Much like the average law-abiding citizen, the noble Minotaur would like nothing more than to settle down in a nice quiet home, marry a cow, and own lots of fine china. Alas, cruel fate has cursed this poor semi-bovine with severe anger management issues -- we'll be using that to our advantage.

In Minotaur China Shop, the Minotaur (recently released from the labyrinth) has decided to open up a store of his own, selling fragile, pricey porcelain goods to his fellow citizens. It's a Diner Dash-type affair: customers enter, request an item, and you've got to walk over to the particular glowing shelf and fetch it for them, with five days to amass as much wealth as possible.

But this is a Minotaur we're dealing with, so there are caveats.

Continue reading "Browser Game: Just Like a Minotaur In a China Shop" »

Did you think the Homestar Runner creators would let the Strong Bad games come out without some in-browser companion gaming to go with 'em?

Videlectrix, the Chapman brothers' faux retro videogame label, submits for your approval Dangeresque Roomisode 1: Behind the Dangerdesque, an old-school point-and-click that'll take you, oh, 10 minutes at most to poke your way through. If you need to kill a few minutes today, this is probably your best bet.

If you're looking for an experience that's a bit longer, the fifth and final episode of the Strong Bad games will be out this month on WiiWare.

Roomisode 1 [Homestar Runner]

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts just gave an award to the Flash game Bow Street Runner. It reminded me to post something about one of the most enjoyable browser games I played this year.

Bow Street Runner is a gritty history lesson. It's an atmospheric whodunnit. And it's an old school point-and-click adventure with loads of video sequences that somehow manages to feel fresh.

The game was conceived as a promo for some BBC TV Channel 4 series I've never seen, a period piece about London's first police force in the mid-18th century. But you don't have to see the show to enjoy the game, which plays out like a darker, more adult version of Phoenix Wright.

The game has you interrogating prostitutes, roughing up gin heads and cutpurses for tips, and -- my favorite part -- slicing open a murder victim and rooting around in their stomach for evidence. There are also lots of real historical documents and artwork from the period, and some solid acting from performers swaddled in period garb.

Award Winners [BAFTA]