While stumbling around my usual hangout spots on the web, I came across an interesting little indie game that has all the fine makings of a decent physics-based puzzler with the added bonus of package delivery thrown in for good measure! I am, of course, talking about Blocks: The Devilish Delivery Game.

Blocks: The Devilish Delivery Game — seriously that’s the full name of the game — is, as stated above, a physics-based puzzler but with a unique catch in that, unlike with most physics-type games, you aren’t attempting to build something or smash something apart ala Gerbil Physics, or World of Goo. In Blocks you are simply attempting to get your package from the beginning of the level to the the checkpoint. To do this you are given a sort of twin-jet powered hover board.

But it’s really not as easy as it probably sounds. You see, while your hoverboard has two jet engines designed to allow you to fly your package across the level, the hook is that only one jet may be used at a time. This means you’ll be juggling to use the correct amount of propulsion at the correct amount of time in order to get a decent amount of lift and power without flipping over entirely and spilling your box onto the ground, thus ending the level prematurely. It’s actually quite difficult at times.

Blocks: The Devilish Delivery Game isn’t available to buy right now, and actually doesn’t have a solid release date at all yet, but there is a free demo that you can download right now for PC (Mac coming soon) which comes loaded with 20 levels to wet your appetite. There is also an Xbox Live Indie Games version in the works for a future release.

Finally, if you are interested in the game feel free to follow the developers on twitter (@darkwindmedia) for a chance to win a free copy upon release.

[Blocks Website]

Trailer

This according to The Guardian (via IndieGames) which runs a nice, lengthy piece on Channel 4’s influence on changing the perception of the edu-game. The article of course includes plenty of literature on Privates and the developer behind it.

A happy surprise to be getting the game so soon. This is the first Zombie Cow game released during DIYGamer’s existence, so I’m quite sure there’s going to be a knife fight over who gets the review.

The special edition is now no longer available and pre-orders for the regular edition of the game have increased in price from $20 to $35. Though not super special anymore, pre-orders still get access to the beta, whenever it arrives. The dev also warns that there website (which I’ll spare them of linking of) is”currently under assault by rabid fans and may not be up for the next couple of days. Please bear with us!”

The alpha build of the game brings one main map plus many small test maps, the Marine playable character with several weapons, three playable aliens and more. Expect the Alpha test to go on for a while, with with new content arriving through updates in the coming weeks and months. They treatin’ the loyal right.

The co-op portion will be separate from the main plot, offering its own campaign that provides backstory for the characters.

Shank hits PSN August 24, XBLA August 25 and PC later this Fall. Trailer below.

Even better, the game recently released a major overhaul update addressing the community’s plea to fix many of the game’s major problems. MCV reports that City Interactive CEO Marek Tyminski sends word, “We are extremely pleased with the reception Sniper: Ghost Warrior has received.”

Sniper is available now for $30 on PC via Steam and $40 on Xbox 360.

Though you can’t see through them, portals work both ways adding a whole new dimension for the game to tinker around with. You can check out the test video below.

The title brings a collection of 20 mini-games inspired by 80’s arcade favorites altered a bit to add some WarioWareish flair to the games. Additional bad guys, new obstacles and other features have been coded in to give the old school games a fresh twist.

You can grab the title free from the developer until Monday, July 26. All that’s required is a valid email, with a “no spam” promise coming straight from the horse’s mouth. Trailer below.

The v1.02 patch brings a couple of video option additions, along with a slew of bug fixes to the title. Now, players have more choices with screen resolutions, and the game now carries anti-aliasing support.

The file can be downloaded automatically by owners of the game through Impulse, where the full title can be purchased and downloaded as well. From the change log:

Darkness 2 v1.02

• Added anti-aliasing support in video options
• Added more screen-resolutions in video options
• Added anisotropic filtering support in advanced options
• Fixed problem related to invisible error message about video-card incompatibility with Shader Model 3.0
• Fixed Windows Vista problem related to Administration privileges
• Fixed collision bug in the hidden place where passing the locked door at the end of the corridor causes the player to fall down endlessly
• Fixed collision bug in the “Old Building” location where jumping on the edges at the bottom of the stairs causes the player to fall through and into the pit in the galleries
• Fixed programming bug in phonograph puzzle where one cylinder put on top of another results in the irreversible loss of the first cylinder
• Fixed programming bug in the “Old Building” location cupboard door lock puzzle
• Fixed programming bug in the Morse code puzzle
• Fixed scripting bug after the “Remembering” cut-scene in the mansion’s upper hall, where it is impossible to exit the room before the door has closed causing the player to get stuck outside the room in which they should sleep
• Fixed “Speaking Machines” scripting bug
• Fixed loading screen captions mistake in DDL version of the game
• Fixed clue descriptions and clue list headers mistake

Additionally, according to the game’s official site, the newly revealed local co-op campaign will be separate from the original game and tell the backstory of Shank. So far this is the revealed extent of co-op the game will carry, no online mentioned at all as of yet.

The title will run $15 and arrive on Playstation Network on August 24 and Xbox Live Arcade on August 25, with the PC version getting a much vaguer “fall release” target.

In the game, players unlock the four ancient books of magic and collect 16 mysterious cards that will help in restoring the kingdom to life. Using a mix of classic addictive gameplay elements, and then taking them to another level with new twists 4 Elements brings explosive bonuses, visual effects, great animation and an interesting storyline.

The title typically runs $10, but can be had for 10% off for its first week on Valve’s service.