Soon they have sold more copies that there are people in Finland...

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Both Portal and Portal 2 have their shortcomings.

First Portal especially when played first time around, ending overstayed its welcome. It might be that there's stark contrast between the first half with small puzzles and vibrant colors. Second half is grim and gray with less definite goals. I appreciated the latter half more when second time around as I knew that between the grim and gray there are few nice parts that make it worthwhile.

With Portal 2 the boring parts are smaller and more spaced out. Although even in those sections crazy architecture is intriguing.

I guess it's bit of Valves thing that it's obsessed with long sewer and factory sections, there has just been more and more restraint over the years.

Both games are worth playing though. Personally I guess Portal wins though. I have replayed it as playing it through it's not as big effort. Portal 2 falls in category where it was fun for the first time around, but second time around, time commitment feels bit daunting.

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I'm on the fence actually buying it. I haven't bought it immediately only because I'm trying to finish some other games first.

I have felt bit that on Linux side there's bit of void in survival games, especially ones with also base building. Put 3D on top of that and then it's pretty much ARK (quite buggy) and Rust (which might not be the friendliest multiplayer game). Rest are missing the positive buzz or are lacking in some other ways like they don't have much visual appeal (which is not everything, but still...).

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Good that it gets more complicated, demo levels are quite easy once you figure out the user interface (tutorial could be bit better).

I got more Mini Metro vibe, Mini Countries is not just as abstract. How Mini Countries offers choice of two different advanced structures (like warehouse in the demo) is lifted straight out of Mini Metro.

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Next batch. There might be few visual novels that I haven't downloaded, but otherwise I think I have tried all the demos that that Linux support.

Good

• Copy Editor: A RegEx Puzzle [External Link]
Game for a niche, but quite promising. Might be quite hard for people who are not familiar with regular expressions, at least in its current form. Meant to be educational game and source should be available on GitHub (link is broken though, so ask from developers where it is, if you're interested).


• Dwerve [External Link]
Sort of tower defense JRPG mashup. Tower defense parts happen when enemies approach and quite often all escapes are blocked until enemies are defeated. Takes a while to get used to how to place the towers (moving them can be crucial too).


• Kathy Rain: Director's Cut [External Link]
Retro adventure game. Retro part is that pixels are clearly visible, but art is still very nice. Plot has just right amount of mystery. I think I like this one bit more than Whispers of a Machine, which is from the same developer.

OK

• Zombie Soup [External Link]
Very short demo. Game seems to be twin stick shooter, with some emphasis on story.


• Mini Countries [External Link]
Mini Metro clone. Basically you build factories, farms etc. and transfer resources to cities that request the resources. Could be worth a try if you have itch for easier Mini Metro.


• Pawnbarian [External Link]
Roguelite version of chess with reduced number of pieces. Can be fun diversion for a while. Nothing clearly wrong, but I didn't feel like finishing the demo dungeon.


• Catty & Batty: The Spirit Guide [External Link]
Cute puzzle game. Kind of cat and bat version of Lemmings with spirits. Spirits can't die at least demo, so finishing level just requires little bit of patience. Might be great for kids who are not ready yet for the more challenging puzzle games.


• Viscerafest [External Link]
I mildly disagree with ageres. I would think it's kind of between OK and bad as there are clear faults.

Quick saves get introduced later in the demo, but you have to collect them before you can use them and there's only one found in each level.

Graphics are very much retro, but at least aesthetics are somewhat nice. Game has gotten some inspiration from DOOM (the 2016 version), as music is bit similar style and gibs give health. You can gib dead enemies, which helps as that way there's bit more health available.

Gunplay is fun once you find something else than the default pistol. What kills it for me is the platforming sequences. It gets even worse as action sequence with platforming with time pressure.

I recommend also starting with easiest difficulty. Doesn't not help at all with platforming, but at least you feel bit more like badass as you don't get killed right away.


• Rainbow Laser Disco Dungeon [External Link]
Mashup between Robotron and Berzerk mixed in with rhythm game and roguelite (rooms are randomized). Nice diversion for a while, but difficulty is pretty high, so only in short sessions.


• Haiki [External Link]
Super Meatboy inspired platformer. So Haiki is a platformer with relatively short levels with deadly spikes and mechanic where changing background colors will hide same colored platforms. I don't know how inventive the game gets with the gameplay as I didn't finish the demo. But can be nice for somebody who likes hard platformers.

Bad

• Alisa [External Link]
I didn't play the games that this gets inspiration from. But by todays standards, the interface is quite horrific. OK, fine, tank controls make sense if you want induce fear by making walking and aiming hard. I don't remember though modern game needing a button for descending stairs, so that's something. I guess it's good game to make yourself appreciate how far games have progresses since from 90s in some ways.


• Enemy Remains [External Link]
Gory twin stick shooter. There's barely any reason to go anywhere, but arrows at least try to hint how to get into dead end of maybe even forward. Some of the guns can be fun while ammo lasts. Shadowground games are closest in style that I have played and are much better, Linux ports are not available on Steam though.


• EVERGLORY [External Link]
Practically RTS engine demo. Store page promises much, but at the moment it seems to be best for people who want to get their hands dirty in developing. Engine is open source [External Link].


• The Parrot That Summons Demons [External Link]
FMV horror game. Everything is computer graphics though. Main character is looking side to side almost all the time, which might help seeing bit more of the area, but end result is just annoying.

If you like bad horror games, this one might be quite funny and hopefully that was what developers intended.

Broken

• Loveland [External Link]
I only get black screen when starting the game. That's bit of same thing what happens if buggy version of Unity made game resolution 1x1. I found the configuration file for the game and that didn't seem to be the case, go figure. End result anyway that game is unplayable.


• Medievalien [External Link]
Supposed to be some kind of medieval RTS with aliens. Couldn't play it though as shiny things shine way too much. After travelling through the first portal screen goes largely white and there might be menu. Couldn't proceed after that as I didn't see what I was doing.


• Lion Quest Infinity [External Link]

For this one I'm not 100% sure if it's broken as game is quite weird. It's some kind of puzzle platformer where you also play as developer of the game (I think). At one point I lost ability to traverse between rooms and just went to empty space outside the room. I couldn't figure out what I was supposed to do, so I quit.

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I played bunch of demos too. I think I downloaded most of that have Linux demo.

• Lunas Fishing Garden
Kind of mashup between fishing and gardening game. Lot simpler than Star Dew Valley. If you're bored and can't think of more interesting games, it's worth giving a go.


• Jupiter Moons Mecha
Mecha themed card battler. Seems just little bit too simple, but that might be because I mecha was destroyed after few battles and I gave up.


• Load Roll Die
Kind of dice battle game. There seems some potential for bit more deeper tactical gameplay, but user interface is bit too confusing. I didn't feel like completing it.


• Rain On Your Parade
This one was positive surprise. Basic gameplay as simple as pouring water on people, but general mayhem you can cause makes it lot more fun it sounds. Levels get bit more complex during the demo so you get to blow and burn stuff up for example before demo is finished.


• Loop Hero
Liam did already article about this one. Worth giving ago, it's great retro RPG, card game and tile laying game mashup in short.


• Endline
I wasn't sure if I like this or not. It's abstract shoot'em up with small bit of rhythm game. There's some potential, but I have feeling that there must be better games in same genre out there.

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I agree, it's good time waster. Based on demo it can feel bit of grind at times, but once you get learn more how to progress, there's more things you can start experimenting. It took a while for me to realize for example that hero has levels and can get skills.

It's quite weird mashup indeed.

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Quoting: Eike

Don't Forget Me

"A jazz-punk adventure game with a twist, Don’t Forget Me is a new breed of puzzle game. Dive into the memories of your patients, use your own observations to unwrap their minds and uncover a dark conspiracy set to claim dominion over humanity."

When I click on the demo button, in browser or the Steam client, nothing happens (while four other demos were downloading all fine).
Anybody got the same or a different experience with it?

I played it two weeks ago, so it worked at least earlier.

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I played bunch of the demos that were available:

Good

• The Drifter
I played this much earlier. But based on the demo it's a good sci-fi thriller.


• Slender Threads
Horror adventure where things tend to go from bad to worse. Worth trying out.


• Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit
Seems to quite interesting adventure game. Puzzles are not too hard and graphically quite nice.


• Darkside Detective
Both games are quite similar. Basically they're adventure games with lot of humour thrown in. For some the humor might be bit cringe-worthy, so maybe it's better to try the demos before buying.

Graphics are OK, though it's more pixelated than the most of the retro games. Pixels are in right place though.

Not sure

• Mechanic 8230
Quite nice looking adventure game with odd user interface. Only one item can be carried and in order to interact with anything, you have to be close to it.

I got stuck into the second room. There's integrated hint system, but it doesn't seem to helpful. Also I have no idea why I'm trying to do the the thing that the hint suggests.

Main menu says it's alpha, so final version could be lot better.

Graphically it has quite charming style, though it doesn't try to be modern.


• Oniria Crimes
Seems to be crime scene investigation simulation spiced up with some strange humor. I gave up after I got everything almost correct. The thing is that final verdict doesn't tell what you got wrong and in this case there seem to be bit of ambiguity as there seemed to be two possible murderers. I might have missed something.

Gameplay is pretty much clicking everything you can find and solving few puzzles. Demo had 3D minesweeper and safe with a code that you have to find. So in a sense bit like room escape game.

Graphics are voxels, but resolution is quite low. So quite retro.


• Sarawak
Mostly text based adventure in kind of WhatsApp style. There are some multiple choices thrown in and few interactive screen with puzzles. If you like a murder mystery story, this one might be for you.


• Roadwarden
Kind of text adventure style RPG with some pictures thrown in. Quite interesting mashup, though I'm not sure if I would have patience for it. Demo has few quests and mysteries though I'm not sure if it has end screen. I just found that road has areas that can't be accessed in the demo, but maybe I missed something.

Worldbuilding is done quite nicely with details about the world slowly revealed.

Worth a try anyway.


• Don't Forget Me
Sci-fi adventure with bit clunky user interface. There's puzzle where you access peoples memories and you have to type words that let you access more memories. Luckily accessing all memories is not mandatory as I had no idea what few of the keywords could be.


• One Dreamer
Quite odd one. Kind of hacking adventure game. User interface is bit clunky and game graphics are so low resolution that it gets bit hard to figure where to go. On the other hand there few scenes with nice enough aesthetics and plot seems to be somewhat heartwarming.


• Rosewater
Quite ambitious adventure game. I watched small slice of the interview and there seems to be some story branching and multiple solutions to puzzles. Some of the animations are also rotoscoped.

Puzzles are quite hard, so I didn't finish the demo last time and demo is not always available. So if you're interested in a western adventure, better try it quick in just in case if it vanishes again.

Broken

• Watch Over Christmas
Nothing happens when starting up. There's visplayer process doing something.

• Not Another Weekend
Same as previous.

• Forgotten Fields
Partly playable, but there are graphical bugs. Some of the interacted things are just magenta squares. Randomly clicking things works for a while, but using inventory is impossible as whole screen gets magenta.

There are some usability issues. Sometimes game goes between cutscene and intaractive mode bit too smoothly. It takes a moment to realize that interaction is needed.

Plotwise it seems to bit of slice of life thing about writer having writers block.

In general plenty of retro graphics around and pixels are not necessarily getting smaller. Games are quite varied though and they are trying out different things.

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If you're curious about the game, there's actually Linux demo available.

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