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- Jun 13: Beer! and the Crystal Shard Adventure Bundle have been published on GOG.
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A freeform pen-and-paper role playing system that is easy to learn, developed over a couple years with numerous playtesters, and featured in the now-defunct DragonScroll webzine.
Simplicity - the number of rules and amount of dice rolling is kept to a minimum. This accounts for good flexibility, making it easy to grasp the rules and create a character.
Realism - the world should be realistic after accounting for magic. The rules should be balanced, and that logical things happen. This also means that combat is very lethal.
Development - your character starts out weak but gets the option of improving every session by gaining experience. Players can also add own inventions of skills, traits, spells or equipment to the game.
A card game developed for the anniversary of the city of Enschede, requested by the municipality and designed by me and a group of friends. Its simple gameplay involves scoring points in several areas, such as safety and nature. The game features pictures taken from the city, and was distributed among over 50,000 citizens.
As a long-standing member of the local boardgaming club, I've written several gaming-related articles and puzzles for their newsletter. I've also had a hand in a number of unreleased board and card games, with themes varying from elections to the Loch Ness monster, and from a card game with hidden rules to a board game of Leylines. And no game designer would be without a set of custom Magic: the Gathering cards.
As a powerful wizard, you start by ruling a small nation as you plot to take over the world! Rule over seven diverse races, from shapeshifting Theria, to spider-riding Dwarves, to the decadent Regency. Explore a vast fantasy world, expand by building more cities, battle the armies of rival wizards, and cast earth-shattering enchantments to ensure your victory.
Leylines is a 4X game, a turn-based strategy game of exploration and conquest. The game features seven unique races with each their own tech tree; over 180 units in total, including summons and customizable hero units; and 90 diverse spells. Fast gameplay that avoids micromanagement; tactical terrain effects; and local multiplayer with hotseat and/or splitscreen.
"Leylines has many advanced options that allow you to have fun creating power according to their own preferences." - 8AppStore
"I really like the intense variety between the races ... you’ve got some amazing variety." - Jay
A parody of amateur adventure design, this metagame consists of a simple treasure hunting game, and a complex editor needed to complete it. The editor and its assistant Cuppit are all part of the game; anyone involved in game or level design should appreciate the humor.
The editor is an exercise of twisted logic and lateral thinking. You have to see it to believe it; with its offbeat controls, inventory items that kill you, and intentional misspellings, it's the weirdest thing since sliced bread!
META is based on Adventure Game Studio, the platform for most of our games, and is runner-up for two AGS Awards.
"A great game, with some of the best puzzles I have ever seen in an AGS game. Kudos!" - David Cooper
"Possibly the most original concept I've ever seen in an AGS game! ... The puzzles are deviously ingenious. This is what I like - thinking outside the box!" - Trovatore
It is time for final exams at the Magic University, and notorious slacker Larry Lotter is about to flunk all of them because he spent less time studying and more time drinking beer. His last hope is to cheat like there's no tomorrow! Using a spell to reverse time, he gets the chance to do his day over again until he passes. His Destiny has spoken!
Join Rob Greasley, Calliope DeRanger and Professor Mumblemore in this short Harry Potter parody, loosely based on the greatly admired books by J.K. Rowling. Watch the other characters interact in real time, and spin time back and forth to interfere. The game is fully voiced.
MAGS contest winner.
"Combines sarcasm with innovative gameplay and great graphics ... the overall story is very entertaining." - FrostClick
"Great little game! I love how the characters wander round doing their own thing and talk to each other." - Pelican
The ancient kingdom of Theylinn is beset by enemies. Within the castle walls, nobles vie for the old king's favor, and not everybody is happy with the sole heir to the throne, princess Rhiannon.
Meanwhile, danger approaches, in the form of an invading army, a hostile giant, and a mercenary troop who are ancient enemies of the Theylann king...
A Tale of Two Kingdoms is a graphical adventure in the world of Celtic mythology and fairy tales, with many sidequests and alternate endings. It was named Game of the Month by PC Zone UK, Game of the Year by Screen7, and won four AGS Awards including Best Animation and Best Puzzles.
"If ATOTK came out during the genre's heyday, we'd probably be waxing nostalgic about it today in the same breath as King's Quest." - Games for Windows
"Most of the hand-drawn backgrounds are little works of art ... It offers a replay value that’s unseen in most adventures." - HardcoreGaming101
"A Tale of Two Kingdoms simply blew me away ... This game is a great achievement ... Final Grade: A" - Just Adventure
Deep within his dungeon, Yrolg the Necromancer is summoning a mighty demon to conquer the World. Three brave adventurers, a warrior, a rogue and a sorceress, come to his lair to disrupt this dark ritual. Your job is to stop them!
Should the heroes succeed, your Master will be slain, his reign of terror ended, and the world shall be covered with flowers and puppy dogs. That must never happen - this time, evil shall prevail!
A short adventure game where you play a minion of darkness, using your wit and guile to lead the heroes into traps and to a nasty demise. Runner-up for S7's Game Of The Year award; includes voice acting.
"An excellent point-and-click fantasy adventure." - Gnome's Lair
"The graphics are fantastic and the voice acting is top notch." - Quinny
A frantic and addictive shooting game in vector graphics: kill the evil polygons before they kill you! Who needs a plot? Just sit back, dodge, and keep blasting until you reach the boss monster!
Featuring twenty different enemies that chase you, snipe from the corners, or blast you with a frickin' laser beam; selectable upgrades to boost your speed or firepower; and several play modes and difficulty levels to keep it fresh. And of course it has a two-player mode to share the madness!
"First I thought this is too retro but hell, it's entertaining." - Matti
"Bless me, this is a brilliant little game! Anyone else so obsessed with this little gem?" - Musica Ferrum
On the starship Quasar, the lack of shore time causes tension to run high. The latest argument has proved too much, with each of the crew stalking off to different parts of the ship. To the medical officer, bringing these warring characters back together will be no easy task.
In this short adventure game, you control four different characters as they explore the ship, each with their own skills and reactions to the environment. Instead of on puzzle solving, the game focuses on the personalities of the characters and their interactions. The game is fully voiced.
"A science fiction tale whose restricted setting proves no obstacle to telling a compelling story." - Adventuregamers.com
"A competent and surprisingly pretty little adventure game that satisfyingly achieves what it set out to do." - PC Gamer
Explore the rich world of Nordic mythology! Egther, last of the Frost Giants, has sworn to turn all the world to ice. A young heroine is called to fight him, but first she must survive the harsh environment, battle hostile trolls, and deal with many creatures and characters from the classic myths.
Heroine's Quest is an adventure / RPG inspired by the classic Quest For Glory series, and was voted 69th All-Time Best Computer RPG by RpgCodex. Best of all, it's completely free!
Play as fierce warrior, cryptic sorceress, or elusive rogue. Their skills can be customized and each has her own solutions and sidequests, offering great replay value. Are you up to the quest, or will you die trying?
Best Adventure Game of the Year in the AGS Awards. Has a leaderboard on Speedrun.com.
"As perfect a tribute to Sierra's classic Quest for Glory series as you could hope for." - Kotaku
"Arguably surpassing the series that Lori Ann and Corey Cole created with an intricate Nordic setting and deeper roleplaying mechanics." - HardcoreGaming101
"It's great to see a female-centric heroic quest." - Corey Cole
"The attention to detail is staggering ... Heroine’s Quest is a glorious adventure-RPG hybrid." - RockPaperShotgun
In this fast-paced platform game, you take the role of the Mouse With The Hat and go in search of the vaunted Lost Cheese. Traverse forests, deserts, and the Halls of Illusion; jump over hedgehogs, hitch a ride on a turtle, and evade vicious snakes - all for the reward of more cheese than you could ever eat, and what more could a mouse want?
The game was made for a charity fundraiser that raised over $4000. It won two OROW awards and was runner-up for four AGS awards. As befits a platformer, it has hidden objects to collect, unlockable game modes, and the vicious Moby Duck as boss monster!
"Gameplay-wise Indiana Rodent is pure gold ... a platformer that earns its place in almost any platformer lover's heart easily." - PC Game Reviews
"Very good response and smooth scrolling, it was very satisfying to beat." - Ghost
Sara wants to go out and play in the sunshine, but she has a few errands to complete before she does that. Nothing special, just sweeping her room, feeding the dog, that sort of thing.
What could possibly go wrong?
Is it the hidden treasure map? The village of terrified elves, right in your kitchen? Surely a little girl can clean her room without being assaulted by a firebreathing dragon... right?
A short adventure game with two endings, voice acting, and epic soundtrack!
MAGS contest winner.
"Beautiful art and music. Delightful and imaginative game." - Shadow
"I'm now kind of terrified about what state my daughter might leave the house in when she's a bit older though!!" - Captain D
Newly hatched from an egg, our young dragon searches for the important things in life. And to a dragon, that means treasure! Search underground mazes and solve elaborate puzzles in your quest for gems, and see if you can hoard enough to impress the other dragons!
A classic puzzle challenge, featuring over a hundred levels and many different objects including treasure chests, replicators, floating balloons, fire beams, thieving elves, conveyor belts, gravity switches, and many more! Between all these traps, the levels require a good mixture of reflex action and thoughtful planning; and the varied mechanics keep things interesting to solve.
The puzzles are fair: no luck-based puzzles, no searching for walls you can walk through, and all time limits are optional.
Finally, a powerful level editor lets you make your own levels and share them on the Steam workshop.
"One of, if not the best puzzle game ever ... It's definetely worth a try for any puzzle fan. 4.9 / 5." - Reloaded.org
"Solid gameplay mechanics that makes for hours of enjoyment." - MobyGames
"Exciting and relaxing at the same time, SubTerra is guaranteed to provide you with many hours of pure enjoyment." - Home Of The Underdogs
Featured on television by Locomotion.
Beer! is a collection of frantic minigames where you have ten seconds to grab the beer! Easy to pick up and difficult to master, this game rewards quick and out-of-the-box thinking. It comes with a cheerful cafe-style soundtrack, and assorted cast of bears and deer.
Designed for a community fundraiser, Beer! includes 33 levels, a secret bonus round, and several cameos. Suitable for all ages; alcohol not included.
"The concept was brilliant: seemingly mindless speed-click game that actually really makes you think about how to solve each puzzle." - Baron
"It's a fun time waster and casual enough to pick it up for a short round (pun intentional)." - Ghost
A Shakespearean adventure! Watch Oceanspirit Dennis and his companions Ray and Mr. Cheeses as they stumble through the plot of Hamlet, order too much room service, and make a general mess out of Denmark.
There are lots of combat scenes with an innovative rune engine, and as befits a Shakespearean tragedy, most of the cast dies like mayflies. With dialogue written by The Bard himself, how can you resist a game like this? As Guildencheese says, "Squeak!"
MAGS contest winner.
"A great combat system, and a full on taste of a Shakespeare like story ... a recommended free adventure!" - Indie Retro News
"It's really funny! And well done." - AprilSkies
Would you believe the MOON is a banana? Well, the monkeys do! And they're not going to take that lying down! Using spare wood, electric eels, and gratuitous reed they plan to build a rocket to fly to the world's biggest banana! In space!
Control up to 25 monkeys in an RTS'like puzzle game
Scour the jungle for resources, build crafting workshops, breed more monkeys, and build The Rocket!
Don't forget to defend yourself from hungry snakes.
MAGS contest winner.
Runner-up for two AGS Awards.
Search the maze for keys and treasure! John 'DRJ' Vanderaart is one of the first published game designers from the Netherlands, best known for "Eindeloos". Herby was his first game on the C64, which I played as a child. This is also my first game, as I did a remake in BASIC back then. Decades later I found out I still had the source code, so I decided to update it to more modern systems.
Featuring one maze by DRJ, one by myself, and a random maze generator; and the famous Popcorn as background music. Unlike the originals, this one has save points and an automap.
A stealth roguelite where you sneak through the forest of Sherwood to rescue Robin Hood from the Sheriff of Nottingham; originally created for the 7-Day RogueLike contest, and later expanded.
In the legends of King Arthur, meet Sir Launcelot the Brave! Sir Sagramore the Just! And Sir... Bob... who I'm sure has a great personality!
Take the role of the eager but clumsy squire Bob; as nobles, soldiers, and the Lady of the Lake all say you're too wimpy to become a Knight. Can you prove them wrong?
This lighthearted adventure game features well-known and lesser-known characters from the King Arthur legends, taking inspiration from the famous classics and offering fun for all ages. Any similarity to any person actually named Bob, or for that matter Launcelot, is purely coincidental.
Coming soon-ish!
Walkthrough by John.
