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1849 Steam Giveaway!

1849 Featured

The contest has concluded! Congratulations to DarkCobra86 and DrPixl!

Hello and welcome to our latest contest on Pixel Pacas! Last week we reviewed 1849 and found it a fun town management sim with a Gold Rush slant. Thanks to Somasim, we have two copies of the game to give out to lucky readers!

Here are your options for entering our giveaway.

Option One:

1. Follow our Twitter account – @PixelPacas

2. After you’ve followed us, post the official contest tweet: I want to test my skills running a California Gold Rush town in 1849. Pick me, @PixelPacas ! wp.me/p3taEI-Av

Option Two: 

1. Leave a comment on this post describing why you’d like to play 1849

Note that you are allowed to use both options! This will grant you two entries into the giveaway instead of one. If you do both, make sure you tell us your Twitter handle in the blog comment so the entries get paired up.

Our 1849 giveaway ends on Sunday – May 18th at 10 AM PST. Good luck!


If you’d like to stay in the loop about our contests and content our Twitter is always kept up to date. But if you don’t use Twitter, we also have a Steam Group that updates whenever a new giveaway goes live.

1849 Review

1849 Logo

Developer: Somasim
Publisher: Somasim
Platform: Mobile – Android, iOS PC – IndieGameStand, Steam

There is something about city management sims that hooks people. Most of us probably have no desire to ever deal with the realities of legislation, building codes, and the vast expenditures that a real city planner has to deal with. Put them in a game though and suddenly it’s fun. What if you could manage a city during the California Gold Rush? If that sounds awesome to you then you’re definitely going to want to check out 1849.

In this game, you’re the mayor of a newly settled town somewhere in Northern California. The goal is to hopefully capitalize off the sudden immigration of people as Gold Rush fever sets in. With good enough planning, the town will boom with people. Fail to provide them with the right resources though and they’ll simply move on to another town.

1849 Screenshot

Maps come in three varieties (small, medium, large) and have an isometric viewpoint. Players must build their town up with homes, wheat fields, jailhouses, and a good deal of other buildings. Many buildings require a chain of other buildings to produce any items at all. For example, you can make fancy clothes for the citizens but that requires first harvesting cotton, turning it into fabrics, then transforming the fabric into an outfit. This same style of mechanic holds true for creating wine and other specialties.

Getting all the buildings required for these types of chains is expensive, but pays off. Other towns need things that you can provide. Some may spend money for your excess fabrics and wood, while others offer to sell pickaxes to you. For the most part, players always have to manage both exporting and importing because no plot of land has everything. Sometimes, events crop up that task the player to do certain things before the time runs out.

Although it might seem a bit simpler than other games of the genre, 1849 is fairly difficult to do well in. Many of my missions ended in failure as I bought the wrong buildings or didn’t realize what other towns would want to trade for. After a while you do get the hang of things, though. It’s a total joy to see your town grow into a bustling, successful place.

1849 Featured

There are a few ways in which the experience could be improved. The view cannot be rotated, only zoomed in on. This leads to many times you can’t see where exactly to click or tell if something was placed properly. It is also unfortunate that there is no easy reference to view what chain of item creation is needed before creating specific buildings. Finally, it appears there are not multiple saves for sandbox towns, which is a definite disappointment.

Even with a handle of troubles, 1849 is a game I find myself coming back to often. The core gameplay mechanics are fantastic and easy to learn. It’s always fun to try fussing around in a new town to see how much it can expand. As such, anyone with a taste for city management games should definitely embark on a digital Gold Rush journey with 1849.

 


Score: 3

3 out of 5 alpacas


Review code provided
About our rating system

TPB Bundle 4: Abandoned

Abandoned Logo

Developer: Joep Aben
Platform: PC – Direct

This post is part of a series on The Pirate Bay Bundle.

Abandoned is a bit odd. After the main menu, there’s an incredibly brief cutscene showcasing a hatching egg. Then, you’re immediately thrust into playing with little explanation as to what needs to be done. There’s a  timer ticking down from 10 minutes, colored squares blocking exits, and then there’s you. Whatever you are.

The player controls something that looks like a Frankensteinian creation. Part bird, tree, and alien (?), your sprite flaps around stages. There are many rooms to explore and many appear to be dead ends at first. It’s only after grabbing a power up item that the gameplay conceit is revealed. Grab power ups, which grant access to more areas, then grab other ones and so on.

abandoned

I enjoyed the art style simply for the inherent alien nature of it. Despite being pixel art, the lead character is certainly unique. So too are the backdrops which start out fairly average but quickly become more interesting. For example, some areas look somewhat like crackers, while others make you feel like Abandoned takes place in someone’s intestines.

The music is a definite high point. It is ambient but still manages to enhance the sensation of being totally alone. If not for the 10 minute time limit I would have probably enjoyed it more. However, that must mean it can become a quick game if you can remember (or map) where everything is and how to reach them. Still, I don’t think Abandoned is something I’ll be looking to speedrun in the near future.


Developer’s comment: “Abandoned” was my first attempt to express myself through games and base my game design choices on enhancing the mood and atmosphere, instead of what would be the most ‘fun’.

It is still a goal of mine to make games that express my feelings and thoughts in some way, and I think “Abandoned” is an important part of what set that in motion.

Rogue Shooter: The FPS Roguelike Steam Giveaway!

Rogue Shooter Screenshot

Hello and welcome to our latest contest on Pixel Pacas! Last week we reviewed Rogue Shooter: The FPS Roguelike and seriously enjoyed it! Are you interested in checking it out too? Thanks to Hippomancer we’ve got a code to give out!

Here are your options for entering our giveaway.

Option One:

1. Follow our Twitter account – @PixelPacas

2. After you’ve followed us, post the official contest tweet: Rogue Shooter looks ridiculously fun with its mix of classic FPS and roguelike gameplay. Pick me, @PixelPacas ! http://wp.me/p3taEI-A8

Option Two: 

1. Leave a comment on this post describing why you’d like to play Rogue Shooter

Note that you are allowed to use both options! This will grant you two entries into the giveaway instead of one. If you do both, make sure you tell us your Twitter handle in the blog comment so the entries get paired up.

Our Rogue Shooter giveaway ends on Sunday – May 11th at 10 AM PST. Good luck!


If you’d like to stay in the loop about our contests and content our Twitter is always kept up to date. But if you don’t use Twitter, we also have a Steam Group that updates whenever a new giveaway goes live.

Happy First Birthday, Pixel Pacas!

pixelpacaslogo-shade4

It doesn’t seem like much time has passed since the purchase and setting up of PixelPacas.com but apparently a whole year has passed! Exactly one year ago we posted an introductory message but were relatively unsure about what direction the site would go. Honestly, there was no guarantee that we would even remain interested in it for very long!

Yet, here the site stands a year later with a surprisingly huge library of reviews. There’s also a handful of interviews and giveaways which were never anticipated at launch. It’s both surprising and exciting to see that the site has grown and that a few cool people actually browse here from time to time.

To anyone who is or has browsed our site over the past year: Thank you! PixelPacas loves sharing a wide variety of games with others via reviews. Hopefully there will be even more awesome developments in our second year!

Rogue Shooter: The FPS Roguelike

Rogue Shooter: The FPS Roguelike

Developer: Hippomancer
Publisher: Hippomancer
Platform: PC – Steam

Rogue Shooter: The FPS Roguelike is a brand new video game with the heart of something released in the early 90s. All you have to do is look at one crude screenshot and nearly believe this is lost FPS shovelware. If you can get past the ridiculous visuals, there is one heck of a compelling game to dig into.

As the name implies, Rogue Shooter combines retro 3D FPS stylings with roguelike elements. These include randomly generated levels, a perk system, restart upon death, destructable weapons and armor, and tough bunches of enemies. As you progress through the 100 floors (50 on easy), you’ll check out a wide variety of weapons. Some are pretty average while others, such as a gun that shoots out goofy dogs, verge on the hilarious.

Rogue Shooter: The FPS Roguelike Featured

Although all perks are deleted after a death, there is an overarching upgrade system that carries over between playthroughs. You can use it to increase health, attack power, and inventory slots. Getting enough points for these upgrades takes a while but the fun gameplay makes accumulating enough intel manageable.

If you did not enjoy games like the original DOOM, Quake, or even knock-offs like Chex Quest then Rogue Shooter isn’t likely to please you either. However, it doesn’t exist to simply cash in on nostalgia. Playing is tremendously fun once you get accustomed to retro elements such as no ability to aim your gun up or down. I wholeheartedly recommend this oddball game to anyone who harbors a crush on 3D FPS games of yesteryear or unique roguelikes.


Score: 4

4 out of 5 alpacas


Review code provided
About our rating system

Angelica Weaver: Catch Me When You Can

Angelica Weaver: Catch Me When You Can Boxart

Developer: MumboJumbo
Publisher: MumboJumbo
Platform: AmazonBig Fish Games, MumboJumbo, Steam

Angelica Weaver: Catch Me When You Can is an unusual point and click title. As with many modern games of the genre, your main goal is to solve a handful of puzzles alongside hidden object segments. Interestingly, the hidden object aspect is really downplayed in favor of a bevvy of puzzles and an overarching story that spans centuries.

You play Angelica Weaver, a special agent on the Chicago police force. She’s on the trail of a murderer who appears to be mimicking a series of historic London slayings. Because of Angelica’s unusual ability, she is able to actually travel to the past and connect the clues to help solve the modern day crime.

Angelica Weaver: Catch Me When You Can Featured

The story is unique but unfortunately Angelica is not the most interesting protagonist. Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by Nancy Drew’s game persona, but Catch Me When You Can’s lead feels a lot more self-serving. Once she “solves” mysteries there is a distinct pleased gloating in her voice and words. It’s weird how she stops to praise herself in the midst of a murder investigation, but maybe I’d praise my own intelligence too…

Puzzles are not too difficult for the most part, although there are some cumbersome sections. Piecing together 30 pieces of a dress (without a reference image) is one of those moments. Thankfully after a minute or so of time these puzzles are skippable. Hint chances are also very numerous. Still, I just don’t find the mystery all that intriguing. The biggest mystery to me is Angelica’s obsession with dreamcatchers. That, and the fact that the game is called “Catch Me When You Can”.


Score: 2

2 out of 5 alpacas


About our rating system

TPB Bundle 3: A Tale About Life, Death, and a Looser

A Tale of Life, Death, and a Looser Logo

Developer: Sébastien Bénard
Platform: PC – Web

This post is part of a series on The Pirate Bay Bundle.

Created for Ludum Dare 21 (Escape), this has proved to be the most surprising of the bunch thus far. A Tale About Life, Death, and a Looser at first irked me thanks to purposeful misspelling of “loser”. After a while though I began to think that this character was such a loser that he really deserved the typo. Anyway, let’s get into discussing it.

You play as a red-headed guy who goes through his terribly average life. At various important moments, such as birth, college, and fatherhood, the player is presented with one of two options. They are continue or escape. Depending on what event you’re on the results of the choices will be different.

A Tale of Life, Death, and a Looser Screenshot

In a way the game felt a lot like Alter Ego, in which you attempt to navigate the life of a virtual human from birth to death. The main difference here is you can only be this loserly fellow and there are a lot less choices. Of course, that’s to be expected given the time constraints during creation! With that said, the pixel art is fairly nice as is the amount of screens you can see while playing.

There was definitely something that bothered me while playing A Tale About Life, Death, and a Looser and that was its sour display of women. Certainly, the entire game is meant to paint a very dreary picture for the lead character but it could have taken things in another direction. Or maybe, the plot of each woman could vary from the other rather than both of their stories converging into the same stereotyped view. Who knows?

RefleX Review

RefleX Boxart

Developer: SITER SKAIN
Publisher: Nyu Media
Platform: Desura, GamersGate, Nyu Media, Rice Digital, Steam

Digital distribution is quickly changing the landscape of games available to players. In the days when arcades still existed, it was likely most had tried at least one shoot ’em up there. Afterwards, the genre trended toward niche with releases that mostly just fans were aware of. Nyu Media, known for their doujin releases, recently brought RefleX to a western audience.

Interestingly, RefleX is the second game in The Tale of ALLTYNEX trilogy by independent developer SITER SKAIN. Yet, it is the first released to Steam. The game includes eight stages complete with large bosses and tons of regular enemies. Of course, this is what is par for the course with shooters.

RefleX Featured

What is it that makes the game stand out against countless others? The most interesting feature is a reflect system. Using a shield during battle protects your ship but also reflects enemy bullets. Where bullets bounce back is dependent on the angle they struck your shield to begin with. So, in theory, these reflected bullets are a great way to weaken enemies. In play I found this hard to control simply because there’s so much going on.

Bullet hell shooters are famous for having tons of visual clutter thanks to ridiculous bullet patterns and enemies. With so much going on, using the reflective shield to its best is beyond my reach (at least right now). At least RefleX grants failing players extra continues! There’s a lot good about the game, but it seems opposed to novices, despite appealing to them with more lives. RefleX is best played by fans of the genre or those who really, really want to play a solid shooter regardless of difficulty.


Score: 3

3 out of 5 alpacas


Review code provided
About our rating system

Moebius: Empire Rising Steam Giveaway!

Moebius: Empire Rising Featured

The contest has concluded! Congratulations to Oasis789 and MrNinjaSquirrel! 

Hello and welcome to our latest contest on Pixel Pacas! Last week was a momentous occasion for adventure fans thanks to the release of Moebius: Empire Rising. This Kickstarter-funded title was helmed by none other than Jane Jensen (Gabriel Knight series). Thanks to Phoenix Online Studios we have a couple copies of Moebius to give to our readers!

Here are your options for entering our giveaway.

Option One:

1. Follow our Twitter account – @PixelPacas

2. After you’ve followed us, post the official contest tweet: I love adventure games and can’t wait to check out Jane Jensen’s Moebius: Empire Rising. Pick me, @PixelPacas ! http://wp.me/p3taEI-zH

Option Two: 

1. Leave a comment on this post describing why you’d like to play Moebius: Empire Rising

Note that you are allowed to use both options! This will grant you two entries into the giveaway instead of one. If you do both, make sure you tell us your Twitter handle in the blog comment so the entries get paired up.

Our Moebius: Empire Rising giveaway ends on Sunday – April 27th at 10 AM PST. Good luck!


If you’d like to stay in the loop about our contests and content our Twitter is always kept up to date. But if you don’t use Twitter, we also have a Steam Group that updates whenever a new giveaway goes live.