Fallout 1 was great, Fallout 2 manages to be even better. Everything that the first did well, the second improved further. Your stats and skills are more balanced, and some that used to be quite useless now have purpose. Some quality-of-life things were also added, such as a button for taking all the loot at once in a container and being able to deal with a greater amount of itens at once, especially useful when buying weapons worth thousands of dollars. There are more perks, and more useful ones, more weapons, more possible combinations, just in general more good stuff! And that includes the world! The world is much bigger than the first, and you can see many of the locations improving and rebuilding civilization in their own way, really makes you feel the passage of time and the influence of the events of the first game. The characters and story do not dissapoint either, there are many interesting people to meet and an intriguing plot to investigate. The roleplaying aspects, one of the greatest aspects of the first, has also been improved. There are many more options of dealing with problems, with several different outcomes, influenced by more stats and skills now that they are no longer useless. Few games allow you to roleplay as much as this one. You can be a hero, a villain, something else, and even a porn actor! The graphics are the same, but still retain their charm, leaving some things to the imagination, a postive, in my opinion. The music still rocks, with some tracks like All-Clear Signal being my favorite in setting the tone among both the classic games. Despite its flaws, crashes and unfinished content, which are still present with the first, this is a fantastic game, and the flaws will not distract you from all the fun. If you like roleplaying and player choice, make sure to give this one a try, you won't regret it. Linux Compatibility (for me): Other than the bugs mentioned, the game runs well. Wine version: 9.11
This RPG does something that I believe every RPG should: It makes player choice feel meaningful. The character creation system, with its S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats, perks and skills allow for a wide range of different builds and combinations, with many perks deeply inlfuencing and altering gameplay and possible actions you can take. This is something that is reflected on the rest of the game too, there are many different weapons to choose and combine with others, and there is almost always multiple ways of solving a problem, either through violent, pacifist, or some other means. You're never forced to follow a specific path or solution to a quest, and the game often rewards you with XP for taking a less obvious approach to solving a problem. For me, player choice is the strongest point of this game. The ambientation in general is really good too. It's not just a post apocalyptic world, but one that is slowly rising from its ashes, with new societies and power structures developing, many interacting with one another. The simplistic graphics allow your mind to "fill in the gaps" of what some parts look like, while the ambient music compliments it by setting the foreboding tone of a dying world that refuses to give up. Unfortunately, the game has lots of cut content and bugs, and it is quite obvious sometimes, such as random crashes, crashing when alt-tabbing, and quest that appear on your menu but can't be completed because they aren't finished, but these problems are never big enough to distract from the main experience. Despite it's flaws, Fallout is a really good game, with meaningful player choice, good ambientation and not very long, but still very memorable. Linux Compatibility (for me): Other than the bugs mentioned, the game runs well. I used Proton Experimental this time for the game, through April 23 to May 07, but any recent version of Proton should give good, if not better results.
You can only walk and raise your cross to exorcise. Those are all the commands in this game, and that's all you need. The simplicity of mechanics combined with the even simpler graphics and sounds, make it not only unique and clever with its fights and puzzles, but also terrifying, especially in the darker areas of the game. There are multiple notes and several endings scattered around, each telling a little bit about the story in their own unique way, making exploration really fun and satisfying. If you watched the trailer and felt even slightly interested, do give this one a try. It's one of the most unique games I've played in a while. Linux compatibility (for me): flawless, had zero issues. Wine version: 8.21
If you're looking for a short game with beautiful pixel art and solid mechanics, give this one a try. I finished this game in 2 days of playing, and although it doesn't take very long, there is more than enough content to keep you entertained. The music and graphics are amazing, and build a really good atmosphere; the characters and the world and well developed and quite engaging, even with so little dialogue. The world feels alive, and so do its inhabitants. The gameplay is solid. Combat is fast, and a bit challenging, but not frustrating; Exploration feels very rewarding, after aqcuring the necessary power-ups of course; and the itens, while not many, do allow for some interesting strategies. Everything the game tries to do, it does really well. Also, and perhaps most importantly, the developer is brazilian. BRASIL CARALHOOOOO CAMPEÃO DO MUNDOOOOOOOOOO🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷 Linux compatibility (for me): flawless, had zero issues with this game.
Despite its age, most of Diablo's features are still enjoyable. The music and ambience is great, the graphics are still pleasant to look at, the characters and the story are engaging, and even the voice acting is quite good. The only downside, unfourtunately, is the gameplay. There are basically two kinds of enemies: the ones that attack in melee and try to close in on you, and the ones that attack at a distance and will try to run away from you. A few enemies have some kind of gimmick, like a charge attack or spitting acid that lingers on the floor and damages you if stepped on, but those are few and far in between, most enemies will just try to close in or run away from you. The dungeons themselves aren't much more diverse either, they're mostly empty hallways with little valuable loot and little reason to explore other than doing quests, it feels more like a chore to crawl through them than meaningful exploration, especially from the mid-game onwards, as the game starts throwing a lot of enemies on you at once to compensate for the fact none of them are individually challenging or require any real strategy other than pointing and clicking. The classes, armor and weapons are good, especially with their individual perks that, sometimes, will make you consider which one you should pick given their benefits and downsides, but sadly they're not enough to compensate for the lackluster combat and exploration, which is what you'll be doing the most in this game. Diablo is an interesting piece of gaming history, and most of its features are good. But the main ones, the ones you'll spend most of your time in, I personally found boring and repetitive. It may be something you'll be interested in, but for me, it just wasn't my cup of tea. Linux compatibility (for me): Couldn't play the original, it kept asking me to insert a CD. I didn't try to fix it, just played the resmastered version with no problems, it may be possible to play the original, however. Wine version: 8.12
==Linux compatibilty (for me)== Flawless, had zero issues Alwa's Legacy is a continuation of Alwa's Awakening, although there are some references to the events of the previous game, you can play it independently. You're back at the land of Alwa, now in 16-bit graphics, to stop the bad guys once again. The music remains great, the graphics, and especialy the backgrounds, are gorgeous, the people of Alwa are as charming as ever, and just like its predecessor, the main focus is exploration in Metroidvania style. There are more itens than before, allowing for greater movement and different ways of exploring the land of Alwa, as well as plenty of new and familiar areas to venture in once again, or for the first time. If you enjoy exploring every nook and cranny of the map, this game is for you. It will give you plenty of hours if you want to explore everything, and some relaxing fun if you don't care about being a completionist, all while having a respectable difficulty. Also, there is a pig, and you can pet him. 10/10 would pet again.
I bought this game expecting cheap violence and big tits, and ended up geniunely caring for the girls and their stories, while enjoying the fights. There is no shortage of ecchi here, from different boob sizes, both big and small, different clothing, pantyshots, being able to strip the girls using special attacks, sexual innuendos, boob and ass physics, you get the idea. Some characters are straight up perverts. But that does not shadow it's other features, such as the story. It tells the stories of the ninja girls and how they came to be, what they fight for, and it often touches on subjects of family, friends, good and evil, purpose and determination. It is not super deep, but it did make me stop at some points and think about my own views on these subjects, all the while giving a good amount of personality to the characters, making them feel like real people and not just bouncy boobs. Overall, the gameplay is fun, the combat is simple but allows for many different strategies, especially using different girls. However, most levels are really easy, other than a few endgame ones, but you do unlock a hard mode for them once you beat them once. The music is pretty good, but you won't hear it unless you lower the other volume settings, because there is no shortage of battle sounds and girls screaming during combat. The graphics are ok, not amazing but far from bad. It fits the game's atmosphere pretty well, not much to say about them. My biggest complain is the lack of diversity in the levels, once you complete one school's route, you basically saw everything in terms of level and npc desing, there could've been more variation in this regard. It's not perfect, but its few shortcomings are balanced by a funny and engaging story and characters, good music, and fun gameplay. If you're into cute anime girls fighting one another semi-nude, give this one a try. Also, Katsuragi best girl. Wine compatibility (for me): Flawless, had zero issues. Wine Version: 7.20
Alwa's Awakening is a metroidvania that attemps to recreate the feeling of old NES games, and it does so fantastically. The music and graphics are not only great on their own, but also look like something you'd find on a NES cartridge. The gameplay features a pretty good interconnected map that opens up to you as you collect itens and upgrades, and it really encourages exploration, so much so that you likely won't be able to progress past certain points if you're not willing to throroughly explore the map, so do keep that in mind if you're not a big fan of exploration, however I enjoyed it imensely. It is also hard, pretty hard, you'll die a lot, especially towards the end where your platforming skills will truly be put to the test. But it was a challenge I had lots of fun with. The story is pretty light, like the games it tries to emulate, the focus is mostly on the gameplay. The characters you find on your journey mostly just give you tips on what to do and where to go. There is a nice opening at the beginning explaining the story, again, much like old NES games, however the ending felt a little underwhelming. Even though I sort of get it now, considering how closely it resembles old games, the ending certainly was unexpected, and to me felt like it didn't receive as much attention as it should. But it's no big deal, the game was fun regardless. Linux compatibility: Basically flawless, only issue I had was that sometimes when chaning the resolution, the letters on the start menu would shift to the left of the screen, but usually went back to their proper place. No issues gameplay-wise.
Kero Blaster is one of those games that are simple yet incredibly fun, if you look at the screenshots, you basically get the whole idea of the game. It's platformer shooter about a salaryfrog going around levels filled with monsters in order to fix his company's teleporters that are being interfered with. You can walk, jump, shoot, and there are a few different guns with unique attributes, but that's about it. These simple mechanics can be combined to create any kind of strategy you want, and the levels are carefully designed to not force you to use a certain gun, although some guns will be more beneficial in certain situations. The pixelated graphics and chiptune music fit perfectly with the simplicity of the game, yet still provide a memorable and enjoyable experience. The story is light and the characters are funny, it will give you a laugh or two. But the gameplay is where is really shines. Like I said, the simplicity of the mechanics is what makes it so good, by allowing you a great degree of freedom in how you play the game, the levels and enemies are well designed and challenging but not frustratingly difficult, and there is plenty of content to enjoy, especially if you want a greater challenge. The simplicity of it also makes it a game you can pick up any time for a quick break or if you're short on time, there's no deep lore involved or a commitment to long hours of gameplay, just plain ol' video game fun. Check out Pink Hour and Pink Heaven if you want a little more about the universe of Kero Blaster. Also Cave Story, from the same creator, because it's DAMN GOOD. Wine compatibility (for me): Flawless, had zero issues with it. Wine version: 7.14.
Pirate's Curse is the third game in the Shantae series, and so far the best one. It is a metroidvania like the others, but feels a lot more polished in every way. The graphics are gorgeous, with a mixture of pixelated and hand-drawn art, the music is yet again amazing, iconic and energetic, without becoming annoying to listen. The story is very light and the characters are charming, often making jokes and breaking the fourth wall in their own unique ways that fit their personality. The gameplay is solid, with responsive controls, fun levels and weapon upgrades. The power-ups you collect along the game feel better integraded than the magic of the previous ones, and once you get the hang of them, exploring becomes much faster and easier. Exploration is fun and encouraged, you'll be rewarded with something nice if you collect everything. The difficulty feels more balanced than the previous, not too easy but not too hard, some parts will be more challenging than others however, but it will be fun nonetheless. If you like metroidvanias and cute girls, I believe you'll have a blast with this game. It worked flawlessly on linux for me using wine 7.13.
