The Humble Bundle Returns

The Humble Bundle is back again with the Humble Bundle 4.  Five new games are now available for download, with another two for those who pay at least the average amount.  It’s currently $5.03, and even though that amount will change as more donations are made, it usually stays around the five dollar mark.

As always, the Humble Bundle is pay what you want, DRM free, cross platform, and helps charity.  The games you’ll be getting, with descriptions thanks to the HumbleBundle site, are:

1.  Jamestown – Jamestown is a beautiful, new shmup that brings neo-classical flavor to the grand tradition of scrolling arcade shooters. Up to four players blast and bullet dodge through a hostile Martian frontier, armed with the very best in steampunk weaponry. A “stay-alive” co-op system will have you screaming at your buddies during the epic, retro-style, screen-filling boss battles, while unlocking sick new ships and weapons.

2.  Bit.Trip Runner – Bit.Trip Runner radiates charm and challenge with retro-styled, music-platformer gameplay. Players take control of Captain Video as he runs through more than 30 levels. Each stage features a unique music track perfectly synced to Captain Video’s hops and slides, resulting in a fresh and intuitive platforming experience.

3.  Super Meat Boy – Super Meat Boy is what you get when you mold a little man out of ground meat, and put him in a world full of tricky gaps, slides, and hazards. Plan to perish many times in the course of saving Bandage Girl from Dr. Fetus, but prepare to bask in the glory of pulling off impossible platforming feats, unlocking secret characters, and triumphing over 300+ levels.

4.  Shank – Shank is a highly stylized, action-packed, 2D brawler, featuring satisfying fight combos and familiar platforming challenges. Players assume the role of Shank, a former mob-hitman, on an epic quest for revenge. In the solo game, Shank traverses levels filled with henchmen, culminating in awesome boss fights. There’s also a full co-op story, which tells the tale of Shank‘s life prior to the events of the solo campaign.

5.  NightSky HD – NightSky is an atmospheric, 2D physics puzzle platformer. The player uses acceleration, gravity, and motion to navigate a glowing sphere through over 130 unique and picturesque levels.

As for the bonus games for meeting or beating the average payment:

6.  Gratuitous Space Battles – In the sci-fi strategy game Gratuitous Space Battles, players outfit a complete fleet — from bulkhead-to-munitions — to clash mightily with opponents from across the galaxy. With layer upon layer of customization, master strategists will always be able to find a way to blast the competition into smithereens.

7.  Cave Story+ – Cave Story is the critically acclaimed opus by indie game developer Pixel, originally created as a tribute to games like Metroid and Castlevania. Cave Story is a 2D platformer in the “metroidvania” tradition, with a classic, world-saving hero and an emphasis on exploration and discovery. The indie studio Nicalis worked with Pixel to update graphics and add new game modes, reflected in this edition of Cave Story.

This Bundle, like all the rest, is only available for two weeks, so make sure you hustle on over and grab your copy.  Mac, PC, and Linux versions of every game are available, as well as a Steam key for any of you Valve gamers out there.  Get awesome games, at a great price, and help charity.  Seriously, stop reading this and get on that.

A Humble Offer

The folks over at Humble Bundle have been in business for a year and half, and in that time they have amassed more than 8 million dollars towards charity and for the developers highlighted by these bundles (not to mention a nice tip for the Humble Bundle team.)  Honestly, people are just throwing their money at these guys.

The idea behind the Humble Bundle is simple:  pay what you want, support charity, get awesome games.  Average payment for this bundle now sits at $3.78 (though this will change as more gamers contribute.)  And for that measly amount of pocket change, you’ll be getting six excellent indie games.  If you want to pay less, pay less, though you’ll miss out on a couple games if you don’t meet average.  And if you’re feeling particularly generous, you can always give more.

The best part is that you choose where your money will be going.  You can evenly split it between the indie developers, charity (Child’s Play and the Electronic Frontier Foundation), and the Humble Bundle Team, or give all/none to any of them.  Feeling like the Humble Bundle guys are doing a great job?  Give them more of your payment.  Feel like those greedy sick kids have enough gaming equipment?  Give them nothing.  And then find a therapist.

This Humble Bundle comes with Uplink, Darwinia, DEFCON, and Multiwinia.  And if you match or beat the current average payment, you’ll also get Aquaria and Crayon Physics Deluxe as a bonus.  In the past, these bundles have come packaged with gaming hits like Braid, World of Goo, and Penumbra, so make sure you check it out.  But don’t wait around!  The Humble Bundles are only available for two weeks at a time, so make sure you head over and get your outrageously good deal before time’s up.

Firing Range, is it worth your $1?

Firing Range is the latest Xbox Live Indie Game from Milkstone Studios (Motor Heat, Avatar Panic, Raven Thorne, etc.).  This game is super narcotic in nature and I mean that in the best way possible.  I have several brand new retail games staring me down, but I continue to play Firing Range, not because it is superior title, but more so that it provides instant gratification (I am also currently ranked 82^nd in the world).  The game blends simple design, good controls and an infinite amount of replay value into an Indie game offering.

The game has the simplest premise and that is shooting targets both dynamic and static.  You use three different firearms from round to round in hopes of achieving a high score.  There is a Pistol, an Uzi and an Assault Rifle at your disposal (you don’t get to choose, but that doesn’t effect the experience).  You can also customize the skins of your weapons and the color/design of large and small targets.  Also there are 24 unlockable awards, which can add immense replay value to the game.

Getting busy with the Assault Rifle

The scoring system is what really drew me in though.  Who doesn’t love chasing high scores and besting their friends at a game?  I enjoy the hell out of beating my friends and Firing Range’s simple yet robust leader board system lets me know when I am accomplishing just that.  There are point goals that you need to meet in order to advance to the next round (make sure you hit those bulleyes).  After each round your score is compounded into an aggregate score that will pit you against yourself, your friends and the rest of the world.  After each round the game also tells you where you stand on the leader boards so you know whether or not to step your game up or maintain a winning pace.

Firing Range has tight controls and good graphics for what the game aims to do (no pun intended).  If offers a fun and addictive experience that for only 80 MSP ($1) should be in everyone’s collection that has a Xbox 360.  So next time you are shopping around on Xbox Live check this game out and get hooked like I did.

I purchased Firing Range for 80 MSP ($1).  This game is available on Xbox Live in the Xbox Live Indie Game Marketplace.  I have invested over 2 hours into it and have unlocked 5 weapon skins and plan to unlock most of them by weeks end.  I wasn’t lying about this game being addicting folks.