A highly abstract little shooter becomes adventure becomes strategy game. Controls a lot like any arcadey shooter, but as you collect special abilities, it gets increasingly complex. The enemies you encoutner form an odd sort of virtual ecosystem, creating and maintaining the "rooms" you fight in. Work at it hard enough and you can make these yourself, and start a sort of rival ecosystem to overthrow the old. Which, of course, is the objective to the game: To destroy everything created by your predecessor.

I payed $15 for the whole series, and I've got my monies worth. I'm only halfway through the first game, if that. This game is heavy on oldschool charm and excellent plot. The Moral choices asked of you are far-reaching and difficult ones, as opposed to todays "Angel of virtue or baby smasher" options. The combat system itself takes some getting used too, and can seem a little skewed in the enemies favor, but much like X-com or other old games, Losing can be a fun experience.

If you like RPGs in any fashion, I really can't recommend this game enough.

What exactly can I say about hammerfight? It doesn't make a damn bit of sense, but it's certainly original. Using the mouse, you move a steampunk flying machine on a 2d, sidescrolling field. Get it moving to start the attached melee weapon swinging, and kick the shit out of giant sky worms and other flying machines.

Wide variety of weapons, all with their own flair for use, since the physics engine superbly details their handling. The mouse-movement based controls are fresh as hell, swining the mouse too and fro really giving combat a more hands-on feel rather than the typical point and click.

Unfortunately, the game can be frustrating as hell until you get the hang of it, but once you *do* it becomes highly rewarding; put in some practice hitting armored foes with ball-and-chain weapons, and you'll see what I mean.

All in all, there are far worse things to spend $10 on.