One of the best parts about the PlayStation Network, is the opportunity it gives smaller developers. Allowing them to distribute their lower budget and often, less advertised games, giving each studio and game a chance to reach a larger audience. This week we saw the release of the Bitshapers Indie Bundle for PSN, bringing you five of the best independent games at one amazing price: $6.99.
We here at PSN Fans felt that we should spotlight each of these games. Giving each and every one of you an even better chance to see what it is that makes each one of these games so fun, addictive and worth your time. In this quick article, we will cover the basic features of each game, as well as include a video–trailer/gameplay–for each game. Enjoy!
BreakQuest
Have you ever played Atari’s Breakout, the brick breaking, smash hit from the 70′s? How about Arkanoid, an arcade hit from the late 80′s, that was basically Breakout on steroids. Odds are you have played at least one of them or one of the thousands of clones out there, the problem with clones: when you make a copy, of a copy, of a copy, the quality starts to go down hill. Fortunately the folks at Nurium Games know the difference between copying something and using it as the basis behind your new idea. Just watch the trailer below to see what we are talking about!
Features
- New concept breakout game: enjoy 100 unique levels! All of them with their own colorful designs, crystal clear sound and elements behavior. Arkanoid fans must check this out.
- Feel the full physics engine with advanced collisions. This allows for a completely new game experience in a freely shaped world and physically responding environment. Breakout was never so flexible.
- Discover never seen before power ups and power downs, including 9 different weapons and much much more. Breakout sat the basis, Arkanoid improved the concept. BreakQuest takes a step beyond.
- Flow with the music of the professional gaming music group ‘Maniacs of Noise’. Also featuring lots of original, powerful, fun, high quality sound effects.
- See the advanced game particle system, designed to create a wide range of sparkling visual effects. Bricks, ball, weapons and everything else has something to show.
- Command the ship of your choice from 10 different models. Control its fully deformable bouncing surface to save the world, or just to have some fun. Master the ball and clear the latest bricks with the gravitor.
- Story mode with three difficulty settings each one, with fine tuned levels configuration, including number and disposition of bricks, bugs behavior and physics. Get the Keys to defeat the evil empire and save the world once again, at least save yourself from boredom.
- The game is specially adopted for the PSP (and PS3) widescreen and AnalogStick™ for the best console experience.
Canabalt
It is amazing how important a simple jump can be in any game–to early, to late, to high, to low–all of it possibly leading to your doom. Then came along Adam Saltsman and a little game he created called Canabalt, an “endless runner” that your only job, is to jump! You will have to run from building to building, leaping through windows, over boxes and even off of crumbling buildings. From the simple color scheme, to the even more simplistic one button control, to the mood setting soundtrack, this game gets you ready to run for your life.
Enigmo
This is an amazing 3D puzzler, where you will have to manipulate water, oil and lava as it drips from droppers on each stage. You must guide these droplets into their color coated containers, using “sliders, bumpers and other pieces” to manipulate it as it is in action. Fast paced action, bright colors and relaxing music, creates an addictive [uzzler that you won’t be able to walk away from for hours,
Features
- 50 mind-bending levels to solve
- 8 objects to manipulate space and droplets
- Several solutions for the every puzzle
- Endless fun!
Galcon Labs
Using simple numbers, you will have to send troops from one planet to another overcoming your enemies to conquer each territory. At first this concepts seems easy enough, until you realize that the numbers for each planet, including your own, are always fluctuating up and down. Requiring you to constantly rethink your strategies on the fly, forcing to you go back and force between offense and defense. Adding in the excitement of four fun game modes and each round can feel like a completely new game.
Game Modes
- Billiards : “Moving Planets” – need I say more? With a constantly changing battlefield this game never has a dull moment.
- Stealth : Enemy ships become invisible, changing Galcon into a game of inter-galactic hide and seek!
- Crash : Ships battle in mid-flight, bringing a whole different twist to the classic gameplay. You can now defeat the enemy in the air!
- Assassin : Each opponent is assigned a target. The first player to annihilate their target wins the round!
Wizorb
Imagine if Zelda and Arkanoid got together and had a baby, there is a pretty good chance that baby would be Wizorb. In this brick breaker gone RPG you will play as Cyrus, a wizard who is skilled in the art of “wizorb”, allowing him to control and alter the bouncing orb. Using these magical powers you will use fire, teleportation, even mind control of the orb, making it do your bidding’s. Bricks will not be the only things you break with this magical orb, you will be pitted against monsters and even boss battles as you try and save your small town from an “evil presence”.
Features
- An all-new block-breaking game with light RPG elements set in a fantasy world
- Use your magic wand to bounce the orb and cast various magic spells
- Over 60 levels in 5 different worlds
- Epic boss fights and multiple endings and bonus levels
- Character animation by Paul Robertson (http://probertson.tumblr.com), the animator behind Pirate Baby’s Cabana Battle Street Fight 2006, Kings of Power 4 Billion Percent, and the Scott Pilgrim video game.
