Alien Swarm 

Alien Swarm was recently released for free by Valve. The game is inspired by an Unreal Tournament 2004 mod of the same name, and was even developed for Valve by the same guys who worked on the original. 

Alien Swarm is an isometric perspective tactical shoot-em-up in a Sci-Fi setting. With up to four players supported, there are four classes of marine to choose from, and two characters per class. 

There is also a single player mode for those tough enough to take on the Alien Swarm alone. 

Awesome graphics and captivating gameplay – what are you waiting for?

pOnd

If shooting aliens isn’t your cup of tea, or you simply need something to calm the nerves, then pOnd might be the game for you.

In pOnd players take a relaxing stroll through the countryside, breathing in all nature has to offer. By holding down spacebar the player character inhales – releasing the key releases the breath.

It is an interesting concept, and can be quite a calming experience. A journey filled with the marvels of nature is completed with moments of introspection at a pond’s edge and a profoundly meaningful conclusion. 

Since being released recently the official site has struggled to cope with demand, but the official download links should be working fine by now.

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

This particular incarnation of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (H2G2) is a remake of a classic Infocom text adventure. The remake is a graphical point-and-click adventure following the trials and tribulations of Arthur Dent, a typical human. 

Arthur wakes up on what appears to be an ordinary day, but soon finds himself trying to stop the local state from demolishing his house for a construction by-pass. However, his friend Ford comes along and informs him that the world is about to end in 12 minutes, for the construction of an intergalactic expressway.

Great puzzles and a worthy homage to the book, this is one that adventure game fans shouldn’t miss – just don’t forget your towel.

Not Tetris

Not Tetris is not just a remake of a classic Gameboy title – it’s a remake with a twist of physics. It features retro graphics, sound and music and all new physics. The music especially should bring memories rushing back to any who played Tetris on the original Gameboy. 

Unlike the original, the blocks cannot be cleared in lines, and the new objective is to squeeze as many blocks into the screen as possible – the theoretical limit is 45. It is much more difficult than it appears at first. Obsessive types should be wary of this title – an addiction can creep up very quickly. For the rest, it is probably a great distraction during a coffee break.