Red Flag!: Frags With Retro Sensibilities

Red Flag! by Bad Mouse Digital Art contains almost every feature you would expect to find in a competitive multi player FPS like Call of Duty, from varied game modes like Team Deathmatch and Domination to multiple weapons with different characteristics and usefulness, yet it is a retro style top down shooter. There's no official release date for the final game but currently another open beta test is live and you too can enjoy it for free, if only the following gameplay trailer interests you enough to download the Windows version that is on offer.

Bugbear's Next Game Needs You

Bugbear Entertainment, known for exclusively developing racing games, just revealed its next project. With the name Next Car Game it appears simple, to the point and resembles a successor of their rather popular FlatOut series, yet has its own identity that the limited media available demonstrate through the unique battered vehicles and the impressive crashes that total them. The game is planned to release in the Spring of 2014 for Windows (with the possibility of future console versions) but the developers currently wish to utilize their own form of crowd funding via preorders, which they hope will provide the necessary budget and in return offer supporters lower prices starting from $25 (about 19€), access to early versions and the possibility to affect the project's direction through their comments and feedback.

Sky Nations: The Demo

Sky Nations is a multi player game for Windows that resembles Minecraft yet offers different gameplay. It takes place on a world comprised of floating islands and includes many features, from weapons you'd expect to see in an FPS to the creation of cosmetic items. The focus that also sets it apart however is the ability to construct airships, used for exploration and impressive battles. Despite the early development phase the game's popularity is on the rise and now everyone can find out why, as the new demo version locks away many of its features but still offers a good sample of the experience. What are you waiting for?

GODUS Coming to Steam Early Access

GODUS is a "God game" by 22Cans and famous creator Peter Molyneux. Funded via Kickstarter, it succeeds classics like Populous and at the same time moves forward and offers an (if you desire it) online experience where many players will be able to cooperate or compete while developing their civilizations. Even though the game will be released for Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS and Android, Windows and Mac owners will be the first to play it through Steam Early Access which starting from the 13th of September will offer an early beta version (naturally with every subsequent update until the full release) for 18,99€. For now make the wait easier, or perhaps harder, by watching the announcement trailer after the jump.

Pulsar: Lost Colony, a Promising Starship Simulator

Update: The developers of Pulsar: Lost Colony on a weekly basis upload development progress videos. I won't be writing about all of them but today's footage deserves a mention as it includes (starting from roughly three minutes in) the first sample of planet surface exploration. Despite the early development phase it already looks fairly solid and therefor makes a lot of promises about the game's future.

Rayman Legends Gets Launch Trailer

The next part of this beloved series of platform games will be released really soon, which in this case means the end of this very month for most of the platforms it will become available on. Ubisoft, in order to celebrate this event, has published a new trailer showcasing Rayman Legends and its impressive 2D visuals at their best. Enjoy it.

Always Sometimes Monsters: A Different RPG

Always Sometimes Monsters is a game whose creators focus on the presentation of a complex storyline, where relationships and emotional bonds replace battles and adventures. Its plot will set you on the way to reclaiming a lost love, while many different possibilities will be enabled by your own decisions as well as the choices regarding the sex, race and sexual preferences of your character. Watch the new trailer for an idea of what you can expect and, if you wish, pre-order the game which will be released in the spring of 2014 for $9,99 (about 7,50€).

In Torment: The Case of the Drawing Girl Released

In Torment: The Case of the Drawing Girl is a short yet fairly tough and inventive adventure that has just been released for Windows as free software. When starting, you will only know that there's a girl under shock due to an unknown event she has apparently forgotten all about.

By examining her strange drawings, which you're able to enter, and conversing with her you will have to discover the exact circumstances and the persons involved, as well as her own identity. Another element that sets the game apart is the ability to choose from three different settings that cause the story and images to be more or less disturbing. It certainly deserves a try but before that, watch the teaser.

Super Trench Attack Impressions

The just released Super Trench Attack is a top down shooter that was almost single-handedly  developed within a span of five years  by one Paul Stephen-Davis. Inspired by the first world war yet with a hefty dose of humour it puts you in the shoes of a new recruit who, due to a staff shortage after the successful invasion of the enemy, will need to complete the most dangerous missions while facing hordes of soldiers and... monkeys. Indeed.

Neverending Nightmares' Sketchy Horrors

Update: The Kickstarter funding campaign of this project is now live with a not too modest goal of $99.000. The lowest tiers that reward supporters with the game are $10 (about 7,50€) for 750 early birds and $15 (about 11,25€) for everyone else, with many more higher tiers providing additional goodies like early alpha and beta access. The game is being developed for Windows, Mac, Linux and Oura while a demo is already available for Windows.

Original report: On the heels of the financial failure that was 24 Caret Games' unique shooter Retro/Grade, Matt Gilgenbach who suffers from OCD and depression has decided to channel all that negative energy into a new and very different game, Neverending Nightmares. With only a teaser available very little is known about the game other than the simple and surprisingly effective disturbing imagery. Acknowledging past mistakes and the current situation Matt and Infinitap Games have plans for a much needed Kickstarter campaign and a fully transparent development process so we should be learning more about this project very soon.

Tropico 5 Announced

Update: The game's first nine official screenshots have been published, view them in all their glory after the jump.

Original report: The next member in the Tropico family comes from Kalypso Media and Haemimont Studios and will offer new improvements in its formula of construction and management on the homonym island. It will be released in 2014 for Windows, Mac, Linux and Xbox 360.

Octopus City Blues: Strange Adventure in Need of Help

Οctopus City Blues is a traditional adventure taking place in a city built on a giant octopus, with inhabitants as strange as you can imagine. There are few gameplay and plot details but players will be able to explore the surrealistic environments and guide dialogues through many choices based on the relations they develop with characters who will have their own likes, dislikes and rich daily schedules. Watch the trailer for a small taste of a world built with imagination and passion.

Avadon 2: The Corruption Gets a Trailer

Spiderweb Software is a small independent studio with a long history in role-playing games, which contrary to many larger companies they continue developing with the intent to offer depth in every aspect, presented in an isometric viewpoint  and with traditional yet quite often just as inventive turn and party based combat systems.

The first Avadon was released in 2011 and became one of its biggest success stories so a sequel was inevitable yet welcome, at least by genre fans who can overlook outdated graphics and recycled assets, a practice used to speed up development and significantly lower its costs. I'll now let you enjoy the first trailer of Avadon 2: The Corruption which should be released within the next few months for Windows, Mac and iOS.

Gravity Ghost: Platforming With a Twist

Gravity Ghost by Ivy Games is an indie platform game with a twist. At first glance it seems to resemble a 2D version of Super Mario Galaxy, which is not entirely accurate as when playing you won't encounter enemies, traps or other obstacles, only relaxing gravity based platforming and the sounds of an original soundtrack by the composer of FTL. Watch the game's trailer for a sample of its magic.

Memoria's New Trailer

Memoria is Daedalic Entertainment's second traditional adventure based on the pen and paper role-playing game The Dark Eye to be released for Windows and Mac. Its unique storyline will follow, through time, the adventures of two characters who live in different eras. As the game's 30th of August release date is fast approaching, a new trailer has been published aiming to attract your attention.

Tetrapulse Announced

Tetrapulse is a unique upcoming cooperative retro shooter for Windows, Linux and Mac by the independent The Amiable. When playing, two to four players will be tasked with repelling alien hordes by using their own life force as ammo in order to protect the Heartstone which acts as a battery allowing them to recharge. Watch the game's announcement trailer to better understand the mechanics.

Bot Colony Wants to Talk to You

Bot Colony is an episodic adventure that will be released for Windows and eventually for mobiles, tablets and consoles. Its plot will task you with the discovery of a dangerous spy on Agrihan island, a location used not only as the base of operations for the largest robot creation company but also as a testbed for future colonies on Mars.

The creators aim to make a profound difference in interactions, as the primary method of communication will be plain old English, easily understood and naturally returned by the various characters in the game. The software in charge of communication is apparently so demanding that it's found in powerful remote servers, making internet access a requirement despite the fact this is a solo adventure.

Broken Sword: The Serpent's Curse First Trailer

This highly anticipated sequel of the classic adventure series is becoming a reality thanks to the success of its crowd funding campaign via Kickstarter, which took place in 2012 and raised over $800.000. About a year later, Revolution Software shows the game in motion to all those waiting for the Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android and, after the latest announcement, PlayStation Vita release.

Dead Island: Riptide, the ZOMBA

Update: The first screenshots of the game have been published, you can view them all after the jump and read the newly released gameplay information.

Original report: Today Deep Silver announced a new under development title, Dead Island: Epidemic. Contrary to the previous sandbox FPS/RPG games in the series, it will be another free-to-play ΜΟΒΑ (according to Deep Silver, a ZOMBA) where three teams will simultaneously battle for victory.

Deep Silver had no details to share but promised that the game will have the features setting the series apart, and that we will find out more during gamescom 2013, which will take place near the end of this month. Dead Island: Epidemic was announced for PC without a formal release date.

Murdered: Soul Suspect: The Witness

Murdered: Soul Suspect by Airtight Games and Square Enix is a mystery adventure where as Detective Ronan O'Connor you will try to solve the case of your own murder. This will be done by utilizing ghostly powers to gather clues and face demonic creatures. A new trailer was published revealing more details about its plot as the protagonist discovers the existence of an eye witness which you will likely need to track down, perhaps even save.