So for those of you who don't know what the Humble Bundle is, it's a collection of games free from Digital Rights Management (DRM) that for a limited time you can buy for whatever price you feel. You can choose where the money you pay goes, be it to the developers of the game, the people who organised the bundle or to a couple of different charities. So it's for a good cause too :) You have the games forever and can install them on Windows, Linux, Mac or Android so basically all of your options are covered!
As an added bonus, when you buy the games you get the soundtracks for at least some of them!
I've been playing these games on my Nexus 7 tablet, since my laptop isn't all that powerful for gaming. A slight disclaimer: I've not done a thorough try-out of each game, since the humble bundle is a limited-time offer, and if by some chance I manage to convince you to get it, you'll have time.
Beat Hazard Ultra
This is one of the best concepts for a video game I've ever seen! It's a twin-stick shooter, powered by music. You can use the in-game music or your own music to power your spaceship's weapons and collect power-ups as well as cash. It's not a game to relax to: as it's quite tense and sometimes the interface of a touch-screen is a little difficult to manage, but through all that it's amazing!
You can get a lot of variety by using different songs, and it's really entertaining seeing which of your favourite songs are powerhouses of space-shippy goodness. The perks system keeps it fresh too, allowing you the fun of more weapons or of trying to get a higher score.
The warning as you open the game of strobing effects is dead on: the more powerful your weapons, the more bright, flashing lights that explode across the screen.
8/10
Dynamite Jack
I've not played through as much of this as I'd like, but it's not a bad game: Escape from enemy-filled mines by blowing holes in the walls of the mines and distract guards.
It's a fun game, but it gets old fairly quickly.
The controls work well on a touch-screen, and the soundtrack is exciting.
I think I'll play through a bit more of it, but I don't know if I'll play it to the end, it doesn't really grab me. I really like the function of building one's own maps and sharing them online. You can play community-designed maps as well, so there's plenty to do even if you complete the built-in levels.
6/10
Solar 2
Easily my favourite game of this bundle. Start playing as an asteroid, floating through space. Increase your mass until you can become a planet, and then a life-bearing planet. Upgrade your way to a sun, neutron star and eventually even a black hole. Or remain as a life bearing planet and try to dominate the galaxy. As a star, try to accumulate as many planets bearing life as possible and take on other solar systems. Become a binary system, tertiary or even quandiary system!
Take on challenges set by the mysterious narrator, or just follow your own agenda, the choice is yours. Unlock God mode and extra physics options to put a different spin on the game.
The soundtrack is really chilled out and the game-play is magnificent on a touch-screen. This is a fantastic game to just chill out with, as it has the perfect amount of challenge to it.
9/10
Nightsky HD
I'm not sure what to make of this game... It looks like one of these "video games as art" sort of things, which I am totally OK with. The black-and-white-with-hints-of-colour is a delight to look at, and the game is nice and easy to play. The scroll-to-control mechanic. whilst not unique or original feels perfectly natural in this context, and it works tremendously well. The tutorial is very well executed, introducing things at just the right pace to keep it interesting.
Fiendishly addictive, you'll find it hard to put down. Whether or not the introductory story is going to be of any relevance has yet to be determined, but it's not the reason I'm playing.
Replayability is quite good, as the game offers an "alternative" mode for second playthroughs. This isn't really the sort of game that you can just pick up and play, nor is it the sort that you can just play for a few minutes to kill time...
7.5/10
Just to note, the next games can only be accessed by paying more than the average price (which at the time of buying is sitting at $6.82, or about £5)
Splice
An addition from a previous bundle, Splice is a game that you won't forget. I've not played anything like it before, though I don't doubt that there are similar games out there. It's a puzzle game and you control a molecule, trying to get it to split and morph into the desired shape. The piano soundtrack is gorgeous and the game just looks fantastic. This one will have you shouting at the screen in no time at all, but it feels brilliant when you beat a puzzle that's been irking you for hours.
The game offers little in the way of handholding, which depending on your outlook can be a good or a bad thing. Another good "time-killer", I find this a really good game to play whilst on public transport.
7.5/10
Super Hexagon
This game is absurdly difficult and before longs starts messing with your eyes. Just control your little triangle through the spinning maze of hexagons that will end your game if you touch one... Playing on the easiest difficulty, my best time is only about 18 seconds. Addictive as hell, you'll be promising yourself that "this time will be my last time" over and over as you try to improve on your best score.
Bright colours and frantic spinning, this game is good-looking but not easy to look at. This makes for another good time-waster, so approach with caution!
6/10
Dungeon Defenders
This is a
huge game. From the looks of it, it was originally a PC game, but has been ported to work on touch devices. Sometimes the touch interface feels a little less than intuitive, but by and large it works well in this medium. This is a tower defence game with plenty of RPG elements to it. It looks great and performs really well (I like the option to tweak the graphics for better performance).
It takes a while to install, as it has to download a ton of data the first time you play. Don't be put off though: you'll get to play a game that can be played online with other enthusiasts, or alone to level up your hero and hone your skills. The learning curve is a little steep, but RPG old hands will be in familiar territory.
The cut-scenes and graphics are just beautiful and the soundtrack is good fun too. You'll be addicted in no time, but this is most definitely
not a game for the casual gamer.
A slight niggle that I have is the in-game purchase option: you can buy in game cash by using real money from the real world. Lots of games do this, which is something that I tend to disagree with. Purchasing items like pets or potions from the in-game shop isn't cheap, so to get ahead, one has to spend real money to buy imaginary money to buy imaginary tools. I understand why it's a thing, but I don't like that it is.
8/10
Crayon Physics Deluxe
This is another one that's a repeat from a previous bundle. I haven't done much with this game as yet, but it's good fun.
Visually, Crayon Physics stunning and the soundtrack is nice and chilled. The game looks as if it's been drawn on brown paper with crayons (who'd have thought it from the title?) and involves collecting stars with a little red ball. Using your finger as a pencil, you have to get the ball to the star by drawing lines, boxes and other such objects.
A really nice game to relax to and the level editor option is a nice add-on too.
7/10
Sword & Sworcery EP
I just don't think I get this game. But then, I've never really been into point-and-click (or in this case tap) adventure games. The concept is really good, but the twitter-integration is a little strange. I suspect this is another "work of art" but like most art that isn't a picture or a painting or a sculpture... I just don't understand it. I first played this on my computer, but it works so much better in the touch medium.
It only takes about half an hour to finish, but the point isn't to complete it as quickly as possible.
The soundtrack is intriguing and the minimalist design looks really nice.
This is an adventure game through and through, and it definitely has an air of mystery about it... The quirky story-telling is entertaining, and I think I'll come to enjoy it the more I play. For now though, it's not for me.
5/10
Head over to
https://www.humblebundle.com/ to buy your humble bundle, play some games and give a little to charity! Let me know what you think of these games in a comment below :)
NB. At the time of writing this bundle has a little over 5 days left on the clock, so act fast if you want to get yours!
