Following Freeware – October 2015 releases
Steve’s Selections
You.Me.Heaven.
Once upon a time there was a new girl at school who just wanted to fit in. Back then Tova and her friends bullied the girl mercilessly. Now it seems like Tova’s past is catching up with her, as she finds herself put on trial by two strange beings for her past deeds. Whilst generally well-meaning, her boyfriend Tor is too lost in his own imagination to be much help, so it is up to Tova to prove that she isn’t a bad person, really, by performing some good deeds. But is she really sorry for what she did back then?
Biscuit Placebo’s You.Me.Heaven is a sequel of sorts to You.Me.Hell. Whilst two of the main characters of that game also appear in this one, the new game can be played entirely on its own. The graphics use the same paper cut-out style used in the previous game. Interactive objects have limited detail, as do the characters, whose eyes are the only facial features displayed. They all have distinctive hair and clothing styles however, making them instantly recognisable, and are simply but effectively animated. The backgrounds are usually more detailed, and photographic stills with filters or hand-drawn elements have been used in places. You will journey back to the school where the bullying took place and the foreboding Castle Death Spider ™. The soundtrack varies with the action, from mellow jazz numbers to crashing metal. There are also sound effects, including creaking doors and a satisfied sounding “Yesss!” whenever you achieve something.
Control is handled simply through a single mouse click. Whilst there are some brief sections where you assume the role of the new girl in school, you will spend most of the game playing as Tova. Initially haunted by a strange shadow in the flat shared with Tor, you will soon find yourself carried to the site of your trial. At the castle you will try to undertake good deeds to sway the judging panel in your favour. You also have the option, in several conversations, of accepting what you did, or denying your wrongdoing. Whilst the good deeds are required to complete the game regardless, whether you do them simply to curry favour or out of a feeling of remorse affects the ending you receive. Despite the heavy subject matter, the overall tone is one of surreal humour, with odd shifts of location. You will travel to the void, where an alien threatens you with an unusual weapon, fight a monster that looks like a tiny horse, and get creative with a sandwich. When multiple interactions are available for a hotspot, a list will be displayed on-screen to choose from. This will include inventory items if one can be used in that particular spot. You can also access your inventory from an on-screen button to get descriptions and occasionally manipulate the items you carry.
You.Me.Heaven can be downloaded from the developer’s website. Versions are available for iOS, Android, PC, Mac and Linux.
Flophouse Hijinks
It’s Saturday, and you were looking forward to a relaxing time. Unfortunately it is also the first day of the month, which is when the rent is due. Neither you nor your shiftless roommate have the necessary funds at hand, and it looks like you are doomed. But then a bit of luck strikes. The landlord’s niece is visiting, and he can’t throw you out until he’s taken her to the zoo. An hour and twenty minutes should be enough time to find twelve hundred dollars, shouldn’t it?
Flophouse Hijinks was originally a One Room, One Week competition winner. This means that Team Party Wagon (made up of AGS developers MiteWiseacreLives!, Kconan and Ponch) had only seven days to create the game from scratch. This version is billed as expanded and improved, and fits a lot of game into its single location. The graphics are done in a moderately retro pixel art style, with most furniture appearing flat. Despite this aesthetic simplicity, there is plenty of detail included, much of it showing that this isn’t the nicest of residences. The fridge door is only held shut by a powerful magnet, and the ceiling has some stains on it that don’t bear close inspection. The main character and her roommate are both nicely animated, though their sprites are largely identical. The action is backed up by a pleasant, laid-back jazz number.
Whilst you don’t ever leave the single starting room, a wealth of puzzling goodness has been packed in. Control is handled entirely through the left mouse button. Moving the cursor to the bottom of the screen pulls up the inventory bar, from which items can be selected to use on the environment or each other. Some money is just hidden around the room, though you won’t always be able to get to it on your own. There are also a number of inventive ways of getting extra cash. One object you find will be of interest to your downstairs neighbour, and strategic use of the telephone can also pay dividends. You also need to encourage your lazy roommate to help out. The overall tone is lightly humorous, with good-natured fun made of more than one regional stereotype. The time limit runs in real time, but it is very unlikely you will fail in that time. Once you have sufficient cash, you can elect to fast forward to your landlord’s return, or keep looking. There is more than one ending available, and you don’t have to solve all the puzzles to get the funds you need.
Flophouse Hijinks can be downloaded from the AGS website.
Other new releases
Not all games are created equal, and freeware games especially come in all shapes and sizes. Not to be overlooked, the following list might also be of interest, though these games may be significantly shorter or less polished, more experimental titles than those detailed above, some perhaps only borderline adventures to begin with.
Why Am I Dead: Rebirth by Peltast – Investigate your own murder in this improved version of a game from November 2012.
Bloodwood Reload by Luminy Studios – Sent by his employer to investigate the lumber potential of the red trees nearby, a man finds himself in a spooky village.
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