It is striking that the quality of Linux games are really bad on GOG. Therefore I just got the demo as I expected that it is just left out despite being present for the offline installer. But it is not present. So why should any Linux gamer be confident in a game present for Linux when the Linux version is absent? Anyone can judge ...
This game is a funny Action Platformer / Side Scroller / Metroidvania with RPG and fighting elements in a fantasy world - being in early access. Pros: + Beautiful high-res graphics fitting to the story of a parody prince saving his princess from highest risk. + Precise controls (controller recommended) + Interesting enemies to fight (37 different types) plus 7 boss enemies + Diversified levels building a contiguous world to be explored + A fitting shortcut system for convenience and tactics alike + Seven atmospheric themed regions - perfectly fitting graphics/enemies (Dark Forest is great!) + Six Skills: Double Jump, Dive, Range Shot, Dash, Blasting Attack, and Cling, to make good progress and to support replayability of levels + Appropriate for passionate casual and hardcore gamers Cons (only mild ones): - While difficulty is OK, I would appreciate an easy or endless mode - Not yet redefinable controls, but no problems with defaults - controller was fixed (vers. 0.92) - Maybe some more hints (e.g. from NPCs) may be nice to give a direction to proceed - Currently only one save slot - which is said to be 3 when released which would be ok - Some minor bugs/shortcomings to get ironed out during early access (see Known Issues). For further info just visit GOG forum with Known Issues, Changelog and a big technical review. Conclusion: The game is already in quite polished state - in much more than 50 hours gameplay (first with initial GOG version 0.91 - then with 1st bugfix release 0.92) no showstopping bug emerged - playing with AMD (Zen 2 / RDNA1: Navi10) and Logitech Gamepad F310 under GNU/Linux with 31.5" at 4k. With some further polishing it could really become a five star game for what it is. I can recommend it - even in early access - for anybody liking platformers if graphics and this sense of humor matches your taste; for me it fits. :)
"Monster Bash HD" is a classic game with decently refreshed graphics and sound, which is powered by Unity engine providing really good support for current HW. It looks good even with a 4k 31.5" screen and plays with Logitech F310 like a charm - no game breaking bugs - and a Dev who really cares. Even though I am waiting for "Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure" being the best of the Apogee platformers in my opinion (funny and at ease), "Monster Bash HD" deserves 5 stars. I can fully recommend it! But while you can get through to it - it is not easy and you have to figure out a lot - which feels rewarding. While playing this game I found that it contains more secrets and puzzles than I remembered from playing it way back under DOS. If you enjoy looking for secret passages and figuring out how to defeat certain opponents that's fine ... but if you are looking for a 100% action game you may not like these aspects of the game. But even with this in mind - it is easily worth the full price. It is the best of the currently available Apogee HD titles - but the other two - "Secret Agent HD" and "Crystal Caves HD" - are well worth trying! Just play it!
The game has really interesting graphics, engaging fights, uses Unity (but a quite old version for its release date) and is available for all three platforms - but it is really unstable in a form, that I lost interest to play it. See details in my forum post "Iris and the Giant - first impressions including severe technical problems".
The first part of the Bridge Constructor (BC) series of currently 6 games and 3 DLCs is a physics puzzle at heart: Build bridges and test them with vehicles of different weight. It is a casual game (maybe also party game if the group is so inclined). One does not need to know a lot about physics but can experiment to find a solution by try and error (or think a lot to succeed with the 1st construction - even estimating using force vectors to see how gravitational force is supported by the construction ;). As a hint, stressed parts turn a different color (red by default). The game is nice to play in short sessions. For testing under GNU/Linux with Logitech Gamepad F310 we wanted to play a little - and spent more than 7 hours without really noticing as time goes by - it was that fascinating! The goal is not to build the most stable bridge - for each construction you have a limited budget and several different types of parts/material to use - so realistic. It is sufficient if both cars/trucks or trains can cross the bridge - even if the bridge topples immediately after! BC1 comes with the Slopes DLC already built-in, so the basic game has double substance - plus the Trains DLC for extra purchasing (which also has better graphics). The entire BC series comes as pure 64 bit using Unity 2019.x.y and F310 is supported by this game (but maybe one may prefer using mouse) and by #5 ('Portal') + #6 ('The Walking Dead') - but not by #4 ('Stunts'); see technical details about the entire series in my forum post: * https://www.gog.com/forum/bridge_constructor_series/linuxversion_funktioniert_nicht/post5 So it deserves 4 stars - the graphics are closer to FullHD quality for the base game - so lacks plenty of details ... also the music could be better (both are OK!) and one may wish for more variety of parts/materials to solve the puzzles - but there are also other sequels which may fill that niche. This game can be recommended for all ages - just have fun!
Tested under GNU/Linux was the current (05/2021) GOG version 2.8.0.9 (intern: 5/31/2017, i.e. May 2017 while the update in July 2017 with a lot controller work never came to the Linux version on GOG) on AMD RDNA1 and Intel/Nvidia systems with Logitech Gamepad F310 (introduced more than 5 years before HLD was released!). Genre: First note is that the given genre is absolutely wrong - it is no real 'Action' game and no real RPG either (with only 6 skills about Sword and Dash: and all can be used at once, i.e. upgrades instead of character selection or even development) - but rather an Adventure focussing on Exploration (like hidden secrets) - and no replayability value ... Technical/Quality: One can experience the game freezing without any specific reason (about 2-3 times on a gaming afternoon). Additionally, the Controller did not use RS (which would be nice to aim) or let keys/buttons be assigned (not possible for keyboard or controller, so also no cursor keys). Besides that, two Gamepads F310 are not supported, thus no locCoop mode (when using two F310 only the 1st is visible; using KBD and F310 shows 2 avatars, but both controlled by F310). As locCoop had been the reason for me to buy this game, the controller problems (with a console title!) was the reason for getting a refund by GOG. Last but not least the 32 bit version shows also a lack of care for this GMS game - as a switch to GameMaker Studio 2.1.3.273 released less than 2 years after HLD) could export to 64 bit for Linux and macOS - which are both important for quality of life - and not granted for a popular and even hyped game ... PC version did not get any additions - while Switch and iOS versions added 1 outfit, 2 weapons, a new area with boss - so PC was not taken seriously. When asking devs right now resulted in a mere advertising for their new game using UE ... So only for extreme retro gamers with a love for exploration to get it on sale - and not caring for depicted deficiencies (cf. forum).
"Fury Unleashed" is an extraordinary platformer - in various aspects: There are 3 features which are implemented as a reference for other games: 1) Perfect pre-defined controls and additionally the option to define 2 controls for keyboard and 2 for gamepads for each function; 2) One can really fine tune the level of difficulty - not only normal and hard like some other games ...; 3) You can suppress blood so it can be played with smaller children. While the latter seems minor I would like to select this - also for soft games to be more realistic (for playing when no children are around). The comic background is wonderfully implemented and fits perfectly to the game - no strange story which does not fit (found much too often), the 2 player local Co-op works as it should like solo mode, the skill tree is comfortable and is a lot of fun and strategically useful (more than some RPGs), the graphics is suited for a 4k screen, no bugs which could spoil the enjoyment of the game; graphics, sound, story, controls, difficulty (it is a Roguelite), replayability ... every detail seems to be perfect. OK, one can want more worlds, even more skills ... but for me it is a rare case that all fits together to really enjoy playing - alone or with a friend. It is not all - for a contemplative twin-stick shooter I would see "Rush Troopers" in the lead, for a story driven twin-stick shooter (Top-Down view here) "Children of Morta" may be more deep (depending on personal taste). But if I would be asked (with more than 500 games under Linux) to name the best of all - it must be "Fury Unleashed". If you are happy to be in combat, prefer Twin-Stick shooters (keyboard/mouse is also perfectly supported - I would just recommend that as I am using a Logitech F310 under Kubuntu 20.10), like a comic story and a little RPG-like tactics, want to play extreme easy/extremely hard or something in between after your choice: THIS IS YOUR GAME! ;) So don't miss it: worth full price!
Jumpala is one of those nice casual games which can be played with up to four people (local or online PvP or 2x2 in Teams - so playing Co-op in a human team against the PC team is possible). There are officially ten stages to select (after earning enough: each unlock is 3000 Jenny) - easy once are directly selectable and more interesting ones with falling bolder, crystals or even LASERs are to be unlocked - and officially 7 characters to choose from: * Lola (sword), * Frore (ice), * Cid (computer), * Bommer (explosion), * Reese (speed), *Dr. Time (time manipulation), * Ribbon (stealing). Both character and stage have also a random mode to select if someone prefers to get a surprise. The sound and animation are fitting to this game, but at the beginning it was a lot to get accustomed to and the PC is a quite hard enemy (CPUs are difficult even when playing in easy mode of versus game; in solo game mode they are OK). With a real person - in best case playing in front of the same screen - it is huge fun - but be warned: This fascinating game can be a real `Mensch-ärgere-dich-nicht' game! If you stay at ease you can win - if one gets in rage you may see your avatar falling a lot - which is not good for the score ... and your self-confidence. ;) You can get Items for special abilities (e.g. moving/destroying/locking platforms) and each character has a Special Ability & Ultimate Ability usable when Special Meter has at least 1 or all 4 bars, respectively (tutorials for all 7 official characters and Item Guide exist). I played current version 1.1.0 under GNU/Linux with Logitech F310 controller. Jumpala is an HTML5 game by a responsive developer (a BIG PLUS) running through NW.js, essentially a modified version of Chromium. See the forum for changelogs (and maybe soon a small `manual´). So it currently deserves 4 stars for multiplayer (local was tested - online is also available) - and about 3 stars when playing against the CPU - but this might soon turn for the better!
As the two reviews here are currently wrong (at least out-dated) I want to clarify. The full game comes currently (07/2020) as: gog_din_s_curse_2.0.0.6.sh gog_din_s_curse_demon_war_dlc_2.0.0.2.sh And the DLC is installed without problem. The game speed should be OK. For the future the 32 bit binary may be a problem, as GNU/Linux distros may soon stop supporting 32 bit SW by the appropriate libs - like macOS did before. But maybe the engine can get an update to support 64 bit.
