Mike Hommel: 5

Blah indeed. It's a match-3 with a new set of rules that is a very boring set of rules.

Seth Robinson: 7

It's amazing how many bells, whistles, and layers of adornment you can put around a simple object matching mechanic. I spent most of the time watching cut scenes. Greek developers Total Eclipse have covered the bases in casual-land well; great art and music, online high scores, detailed tutorial for an easy learning curve, hot theme (?) (pirates), and family friendly heroine. Oh, the actual gameplay? Sorry, out of space.

Brian Clair: 7

Bounty takes the tried and true gameplay of “match-3� and slants it just enough to be different. Couple this with high production values plus what amounts to an edutainment focus, and you have a nice game for kids to play. I wasn’t really able to get into Bounty myself, mainly because of the above, so prospective buyers should check out the demo first to see if this game is their cup of tea.

Russ Carroll: 7

The graphics and theme are very fun and cartoon-y almost Disney-esque. The game play is a little different than most match 3 games, making it feel original. However, as you move on through the game I became disillusioned due to the difficulty of the game and the occasional issues with the game responding poorly to my clicks. The comics and cut-scenes actually seemed a detraction from the better looking in-game animations. Good, but just felt like it was missing something from being great.

Mike Hommel: 6

A good solid game of tennis. Well, solid except the major technical snafus that resulted in a crash every time I tried to play a match in fullscreen and made the auto-updater lock up every time I tried to let it update. But in terms of gameplay, solid. However, I found it so boring, I couldn't even bring myself to complete one entire set of games. I believe that has to do with my own issues regarding simulated tennis rather than how well this game simulates it. That is to say: it's as boring as watching tennis on TV. You like watching TV tennis? Enjoy!

Seth Robinson: 7

This is an updated version of Dream Match Tennis, a game we rounded up a year ago. So what's changed? Well, it now supports doubles action with up to four human players, a tutorial that reduces the learning curve of the swinging system, fairly lag free online play, and the price has been upped to the ubiquitous $19.95. It's good. I wish it had a bit more personality or metagame in single player though.

Russ Carroll: 7

The latest in the Dream Match series, this one notably adds a world tour with rankings as you work your way up to being the highest rated player in the world. Unfortunately the game is just too difficult. Even on the easiest setting of the seven modes (baby mode) I found myself frustrated. Not really because of the opponents, but due to the very touchy shot control. Players move their character and also control shot placement with the same joystick, and I found it to be very difficult to place shots where I wanted to even after working through the tutorial and several tournaments (winning only one). Using the extremes of your analog stick will invariably put shots out of bounds requiring a light touch for beginners to keep the ball in-bounds. Simplifying the game a good bit with more advanced features for hard core fans would have won me over on this one (notably I'm a huge fan of Virtua Tennis and unfairly compare all tennis games to it).

Mike Hommel: 7

At first I declared it too hard and harrumphed. Then I played again, and a couple more times. No, I still never met even the first boss, but I enjoyed the gameplay. What don't I like? Too punishing. Not that it's hard - which it truly truly is - but that it's too vicious. I got past ten levels only to be sent back to do them again because I hadn't gotten enough fuel. I got enough fuel only to die immediately after and need to repeat them all yet again. The power-ups are extremely weak and short-lived, making this game nasty, brutish, and short, much like life.

Seth Robinson: 6

In this game Steve Verreault crushes your will to live by creating the most ridiculously hard Asteroid-style game in the world. No, the universe. I'd have a better chance of beating Gravitar with my feet than destroying the third boss without cheating in this masochistic testament to pain. It's nice how unique bosses and rock types are continually introduced; although tragic few mortal eyes will ever see them. Unapologetically designed to be difficult.

Russ Carroll: 6

Fragmentor is a visually interesting mix of retro vector graphics with new styled effects. This new iteration of the popular Asteroids theme has nice backgrounds, unique asteroids that require a specific approach, and an actual reason to move from your stationary spot in the middle of the screen (to collect the hyperfuel so you can jump to hyperspace - i.e. the next sector). It carries over everything that made me dislike Asteroids, especially the too-real physics. I understand inertia, but I prefer not having to work like mad to get my ship to not crash into asteroids because the ship is nearly impossible to move. Inertia may make for more life-like physics, but that doesn't make the game more fun.

Mike Hommel: 5

A point below average, because cloning Collapse exactly was average about 5 years ago. Nice polish, yadda yadda. (Okay, I'm not sure it's Collapse, as I'm not up on my match-3s, but there's some very old-school match-3 rule set that this is identical to.)

Seth Robinson: 8

A shiny color popper with a Japanese theme. Includes all the trimmings you've come to expect: multiple game modes, high production values, smoothly integrated online scoring. The only thing missing is where to go for help once you get addicted to mindless gaming crack like this. Flawlessly executed. Even with "sigh, more of the same, only slightly evolved" points deducted, it scores well.

Brian Clair: 6

Magic Lanterns is a matching game with a Japanese flair, which is really its primary distinguishing point. I found the highlight of Magic Lanterns to be its descriptions of Japanese culture and festivals, so take that for what you will. The gameplay itself is pretty straightforward: click on lanterns of the same color as their adjacent neighbors. The problem is that Magic Lanterns really doesn’t tread any new ground here, so I can only recommend this game for those unfamiliar with the genre.

Russ Carroll: 6

So Magic Lanterns has a kinda cool Japanese theme, with a really great in-game feature to let you download new levels without ever having to visit a web page. Unfortunately the game didn't do much for me. It's a play on the Collapse theme, somewhat along the line of Glyph, but not really as fun and well-done as that game. A relaxing game, but not a compelling one despite a very compelling feature.

Mike Hommel: 8

I just have a nice positive feeling about this game. It's unique, engrossing, and ultimately pointless. Nice. It's a lot like playing a board game, albeit single player, and it's just a nice way to while away some time if you wish to. The strategy seems highly simplistic - just keep getting stronger until you win! But when you're not playing on easy, it's not easy. It's not the most wondrous game I've ever seen, but it keeps me playing.

Seth Robinson: 7

E&D has you clicking around a game board in an effort to collect things to strengthen your army. For those not familiar with this style of strategy game, things happen with text and static pictures rather than arcade action. A neat element is the ability to explore tiny random dungeons that pop up. The rats and scorpions sound eerily like dying cows. Despite the dungeon crawls being a bit monotonous and losing all my cash in a huge bug, this is nifty enough to recommend.

Brian Clair: 8

When you first load Empires & Dungeons the first thing that will catch your attention is the incredible opening soundtrack. It’s better than what’s heard in many retail-level titles, and that’s saying something. Unfortunately there’s not much background music past this point (at least not to the same level), but luckily there’s lots more on tap to hold your attention. Everything from the graphical presentation to the gameplay is well done, with the only major downsides being that Empires & Dungeons tends to feel repetitive due to lots of mouse clicking on the same buttons and overused descriptions in the dungeons. Don’t let these issues stop you from giving Empires & Dungeons a try, however. It’s an addictive game that’s harder than it first seems once you open up the higher difficulty levels.

Russ Carroll: 7

Well, it's not Smugglers. That series immediately won my devotion. This one, well, the mix of Strategy and RPG is certainly not without its merits. Some tuning on the difficulty is certainly in order as once again playing on difficulty level 1 of 7 provides more challenge than most will ever overcome. That is certainly a shame as the game does offer a good bit of depth for those who persevere. Unfortunately, the game has a certain feeling of repetitiveness that mixes with the high level of difficulty to keep the game from being everything it could be.

Mike Hommel: n/s

Requires fancy shaders that I do not have.

Seth Robinson: 8

Frictional Games has an excellent 3D engine and would like you to know about it - so what do they do? Release a freebie horror game in the vain of the Silent Hill series. It's very short and might crash a few times, but it's still a fun ride while it lasts. If you like solving puzzles while exploring creepy basements (and who doesn't, pray tell?), this is a sure bet.

Russ Carroll: n/s

'Playable' at it's lowest settings and my mahcine's highest...but not playable enough to review it.

Mike Hommel: 7

In some ways, this is the nicest Crimsonland I've seen. The 16-bit visuals and sound are great. But the overall package puts it pretty low on the Crimsonland scale. The main issue is the weapon switching. It's incredibly awkward to switch weapons and it distracts your attention from what you need to be doing. I like the idea of a combo system based on which weapons you use, but it's just too hard to manage in a game like this. It's still fun, and well done, but it just lacks that punch.

Seth Robinson: 7

This Crimsonland-meets-Smash TV style game pairs up two old friends that always work well together: Combos and carnage. Increasing your combo multiplier by killing with different weapons is a clever twist that makes ammo conservation strategy very important. Sharp looks and sounds with online high-scores round out this polished freebie. Check it out for some solid killing action.

Brian Clair: 7

I usually don’t put high expectations on freeware games, but I must admit that I liked NaaC quite a bit. Put simply, the game is all about carnage as the player dispatches various aliens/bugs using a variety of lethal weapons. NaaC features two gameplay modes – Arena and Survive – with Survive only being accessible after beating Arena mode (which is really difficult). This game is definitely good for unwinding from a long day; and the lack of a price tag is definitely a plus.

Russ Carroll: 6

This game is the exact opposite of Bullet Candy. Where that game makes me feel like I'm in total control of my character and places me in a action-packed arena of doom, this game just makes me feel doomed. Every shot you take causes your character to recoil backwards. Honestly I carefully looked at the screen trying to find roller-skates on my character right after I first started to play as I was sure I was on wheels and that was why I felt so out of control. On the other hand, there are plenty of cool weapons and the price is right, just don't expect it to maintain your interest for all that long.

Mike Hommel: 6

You know, this should be right up my alley. but meh. Primary complaints: there's one power-up, and having it is usually the difference between instant level finish (often without even knowing where the enemies are!), and multiple deaths. Also, most deaths come from not seeing the bullets amid the storm of random particles rather than from poor dodging. Lastly, for a game in which lives are treated as a cheap commodity (an idea I've toyed with myself), it sure takes a while to die and reappear. It's not horrible, but my boat remains unfloated.

Seth Robinson: 9

Finally, a game that properly supports my dual analog sticks! This minter-esque top down shooter threatens to burst your corneas in wave after wave of colorful projectile spraying madness. This is really the best of its ilk I've seen for a while and accomplishes something amazing: there is honestly never a dull moment in this game.

Russ Carroll: 9

This game feels something like a clone. I mean how far can you get in the originality sector if your game is all about moving with one analog stick and shooting with the other analog stick? Well honestly not far, and that is ok. This game is all about the undeniable oneness with your computer that can be had when the formula is done well and this game PULLED it off AMAZINGLY well. There are some cool graphics, especially in Minter mode, but the game is really all about the CONSTANT action that keeps you glued to the screen. The player connection to the on-screen action is flawless, the power-ups useful enough and there is a nice reward for being daring enough to go after the gold while attacking the enemies (mmm, laser shots, you are my happiness) and of course a solid challenge to your difficulty liking. Hard to go wrong here...I keep coming back to it all month!

Mike Hommel: 2

Ouch. This game reminds me greatly of 48-hour contest entries, but it doesn't compare favorably to them. Having gotten 2 of the ice-skating cows' heads stuck in the fence on my first run, I figured I'd give it another try, only to find that on the second run, the timer starts out at 120 seconds used up, and the gate won't open to let you into the arena at all! There's not much about this game that works, but it's a fun type of gameplay, to try to herd the cows. just badly implemented.

Seth Robinson: 3

Well, it's terrible. A novel theme is ruined with tacky implementation. Or from another view, this is a great alpha prototype that was knocked up with place holder art; now let's make the real game, something that can be sold. If cows in a cow herding game aren't actually moving their legs while running, this is a sign there may be more to do. I was never successful on Brokegame Mountain; my herd kept getting their heads stuck in fences.

Russ Carroll: 3

I don't know anything about Team Penning, but I do know about games, and this just isn't a good one. In the game you push cows around to get them into a specific pen. The graphics feel about 13 years old with awful clipping present everywhere. The play control leaves a lot to be desired with too many buttons being used for such a simple task. I found the concept interesting, but unfortunately the game hasn't lived up to the quality of the idea.

Mike Hommel: 7

There are fundamental problems here that really bug me: the inability to configure keys (even if I was right-handed, half of the keys would be really inconvenient!), and the loading time which is a crime against humanity. But the gameplay is pretty cool. It's not a game for just anybody, it's for the kind of people who play wargames (yet have the skills to play an FPS, I guess). It's practically a simulation, and is very slow going. If you're into it, that can be very engrossing. If you're not, you're much better off with anything that is more arcadey.

Seth Robinson: 7

This is hard to round-up because it's rather rough around the edges but at the same time epic and very successful in creating an authentic feeling mood of being a sniper (well, minus the giant "sekrit base here" sign), plodding through frozen tundra, and being on the look-out for German troops. The landscape is absolutely huge and it's cool traveling to different parts of the island using your map. Gripes: Most buildings can't be entered, clipping problems, clunky weapon/ammo system.

Russ Carroll: 7

Great use of classical music in this WW2 simulation FPS. We don't get many FPS games in the indie realm and there are several reasons for that. First off, it is hard to make a FPS that is graphically up to the standard of console and current PC games. Graphically this game falls short. It is smooth and nice, but clearly out of date. On the other hand, the game's focus on stealth is well-done. Doing one thing well makes for a surprisingly enjoyable experience. If you dig war games, check this one out.

Mike Hommel: 5

Hey, it's Pipe Dream, only without the excitement of trying to beat the water flow! The thing I really liked in this game was the cloud effects. I didn't like the rest. Not a game for me. There are a bunch of alternate modes (including Pipe Dream!), but getting to them is a royal pain as they are buried in the options menu, looking very bland.

Seth Robinson: 6

The developers went all out with game modes in this pipe laying game; there are tons to unlock and choose from. I guess it's kind of a problem that I didn't find any of them especially interesting. But I liked making HUGE pipe layouts to score a ridiculous amount of points and get on the global rankings.

Russ Carroll: 6

This puzzle game is quite odd in that I felt compelled to punish myself when playing. As you play you receive items, such as rotators, that must be played, even if doing so means messing up your own gameplay to the point of likely losing the game. I played several times, each time falling to one of the power-ups, realizing that by playing I would be effectively ruining my own game and knowing that I had no other choice. Seems like some sort of strange torture.