Friend Zone
Take aim, and click: The Humble Weekly Sale features great point and click adventures in its latest installment, with three titles from Amanita Design.
Get By With a Little Help, Gonna Try With a Little Help
Pay what you want for all of the following games, but be aware that the final two games on the list only come with a purchase of $6 USD or more:
(editor’s note: links are to our reviews)
Samarost 2
Amanita Design
One day, on a tiny meteorite in space, a gnome awakes just in time to see his dog being abducted by aliens. Give chase by exploring every aspect of his surroundings to uncover the path that will lead him to the kidnappers.
Samarost 2 is a great casual game. The puzzles aren’t intimidating, and scouring the gorgeous, hand-painted landscape for things to click results in a wealth of delightful surprises.
Machinarium
Amanita Design
Guide a heroic robot through a convoluted metropolis on your quest to save your friends and stop a group of bad bots from doing the unthinkable.
While still as endearing and chock full of whimsy as Samarost 2, Machinarium is a meatier title in several respects. The visuals are still hand-painted, but there is a much larger world to explore. The puzzles are also far more diverse and challenging.
Lume
State of Play Games
When the lights go out at your grandfather’s house, it isn’t apparent why it happened. As you try to restore the lights, and find your grandfather, an even greater mystery begins to emerge.
All of the action in Lume takes place on a set completely constructed out of paper and cardboard. The immediate charm is just the first treat, as this game is riddled with complex puzzles.
Windosill
Vectorpark, Inc.
Interact with numerous bizarre environments. Take note of how everything reacts, because accessing the next area will require bringing everything together.
The answer is never apparent, so exploration is key. Take your time surveying the landscape, and enjoy the trip.
Bonus: Shelter
Might and Delight
Nature is as beautiful as it is cruel. Get your paws dirty as a mother badger, and forage with your 5 offspring to survive. Each of your babies are counting on you to provide sustenance, but there is none to be found in your home; to stave off a slow starvation, you must risk the lives of your family and venture out into the open.
The outside world looms, seeming gigantic from your perspective. While richly detailed, all of the textures are presented as if wrapped up in papier-mâché, and all of the colors are milky and muted. These greyed out tones also remind you that time spent smelling the roses is time that could be spend digging up roots or killing small animals for food.
You may be vicious, but there are other predators in the woods. Keep hidden or watch in horror as larger critters make off with one of your babies.
Bonus: Botanicula
Amanita Design
A mysterious swarm of invaders are destroying the natural landscape. Take control of 5 tree-dwelling friends, each with unique skills, and seek out a way to save the ecosystem.
As you travel across the land you’ll encounter a variety of puzzles and challenges. It’s a rewarding and memorable journey, well worth the price of admission (which, in this case, has been incredibly discounted).
Good Friends Indeed
In total, if you were to purchase each game separately, this bundle would set you back $49 USD. If you can’t see that $6 is a much smaller price, you are beyond our help.
A percentage of all purchases of this bundle benefit Child’s Play Charity and The Electronic Frontier Foundation