Playing through the trial version of what looks to be a game filled with numerous levels each with multiple puzzles to solve, players make use of a toy gun filled with bouncy balls as they try and shoot through five goals each level. Shot angles and bounces are crucial for completing puzzles, and grades are handed out for how much ammo you were able to save.

The developer hasn’t pinned an exact release date for the full version of the game yet, but its set for a 2010 launch priced at around $9. Give the demo a try and check out more on the game here.

Anyone who has downloaded the demo and used up some or all of their track count will get a reset to check out the new system. The dev does this in hope that those who were put off by the original system can give the demo another chance and possibly change their opinion of the game.

Additionally, the new update brings top 10 lists of most played artists and songs, makes it faster to unlock powers and implements a few bug fixes. The file can be downloaded now for owners of the game on Steam.

From the change log:

Turba Update

The biggest change in this new update is the reworking of the game’s beat detection system. After a lot of feedback, we overhauled the system in hopes of improving the experience for our players. We have also made it so that everyone’s song count in the demo version will reset. We want everyone to be able to try out the new beat detection, and hope that if there are any people out there who were put off by the previous system, they will give the game another chance and possibly change their minds about buying the full version.

In addition to this, we have also fixed several bugs and added a couple of new features. Here is a list:

• Added top 10 most played artists and songs to the Scores menu.
• Roulette, Auto Combo and Zapper powers are unlocked faster. (25, 50, 75 activations down to
• 20, 40, 60 activations to unlock)
• Fixed leader board scores not updating correctly sometimes when you got a higher score.
• Fixed bug in file browser that didn’t allow CDs to be played.
• Fixed bug in file browser that made folders not show up under certain drive letters.
• Fixed Last.fm account name input to accept underscores.”

The story has you following a girl who, in an effort to save her house, opens up an item shop to pay off her debt. In fact, the entire game is about item shopkeepers and what they do when they’re not selling to the typical RPG adventurer/hero.

Players will seek out items to buy (for the best possible deal they can swing of course) and even hire adventurers to hunt treasures for sale. Pedal swords, shields, and other dropped objects found in dungeons as well; the more unique or rare the item the better.

The demo is longer than your standard trial with gameplay intertwined with some longer dialogue scenes that RPG fans will certainly appreciate.

The patch brings–among other additions and changes–a large map pack put together by the game’s community. The developer claims that the content included in the pack “are some of the best levels that have been made for the game since it was released.” The new maps can be played under the Custom Maps menu and each one credits the author so you know who’s done what for the game.

The other major item that’s packed in the update are the addition of achievements, which Omni says they’ve  ”given them a good test so they should be fun, and present a variety of different gameplay styles to get your teeth stuck into.” For the love of incisors!

The achievements will work with the Steam version of the game as well, though the new update won’t appear for the digital distribution client until Monday most likely during Valve’s business hours.

You can download the update both for the full game and demo here. From the change log:

Eufloria v2.05

- Added Achievements.

- Added Community Map Pack 1.

- Added directory support for Custom Maps.

- Added speed records on level selection.

- Lua: Added user interaction Lua calls OnAsteroidSelected(ID), OnMouseLeftClicked(x,y) and OnMouseRightClicked(x,y).

- Lua: Added drawing text from script.

- Lua: GetNumAsteroids() – returns number of asteroids in play.

- Lua: RevealAll() – reveals all asteroids.

- Lua: Asteroid naming (asteroid.Name = “”).

- Lua: Planting flowers from script (flower:Plant, flower:PlantOnRandomTree, flower:PlantOnRandom###Tree).

- Lua: Camera location and zoom query from script (GetCameraX, GetCameraY, GetCameraZoom).

- Lua: Get trees on asteroid from script (asteroid:GetRandomTree, asteroid:GetRandom###Tree).

- Fixed adding and removing asteroids at run time.

- Fixed planting on moving asteroids.

- Fixed enemy laser mines travel distance violation (thanks Maarten).

- Fixed crash bug when enemy AI has no asteroids (thanks Mihhaelo).

- Fixed loading music restarting as the game enters main menu.

- Fixed invisible mines/flowers from Lua setup bug.

- Fixed long root crash.

Ranch Wars

The Unity-powered title has players controlling teams of farm animals in pursuit of the other side’s golden cob. The player must capture the cob in the other team’s base and bring it back to their own. Avoid taking damage though, as being hit too many times will result in you dropping your maize.

You can check out the demo in browser here via the Unity Web Player (takes a bit to load).  The dev notes that though the current demo is in Portuguese, the game is quite intuitive the controls are simple enough:

Movement: Arrows (or WASD keys)

Change Character: Space

Weak Attack: Left Ctrl (or left mouse button)

Run: Hold Left Shift (or middle mouse button)

Just choose the bottom choice on the Menu to get started, and once the game starts there’s translation issues period. Bacon Studios mentions that an English demo is in the works as well. A full release date is yet to be determined but you can check out the Ranch Wars page on IndieDB for more media and info.

In the title you explore the oceans in search of oil, and then reclaim said oil under the hawk-eye of a major energy company, You’ll sell barrels of oil on the market, and explore new islands once you completed objectives set by your employer. Mr. Mike Rose wrote a tremendous amount on it in his exclusive preview over on IndieGames.com. Give it a look-see if you’re seeking some deeper reading material on the game.

If you’re in fact ready to try it out, a demo is available for download now via ModDB.

From the description:

The Oil Blue is an indie action sim where you explore the world’s oceans in search of oil, landing on abandoned oil outposts and reclaiming them under the watchful eyes of a major energy company. This is a limited features demo. It has no time limitations whatsoever.

The brain-tester of a game has you rotating a magical cube to group stones together by color in a limited number of rotations. Both Story Mode and the faster, rawer Arcade mode are available to try, with the full title aavilable now on Impulse for $8.95.

From the description and features list:

Vizati is a puzzle game that will put your mind to the test. You have to rotate a magical cube to connect (group) the little vizati stones by color and figure out the best way to do it with a limited number of rotations/moves. You can play the Story Mode and follow the story between Julie and Peter who discovered the Vizati cube, or play the Arcade Mode, which is a rawer, faster and even more teasing mode.

Key Features:

Use gravity to make the stones connect by rotating and flipping the Vizati cube

• 50 Story Levels
• Rich art style hand drawn in HD (720p)
• Beautiful music
• Arcade mode with special Vizati stones
• 2 distinct Arcade modes

Support for Xbox360 controller

The free offering allows quite a bit of the game to play, around 1/3 of the title in all which equates to about two hours of gameplay to make your way through. Currently the installer is only for the PC, but since the game does have a Mac client Brawsome head Andrew Goulding mentions that anyone interested in a Mac demo “let me know” and he’ll “get on it.” A supply and demand offer, with the ball in your court people.

The demo weighs in at 126 MB, from the desciption:

This be the Jolly Rover demo! This here demo be givin’ ye a right fair go o’ Jolly Rover, some be sayin’ it be around 2 hours o’ gameplay! Yaharr! That be a mighty demo!

This is quite a large demo of Jolly Rover.

This demo gives players around 1/3 of the game to play for free. If you’d like to buy the full version, please check out the site at Brawsome.com.au

It contains an installer for PC. Want the Mac version of the demo? Let me know, I’ll get on it =0).

I sincerely hope you enjoy the demo =0).

I’d be happy to hear from anyone about their thoughts on the game. Tell me, tell your friends, tell the world!

Thanks,

Andrew

Players are charged with two tasks to secure the area: Construct a maze of towers, which alone won’t stop the invading armies of foreign monsters, and Upgrading your firearms, getting you into the fight, cleaning up messes by picking off survivors. You become an X-factor in the gameplay and can exploit weak spots in the enemy’s attack.

Developer Coffee Stain Studios is planning on completing a “full version” of the Unreal Engine 3 powered Sanctum, which orginated as an Unreal Tournament 3 mod before switching to Epic’s free UDK that was released last year.

The file is available for download now via UDK.com as well as on FileShack weighing in at 323 MB. The developer is creating a 2D tower defense iPhone game based on Sanctum as well. We’ll be keeping our good eye on it.

The sequel to the award winning Eschalon: Book I takes place after the province of Thaermore has fallen and threats of full-on war are beginning to bubble over. The developer points out that no previous experience is needed to play the title standalone from the original with the title available for PC, Mac and Linux, all DRM free of course.

A demo of the title has also been prepped and released and can be downloaded via the game’s official site, if you enjoy yourself you can unlock the full game by purchasing a key and entering it where the trial version prompts you. The full version runs $25 and grants three copies of the game across the previously mentioned operating systems. From the feature list:

♦ Eschalon: Book II is the sequel to 2007’s award winning RPG Eschalon: Book I, although no previous experience is needed to play and enjoy Book II.

♦ Book II will be available for Windows, Macintosh (Universal Binary) and Linux-based computers.

♦ Play as a male or female character.

♦ 1024 x 768 native resolution.

♦ DRM Free! We respect our customers.

♦ New weather effects: snow, rain, and thunderstorms. Weather isn’t just an effect; severe weather effects gameplay stats and skills.

♦ Additional skills and improved skill balancing.

♦ Improved GUI including additional save game slots, increased number of Inventory and Quick Slot spaces, Key Ring and Recipe book, and much more!

♦ “Equipment configuration” presets for convenient swapping of entire armor and weapons sets.

♦ New difficulty modes and tracked statistics add to replay value.