Postal is a controversial, humorous, isometric action game. Originally ported to Linux by Loki, this is the first time I’m aware of that a Loki game has reappeared on Steam. Though I believe this port is brand new. Postal is controversial due to the civilian targets in the game.
Dungeon Defenders is a tower defense action-RPG with customizable characters, online co-op, and lots of content. Recommended!
Updated: Ryan left a note in the comments with more detail about his changes to Postal:
We redid the port from the original Windows code, because we didn’t have Loki’s fork. We re-ported the game many years ago, to get it back on Linux and Mac OS X. Before the Steam work, my latest commit was from 2006.
Here’s some things we added for Steam:
– Lots of bug fixes.
– Achievements! http://steamcommunity.com/stats/POSTAL/achievements
– Steam Cloud support: your save games follow you when you change computers or operating systems.
– We respect XDG_DATA_PATH instead of clogging your home directory up.
– We threw out all the Windows and Mac code and use the SDL-based Unix port on all platforms now.
– The game renders through OpenGL now. It’s still software-rendered to a 640×480 texture, but this lets us get a few goodies:
– The Steam Overlay works (which it wouldn’t if you launched the Loki version from Steam…the Overlay can’t function in software-rendered games).
– We scale up the game with GL_LINEAR filtering, so the Steam Overlay isn’t limited to a 640×480 viewport, fullscreen mode uses the native resolution of your desktop, and windowed mode doesn’t look like a postage stamp on your gigantic monitor.
– We sync to vblank to make the game run consistently and not tear, which you can’t do without OpenGL.
We have other improvements on the way: widescreen support, porting to SDL2, proper game controller support for Steam Big Picture mode, etc.
Match-three JRPG battler, Dungeon Hearts, has been released today.
Developed by Cube Roots, the game has an interesting story behind it. Dungeon Hearts was initially pitched to Devolver Digital at last year’s Game Developer’s Conference, and is being released during this year’s GDC.
The game’s battle system involves matching three gems to make your attacks on the enemy, video of such:
Vlambeer, the developers behind such hit games that didn’t come to Linux as Super Crate Box and Ridiculous Fishing announced that their upcoming Luftrausers is coming to Linux.
The game is a 2D dogfighter and an embiggened sequel to a Flash game called simply Luftrauser. The new features include 125 combinations of guns, bodies, and engines for your plane on 100 different missions. It’ll be ten of your digital dollars if you want to enlighten your wallet for Luftrausers this Spring.
Do you like playing incomplete games? Did Minecraft’s pre-release pricing shenanigan’s get your panties in a twirl? Good news! Steam now lets you purchase games before they’re finished. If the developer calls it a Beta or Alpha or The War Z (ha ha ha) they’re available right now via Steam Early Access.
The name-your-price Humble Bundle folks, fresh off their most recent Bundle, have announced a weekly sale:
The Humble Weekly Sale is a pay-what-you-want promotion that runs for one week, with a new deal launching every Tuesday. That means you’ll have to act fast so you don’t miss these sweet deals every week! As with our bundles, you’ll be able to allocate your purchase amount any way you want: to charity, to the developers, or even us.
They’re starting with Bastion, one of the most uniquely fun games I’ve enjoyed in a long time. It’ll unlock on Steam if you pay more than a dollar, with more bonuses for folks who beat the average price (currently $2.63 USD). If you pay over $25 you’ll get physical trinkets too.
Kerbal Space Program is a multi-genre game where the players create their own space program.
In KSP, you must build a space-worthy craft, capable of flying its crew out into space, without killing them. At your disposal is a collection of parts, which must be assembled to create a functional ship. Each part has its own function and will affect the way a ship flies (or doesn’t). So strap yourself in, and get ready to try some Rocket Science!
Sounds awesome to me! Kerbal Space Program is currently on sale for $23, at a discount due to the heavy development the game is still under.
We haven’t posted about 10,000,000 yet, lets correct that:
10,000,000 is an award winning hybrid RPG/Action/Puzzle game. Matching tiles controls your character enabling you to explore, fight and loot.
When you are not facing monsters you will be back in your prison, constructing buildings and getting stronger for your next run.
Can you score 10000000 and earn your freedom?
EightEightGames‘ match-three masterpiece is available for Linux via Steam now and shouldn’t be missed. GreenManGaming has a sale on the game for half-off the regular price of $5 currently. The code unlocks on Steam.
Don’t let the simple graphics fool you, I plowed through this one over the course of a few weeks on my phone and loved every minute.
Jason Rohrer of Passage fame has released his first Alpha build of The Castle Doctrine. He describes it as A massively-multiplayer game of burglary and home defense.”
It’s 1991, and things are bad. You’re a guy with a wife, two kids, and a house. You’re nearly broke, but you know that they’ll be coming soon for what you’ve got left, hundreds of them.
You must spend what you have to secure what’s yours. But every wall can be cut through, and every window can be broken, so you’ll have to be smarter than that. With doors, wires, switches, and dogs—building something perplexing is easy.
Building something perplexing that still lets you get in and your family get out is much harder. After all, deadly traps aren’t just deadly to intruders. Death through carelessness is quick and severe.
But who are these intruders, and where are they coming from? One night, after your grand security plans are choked back by your dwindling budget, you head out for a walk. As you pass other people’s houses, you notice that many people aren’t home, and some of them clearly don’t suffer from dwindling budgets.
You climb the front steps of one house, knock softly, and find that the front door is unlocked. The gears in your mind start turning. No harm in having a quick look around. You open the door…
The game’s price during the alpha is $8, half off until the game goes gold, and includes source code for the client and server so that you can run your own. Rock Paper Shotgun’s Alec Meer wrote up his impressions of the game (Part 1, Part 2.)
Purchasers also get their soundtracks, which is a huge plus when you’ve got a great one in Sword & Sworcery.
If you’ve previously bought this Humble Bundle these games are already available to you through the download page in your receipt e-mail or their app if you’re using Android.
If you haven’t bought it yet you’ll need to pay more than the average price (currently $6.67) in this mostly pay-what-you-will bundled collection of games to get the latest additions.
Guns of Icarus Online, a team-based multiplayer online airship combat game set in a steampunk/dieselpunk-inspired, post-apocalyptic world is now available for Linux:
As with many things these days, it can be purchased on Steam.
Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, the expansion to the original Counter-Strike, was recently made available for Linux on Steam:
Counter-Strike: Condition Zero (CS:CZ) is now available for Linux players via Steam. CS:CZ is the fifth Valve title to be released for Linux and, with its release, pushes the total number of Linux games available on Steam to 80.
Launched just three weeks ago, the Steam for Linux client is available for free from the Ubuntu Software Center. More Valve titles are heading to Linux in the coming weeks and months.
Condition Zero is significant due it being the first time you were able to play Counter-Strike in Single Player versus AI competition. I enjoy it because the AI is a little bit easier to kill than the teenagers who can kick my ass and then tea-bag my corpse.
I found out about this update via the FreeGamer blog where they’ve also noted this great video tutorial:
There are a few more in that series, you should check them all out.
Here are the big changes in 0.4.2:
Very much improved, non-cheating AI. Sometimes experienced 4X players loose.
Many GUI enhancements and shortcuts.
Galactopedia expanded with game mechanics articles and many cross-links.
Batch production of ships now possible.
Improved sitrep notifications
Reworked stealth and detection
Almost everything has been enhanced, reworked, and better balanced.
The developer’s notes for this version mention that although the game is still missing some features it has “…reached the point where most 4X players will get enjoyment out of it.”
