After something of a slump in January, the browser game community came back with a variety of excellent titles last month. There were a lot of fun, innovative and exciting games released in February in a variety of different genres. Here are some of the best of them.
Mechanical Commando 2: Invasion
Berzerk Studio has produced several excellent games over the past couple years. Their first release for 2010 is the sequel to their wild top-down shooter Mechanical Commando. The game puts players in the cockpit of a giant robot piled high with weapons on a series of missions to repel alien invaders, sabotage their outposts and rescue allied prisoners from hostile territory. Those who didn't enjoy the fuzzy mission objectives and brutal difficulty of the original will be happy to note that Invasion improves on every aspect of its predecessor. Just because you're piloting the ultimate war machine doesn't mean you don't have to be careful. Invasion balances necessary strategy with the "shoot first, ask questions never" attitude that made the original so much fun. It's also nice to be able to customize your robot for speed, durability and damage-dealing as different missions require different loadouts. The star map that serves as the mission selection screen is a bit unclear, so it's difficult to tell which missions have already been completed. Other than that, Mechanical Commando 2 is a top-notch action game.
Balloon in a Wasteland is an Armor Games original and another reason why the site is at the forefront of browser-based entertainment. The game is a mix of different genres that results in a one-of-a-kind experience. Players control an unfortunate gentleman whose hot air balloon crashes in the middle of nowhere, only to be hounded by a horde of monsters all day long. Between waves of monsters, the gentleman can repair his balloon, buy materials to help him survive longer or even get some much-needed sleep. The multitasking never gets overwhelming and spare style makes it easy to plan a long-term strategy without getting confused. Balloon in a Wasteland is at times a bit too easy, though. It would benefit from extra challenges, like monsters that can undo some of the balloon repairs. Perhaps those issues can be addressed in a sequel.
User Advari3d released his premiere game on Kongregate in February, a strategy/typing mix called Ninja Hunter Bloodmoon. The game requires players to defend a temple from waves of evil ninja with a samurai whose sword swings when players correctly type words written under the targets. Fast fingers keep the attackers at bay, as do a number of magical powerups that charge throughout the battle. Each stage ends with a unique quicktime event that further challenges player reflexes. The difficulty curve is a bit steep and the central conceit doesn't leave much room for expansion, but there's something endearing about typing games. They're rare enough to still feel unique. The fluid animation and fast-paced gameplay make Ninja Hunter Bloodmoon a unique, if limited, title.
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