Racketboy Advent Calendar of free PC games!

[J T]

I don't think it will disappoint. It is really fun to play and I love the soundtrack.

[Niode]

December 22nd.

Today's free game is...


In Run Man, you run fast. It's a platformer that is all about speed, timing, joy, and blues music. The art style is childish and cute, the music is folksy, and the action is fast and fun. Run Man is also an unlockable character in Super Meat Boy now, as a sign of respect from one game developer to another.



Run Man: Race Around the World
[link]

WARNING WARNING WARNING

DO NOT CLICK ON LINK

VIRUS DETECTED

Don't know whether it's a false positive but just to be safe rather than sorry it's throwing up a potential severe alert exploit:Java/cve-2010-0840.W in Microsoft Security Essentials.

[J T]

Weird. I am getting a reported unsafe message when I go to the website now as well. I didn't get it when I posted this earlier. Although, I do have the game and have not experienced any problems.

[J T]

December 23rd.

Today's free game is...



Fate By Numbers is an FMV adventure game in the tradition of games like Gabriel Knight 2, Phantasmagoria, and Tex Murphy. Everything is done with real actors and the game is a point & click mystery adventure. This game has a black and white, film noir style set in the future.



The file you download for this game is a .ISO file, which is a burned image of a DVD. To install, you will need to mount the .ISO file to a virtual drive. This is easy to do. There is a free application called Daemon Tools Lite that you can install to act as a virtual DVD drive for your ISO files. Just load up your ISO in this program and you can run the executable file to install the game and you will be done. You will only need to do this once.


Fate By Numbers
http://www.fatebynumbers.com/

[Niode]

There is a free application called Daemon Tools Lite that you can install to act as a virtual DVD drive for your ISO files. Just load up your ISO in this program and you can run the executable file to install the game and you will be done. You will only need to do this once.

Should you want something less intrusive, virtual clone drive is lightweight and is actually freeware.

[J T]

Thanks Niode. I've been hoping for a less bloated option to Daemon Tools, but it's all that has ever been recommended to me.

[Niode]

Thanks Niode. I've been hoping for a less bloated option to Daemon Tools, but it's all that has ever been recommended to me.

No problem, hope the intrusion earlier regarding the 'false positive' isn't a problem. Been using VCD for a while now, handles all but the most obscure image standards with ease.

[J T]

December 24th.

Today's free game is...
Cactus Arcade


If you don’t know who Cactus is yet, it’s time you learned. He is a Swedish indie game developer that has a million ideas for games. He is incredibly prolific and usually only takes a week or two to create a game. He works incredibly quickly and creates some really unique short games. The link will take you to his blog where he lists all his downloadable games. I recommend you download Cactus Arcade because it is basically like a greatest hits compilation of his work. He’s got weird games compiled in there like Mondo Medical or Mondo Agency, which are like the Eraserhead of video games, and he’s got expermental arcade games like Clean Asia, which provides a really unique mechanic for shmup battle.



Cactus Arcade
http://cactusquid.com/games.htm

[J T]

It's Christmas Eve.

Christmas day will be the last day of the Racketboy Advent Calendar. I'm going to miss finding a new game to put up each day. I hope you all have enjoyed this as much as I have. I played a lot of freeware games both good and bad to put this all together and I have tried to give you guys just what I consider to be the good ones. I only put up the games that seem the most innovative to me or that do a good job of keeping an old genre alive. There are so many unique and fresh ideas out there in the indie scene though that this has been a learning experience for me as well as a great time. I have been enjoying these free games more than the ones I have paid for recently.

I think my favorites have been Octodad and Barkley Shut Up & Jam Gaiden for their humor, and Facade and Nudo for their gameplay innovations. What have you guys enjoyed most??


Oh, and don't worry... I've got a big surprise for you all for Christmas day.

[J T]

December 25th.

IT’S CHRISTMAS!!! IT’S CHRISTMAS!!!
Look what your crazy uncle JT left under the tree!

It’s a bunch of free indie games! I wanted to put these in the advent calendar, but I ran out of days in the month, so they are your big Christmas surprise instead!
HO HO HO!!!

Bootfighter Windom XP
http://mirrormoon.org/projects/windom

Like War of the Monsters, but with giant mechs.

Dash and the Stolen Treasure
http://www.dashthegame.com/

Crash Bandicoot style 3D platformer about pirates and gold coins.

D.Nd Poison
http://www.cursedmoons.com/fan/game/poisoned/index.htm

Interactive manga.

Dwarf Fortress
http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/

Limited graphics. Limitless gameplay.

The Endless Forest
http://www.tale-of-tales.com/TheEndlessForest/

Fantasy deer simulator/screen saver. Huh?

Hydorah
http://db.tigsource.com/games/hydorah

Challenging and enjoyable Gradius wannabe done well enough to be worthwhile.

I’m OK – a murder simulator
http://www.derekyu.com/games.html

This game is wretched, but there is a story behind it. It is made as a response to something Jack Thompson said in his “A Modest Video Game Proposal”. He’s that jag-off that runs around saying videogames are murder simulators and campaigns against them. I’m OK is made by Derek Yu of Spelunky and Aquaria fame. It’s basically meant to piss off Jack Thompson, but is also created off of Thompson’s twisted ideas. It’s messed up. Read more here.
p.s. You can access a “Hot Coffee” scene by using the Konami code at the opening title.

Minecraft
http://www.minecraft.net/

You should already know what this is, but an indie games list in 2010 is just not complete without including the mighty Minecraft.

Les Miserables : the game of the book
http://enterthestory.com

This company makes interactive versions of famous literature. Les Miserables is the free teaser they hope will get you interested.

Pirates of New Horizons
http://www.exitstrategyentertainment.co ... age_id=269

Another colorful 3D platform pirate game.

Proun
http://www.proun-game.com/

An abstract racing game inspired by the artwork of Russian painter El Lissitzky (1890-1941).

The White Chamber
http://www.studiotrophis.com/site/proje ... itechamber

An anime-styled point & click horror adventure.