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Face Time

Posted by Allen "Pyroman[FO]" Cook –
One of the strengths of the interactive fiction genre is its ability to tackle subject matter that’s normally very difficult for other genres. The range of interactive fiction is staggering, but one area the genre shines, but in which the rest of video gaming struggles, is with relationships.

Kettle

Posted by Allen "Pyroman[FO]" Cook –
Welcome back to Fringe Busters! First a bit of housekeeping: For 2011 we’re going to do a few format changes. I’m refocusing the articles to be about discussion instead of review. The point of FB has always been to get people to not only play a game, but think about it as well. So instead of merely evangelizing about the game, I’m going to try and provoke some discussion about it instead.

Humble Indie Bundle #2

Posted by Allen "Pyroman[FO]" Cook –
Normally we showcase one specific game each Friday, but this week is special. Not only are there two different games that we have not featured before, they’re part of the special limited-time offer known as the Humble Indie Bundle #2. This pay-want-you-want deal gives you 5 indie games that are all top-notch quality, and part of your donation goes to charities.

I Was a Vegas Showgirl

Posted by Allen "Pyroman[FO]" Cook –
I know what you’re thinking, but this week’s game isn’t a secret auto-biography of Sean “Elysium” Sands’ wilder years. The world will have to wait a little longer for that magnum opus. No, I Was a Vegas Showgirl is a 3D adventure game about a showgirl, a casino, and a hat.

But That Was [Yesterday]

Posted by Allen "Pyroman[FO]" Cook –
But That Was [Yesterday] is a game about memories. You follow a man who is confronted with a inky-black wall that is blocking his path. The wall encourages the man to walk into it by stepping forward, then the game begins. Anything more than this would spoil it.

Fantasy Quest ('98 Week)

Posted by Allen "Pyroman[FO]" Cook –
While this month’s upcoming King’s Quest: Mask of Eternity is getting decent reviews, it’s certainly a departure from KQ’s illustrious roots. The game is being pushed as a new direction in the KQ franchise.

Octodad

Posted by Allen "Pyroman[FO]" Cook –
Octodad is a 3rd-person “action” game. The action is in quotes because it consists of things like “mop the floor” and “clean out the fridge”. Sound simple? It is. Except for one small detail: You’re an octopus.

The Machine

Posted by Allen "Pyroman[FO]" Cook –
With a name like The Machine, this game can only have two possible stories: It’s either a horrible tale of Lovecraftian madness from which you will never escape, or a cute puzzle game based on moving blocks around on a conveyor belt.

Sp.A.I.

Posted by Allen "Pyroman[FO]" Cook –
Sp.A.I. is a game about hacking. But not real hacking in the “pitstains and Mountain Dew at 2am” way, but in the “‘90s Lawnmower Man Surfing the Cybernets” kind of way. You play as an AI, dressed in the mandatory neon-blue spandex, moving your way through a computer’s security system by bypassing firewalls, decrypting passwords and avoiding security sentries.

Space Funeral

Posted by Allen "Pyroman[FO]" Cook –
In my extensive history with JRPGs I can safely say I have never experienced anything like this. By “extensive history”, I mean I’ve complained on the internet a lot and looked at screenshots. Still, there’s something about a sidekick called “Leg Horse” and a screaming monster giving helpful hints like “I HEAR THERE IS BLOOD IN BLOOD CAVE”.

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