Prime Gaming 22 August 2024

More not-quite-free-but-close-enough games if you're unlucky enough to
have Amazon Prime. And we get quite a selection this time too. Some
are available through GOG, a few through EPIC, and a handful directly
from Amazon. Let's to through them all.


Via GOG
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* South of the Circle
    A short narrative game; not quite a 'walking
    sim' but fairly close. It's got a good story,
    stylish visuals and interesting setting, but
    not much in the way of interaction.

* Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical
    A fairly simple adventure game. Okay, but it
    helps if you enjoy musicals.

* Hard West 2
    A top-down turn-based strategy shooter set in
    -you guessed it!- the Old West. Or a super-
    naturally charged version of it, since ghosts
    and witchcraft play a major part. Not much
    different from the first game in the series,
    so if you liked that one you'll probably
    enjoy this sequel.

* En Garde
    A short but fun third-person action game;
    unleash your inner Zorro as you swat baddies
    with your blade.

* Spells & Secrets
    A top-down action/adventure Harry Potter
    clone; zap the cutesy baddies with colorful
    spells.


VIA EPIC
---------------------------------

* KeyWe (EPIC)
    A third-person co-op-only puzzler where two
    people run around triggering mechanisms to
    ensure mail and parcels are properly sorted.
    The game's gimmick is that you're both small
    Kiwi birds. Ehn.

* Trek to Yomi (EPIC)
    A side-view action/adventure. Guide your
    samurai avatar through stylish black-n-white
    levels in a quest to protect a town from all
    threats. The best part of the game is it's
    Kurasawa-inspired visuals.

* Loop Hero (EPIC)
    A time-loop game; collect cards that let you
    place enemies and loot for your time-stuck
    hero to gain enough experience to stop the
    Big Bad. Meh.


DIRECT FROM AMAZON
---------------------------------
* Grime: Definitive Edition
    Side-scrolling action; whack and smash big
    monsters with sword and magic.

* Kraken Academy
    Cutesy adventure game about a magic school.
    Doesn't look to be my thing and I'm not inspired
    to find out more.

* Gravity Circuit
    Side-scrolling retro-graphic action-platformer.
    Sort of a name-brand MegaMan.

* Beholder 3
    Sequels to Beholder 1 and 2. No giant magic-
    throwing death-orbs involved; this one is all
    about spying on your neighbors to ensure they
    aren't doing anything illegal. But it's buggy
    and doesn't add anything new to the franchise.

* Figment 2: Creed Valley
    Third-person action-adventure set in the human
    mind. Sort of a poor man's Psychonauts except
    more RPG and less platformer.

* Young Souls
    Action/brawler with RPG elements. Doesn't look
    all that interesting.



No real 'must-haves' but there's such a selection that you'll likely
find at least one or two that perk your interest (I recommend "Trek to
Yomi" and "Hard West"). As much as I bitch about Amazon Prime, at
least this time I feel like I'm getting my money's worth.

See you in a couple of weeks!