due to the excessive amount of micro-management needed for even the simplest of tasks. Thankfully, The Sims 3 is a more streamlined take on the hugely popular virtual life simulator and is all the better for it.

Creating a Sim - or a family of Sims if you wish - you get to control the destiny of your creations, leading them through life and love, while helping them to achieve their personal goals before they eventually get old and die. However, if the thought of losing your favourites is too traumatic - and you can get strangely attached to your creations - you can halt the ageing process and have as much fun as you want.

Starting with a wide choice of clothes to wear - from snakeskin jackets to funky t-shirts - the player then chooses five personality traits to bestow upon your newly-created Sim. These govern how your Sim behaves in society. There are 62 traits to choose from, including clumsy, artistic, hopeless romantic, flirty, over-emotional and friendly. However, if you want to really mix things up around town, you can create an insane, anti-social kleptomaniac - the choice is completely up to you.

One major change this time around is there is now a whole neighbourhood for your Sims to explore. To add a sense of community, computer controlled citizens go about their daily routines from dawn till dusk.

This is a huge step up from previous games, where the gameworld tended to feel a little claustrophobic. The whole town buzzes with life and wandering around, knocking on doors and chatting to locals is always fun and an essential element to character progression. Depending on how you get on with others, new chat options open up, which adds to the almost limitless social options.

Initially, The Sims 3 can be incredibly overwhelming. There is so much to see and do that my advice is just to play, have fun and learn from your mistakes.

Throughout the course of your Sims life, you'll forge friendships, fall in love, get married, have kids, go fishing, take guitar lessons, read the daily paper, attend cooking classes, make meals, get a job, get promoted, get fired, pay bills, chill out in front of the TV, play videogames, throw parties, read books, plant seeds, water plants, clean the house, take showers, play chess, study paintings, take part in hot dog eating competitions and party until dawn - and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

As the days go by, you'll discover Moodlets. Fulfilling these boosts your Sim's mood and can range from phoning in pizza to buying a laptop. Keeping on top of these is no easy task, and can be expensive, but seeing your Sim happy is always reward enough.

Aside from the fabulous open world for your Sim to explore, the frustrating micro management which soured my enjoyment of the first two games has all but gone. Sure, you still have to make sure your Sim can cook, clean, wash and tidy up, but the fact your Sim doesn't need to use the bathroom every 10 minutes is a real bonus.

While not painting the town red at weekends, the player can buy new items for their Sims. From kitchen appliances and lawn ornaments, to new sofas, cars and flat-screen TVs, there are scores of tempting objects to buy. Of course, to pay for all the latest house-hold gadgets you'll need to find a job, while the bills still have to be paid and the weekly shopping bought.

Aside from the main game, The Sims 3 is lovingly looked after by a vibrant and friendly community. Via the game's website, players can share pictures, video clips, create new patterns, objects, houses and items to share with other players.

Many people play The Sims for this reason alone, while others never bother with this side of things. And that is the beauty of The Sims 3. You can be as involved or as hands off as you like.

The website also has an online store, where you can use real money to buy in-game items. When you register your copy of the game, the team at EA give you 1000 free SimPoints to spend - my first purchase was a lovely PlasmaTron TV for 100 points.

There is no real storyline in The Sims 3, but why would you need one? It's like having your own soap opera in your PC, with every day bringing new and exciting stories to share.

It's not all perfect, though. While your Sim is at work, you never see what they are up to, and although there are many buildings scattered around town, you are only able to properly explore the interiors of a few. I'm sure the future gaggle of expansions will remedy these niggles, but it's a disappointment nonetheless.

The Sims 3 is one of those magical experiences that every gamer should investigate further. It sold 1.4million copies in its first week, so why not join the party and see what The Sims 3 has to offer? Just be warned, when everything clicks into place, it's one of the most addictive games you'll ever play.