Unlike the previous megabundles, every game in this one is non-free game (there are some overlaps but there’s a lot of stuff new to this bundle as well.
If you haven’t heard already itch.io is selling another bundle of 1000+ games, this time to raise money for Ukraine. $10 minimum donation goes to International Medical Corps and Voices of Children. I have way too many cute games to check out now, this is just a tiny selection! The bundle will only be on sale for another 5 days (as of 3/12) so go check it out now if you wanna donate :)
SO. you might have heard about the itch.io bundle for ukraine! which you can find here. the offer ends on the 18th (of march, 2022) i believe.
The proceeds for this bundle will go to two charities that work to help Ukraine, a very good reason to support it for just $10 already. but for that 10 dollars you'll also receive 992 games/a couple other miscellaneous things.
this post is me convincing you to buy it based on the exciting things in the bundle!
there are 573 'games', that is to say, digital games to be played on a device like a computer or phone (531 are compatible with windows, 291 compatible with macOS, 234 with linux, 30 with android and 20 are played in the browser)
now, since buying this bundle 4 days ago i've mostly looked at the other major category, 'physical games', physical here meaning you get a pdf or something of the sort and you use that to play the game. most of these are ttrpgs or can be used to enhance your ttrpg gaming experience. (ttrpg = games in the same category as dnd)
SO NOW I'LL GET TO THE MEAT OF THIS POST. the recommendations.
thirsty sword lesbians
this game i've actually wanted for a little while, and seeing it in this bundle kind of solidified that i wanted to buy it. it's based on the powered by the apocalypse game rule thingies, which is a much easier system to learn than dnd, if my experience with monster of the week, which is based on the same system, is anything to go by. i've read the guidebook a little bit and it is very explicitly queer and anti-fascist and includes instructions for ensuring the mental safety of the players of the game.
link to the game page
can androids pray: red
this game is the only non-ttrpg/ttrpg-adjacent game on here. i have already played the blue variation, which is exactly the same as the red variation only. blue. (the blue variation was included in a previous charity bundle)
it is a beautiful story that gave me a similar feeling to reading a really good poem.
link to the game page
planedawn orphans
Planedawn Orphans is a system-neutral ttrpg campaign kit. system-neutral means that you could play this in dnd, aforementioned thirsty sword lesbians system, or any other that you feel fits the vibe. campaign kit means here that it's the bare bones of a campaign that you can shape however you want. It's a very interesting story, and i'm really thinking about trying to run it with a couple friends. i think it's also very possible to combine this campaign story with various one-shots sourced elsewhere, to lighten the load on the dm.
another thing that lightens the load on the dm is that it's designed to work with rotating dms, as well as missing players. most people who have played ttrpgs know the struggles of getting 3-6 people with lives together every week, or even every month, this campaign includes a mechanic that allows absences to not be wasted entirely with of-screen activities for your character.
link to the game page
elf genders
This is not a ttrpg but a worldbuilding tool. specifically a society-building tool, specifically a tool to develop a fantasy gender system (for elves or otherwise). i am always very into making gender systems in my worldbuilding that are divorced from this world's common male/female based system. (ofc nonbinary people Exist (hi i exist), but the gender binary as based on reproductive systems is still very prevalent and such. i am not giving a crash course in gender studies to whoever is reading a tumblr post about a couple games why am i still typing this). but yeah, i have for example played with giving my fantasy society gender based on their magical powers, and i'm excited to see in what ways this tool will inspire me to create more gender systems.
link to the game page
so yeah. buy the bundle, support a good cause and get these cool things and many more!
hey everyone! i haven’t seen any posts about this yet (although i’m sure there are some) so here it is: there is a new itch.io bundle for ukraine with about 1000 games in it! this is a similar format to the previous bundle for racial justice and equality, and the bundle for palestinian aid
this bundle is to support ukrainians! info from the itch.io page:
Over 700 creators have joined in support to donate their work. All proceeds from this bundle will be split between the following charities:
International Medical Corps provides medical assistance in the region. They have very low fundraising overhead (1% of income), with 89% of donations going to medical aid and 10% to administration.
Voices of Children, a Ukrainian organization that helps children cope with the horrors of war, PTSD, readjusting to school, and getting back to being kids. They have also been doing a lot of grassroots impromptu work during the war, such as helping set up shelters. Our hope is that this war will be over soon, and they can begin the work of healing these kids' hearts.
there are plenty of amazing games, including several big games that were in the previous bundles (so if you missed those bundles then this is a good bundle to get!) along with hundreds of other games to play
the minimum price is $10 USD and you can pay what you want to help with donations
the donations are currently at about $432000, with the goal being $1000000.
Included In: Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality, Bundle for Ukraine, Indie Bundle for Abortion Funds
Genre: Action
Pitch: An old-school beat-them-up inspired by motion pictures of the 1980s. Dodge, dash, and punch until the timer runs out or you die trying.
My expectations: If you're going to make '80s-nostalgia-sploitation, go all the way. I have as much affinity for that decade's pop culture as the next person, I suppose. What stands out most in the screenshots is all the movie poster in the background. I hope the references go a little deeper than "here is the famous poster from a famous movie."
And I could always do with a little less reverence toward Michael Jackson, Bill Murray, and the Landis family. Your nostalgia shouldn't make me go, "Huh, relatively, the Republican governor isn't so bad."
Review:
Remember when Herschel Walker said, “Vampires are some cool people,” before telling us that werewolves are even cooler? That wasn’t just politics. He cited sources. A werewolf can kill a vampire. There’s evidence a werewolf can surf on a car and is permitted to participate in high school athletics (unless the werewolf’s trans; that would be unfair, dangerous, and difficult to explain to my children).
An American Werewolf In LA takes liberties with these creatures. Werewolf movement is herky-jerky, actions are delayed, and the werewolf’s range is laughable. There’s this huge Teen Wolf sprite, with massive jaws and burly arms, but he can’t connect a hit without practically standing on his target.
Punches have a long wind-up, but the stiff animation doesn’t sell the power, especially when the wolf’s jacket blends into the background. Long, slow combos continue to play out after enemies are defeated, with no apparent way to cancel them.
Blocking is more effective than dodging, but since they’re both the same button, it’s difficult. Attempts to turn and block typically result in a dash straight into an oncoming attack or a block without turning.
Fighting feels bad, and there’s nothing to this game except fighting, sooooooo…
+ This isn't a typical brawler, where the goal is to defeat every enemy and then progress to the next wave. Instead, the objective is to survive long enough to run out the clock. I like that.
+ Big, bold sprites that never stop bobbing up and down. I like them.
+ I gave up on the second level, but assuming they continue to add new enemy types and environmental obstacles to each stage, you can expect a decent amount of variety and challenge along the road to L.A.
+ A limited set of mechanics that are flexible enough for both fast, masterful action and slow, careful strategy.
– Fighting feels bad, and it's all fighting.
– Stiff animations. Actions are difficult to read.
– Movement speed, action speed, jump height, button mapping, animation length, input buffer, projectile speed, hit-detection, character size, character shape, sprite/background contrast—these are boring nerd things that I don't think about when they're all in tune with one another. Fundamentally, mathematically, An American Werewolf In LA disagrees with itself.
– I'm putting a lot of blame on the visuals, but the audio doesn't sell the action or provide adequate feedback, either. The music is what someone thinks rockin', arcade-brawler music is, but it is not.
🧡🧡🤍🤍🤍
Bottom Line: There's a good chance you're looking at clips of An American Werewolf In LA, and thinking, "Well, of course Jake doesn't like it. He's bad at it!" You're right. I am bad at this game, but not this genre.
Give me a brawler with something to offer, and I'll learn to overcome every quirk. Give me a confused jumble of ill-fitting pieces and '80s nostalgia, and I'll recommend you trust me when I say it feels worse than it looks.
#JakeReviewsItch is a series of daily game reviews. You can learn more here. You can also browse past reviews...
My latest book, The Fabulous Gays, is available along with many great games, books, and more for only $10, all of which goes to supporting Ukraine! 💙💛
👉 Bundle For Ukraine
PS: As of me writing this, the bundle has already raised $2.5 MILLION. That's incredible! By the way, the bundle only runs for a little over a week, so don't miss your chance to support a good cause and get a lot of goodies ☺️
